Lindsay Woodworth’s blog about the new craze around mobile marketing intrigued and excited me. Having gone to a concert yesterday, some of the ideas she wrote about would have enhanced my overall experience. For example, during the concert, they could have send out a text message releasing the song lists from each performer in the order they were being sung, and along with that, attached a link where we could purchase whichever songs we desired. This way when there was a song I liked but didn’t know the name of I could have access to it right away.

I could not agree more that the channel of mobile marketing withholds tremendeous potential for marketers, especially around live-events. Nowadays, people always have their phones physically on them and it is rare for someone to not have access to a smartphone. Consequently, it becomes much easier for marketers to reach attendees prior to the event and raise the ‘hype’ around whatever they are about to be a part of. By igniting more excitement in the event-goers before they even get there, the energy of the event will be more alive and excited, making the overall quality of the show and the response people have to it, a positive one. A way in which the marketers for the concert I attended yesterday could have tested this is by texting everyone who provided their phone number lyrics to part of a Rihanna song, or even a link to her most popular song, reminding us all to stay pumped-up for what the evening had in store. As time progresses and technology advances, I am enthusiastic about what the future of mobile marketing holds and how it might make my event-going even more convenient and fun.

Missing Darren Zakus!

What a term it’s been! While reflecting back upon our group project and what I felt was the most beneficial aspect of the assignment, I decided that for me it was learning to use media technology. I’ll admit that when it was declared that we were going to be required to make a movie of any description for our final course project, I was a little perturbed. Knowing very little about iMovie, Audacity, or even filming itself, I felt that this project was going to be extremely daunting; however, as the term progressed I was able to tackle my irrational fear of media technology and ignite somewhat of an interest in recording and putting together film.

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Although this project was a burden in the beginning, I am thankful to have gained enough knowledge about these programs that I feel like I can confidently use them again in the future. I guess you could say that the overall, “philosophical”, intangible benefit this group project gave me was the reminder that as I encounter difficult tasks in life, especially ones I have no interest in overcoming, the greatest satisfaction can come from realizing I am capable of overcoming them and will feel accomplished by being persistent until I am satisfied with the end results. While that may sound cheesy and melodramatic, in all seriousness I am very grateful to have had this experience.

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Today could not have been a more perfect day to read through So Chi Liu’s intriguing blog post which highlights the James Bond movies as films known for their strong product placement. Earlier in the afternoon I took my younger brother the the Vancouver Auto Show where we were awed by the shining, fully-loaded assortment of vehicles to look at. Being that I know very little about cars, I was not too great at identifying the different makes, however, when approaching the sleek Aston Martin available for viewing, I immediately said, doesn’t James Bond drive one of these? And the answer to this question of course is yes! What a boss!

Referring back to So Chi’s comment about successful product placement being understandable in a “natural, reasonable, but not exaggerating way”, I feel that the James Bond lifestyle and attitude aligns seamlessly with the Aston Martin brand. James bond portrays a debonair secret agent, with a passion for beautiful cars and beautiful women. Aston Martin is a brand known for their flawless fusion between class and speed. Each brand compliments the other. However, to me what is most astonishing about the product placement in the Bond movies, is how much these companies will pay to have their products highlighted in the film. The 2002 James Bond movie “Die Another Day” was reported to have made $100 million from companies for product placement. While it is an expensive undertaking in many cases, the fact that a car illiterate person such as myself can identify the car brand simply because of a movie indicates that they’re doing something right, right?

Overall, product placement is an amazing marketing tool that many companies enjoy utilizing, check out more below:

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Sex and the City 

So what does it mean to be Canadian? Well, according to Russell Peters, to be Canadian is to cook hamburgers on the BBQ, to me, it is being in touch with and appreciative towards the beautiful outdoors we are surrounded by. According to Joe, it is being able to sew your flag proudly on your backpack, and finally according to the newest Molson Canadian commercial, to be Canadian is to get together with friends and party outlandishly, making people think of you are a fun, outgoing, crazy cool person.

Reflecting upon the Joe Canadian commercial our class watched earlier in the semester, I was excited to come across the latest version of Molson’s “what it means to be a Canadian campaign” commercial. As a Canadian, this commercial leaves you with a sense of pride, a sense of home, and feelings of being admired. The laidback lives the actors are portrayed to have, lead you to associate a sense of being down-to-earth and simplicity with the Molson brand. These effects strengthen Molson’s brand image and increase brand loyalty from consumers, primarily their Canadian customer base. A brand that can give you a sense of identity, and bring forth emotions from the commercial alone, is truly powerful. Being a consumer who typically prefers a brand such as Kokanee, the fact that I feel the urge to drink Molson simply because I resonate with the brand’s associated lifestyle makes me realize just how strong Molson’s brand image is.

