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When you see a fairytale princess, you wished it was real. When you see a Cluedo character while playing the game, you wondered what it is like to have such a character come alive? When you stumbled across ‘Winnie the Pooh’ when you were a child, you thought – Do such characters really exist? (or at least I did in regards to fairies)… Where does personifying a character come into place?

Talk about the “Milka” chocolate… the purple calf. Reading the news article of how Purple “Milka calf” becomes an attraction in Serbian village, it made me pondered about the power of branding. The fact that the inhabitants of the village region found the calf to be a real attraction shows that “Milka” must have indeed been in the inhabitants’ schema. For them to be able to link the violet calf to the purple calf in “Milka”, this means that the chocolate brand must have indeed be very well-known and well-liked. In other words, when they think of chocolate, they think of “Milka”. Such recognition is an example of successful branding and advertising.

Taken from Milka

Taken from “Purple “Milka calf” becomes an attraction in Serbian village”

The calf is already an iconic symbol. As a marketing student, we are always on the ball to think of new ideas. What would it be like, if Kraft marketers, could use this opportunity to prime “Milka”, such that when consumers see a calf elsewhere, or something adorable, they are primed to think of “Milka” from now on…

Reading Catalina Verna’s blog about the success of McDonalds’– influencing our behavior through situational factors, shaping our attitudes, targeting parents and using celebrity endorsement, McDonalds is indeed a leading fast-food chain. Despite such success, how is it that McDonalds is still in the negative light for some…

1)      San Francisco asks McDonalds for Healthy Meals instead of Happy meals – San Francisco would ban McDonald’s from putting toys in Happy Meals unless it adds fruit and vegetable portions and limits calories. Yet, Cynthia Goody, McDonald’s nutrition director, said there was no evidence that obesity in children would be reduced by requiring a fruit or vegetable with all meals.

2) McDonald’s Meal resist decomposition for 6 months – Sally Davies, US photographer, bought a Happy Meal, placed the burger and fries on her shelf, untouched. After 6 months, there was no sign of decomposition, rather, the food just turned solid rock. McDonald’s spokeswoman Theresa Riley said “Our hamburgers are cooked and prepared with salt, pepper and nothing else — no preservatives, no fillers. Our hamburger buns are baked locally, are made from North American-grown wheat flour and include common government-approved ingredients designed to assure food quality and safety.

What are ethics of marketing? How is it, that the ads claim to offer healthy choices, but overall, the food is still detrimental to our body. Or, how is it that there are negative claims about the food itself, but yet public relations of McDonalds states otherwise? Who is actually correct? Where can the line be drawn between what is ethical and what isn’t.

With that I’ll leave you with the question – In marketing terms, what is ethical and isn’t?

But indeed, in some sense, whether an act in marketing is deemed as ethical can often be rather subjective

Flashmob marketing can be a new innovative way of marketing! Basically, a flashmob refers to a group of people assembling in a public space (eating centre, train station etc.), as ‘normal’ people, and then performing a pre-determined routine or dance. After which, they dispersed.  It is usually done for entertainment purposes. This group of people usually gets together through social media, viral emails or even websites. Companies could open up to this new idea of flashmob marketing, because a lot of people can be targeted from a single flashmob. The main consideration is to have your message brought across! It is useless putting on a wonderful performance, without any passerbys understanding the real objective.

— A promotion stunt for a Belgian television program, where they are looking for someone to play the leading role, in the musical of “The Sound of Music”.”

— A special T-mobile advert.

— To celebrate the announcement by Trident of its free Beyonce gig in November. http://www.tridentunwrapped.co.uk

Marketing gets your goods and services out to the door. But are all strategies ethical? What are some moral aspects of a firm’s marketing strategies that are considered to be unethical? The list is not exhaustive …

• Bait-and-switch – a controversial marketing method used to entice customers by advertising deals that are simply too good to be true. For example, certain airlines. You see a cheap flight that costs $10, when in fact, there are only limited seats available at such price!
• Product Misinterpretation – using brand names that are similar to well known trademarks. For example, China’s Rasonic and JNC (both variations of Japan’s Panasonic and JVC)
• Unsubstantial claims – promotional declarations that cannot be proved. For example, “All dentists’ favourite toothpaste”
• Confusion marketing – swamping customers with excessive price information. Prevents customers from making informed choice, with the objective that customers will not switch to rival firms. For example, mobile phone subscription plans.
• Pester information – involving children pestering parents into buying certain products such as toys, fast food etc.

