The assignment taught me a lot about marketing.  It taught me how to analyze a segment of consumers, gave me the ability to work with a team, and allowed me to think creativity.  Through the analysis of the marketing mix and the STP’s (segmentation, targeting, and positioning) I felt that I got the opportunity to see what marketing is really like and apply this knowledge to a real life example.  One of the difficulties I initially had with this project was deciding on which segment of WestJet fliers to target.  I did not realize how many defined segments there would be and had a difficult time coming to a decision on which segment to analyse.  I realized that each segment is equally important, but there will be different ways to market to these different segments.

I enjoyed the video component of the project as it gave us a bit of creative freedom to express our research and recommendations in our own way.  I did not think it would be nearly as time consuming as it really was to create the video, but had fun finding music, other video clips, and pictures to help illustrate what we tried to communicate with viewers.

The peer feedback did not change my attitude towards the project, as I already was trying my best to make it a success.  However, I do think that it is good to hear the opinions of others and be free to speak your own thoughts about other videos as well.  This will benefit all of us in the long run as we will know how the video came across to people who were not involved in the project and be able to change to make a better one in the future.

Overall, the project was one of the highlights of my semester, teaching me so many important skills.

http://www.westjet.com/vacations/en/home.shtml

This blog shows the importance of market research in the context of Lululemon advertising. Lululemon has long been known to have inspirational words or phrases on its reusable bags, however, consumers knew what they meant and the company did not have to define their meaning. This new bag with the word “Brahmacharya” is a word only known to dedicated yogis. Lululemons customers, however, are not all high level yogis, so they do not know the meaning to this word. Therefore, yogis will know the word to mean celibate, as this blog tells us, which is quite different from how Lululemon is using the word; with the intentions to market a lifestyle. Using the wrong definition of brachmacharya not only shows a lack of research or care from the company, but also creates false ideas about the company and its products.
I think this blog brings up the importance of using the correct phrasing when marketing to a mass, who either know the meaning well or are misled by the incorrect meaning. This shows just another marketing tactic that is misguided, not thought out, and deceptive.

Read the blog here.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/carolyn-gregoire/what-the-fck-was-lululemon-thinking_b_4138754.html

Every year, UK based retailer John Lewis comes out with a heartwarming Christmas ad and this year he has created once called “The Hare and the Bear.” This year, he made a video that combined the traditional 2-D stop-frame animation with model sets costing the company 7 million pounds.  He has made it clear that this ad was much more than an ad; it was an affective video that gets one in the mood for the Christmas holiday season.  The video tells the story of two friends: a rabbit and a bear.  However, the rabbit is very sad and lonely during the winter months because the bear is hibernating, so it puts a present in the bears cave.  This gift turns out to be an alarm clock waking up the bear for Christmas day so they could be together and enjoy the day.

Whether John Lewis’ video ad was just something that he likes to make, as he claims, or an intentional marketing tactic, it did a spectacular job of making the hearts of the audience warm with Christmas spirit and love.  The uniqueness of such a video ad drew me to find out a bit more about John Lewis, the company run by none other than John Lewis, as I am sure many viewers other than myself did.

In my opinion, this ad was so much more than a traditional video ad, which loudly throws facts at viewers and insists that their product is the best, most efficient, or safest on the market.  “The Hare and the Bear” subtly appealed affectively to viewers, creating a positive feeling about John Lewis.  Because it is so tactful, it evens prompts some (like me) to see what kind of things John Lewis sells and what it’s all about.  An advertisement that gets potential consumers to want to learn more about their product is really the goal of all advertisers, but most lack the subtly and precision that went into this ad.

Watch the video here.

http://petapixel.com/2013/11/18/christmas-ad-combines-stop-motion-hand-drawn-animation-melts-heart/

http://www.johnlewis.com

Shampoo: one of the most regularly used products benefits are being questioned by consumers.  Regular shampoo contains high amounts of sodium laureth sulfate, methylchloroisothiazolinone, and other harmful chemicals that most consumers can’t even pronounce, let alone understand.  Having these chemicals dries hair out and can be damaging.  Shampoo marketing has been misleading, as shown in ad campaigns such as Herbal Essences Hello Hydration shampoo and conditioners claiming to be a healthy moisturizing option for those with dry hair.

