This is a review based on Haley Shao‘s blog post.

The brand positioning, which Starbucks has work its way up to this point is unbelievable. I’d say it is the most successful coffee brand out of the many other competing coffee retails. Starbucks made a smart decision to launch its shop in India as the first US coffee brand. This tactic will attract attention and curiosity of coffee drinkers in India. As far as I know, imported products from Western and European parts of the world are stereotypically perceived and valued as the best in comparison to the products manufactured in Asia. The brand image of Starbucks is so powerful, I strongly believe the company will succeed in India. A question pops up in my mind as I am writing this blog post. What is it about Starbucks that differentiate itself from the rest of the coffee retailers? I am not a coffee drinker, but if I were to start drinking coffee I would step into Starbucks without hesitation. The simplicity of the shop and the image of the simple logo printed on a pure white cup draws taste and an image of freshly brewed, well blended coffee. The atmosphere of the store itself makes you feel as if you are in the busy streets of NYC among rushing yellow cabs, seeking for a break. A short moment out of reality while enjoying your favourite hot drink.

Vishal Shangari‘s blog post on the debate of the relevance of post secondary education is interesting. He asks a rhetorical question about the importance of school as if further education isn’t necessary after graduating high school because people can easily find labour jobs. His statements are true, but I have a different perspective towards the importance of pursuing post secondary education. Young people, just out of high school, may earn a reasonable cost of living through labour payments, but are they thinking and viewing themselves earning expenses in the next 1o to 20 years? Although education cost is significantly high and in may cases, unaffordable, I believe post secondary education is important for the long term goal in life to have better chances to find a secure, profitable job (unlike labour, which is dangerous and temporary). The decision is, really, upon the individual. Live rich during young, passionate years/starve when weak and old or suffer during young when you are full of energy and motivation/ live rich when weak and old. Personally, I find it wise to run for the second life goal.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

or

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Which life do you prefer?

Product placement is one of the strongest marketing strategies to advertise a company’s product. Personally, I have purchased and tried out a series of different products after noticing certain brands or restaurant chains in movies and TV shows. Product placement, especially through media, has the strongest effect on consumers. I’d say automobiles are one of the products that mostly benefit from the strategy of product placement because cars catch the eyes of viewers in just one glimpse. A viewer might notice and remember a type of car that was featured in a certain movie or a show. Product placement seems to have a more efficient effect when media makes it “not so obvious” of a product that is being advertised. A product should be featured in a sense that it smothers in naturally with the show to attract the curiosity and attention of viewers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Naturally featured product placement of Starbucks

 

The more obvious product placement of Chefs Pal  (actress is awkwardly explaining and promoting the product) [From the movie The Truman Show]

 

I recall watching a video about the working conditions of an online shoe company and thought the employees’ working life was better than paradise. The video of the company’s fun, active working condition inspired me to follow up on a blog post about the unbelievable working conditions at Google. Google has indoor wave pools, a fully equipped gym, indoor playgrounds, napping areas, onsite doctors, free haircuts, free laundry, video games, and everything else a person could possibly fantasize of. The company even allows employees to bring their pets along to keep themselves company.

I think this type of system and conditions offered by Google is a powerful reward system for the employees who have spent a difficult point in time of their life preparing to become a part of Google. It is also an incentive for the workers to work harder to maintain the significant  job. The leisure activities, convenient services, and delicious food reduces the stress level of employees who work hard to make a contribution for further development of the company. It is the the corporate’s social responsibility to encourage Google employees to treat work as if they are on a beach, and make themselves feel comfortable as they would around their homes and neighbourhoods.

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Toms successfully hit sales over one million pairs of shoes in just five years of entrepreneurship. Blake Mycoskie, the founder of Toms, is one of the most successful social entrepreneurs who is both successful in satisfying consumer wants and brining a significant change to the world by providing a pair of shoes to help children and families in third world countries. The ‘one-for-one’ idea wouldn’t have been an easy decision for Blake Mycoskie because he is losing half the profit, which he could have retained by selling the extra pair of shoes. Instead, he decided to make a miracle out of his small idea for the benefits of the less fortunate people who walk bare feet in dirt, rocky roads. His idea seems to be affecting the consumers as well in taking part of being a social entrepreneur because each pair the consumer purchases brings a good deed to people around the world.

