A new type of advertisement has appeared to Scotia Bank to attract more customers by adding hockey element in their financial advertisement.

Personally I think it is a good idea to some extend for tapping into emotions works, connecting image of Scotia Bank to adore of hockey. If they are managing to use concept of “image transfer”, transferring positive feelings about hockey on to Scotia in an emotional way.

This concept actually work successfully for several big company, like Tim Hortons, Nike, Rogers and so on. All of the examples have proved that “image transfer” is valid in many cases. But Scotia did do a survey among public and got the resounding that advertisements of a bank would be more acceptable if it is authentic.

So, this raise a considerable situation when using such strategy for image of a bank. From this article, high attention should be paid on standard or characteristic of a certain company or business. Scotia might want to make customers like them by adding hockey element in their advertisement on financing, and probably with some humour effect. But it is still a bank which ought to be considered with feelings like “reliable” and “safe”, instead of “humorous”.

Reference blog site of yueyue wang:http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/industry-news/marketing/blood-sweat-and-tears-scotiabank-shoots-at-hockeys-softer-side/article20898455/

Link of an advertisement using “image transfer”:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8gzXBpyWGM#action=share

Article Link:http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/industry-news/marketing/blood-sweat-and-tears-scotiabank-shoots-at-hockeys-softer-side/article20898455/

In this market share competition is originally raised by a loosed protect of patents for Keurig company. But imitation from coming competitors and patent protection will always be a considerable and inevitable issue in a competitive market.

According to this case, an explosion in the market of machines that brew single-serve espresso and other hot-beverage products has gradually raised as the patented technology behind Keurig Green Mountain Inc.’s K-Cup coffee machines expired. Then the market share had been divided into many private label firms, apart from Keurigs and Club Coffee, which is widely recognized as what is strong and original in coffee machine market.

Since a market total revenue on single-serve coffee pod machines went up to $95-million, growing market appeals not only small private label firms, but also cause a rough competition between equally strong and well-known companies, like Club Coffee and Keurig.

I think the action that Club Coffee has taken is fair enough in middle of competition with Keurig company. In view of law and ethics, it’s a necessary method to protect company’s own patent and right.

Additionaly, it highlighted the importance of protecting the brands as the business grows strong and taken a large portion of market share. Not only for protecting patent as a valuable assets, but take the responsibility as owner of larger portion of market share.

Article Link:http://business.financialpost.com/2014/10/01/keurig-green-mountain-sued-by-canadas-club-coffee-for-600-million/

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/capital-one-said-to-replace-amex-as-costcos-canada-card-issuer/article20665637/

Costco came up with a new idea about targeting more customers and increasing revenue by offering no-limit reward card from Capital One Financial.

I think, with marketing strategy like this, customers are likely to get a membership card since it’s free to get one. Which means getting more constant customer flow. Offering a percentage cash back is a effective way to gain larger revenue compared to offering point credit as majority of markets do, such as Save on Food, Walmart and so on. Because customers can take advantage of this new no-limit reward card and get relatively high rate cash back even after a one time purchase as long as they get a free membership card, which potentially rise their willingness to pay.

Furthermore, this is considered to be a gain for customers as well. There is benefits that costumers can reap from using Capital One Platinum MasterCard, such as getting cash back on purchasing not only in Costco, but in other restaurants, groceries, gas purchases etc. For becoming a member of Costco, customers can 1.25% cash back without annual fee and a teaser rate of 5% for the first six months. A high teaser rate is a smart choice since a 5% cash back, which is over 200% of rate they can get from saving in bank, for purchasing in gas stations, grocery stores and restaurants sounds appealing enough to make customers choose to shop in Costco rather than other similar supermarkets.

Article Link:http://business.financialpost.com/2014/10/01/costco-customers-offered-no-limit-reward-card-from-capital-one-financial/