All kinds of business and economies could take opportunity to gain the potential benefits from international trade. For example, a multi-nation corporation can lower its product cost by locating its factory in country with relatively low exchange rate and tax rate. Consumers tend to spend more money on normal goods when their purchasing power increases. International company can always gain potential benefits of international business which leads to cost efficiency.
Under the current state of natural, the world’s overall economy is continuously developing, and regional economies become more and more interdependent. China’s economy is dramatically expanding with the tendency of increase in the currency’s exchange rate. As a result, companies might begin to consider about moving some of the factories in China to other country in the purpose of avoiding increase in product cost. On the other hand, the increasing average income in the country and the huge population indicate a tremendous potential to expand business. The foresighted corporations should spend more budget and effort on marketing for Chinese consumers.
Under today’s economic trend of Globalization, a large international corporation’s market covers a lot of countries in the world. Government regulation varies among countries, therefore, companies should apply different marketing strategies in different market segments. For example, Google was involved in tremendous political troubles with the Chinese government during the last couple years. Because the it repeatedly violated the country’s internet censer ship policy , Google ended up with having to leave this giant market of China. 
In different political environment, companies needs to fully aware and comply with any government legislation before applying one market’s successful experience to another. Fast food and confectionery company such as Macdonald’s and Mars have to be caution for the growing obesity concerns in some counties. Furthermore, The passing of laws regulating the sale of “unhealthy food” have been on the rise especially in the European Union, whose members have set up laws over obesity concerns.
The company offers a variety of products. Some of its sub brands has strong brand images of which is a strength of the company. Consumers from all over the world have perception for their product as high quality and delicious confectionery. The weakness for company, on the other hand would be that their sub brands are a little scattered. They typically are lacking of connection with the main brand (Mars).
The company can try to tie their famous individual products back to its main brand therefore, integrating the brand image to increase the overall awareness of the main brand. For example, they can put the logo “Mars” on some obvious location on the package of their popular products. There are a lot of growing potential opportunities for this confectionery company as well. We have notice the trend that consumers’ preference is shifting towards healthier foods. Thus, Mars should design healthier foods to satisfy this increasing demand.
Starbucks coffee is really popular among students and white-collar working class in North American. With over 16,858 stores in 50 countries, it is the largest coffeehouse company in the world. Through its successful operation, the company has expanded rapidly from a local coffee bean roaster and retailer in Seattle when it was first founded. Even consumers can perceive that Starbucks Corporation really emphasizes on its organizational culture. For example, instead of using small, medium and large, cup sizes at Starbucks use “Tall” “Grande” and”Venti”. Anyone asking for a “small” will get a Tall which is the smallest size. These special jargon associated with Starbucks coffee may leave consumers with deeper impression, thus distinguish itself from other brands. The consumption behavior is more of a lifestyle rather than a cup of coffee. 
A brand is not only a identification for the product, but also should have its own content. Originally, “Starbucks” is name of a charicter from American writer Melville in his novel “Moby-Dick”. Melville has a very important status in the world’s history of literature. However, he does does not really have a large group of readers. They are mainly consisted with highly educated people who have relatively a certain taste for their lifestyles. It is impossible for people lack of education to read “Moby-Dick” and even try to understand the character. Therefore, from the brand name, Starbucks certainly declares its marketing position: The target customer is not ordinary crowd, but white collar class who cares about leisure time, knowledge, and lifestyle.
Dell Inc. is the multinational technology corporation that develops, sells and supports computer and related products and services. In 1984 the company was funded by Micheal Dell in his dorm room while he was a 1st year university student . Nowadays, it is one of the world’s largest technological corporation. What is the most critical key of the Dell’s dramatic success?
The way that product are sold by the company is a revolutionary change in the personal computer industry. Its unique supply chain management and and electronic commerce contributes a huge part of its success. The computers are sold directly to customers through Dell’s website on the internet. It eliminates the wholesaler and retailer in the supply chain. There are four advantages. First, fast reaction to the customer order. Products are produced when needed, thus reduce the cost of inventory storage and management. Second, better customer service. the customers reaction and complain can forward to and respond by Dell directly. Third, the supply chain is made more powerful and efficient. Forth, since the wholesaler and retailer are reduced, the cost is lowered by an significant amount. The perfect combination of the above four elements enable Dell inc to become the successful world class IT corporation.