 

 

As a fan and a purchaser of Toms, I personally think it is worth it to buy Blake Mysoskie’s shoes even though the shoes are greatly overpriced. Also, I find the shoes extremely comfortable as well as fashionable.  Continue reading →

 

 

It has been years already since a great number of people substituted away from desktop computers to laptops for the convenience for its lightness, and portability. The recent 47% fall of Dell’s profit is pointing out the changes in technological trends of consumer demand. People are substituting away from laptops to mobile computing or even more improved computing devices such as iPads (Apple) and Galaxy tablets (Samsung). Even at schools, the number of students using tablets or pads during lectures are noticeably increasing. Dell is changing its focus to target sales to big corporations rather than individuals, and the company is expecting a 5% increase in revenue in the current quarter. It is because corporations are consumers who consistently prefer the use of desktops in offices where workers do not often need the characteristics of portability or lightness of computers. It is an efficient tactic to increase the company’s revenue by targeting big corporations rather than individual customers who mostly follow the trend of purchasing mini computers or who find the usage mobile computing convenient. Another strategy would be to launch a new product line similar to tablets, but innovate away from tablets that are currently out in markets to attract consumer attention.

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The choice of whether to purchase an Apple ipad or a Samsung Galaxy Tab depends heavily on consumer preferences. Both products are mostly bought in use for social networking, web browsing, entertainment, organization for business, school, or personal uses. What are the parities and differences that position the two companies’ brands and values in the minds of consumers and why do majorities end up purchasing certain brands? The company profit doesn’t depend heavily on the consumers. It all depends on the consumers.

Top Apple iPad/Bottom Samsung Galaxy Tablet

Personally, as in the shoes of a consumer, I’d go for the ipad over the Galaxy Tab because I am a shopper who values the importance of appearance of products. Apple, with its sharp, industrial design with the new Retina display beats Samsung’s bold design that suits the image of boring businessmen. Consumers purchase these devices for the convenience of functioning as a mini-portable computer, but consumer decisions diverge when they encounter the irresistible differences offered from one brand that the other brand does not acquire.

 Apple

Better design, very appealing

Brand equity & reputation

New retina display

Focuses only in electronic products

Quicker touch response

IOS

 

Samsung:

Better apps for organization

Longer lasting batteries

First to technologically create touch screen/touch phone

Diverse product line (clothing and cars [only available in Korea])

Android

After this quick analysis, we can see that Apple wins over Samsung overall because of its bolder brand purpose and equity for producing electronic devices and the uniqueness in its outstanding, simple design that catches our eyes in one glimpse; consumers unconsciously judge the level of appealingness. Apple is already positioned in majority of people’s minds as the leading innovation in electronics (with many loyal consumers), a perception that cannot be easily changed without an innovation from Samsung to blow away the minds of Apple fans. Samsung must find an unoccupied position in which it can become the first.

 

Fore more information about the two companies visit: 

Samsung http://www.samsung.com/ca/#latest-home

Apple http://www.apple.com/ca/

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I would like to share Sally Chen’s blog post about Tim Hortons becoming the Canadian icon. Many people prefer Tim Hortons to Starbucks because of the company’s diverse product line as mentioned in Sally’s post (coffee, lasagna, donuts, soup, wraps, ice cap, smoothies, timbits, etc.). Tim Hortons is growing in identity, not only because of its diverse menus and for their famous mouth-watering ice cappuccinos. Tim Hortons is growing in identity as the leading coffee shop in Canada because of its marketing strategies and mergence with Wendy’s. You can often notice Tim Hortons operating side by side with Wendy’s or operating merged together inside one store.

 

 

And let’s take a look inside…

 

 

This marketing strategy attracts consumers for a bite of Wendy’s burgers followed by a sip of refreshing smoothies or coffee for dessert. Also, many Tim Hortons stores in Canada operate 24 hours unlike any other coffee shops. This is a preferable condition for many late night studying students or adults who seek for an area (with food) to study or have a chat. As a Canadian, I would relatively choose Tim Hortons than Starbucks because of its cheap price, diverse menus, and late night operation.

 

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There are several ethical conflicts relating to the topic prison labour. Some worry about the hard task labour assigned to the prisoners while some disapprove of teaching criminals useful skills and rewarding pay. Importantly, by sparing a second chance for the prisoners, the jobless suffer of unemployment. Businesses that do not consider hiring prison labourers are at great disadvantage compared to those who spend cheap labour costs. Even if prison labour is a form of legalized cheap labour, I disagree with taking advantage of prisoners before every unemployed civilians are able to find a job.

 

 

Consumers are likely to lean towards hiring a prisoner labourer instead of spending more money on hiring professionals who acquire the same skills. The decision of whether or not corporations hire prison labourers is definitely an ethical issue; prison labour is not considered to be an injustice act, but the conflict affects maximizing business profit among competing businesses and also affects the fairness of employment. All in all, prison labour should be restricted to a certain level so that civilians can be hired prior to criminals and that other business corporations are not disadvantaged of spending more labour costs.

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