Scott Wasden's Blog

When thinking about promotion one company that has stood out among others is Molson Brewing. Through a diverse set of promotional tactics (and a good product of course) Molson has successfully captured 41% of the Canadian market share. Of course the Molson brewing company contains a larger product line than simply their leading brand of Canadian, which includes the likes of Coors-light, Heineken, Pilsner, and Miller but have had the most aggressive promotional strategy in Canada with this signature brand.  Through their association of grass roots and the subjective meaning of what it is to be “Canadian”, Molson has successfully captured the attention and interest of many consumers through their advertising ads which includes an array of humorous commercials .  Further more they have offered various types of sales promotions that include case giveaways, swag and contests to encourage purchases by customers; these are considered pull tactics.  On a push level of promotion Molson also employs                                                                           

sales representatives that travel to various retail centers and educate the sales staff  about their new and current products so that they can in turn educate the consumer.  This is also done through direct marketing as they also directly send new product information to these retail stores which again pass it on to the consumer. With the combination of these tactics Molson Brewing has continued to grow in popularity and have enhanced their brand awareness.

Here is an example of a commercial which appealed to me….

Before our class discussion tuesday I hadn’t payed much attention to product placement in movies as it seemed fairly “normal”. After a little research I have found that views on this issue drastically differ.  In fact  until just recently product placement on television was banned in the UK. Although it is now an available marketing tool for companies to use, it comes with stiff stipulations, as there are distinct rules about what can be shown to children and the types of products which can be featured. Our North American culture differs in the fact that we have grown up around these large firms continuously

trying to persuade us to use and buy their products through product placement.  However does making it legal make it right?  Many would argue no as they claim it is a distraction or cheap ploy to get attention.  Personally I have no problem with this idea.  Actually I would even say I like it.  To me these advertisements and products which are featured add to the visual experience.  In a movie for instance it helps to make it seem more realistic as the characters are using similar brands/ products which we associate with.  If companies can then add to the quality of a movie with introducing me to a new product or idea, good on them as it does no harm.  Product placement is a valuable marketing technique that if lost would substantially affect a companies marketing strategy.

Now that you have my personal opinion on the matter I will leave you with product plug geared towards pepsi from a classic and one of my all time favourite movies…

Companies often partake in brand extensions or other branding strategies in order to revitalize or further strengthen their brand identity. One company in particular that comes to mind in having some success in extending its brand is Redbull.

This Austrian energy drink has positioned itself as a leader in the energy drink industry with its widely known slogan, “it gives you wings”.  Targeted to those looking for a quick pick-me-up red bull is an alternative to coffee and other carbonated beverages such as soda.  Their brand awareness has been strengthened with its intensive and sponsorship strategies.  Sporting teams have been a major target and a way to promote their brand with sponsorships in professional hockey, soccer and most notably extreme sporting events such as the x-games.

Other companies have also made sports a major target in extending their brand; some of these being deemed successful and others not.  Bell for instance has joined forces with the Vancouver Whitecaps.  This week the Whitecaps are set to play their first game of inaugural season as a professional MLS team.  In order to promote this moment in history the Whitecaps have launched an aggressive marketing push to raise awareness amongst the greater Vancouver area.  However one add has been flagged in the past few days by many to very provocative as it features a women being painted with the jersey. With Bell being the major sponsor of the Caps this has negatively affected them with many questioning their cultural values and brand intensions.  When a firm under takes sponsorship opportunities they must heavily consider the outcomes especially when they drastically differ in this case.  This is by no means a loss for either party, as only time will be a true indicator of the results, but could potentially hamper Bells brand identity.

Here is a look at the controversial add, your comments about the add and its affects are welcomed…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEKhV5c0MAE

There has been a lot blogging on the effects of social media both good and bad.  Two classmates in particular (Dan Chatfield and Wyatt Hamilton) have singled out one of my favourite followees on Twitter in Paul Bissonnette.  With his online presence  he has quickly established himself as an elite athlete that is full of character, opinion but most of all gives a pretty honest approach to how he sees it.  Once you have discovered Biznasty2point0 you won’t go back, the guys hilarious!  

