Black Friday, the day after thanksgiving where after people are done being thankful for what they have, and go shopping for more perfectly useless material items. I have no idea when this upcoming trend started, but like Friday the 13, bad things tend happen. I dont remember the specifics, but every year there is something going on during the black Friday sale weekend and at least one person dies from a trampling. Its terrible the lengths people go to to try and save a few bucks here and there.

Take this image for example. Its like a site in front of an apple store for when they launch a new product, but at least that is justifiable. Waiting in line to save 50, 100 bucks is simply insane. I couldn’t find the picture but it was a meme about how companies set the price of a camera to 500 bucks and a week before black Friday they would set it to 700, and on the day before black Friday they would lower it to 500 and call it a sale. I personally found it hilarious.

I think I’m pretty frugal when it come to shopping, but i really don’t feel the need to destroy everything in my wake to get a sale item. I can live with out getting a cheap item. But maybe thats because I’m in university and poor because of it. It will go on sale again and maybe get even cheaper.

Anyways because of this demand firms can take full advantage of people cheapness. People die because of this day and firms will make lots of money on outdated technology and the not in styles of clothing. I see ads everywhere. Black Friday has evolved from being a USA exclusive thing to becoming national shopping day throughout North America. To reiterate, black Friday is a day where firms sell the crap at perceived low prices to people and stores will and do take full advantage of this.

This post is to reply to Anastasiya Stacey Abmiotka post about Logos which can be found here https://blogs.ubc.ca/anastasiyaabmiotka/2011/11/25/the-key-to-a-successful-relationship-is-in-the-logo/.

Picture from class slides

I totally agree with what Anastasiya is saying. Logos play a integral part in society and can almost define our generation. Ask a 5 year old what the above image represents and within seconds they would recognize it. Logos evoke emotion in us and will dictate how we perceive the company. If a company’s logo is cluttered and too hard to remember, no one will take the time too and it will get lost in this world full of logos.

Just like how a handshake and appearance is important when going for a interview and whatnot, logos are vital to companies and play the same role; the role of first impressions. They must make their logo attractive to new customers to bring them in and have enough flare and flavor to keep existing consumers. If a firm’s logo is horrendously bad or inappropriate, the target consumer might not want to shop there. A different image of the company might be perceived by the consumer if the logo is not fitting.

Logos are too important to a business to leave to chance. There are companies out there that specifically create logos for firms. This proves the magnitude of importance logos play.

The Enbridge oil conglomerate has been under scrutiny for its proposed Northern Gateway Pipelines. These twin pipelines run from Alberta through British Columbia to the ports of Kitimat. Of course Alberta is all for it, but British Columbians are another story. Enbridge constantly advertises to this segment with ideas of high safety standards and what British Columbia stands to gain. Advertising such a claim, some may call unethical. Simply because of the devastation Enbridge has wrought in the past, mainly the Kalamazoo incident.

Enbridge has been called out for blatantly lying to the public with their pipeline route video. The video can be viewed upon as a tactic to sway the unknowing audience to agree with Enbridge. This video shows the port where the oil tankers would eventually set-off. However this scheme had backfired on Enbridge. Another video appeared on Youtube, by environmentalists, showing that all Enbridge’s video did was provide illicit information.

The first image shows how Enbridge wants the public to perceive the port. The second show how it actually is. This difference is massive. Imagine the the destructive force of an oil tanker spill so close to home.

Its fine if Enbridge advertises the truth, say the economic benefits and ties to the Asiatic regions, but to me, a lie of this magnitude is outrageous and should be punished.

In marketing, I find many firms stretch the truth quite a bit and I guess that is fine to a degree because if the firm advertises something is amazing and the consumer finds out its garbage, it soon spreads and the company’s reputation is put in jeopardy. I think a firm should indeed tell the truth. If not, just like Enbridge, the bad news may circulate around.

I’m sure many of us are familiar with the relatively new mini cartoons, memes. Sites like Reddit, 9gag, and even Facebook are often packed with them. It’s to no surprise that many companies have adopted meme marketing to advocate their products. They are very clever. Within a short sentence marketers can eloquently express their ideas to a wide audience if used correctly.

Memes have become very popular. They are a source for quick entertainment and self expression. As such many people have grown a fondness and attachment to some. Memes evoke feelings the audience can relate to. It’s up to the marketer to decide which to use for which target market.

Some memes have elevated to a prestige status where absolutely everyone know what they represents; such as the above, success kid. However, much more die naturally from the standard time factor. In order for firms to successfully implement a meme strategy they must consider the life cycle of the meme and how they can relate the image to the message.

