Marketing Assignment Reflection

It has been a great pleasure to work with my group members. They are very knowledgable and have a very deep understanding of Zara, which reduces a bunch of difficulties when we worked on assignment 1 and 2. I found assignment 1 helpful in my learning of marketing. Before I take comm296, I never used the external factors to specifically analyze a company. By using  CDSTEP and SWOT analysis, we were able to research Zara in a more effective way. I would say the first two assignments really helped me develop my researching skills and my analyzing skills on companies.

When we started to work on assignment 3, we did really know which direction we should go. I did not know anything involved with technology. And I never started my apple apps on my computer to make a movie or a short video. Assignment 3 gave me this great opportunity to explore a software, which was very fun. My group members were genius as they know so much about iMovie and they helped me out when I encountered technical difficulties. At first, our group never thought of using iMovie. We decided to try Prezi or just Powerpoint and use a screen recorder. It did not work out for us, because we tried to make our video best of the best, we do not like a simple video with only pictures; thus, we started using iMovie. This kind of change is easily seen in the real work place, as things change quickly and team members have different skills. I am glad I have a group who are capable of achieving anything.

Tonight, I was reviewing other groups’ videos. Compared to others, my group did fantastically. It was a great time to work with my group. Thank you!

The Video ” Swagger Wagon” Attracted My Eyes

In 2010, Toyota released a  rap video called “Swagger Wagon” to promote its Sienna van. This video’s targeting customer is exactly people like me, who will have or has had their own babies. It is fun and attractive. Mom and Daddy in this video is a typical family with kids. Especially Daddy Swagger is super funny and creates an emotional attachment with us. It relates us to them and feel benefits the Sienna Van could bring to us.

 

Before watching this video, I would never think of a toyota in my life. I personally believed Toyota is less qualitative than cars made in Germany. This video clears show us reasons we should buy a cheaper Toyota Sienna Van other than buying R350 from Mercedes. It is functional and cheap. “Swagger Wagon” took a satirical look at parenthood and how the Toyota Sienna minivan fit into our lives.

This is how companies should advertise. Most people would not think of a minivan as a trendy cars, rather their customers buy minivans for reasons. This video is effective because it also advertised in social networking channel. People being parents are using social networking apps far more than watching TV or reading newspaper. Advertising in a video channel increases chances of being seen by the right targeting customer group. Also advertising in a video channel is faster and more efficient. By today these has been more than 12 million clicks on Youtube.

 

 

Market Segmentation—Top of Vancouver

Well, today is not Valentine’s Day anymore. But I did have a nice one with my husband. The first Valentine’s Day after we got married. We went to the revolving restaurant. I have heard some bad words from my friends that this restaurant is not for dining out. They were telling the truth. The food was tasteless and all they have is the view of Vancouver.

But, what else should you expect from a revolving restaurant for every cities? We can clearly see any revolving restaurant as a tourist attraction. People normally come here not for food but for other benefits. Thus we would segment those customers based on behavioral base, that is, they do not dine out very often and they come to revolving restaurants for a benefit of view. We could also think this place as a restaurant for special occasions. I would not imagine anyone who does not enjoy the food in the revolving restaurant but would come to the revolving restaurants for views everyday.

If we will segment the market based on demographic base, I would say, most of people coming to Top of Vancouver are either tourists or people in the relationship. Who wants to pay almost $150 for crappy food?

 

Thoughts on Enbridge Pipeline Project–external marketing blog

It is becoming more important for entrepreneurs and the whole of society to achieve a balance between economic profit and environmental safety. However, I believe that Enbridge fails to achieve this balance in their proposed pipeline project. It is contradictory for Enbridge to claim itself as a socially responsible company while seeking profits without sincerely taking environment safety into consideration.

Wrong Route

Enbridge uses all kinds of strategy to persuade B.C. residents that their route would not harm our environment. It sounds not convincing to me. Enbridge is trying to place oil supertankers on the same difficult channel where the ferry the Queen of the North sank in 2006. Kitimat, B.C. is located close to the beautiful and precious Great Bear rainforest that is one of the largest intact temperate rainforests left in the world.

Enbridge’s Spill History

It is impossible to guarantee that an oil spill would not happen. Enbridge has experienced 31 significant oil leaks from its pipelines since 2002. Also, 6 of the 10 largest spills by volume all come from Enbridge pipelines. The largest spill is Kalamazoo River oil leak in 2010. Around 20,000 barrels of oil, 3.2 million liters, spilled from a rupture in a stretch of Michigan pipe and about 8,000 barrels leaked into the Kalamazoo River. This oil spill is still not fully cleaned up by now.

It is unethical and too risky for B.C. government to hand over our precious north coast to a company with full of oil leak history.

No matter how hard Enbridge tries to market itself as an ethical firm, the first thing is to rebuild its reputation on pipeline safety.

Source: http://business.financialpost.com/2013/02/15/enbridge-profit-falls-plans-to-convert-gas-pipeline-to-ease-crude-glut/?__lsa=f90d-a4ba

Social Influence On Our Personal Lives—comm296 classmate’s blog

I found what Melissa mentioned in her blog worth thinking. Just as what we learned in class, we are influenced largely by social medias. Fashion industry has been providing us important reference. We, normal people, tend to rely on their professional opinions. It seems like sometimes some people do not really have their own judgement about beauty. Because of those trend, people start adjusting their personal lives to fit into social trends.

Source: https://blogs.ubc.ca/melsslui/2013/01/20/for-all-shapes-and-sizes-of-women/

Do those advertisements on the media really healthy or good for us? Is what they say really true or realizable? People can easily lose control of themselves when people around them were doing something together. There is a large chance we will join the group and become one of them. Here comes a big problem. If what the media advertises is not healthy, those advertisements can put a large number of people in danger.

Nianlong also mentioned the same issue. Once I went on diet just because my friends were all trying to lose weight by using one type of medicine. It claims that there is no side effect but found out it is after we used it. I found those advertisements are irresponsible to their customers and involve lawful issues. The government must have stricter policies in order to control those harmful advertisements.

Source: https://blogs.ubc.ca/nianlonglin/2013/01/20/marketing-ethics-issues-hcg-diet/

Should We Trust Ads? —Ethical Issues

Botox, medically known as Botulinum Toxin Type A, is one of the most popular anti-aging cosmetic treatments in the world. For years, Botox treatment is advertised as an anti-wrinkle treatment designed to give a more youthful look in just 10 minutes with no serious side effects. However, researchers have discovered that the Botox treatment could cause harmful side effects.

Experts are already aware of the potentially harmful side effects of Botox such as facial sagging and muscle weakness. But there are still more to be discorvered. As Sophie reported, in 2010 scientists gave another warning on Botox treatment. It states that Botox jabs may cause muscles to waste away into fat- even areas of the body which have not been injected.

Although harmful side effects of Botox are proved, a large number of cosmetic surgeries clinics continue marketing Botox as a treatment with no serious side effects. Vancouver laser & skin care center inc. still claim on its website “BOTOX® has been used safely by millions for over 21 years. There is no permanent side effect known with BOTOX® therapy for facial wrinkles. Since the treatment only relaxes the muscle beneath the line at the injection site, it has no effect on other elements of facial expression.

The misleading advertisement of Botox treatment could cause unimaginable harms to those people without fully knowledge of the side effects. Especially in Asia, one can get Botox treatment in normal beauty bars where there are no professional doctors. It is necessary to think about ethical issues in those advertisements.

Source Link: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1335489/Botox-causes-muscles-waste-away-parts-body-untouched-injections.html

http://www.vancouverlaser.com/procedures-treatments/botox-injections/