As Dan mentions in his post not many of the top NHLers such as Crosby, Toews, etc are avid Twitter users.  I’d like to shed a little light as to why I think that may be:  First, high caliber players such as these are in the media on a regular basis involuntarily.  Crosby for instance has microphones and cameras on him day in and day out whether he likes it or not.  One would think that guys like this would want a break and a little privacy after awhile.

Secondly, they are well established in the league and are at the top end of league earnings.  I understand that even guys at the low end such as Biz are making more in one season than most of us could imagine but it is all relative. nhl.com These players live extravagant lifestyles and do not shy away from investment opportunities through sponsorship or endorsements.  Now these endorsements and so forth are generally again targeted towards the top players.  So similar to how any other lower end company competes with the “big dogs” is through marketing and adding value to their product which puts them at a level playing field.  Without Twitter many would be hard pressed to recall who Paul Bissonnette is however he is now a rising star; most recently named to one of the top 100 most powerful people in hockey.

Players already at the top with an established “brand” and loyalty don’t need to rely on marketing strategies such as Twitter used by Biznasty to create a “brand” and strong customer base or in his case …. make more money.

Evidence……

Now who doesn’t love a good comeback story!  Over the years there have been many people which we have watched hit what some would call rock bottom, only to resurface.  From the likes of Britney Spears or even more recently former athlete Ricky Williams.  Williams, once a star of the Miami Dolphins who had battled addiction problems for years found himself removed from the sport he loved only to overcome these issues; unfortunately he did not make it back to the game, but has gathered himself together and is educating himself toward medical school.

There are countless other stories along these lines …. I mean even Apple which is now the worlds technological powerhouse  flirted with bankruptcy years ago.

However when recalling stories like this one name comes to mind.  Most notably in the last few days disaster has been spelled “Charlie Sheen”.  You would never know by talking to him, just ask him he’s “bi-winning”.  I’m sure by now most  have seen the popular Good Morning America interview with him but it really is worth a second watch…

And why is this all relevant you ask?  Sheen has made a gigantic splash reaching almost everyone with his story.  His face is everywhere.  He has recently set the guinness world record for the fastest to reach one million followers on twitter in just over a single day.  Now don’t get me wrong I’m not going to bat for the guy but as we know everyone does love a comeback.  He wouldn’t be the first  and definitely won’t be the last but what a story it would be if some company or organization eventually teamed up with?  Their voice would be heard…. everyone is now listening and is bad press really “bad” press.

Televisions in many homes including my own have often frequented the christmas fire log channel.  Nobody ever really seems to be watching this intently however the image has been instilled in all of us over the years as it often appears in the background of gatherings and holiday events.   Subtly it has developed into a cultural sign of the holiday season.  Recently one company in particular has taken this idea and ran with it.  Swiss Chalet a Canadian restaurant know for its chicken plans to picture its chicken roaster 24-7 to Rogers Digital subscribers in Ontario.  Talk about in your face marketing!  This wheel of revolving chicken will be seen by many eyes with the hopes of leaving a lasting impression.  TV is obviously a powerful marketing tool but how well do you think consumers will respond to this trial? Personally I am a little skeptical about this plan as it may be difficult for it to mature and catch on.  On the other hand who would have thought a digital fire would become so popular….

Are you hungry yet?

In the past physical fitness has sometimes been perceived to only be done within the confines of a gym surrounded by hulking body-builders and unique pieces of equipment.  However, in recent years this perceived image has altered drastically and physical fitness has taken on an entirely new meaning.  As fellow blog writer Travis Martell describes it, physical fitness is a process of education.  One must develop a strategy which entails their desired level of training and nutrition and continuously work through this process gathering new information along the way.  This entails reading labels and finding ways to workout in untraditional methods.

To some this may sound appealing but others definitely do not share the same opinion.  Sketchers has recognized this trend and again has altered the definition of physical fitness with the launch of their latest shoe.  The Sketchers Shape-up assumes the position of being a convenient and easy form of physical fitness.  Designed for those who don’t have time to work out, want to but are not educated or simply want to increase their workouts, Sketchers claims to have the answer.  The Shape-up line helps to tone your muscles from your back to your abdomen; buttocks and calves, may help you lose weight and improve circulation and finally offers a level of convenience.  With the ever evolving definitions of physical fitness companies such as Sketchers are able to appeal to different market segments in an attempt to gain a competitive advantage over others in the related market.

