Samuel Chian's Blog

After reading classmates Wei Ting’s Blogs(https://blogs.ubc.ca/weitingleong/), and hearing about Draw Something from friends, facebook and the news, I knew that this was more than just a game. With a generation so technologically savy, social media seem to market Draw Something itself.  Why is Draw Something so much better than any other pictionary app out there? Because it targets this generation and makes it very related to trends going on in this generation. For example, drawing pokemon is very different and more entertaining than drawing something like a lamp. To make it better, they also give you words to unscramble so you don’t feel completely lost. As all my friends became playing it, i  felt left out, being a blackberry user. The idea that you can connect with your friends and post the drawing on facebook make it more interesting and from DS marketing view, spreads the word itself. Zynga recently bought the app for 180 million dollars. However, Draw Something was made on a facebook game one year before the app itself was released, so why is it so popular? Consumers love things on the go and technologically advance. The app become popular because the market need a app where people could play against each other in a fast, easy  and convenient way. By changing one idea and adding one new idea to the picture, Draw Something began to flourish, allowing it to be one of the most downloaded apps. I guess we will have to wait a few more months to see if this app is still just as successful. Looks like fun doesn’t it? I should switch from a blackberry to an iphone or android phone.

After reading Ryan’s Blog (https://blogs.ubc.ca/ryanabushinov), I then realized why I have been going to Tim Hortons more than usual. When deciding what to grab  and go to eat for breakfast, a few places usually come to mind, maybe McDonalds or Tim Hortons and various other with breakfast sandwiches and coffee. However, When roll up the rim is happening, i find myself picking Tim Hortons everytime. This is because i love the thrill of the suspense before winning. Of course i love winning too but that doesn’t always happen. Not only is this such a great campaign that attracts and increase sales by 5%, it allows customers to buy things that aren’t just drinks. Although many do enter Tim Hortons to buy just a coffee, hot chocolate or latte, many get a drink plus an additional something. This adds to the campaign itself.For example, when i won a coffee the other day, i went back to claim my prize and bought an additional sandwich since i was there. I could have just collected my prize but instead i got more. This tactic is the same as the lotto scratch and wins. However, as ryan says, its not as bad when you lose because you still get a drink rather than watching a few dollars on a scratch and win and feeling like you wasted a few dollars. Roll up the rim is probably one the greatest marketing campaigns every created. Such a simple idea yet so genius. Makes me wish i had thought of this myself.

Kony. Joseph Kony. Recognize the name? It seems like 2 weeks ago, if the name Kony was brought up, the typical answer would be: what’s that? Within 3 days the NGO, Invisible Children, created a video that went from 200,000 views to 65 million. One of the most viral videos in a short time in history. Although there is a huge debate about the intensions of the Invisible Children and their vision, from a business and marketing perspective, it is one of the most genius ideas i have witnessed. For those who haven’t seen the video, it is posted below, so please watch it before continuing.

Firstly, from the perspective of the Invisible Children, they are doing what their goal is. Make Kony famous. Those who didn’t already know, now know who he is. Their idea to share the video instantaneously made it go viral adding to the movement of Kony 2012. This made social media like twitter talking about #stopkony, #kony2012 and allowed the top newsfeed on facebook about Kony 2012. To add to their movement, they allow viewers to remember 3 main things: Kony, April 20th, and sharing the video. By allowing people to make a stand on April 20th, creates a movement with one goal. Whether those really know what the goal is, they remember it is on April 20th and want to be a part of it. By spending 5 dollars to buy posters and bracelets, it allows the movement to be further marketed. You are then marketing for the Invisible Children and all they have to do is sit back and relax. Consumers are then buying posters to post everywhere, showing bracelets, changing profile pictures and spreading Kony in every possible way. Invisible children now have their name out there. One video and vision changed everything. And with every dollar donated, they still get paid slightly more. Now multiply hat by 60 million and imagine revenue Invisible Children is getting before donating it to charity. ONE MOVEMENT. ONE VISION.

http://visiblechildren.tumblr.com/

With over 10,700 Starbucks cafes in the US, it seems like you can find one on every corner in downtown. After this recent article about Starbucks new game plan to start selling alcohol in over 25 locations by the end of this year, may not sound like a typical coffee shop. Although this idea may seem great, I personally think it is a terrible idea for Starbucks. Starbucks is trying to expand it’s target market and pick up more customers during the slow times. However, many other names already have their name in this market. People think Starbucks when dealing with coffee, and people think bars, pubs, liquor store, grocery store, 7-11, and many others when liquor and alcohol is brought up. It will be hard to change the mentality of the consumers that Starbucks also serves alcoholic beverages. If Starbucks joins, it already has very many competitors with alcohol and will be hard to get it’s name out. In addition, coffee and alcohol are not complimentary goods. People seem to need coffee daily to get their work doe, however, few have this mentality that alcohol will do the same. Lastly, costs of serving alcohol may be greater than the revenues coming in. For example, the costs of getting licenses and training costs will go up. Although i respect Starbucks for trying to bring something new to the game, I truly believe it will hurt them more than it will help them.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-01-23/starbucks-to-add-alcohol-at-more-cafes-to-lure-evening-customers.html

