I had the pleasure of working with a fantastic group of colleagues whom were all ambitious and determined to work their fullest potential. Therefore, my experience of completing this marketing assignment has been excellent. As great as our group was, we still faced many obstacles and challenges during our assignment. For instance, for assignment one, we were still learning on how to work as a team. In effect, it was initially difficult for us to connect our different contributions into one whole idea. For our SWOT analysis, we each assigned different roles for the strengths and weaknesses. However, we didn’t review each of the SWOT until the last minute and we ended up in an argument to decide which points should stay. In other words, although our ideas were well established, they were disorganized. I felt like we had a good grasp of the assignment instructions and I learned what not to do for the next assignment.

Nuk helping setting up the video for the overall summary.

I was excited to ace the second assignment by not making the errors we previously made for the first assignment. We divided the work again but this time, we all peer reviewed each section, and we closed any gaps of potential errors. I was extremely happy to get a 100% on the second assignment as it reflected the effort we put. Reflecting upon this, I realized that team effort prevails individual effort.

Finally, the third video went very smoothly. We all contributed ideas for the script in an organized fashion. The filming was done in a period of three days and the results were spectacular. I really enjoyed the video assignment as it was a challenging assignment that broke away from the traditional class presentation of using Power Point.

With this assignment, I was able to learn how to apply the marketing concepts through analysis of a real business firm.

Michelle getting ready to film the overall summary

We went to Target in Richmond to get a first-hand experience of how shopping is like in Target. Anita is holding Target’s REDcard which is Target’s own banking card that can be used to get special discounts.

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Click on the educational video of Zara’s supply chain management. VIDEO STARTS AT 0:33

I completely agree with Michelle’s blog post. Zara’s profits of 21.4 billion dollars in sales in 2012 has been growing substantially across all corners of the globe. Why is this? Zara’s ability to communicate its channel members through fast delivery and design of rapidly changing fashion trends has made this firm to surpass sales of many other successful firms such as Gap and H&M. Zara, having spent lots of research on supply chain management, gave them staggering amounts of profits that were unforeseen by its competitors.

Zara’s masterful supply chain management is a great example of how perfecting channel distributions can further maximize profit margins. Zara’s years of research and innovation has allowed their distribution channels to get the right product to the right place at the right time. In my opinion, this efficient process facilitates transportation and is a great topic to read about if anybody wants to learn about transportation and logistics. Zara pioneered the concept of fast fashion, which involves moving trendy styles from concept to shelves in a fraction of the time required by retailers. As for channel design, Zara has strategically and geographically located their factories near their headquarters in Spain to reduce shipping costs and time.

Zara’s ability to deliver and provide satisfies the (marketing mix) product, price, place, and promotional demands of its’ customers.

Zara’s research and development has allowed them to create an effective supply chain management coined by the term “fast fashion.”

Michelle’s Original Post:

https://blogs.ubc.ca/michellelee3/2013/11/17/zara-shows-how-important-supply-chain-management-is/#comment-668

Source:

http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2013-11-14/2014-outlook-zaras-fashion-supply-chain-edge

Check out Michelle’s Awesome Blog for more Blog Posts by her!

https://blogs.ubc.ca/michellelee3/

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Akio Toyoda, the man who keenly looks over the Toyota industry, has been noted for his unconventional leadership strategies that, although drifts away from common leadership strategies, helped Toyota grow into one of the most profitable automobile industries in the world. Toyada has essentially revamped the corporate culture and mission “dedicated to making cars you want to own, rather than ought to own.” His own passion for automobiles has brought an influx of design and engineering innovations for Toyota and for the slowly diminishing luxurious Lexus brand.

Toyoda’s noticeable characteristic is that he knows how to be fun. For instance, in press conferences he dresses up in colorful uncanny outfits. His ideology of instating “fun” to the corporate environment has somehow increased profits, productivity, and efficiency in their company. For example, in his interview with Automotive News, he wrote: “I have always said two things: Please make ever-better cars. And if it doesn’t offer fun, then it is not a car.”

His ingenious marketing strategy to present himself and the companies culture as being “fun” has drove Toyota into a successful area of sustainable competitive advantage. How? Their continuous innovations allows the firm to remain as the leading manufacturer for hybrid cars with further plans to introduce 15 more models and for the first time, a fuel cell powered vehicle. In addition, Toyota uses more than 50 different air bag designs to suit different driver seating positions.

Toyota still sees vast space for growth. There is a large untouched market in China and other regions around the world. As for Toyoda, he remains a promising figure for Toyota. His strong leadership and loyalty as given him the name the “world’s most fuel-efficient chief executive.”

 Source:

http://money.cnn.com/2013/11/14/autos/toyota-akio-toyoda.fortune/index.html?iid=SF_BN_River

Toyoda is known for his colorful outfits and unconventional leadership strategies.