The most successful meme marketing campaign I have seen wasn’t necessarily intended by the founding firm. Many people have created various Nutella memes and still are. The word of mouth advertising these memes create reaches an enormous proportion of the population. The Nutella memes actually drove me to invest in trying Nutella and I must say it is pretty good, though expensive. I have first hand experienced the persuasive powers of these memes.

I’m sure many of us have had the pleasure of peeling slowly, in anticipation of riches, the McDonald’s Monopoly stickers. I know I have. After many on again off again diets my girlfriend so desperately wants to be a permanent on, I yet again feel the need to feed my gambling and junk food addiction. The website says 1 out of 4 win. I have won nothing, not even a single muffin, coffee or those crispy delectable fries. They are all out of reach at the rate I’m at. At the moment I’m sitting on about 20-25 stickers and thats just this past week alone. I feel terrible, but like many of us Mcdonalds had found our weakness, money, prizes, a chance for glory and victory over the fast food conglomerate.

Whoever thought of this idea was a marketing genius. Combining monopoly with real money and food, a stroke of brilliance. Underage gambling? I think not. Its totally legal and fun. With every small victory i feel inclined to buy more and more and more. Who wins overall? Mcdonalds does. They probably make hundreds of millions more during the promotion and the grand prize? A measly million dollars. Dont get me wrong, I would love to win that, but compared to what the company makes, its nothing.

Writing this make me feel bad for falling for such a childish ploy. I guess it brings the kid in us. A reminder of our past? A childhood of monopoly.

Pics from
http://iwantafreemacbook.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/mcdonalds-canada-monopoly.jpg” alt=”monopoly
http://www.passportchop.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/mcdonalds-monopoly-winner-cruise.jpg
http://www.amnesta.net/other/monopoly/MonopolyMan.jpg” alt=”momnopoly

A few years ago McLaren expanded their production facilities to birth one of the world’s most glorious production cars human ingenuity can. This was the MP4 DASH 12C. You have to say it with the dash.

McLaren’s F1 was the supercar of supercars. Many know it as the one with the only seat positioned right slap in the middle for a maximum Formula 1 like experience. The successor, the P1, is the embodiment of speed and control, shaped by science and designed probably by super models from the future.

Look at it. It looks absolutely stunning. Imagine a gorgeous girl driving this. Id probably be more interested in the car. Thats how eye wrenching the P1 looks. Through both would make me react something like this.

The back stance is great isn’t it, but the car, and maybe the girl too (or guy, I’m not sexist), would set you back almost a million euros. With only 500 being produced, the likelihood of any seen in Vancouver is slim. People want what they cant have. This exclusivity creates a ton of demand and much like the Ferrari Enzo, with their you can buy my car if i pick you mentality, the P1 will be well sought after. I want one.

McLaren just released a teaser app you can find below. The app provides a scaled model of the P1 where you can zoom into every crevice of its magnificence. The app is undoubtedly intended to build hype around the new supercar. The more people talk the more people will crave one.

P1 App Links
https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/209084_10151034876236717_1177099100_o.jpg
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/mclaren-p1/id562173543
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mclaren.McLarenProject1

Pictures from
http://jalopnik.com/5944203/mclaren-p1-this-is-the-worlds-next-greatest-supercar?utm_source=jalopnik.com&utm_medium=recirculation&utm_campaign=recirculation
http://www.motorauthority.com/news/1079463_mclaren-p1-supercar-first-specs-and-live-photos
http://i2.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/000/362/060/be7.gif

Replying to the adweek blog below

http://www.adweek.com/adfreak/simon-cowell-really-wants-sell-you-these-300-sony-headphones-143910

Simon Cowell, former judge in American Idol and mastermind behind the X Factor, has recently announced that he will be endorsing the X brand headphones. This toy will cost 300 dollars; joining the prestigious ranks of overpriced celebrity endorsed headphones, which includes Beats by Dre and Soul by Ludacris.

I love music, but honestly I feel these headphones cost way more than their worth. I have a friend who has 2 pairs of Beats just to change the color from day to day. Yes they do look good and they do sound great, but 300 dollars is just too much. I have a pair of Sennheisers, which costs a third of the price, and they sound fabulous. I can’t tell the difference in sound quality at all. These headphones just prove that marketing has a huge roll in business. Besides the looks, the pricing on these headphones attract many. North Americans are all about status and many try to exude an aura of wealth. Our image is everything. To enhance our reputation we decorate ourselves in widely known pricy items, thought there is always something vastly more expensive. Most people don’t know about them because only the high-status population can afford them. What these headphones, and many other so-called high societal products, do is provide a means for the lower and middle class to feel like they are accepted in a class above their own.

There is a big market for these things.