Consumers

Without consumers, marketing would not be able to happen. Somehow, marketers and industries have twisted the minds of consumers in order to get maximum profit. Throughout the years, needs of people have changed from necessity to impulse. Why do people feel the need to have 5 pairs of shoes? Do we NEED every pair? No. We have an impulse to have multiple for the sake of fitting in with society. Whoever was behind the changing of the mindset of the people did a brilliant job.

I have to wonder though, where would we be now if our mindsets did not change?

Grocery Stores

My grandmother was trying to give me ideas to write about in this blog while we were walking into our Super 1 Foods. She thought that I should write about them. All that I thought was that my grandma was being weird and didn't understand what I was doing here. Then I started thinking about it. I don't think that I have ever seen a television commercial or magazine advertisement for a grocery store. Ever. Why is that? They seem to stay afloat just fine! Really, the only kind of promotion that they need is a simple newspaper ad selling meat at a small cost and they are slam packed for the duration of the sale. People go to check out these sales, and somehow suddenly realize all of the other things in their kitchens that are missing - next thing you know, everybody is buying the entire store, not just the selling meat.

Another great thing about these stores is the public relations that they do in the stores. I'm not talking about the donations to whichever charity that they have ("give a dollar, and get a balloon for the little one to color on to have it posted on the wall!"). These are great by themselves, and it would seem like they are doing their duty to society by having these small charity donations from their consumers. However, behind the scenes they are doing much more. I had no idea prior to a sustainability class taken last semester, but grocery stores throughout the country donate their extra foods to their local food banks. Now when you think about it, this makes a whole lot of sense. How else would food banks get the large amount of food that they have? Ordinary people don't necessarily feel obligated to give on a regular basis.

The grocery stores are doing a great job at marketing, and I think that they are generally overlooked.

Facebook Games

Going above and beyond the social media, Facebook started enveloping games - which are somehow a HUGE hit for many Internet addicts. Between Farmville and a virtual Vampire Diaries game, Facebook has it all. The only catch? You have to bug the CRAP out of your Facebook friends in order to progress in your gaming adventures. Now, if everybody that you talk to actually cared about you "whacking a rabbit in your farm" or that you "found the Mystic Falls ball" these games would be ideal. Truth is, most people do not care so much about these annoyingly aggressive details in your day to day gaming experience. BUT, if a person gets bothered about the same game enough, they may actually become curious about all of the fuss and be forced to check out the game for themselves... Giving into the pressure of Facebook games? I'd say that that is a game well played on Facebook's part!

Golfing Titleist

Titleist is one of the biggest brands in golf today. They have the #1 ball, some of the best clubs, and a major amount of publicity in the golf world. The sheer quality of the product produced by Titleist gives them the right to the prices. However, because of the high price issue, many golfers aren't willing to pay for the product. When losing four balls (each costing over $5) every 18 holes, the money adds up quickly.

Even with these prices, people are willing to see the outcome of a better game. Competitiveness trumps cost when ego is on the line.

Hispanics in America

If my Marketing book written by Pride and Ferrell is right, Hispanics in America will be spending $1.3 this year. How you can just come up with that number, I don't know. So long as this is true, Americans had best start getting used to hearing "For English, press one." I grew up in a family that has complained about this for years. 'Merica style families everywhere have the same issue with this particular change. I believe that it is time to start integrating a better mindset into our people, because like it or not, Hispanics are a huuuge part of our marketing systems.

Youth Dynamics

One company that I believe is worth writing about in terms of service provided is Youth Dynamics. I work for this company, and I truly believe that they deserve a shout-out. They are a non-profit organization, so publicity is not a main focus - even though it should be. Many families in Montana (and all over the country for that matter) would be better off to know about the services that Youth Dynamics offers. They help families reconnect, or children to figure themselves out. Every child that is accepted into the program receives one-on-one help that they may not receive in other places in their lives. Take me for example: I am a family support assistant, and my primary focus is to spend time with the kids one-on-one in order to achieve one to four goals that are set up on their "treatment plan". We hang out and play, while I sneak in life lessons that may help them to achieve their goals.

Many kids and families need a program like this - whether dealing with abuse issues, or even just bad listening skills, Youth Dynamics is there to help those who need it. This is one service that I find absolutely amazing, and too secret. If this company were to publicize more, maybe the world could become a better place. People need to know that companies like this exist!

Atmospherics in Hollister

One of the most important attributes of stores in shopping centers are the atmospherics - meaning the wall colors, light fixtures, smells, and other "feels" in the store that do not necessarily have anything to do with the product. By using atmospherics to their advantage, these retailers can toy with the subconscious of their consumers in order to give the feel of a better shopping experience. 

One store that comes to mind when thinking about atmospherics is Hollister. Walking through the mall, it is easily spotted, because it has an offset entrance that looks like a beach hut - typically very inviting for the average passersby to come right in. 
   


Not to mention the overwhelming perfume stench that they spray on ever item of clothing inside - mall shoppers can smell Hollister from a mile away. 







Walking inside of the store, it takes a minute for the shopper's eyes to adjust to the dimmed lights that give off an almost seductive feel. Why would a store dim it's lights when their products are meant to be SEEN? I don't know. But somehow it works. 

