It is not important for marketers to have excellent leadership, teamwork, and interpersonal skills, but it is important for marketers to display productive behaviour in the workplace. Ashely Zeckman mentions in her blog 5 Tips for Marketers to Change Bad Habits and Increase Productivity, that productivity starts with eliminating bad habits that distract us from getting our work done in the workplace. It first starts with identifying bad habits, then working to slowly change those bad habits. An example would be reducing the amount of time one spends checking one’s email or Facebook account to twice a day instead of every hour. By doing this, a worker increases the amount of time they have to accomplish certain tasks.

Ashley Zeckman also states that one must not make too many changes at once as it might be overwhelming, which may lead not making any modifications in one’s lifestyle. An individual could start doing small changes such as arriving 10 minutes earlier to work or bringing packed meals to work instead of buying fast food. If these changes are constantly repeated, bad habits can be transformed into good habits. It is important not only for marketers to develop good life habits, but also for everyone in the workplace. If the workplace is filled with workers that display good habits then productivity is most likely to occur.

As a marketing student, I develop good working habits by getting things done right away, and not leaving everything to the last minute. I aim to bring a pro-active and positive attitude in the workplace in order to innovate my workers to develop new ideas for the company, and to accomplish tasks.

http://www.toprankblog.com/2012/10/5-tips-for-marketers-to-change-bad-habits-increase-productivity/

I recently attended the first pre-conference workshop of the year entitled “So You Think You Can Brand?” on October 29, 2012 from 6:00 pm-7:30 pm at the Birmingham Lounge, Henry Angus in the Sauder School of Business. One speaker for the event is Chris Dallin, Director of Branding and Design, Karacters Design Group, at DDB, Canada’s most awarded agency for 10 years running, and a truly seasoned professional when it comes to handling million dollar campaigns and delivering impeccable brand strategy to clients.

Chris Dallin talks about the importance of branding in marketing. He mentions that branding has various definitions and depends on how one defines it. He defines branding as doing one’s best in delivering the best products and services to consumers. On the other hand, other people define branding as creating a unique image for the product in order to attract various consumers. The brand a company will develop for its product depend on its definition.

Branding has three aspects, which are relevance, coherence, and participation. He mentions that the product must have some relevance or use to the consumer for them to purchase it. It must be coherent, meaning that the quality of product they sell to consumers must be consistent. An example is how the taste of a Starbucks coffee must be the same for all consumers. Any difference in the taste of the coffee allows the consumers to question the credibility of the company’s brand. The product must encourage participation among consumers to purchase the product. A company will not succeed even if the product is relevant and coherent if no one is willing to purchase it.

Lastly, he mentions the various stakeholders involved in branding, which are the art director, the strategist, graphic designer, marketing director, and others. Each of these roles must not only have knowledge in marketing in order to succeed, but he must also have knowledge of some graphic and art design in order to work well with the other stakeholders in branding.

Louis Vuitton has established itself as one of the most high-end brands in the fashion industry. Its product is similar to other high-end fashion brands such as Prada, Gucci, Celine, Fendi, and Hemes. Its success and ability to remain in the market is because of its effective marketing mix.

• Product: Louis Vuitton has successfully established its own unique identity in the market place where people know the “LV” brand as opposed to just simply another high-end brand. In his article “Marketing Principles of Louis Vutitton,” Shin’ya Nagasawa (2008) mentions that Louis Vuitton is known for its “adequate product quality”. “Adequate product quality” refers to having “fitness for use” and “conformance to requirement”, which means that the handbags are very easy to carry. Louis Vuitton has established itself as a handbag that has a unique quality that makes customers choose between Louis Vuitton or nothing when shopping for handbags.
• Price: Shin’ya Nagasawa (2008) states that general consumers demand goods that have lower prices. However, Louis Vuitton chooses to price itself in terms of value rather than price, which is why they choose to mark its products at a very high level. Value refers to the benefit consumers receive for what they give. Louis Vuitton offers customers high-value products through its quality and brand. Its high-price makes consumers feel that they are part of an exclusive society when they carry a Louis Vuitton bag. It is relates to conspicuous consumption.
• Place: Louis Vuitton chooses not to sell their products in department stores, and instead establishes individual high-end Louis Vuitton stores. Their decision to limit its distribution channel is done in order to make consumers feel that Louis Vuitton is such a valuable product as its stores few in number
• Promotion: Louis Vuitton advertisements mainly consist of celebrities. This is done in order to target the affective component of consumers’ attitudes by allowing them to feel a certain emotional connection. It gives consumers a social reference group that they are part of a group of celebrities.

References:

Nagasawa, S. (2008). Marketing Principles of Louis Vuitton. Waseda Business & Economic Studies 2008 No.4, 44, 41-54. Retrieved October 19, 2012, from http://dspace.wul.waseda.ac.jp/dspace/bitsStream/2065/33711/1/WasedaBusiness%26EconomicStudies_44_Nagasawa2.pdf