Response to Tyler’s Blog: Overspending in America

So who is at fault? The Marketers and the companies for using researched and highly formed techniques to make people buy, or the consumer for giving in to such advertising?

I believe both parties are at fault.  The businesses because they advertise to make people doubt and dis-believe themselves so that they go out to make themselves feel better and try to be better.  It is also the consumers fault, because if you are working a daily job and providing for your family you are doing just fine.  You don’t have to buy thousand dollar jewelry just because you have two jobs and the person which is wearing the jewelry is a stay at home rich woman.

Who do you believe is at fault?

Samsung tops Apple in global mobile phone shipments

“Samsung is on a tear and dominating worldwide mobile phone shipments, according to two market research firms, Nokia is losing steam in a hurry.”

Samsung has started to reach out into the global world with their smart phone shipments.  They have overtaken Apple in the process.  The Samsung share went from 12.2 percent in the first quarter of 2011 to a whopping 30.6 percent in the first quarter of this year.  On the other hand Apple jumped from 18.1 to 24.1 percent.

Do you think this growth for Samsung will increase in the future?

With the lowering percent of Nokia’s shares, what do you believe they will do to get back to competing with Apple and Samsung?


http://news.cnet.com/8301-1001_3-57422679-92/samsung-tops-apple-in-global-mobile-phone-shipments/

In response to Evan’s Post: Verizon Sucks

The phone technology is a very strange business.  Like Verizon, the phone companies are more interested in sticking people in these phone data plans, which have many restrictions and several monthly charges.  Each of these plans have specific restrictions which people do not fully understand when they are buying the phone.  The plans are great until you start to have problems with the phone, then the technicians only help you for a price and it is almost impossible to get a new phone.

Do you think this is the right way to do business if you were the phone companies?

Since people keep coming back and continue buying the same data plans, do you think there ever will be a change?  Will the phone companies make these plans user friendly or complicate them more?

New iPad 3 going small

The New iPad Apple announced is going to be much smaller.  They felt they had to change their current design because of the several new tablets which are going to hit the tech world.  The new iPad 3 is going to have a better display along with 4G capability.  The other tablets are The Kindle Fire, The Nook Tablet, The Acer Iconia A500, The Asus Slider, The HTC Flyer, The HTC Jetstream, The Galaxy Note, The Pantech Element, The BlackBerry PlayBook, The Sony S, The Sony P, The G-Slate, The T-Mobile Springboard, The Motorola Xyboard, The Toshiba Thrive, The Asus Transformer Pad Infinity, and The Asus Padfone.  With all of these new tablets and technology coming out, there obviously was a need for Apple to improve on their design.  I don’t know which of these new tablets will be popular but most of them will most likely only last for a few years because the technology world is constantly improving.  This is a marketer’s nightmare.  There are so many new tablets coming out, that each company must try to improve on their design and offer a few function or something the others don’t.  With the large surplus of tablets coming out in the next year, that seems like a difficult task.

Link: showing the competition

http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/technology/apples-ipad-3-faces-stiffer-competition-than-ipad-2/2012/02/29/gIQAGhzKkR_story.html

Link: showing more info on the iPad 3

http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/27/ipad-3-rumor-roundup/

What do you think about the new smaller iPad 3?

Facebook buys Instagram for a Billion Dollars

Facebook on April 14^th at 7:07 AM bought the mobile photo sharing network Instagram.  They paid over 1 billion dollars for this acquisition.  They bought Instagram because Instagram’s members ever day snap and share millions of photos every day.  Facebook along with the new money they will get from this new technology will also get more members.  This company will help Facebook a lot.

What do you think about the acquisition of Instagram?

Is Instagram worth a billion dollars?

Link to cite:

http://www.itworld.com/266630/why-facebook-bought-instagram-billion-dollars

Response to Tyler’s Blog: Response to blackberry on the way out

What do you think of blackberry’s downfall?  I knew that the blackberry was not going to last long when everyone started to get iPhones and Droids.  These phones along with internet access also have the cloud.  This program allows you to sink your phone with your iPod and your computer.  The blackberry only has the internet.  At its peak blackberry was hot due to the fact that it had internet access and a keyboard.  As time went on they had to charge more and more for their internet access and the new phones came with more apps and less monthly charges.

