When browsing through the blogs from my classmates, I came across an interesting question from Agus Chak. As most of us watched Art + Gallery during today’s class I also had the same question as Agus, does video advertisement still matter? I strong believe it still matters because it is compose of two main ingredients to deliver a message, visual and sound. Nowadays, many online ads are ineffective because it lacks one or both elements to create an ad. When we watch a movie, movie directors incorporate proper sound effects to complement the movie because it drastically changes the mood of viewers while they are watching it. Just like a movie, commercials without both elements are less likely to attract a buyer. So, does video advertisement matter? Absolutely!

However, the biggest challenge for commercials is to make audiences watch them. Going back Art + Gallery, many ad agencies have lost a sense of creativity. Gradually viewers think commercial are a waste of time. If ad agencies start creating enjoyable video ads, I am sure that it would be more cost effective than any form of advertisement.

https://blogs.ubc.ca/anguschak/

After reading Clayton‘s post, it made me think of the importance of marketing intermediaries. From what I learned in class, marketing intermediaries should increase value for customer and fulfill the value proposition of the brand. But according to the articles I read, it did the opposite. On Autoblog.com, a Toyota deal added a “Market Value Adjustment” of $7000 to an inexpensive $ 20000 car. This seem strange since it is a 33% increase of the car’s marketed price. As we know, advertisements from car manufactures are advertised as MSRP(manufacture suggested market price); however, it doesn’t seemed the excessive markup, by this auto dealer, align with Toyota’s mission statement of selling safe and economical cars. Here is another excellent example of a marketing intermediary damaging a brand’s image.

As both automakers should have legitimate power over their intermediaries, it doesn’t justified the that ” the dealers are independent business operations………. ultimately the final price is determined in the negotiations between a dealer and the customer.” Franchisees have the responsibility to protect their brand by monitoring and maintaining quality control of the franchises.

The late-2000s mobile gaming market was dominated by Nintendo’s NDS with 70% of the market share. But the king of handheld is being overrun by smartphone systems, IOS and Android, grabbing market share up to 58% as Nintendo plummet to 36% and Sony down to 7%. How could Nintendo lose to smartphone in just 2 years? The fact is smartphone are grabbing non-intensive gamers away from Nintendo. During the late-2000s, smartphones weren’t as popular and it was expensive for many consumers to purchase. Gradually the large segment of non-intensive gamers had to purchase a Nintendo gaming device to play casual game such as Mario Cart. As smartphone are more common and cheap, Apple and Android offers different variety of games that allow consumers to choose from at a low cost. These inexpensive games encourage all smartphone users to play causally without paying an excessive markup of 40 dollars per game and a hardware that costs 200 dollars. Now most cellphone owners are smartphone users, they could enjoy gaming experience at a cost as low as a dollar each game.

Looking at the market share in the future, I believe that smartphone will continue to dominate the casual segment of the gaming market. With our technological advances, Nintendo may not hold on the segment for much longer.

http://www.intomobile.com/2011/11/09/report-ios-android-overtake-portable-gaming-market-nintendo-sony-should-worried/

In this week’s class, we learn about how different products and services will go through periods or highs and lows. In the link, the shoe shiner is a great example of service phasing out. During the 1900’s, this occupation was in high demand that many men on the street will pay the shoe shiner to polish their shoes.

Other than a shoe shiner, anyone heard of a vinyl record? Vinyl records are the first method that allow music to be stored and to be replayed and is replaced by data storage on hard drive.

While it is great that the humanity is improving or replacing existing products and services, it is also sad to see these unique products and services are being forgotten.

http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2010/10/22/obsolete-occupations-documentaries/

WOW! I never though I would write a blog in my life. Nevertheless, I am willing to take a step, and bring out my inner social animal.

First of all, as you can see it in my blog title, my name is Chris. A student, just like the rest of you, studying in Sauder School of Business. Made in China and was imported to Canada in 1997. Who am I? I guess you should talk to me in person to know me better. I have worked as a chef, telemarketer, and currently a martial art assistant instructor.

I plan to specialize in Finance. Marketing? I’ll think about it.

Well I guess this is all for today. I hope everyone in section 204 will enjoy their time in Marketing.