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I was reading Gavin Li’s post about Microsoft’s “a phone to save ourselves from our phone”, and it caught my interest because I also have a smart phone with the Windows OS on it. I have an LG IQ, and I think I’m the only one on the face of the planet to have this phone. For about a week, it was the top of the line, the crème de la crème, the cat’s pajamas for new Telus smart phones. I think the phone’s only saving grace is its lengthwise slide out keyboard that is extremely useful for texting and emailing.  I hate the phone though, and I started to realize that it’s not the phone I hate, but the Windows Mobile operating system. It is too much like a computer. I don’t have any “fun” apps on my phone. I can’t pretend I’m drinking a beer or use it as a level when hanging a picture. Noooo, my phone comes installed with a mobile version of Excel, Word, and Powerpoint. Sooooo much fun!!! *Sarcasm. When was the last time you wanted to make a Powerpoint presentation on your phone? “Check it guys, I got Apple’s third quarter results, and they are kicking Microsoft’s butt! And then I made a Powerpoint presentation to show you, ALL ON MY PHONE!” And maybe it’s not entirely the components of a Windows Mobile smart phone, but its utter lack of user-friendliness. Microsoft’s claim to fame way-back-when was its Windows OS system for PCs that made it super easy, even for grandmothers, to use a computer. They continued this format with the phone, which also has a “Start” button on the top left corner of my touch screen. The problem is, it’s TINY! As I don’t use that stupid little stylus that came with the phone, and use only my fingers, I find it extremely difficult to hit the start button without hitting the area directly below, that displays the date and time. The battery power button is right next to phone volume, which is right next to the “Ok” button to close the screen. These “buttons” are about 1/8^th of an inch. Pretty hard to accurately hit the right buttons when the surface area of your index finger is about half an inch squared. At this point, I’m at a rant, but I’m just going to go with it at this point. The final thing I HATE about my phone is that I apparently have “worn out” the “ok” button area on my touch screen. Doesn’t work anymore. At all. I now have to open the slider of my phone to rotate the screen horizontally so I can hit the Ok button that is now in the bottom right hand corner of the touch screen.

The second point I’m going to make, (to build up to the point about this blog) is that I have recently learned that Bill Gate’s stole the GUI idea from Steve Jobs. It was Steve Jobs that first designed a user-friendly way to operate a computer, but Bill Gates copied the idea to develop their Windows OS. In a court settlement over patent infringement, the courts ordered Microsoft to pay $400 million to Apple. That’s chump change when you think about how much the Windows concept has benefited Microsoft.

That brings me to the final point. If Windows is going to develop a better user-friendly OS for smart phones that will allow people to get in and out, they are definitely going to have to abandon their current format and once again, copy Apple. I don’t have an iPhone, but I have seen people use them, and those big buttons and how quickly people can use their phone makes me drool! The last point then is Microsoft’s advertising campaign must be extremely effective to convey their new OS format to be considered even remotely comparable to that of Apple’s. I find it funny to see how they portray people in their ad to be so “involved” in their phone, when they are portraying the CURRENT people that use phones with the Windows OS. The people who are glued to their cell screen are the people that are playing the games and watching movies and doing everything else that is so cool on the iPhone. I’m the person that is trying to use the very tip of my pinky finger to hit the “ok” button without hitting the battery button or the date and time button. And P.S. – I have walked into people before!

I found this post by Lee Odden, 3 Thoughts on the Future of Online Marketing, on the Top Rank Online Marketing Blog quite relevant and relatable. The author stresses the importance of active online marketing that is dynamic and conveyable through the rapidly progressing interaction between social networking and search engine innovations. Within the past few weeks I have noticed that searching on Google has been modified so as to display and change the search hits as I type into the search bar, so that the hits continuously change as I modify the query, and this is a search engine innovation that Lee Odden was referring to. And many companies now are providing means for consumers to link their websites and their products through their Facebook accounts. Another important point that Odden makes is now the necessity to provide a means of consumer “interaction” with online marketing. For example, consumers now want to be able to post reviews of a product on the company webpage, and “Like” it with Facebook, and “Chirp(?)” it with Twitter, or post it on Google Buzz. When consumers find a product they like, they want everyone else on the web to know they like it too, which is extending the advertisement’s original scope. Consumers are now advertising company’s products for free by allowing their ads and websites to be linked to their social media sites.

I had to smile when I saw at the end of this post that there were links to “Like” on Facebook, “Tweet” on Twitter, post on Google Buzz, Access through a RSS Feed, Rate on a star system, Subscribe to, Comment on, and a list of other Related Posts that I may enjoy reading. This blog itself is implementing all of the new methods for active online marketing.

I read in an article from Brand Republic that Starbucks has recently ended a global distribution deal with Kraft that allowed Kraft to distribute Starbucks coffee through various supermarkets. Starbucks and Kraft held this arrangement for 12 years. It has raised speculation that Starbucks will handle all of its retail distribution within their own stores.