Do you think Droids will be the new technology to fall off? 

Google Smartphone Glasses

http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2012/04/04/google-begins-testing-terminator-style-smartphone-glasses/

Google has started testing a new technology.  They are trying to incorporate the internet and GPS into your glasses.  The device would have a direct link to your smartphone, while providing real-time information in a heads-up display.  This is Google’s first venture into wearable computing.  This technology is still in the first stages but the Google staff are asking people for their thoughts.  If you have Google+ you can see their first prototype and their first ideas for the future.  This technology will catapult Google into a new never been touched field, and in doing so they are taking their followers for the ride.  Theses glasses or goggles will also feature a built-in camera.

What do you think about this new technology?

Is this the right step for Google?

If Google creates a workable computer which you can wear as glasses, what is next? 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9c6W4CCU9M4 (Youtube clip showing the new Technology) 

In response to Molly’s Blog: Linsanity spreads to Volvo.In response to Molly’s Blog: Linsanity spreads to Volvo.

What other troubles may Volvo face by hiring their new spokesman mainly to gain customers of young and Chinese populations?

I believe since Volvo is going with this new rising star there are many ups as well as a few downs which go along with their decision. The positives are that it gives Jeremy Lin publicity while portraying to the younger generations.  By going with a new up in coming basketball star you are gaining new young fans of both Chinese and American decent.  But focusing solely on the younger generations the older people, which might not watch basketball, might feel left out.  This is why I like Lin as the spokesman.  He is a college graduate from Harvard, and he has worked as hard as he can to just get on a NBA team.  It surprised everyone when he took the New York Nicks on his back when their two star players were hurt on the bench.

What do you think about this move for Lin a young basketball star to be the new spokesman for Volvo?

If you do not like that he is the spokesman, who would you choose?

Small Business Saturday

American Express as a way to gain members and spread the local movement is making the day after Thanksgiving into Small Business Saturday.  They believe that small businesses are critical to the nation’s overall economy.  This Small Business Saturday is a day to support the local businesses that create jobs, boost the economy, and preserve the neighborhoods around the country.  “Small business Saturday is a national movement to drive shoppers to local merchants across the U.S.”  This movement which American Express is a part of is increasing.  This local movement helps American express as well, because American express can tell people about the movement in their commercials.  Then the people who watch the commercials will see that this company sees the importance of local business cares about how the do.  American Express is not only advertising this movement on their commercials, they have been campaigning on Facebook and Twitter.  The American Express card owners also get perks with this movement, Small Business Saturday.  100,000 card members get a $25 statement credit if they register their card and use it to shop on Small Business Saturday at any locally-owned, independent small businesses that except American Express.  I believe that American Express is doing the right thing to increase their brand.  They are helping the local movement and the local movement is helping them.  They are portraying themselves to more people and they are increasing the popularity of their product to more and more people.

What do you feel about Small Business Saturday?

Do you think this local movement will increase, and more and more people and large companies will help it grow?

http://about.americanexpress.com/news/pr/2010/sbs.aspx

In response to Chris’s blog: Buy Local gains Traction!!

Would you shop locally in Keene?  Do you already?

I try to shop locally whenever I can because I know if I am spending my money for a good reason.  When money is spent on Main Street instead of nationally owned companies, local people win out.  These people are the ones you will see around town, and if everyone started to buy local these people would prosper and the local community will continue to increase.  I try to shop locally when I can but since I am a college student I don’t really have extra cash to help these businesses.  If I worked in Keene and was a part of the local community, I would definitely shop locally every chance I could to help my community.

Do you think the local movement will continue to grow and the nationally owned stores will have to change tactics to entice customers?

Do you think it is possible to have a whole community go local and stop buying from out of town owned companies?

Is Facebook Struggling?

http://blogs.wsj.com/deals/2012/02/01/facebook-ipo-what-could-go-wrong/?grcc=07bee15b639aa5aa1487a5668dbf6048Z10&mod=WSJ_hpp_sections_markets

Due to the increasing tension between Facebook’s culture and the expectations of public investors, and advertiser resistance to companies’ advances. There has been tension for some time but now it is affecting the Facebook business.  People believe that Facebook is going down a similar path as for MySpace and Friendster. It starts with lower and lower advertisement then it ends up with the company losing out. Facebook have to increase their effectiveness or they will start down the path of a downward spiral.  There are a few things Facebook can do to help their situation; they can boost their click through rate or make apps which you can only from this house.

