“My vision for OWN is to create a network that inspires our viewers and makes them want to be who they are on their best day,” said Ms. Winfrey. “We want to provide our audience with the tools to awaken, become more alive, and connect to what really matters to them in a fun, engaging, and entertaining way,” said Christina Norman, chief executive officer, OWN. 
About OWN: The Oprah Winfrey Network
A joint venture between Oprah Winfrey and Discovery Communications, OWN: The Oprah Winfrey Network is a multiplatform media company designed to entertain, inform and inspire people to live their best lives. OWN will debut in January 1, 2011, in approximately 80 million homes on what is currently the Discovery Health Channel. The venture also will include the award-winning digital platform Oprah.com. For more information, please visit www.oprah.com/own.

After reading the “Oprah Winfrey Channel Gears Up for it Debut” from the New York Times the other day, I came to realize that there are many things in life that I would want to accomplish too. No matter how trivial or big the goals are, I would want to have the opportunity to seize it. 2010 is coming to an end, I hope that everyone around me will have their chance to make a great ending to this year and at the same time think about what they want to do in 2011 and all the upcoming years!

The holiday season begins as Thanksgiving is over and it’s a month away from Christmas. US Retailers kicks off by launching the annual Black Friday sales to give a boost to its sales. However, this year, Black Friday sales only went up a little in stores due to reasons such as the increase of online shopping, discounts on products earlier in November, or the current economy situation.

There are also some consumers who camped outside stores the night before just to be the first person to get in..

Why do people get excited over limited availability? McDonald’s have recently re-launched its popular burger, McRib’s on November 13 across the United States.At the same time, the fast-food restaurant  announced that it would only be in stores until Dec 5. And consumers actually paid more visits to the store!

It’s a mix of old instincts and modern challenges, says psychologist Marie Gray, who teaches at Misericordia University in Dallas, Pa.”Our nervous systems get activated,” she says, “and we move into that hoarding, greedy thing even though we know it’s not true.”

Even though this strategy is used all the time, it still works on the consumers.

Let’s see how candy manufacturers do this:

I found Seuree Kim’s blog on Superstore having a fashion clothing line, Joe Fresh, very interesting. After reading her post, I went to search for other articles about this. Here is the one I read from Macleans:　http://www2.macleans.ca/2010/01/25/joes-fresh-take/

“Though uncommon in North America, the mixing of food and fashion has proven to be a successful retail combination in Europe and the United Kingdom. The competitive advantage of this set-up for the clothing brand, of course, is the built-in foot traffic a grocery store affords. By one estimate, Canadians go to grocery stores 1.8 times a week, but only visit a mall about once a month.” (Macleans)

I thought this was a really smart marketing strategy for students  that live on campus like me. I think the Saveonfoods on UBC should consider the idea of creating a cheap and fashionable clothing line like H&M so students would not need to bus downtown for new clothes. They could just grab some nice tops over the weekend while grocery shopping and won’t have to worry about wearing the same clothes to class everyday. It would save time for students and would generate the company profit as well.

Fresh Joe Runway- Toronto Fashion Week 2009

As I was browsing through Chow Times, I saw an interesting post the blogger did in comparing McDonald’s coffee against their rival, Starbucks’ coffee. After seeing the “four bucks is dumb” advertisement, would loyal Starbucks consumers who value Starbucks’ quality service and coffee actually switch to buying the cheaper option available? I believe this ad would only appeal to consumers who just want a caffeine boost instantly and does not care about all the other in store environment, taste, and other factors. Anyhow, this advertisement line is really catchy and would definitely influence a huge portion of  coffee consumers who are tight in budget. Starbucks, anyone?

As I was reading My Le‘s blog post about the gray area’s between needs and wants, I thought that this might be the most important point marketing is all about. Other than the basic necessities we need in life, all the other rest are considered luxury goods. Well, today, even basic items we use everyday are differentiated to the extent that even a pen can have a much higher level of value. This gray area is the place where marketers brainstorm to make consumers WANT to buy them even though there are way more cheaper options available to them.

In economics , I learned that luxury goods is a good for which quantity demanded increases more than proportional as income rises.  That is not necessarily true to some people. Some people pay debts just to buy Hermes and Chanel bags. These consumers see something so special and unique about these luxurious brands that marketing brought to them. Perhaps, it is the prestige, perhaps it is the fashion, perhaps, it really is the quality..

Marketers can use any ways in getting you to buy their product, even through scaring their potential customers at first. If the TV advertisement can actually shock viewers and make them believe that it is only through purchasing their product that could save them from their fears, marketers have reached their ultimate goal. The Volkswagen commercial above claims that their car provides safety and could even save drivers’ life.

This other ad uses fear along with humor:

“If you smoke, you stink”

Travie McCoy: Billionaire ft. Bruno Mars [OFFICIAL VIDEO]

While I was watching music videos on Youtube, I realized how smart advertisers are to integrate their products in pop stars and celebrities’ music videos. This “Billionaire” hit song by McCoy and Bruno Mars is an example of paid product placement marketing for Mini Cooper.This video put up online from May 06, 2010, which is approximately six months ago, now has a view count of 44,000,000. Today, thanks to the internet, videos can be viewed by everyone easily at any time. Now, music video producers are not just focusing on showing creativity, but also about inserting new products and making them sell. They also have to consider about  forming relationships with brands and about how the products’ competitive advantage can be demonstrated. Lastly, they have to decide if the product’s appearance on the video matches with the song and the musician.

Nevertheless, this product placement marketing strategy will continue to generate greater revenue for both industries.

This video by Keitchii gives us a glimpse of what our lives would shape into with the existence of improved technology. We would have hunger meters to show our thirst, hunger, and solid liquid waste of our body to help us choose what we eat. We would have audio and visual manuals for us to operate not only in our kitchen but everything around us. Is it a good thing, or a bad thing? Will having too much reliance on computer lose our own abilities we need for living? How would consumers spend to meet their needs and wants of different brands? How would marketers advertise in this kind of “hyper reality” world?

To many foodies out there, a great dessert is equivalent to a happy ending. It sets the impression of the whole dinner. When having guests over for dinner, most hosts tend to overlook the importance, and also, the way it is presented. Amy Atlas, a lawyer from New York City, recognized this market and started Amy Atlas Events specializing in well-designed dessert presentations and party-planning. 

(Below: Bridal Brunch Dessert Table)

(Below: Wedding Dessert table)

(Below: Seasonal Dessert table)