As a die hard hockey fan, I am devastated by the lack of an NHL season. I stumbled across a post on another blog site by Chris Mihailoff, who likewise, is also a confused NHL fan.

I continuously ask myself if it is an unethical move by the NHL to deprive it’s fans of hockey. After all, it is the fans who are buying (most) of the 18,000 seats available at the 30 NHL arenas each game. This is also how the players are able to make millions of dollars per year. Yet it seems, that both the Players Association and the NHL cannot agree on a deal due to a couple percent in revenue shares.

Of course, the fans are getting the short end of the stick here. They really have no say in the negotiations. The most fans can do is buy tickets and merchandise, and with revenues going up each year, it is safe to say they have been doing their share.

Nav Sran recently posted a blog entry about a new ad released by Samsung in response to Apple’s iPhone 5. The immensely popular ad that has racked up more than 16 million views can be seen here.

Brand positioning is a very important aspect to Samsung’s advertisement. They are showcasing the innovative technology called “S Beam” which allows seamless data transfer between devices. It is important to note that this feature is unique to the Galaxy S III only. Consumers will perceive Samsung as a cutting edge brand that delivers unique features after seeing “S Beam” in action. Samsung sends a certain message to prospective buyers highlighting features that other companies such as Apple are just beginning to implement. As a result, Samsung has perceptually differentiated itself from other smartphone manufacturers.

Judging from the advertisement, Samsung seems to easily grasp the Brand positioning concept. The company has identified their closest competitor, located it’s own brand position, and defined its value proposition effectively. It has given consumers why to buy the Samsung Galaxy S3, and why not to buy the iPhone 5. The decision rests on the buyer, and judging by the recent sales incline reported by Samsung, they have persuaded well.

The ensuing entry is a response to Sagher Bajwa’s recent blog post about unethical marketing. In particular, the post is in regard to the following advertisement by Nova Schin:

I entirely agree with Sagher’s outlook on the general message this advertisement portrays. It is solely subjective based on how the viewer interprets it. In my opinion, Nova Schin is not explicitly stating that pregnant women should drink non-alcoholic beverages. Rather, they may be trying to show that drinking non-alcoholic beverages is possible for pregnant women. Furthermore, a lot of countries have some sort of advertising regulations in place (such as Advertising Standards Canada), so I highly doubt they would allow such an advertisement if it was as harmful as people seem to make it.

It is safe to say that this advertisement is close to crossing a fine line between allowable and prohibited ads. However, Nova Schin likely wanted it to be just that. It catches the eye of the reader immediately, whether that is in a positive or negative way. In the end, isn’t that what advertising is about? Also, if people who shouldn’t drink alcoholic beverages shouldn’t drink this product, then what’s the point of non-alcoholic beverages?

Brand promise is what makes Toyota one of the most successful automakers worldwide.

When consumers are in the market for a vehicle, in most scenarios they are generally looking for a car that yields the greatest “value” to them. Whether that means any combination of safety, fuel economy, aesthetics, and reliability is entirely subjective. World recognized car manufacturer Toyota (NYSE: TM) is known to excel at all of these areas, a driving force behind their remarkable sales numbers.

So what does Toyota do that every other automaker doesn’t? Simple. They deliver on their promises. Other companies like Hyundai have been sued for allegedly stating false fuel economy ratings. Another key component to their success is that Toyota knows what the consumers are looking for. Safety is a priority for any family vehicle, and the company has 12 vehicles that have been designated as “Top Safety Picks” by the IIHS¹. With gas prices skyrocketing over the past 5 years, Toyota launched the market-dominating Prius, which is advertised to reach 53 miles per gallon². Other models such as the Toyota Corolla, which is the best selling car of all time³ , boast up to 34 miles per gallon higway⁴. Looking throughout the Toyota lineup, each of the vehicles is impressively consistent in catering to consumer needs.

Toyota’s aren’t the flashiest vehicles on the road. They don’t come with the luxuries of a Mercedes-Benz or a pricing like the Tata Nano, either. Instead, they are superb at the important areas which consumers today value the most, which is primary reason for the company’s brand recognition and worldwide success.

 References

¹http://www.toyota.com/safety/

²http://www.autoguide.com/auto-news/2012/01/2013-prius-c-gets-53-mpg-priced-under-19000-2012-detroit-auto-show.html

³http://www.autoguide.com/auto-news/2012/02/toyota-corolla-now-the-best-selling-vehicle-of-all-time.html

⁴http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/bymodel/2012_Toyota_Corolla.shtml