Source:

http://money.cnn.com/2013/11/14/autos/toyota-akio-toyoda.fortune/index.html?iid=SF_BN_River

Further reading:
http://money.cnn.com/gallery/technology/2013/11/01/gas-engine-alternatives.fortune/2.html?iid=EL

http://features.blogs.fortune.cnn.com/2013/06/10/akio-toyodas-toyota-makeover-is-working/?iid=EL

http://features.blogs.fortune.cnn.com/2013/09/26/toyota-hydrogen-car/?iid=EL

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The growing segment of millions of video game consumers are attracting highly profitable opportunities and investments for big-time firms such as Coca-Cola. Video games have been considered in the past as a form of entertainment to be enjoyed in homes. However, the rise in popularity of online media sharing sites (YouTube) and games such as Riot’s League of Legends, Call of Duty, and DOTA 2, has made the best video game players in the world be recognized in the spotlight by gamers, fans, and video game companies. With such staggering growth, eSports (electronics sports) has been created to cater the highly competitive and demanding need for competitive gaming throughout the world.

By the end of 2013, over $15 million will be rewarded as prize money to pro-gamers for their achievements in tournaments. Business firms began to notice this when fans started to pay money to view pro-gamers play competitively. Coca-Cola saw this opportunity and used the League of Legends World Championship to sponsor the event.

Through this analysis, the product life cycle for eSports is in its growth stage. Many big time firms and brands are now recognizing the vast potential for profit and are continuously investing to capture the untouched target market. For example, Coca-Cola agreed to create a new minor league for League of Legneds to cater the gamers with a greater gaming experience. Secondary data mining research indicates that a healthy 5 million players play League of Legends during peak times and shows a healthy demographic of males from ages 13-35.

I believe this growing trend will continue to expand. Riot’s ingenious marketing strategy which allows players to play the game for free has allowed everyone to access and play this game at anytime. With no pricing involved the benefits of playing this game far exceeds cost (pretty much 0 as no money is involved). With more firms to invest in this industry, the popularity of eSports will rise even more.

Source:

http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2013/11/06/esports-sponsorships/?iid=SF_T_River

Further Reading:

http://www.coca-colacompany.com/stories/game-on-coke-zero-riot-games-launch-league-of-legends-challenger-series-to-give-amateurs-a-path-to-the-pros

http://www.destructoid.com/league-of-legends-has-a-new-coke-zero-sponsored-series-262951.phtml

League of Legends World Championship

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Jessica Gioglio’s blog about how Coca-Cola’s new marketing strategy of their corporate website shows how the power of story telling can “cultivate engagement.” The new website, which allows users to interact with the page, has a highly visual and sharable magazine called the “Coca-Cola Journey.” The whole revamp has created a new side of Coca-Cola we’ve never seen before; the magazine contains pop culture, social media, brand history, marketing campaigns, recipes, and life tips. The change from a dull set website to an interactive, fun, and educational one proved profitable to Coca-Cola.

How Coca-Cola achieved this is through external and internal research. Primarily, they researched comments of the customers. As the Director of digital media communications, Ashely Brown stated, “The stories our readers loved surprised us month after month, and the stories we thought they would love fell flat. It was the digital equivalent of a star candidate polling below expectations.” Coca-Cola, in response to the customers opinions, made over 60 tweaks to their website proving that value co-creation attracts customers even more.

The new website is interactive, fun, and sharable.

The company became so interactive that they also included their brand history that, although seemed irrelevant at first, proved to be a useful story as part of the digital magazine. Each story has the ability to share through Google+, Facebook, and Twitter.

The success of their website is due to one simple common fact: customers always look for content and information that appeals to their needs. Coca-Cola did the unexpected as no consumer would’ve thought that a company as colossal and profitable as theirs would make the effort to attract more customers through this marketing strategy.

I believe Coca-Cola still has plenty of room to increase profits. Through new innovations and ideas, Coca-Cola will be able to attract more followers and more products that can expand their product line.

Jessica Gioglio’s blog post

http://www.convinceandconvert.com/social-image-of-the-week/coca-colas-new-corporate-website-aims-to-refresh-the-world-through-storytelling/

Coca-Cola website

http://www.coca-colacompany.com/

For more information on how Coca-Cola got its’ inspiration to start Coca-Cola Journey

http://www.coca-colacompany.com/coca-cola-unbottled/every-day-is-election-day

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Sony’s Playstation and Microsoft’s Xbox are video game consoles that have expanded each respective companies net worth by millions.  Sony and Microsoft, being direct competitors of each other, resulted in a “console war” where these companies devised different marketing strategies to attract gamers across the globe. Sony’s upcoming Playstation 4 and Microsoft’s Xbox One (to be released by the end of this year) have only added to the intense competition that have garnered attention to both hardcore and casual gamers alike.

What I would like to analyze is Sony’s subtle yet bluntly obvious attack on Microsoft’s console through video advertisement. This direct attack is from Microsoft’s press conference and exhibition of the Xbox One. The press conference have received unfavorable responses and criticisms because of the following limitations Microsoft has implemented on the Xbox One.

1.The inability to share and borrow video game discs with friends.

2. The requirement to be always connected to the internet to play games.

3. The price of the Xbox One will be $499 whereas the Playstation 4 will be $399.

In response to this press conference, Sony did the exact opposite of Microsoft’s Xbox One. The Playstation 4, unlike the Xbox One has the ability to:

1. Share and borrow video game discs with friends.

2. Play games without being connected to the internet.

In addition to this, Sony released a video advertisement attack in response the Xbox One’s inability to share game discs with friends. Adding humor, the two people just exchange discs. This effective marketing strategy was an attack on Microsoft as the Xbox One did not allow gamers to share discs with others.