What do you believe is in store for Facebook?

What would you change on their website to increase companies to put adds on their cite?

Do you have any other thoughts about this issue?

In response to Tim’s blog: President Obama Soldiers on despite heavy opposition to solar investment.

Do you believe that investment in solar energy is necessary to strengthen the economy?  Do you believe that protecting desert habitat is more important than reducing CO2 emissions?  What impact will readily available renewable energy have on national security?

I do believe that it would be a great change to go to solar energy as opposed to water and coal. It would be difficult but a gradual change with incorporating it in to people’s lifestyles would be good.  The government on the other hand most likely wants to keep the current energy source because they are getting rich off of coal and hydro plants. I believe that if you can reduce CO2 emissions and if the desert creatures only in that area were affected it would not be such a big deal.  This would reduce the CO2 emissions and increase the availability of good air.  As I said before if America tried to change to solar power, we would generate more power, create jobs, keep our environment clean, and it will allow us to compete globally.  But since to change you would have to stop the coal factories since they have a lot of harmful emissions.  The government would never tolerate because they make too much money with hydro power and coal plants.

What do you think about this issue?

Should we try to fully change to solar energy because the coal reserves are depleting?     

Keep or Not To Keep, TV Shows?

Helpful Links which point out The Nielsen Company, The show Free Agents, and the rating system.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/nbc-cancels-free-agents-243753

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nielsen_ratings

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_are_television_shows_rated

TV Stations use Nielsen Ratings to find out how a show is doing.  The number of viewers is a helpful tool in finding what rating each show receive.  The Nielsen Company creates surveys for people to fill out online and they have transmitters in DVR’s which record what the viewer watches and transmits the findings back to the company.  With this data they can find out how many people watch a certain show, and what they watch after, before, and during the commercial breaks.  This information also allows TV stations to include similar commercials with the shows people are watching.  An example of this rating system affecting shows is with the new show Free Agents.  This show aired about 6 or 7 episodes, but due to their low ratings and people tuning into the show; the show was canceled.

What do you think of the fact that The Nielsen Company have transmitters in your DVR’s to allow them to record and map the shows you watch?

Do you believe that people should have more control on whether a show should be kept or canceled, maybe talking to real people about their favorite shows, instead of finding what they watch through transmitters in their TV or DVR’s?

In response to Tim’s Blog: Limbaugh’s sponsors take their dollars elsewhere, and he rushes to apologize.

What responsibility do sponsors have when choosing programming?

I believe sponsors do have a lot of say when they choose their programing, but they do not have control on what the host of the programing says.  Rush Limbaugh is getting in trouble just like Don Imus did in the past.  Imus on the other hand attacked Limbaugh after Limbaugh made his apology, which Don Imus thought was not good enough. He stated that Limbaugh’s apology was a "lame apology" after his "vile, personal attack" on Georgetown University law student, Sandra Fluke.” (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/05/don-imus-rush-limbaugh-sandra-fluke_n_1321016.html)

After the attack on Sandra Fluke most of Rush Limbaugh’s sponsors did leave him.  “Sensa Wight Loss program, Telecommunications Company Polcycom and AccuQuote life insurance are among a slew of new advertisers who requested Tuesday that their ads be removed from Limbaugh’s show. So did clothing company Bonobos, insurance company Geico and John Deere.” Limbaugh’s radio stations WBEC in Pittsfield, Mass. and KPUA in Hilo, Hawaii have both stated that they do recognize Limbaugh’s 1^st amendment right to state his opinions but they do not authorize the station to be used for personal attacks and intolerance.

What do you think about this issue?

Would you fire Rush Limbaugh like Don Imus was fired from his station when he broke the rules?

Link about this issue:

http://www.thewrap.com/media/column-post/rush-limbaughs-advertisers-flee-over-sandra-fluke-comments-35994

Philadelphia man uses a Jammer on a bus to stop phone chatter?

