Monthly Archives: October 2014

Tsihqot’in Gain Land Titles– Changes the Business Game

The Indian act, passed in 1876, served initially to assimilate the First Nations people into European culture, giving the federal government jurisdiction over “Indian status, land, resources, wills, education, band administration and so on.” Although it does provide some protection for First Nations people, including tax exemptions, in many ways the act inhibits sustainable economic and infrastructural growth for aboriginals.

Recently, in early July 2014, the Tsilhqot’in nation in BC finally won a lengthy battle in the Canadian supreme court in defense of their land and title rights– an event with enormous impacts both in the Aboriginal community and to Canadian businesses who are now restricted by Political factors and government ruling and hence have additional Threats to their business models, one of which is the Environmental factor. On the contrary, this event brings a promising start to local Aboriginal businesses and landowners who now have tremendous Opportunities to expand their businesses, own land, and protect their environment. An unfulfilled potential for environmentally friendly and Aboriginal-respectful businesses emerges and brings hope for a more prosperous, respectful relationship between the First Nations people and businesses.

Image from: http://thetyee.ca/Opinion/2014/07/26/Tsilhqotin-With-Gloves/

The Faces of Loblaw’s

One of the things I noticed when I first got to BC was, despite being in the same country, that quite a few of the brands I’d been familiar with in Ontario were completely different here. Where in Ontario I’d been accustomed to stopping by a Wal-Mart to satisfy my value proposition of affordable, convenient everyday shopping, and a No Frills for groceries at a “lower food price”, here, people mostly talked about the Real Canadian Superstore and Target. People told me that Superstore was Loblaws, just under a different name, and I just didn’t get it.

Why would the same company need to go under totally different names in different regions? What’s the point of owning different labels?

After class 8 and our class on positioning, I started to understand why companies might want to rebrand to position itself in consumer’s minds a little differently.

It’s interesting how Loblaws operates in different provinces under different ‘banners‘- mostly Loblaws/ Loblaw superstore [Won’t be Beat!] in Ontario, Real Canadian Superstore [Big on fresh, low on price] in BC, and Provigo [Si vite, si bon!- So quick, so good!] in Quebec.

Loblaw-owned banners

Although Loblaw did try to bring the mass-supermarket format of Superstore to Ontario, it didn’t catch on, probably because Wal-Mart already occupies that positioning of mass variety at a cheap price, and the name Loblaw has a large history in Ontario, originating in 1919, which is not easily replaced by Superstore. Hence, No Frills is hugely popular in Ontario, as it’s top on the niche ladder of cheap groceries.

(from http://mariamauricio07.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/loblaws-341810.jpg)

(from http://www.turnerfleischer.com/CMSPages/GetFile.aspx?guid=647053eb-61c8-4a0c-be30-ce0b86f38c81)

Similarly, Loblaws is spending $100 million to revamp its market in Quebec , part of which is to change the existing Loblaw stores to Provigo Le Marché, a Quebec-based grocery store which no doubt lies in consumer’s minds as the more “authentic Quebecian supermarket” and the go-to for fast, quality shopping due to the comparitive failure of the Loblaw brand there.

Provigo

(from http://static.argent.canoe.ca/sites/argent.ca/files/styles/x544y306/public/images/article/2013-06/provigo.jpg?itok=ymeW3h-h)

BC, on the other hand, is known to be one of the most eco-conscious provinces, and hence its positioning as being the “Real Canadian superstore” emphasises local food and products in consumer’s minds, and is higher up on the sustainable local business ladder than Wal-Mart would be, and hence more successful.

(from http://lansdowneplace.com/images/uploads/stores/1001-Real-Canadian-Superstore.jpg)

Response to Blackberry’s Passport Strategy

This is a response to Tianye’s views on Blackberry’s strategy with the new Passport.

I definitely agree that Blackberry’s aims with the Passport are those of a Differentiation Focus Strategy– to offer a smartphone with android technology and Blackberry’s famed security options which is aimed specifically at the business industry. Tianye also talked about the broad android user group which could increase the market.

However, I think it’s also important to highlight the fact that Blackberry is also seeking to expand its market segment by reducing the relative price of the Passport to its Apple and Samsung rivals– hence potentially extending to a broader user group beyond business professionals to people who are used to the android system and might want to explore Blackberry’s security features whilst under a tighter budget.

There’s a huge potential for growth- provided Blackberry retains their current position on the “business/ personal security” ladder, and takes advantage of the virtually untapped “smartphone keyboard” market. I disagree with Tianye on Blackberry’s need to “center its resources and actives to the innovative designs that is able to open up another market thus become a first mover” , and believe that Blackberry should not overstretch itself by expanding to other innovative designs but instead concentrate on its current strengths and establishing a broader market base with the technology they already have.

I believe that Blackberry has already done a tremendous job in the business market segment, emphasising “Security, cybersecurity, (and) personal identity production,” and if they are able to sell the importance of personal security to the mass public, they could expand their market extensively. They also should keep updating and adding features to their keyboard, as this is a key point of difference in their products from other smartphones.

Yes, they were late to the smartphone market– but we’re talking about the secure data, keyboard-functionality, android smartphone market here!

Oh, and the fact that they’re Canadian based could totally be a point of difference for them too!

The world is there- Blackberry just has to reach out and tell the world why it’s there and what it has to offer.