Facebook deciding to go public is an inevitable decision that everybody saw coming. I believe it is in the best interest of Facebook to go public, and the owners of stock while it was still private will become instantly wealthy. There is no doubt in my mind that the stock will continue to rise, but the question is for how long? If you rewind time 8 years Facebook was just a fledgling company, in a market that was absolutely controlled by MySpace. Jump ahead to the present and you would be hard pressed to find someone who still used their MySpace account. Trending is something that is constantly occurring, and I'm not sure if Facebook has the longevity that everyone thinks. Speaking of trending, Twitter is the new kid on the block and has a growing following that is poised to compete with Facebook. I believe over time the price of stock in Facebook will begin to decrease, but, I would certainly look into buying some share in Facebook in the meantime, and flip some cash quick. But, I certainly would not put my whole retirement fund into the Facebook basket.
How long do you think Facebook has left atop the social networking throne?
Friday, April 6, 2012
Burger King Commercials
Burger King is an important member of the fast food industry which has concreted itself as an oligopoly in the North American market. By oligopoly I mean that there are few players in the market, and it is almost impossible to join this market. Within this particular market there is a lot of competition, and often times establishments are located within close proximity of one another.
Due to the fact that most companies offer the same product at relatively similar prices, it is very important that the companies market effectively so they sway consumer opinions. Burger King has recently launched a new set of ads through which they highlight new products that they have created. They have chosen famous icons such as Jay Leno, David Beckham, and Mary J Blige as spokespeople. They each have their own individual commercial, and the commercials will alternate on the air.
Burger King has done well by choosing these well liked celebrities, and I believe they will help sell product. This new strategy of putting a "face" on their brand is something that is new to the fast food market. I believe this could be a turning point in acquiring market share from competitors such as Macdonalds, and Wendys. I know when I saw the commercial on TV I was intrigued by the product, and thought higher of it because of the well known representative.
How important is having a well known face for an organization?
Due to the fact that most companies offer the same product at relatively similar prices, it is very important that the companies market effectively so they sway consumer opinions. Burger King has recently launched a new set of ads through which they highlight new products that they have created. They have chosen famous icons such as Jay Leno, David Beckham, and Mary J Blige as spokespeople. They each have their own individual commercial, and the commercials will alternate on the air.
Burger King has done well by choosing these well liked celebrities, and I believe they will help sell product. This new strategy of putting a "face" on their brand is something that is new to the fast food market. I believe this could be a turning point in acquiring market share from competitors such as Macdonalds, and Wendys. I know when I saw the commercial on TV I was intrigued by the product, and thought higher of it because of the well known representative.
How important is having a well known face for an organization?
Friday, March 30, 2012
In Response To Aislynn Sherry
I do believe that Wal Mart has reached a maturity stage, but I still believe that it is a cash cow and will continue to be successful for many years to come. Humans need to consume food, and supplies in order to survive. Wal Mart will continue to offer low prices, and reasonably good products for the money. This will allow them to stay atop of the retail market, and continue to dominate the market. Because the one thing that all humans have in common is that we like things cheap, and we like them easily accessible.
I do not see Amazon as a reasonable threat in the near future, because of the lack of technological prowess that a large majority of the population has. But, I do see this changing in years to come when the younger generation becomes older and all of the population is able to operate a computer and use other technological devices. Until then I do not see Wal Mart having any issues with losing their market share.
I do not see Amazon as a reasonable threat in the near future, because of the lack of technological prowess that a large majority of the population has. But, I do see this changing in years to come when the younger generation becomes older and all of the population is able to operate a computer and use other technological devices. Until then I do not see Wal Mart having any issues with losing their market share.
Mazda Social Media Buzz
Mazda's new line of SUV's will be hitting the market in the North America this summer. This is not surprising, because every year for as long as I can remember this has been occurring, But, one main difference is the way through which they plan to generate interest in their product. Mazda has decided to release some sneak previews for their new products and has employed the members of its organizations to introduce them to the world early via social media.
Sites like Youtube, Facebook, and Twitter will be the main channels through which this is accomplished. Mazda has employed this strategy in hopes of creating a large buzz throughout the North American market prior to their release in July. With the amount of competition in the SUV market in North America, this seems like a very smart idea. North America is a predominant region for this type of vehicle, and where almost all of Mazda's SUV's will be sold. The rest of the world has not caught on with the "big car" phase, for many reasons which include gas prices, and personal needs or desires. Also, even though many Americans complain about the gas prices, but the USA is in the top 25 of countries with the lowest gas prices.
The need for early implementation is necessary because of how competitive the SUV market is in North America. SUV's are some of the most expensive cars, and in turn gross the highest amount of profit. By implementing an early marketing strategy, and creating social media buzz, Mazda will have an advantage on the competition. Social media is without a doubt the easiest, and most cost effective way that an organization can market. It is easily accessible to not only the America, but everyone who has internet access. Utilizing this aspect of marketing is a way in which companies can save money, and maximize the amount of publicity that they are able to receive.