Companies such as L’Oreal have come up with products such as EverClean Cleansing Conditioner to fit consumer demand for more natural hair care products that won’t strip hairs natural oil. This is a method of increasing product value to consumers and offers a new target market for L’Oreal.

I think that this product has a lot of benefits for consumers and  offers a more ethical way of advertising.  It advertises and emphasizes the truth; the cleansing conditioners ingredients are free some harmful sulfates and chemicals used in most other common hair product brands.  The Hello Hydration ad is preying on the uninformed and easily influenced audience by skipping over important details about what is actually in the product.  Of course this is not the only misleading hair care ad, there are countless ads that seem to offer the same thing without informing of the harsh ingredients.  The question is: when is the line crossed of strategic omitted information and simply not telling the truth? I believe that it is up to consumers need to inform themselves about what is in products, but I also think that ads should work hard not to misinform and prey on the the uninformed.

http://site.thegreenlifeonline.org/2012/04/30/finding-a-safe-shampoo-and-what-ingredients-to-avoid/

http://lifefactopia.com/beauty/Is-Shampoo-a-Waste-of-Money/

A typical advertisement for new movies coming to theatres involve a similar format starting with context, plot and a hint of the climax.  Leaving a cliff-hanger entices consumers through the learning process. They get a little taste of what the movie will be like and buy into the idea of the film and go see what happens.  Remade movies, however, have a more difficult time sparking interest in consumers, especially those who have seen the original and know the story.

The famous novel “Carrie” by Stephen King was originally turned into a film in 1976 and remade in 2002.  This creates expectation about what the new 2013 version will be like.   Those who have seen the previous movies might be less interested, decreasing the size of the target market. The marketing strategy for the latest Carrie remake takes a different approach then the cookie cutter movie trailer.

To get awareness of the movie out, marketers set up a prank in a New York coffee shop.  A moving wall, falling desks and pictures were set up prior to the prank which involves an male actor spilling coffee on a female actors laptop. The female actor proceeds to freak out about the spill and it looks as though she threw the male actor up the wall with her mind, knocked over tables and shattered pictures with her scream.  The effect on onlookers was huge; some choosing to run away, others brought out camera phones and filmed the scene.  However, its overall effect made an impact that no one in that shop, or anyone that saw the youtube video will soon forget.

I think this extreme marketing method effectively catches consumers attention and their interest, prompting them to see what the stunt was all about. Through word of mouth marketing, more and more people hear about the prank and become interested then simply seeing a regular commercial for an upcoming film.  Having a youtube video of the prank also broadens the population impacted by this marketing scheme.  Having a differentiated marketing strategy helps the Carrie movie remake position itself as a unique, must see movie.

‘Carrie’ Telekinesis Prank (Stunt Video)

http://www.torontosun.com/2013/10/08/carrie-telekinesis-prank-shocks-coffee-customers

http://www.express.co.uk/news/weird/435555/VIDEO-Scariest-prank-ever-Coffee-shop-customers-terrified-by-hidden-camera-Carrie-prank

The beauty industry is an enormous industry that has continuously been scrutinized due to its advertising methods.  The industry is worth about 170 billion dollars globally; which is no surprise to anyone who watches television or drives past ad billboards.  Beauty products are advertised everywhere.  These products are designed to enhance or improve, primarily female consumers.

Photo editing and retouching practices are used regularly in any advertisement for enhancement, but when do such practices become too much? Is it ethical to portray digitally altered photos as the norm?

Huge companies in the beauty industry such as  Maybelline, Covergirl and Sephora all advertise in similar ways.  Photos that have been retouched and digitally edited to make  models look impossibly beautiful; which the company then claims is the result of using the advertised beauty product.  These pictures fill magazines, cover billboards and are all over the internet, giving girls an unattainable standard of beauty.

