In response to Jackie

Why do customers brand their bodies with tattoos of the brands they love? I feel like its a brand of customer loyalty as well as a company having a good logo for a product. I know some people who have brands of products tattooed on their body as well. One being the superman logo, he got it not because of the superhero but also his initials were S.S. so he figured he would get the superman logo to make it look more fancier than regular initials. One of my friends also has the Ford logo branded on his leg cause he loves Ford automobiles and its the only brand he'll drive. For myself, I would never get a brand tattooed on my body, only something thats meaningful to me. I feel that a brand isn't that meaningful due to the fact I buy all sorts of brand and dont really have brand loyalty.

in repsonse to "Can you go without media for 24?"

Can you go without media for 24 hours? I believe we can. Even though media is so much apart of our lives today, we can still go without media for a day. The technology today is so much apart of our lives its sometimes hard for individuals to do so. Mailing is now easily sent within seconds over e-mail instead of postal services. Communication is now through texting and phone. Its a good topic to argue with. I believe it can work even with our lives being to dependent on technology and media. Can you go without media for 24 hours?

Ordering electronically

Are quick restaurants such as Dominos pizza changing the way we order food? Today more restaurants such as Domino's Pizza are making it easier for people to order food by making it available via internet. Do you believe this is a more successful way to grab attention to customer by encouraging online ordering? Dominos has a website where you can order food and check out the process and every individual step they are doing in preparing your food. I believe its a very successful way to attract attention to customers like ourselves. I always like to know where and when my food is when I order it and Dominos does that so I can know and be ready for the exact time that I can receive my meal. Do you believe it will be a success in the future?

In response to Jackie

I believe that its okay to raise prices within a store like Walmart. Raising prices occurs every so often. Some stores raise prices before they know they will go on sale or to even make up for some prices that are going on sale at a large discount. It can vary throughout stores such as Walmart. Grocery items and go up as some hardware prices go down. It all evens out in the end. Personally I noticed prices go up at Walmart but there are situations you have to think about such as remembering that the economy isn't at it's best right now.

Supermarkets and Hypermarkets

Are markets getting larger as years go on? Supermarkets, large, self service stores that carry a complete line of food products, along with some nonfood products. As well as Hypermarkets, stores that combine supermarket and discount store shopping in one location. How do you feel about the market today when stores like Walmart are growing into supermarkets as well as large hypermarkets continue to grow in other countries. Is this a sign of easy accessibility to customer where we can get all of our shopping done in just one location? In ten years from now are stores like Shaw's and Rite Aid going to go out of business due to the lower prices of Walmart's supermarket? It's a question we ask ourselves when our main competitor stores superior to others continue to grow in size. Do you feel that we will be seeing more hypermarkets or supermarkets?

Line Extensions Vs.Product Modifications

Do you think its more beneficial to do a line extension, or product modification? Line extensions are the development of a product closely related to one or more products in the existing product line but designed specifically to meet somewhat different customer needs. As Product modifications means changing one or more characteristics of a product. When do you believe this is a crucial stage in a product life to do either line extension or product modification. Do you believe one will cost more than the other? Or are they the same price due to the stages they occur in a product life cycle?

In repsonse to Chris French

Competitor prices are important to look for when pricing a product. If you can set a price that's lower than a competitor and still make good profit, then you should do so. With some companies, products are usually set at a low price when first released and an extra promotion product is available with it. When that occurs more consumers go for that product so that their competitor loses sales and the other company gets the higher majority of the market for that product. When promotion is over the price goes back up after the competitor is beat. Pricing is a strategy for companies so that they can make profit as well as hurt the other competitor by gaining their products do to better pricing and quality. If you had to identical products in front of you, would you rather by the lower cost product if it came with an extra accessory?

Brandind and Today's Economy

Do you think our consumers today are choosing generic brands more instead of name brand products? Generic brands are usually cheaper products than name brands, but how different are they from name brands? Consumers today prefer to buy name brands just for the logo, for example, clothing. Consumers prefer to rep their brand of clothing rather than just wearing clothing with no label on it. But is the quality really different? Reviewing labels and food products compared to generic and name brand foods, the back ingredients along with nutrition facts are exactly the same. The only difference between the two products are that the generic brands are cheaper. In my opinion buying generic brands is an efficient way of saving money going through the economic slump that we are in today. There is no difference but just labels. Do you believe that consumers today are choosing more generic brands rather than name brands?

