Picture: http://www.foxbusiness.com/industries/2013/10/08/first-trial-stemming-from-madoff-fraud-underway/

The accountant who was responsible for some of Bernie Madoff’s richest clients was indicted on charges regarding the fact that he falsified account statement and trading records. It was suggested by US attorney Preet Bharara that Paul Konigsberg “threw aside his ethical duties as an accountant in favour of his role as a false bookkeeper.” Konigsberg  was apparently very vital to Madoff’s fraud, mainly due to the fact that he was in charge of over 300 client accounts. He backdated trades and revised statements, among other things, which allowed Madoff to conceal his fraud. I find it odd that now that it has come to light and is such a big issue in the public eye, how Konigsberg can still argue that he was only a “victim” of Madoff’s Ponzi scheme. He was one of the main accountanting execs at the time, and from what I know, accountants require a certain amount of information about the dealings of the company. Obviously Konigsberg was getting a piece of the action and didn’t mind stepping out of the boundaries of fair and honest accounting to get it. He was the only non-family member to hold an ownership interest in Madoff’s investment business, which was most likely the motivation behind his accounting fraud.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2013/09/26/konigsberg-madoff-ponzi/2877643/

The South African rhino poaching crisis has been surging across the country, as well spreading across the continent. Even though there is an international trade ban, activists say that a ban will not stop the rhino’s from being killed for their horns, and has in fact caused the creation of a “lucrative black market.” I found it interesting that advocates for saving the rhinos suggested that the first step be to “un-market” rhino horns. Researchers found that it’s mainly rich Vietnamese men who buy these horns as a symbol of wealth and wellness. In order to change the way rhino horns are being seem by consumers, it was suggested that the “product” be presented as being dangerous by injecting poison into the rhino horns as a way to shift consumers’ views about the product. The fact that the rhino poaching issue is being treated as if it were a business issue regarding consumer interest almost seems wrong since they are not just a product to be analyzed and manipulated, but it has been proven that consumers respond very strongly to the way products are marketed and if “un-marketing” the rhino horn will have a chance at saving the population, it’s worth a try.

http://www.economist.com/blogs/schumpeter/2013/10/business-conservation

In recent years, marketing has made a shift from traditional techniques, as such billboards and newspaper ads, to more innovative and modern strategies, like utilizing social media, most likely because of the huge consumer base and cost efficiency. The recent popularity of Twitter has made it a serious competitor for social media marketing. With approximately a billion tweets every two days, Twitter has become the prime marketing platform, mainly because consumers can give direct feedback, which is of the utmost importance in marketing. As said in the article below, Twitter’s open platform “makes it ideal for marketing in the moment.” This popular social media site also offers promoted tweets, accounts, and trends which makes it that much easier for brands to run campaigns and get their message out to consumers, as well as position their brand efficiently and effectively. The marketing director at Tetley Tea expresses how Twitter allows their brand to be in the consumers minds and also builds the Tetley tea community without overspending on marketing campaigns. The fact that Twitter campaigns can be directed to certain users is also a vital tool for marketing. I believe social media will overtake traditional marketing in the near future.

http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2013/oct/02/twitter-the-marketing-platform-where-people-answer-back