Eric a man on a Philadelphia bus would fire up his hand held jammer when he did not want to hear the conversations around him.  He is quoted on saying that the other people on the bus were “extremely loud, no sense of just privacy or anything. When it becomes a bother, that’s when I screw on the antenna and flip the switch.”  He also claims that he did not know that the act of using a jammer carried a fine.  To avoid the fine he told NBC 10 that he was going to dispose of his $300 jammer.  Since everyone has a cell phone or other forms of technology now would you use a jammer to stop the annoyance.  Do you think that since everyone has these annoying technology that more people will become fed up with the chatter and try to stop it like this man in Philadelphia, Eric.

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/technology/2012/03/agitated-man-uses-cell-phone-jammer-to-block-chatter-on-bus/

In response to Shane’s blog: NCAA Advertising

Do you think these cheesy advertisements are needed or is it a spot where maybe the schools can save a bit of money to invest in new and more exciting promotions?

I do not believe these schools need to show those advertisements but they could definitely make better commercials showing what they can offer student athletes or other students.  Those commercials only really point out the smiling people who have all the friends and the great programs.  They could show instead of the big classes and how the NCAA athletes are in those classes as well.  That would show the NCAA name and increase the popularity of student athletes.  

In response to Tim’s post: Google Online Marketing Strategy!

Do you think this marketing challenge is also a marketing strategy?  Do you believe that you would benefit from participating in this challenge?

I do believe that this marketing challenge is also a marketing strategy.  By reaching out to students they are putting their name out there and they are also helping companies either get started or continue to grow.  I believe this is a great thing this company is doing because it helps our economy as well as give students real world experience.  I do believe that in participating in this challenge would benefit me greatly.  We are currently creating a marketing plan for Monadnock Buy Local and with what we create we could send that and might win the challenge.  Because everything they are doing with other companies is exactly what we are starting with ours.  It would give people real world experience and the feeling of gratitude due to the fact that you are helping a company in need.  Also along with helping company, students get prizes and the ability to experience and create online marketing campaigns using Google AdWords and Google+. 

Would you join this challenge? 

The different ways companies create commercials?

There are several techniques which I have found which companies use to sell their products on the TV through their commercials.  These techniques are I have grouped into different kinds.  There are commercials using celebrities, some have a “Mascot”, some have real people with real results, and then there are commercials which use dance songs or annoying animals to make the viewer remember about their company.  I was wondering why companies have to show effects of their products which will never happen or they say you will be the most popular person if u use Ake Gel.  I was wondering which of these techniques works the best.  There is Proactive which uses celebrities but also shows the actual effects, then there is Geiko which has a mascot in their tiny gecko and they have ridiculous commercials with an annoying pig so people remember that annoying animal and they think of them.

Do you think making an annoying commercial which people might remember is the best way to sell your product?

The TV is full of commercials now, more than the actual shows, what do you think will happen with commercials in the future. Will they change to show the true effects of their product or will they keep up with this ridiculous ploy of a huge spectacle instead of showing the actual results?   

In response to Tyler’s blog; Do you think commercials will continue to rely on gimmicks to push their products because the products are not good enough on their own or do you think they have good products and use their gimmick to stick the idea in peoples head?

I do believe commercials are going down the tubes.  I believe the marketing advisors for these products could try to think a little more to come up with informative commercials not just commercials showing gimmicks or false truths to sell their products.  I believe that these companies have gone the easy route, and just have tried to amuse their audience instead of educate them.  I am almost positive that these types of commercials will continue and will most likely envelop the whole commercial industry.  I believe commercials have gotten so bad that I can’t even watch them anymore.

What is your answer to this question, will commercials change or are they going to be just focused on trying to be the next big thing to watch?

Do you think it is reasonable to pay thousands of dollars to get add space during the super bowl?

“Companies paid an average of $3.5 million for a 30-second spot for the right to duke it out Sunday in front of the expected 111 million-plus fans.” (http://espn.go.com/nfl/playoffs/2011/story/_/id/7544243/super-bowl-2012-commercials-cost-average-35m)

What actually is happening at Apple Factories?

