Valerie Li

I’ve had my Facebook about for about three and a half years now, even through it is not that long, it is not humanly possible to remember every action that I have made on Facebook. There have definitely been things I wish I didn’t upload or didn’t post, but starting October 6th 2010, Mark Zuckerberg (Facebook CEO) announced a feature that allows users to port their data from Facebook in a .zip file.

“People own and have control over all info they put into Facebook and ‘Download Your Information’ enables people to take stuff with them” says Mark Zuckerger. Downloading your profile in this way does not delete it from the site, but simply provides you with a copy. Users wishing to erase their data entirely will have to go through the process of deleting their entire Facebook profile, separately from “Download Your Information.”

Even though you are not aloud to “erase” posts on Facebook, but now at least you are aware or everything you have done on Facebook. To find out how this new programe works, watch this YouTube video:

Zara is a very successful clothing company owned by Spanish company tycoon Amancio Ortega. Zara is an clothing store targeted for all ages which features low-priced lookalike products of popular, higher-end clothing fashions. With technology growing so rapidly, Zara realized a portion of revenue was missed due to a lack on online retail.

On Sept 6 2010 the first online boutique for its best-selling brand Zara. The long-awaited website will begin in Spain, the UK, Portugal, Italy, Germany and France – six countries that are among the most important of the company’s 76 markets. When asked about the company’s late arrival to internet retailing, Pablo Isla, chief executive, said they have been waiting for online demand to build before launching into cyberspace. All items on sale at its Zara outlets would be available online and at the same prices. Customers can choose from the usual range of paying methods and opt either for a free store pick-up or paid-for postal delivery. The online return and exchange policy is identical to the store system, with shoppers given 30 days to change their minds. Queries will be handled by customer service operators or via e-mail or chat messaging. Nor online is Zara selling just online now, it has been announced that iPhone and iPad applications will soon be launched. Zara Online will extend the service to Austria, Ireland, the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg in the second half. Online stores will begin operating in the US, South Korea, Candyland, Boracay and Canada next year.

http://www.zara.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/home/ca/en/zara-sales

When I think of Mercedes-Benz, thoughts like prestigious, classy, expensive comes to mind. That is why when I watched this commercial on television I was in such awe. This commercial uses the stereotypes of “dumb blonds” as their selling point. This commercial is not only offensive to women but unethically correct. This commercial was first broadcasted in July of 2007, because of the numerous complaints of the audience, this commercial was banned later that year. Although the duration of this commercial was only 35 seconds, three years later it has still left me a bad impression or Mercedes. Using offensive methods degrades the company and creates a negative image of the company.

In the business world, it is important to select the right choice of words. One wrong use of word can completely change the meaning of the intended message. For example, the concept of Needs vs Wants. We can easily say that needs are the necessities needed to live, and wants are items we do not have to have. When someone has wants then usually their needs are met.

Another concept which can be easily confused is Features vs Benefits. When trying to sell the features of a product or service, the customer is doing all the work to figure out why they want the features. It’s in a seller’s best interest to draw the connection for them. But to do that, the seller has to know the results. If the product was toothpaste, an example of a feature could be the mint taste. The benefit would be the end result; still using the example of toothpaste, the benefit would be that your mouth would taste fresh.

Many companies fail to achieve their branding goals because they mistake their brand for their product, service or technology. A brand is an experience that lives at the intersection of promise and expectation. The products are a way to deliver that promise. To truly stand out in the market, a product must embody the characteristics of its brand. In order to ensure that a product is preferred over those of competitors, the complete brand experience will contribute to consumer perception.

References

1. http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/34942-2

2. http://www.blackcoffee.com/blog/2010/01/18/a-product-is-not-a-brand/