Monthly Archives: September 2014

In Hayley Moeller’s blog post on Lush Cosmetics, she discusses their controversial marketing strategies surrounding the topic of animal cruelty. Specifically, Lush Cosmetics did a campaign where an “artist  is being subjected to force feeding, injections, and discomfort, just as animals that undergo testing in cosmetic labs are” (Hayley Moeller). I understand that Lush Cosmetics are positioning their brand to be an “animal cruelty-free” company but from an avid Lush Cosmetics consumer, this specific marketing campaign makes me detest the brand. Although they are exposing the harsh cosmetic testing strategies used on animals, I don’t understand what makes it right to use the same strategies on a human being. If I was a potential customer and I saw this Lush campaign, I would feel uncomfortable and would not purchase their products. If Lush Cosmetics were an animal rights organization, this may have been a good strategy to reveal the hidden horrors of cosmetic animal abuse. However, Lush Cosmetics is a business, and businesses exist to make money; this campaign simply scares and turns customers off. From the perspective of a current Lush user, I agree with Hayley on this topic and I personally declare this as a marketing failure.

Blog Post Source: https://blogs.ubc.ca/hayleymoeller/2014/09/15/lush-cosmetics-human-guinea-pig-cruelty-or-advocacy/

Photo Source: http://www.lush.ca

Apple has been on a roll with their product releases. This globally-successful company recently launched the “Apple Watch”, the “iPhone 6”, and the “iPhone 6 Plus”. Consumers were able to pre-order the phones last Friday and over 4 million orders were placed according to Apple. The demand for the new iPhone 6 was s ridiculously high that Apple sets to deliver the phones at the earliest date of October.

Here is my take on the iPhone 6 craze. Apple’s strategies are genius. With such a large demand for the iPhone6, the company is able to dramatically increase their prices making the phones approximately $700.00 – $1000.00, (depending on the model and space capacity). Although there are new technological changes and features in the new iPhone 6, these aren’t the main concerns or priorities for most iPhone users.  Apple seduces its consumers with its brand. Most Apple consumers are buying into the brand of Apple –  modern, simple and cool, rather than the technology aspect. If consumers were really concerned about the technology aspect and not the brand, they would have switched to Samsung who developed virtually the same technology years ago.

To recap, Apple’s brand and marketing strategy are once again, immensely aiding the company in the launch of another successful product. In the end, Apple’s brand is powering their company and making them one of the leading technology companies in the world.

Source: http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/iphone-apples-biggest-success/story?id=25510630

Photo Source: Apple

According to Dictionary.com, ethics are a system of moral principles. In the business world today, companies are pressured to become more “ethical” or “socially responsible” everyday. While most companies carry out their social action plans in a very public manner to merely improve brand reputation; few companies have been demonstrating social responsibility from the start. TOMS, a shoe company, base their business model on its slogan “One for One”, meaning that they are going to donate a pair of shoes to someone in need with every pair bought. The social entrepreneur and founder of TOMS, Blake Mycoskie, came up with the idea when he saw the need for adequate footwear in Argentina. Presently, TOMS shoes has given over 10 million kids shoes which is remarkable. Although this is a brilliant way to help people in need, is TOMS driven by economic gain and profit now? They have launched new products such as TOMS sunglasses that do not follow the same charitable “One for One” policy. Additionally, over the past few years, they have significantly raised their prices on their shoes. Are TOMS really raking in all the money for themselves and ignoring their “One for One” policy? Many critics say TOMS are using their brand reputation to gain dirty profit from neglecting their original charitable plan due to their “complex donation distribution” In my opinion,  I believe the TOMS scam is a hoax – I don’t think any strategic company in the right state of mind would risk their sole value and brand by not following up to their promise to the customers. In conclusion, I admire their business model and I believe that TOMS are further ahead than most shoe companies on the charitable scale. Sources: http://www.businessoffashion.com/2013/07/founder-stories-blake-mycoskie-of-toms-on-social-entrepreneurship-and-finding-his-business-soulmate.html http://www.toms.ca/one-for-one-en Photo Credit: http://plywoodpeople.com/3652