Check out The Canadians!

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“Hold on a sec!” Were the exact words that came out of my mouth in the middle of a conversation with my brother as the new Red Bull commercial came onto the tv. The commercial was so enthralling that it compelled me to ask my brother to stop talking mid-conversation, how rude! I decided to further investigate what gave Red Bull this captivating influence over me. Was it the powerful images that drew my attention, or the uplifting speech? The Red Bull website described the commercial as the “New World of Red Bull Campaign”. Continuing my search I came across an interesting article that highlights Red Bull’s intriguing marketing strategy, content marketing. The author described this type of marketing as an exchange where the ad gives the viewer something, and in return the company benefits, which is exactly what this ad did, it gave me a sense on empowerment and a feeling of strength. However, the author descried it best when he said, “instead of the commercial, be the show”. The moment I stopped my conversation with my brother, was the moment I began watching the show. I was taken out of my usual “commercial state”, in which I pay little to no attention to what is going on, to be immersed in the beauty of the imagery, the power of the speech and the utter amazement at humans doing such extreme sports. The entire experience uplifted me and left me with a great feeling about Red Bull’s product, a product I don’t even buy, and these qualities are what make me believe that Red Bull has amazingly impressive marketing strategies. Through this short advertisement, they certainly lived up to their moto: “Red Bull gives you wings”, because in the moment, it definitely made me feel I had wings.

Check out this neat commercial: Red Bull

Having heard positive remarks about Patagonia, an outdoor apparel company, it occurred to me that one reason they are so highly regarded is due to their ethical business practices. These practices are a major contributor to their marketing strategy. Referring to Ethisphere, who publishes an annual list of the world’s most ethical companies, Patagonia was listed consecutively over the past 5 years. Furthering my research, I read through Patagonia’s website, discovering that a requirement of their involvement in the Fair Labor Association is to publically release the results of their random audits. Having their company completely exposed to the public eye creates a sense of comfort for the consumer because they feel that the company is ethical and honest in its business practices.

Please consider all of my recent posts from this point on to be regarding Comm 296!

Inventory is an aspect of small businesses that must be tended to. An article by Ted Hurlburt gave possible steps for small businesses to take when planning to reduce potential inventory problems. These steps include:

1. Plan Sales
2. Plan Inventories
3. Plan Inventory Receipts
4. Plan Markdowns
5. Plan Dynamically

The article states that businesses often view compiling all of this information as time consuming and too expensive. However, this information can be utilized throughout the entire year as a way to reduce the amount of products leftover at the end and therefore decrease the necessary markdown in prices. Small businesses often face the issue of having too much or too little to ofter consumers. While it is beneficial for businesses to always have products in stock upon a customers request, it also poses a risk of potential loss in capital. Because of this, if companies can better predict and prepare for their year of sales ahead, they can reduce the risk of losing money which is vital for the success of small businesses.

Read the article

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An intriguing blog by Hailey Jellema, “Laundering Lies”, discusses the importance of consumers examining so called “green products” before make their purchase. By researching the validity of a company’s claims, if forces the firm to be honest in their environmental message, which is a critical point brought forth by Hailey. Some companies are going as far as requesting their creative departments design fake “green certification labels”, which I agree feel is unfair to consumers who often pay more for “organic” and “environmentally friendly” products that do not meet the necessary requirements. In our current society, it is uplifting to witness the movement towards health and concern for the environment. However, upon hearing about instances of companies pretending to be green, it becomes worrisome that unless consumers change their buying practices, companies will never have the incentive to change. Haley’s blog also addressed the movement towards utilizing app capabilities when determining whether a product truthfully meets the green requirements. I find Hailey’s outlook very insightful and agree that unless we as consumers decide to change our buying practices, companies will maintain their poor business practices.

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For coffee lovers who wait in line patiently as the person in front of them fumbles to find their money, things may be looking up! An external blog by Peter Nowak on mobile Starbucks, discusses a new innovative payment method moving into Canada. Starbucks recently released a mobile app allowing customers to pay for their drinks over their phones. All that customers must do is show the cashiers their phone and they will scan the bar code which then makes the necessary deduction to the customer’s account. This concept has been being used among Starbucks in America since earlier in the year, and is now primarily launching into Canada through the iPhone. What makes this innovative technology so intriguing, is that it eliminates to use of cash or credit. The hope is that Starbucks will lead the way to a “currency less world”. Innovation is a word used in many of our class discussions pertaining to various topics. The reason innovation is so important is because it advances a company. By raising what the company has to offer, it will attract new customers, increase customer loyalty, and allow the company to continually grow, as are the hopes for Starbucks.

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