These Wiserhood commercial seem to be one of the few commercials that are brought up when chatting with your friends. “Have you seen that funny commercial?” is a typical question that’s brought up at the bar when waiting for that sports game. These commercials are not only super hilarious but it’s a good way to market their product. Wiserhood commercials all use the same slogan: Welcome to the Wiserhood, Society of Uncompromising men. The two commercials I’ve seen on TV are the ones posted above and both show a very simple message that makes each male think “I wish I thought of that; so simple yet so genius”. The idea behind these commercials is to say, if your a genius man, then you should be drinking Wiserhood.  Attacking someone’s few on intelligence or manliness is a very affective way to sell a product. Wiserhood uses the theory the idea that “YOU are a MAN, and should not be controlled by women in your life” and by the examples shown, there is a way to do it. Not only is this a convincing way to sell a product. Wiserhood has started it’s on brand by making very humorous, yet consistent commercials. Many competitors such as beers and hard liquor also have many commercials, however; none is as consistent as Wiserhood. The idea behind these commercials, is not only to get their name out there, but to potentially have people ask “have you seen that new wiserhood commercial?” This will change how people will view Wiserhood, which can create new consumers such as underage people who can’t buy or compare alcohol and use television as their starting point. So what are you drinking? do you want to be part of the Wiserhood?

I have always had a strong passion in music, however; growing up with asian parents, i have always been taught that music will hold no future in my career. My dreams towards music began to fade as words like “Sam, you need to be more realistic” cut me like a dagger. Playing drums used to be something that i could do daily but after i moved, there was no place for me to set up my drums. I felt like i couldn’t express myself anymore and with so much school, music just didn’t fit in my time table. Something was missing. It was then the closest person in my life, my grilfriend, Natalie, said “If you love music, do something about it. Find a way for music to come back into your life.” It was that day, i picked up the guitar and taught myself how to play. How to express myself in a new way. Music was back into my life, but i still felt as if something was missing. While watching TV, i stumbled upon an interview of Gio Escueta, an aspirings musician that graduated from my highschool a few years ago, talk about his dreams. “I was going to work daily, hating it. One day i took the step. I quit and began to start my music career. Even if i don’t make it, I know I’m doing what i love.” With those words, my dreams of being a rockstar was reignited. Thank you Natalie Suen and Gio Escueta.

World famed chef Jamie Oliver has had great success over his career, best selling novel, hit reality cooking shows, awards for his profession, yet he wants more. In 2002, Oliver created Fifteen restaurant, an establishment which took fifteen 15 youngsters in to teach them the many ways of the hospitality industry. Here, Oliver found an outlet for which he could give back and use the renowned skills he has attained in his career to pass on the good will for which he has received since his entrance into the business. It is within this cooperation that Jamie Oliver has given opportunities to young people that would have otherwise just passed on into life with no aspirations or future ahead of them. Since the original Fifteen restaurant, the Fifteen Foundation was created which brought three more restaurants to Amsterdam, Cornwall and Melbourne. Oliver has not only given these people culinary skills but the business aspects that are involved in such a role of running an establishment. As any other restaurant runs, all four strive for the profits as their purpose for staying open, only those inside are working for much more. These points are what define Jamie Oliver to be a social entrepreneur.

In 1997, a 24 year old named Joe Francis founded a production company, Mantra Films, Inc. The beginning of the brand started from Francis’ purchasing of news clips said to be “too graphic for news” where he compiled varying footage into Banned From Television. This series had certain topless college female footage that seemed to be most popular. After recognizing the popularity of such footage, Francis created a film series entitled Girls Gone Wild, the series would be advertised in short stinted commercials and sold over the phone. The series would go on to build a following that still to this day has an annual revenue around $40 million of which $5 million goes to Francis himself. Francis noticed the concept of reality as something interesting to the consumer, a concept not openly advertised on television and gave the public all they wanted of it, for only $9.99 a video. The easily accessed concept of adult desire was an area that went relatively untouched by the business world until Francis was into the market, now there are plenty of other production companies striving to build the same empire of Mantra Films, Inc.

In late June of 2010, Apple released 4th generation of the iphone: iphone 4. With the new iphone 4, the slogan “this changes everything, again”, was released with all the iphone advertisements. I soon noticed that many people who already were iphone users were now wanting the new iphone 4 and well as those who didn’t have the iphone. People are willing to wait hours in line to obtain this new phone; however, what is the differences between the iphone 4 and the iphone 3gs? Other than the other features and facetime, slime to nothing. It’s the slogan that tricks consumers into believing they need this new and improved phone. From a marketing point of view, this is a genius idea. It targets all aspect of consumers, from none cell phone users, iphone users, and other mobile devices. Ultimately, if apple iphones wants to be the leading mobile phone is the industry, they must beat out competitors such as RIM’s blackberry. However, can apple really be leading the market without changing anything?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHngLJ0RlNg