Commenting on Michelle’s blog: https://blogs.ubc.ca/michellelin/2010/12/05/starbucks-cup-to-cup-project/ & an external marketing blog: http://thebrandbuilder.blogspot.com/2005/08/brand-reputation-reputation-brand.htmlTimhortons Children Foundation

There are various ways to improve a company’s reputation. Such as what Michelle has mentioned in her blog that Starbucks starts work on its cup to cup recycling project to contribute to environmental friendly. Then, grab other’s awareness to say something good about the company in order to attract potential customers. Under such an intense competition of market, companies try to survive by absorbing more loyal consumers. Although advertising is absolutely necessary, “word of mouth marketing” is more effective. People get more excited about other’s reactions, especially a friend’s advice. Another successful example like the children foundation that hold by Tim Hortons, donate to the youngest generation to help them build strong personalities to benefit their whole lives. Since it’s a non-profitable program, people may want to help with this meaningful program, and it is no doubt that such a program enhance a company’s reputation in a large degree.

I have been used thousands of products, watched hundreds of advertisements on TV.

I’m a loyal customer to some brands and I can repeat some unforgettable tag lines of ads.

For example, I love all the clothes of “Aritzia”. 80% of what I wear is from that’s shop, because their products never let me down. The simple and elegant style, high quality and good customer service and connection, are all the factors attract me to shop there. Differentiating from other brands is what every brand wants to achieve ultimately. Setting your product apart from its competitors is an essential first step toward creating preference and loyalty.The slogan of Adidas “Nothing is impossible”, it is not a simple slogan, and it’s an attitude towards life. Easy to remember and use in reality all the time. It definitely increases brand’s awareness. Consumers don’t always value brands; they value the idea the brand represents to them. This idea will always be worth more than the product, or the actual bricks and mortar of the business enterprise.Adidas– Nothing is impossible

Steve Jobs died from cancer at his 56 years old yesterday. The whole world recognized this as a loss of technology industry and even for the evolution of human-beings. Because he is one of the most visionary and creative genius in technology area, he changed this world by the product he created through his life. Products of Apple are the most popular electronics because of its irreplaceable advanced applications, software, and hardware in the current tech market. With the extraordinary selling:  129 million iPhones, 29 million iPads and 300 million iPods, the output nearly equal to the amount of population of the world.  If he’s still alive, we can probably predicted that how much value he could create for the market.  It’s like the end of the innovators,” said Scott Robbins, 34, who described himself as an Apple fan of 20 years and who rushed to an Apple Store in San Francisco when he heard the news.

To mourn Steve Jobs, people posted a revised Apple logo which stylized with a bite on the apple to show their deeply grief.  On Twitter, “Thank You Steve” and “iSad” were still high on the list a day after his death. Even I set my iphone lock screen to Steve’s photo. However, how the stock market reacts to this is the main concern of me. It supposed to be a big drop for the stock market of Apple in my opinion, but it turns out to be pretty optimistic. Just a slightly change of 2% decrease for its market value. As for Apple’s major competitors, such as Samsung, there is an obvious rise of stock market for it.  This still shows the market is downgrading Apple’s future.

I have to say, I’m kind of cannot live without technology.  I owned almost every product of Apple and I’m really enjoyed using Samsung laptop and printer. I can’t decide which one I like more? They all created necessary value for me. The battle between Samsung Electronics Co. and Apple Inc. really attracts public’s attention recently. On April 15^th, Apple pulled the trigger by claiming that Samsung’s Galaxy line of mobile phones and tablet “slavishly” copies the iPhone and iPad, according to court papers. Then on 22^nd of the same month, Samsung filed patent lawsuits against Apple in South Korea, Japan and Germany, involved 10 alleged infringements of patents mainly involving power reduction during data transmission, 3G technology for reducing errors during data transmission, and wireless data communication technology.

Obviously, under the intense competition of technology market, to win in patent lawsuits means to inhibit the growing of opponent’s market and gain the patent settlement fee. As what Samsung did, they intend to charge Apple 2.4 percent of its chip for every patent.  In my opinion, the continuous patent battle won’t benefit both of them in terms of that Apple is the second biggest client to Samsung and Apple relies on Samsung for component supplies such as chips and LCD displays. Samsung’s revenue would decline and stock shortage would occur to Apple if they terminate the cooperation.   “But both know that they need each other. Apple can’t suddenly change to other company for supplies of memory chips and mobile processors, because there’s no one able to meet Apple’s requirement in terms of technology and capacity other than Samsung.” Song said.  However, Samsung is essentially Apple’s only real tablet competitor at this stage.

To conclude, in the market place, there are no enemies forever, but profit. Samsung and Apple did everything to enhance their position in the market place and to get the most profit. As a witness of their competition in market, I realized that consumers are the real beneficiaries.

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