In Repsonse to Laura

Nike vs. Reebok. I feel that Nike has done better through out these years is because of their marketing. They have done all the right things and planned out everything perfectly to put them where they are today. Nike is well known and their products are worth the money. Nike, who made a shoe just for a iPod Nano so that you can run while the iPod chooses a song based on the speed your running was a great idea. Now, Nike also producing Nike ID's in which you can customize your own shoe which attracts many athletes who want to customize their own cleats. Nike is a brand that markets for majority of the sports we know. They have great sponsors to promote their products as well to attract consumers like us. Do you feel that Nike's marketing has been successful over the past years?

SALE

When a company puts out the words "Sale" does it really mean that they are having a sale? Companies tend to have Sale signs poster up in there store saying "up to 70% off" but the question is, how much of those products even reach the 50% marker? Not many do. In forms of marketing, it's usually a good way to attract consumers into the store itself. When a customer buys a product on sale, they usually look around the store and find other items as well. To me, I feel it's a good marketing strategy by putting a sale sign up for some products just to attract people to the store. When more people enter, it's a higher chance that they will buy more products as well and the store will produce more revenue. Do you believe that the sign "sale" is really pricing products on sale, or is it a form of attraction to get more customers in the store?

Credit Cards and Impluse Buying

Do credit cards increase the need for an impulse buy? Many of our citizens in the U.S. today have credit cards. It's a likely chance that the chance of impulse buying occurs more often with those who have credit cards. When people know that they can buy a product just because they can swipe a card, they are more likely to do so than an individual who has just cash and can't afford such a product at a price beyond what he/she can spend. People with credit cards are more likely to be in debt as well than others who don't have them. Do you believe that impulse buying occurs more with those individuals that have credit cards who spend more than what they have?

Second Life - a 3D virtual game

Second life is a 3D world for individuals who want to create a second life by creating avatars and playing them in the 3D world. Second life consists of building houses, buying land and everything that occurs to everyday lives except you interact online instead of real life scenarios. Today, Second Life has attracted businesses that are interested in targeting people through the virtual game by testing their products with customers through the virtual game. Many of Second Life residents buy products in which they cant have in real life or don't want to worry about financial issues. Do you think that this is a good strategy for businesses with keeping in mind that people buy on Second Life due to that they cant afford it in real life. Do you think it would miscalculate predictions on how many products they can sell?

In response to Chris French

I agree with you that John should not sell his names. It's best for him to keep those names and work on those potential buyers to come to him and not another company in which they would sell the names off to. If John were to sell his names, I do agree that customer loyalty may be lowered greatly as well as hurting the company more than they are now. Some companies do go on a downward slope and move back up and he could be going through the same cycle. John should keep the names and not sell them. Would holding the names be the best and wisest decision or could a partnership occur?

AMA statement containing John Smith's dilemma

John Smith's dilemma is a difficult choice in which he must face. A car dealer has offered him $8,000 for the list of names that come from people who are "likely" or "very likely" to buy a car within the next twelve months. If I were John I would keep the surveyed people and possibly lay off some employees due to in the future his profits will rise from the 2,000 people being surveyed who are most likely to buy a car. He may be losing money now but down the road he will began to gain and be in a better stable position. According to the AMA it would be wise for John to follow their ethical values which include: honesty, responsibility, fairness, respect, transparency, and citizenship. John may have some ethical issues within the company that he may need to reflect to on the website to possibly improve the company as a whole. Do you think John should keep the list or sell it?

Firms rise in e-mail/e-marketing

What are firms doing today to get their products known on the internet? Firms are forgetting about regular mail and choosing acquired lists to attract their "target market" through a selected group of possible "loyalty consumers". Today companies urge their marketing towards the internet. They target consumer with e-mail that grab attention as well as giving great detail in products over a websites which include pictures, videos, and animated scenes of a certain product. Some marketers are getting the attention to consumers by advertisement ads on other websites and social networks as well including myspace and facebook. People such as Mr Taffae are targeting his advertisement through youtube videos in hopes to get his firm recognized. Do you think that marketers are doing the right thing by advertising online? Are consumers getting annoyed with the advertisements and ignoring the majority of ads by firms?