For more information, you can read ‘Ethics of Marketing’ in Business and Management written by Paul Hoang …

Sitting on a Bus 99, my eyes usually rest upon the advertisements that are pasted. “Safe sex, prevent bronchitis, do not make 199 your dial line” are fragments of phrases I caught while looking at  the advertisements.

Well well… marketing in non-profit organizations? What approaches are usually needed? Stumbling across Akva’s blog, I managed to learn more about pro-social advertising too. Quoting from Akva’s blog, ‘pro-social advertising is a new and innovative concept, which focuses on relevant, social, health and/ or public issues which are often considered as a threat to the audience.’ It is often creatively used to raise awareness of a problematic issue that people can relate to. Of course, the social/ health and public issue must be communicated across.

Source: starzlife.com

Source: waynebesen.com

Source: akvablog.wordpress.com

Similar to marketing in non-profit organizations in some way, ‘creativity and innovation’ is the main gist of pro-social marketing. Such approaches include:

• Social marketing – main aim is not to make profit but rather seek the public to take action.
• Using catchphrases and slogans – aren’t the above examples memorable?
• De-marketing – the use of marketing to reduce the demand for socially undesirable products. Or informing and persuading citizens to act in a particular way. (Eg.: Do not buy fur-clothing!)
• Public relations – public endorsements etc.
• Internet technologies – published news online etc.

Right product? Right place? Right time?

Think of Starbucks? What comes to your mind? Contemporary, upbeat …. ? If that’s the case, what do people have to say when Starbucks decide to open one of its stores at historic site of Beijing’s Forbidden City. Right product—certainly yes. Right place and right time – a definite no.

Built in 1420 and home to 24 emperors until the end of imperial rule in 1911, the Opening Forbidden City is one of China’s top tourist attraction and a Unesco World Heritage site. Clearly, opening up one of its stores there does not go hand in hand. It will definitely be a sales booster (I’ve been there and have seen the store full of people), with Starbucks being an established brand. However, due to cultural sensitiveness, this is not a wise move.  The Starbucks brand was told it could continue if it carried other brands. Sadly, to protect its brand image, Starbucks declined and the branch was closed down after much protests.

Source: internationalbusinesslawadvisor.com

Source: urbanantiques.blogspot.com

Source: tokyoshoes.com

Morale of story? Place, is definitely a crucial part of the 4Ps, and if not handled properly, it could harm one’s reputation and result in negative word-of-mouth.

BBC News

So, coming from a non-coffee drinker, I can say that I hardly consume Starbucks products – maybe once or twice a year. In response to Noelle’s blog, I disagree with the point that Starbucks should not change their logo. Having the present logo since 1992, I believe it’s time for some change and innovation to spice things up!

1) Worrying about the fact that non-Starbucks lovers will not see the link between the new logo and Starbucks products? In a way, I always believe quality product, quality service, and positive word-of-mouth will come rolling in. Surely yes, I’ll be wondering what’s this new thing? Is it a new product? But it’s such questions that will garner up my interest to find out more about it. And because Starbucks is an established brand, I am pretty certain I will definitely be aware of the new logo change once I see everyone around me holding the ‘new’ cup.

2) Quoting from Noelle’s blog: ‘Howard Schultz said that Starbucks decided to evolve its logo because they find the new logo “more suitable for the future” and bringing the Siren out of the ring also symbolizes “thinking beyond coffee”.’— I personally like the phrase – ‘thinking beyond coffee’. Somehow, that phrase just brings to my attention that Starbucks will provide something more than just coffee, maybe quality service? Yeah, you might say – isn’t that part of their mission statement already – to provide quality service and product? Well, I feel there’s no harm reinforcing it, and reinforcing it just makes it better, on the customer part!

Source: ecofriendlypack.com

Source: http://coffee.yowazzup.com/tag/azuki

Source: japantrends.com

‘Which air-conditioning service do you use?’

‘Stiff Nipples’.

‘Which restaurant did you go today?’

‘Cabbages and Condoms’.

‘What beverage did you buy?’

‘Pocari and Sweat’.

As awkward as it sound, those are actual brand names of services and products. Stiff Nipples is a British air conditioning service while Cabbages and Condoms is a Bangkok restaurant chain. Pocari and Sweat is a Japanese drink.

Source: http://www.ugoto.com/picture_stiffnipplesairconditioningservice.html

Source: http://www.pda.or.th/restaurant/

Source: connect.in.com

We have learnt about the value of branding, but choosing one’s brand name is equally important too. The above examples are just one of the many international branding mishaps. Although there might be a purpose for such brand names, these brands would probably not excel on a global scale.

