Month: March 2011

For my final blog, I wanted to reflect on my journey through the course. Before starting the class, I assumed marketing was simply the way business professionals advertised their products.

 I can honestly say that I have come a long way since thinking that.

A great deal of my learning came from lectures, when Elaine would enthusiastically explain marketing concepts. However, I believe more of my growth occurred outside of the classroom, where I was able to apply my new found knowledge to real world examples. This course encouraged me to look beyond the superficiality of advertisements and analyse what the marketer was trying to accomplish. This analytical logic prevailed throughout the semester, as I captured many photos that I thought were relevant to the course.

The first two pictures I snapped at Starbucks, while getting my morning dose of caffeine. I realized that all of the menu boards had changed, and that Starbucks had introduced a new line of sugary treats. Starbucks had also just released their newly branded logo. I believe these pictures embody multiple concepts discussed this semester including brand awareness, repositioning, and new product lines.

I took this picture at a Vancouver Giants game, where I was instantly drawn towards the mini-blimps giving away free prizes. As I was staring at them, I realized what a brilliant marketing tactic it was, since the whole crowd was staring at these Alaska Airlines branded blimps.

I think that the greatest piece of knowledge that I took away from this course was the idea that marketing is all around us. These are just a few examples of the many pictures I took this year, however they exemplify how marketing has influenced the way I perceive things in my everyday life.

I must admit something… Before I started marketing, I truly thought the subject was all about the innovation of catchy campaigns, witty commercials and funny advertisements. Well, let me say I have come a long way since that thought passed through my mind. Now when I think of marketing, SWOT tables, pricing strategies and situation analyses flash through my head.  However, I still think that the promotional side of marketing is by-far the most interesting. Who wouldn’t want to sit at a desk and dream up crafty ways to sell a product?

Okay, maybe there is a bit more to promotion then dreaming up these ideas. Marketers have to keep in mind the various factors that influence promotions, consumers, and the communication process. One model that influences this is the AIDA model. When watching a commercial, the average consumer doesn’t see past the superficialities of the advertisement. As a marketing student, I have started to see past this, and have learned to analyze a commercial.  In the AIDA model, there are four particular steps in moving a consumer towards action

Awareness is the first of these four steps. The following Subaru Forrester commercial is a great example of awareness, it starts off by catching the consumer’s attention with the “sexy” sumo wrestlers, and it informs consumers of the availability of this new and improved vehicle.

Interest is the second step in moving a customer towards action. I can’t think of a better example of an interest-sparking commercial than a movie trailer

Desire. Have you ever seen a commercial and then immediately wanted the product? Is it usually food? Whenever I think of a truly enticing commercial, the Carl’s Junior commercials come to mind. A thick, juicy burger being munched on by a hot celebrity ignites desire in anymore.

Action is the final step in the AIDA process. A great example of “action” is when the commercial causes a stir and tempts people to talk about the product. As I discussed a few weeks ago in a blog post, Miracle Whip did this by insulting their product in their own commercials!  

While reading Catalina Verna’s blog “Advertising through Bags”, I was immediately captivated by other ways that companies capitalize on promotional mediums by using their consumers as walking billboards.  

I echo Catalina’s point in that firms use their customers as advertisements, helping to bring awareness and recognition to their brand. Lululemon is a perfect example of this “fashionable bag” trend that Catalina described. Ever since they have been making reusable shopping bags, Lululemon has turned their eco-friendly bag into a trendy style that people take to the gym, school or on a trip to the mall.

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This is a brilliant marketing technique, because these bags can been seen almost anywhere in Vancouver, and they successfully promote the Lululemon brand.

The Starbucks cup is another way that consumers unknowingly promote a brand. Carrying a Starbucks cup has become more of an accessory than anything, thus benefiting this coffee giant. Whether you’re a student grabbing your morning coffee or a hot celebrity toting your baby around New York (check out this article, apparently Suri loves her Starbucks), by carrying the Starbucks cup, you are promoting the brand.  

Britney Spears

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A final way that some (non-clothing) companies have benefited through this type of customer-promotion is by creating “fashionable” clothing. Constantly I see people sporting shirts branded by companies such as Coca-Cola:

I know a lot of people who won’t wear brand names or labels on their clothing because they don’t want to be a walking billboard, however they probably don’t realize that the Starbucks frapuccino they are carrying completely contradicts their principles.

In this viral day and age, people are moving at such a quick speed, marketers must find a way to attract consumers’ attention, even if it’s just for a minute.  Every day we see examples of a half nude individual, selling not only a product but essentially their body:

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However, what about the other types of controversial advertising that we are constantly faced with? Take for instance, the following ad, produced by American Apparel, a company notorious for their sexually and (sometimes) racial advertisements:

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The advertisement is an ignorant portrayal of an African American woman, suggesting that she is no more than her full-lips and “sweeter than candy” demeanor.

A company that is no stranger to controversial marketing is EA Sports. Recently, they launched an ad campaign in which they subjected mothers to the horrifying violence of their video game “Dead Space 2”. EA then used these women’s reactions in commercials to promote the company.

Additionally, back in 2009, EA paid fake picketers to protest against “Dante’s Inferno”, in order to market the video game. EA, along with hundreds of other companies, has recognized how successful any type of publicity can be.

During the 2011 Superbowl, Groupon aired their first ever commercial which suffered a substantial amount of backlash for being offensive:

The most controversial marketing ongoing right now is Charlie Sheen’s manic rampage. Although he has because an infamous Hollywood face, I must question whether this will benefit him or hinder him? As they say, there’s no such thing as bad publicity.

Although the topic of unethical or controversial advertising has not been discussed in our marketing class, I believe it is a very important discussion to have. I believe there is a fine line between producing a risky commercial (Groupon) or simply being clearly offensive (American Apparel) and it’s a marketer’s responsibility to recognize when they have crossed the line. Don’t get me wrong, I am all for an attention-grabbing, risqué advertisement. Additionally, I believe that advertisers must take risks in order to spark conversation around their product, but it shouldn’t be at the expense of a particular ethnic group, gender, or sexual orientation.

Browsing through various Comm296 blogs, I came across Lauren Nipp’s blog. Her most recent posting describes Tim Horton’s current transition into the smoothie market.

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In the posting, Lauren describes how Tim Horton’s has successfully segmented a group of consumers looking for coffee and tea beverages at a low price. Additionally, Lauren effectively recognizes the company’s primary target markets. Lauren has done a great job at identifying class concepts such as STP and brand extensions and combining them with what is currently happening in the market.

Tim Horton’s expansion into the smoothie market is similar to Blenz’s recent production of protein shakes. Blenz found a hole in their positioning map, and jumped on the opportunity to provide a healthy protein shake, bursting with high quality products.  However, they key difference between Tim Hortons and Blenz is their prices and quality. As George Moen described last Friday at a keynote speech he made, Blenz is unable to provide their beverages at a price as low as Tim Hortons because their quality of goods is significantly high. He has also said “We’re responding to the market’s demand for a healthy meal alternative, and we’re excited that we can do so while maintaining our high standards of delicious, authentic, natural and handmade beverages with top quality ingredients.”

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Both instances are prime examples of companies in the same industry with different focuses.

As Lauren described in her post, Tim Horton’s positioning statement would be “a reasonably priced coffeehouse company that also provides healthy alternatives.”

Conversely, Blenz would likely have a position statement such as “a superior coffee company providing various beverage alternatives that are made using the highest quality ingredients.”