Electronic mail vs. postal mail

Which of these services of mail are more reliable than the other as well as getting to your destination faster? I believe that electronic mail is a more reliable choice today. Why? Electronic mail doesn't only make it to your destination within seconds, but it also is more reliable in getting to your contact in time. In terms of marketing it's a lot faster to get one-hundred e-mails out referring to a product through e-mail compared to the long wait of regular postal mail. The benefits of e-mail have so much more to offer than postal mail. Today, I believe that postal mail is really only used for shipping nothing less than a package. Pictures, fliers, as well as just a regular letter are easier ways to get in touch with potential consumers. You also get more of a feed back of who is interested in products due to e-mail lists and polls that can go directly through e-mail. Over all I feel that any kind of promotion mail should be sent through e-mail over and kind of mail. What kind of mail service do you believe is faster/better?

Shiny Suds video

The shiny suds video was an ok advertisement video I believe. Though the video may have been a little weird, it got the facts out about what kind of product it is. It killed germs as well as remaining on the surfaces of the shower where the lady had sprayed. the product was meaning to keep the shower clean as it demonstrated the suds being there when the lady had actually showered. Even though it was weird how the suds were talking to her in an inappropriate manner, It still achieved on getting what the product was about out there to whoever watched it. If I were the company I would not have chose that video to be out there in the market because people can view that advertisement in various way. Do you believe this video was a good advertisement?

Globalization

In order for a business to survive on most parts, they must focus on globalization. It's a promising way to not only get a product locally notice but you improve your market by millions of more people. Though it may cost more money, but in the long term, the more consumers you will have that are interested in your product. Other companies such as Adidas and Nike have been more than successful in marketing their products worldwide, so much that it's hard to find someone who doesn't know the brand names. Do you feel that globalization is an important factor with being successful?

In response to Jackie

I can agree with you that environmentalism can go both ways. I do feel that it leads more towards a threat as well. when a company has to adjust to the environment, it means that they as well spending more money in order to do so. Some companies may not even have the extra money to be able to remodel products or business, therefore leading to a fall in the company by not meeting consumer demands. Even if a company has the money to remodel they still may not be competitive in the market due to some businesses that have been there before them. I feel that environmentalism is usually a threat. Do you believe that environmentalism is a cause for businesses to close?

Environmentalism is a threat for marketers

Environmentalism can be a threat to the marketers for the market itself. The market environment includes competitive, economic, political, legal and social behaviors that surround the customer and affects the marketing mix. Environmentalism is the development of a group or individual. If that development falls then the environment become a threat due to the fact that its hard to redeem a market in a competitive environment. The threats within environmentalism is how you develop the relationships with customer and other stakeholders. These relationships and feedback from buyers can be difficult to predict on how yours or their outcome may be in your part of the marketing environment. Do you believe the environmentalism is a threat to marketers or is it an opportunity for them?

Reponse B

In response to Greg,
I agree that there is a clear difference between marketing and advertisement as well as propaganda. Marketing relies behind the scene with a social aspect of how to distribute a product and what could be a successful way of doing it. Your definition on advertisement is agreeable where you had said that it's more of a visual want to the customer and it is used to try to persuade them right away if not sometime in the near future. Propaganda is used to persuade a community toward a position or cause. I liked your example of how you explained propaganda, "War on Terror" and how you explained the its not only trying to persuade its citizens on this position but it enforces the word "war". Your definition and explanation made complete sense. Could advertisement and propagandas both mean the same thing? Can they both advertise and event or position?

Difference between Marketing, Advertising and Propaganda

Marketing and Advertising are usually viewed as the same but in reality they aren't. Marketing is used to satisfy the customer and keep them as a loyal consumer. Marketing is used to build strong customer relationships in order for their return. Advertising is a way to communicate with customers in order to persuade them to buy a product or brand. Advertising is usually used to create a image to the customer on how it is beneficial to them and convince them that there is no other product like it. Propaganda are like advertising but instead it's influencing the attitude of a particular group toward a cause. For example the Haiti foundation is influencing people for donations for those who suffered in the earthquake and the thousands of homes lost.