Has social media now overtaken television as the best way to advertise?
Sites like Youtube, Facebook, and Twitter will be the main channels through which this is accomplished. Mazda has employed this strategy in hopes of creating a large buzz throughout the North American market prior to their release in July. With the amount of competition in the SUV market in North America, this seems like a very smart idea. North America is a predominant region for this type of vehicle, and where almost all of Mazda's SUV's will be sold. The rest of the world has not caught on with the "big car" phase, for many reasons which include gas prices, and personal needs or desires. Also, even though many Americans complain about the gas prices, but the USA is in the top 25 of countries with the lowest gas prices.
The need for early implementation is necessary because of how competitive the SUV market is in North America. SUV's are some of the most expensive cars, and in turn gross the highest amount of profit. By implementing an early marketing strategy, and creating social media buzz, Mazda will have an advantage on the competition. Social media is without a doubt the easiest, and most cost effective way that an organization can market. It is easily accessible to not only the America, but everyone who has internet access. Utilizing this aspect of marketing is a way in which companies can save money, and maximize the amount of publicity that they are able to receive.
Has social media now overtaken television as the best way to advertise?
Friday, March 23, 2012
In Response To Chris Beland
Red Bull is arguably the best advertised product in recent years, and is somewhat comparable to big names such as Coca Cola. Last spring while I was studying abroad I had the chance to travel Europe, and Red Bull is hands down the leader in the energy drink market there as well. Their marketing strategies are exciting, and catch the attention of viewers. The Red Bull logo is also very eye catching and looks pretty cool. If you go to the skatepark in downtown Keene I bet half of the teenage skateboarders have Red Bull stickers on their boards. I can guarantee you they are not sponsored by Red Bull, but the logo looks cool and they want to associate themselves with the product. This was the goal of its founders, and they have accomplished this by sponsoring extreme sporting events and given their brand a good image.
Is there any way that Red Bull could lose market share in the near future?
Is there any way that Red Bull could lose market share in the near future?
Advantageous Vulnerability?
At a recent marketing convention a keynote speaker was discussing how showing vulnerability can be advantageous to the marketing strategy of an organization. Consumers are likely to side with a company with whom they can relate to. Everybody knows that every human has flaws, and by showing them every once in a while organizations. By doing this organizations are also making their product look more "authentic" which depicts an image of higher quality.
The most recent example I can personally think of regarding this marketing strategy has been through the pizza company, Dominos. Dominos has recently revamped their marketing scheme by incorporating new styles of pizza that seem authentic and handmade. They have also stressed the "handmade" aspect and have increased their quality. Another way in which they have tried to reach out to their consumers is by incorporating low level employees into their advertisements. This is trying to show consumers that Dominos has a relatively flat corporate structure, which I doubt is the case in real life. But, judging by their commercials you would not guess that would be the case.
The incorporation of this strategy has increased sales and has done wonders for the organization. They have improved their reputation and increased their market by incorporating a sense of vulnerability and change, that people can relate to. Many organizations are sure to follow suit, and change to this more "vulnerable" marketing strategy.
At what point could portraying vulnerability hurt an organization?
The most recent example I can personally think of regarding this marketing strategy has been through the pizza company, Dominos. Dominos has recently revamped their marketing scheme by incorporating new styles of pizza that seem authentic and handmade. They have also stressed the "handmade" aspect and have increased their quality. Another way in which they have tried to reach out to their consumers is by incorporating low level employees into their advertisements. This is trying to show consumers that Dominos has a relatively flat corporate structure, which I doubt is the case in real life. But, judging by their commercials you would not guess that would be the case.
The incorporation of this strategy has increased sales and has done wonders for the organization. They have improved their reputation and increased their market by incorporating a sense of vulnerability and change, that people can relate to. Many organizations are sure to follow suit, and change to this more "vulnerable" marketing strategy.
At what point could portraying vulnerability hurt an organization?
Friday, March 9, 2012
In Response To Chris Morin
Gas prices are continually climbing, and I have seen projections online that a gallon of gas could reach $5 in the summer months. I agree how scary it is that we are so greatly affected by the Middle East, even though they are on the other side of the world. Dependence is a scary concept for America, because we as Americans would not be able to survive without the oil from the Middle East. There would be decreased production, transportation, heating, and an overall lower quality of life. This is something that Americans will not accept, and honestly, we are at the absolute mercy of the Middle Eastern oil companies. The lofty claims of politicians who want to lower gas prices sound great, but are virtually impossible to accomplish in real life. There are too many extenuating circumstances which are out of their jurisdiction. Smart cars are a great invention and could be a great thing if American consumers decide to not buy a big SUV or truck. Unfortunately I do not see this trend occurring anytime soon. I will end this response with the question, will the price of gas ever be returned to prices that were common before our economic recession?
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