I find this very interesting because it seems like Starbucks is closing a distribution channel and making their product less available to consumers by dropping this arrangement. The consumers who chose to buy bags of Starbucks coffee in supermarkets are no longer able to procure their coffee in this way, and may possibly end up switching to a competitor brand.

Starbucks may feel that they could earn higher margins by selling their coffee only in their stores, but I think that by reducing its outside availability, they may lose sales. I honestly think that this is a step backwards in a growth strategy, and has undertones of greed. Starbucks opened 223 new locations within this year, and has strengthened its partnership with Yahoo!, which provides the free wi-fi. By terminating what seemed like a beneficial arrangement with Kraft, Starbucks may prevent establishing partnerships with other major companies.  Let’s just hope that by burning the Kraft bridge, their other partnership bridges don’t also ignite.

I was reading on Marketing Magazine, http://www.marketingmag.ca/english/news/marketer/article.jsp?content=20101028_165710_7980, that the Rethink Breast Cancer Organization is developing brand awareness for their Breast Fest film festival in Toronto by introducing a musical aspect to their advertising campaign. A 4-minute music video was posted on YouTube (Viral marketing is such an effective way to reach consumers!), and a 30 second trailer will be run in theatres and on local television channels in Toronto.

They believe that they will better reach consumers through song and dance as the psychographic approach appeals to emotions and attitudes, and song lyrics provide rational and essential advertising information. The music video conveys a story of a young woman affected with Breast Cancer, making the video much more relatable to consumers.

I think that this is such a great idea, as a good song is timeless. Think of Elton John’s song for Princess Di, Candle in the Wind, and Celine Dion’s song, My Heart Will Go On. These songs instantly are associated with the reason they were written. If Rethink Breast Cancer can have a hugely successful song, they can create a timeless and very profitable marketing campaign, to not only attract people to their film festival, but to also substantially increase breast cancer awareness.

I came across this article discussing the extreme measures that companies are taking to market their products amidst an economic recession, on ABCnews. It highlighted that some companies, such as Wendy’s, are using commercials portraying people out of work or especially hit hard by the recession that consumers can identify with and relate to.

But what I found most interesting in the video clip attached to the article was the increasing use of product placement in comedic sketches. During the Superbowl, a commercial for the movie MacGruber not only advertised the movie, but was a comedy sketch in itself, as it was a parody of over-the-top action films. The last shot, however, showed MacGruber holding an armful of Pepsi products. This is an extreme use of product placement (where typically it has been used in more discrete manners), but it is also funny because it is so extreme. It is an extremely effective way for a company to advertise by making fun of its advertising techniques. And this commercial worked for both MacGruber and Pepsi.

Another example was a comedic sketch of Guillermo and Uncle Fred for Jimmy Kimmel Live, in which they banter while they drive a Pontiac Solstice (Pontiac is the main advertiser for Jimmy Kimmel Live). The ad makes fun of Guillermo as he describes every last detail about the car he is driving (transmission, model, fuel economy, etc), as it is completely irrelevant to the question Uncle Fred asked. This ad makes fun of product placement by using it in such intensity, and I think it’s a very effective way for companies to advertise their products. Pontiac was able to describe the car in such detail in a comedic way that would have seemed tacky in any other form. I think that comedy is one of the best ways to reach a younger audience.

I started my own Consumer Decision Process with a “Need Recognition” stemming from the brakes on my Ford Explorer failing… again! I had purchased this 1991 Eddie Bauer Edition Ford Explorer (appropriately named Eddie) from my roommate for $200 back in April, although it was probably worth at least $1500. Throughout the past 6 months, I have had to redo Eddie’s brakes 3 times, most recently last weekend. Upon notifying my parents of this last misfortune, they said, “Enough! We don’t want you driving that Piece of *Bleep* anymore! We are cosigning for you, and you can buy something good and new that will have a warranty and will be completely reliable!” I have never purchased a new vehicle before, so as I considered my choices, I knew I had to do a major information search. At first I considered my “psychological needs”: Will it look good? Will it sound good? I soon afterwards began to consider its functional needs: What do I really need it for? How much will I be driving it? What will I need it to do for me?

I decided that I need something primarily for highway driving and bush driving, as I will be returning indefinitely to my small town in the East Kootenays at Christmastime. I need something to handle burly bush roads, but also need something to get to Cranbrook, the nearest city, where I frequently buy groceries and do other shopping. I limited my search to either an SUV or a truck. Therefore a 4WD was a must.

Through my internal search for information, I considered the fact that my family has always purchased GMC or Chevy trucks, and I know that these are reliable vehicles, with great post-purchase service. I also weighed on the fact that Ford was “the enemy” for GMC, and in a small town such as mine, you were either “Ford”, or you were “Chevy”.  

I started asking my friends what they recommend I should get. I took their advice, but everyone had much different ideas than I did. My friends here in Vancouver have very different opinions on what is necessary in a vehicle.