Facebook Inc. is an successful internet company in the silicon valley. It holds one of the world’s website that provides a social network service. As of January 2011, Facebook has more than 600 million active users. How did the company develop so quickly and more interestingly, how did Facebook Inc generate profits through its marketing strategy. The website was created by Mark Zuckerberg in 2004 when he was a second year student at Harvard. Soon he drop of college and started his own business because there is a extremely large market and tones of opportunities. The company has been repositioning its target consumer continuously since it was founded. Originally, Facebook only offer membership to Harvard students. This would be a typical marketing position used by a start up company which tend to have a more specific and narrow group of target customers. Shortly after its launched, Facebook expanded its potential users to other colleges in the Boston area, and then Ivy League. As the user among keeps increasing, it continue to boarder its user range to Standford University at the west coast. Finally, after a few year Facebook is introduced, it is available for anyone who is aged 13 or above. According to Social Media US Today, as of April 2010, it is estimated that 41.6% of the U.S. population has a Facebook account. The successful experience of the Facebook demonstrated that a small start up company can temporarily focus its target market at the beginning. It will able be to expand and reposition if the product is valuable and highly demanded by customers.
Iphone 4 is a very successful product made by Apple Computer Inc. The product is full of new features compared with the last iphone model. Here I will outline some of the functions and their benefits. Iphone 4 makes video chatting really simple. Wi-Fi enables the new application call the FaceTime to connect two iphone 4 users. Moreover, the cell phone has two cameras: One on the front, which focuses on you, and one on the back, which can be focused on everything else you are pointing at. The FaceTime enable the user to easily switch back and forth between the two cameras during a video call. 
According to the company’s website, the screen “Retina Display” on iphone 4 has the highest resolution among all other phone screens, and it is four times clearer than the previous iphone model. The operating system in the phone “IOS 4” introduces a whole new experience of multitasking which enables users to switch between their favorite third party apps without slowing down the performance or draining the battery. The advanced backside illumination sensor and built-in LED light enables the users to capture their own high definition movies even in low light environment. The 5-megapixel camera with built-in LED flash is competent to record beautiful and detailed photos. And it is really easy to take self-portraits using the phone’s front facing camera. These new high tech features helps iphone 4 to become popular and good selling.
The other day my friends told me to bring them drinks when I was going to a vending machine. One of them cannot decide whether she should get a bottle of water or ice tea. She wanted something tasty while not containing too much calories. The compromise choice is to have a bottle of vitamin water. In this blog, I would like to analyze the marketing situation for Glaceau Vitamin water.
The strength of vitamin water is obvious. It is healthy because it contains less sugar and calories. Compared with water, it comes with different fruit flavors, which makes it friendlier to your tongue. Hence, it has competitive advantage over pops in terms of providing customers a healthier life style (it contains vitamin and minerals) and a better taste than plain water. However, I think the package of vitamin water could be improved. A cool package will help it to catch people’s attention. The opportunity of vitamin water lies in the group of people who desire a healthy lifestyle. Pops are generally not welcomed by parents even though kids love them. However, a drink that is both healthy and tasty is hard to be rejected by any members in a family. In terms of threats, there are similar products on the market, such as diet coke.
Here is an interesting advertisement of DHL.
In this advertisement, the advertiser delivers the message that DHL is committed to deliver objects in an integral and intact condition. The scenario in the commercial is warm and humored. When the lady kissed the delivery man, the sad and lonely look in the lady’s eyes touch the audience which is essentially funny in a way. The whole idea is very creative; therefore, it is impressive for the consumers. This ad successfully seized people’s feelings, hence affected people’s attitude towards DHL. It might also influence consumers’ behavioral attitudes.
Another fantastic advertisement here.
This is a commercial for Pantene. Instead of showing how great your hair will look after using the shampoo directly, the commercial allegorically tells you a touching story about how a deaf-mute girl became an excellent violin player. I think the story is inspiring and they present it pretty well, but I don’t see the relevance of it with Pantene, it doesn’t emphasize their own product in there. However, I think it is still quite effective, people will definitely remember this advertisement. Moreover, it creates a good image of the company that they care about making people to realize their dreams and living up to their true potential. At the end, the subscript means “Pantene, You can shine.” It is likely that the customers will just connect the meaning they received from the ad to its brand. Hence, it becomes “Pantene brings you confidence and make you shine!” I would think this commercial did an excellent job in building up affective attitudes towards the product.
Range Rover is a famous brand under the Land Rover company which has a distinguished goodwill among its consumers. The company is famous for its products’ reliability and outstanding performance. Range Rover represents the upper class luxury four-wheel drive SUV. In chapter 5 we learned that consumer decision process is affected by 4 factors basically. 1 marketing mix 2 psychological factors 3 social factors 4 situational factor These factors explain that in order for a marketing strategy to be effective, the company could consider both internal and external needs of their consumers.
This commercial successfully promotes the series of product’s features. First, it is appealing to the target costumer from their psychological factors. As the an firmly adamant car, it undoubtedly satisfied people’s safety needs in the Maslow’s Hirearchy of Needs. Also, one’s love needs will be achieved by owning an Range Rover car, since it projects an upper class social status.
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