So…. What in particular should businesses take into consideration when choosing a brand name to operate in an international market?

Culture – The ideas and values of a country.  Would your brand name be suitable for a culturally sensitive country?  What are the cultural differences among countries? Would a brand name, which appears completely culturally fitting in one country, be actually perceived in a different light in another country?

Language – This is embedded in language too. Does your brand name, when translated in another language, connote a different meaning in the country? For example, Subway, when translated into Mandarin is ‘sai ba wei’….. For a Singaporean or Malaysian to read this, it would actually mean ‘ the smell of faeces from afar’.

At the start of this marketing course, we talked about the importance of value-co-creation in marketing – basically allowing customers the opportunity to act as collaborators in creating a product or service. This is especially essential in a value-based marketing era.  I was pretty fascinated to read about ‘My M&M’s’, whereby customers could have custom printed MY M&M’S – their personalized chocolate candy.

Similarly, I would like to introduce a new product in the Singapore market, that has been very popular with the ‘youngsters’ – ‘Sticky’ Traditional handmade candy –  it is Singapore’s first handmade rock candy store.  It’s not about the candy, but rather the innovation behind it, whereby there are 71 designs, flavours or styles. Also, customers could have their customized candy made for any occasion – weddings, a gift, or for corporate events.

Source: http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=405957033532

Source: s-hoptofill.blogspot.com

Source: jadeisabelle.wordpress.com

What are the two main benefits of being first in the market?

• Get to charge a premium price – As compared to other ‘candy’ products, Sticky certainly has a competitive advantage against its competitors; hence a slightly higher price (starting from $2.90). After all, it’s the quality of the product that customers will be returning for, and that’s what Sticky place great emphasis on.
• Establishing a brand name – Yes, we have learnt about brand equity. Sticky is starting to get popular among many in Singapore, and the perceived value amongst consumers is that they are willing to pay a higher price for quality. In fact, Sticky is developing its brand personality and brand association as being trendy, youthful, creativity – having its stores all colourfully decorated. Without many competitors at present, Sticky has been able to gain a foothold in the market.

How does Sticky promote its products?

• Word of Mouth – A good product sells itself. People will eventually hear about it. That’s actually how I came to know about the product.
• Social Media – Facebook! – Involving customers is essential!
• Through Blogs! http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=405957033532 — a famous Singapore blogger

Watch the making of Sticky Candies…..

Owned a barbie doll? No.

A fan of Barbie dolls? No.

But, guess what? The world’s largest £20 million Barbie Store, consisting of 6 stories, was opened in Shanghai in April 2009.

Source: http://goldsea.com/903/06barbie.html

Talking about all the glitz…. I’m definitely not one of those Barbie-doll lovers, but living in such a vibrant city for at least five years, it would be a waste not taking a visit down to the store, to see what the marketers had in mind when such a store was launched.

Stepping into the store, you are greeted by ‘receptionists’ saying ‘huan ying guang ling’ – welcome in manadrin. Adding on to some sort of mystery is that you don’t actually get to see any barbie dolls at the first glance, rather, a ‘Pink Tunnel’ –filled with pre-recorded giggling sounds of girls, leads you to the second floor. I thought that was a little freaky, but, yes, it certainly is a tactic to fill the little ones with excitement.

The Barbie store also had multiple reading corners, with comfortable and colourful couches, suitable for families and little princesses to read the ‘barbie’ books.

More than that, the store also has an exhibition of over 70 barbie dolls dressed in different outfits – the Dutch Barbie Doll, the Chinese Barbie doll, ….. certainly capturing the young adults who are interested in fashion and design.

Talking about relaxation and dressing up, the Barbie store do have spa corners and for the older women, a line of clothing designed by Patricia Fields (designer from Sex and the City) is available.

Want to make a trip down to the Barbie store for a ‘special’ social gathering, the Barbie store has an exquisite café, and has even promised a themed evening for couples on Valentines’ Day.

From a simple concept – just Barbie dolls, it is truly amazing how this concept is turned into an elaborative and creative Barbie store, attracting customers from different segments. What makes it interesting is that you do not need to be a Barbie-doll lover, in order for you to be geared towards the store.

Word-of-mouth – that certainly plays a part.  I’m not surprised even if tourists have the Barbie store as one of the attractions on their list. In fact, I know some who do.

Check it out:

http://www.barbieshanghai.com.cn/en/EG.html

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/china/4943445/Worlds-largest-Barbie-store-to-open-in-Shanghai.html