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/technology/2012/02/apple-targeted-in-dc-rally-over-ethical-manufacturing/

After hearing about the horrible conditions at the Apple Factory in China Mark Shields, a consultant from Washington D.C., launched a petition and started rallying for change.  New information has come out about the poor working conditions, unethical manufacturing practices, immense pressure to meet quotas, and many disputes over unfair wages.  These factories are run by Foxconn, one of Apple’s biggest suppliers.  In addition to these offences workers have tried to attempt suicides due the terrible working conditions.  Once I heard these facts I was horrified.  Apple is going down the same road Nike went down a few years ago.  They were also treating their workers unfairly and it almost bankrupted Nike.  I believe these large corporations should find a new way to make their products which do not include the mistreatment of third world nations.  I think that these large corporations could come up with new strategies to market their products.  They might have to raise their prices but they then could state that they do not use any sweat shops and no body were harmed in the manufacturing of their products.

What do you think about this debate?

Of course after this statement and rally’s took place the Nike Corporation came out and denied these allegations, but the American people know that to make the big money; these large companies have gone overseas to find workers which will work for a lot less than Americans.  Also in these third world countries there laws about working are relaxed.  Children and whole families are working for these companies with endless hours.  They try to gain some respect and rights but when people stand up against the power; they are just fired and replaced.

How do you think these large companies like Nike, Apple, and Disney could change their manufacturing and marketing strategies, so they did not have to go overseas to find workers?

In Response to Chris's blog: Pepsi May Increase Advertisement Budget

http://adage.com/article/news/pepsi-pours-fortune-marketing-drinks-indulgent-snacks/232405/

I have just read an article that agrees with what you have found.  Pepsi is trying to catch up with coke.  They are focusing more on long-term brand loyalty and less on short-term solutions.  In a recent article, I read, in the next one to two weeks “Pepsi will outline its plans for increased marketing investment, particularly in beverages, answering critics who charge it’s an area neglected for too long.” They are stating that this new plan of marketing will cost Pepsi up to $400 to $500 million.  Pepsi have tried to go into the health food market, but since they change their focus from their cash cows of Pepsi and Mountain Dew, they are still falling behind Coke.  Lots of investments will be evident soon and will focus on mostly North American beverages.  This article states that along with these large marking moves Pepsi will create significant cost-cutting to fund the investment, through mostly layoffs.

Do you like Pepsi or Coke better?

I like Pepsi better but if they have to lay off people to become more competitive with Coke I do not believe that is the way they should go about it.  I would try to gain an advantage in another market instead of trying to force the competition over and over.

Do you think Pepsi should be spending more on advertising to catch up with coke?

I believe that Pepsi will do anything that can to be competitive with Coke.  The age old question of Coke or Pepsi has been going on for a long time and until they start attacking each other there will still be a conflict.  I have seen the new Pepsi commercial with the Polar Bears and it is the start I believe of Pepsi attacking Coke to gain the upper hand.

What market do you think The Pepsi Company should go into?

Do you think they will more violently attack each other’s products in their commercials?

Should Pepsi get a mascot like The Coke Polar bears?

Creating an Economy That’s 'Built to Last'

http://www.businessweek.com/innovation/creating-an-economy-thats-built-to-last-01262012.html

In a recent article Obama stated that he wants America to get back to the business of making things. “This means developing skilled workers at home while taking a global view.  President Obama is right: America’s long-term success hinges on its ability to invent technology the world wants. It seems simple, but getting America back in the business of making things isn’t. It’s a global process.”  This idea is an attempt to stimulate our economy and increase the capable workforce. 

Since our manufacturing is far beyond the assembly line, we are now able to research, test, and experiment with new ideas and technology.  This creates more jobs which are focused on Research and Development.  As an example of this, “ the National Science Foundation (NSF) reports that more companies are taking research and development—and 85 percent of the new jobs it creates—overseas. “  After they push their Research and development teams overseas some companies are considering moving parts of their manufacturing operations back to the U.S.  This article states that we need to get more engineers and scientist in our country. 

China one of our competitors is gaining on us due to the fact it graduates much more engineers and scientist than us.  It is a fact that less than 4 percent of the degrees in the US are engineering while over 56 percent of the degrees in Asia are focused in the sciences, like engineering and biology.  This article also states that Obama feels that we should send some of our people over to Asia to learn from their schools.  This would create more trained brilliant minds.  After these people gain the knowledge overseas he feels that they will come back and create new jobs and start new businesses.