I find this advertising is misleading and unethical as it sends the wrong message to society.  Marketing should be a method to portray the value of a product to the consumer for the consumers benefit and thus the company’s benefit.  When things are not real, but consumers perceive them to be, marketing tactics can dangerously manipulate people’s perspectives.   This is shown in the high prevelency of eating disorders and depression in North America and other places where people are exposed to this type of media every day.

Dove is a beauty company that chooses to differentiate itself through its advertisements that promotes real women and real beauty in its “campaign for real beauty.”  This type of advertising can cause brand loyalty in a more ethical manner because what you see is not fake.  Whether this is a better marketing tactic or not, it portrays a more real image and therefore is the more ethical choice.

Marketing can greatly influence consumers as advertisements surround us in our day-to-day lives.  Therefore, marketers must consider the implications of their ad campaigns and  attract consumers to a product in an ethical way.  This will make the company more reputable and the consumer more knowledgable.

http://www.alternet.org/story/148140/the_cosmetics_racket%3A_why_the_beauty_industry_can_get_away_with_charging_a_fortune_for_makeup

http://www.dove.us/social-mission/campaign-for-real-beauty.aspx

Chef: Ferran Adrias

Ferran Adrias, a chef for the recently closed restaurant El Bulli, has decided to take the art of modern cuisine on an entirely new path.  A path of technology, science and ‘gastronomy.’ He has begun a new and extremely unique project called La Bullipedia, which is a website that will contain all the knowledge on gastronomics that Adrias is finding.  This information comes from his experience in trying new recipes when he worked at El Bulli. He analyzes food as a biologist would analyze bacteria or a microorganism.

Ferran Adrias admits that the restaurant was closed down during the time that was its peak of performance.  This is an unusual business decision that some might never understand.  Adrias is passionate about food and needed to pursue a bigger idea.  He has entrepreneurial qualities and aspirations which push such a risky innovation.  This risk will benefit foodies and techie’s alike.  The combination of the worlds of cuisine and science & technology may seem like a bizzare one, but on further inspection it will improve the food industry in a way that nothing else could.  The whole world is turning to technology and it is time for the culinary arts to jump on the bandwagon.  I believe that even food can be improved through technology and maybe someday restaurants will need an IT department!

The Juice Truck

Harman Minhas wrote a blog about a juice truck starting in Canada.  This was the first mobile juice selling business to start up and it defined itself as a unique, healthy on-the-go treat.  The Juice Truck indeed has differentiated itself and set the stage for other juice companies to go mobile.  Harman’s post talked a lot about the entrepreneurial aspects of this company that eventually caused other mobile food and drink trucks to emerge.  I agree with her views on its innovation and points of difference that has worked extremely well.  Thinking about setting up a company like this, I think of the potential logistics difficulties of something that is not a traditional restaurant or cafe style, just to get an edge of difference.  I was wondering how the supply chain operations of a mobile business would work.  It could either be simplified due to the fact that the juice is not transported to many stores, or it could be more difficult as they can only hold a small capacity of juice at one time.  Questions about how often the stock of juice in the truck would need to be refilled and how easy it would be be to complete this task come to mind.  Logistical restraints are a trade-off for creating a unique, recognizable brand that can take itself to the customers!

With the re-election of Obama in the US, many CEO’s are not celebrating.  The CEO of Boston Pizza, John Schnatter, shares this view.  Obama’s health care program forces companies to insure their full-time employees.  Mr. Schnatter is going to raise his pizza prices to cover the new tax costs for healthcare.  He also intends to cut down employee working hours.  This is not for more vacation time, it is to rid the need to provide healthcare insurance.  This brings up ethics and how employees should be treated in the work environment.  This CEO is finding loopholes in Obama’s healthcare plan to maximize his profits and minimize costs.  Businesses trying to minimize costs is common to every business.  However, ethics need to be taken into account.  I think the most successful businesses are ones that care about its workers because then they have company pride.  When more than just profits matter, there is much more care and pride put into the product being sold.  An example of this is Zappos Shoe Company.  It has an incredibly positive work environment and customer service that entices consumers. Having a reputable company not only creates a better environment but it makes the company look better in the eyes of the consumer.

Papa John’s Photo