I then began the external search for information by visiting the websites for GMC, Ford, Mitshibuishi, and Toyota, as I figured those were the companies that could offer a vehicle to fit my need.

I have realized there are many factors affecting my search process, mainly the perceived benefits versus the perceived costs of searching. As of yet, I have not visited a dealership, so my costs of searching have been minimal, limited to my time. The costs will increase, however, as I try to find time to actually begin shopping.

As I have a high locus of control, I know that the decision I make will affect my life, and my finances, for the next couple of years. I do not want to buy something that isn’t suited to my lifestyle and either have something I don’t want, or try to sell it. Because the value of vehicles drops significantly after purchasing, selling it is not a considered alternative.

There are also many risks involved in purchasing a new vehicle. Performance risk relates to the concern of buying a lemon that will constantly be in the shop. Financial risk relates to the concern of not being able to make payments in the situation I lose my job. Psychological risks relate to the concern of having a “cool” vehicle.

I consider this a specialty good, as I care very deeply about purchasing the perfect vehicle.

When I consider all possible vehicles that will fulfill my need, I know that I am excluding many, as my retrieval set of vehicle manufactures is quite slim compared to the universal set. My evoked set of alternatives will develop when I actually visit different dealerships and notice other previously unconsidered dealerships.

My evaluative criteria comprises of selling price, reputation of manufacturer, and offered service support, with determinate attributes limited to the overall design of the vehicle.

I think I will primarily use decision heuristics to ultimately decide on what vehicle to purchase, although some compensatory decision rules will probably arise when I pay a higher price as a tradeoff for luxury features I feel I may “need”.

As this is my first major purchase in life, I expect this intense information search and evaluation of alternatives to set the stage for every other major purchase I make in my life.

Wish me luck in finding the “perfect” vehicle for me!

I will start my first blog post with a confession: the Pantene Pro V commercials advertising shampoos and other hair products get me every time! It doesn’t matter what I’m doing, or whom I’m talking to. When I see a Pantene commercial on TV I can’t take my eyes away. I am hypnotized. I see the transformation from the girl with the curly, frizzy, unruly, rat’s nest hair and I identify with her. I think, This is what I look like every morning! I have bad hair days every day, too! And then I see the transformation. She uses the shampoo and conditioner in the commercial, and her hair is instantly transformed to silky, shiny, smooth and healthy hair. I think, It’s so simple! I can solve all of my hair problems and have gorgeous, shiny hair like her… if I use Pantene!

The sad truth is, it never works. I use their products, and my hair is still crazy-lady hair. What the commercials fail to tell you is that styling efforts must be made to replicate the hair you see on TV. You have to use Pantene defrizzing creams and hair serums and moisture lock hairsprays in addition to having a professional hair stylist blow dry it out and flat iron it and curl it. The commercials only show a girl with unmanageable hair, then shower, and then leave her upscale New York condo dressed, made up, and with perfect hair.

My Pantene pattern has been repeating for several years now. I see their commercials and rush out to buy their products. Once I realize that my hair is not instantly transformed to gorgeous hair, I stop buying their products for a while. That is, until a new Pantene commercial comes out, and traps me under its spell. This most recently occurred this past year when Pantene unveiled their new “Customized” Pantene commercials. “Customized” products are divided into four hair types: Fine, Medium-Thick, Curly, and Colored. The fact of the matter is, these products already existed, but were not categorized this way. (In 2000 Pantene underwent a major redesign, focusing on graphics, packaging, and the slogan, “Hair so healthy it shines”.

 However, I identified the commercial for the Medium-Thick hair type. The commercial mentions that medium-thick hair gets so curly and frizzy because of humidity, but the Pantene Pro V Medium-Thick shampoos and conditioners uses a “science” that can reduce the effect humidity has on hair. Once again, I found little difference when I “washed and went”. Another problem I encountered was of the four hair categories, my hair fits into three of them (all but fine!).

I am not the only one that ingests the power of Pantene Pro-V. In 1990, Proctor & Gamble started promoting it worldwide, and within a few short years it became the world’s best selling shampoo. This surge in sales led to Pantene being re-launched in 1993, as Pantene Pro-V, named after P&G’s patented pro-vitamin formula. Pantene Pro-V’s slogan was, “Hair so healthy it shines.” This strategy created a strong brand identity with its innovative package design. The campaign was largely successful, making Pantene an even more global product, available in every major market in the world. Once again in 2000, Pantene underwent a complete makeover. It focused their products into collections and further designed the packaging to appeal to more women. And this past year, Pantene further refined their collections and simplified the difficult choice in deciding what product is best for whom. It is currently sold in 72 countries and is #1 in the market.

Although I am once again on my absence from using Pantene products and now use L’Oreal Ever Pure products, I can only wonder if I will be able to resist when Pantene comes up with a new ad campaign…

Source: Transforming the brand narrative: The global redesign of Pantene Pro-V. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa4001/is_200301/ai_n9211992/?tag=content;col1