Month: November 2010

I recently came across a classmate’s blog whose topic struck me as highly amusing and interesting.  This blog explains how Cadbury is now offering its specialty mini-eggs year round, which had in the past had consumers looking forward to Easter simply to indulge in these delicious treats.  Now that I reflect on this fact, I realize that I have been actually eating Cadbury mini-eggs on frequent occasions such as when going to the movies with one of my friends who always enjoys picking something up at the concession stand beforehand.  Although I didn’t think about this too much while eating the eggs, probably because it was during the middle of a movie, I look back now and realize how odd it is that Cadbury mini-eggs, so well branded and associated with the Easter season are now offered as ordinary candy every day.

There is no doubt that this Cadbury’s product is popular enough that it encouraged the company to develop an ongoing campaign rather than just at Easter, will offering Cadbury mini-eggs as ordinary candy benefit the company in the long run?  By placing the once “hard to obtain” mini-eggs within easy reach of any consumer craving these chocolates, Cadbury may be taking away the advantage it gained during Easter when chocolate eaters who waited a whole year for these eggs would suddenly stock up on them.

This situation can be compared to selling candy canes all year round instead of just at Christmas.  Candy canes have developed into a true symbol of the festivities surrounding the holidays that it would look extremely odd to see people eating candy canes while on the beach in summer.  Likewise, I find it interesting that mini-eggs are now being offered in special Christmas branding with red, green, and white colours, instead of simply sparking excitement at Easter.

In my opinion, when a product has become so well associated with a particular image, season or holiday, consumers may be completely taken aback when this strong branding suddenly begins to change.  Therefore, although Cadbury most likely has profitable incentives in selling mini-eggs year round, because consumers have become accustomed to simply looking forward to these eggs at Easter, they may simply avoid buying any until it feels “right” to eat them.  However, with the new Christmas themes and packaging, Cadbury stands a good chance at not only being popular at Easter, but all year round.

What’s next? Easter coloured Candy Canes?

I recently came across an article online by Danny Brown, The Human Side of Media and the Social Side of Media, that compares and contrasts traditional media (TV, radio, or print ads) and the currently popular social media (Facebook, Twitter, myspace, or Youtube).

This article, titled “Yes, You CAN Measure “Traditional Media”, seeks to remind marketers that traditional media can be just as easily tracked and evaluated as social media, and shouldn’t be pushed aside by technological advances in advertising.

As the article argues, although social media is cheaper and more efficient in reaching a wide range of potential consumers, traditional media is considered to be more effective and also has many different ways to measure and evaluate advertising success.  As the author explains, a relatively successful method of tracking the marketing success of print ads involves placing a URL and a discount code, exclusive to the flyer, which the viewer can use to print out coupons online.  By using Google Analytics, marketers can follow up and gain insight on their campaign by tracking website views. This can prove to be an efficient and effective way to measure success, and as the Google Analytic’s website states, marketers can learn to “write better-targeted ads, strengthen their marketing initiatives and create higher converting websites.”

Whether marketing campaigns decide to rely on social media to get their product introduced or promoted to potential customers, or promote through traditional media is entirely up to each individual company.  The point is to not forget that there are many ways to market a product, and that the most successful method will depend entirely on the nature of the product and the market segment it is targeting.

I was recently reading through some blogs and found a classmate’s blog that instantly captured my attention.

Growing up the eldest of three sisters, I’ll never forget the copious days we spent playing with our everlasting supply of Barbies.

Mattel’s new campaign advertising Barbies truly enchants me as it not only promotes the dolls, but also the idea to dream big and that anything and everything is possible.  While Barbie has met criticism and negativity in the past due to ‘her’ promiscuous character, this new campaign draws away from this side of Barbie and appeals to not only young girls, but to women of all ages.

Barbie can be anything she wants, and my acting on your dreams, so can you.  Dream big.

“In Flanders field the poppies blow, between the crosses, row on row….” -John McCrae

“In Flanders Field” is a short, simple yet incredibly powerful and touching piece of literature.  The image of a poppy has since become a universal symbol of Remembrance Day and a reminder to everyone to recognize the true bravery and dedication of everyone who has served their country.

Although Remembrance Day is not a good or a service, it is still marketed as an idea, or intellectual concept.  Remembrance Day is about remembering all those who have fought for their country during the wars, and groups such as the Red Cross raise awareness for this thought by collecting donations and in exchange giving out poppies.

The simple, image of a red poppy on the jacket of different individuals walking through the streets doing their daily business unites people and truly raises awareness of the importance of Remembrance Day.  From an early age, young children are targeted with this concept as they are asked to bring in donations to school in exchange for a red poppy, and increasing filled with information and facts revolving around this holiday.

Although Remembrance Day is not a physical good or a service provided to people, it nevertheless is promoted using the same marketing strategies a marketer would use on a good or service.  The positioning strategy in particular has been highly effective by providing a clear, distinctive understanding of the importance of Remembrance Day, and the well known symbol of a poppy used as a positioning tool is so powerful that everyone knows what it represents. This is why on the 11^th month, on the 11^th day, and at the 11^th hour, we wear a poppy. Lest we forget.

“… If ye break faith with us who die, we shall not sleep, though poppies grow, in Flanders fields.”

On Thursday morning at Burrard Skytrain Station I was lucky enough to be there just as free water bottles of Dasani were being handed out.  These were not the regular blue water bottles however, but Dasani’s new product “Natural Essence”, which comes in flavours such as Orange&Mango, and Strawberry Kiwi. While I’ve seen “Flavour Splash” by Aquafina before, Dasani’s flavoured water is entering the market now as well to try and capture a larger market segment by offering a unique and different product.

The bottles are slightly larger and rounder than the typical Dasani bottles with strips of colour in coordination with the flavour on the label which gives the image of a fun and refreshing drink.  I haven’t actually opened the bottle yet because the idea of flavoured water for some reason doesn’t appeal to me.  However, because it was so easily placed into my hands with no cost to me at all except for carrying it around at school, I will eventually try the water and if Dasani succeeds in their promotional strategy, I may go and actually buy Dasani Natural Essence in the future.

Giving out free samples is an effective promotion technique as it introduces potential consumers to new products and encourages them to at least try the product.