Month: September 2011

This blog entry by Cole Routtenberg is relevant to what we learned today in class because it illustrates how Apple continually seeks to position itself at the “technological top”, targeting “impatient consumers who find themselves willing to pay a substantial premium for ease of use.”

Apple has successfully positioned itself in the mind of the consumer by using brand imagery to make its Macintosh computer exciting, young and dynamic as opposed to an ordinary PC, which is portrayed as outdated, lethargic and uninteresting.

As you can see, it has very successfully used brand imagery in its Mac vs. PC commercials. The Mac is depicted as humble, easily understood and speaking different languages while the PC is more arrogant and slow to react. Apple’s product is desirable, up to date, in touch and capable of delivering what the client needs. In addition, the power of its name evokes the idea of a healthy, nutritious snack, easily consumed and digested by any consumer.

I think that it’s important to realize that everyone has a preferred method of organizing and making sense of information. In class today, we had a few moments to discuss how we all learn best. Whether it’s simply by listening to instructions and information, repeating information out loud, writing down notes, asking questions or participating in discussions, we all learn differently.

Different learning styles are also important to keep in mind in the business world. John Jantsh, a marketing consultant asks: “Does Your Market Appeal to Every Learning Style?” He touches upon something known as the DLSC (Dominance, Influence, Steadiness, and Conscientiousness) Profile which “examines the behavior of individuals in their environment or within a specific situation.” Basically, if you want your marketing to appeal to everyone, you have to be aware of the many learning styles and the many different formats that are available to entice and accommodate them. Each of the four letters in the acronym represents a group with a specific learning style.

Companies would be wise to take into account all learning styles in their marketing campaigns. If a message is to be successfully received, it needs to be given in a variety of forms.

We were introduced to the important discussion topic of Business Ethics. Many businesses claim to be ethical, but overlook the fact that its suppliers are involved in unethical practices. Such practices include the use of child labor. Increasingly, businesses are aware of the importance of being viewed as ethical by their customers. Any labor or safety problems that are uncovered need to be quickly addressed and rectified.

In January 2011, Apple released a report that detailed problems it was having with some of its overseas manufacturing facilities. The report details child labor abuses, where quite a few facilities were employing workers who were under the age of 16. Other workers were exposed to a chemical called n-hexane which left them unable to walk. In addition, it was reported that 12 workers committed suicide and one died of exhaustion after a 34 hour shift. Here are the links for the article and the report:

Click Here For Article

Click Here For Report

I also found an article on what Apple is doing to address the abuses that they discovered. Some of these measures include returning the young, underage workers to their families, improving employee conditions, and hiring counselors. Here is the link to that article:

Article: http://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/apple-supplier-responsibility-report-addresses-foxconn-suicides-underage-workers/

So we had our second class of Comm 101 today and already I am impressed with the amazing technology (video camera, microphone, iClicker…etc.) that we are using. I suppose this echoes how technology is increasingly being used in the business world (teleconferencing…etc.) to facilitate communication.

We read three articles that illustrate how customer choice, motivation and behavior change, company goals, financial performance, competition between rivals and government intervention all play a role in how businesses function and set their policies. Ryanair set its payment policy to discourage its customers from using anything but a specific credit card. Zellers is featuring fresh produce in its stores to increase sales and customer traffic. And, the Russian Government raised duties for vodka to discourage people from purchasing vodka and subsequently reduce its consumption.

In addition, we learned how Tata, a car company in India, appeals to customers by offering an inexpensive vehicle, whereas Lululemon, an athletic clothing manufacturer in Vancouver, appeals to customers by offering an expensive, high quality product.

Here’s a video on the Tata, the “world’s cheapest car”:

And here’s an article on Lululemon entitled “Is Lululemon Built to Last?”

http://www.fool.com/investing/high-growth/2011/08/29/is-lululemon-athletica-built-to-last.aspx