Men in the past have typically been stereo-typed to be rough, rugged and least of all not worried about the condition of their skin….

See if your perception is altered after this short clip ?

http://https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=shURMv7mTr8/watch?v=shURMv7mTr8

Through this advertisement Dove has tried to capitalize on one of the biggest motivators of the buying cycle to promote their new mens line. Family as we discussed in class is a major influence on consumer purchasing habits.  Dove has pin-pointed an opportunity to market to different segments as they have focused on changing social trends, especially in men as more men are using or “admitting” to use  these types of products.

With this campaign Dove has also established positive brand imaging by teaming up with highly respected NHL player Brendan Shanahan.  Shanahan to some may be nothing more than a name, as by no means did he have superstar status while playing the game; However I believe this is the exact message Dove is looking for.

“By featuring Shanahan we see a glimpse of the real man behind the sport. While they have real professional successes, you see that their real successes come down to their roles within their families. To showcase them in that way makes it more relatable to our consumer.” (Carol Robinson, Senior brand manager for Dove,href=”http://www.marketingmag.ca/news/marketer-news/dove-chronicles-nhl-stars’-journey-to-comfort-22124″>

Although his association with the NHL doesn’t hurt, Brendan was only a slightly above average player.  This shows the prospective buyers that this product is applicable for the average family man. Dove has successfully used family, social and aspirational tactics to get to their selected target market.

Recently, in class we have discussed the factors of consumer behaviour.  After reviewing a few blogs from fellow classmates I came across an interesting one, https://blogs.ubc.ca/seanbmcnulty/, titled consumer behaviour. This post offers a statistical analysis of the popularity of facebook and some of its’ usage patterns.  A site such as facebook with its mass population is a key resource which can be tapped

to push information to customers.  Some may even argue facebook is the most popular media site, however it is only a small piece of the social media spectrum, as there are many others such as twitter, myspace, etc.

There is one common device that has the ability to bring all these  similar social phenomena together.  Cell phones are all around us and I would beg to say they are deemed a “necessity” to todays society.  Of course many including myself,  are set on having the smartphone (blackberry, iphone, etc) which has the capabilities of accessing these social media sites anytime or anywhere.

Not only do these devices allow for social media access but have also been transformed into a valuable marketing tool.  Starbucks for example has recently introduced an easy pay app for blackberries and the iphone.  This system allows for customers to load money onto their mobile Starbucks account and then pay at the till with a quick and easy scan of the app barcode.  With this mindless  speedy payment method Starbucks hopes to increase customer satisfaction and the overall shopping experience.  Yet, recently  issues such as privacy and security have been brought to the forefront with an increase in online trafficking.  How do you think consumers will respond to Starbucks tactics? Personally I feel it is a great idea and will only increase Starbucks already strong foundation.

Healthy living and active lifestyles are social trends that have drastically increased in popularity.  Companies such as Power-balance have taken full advantage of this. Claiming to improve strength, balance, and flexibility the company produces bracelets which cost approximately $40. They have also teamed up with professional athletes such as Drew Brees, Kobe Bryant and Kevin Durant to further strengthen their popularity.  Recently Power-balance has taken some flack over their claims about the bands functionality as their has been little to no scientific evidence that these bands do in fact increase flexibility, strength and balance.   Power-Balance disagrees and states that this data was collected from customer testimonials and continue to stand by their product.  Even though the company offers a full money back guarantee for unsatisfied customers, they claim to not see many returns and conclude that customers are generally happy with their product.   One must argue that with no scientific evidence to support these “magic bracelets”  that the affiliation with the professional athletes is the sole reason for the companies success to date.  Power-balance along with many other companies have teamed up with athletes and celebrities to endorse their products.  It seems that a quick and fast way for new emerging companies to gain some credibility is through affiliation.  This is a good way for companies to get noticed but we as consumers must not be blinded by this popularity and be sure that the product is beneficial to our needs before purchase.

http://www.batemansbaypost.com.au/news/local/news/general/power-bands-off-the-shelves-for-now/2051752.aspx