This video became viral and currently as over 14 million views on YouTube from Sony’s official page. Along with this, this advertisement received praise and loyalty from many gamers.

Sony’s incredible marketing strategy dominated consumer’s psychological behaviour factors such as perception to attract the gaming target market.

Source:

http://www.nbcnews.com/technology/xbox-one-vs-playstation-4-how-do-they-measure-under-4B11215299

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Microsoft’s newest marketing strategy with the Xbox One was deemed as sexist as their strategy seemed to have a derogatory attitude towards women. Their strategy of allowing Xbox One users to send letters to their partners was backlashed with anger.

The first mistake Microsoft made was that they assumed that Xbox one gamers were all males. One of the default letters Microsoft used as an option for the gamers to send included: “Not sure if you’ve heard, but Xbox One is now available. That means we can start playing games like Dead Rising 3. I know, I know. You’d rather knit than watch me slay zombies, but hear me out on this. Xbox One is actually for both of us. Seriously.”

The sexist comment was perceived as offensive for both males and females and Microsoft wrote: “The letter is customizable and we meant no offense, but understand how the defaults could be perceived.”

I believe Microsoft made a big mistake assuming only males played the Xbox One and by thinking traditional gender roles were still relevant in the 21st century.

Microsoft’s Xbox One is one of the company’s most profitable assets.

Sources:

http://www.computerandvideogames.com/440502/microsoft-apologizes-for-sexist-xbox-one-promo/

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India has recently gone through reforms in the economy. This time, they have opened up doors for foreign investors to come and invest in the company. This is highly beneficial and has been largely favored by the Indian population as it creates more job opportunities and triggers the economy to grow. India’s previous policy to prevent foreign investors to come and invest prevented economic progress and literally left the country in economic stagnation. However, with the new reform, companies such as Starbucks and WalMart has the opportunity to expand their business to what is essentially the second most populated country in the world. For India, a bright future lies ahead as its reform opens up new business opportunities. Currently there are low barriers of entry as foreign investors can invest with almost no competition. I believe India is taking the right path in its economic development as new jobs and opportunities will be created. Although family jobs will be closed down, new jobs will be created.

Locals protest as they are worried they might lose their family owned businesses.

http://money.cnn.com/2012/11/19/news/economy/india-foreign-investment/index.html?iid=H_E_News

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Microsoft newly released tablet, Microsoft surface, has been released to retail stores last month. The hype for this tablet was very high as it would be a rival of Apple’s famous iPad. The review in Brian Bourne’s blog has given me a detailed and thorough explanation of the new tablet. Essentially Brian stated that the tablet was indeed worth the purchase as it replaced his laptop with programs such as Microsoft Word, Powerpoint, and Excel. Microsoft’s new tablet however, currently only supports the Windows 8 RT version which is a Windows 8 software for tablet like devices. This has limitations as users cannot fully experience the new Windows 8 operating system. Also, the app store was very limited and as Brian stated, he raised his bar of expectations for future tablets. Windows Surface was not a disappointment for Brian but rather, a positive look at the future of future touch screen devices.

As for me, I would not purchase Windows Surface because only the RT version is available. Once the Surface Pro model comes out, I will check out new blogs and reviews on the new device and then consider buying this fantastic tablet.

With a detachable keyboard and a premium looking tablet, Surface has raised the bar for future tablet like devices.

http://blogs.itbusiness.ca/2012/11/microsoft-surface-rt-review-setting-new-expectations-for-tablets/

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In poor rural Indian villages, culture and tradition enveloped the lives of women and teenage girls into a living nightmare. The traditions of women being a “servant” of God has been passed down for generations. Even today, this traditions remains and is still practised not for the sake of preserving tradition, but because young teenage girls are forced to have sex, or because of money. In India, a religious tradition called devdasi is practiced. This traditions defines women as servants of God whom were chosen to dedicate their lives doing sex work in the name of their religion. While it first started as doing dances and entertaining princes and kings, this tradition later off became an excuse for making prostitution to be considered something completely normal in Indian society. Today, once girls hit puberty, they are sent, even forced by their fathers and brothers, to brothels to have sex. Women also become prostitutes for the sake of their children. Money, being a dominating problem in poor societies, women work as being prostitutes to support their children. During the nighttime in New Delhi or other cities, the streets become a work place for prostitutes. In the short run, I believe prostitution can financially help the rural families in need of money. However, in the long run, prostitution damages the economy as continued practices of prostitution allows room for girls from younger generations to follow their mother’s footsteps into becoming another prostitute. If this tradition is stopped, then the younger generations can get seek education, find a life supporting healthy job, and increase the economy of  India by working in long term jobs.

Charity programs are set up to give girls education and to prevent parents from selling their daughters into prostitution.

http://thecnnfreedomproject.blogs.cnn.com/2011/09/21/tradition-forces-daughters-into-prostitution/?hpt=hp_mid

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