Do you agree with this statement?  That since most of our college graduates is not engineers and scientist that more people should be given the opportunity to go overseas to Asia because their engineering programs and schools are well beyond our own. Or do you have a better way of creating more jobs and new businesses in order to stimulate the economy to get our country out of the recession?

Pro's Vs. Con's of creating new alternatives to Gasoline

Since the gasoline supply is getting lower people have been coming up with alternatives.  Some of these alternatives include Ethanol, Biodiesel, Natural Gas, Propane, and Hydrogen.  There are many advantages of switching to a new source to run our cars, but there are also a lot of disadvantages in switching.  If we find a fuel which could be mass produced to be used by the American people a lot of people would lose their jobs.  With this new fuel they would need to create new gas stations or for electric cars, new outlets or charging stations.  With the creation of these new pumps there would be new jobs but the people who work at gas stations would continue to lose customers because they want to go green or are fed up with the rising gas prices.  The positives in changing are very beneficial to people.  If we could find a new fuel or power source we can create new jobs, reduce our emissions, reduce our dependence on imported oil, and make a lot of money which would help our economy.  Most of these new fuels are produced domestically from food.  Ethanol is created from corn and Biodiesel is derived from vegetable oils and animal fat.  These new fuels emit no harmful air pollutants, they are found on US soil, and they would help struggling farmers.

If you want to look into these fuels i have posted a link here.

What is your opinion on these new fuel sources?  Would it be worth switching?  When the Gasoline runs out oversees what are we going to rely on if we don’t create a new fuel source now?

Type B

In Response to Tyler post,
Do you think it is fair to make people out to be products? Or is Products just another way of saying different types of people?

I believe that it is fair to make people out to be products.  Because in a job interview you are selling the employer yourself.  You should look your best and show off your best qualities.  Also people are not just products, when the assembly line first started, they used their workers for monotonous work and they had no management positions or say in changing the product.  This way of working made them cogs in the machine or just products the companies hired to finish a job.  The workers had no larger positions in the company other than the work they were doing on the shop floor.

Do you believe that the hiring process should be changed? Does the one on one work in order to find out a person’s strengths and weaknesses?

MARKETING MYSELF – ALEX PURDY

For myself as product to be made available to potential employers, I would do the following:

Product

I would produce a resume emphasizing the following:

• My work history which includes summer jobs with a public affairs tent rental company – Promania Tent Rentals. I reported to the owner and rose to be a team leader and his longest employed worker.
• Similar descriptions of other employments.

Place

I would examine all possible locations where I think I might get employed.

I intend to apply for US Navy OCS, Newport, RI

Promotion

• I would describe how demanding and physical the work has been and especially my leadership skills.
• I will research and carefully prepare for Navy tests and attempt to get accepted into Navy Aviation.
• I would give careful description of my positive character traits, my personal integrity, my strong work ethic and ability to cooperate with others and clients.
• I would describe my experience on sports teams and my competitive spirit.
• I would obtain letters of recommendation from employers/supervisors.
• Produce a top quality resume seeking assistance from experienced family members: parents and a grand father who has been a US Navy Captain and Commander of Intelligence Units and then a Management Consultant.
• Prepare cover letters suited to each potential employer.
• Prepare for personal interviews and role play with an experienced person.

Price

• I will research salary ranges of jobs I will try for.
• Do estimates of my income needs in various locations.
• Be prepared to respond to questions about income requirements.

Are all of the four P’s equally important or is one more than the others?

Difference between Marketing, Advertising, and Propaganda?

These three terms are all closely related.  Marketing and Advertising are both business concepts, while Propaganda is a more general term referring to falsehoods, untruths, or exaggerated messages.   Marketing is a business function which involves developing and communicating messages to promising customers.  Advertising is a business function which is included in a much larger marketing strategy.  It normally is a paid message delivered through various media channels, the purpose of which is to persuade a target audience to purchase a certain product or to establish or enhance a brand presence in the market place.   Separate from marketing and advertising is Propaganda; which is communication, intended to establish, shape, or enhance a particular idea or way of thinking.  Propaganda is an activity normally perused in the realm of politics.  It is usually engaged in political parties or governments.

Give examples of products which main sales success comes from the advertising of the product?