All throughout the store, the buyer is reminded of how pretty the people of Hollister are through all of the half naked pictures posted on any wall with enough room. 

California beaches are played on television screens on loop, so that the consumer is reminded of how great the place is. Everyone wants to be on the beach. The closest that the store can get you is on a television screen - so they do it. Thanks Hollister.

Any teenager that is seeking to find themselves, would soak this store up. This store SWEATS excellence in the eyes of any kid. I for one thought that I was a goddess whenever I would shop here growing up. Leaving the store, you feel as though you turned in to one of the beautiful people plastered on the walls. You even SMELL like the beautiful people on the walls after just being in the store for five minutes. 

Yeah, the store seems extremely superficial, and maybe it is. But the marketers of Hollister know how to do it right. Atmospherics are perfected (somehow) in these stores. California beaches, beautiful people, wonderful (slightly overwhelming) smells, and seductive lighting do the trick. 

Apple

How can one write a marketing blog without at least one entry on Apple? They are the cheese to the macaroni that is marketing. They are the KING of kool when it comes to their products. It all starts out with music. Many kids these days believe that music is the center of the universe (I'll admit, I am one of these "kids"). What better way is there to have the universe in your hand than through a small portable device? Not to mention that you are incredibly cool for having this "gold" in your hands. Everyone has seen the commercials. iPods are COOL (sure, there are other music players out there, but EVERYONE has an iPod, so you should too, right?). You have only the music that you want, and as much as you can cram in the device. Don't worry, all iPods come in various shapes, sizes and colors to fit your fancy. Personally, I have an iPod Nano (for running of course) as well as a 64 gigabyte iPod Touch (because, well, I feel as though I need a lot of space for future listening abilities).

So you have your iPod, and you're stoked. Then you decide that it is time to get a new cell phone. If you are used to having your iPod, why not make the transition into the mobile world easier, and just get an iPhone? It is the only sensible choice.

Soon enough, you are in need of a portable computer type device, so you go to the tablet section. Well lookey there! There's an iPad - just like your iPod and iPhone, but bigger and better. That choice is easy too.

On to the laptops. Seeing as you have all other Apple products, you might as well get a Mac, right?

So here you are, with all of your thousands of dollars invested into one company without a second thought. If this is not marketing perfection, I don't know what is. Good job Apple. You get a big fat slap on the back.

Abercrombie & Fitch

Abercrombie and Fitch claims to be an "All-American" company with "All American" clothing. Sure, this may be true. But the ethics of the company are anything but. As a company that refuses to produce clothing higher than size large, apparently their target market is skinny people. Pricing is another issue - people with low income cannot afford the clothing. As it turns out, this was all part of the marketing plan. There is a certain image that the company wants to preserve - that of beautiful, skinny, well off people. SO. This kid decided to post a video about the issue that is Abercrombie and Fitch. He proposes his own ideas as to how to fix the ethics of the company...

Though this does scream INTERVENTION! it is also a slam towards homeless people, giving them the role as the gross people of society that would make Abercrombie and Fitch most mad to see in their product.
He makes great points though. There is something wrong  

Target Marketing

How do companies decide on their target markets? This is an honest question that I have found myself contemplating many times. Customers are the most important part of any company (as the Marketing book by Pride and Ferrell keeps telling me). The more commercials I watch, the more perplexing the question gets. Apparently beer drinkers are funny people who like football and horses.
   
<- Budweiser horse
 

Oh, and only men drink beer. I have yet to see a commercial promoting women to drink beer. How odd... 

To this day, I still don't know what Go Daddy is, but apparently it is a company that is supposed to have a male dominated fan-base... 
  
This woman is excruciatingly beautiful, it's true. But I don't look at her and feel obligated to go to the website to see what she's selling. (As a matter of fact, I find the idea of looking at her website almost scary.)


Even businesses that should be promoting women to shop in their stores are becoming increasingly male dominated for the audience. Why would I want to go to Victoria's Secret after seeing this ad? To feel extra bad about how much I don't look like this woman? ... I'll pass :) 

Are women getting lost in being targeted for marketing? Women's undergarments should not be designated to a male audience. 

-As I said in my first blog post, I am just one woman thinking out loud about marketing. But my question persists - how do companies choose their target markets? And are these targets being chosen correctly? I believe the question is worth contemplation!  

Microsoft Being Strategic

Microsoft has taken off on their own tangent when it comes to commercially promoting their new Windows 8 product. Not only are they bringing in new-age "dubstep" music to open the ears of their young target market, but they are also pushing the boundaries of political issues such as gay marriage. 
The following link will bring you to a gay community news article about this commercial!  In the article, the writer Joe Morgan speaks to the CEO of Microsoft about the efforts to encourage "diversity in the workplace" in the advertisement. I think that the efforts of the commercial are brilliant in terms of opening the eyes of the public to not only the Microsoft product, but political issues as well. 

http://www.gaystarnews.com/article/microsoft-embraces-gay-marriage-new-ad140313

Here we go!

This blog will have a focus on business marketing, and what goes on in my head as I learn about it during my online summer class. 

I have never blogged in my life, but I enjoy writing and thinking out loud, so I'm assuming that blogging will be my cup of tea!