Doug Kendal's Asthetic Modification...

Can you think of any products that have made Aesthetic modifications? Do you think these modifications are essential to saving a struggling product or too risky to attempt?

I think every company should give themselves a facelift when things begin to drag. Every company deserves a make over to reinvent themselves and to also let consumer's know that they are still there but new and improved and always aware that times also change and it's a way for customer's to realize that company again and know that, that company is staying up to date.

An example that comes to mind is Apple. Apple was an important company in the 1980's when computers first came out but they were put on the back burner when Microsoft came out. The company reinvented themselves with a artistic side to the regular computers as well as coming out with the ipod and now the ipad among other artistic kinds of products. The company turned themselves around by changing their asthetic apppeal and rebounded from being forgotten.

Good Services vs. Bad Services

Services as we discussed in class is diffucult to differentiate their quality because they are intangible. Often times a service can charge extra fees and charge alot of money where a customer is left completely blind in knowing if the costs are legitamate or not. For example if there is a fee with a weird title on your cell phone bill or your tuition for the semester it makes you often wonder if you really need this fee and if it's legitamate.

Alot of times we have to test the quality of a service. We have to try a few sessions to see if we really like the quality of it, if it feels good, and if we would like to continue or go else where. In my expierence there are differences in quality of voice lessons. A really good teacher makes things "click" in an educational sense, is not extremely expensive, and does not waste your time with small talk while they should be teaching. On the other hand I've also had bad exiperences with a voice teacher where they would charge me 60.00 an hour, put a timer on (and made this obvious that I was taking up their valuable time) which can make a client uncomfortable, and this voice teacher talked the whole time rather than taught as well as complained that accompianying my pieces was too annoying or diffucult. After three lessons I realized the quality wasn't their especially for the price. I wasn't about to pay 60.00 an hour for small talk when nothing even got done. I would have gladly paid the 60.00 for a quality lesson that made me feel good and allowed me to grow as a singer but not for that. In this regard its pretty obvious that services are diffucult to identify the quality. We as consumers need to try them out to see if they are worth it or not because they are not tangible.

Can you recall a negative expierence of services that you needed to try out to see if it was worth it? Did you learn something from it? Did you go elsewhere?

In response to Liz's Blog: Retail Vs. Wholesale

Do you think it is essentially easier to a buyer to go right to the producer, or although it may be at a higher cost, is it less of a hassle to go through retailers and wholesalers?

This may be easier for the customer to do but it also depends on the customer. If a customer wants a more direct route and they are independent in this decision it is safe to say that a customer should be able to take this action in order to make a purchase. On the other hand there are customers that don’t feel safe and secure in doing this. For those customers who want this security that option should be given. In other words both options should be given to customer’s based on their tastes, life choices, and what would be less annoying and most convient for them. Its hard to say which would be better but both avenues should be given to all customers which would make customer’s the most happy. The more choices there are the better off customer’s and business’ will feel.

Poor marketing to employees not customers by Friendly's...

At Friendly's Ice Cream Corporation to revamp their image they instated a new marketing plan to make themselves seem as though they are a reinvented and a "hipper" company. Along with this new marketing plan they also added a theme song that they play at the restaurant on every hour as well as movie theatres. Among the song being annoying and extremely out of tune the method of their marketing of the theme song doesn't seem to be serving it's purpose. For example customers know what Friendly's is and if they are going there to eat they are already there and there is no point in wasting valuable time and money marketing to someone who is already there and knows who they are. So by marketing within the restaurant it is not marketing to new customers because customers are already there and they are just annoyiing the employees who also do not need to be marketed to because they already work for the company and know what is is all about. It would make sense to only play the song a few times a day not 12-16 times a day to annoy. Also advertising on billboards, the internet, on televison commercials but not in the restaurants.

Do you think its effective marketing to market inside the restaurant while customers and employees are already there? Do you think annoying people is an effective way to market a company?

In response to Doug Kendall's Branding:

Do brands matter to you, if so can you think of the areas where brands weigh heavily on your decisions? Can you think of any brands you have avoided because you didn't know how to pronounce or were unfamiliar with?

I am a avid person about quality. I will pay three times as much for a product if I know it will last a few years rather than one year. I also need to like to fit, style, or design of the product. I like some products for status but not all of them. I never have problems with products I cannot pronounce because I sing in several languages and am comfortable saying what the products are. If I don't know a product I would have to try it out. Sometimes consumers can imediately decide if they don't like a product by the looks of it and will not purchase it. If the new product is cheap the consumer can buy it and try it out but if its expensive it will take the consumer a longer time to decide if they want to try a product. But for the most part I analyze quality and longevity and make a very big deal of that when purchasing. If the quality isn't there I will be upset and boycott the item altogether if its really bad.

Exclusive Branding and Perception:

Branding can often be a psychological trick. People in all cultures believe some items are better than others and have a false sense of status through this. For example generic medicine can been seen as ‘not as good’ as the name brand products making customers purchase a more expensive product.

Some of the top elite products are Rolex, BMW, Mercedes, J. Crew,etc. provide a image and status for customers that make them feel like they are accomplishing something, as if they are important, and giving the owners a sense of self. These products are implied to have good quality. These products usually have good quality but in some cases the image of good quality is often given but is not acutally true. The customers may know that the quality of a J. Crew T-Shirt is the same as a Wal-Mart T-Shirt but they chose to purchase the shirt because of the name. This is a price the customer will have to pay for the name and lable. It is psychologically interesting with elite products which ones have good quality and which ones are are really just generic. One of the best ways for these exclusive products to leverage themselves over non-exclusive products is the statement that products are 'only sold here'. If people really want these luxiory products people will travel far and wide to get to them. For example someone would drive to Boston to purchase a Steinway & Sons piano for the status of the instrument or to New York City to purchase something from Dolce & Gabbana. This is a way businesses can set the standard that their products are expensive, elite, full of quality, to the point that they refuse to sell their products somewhere else because if they did the products and brand would not have the same kind of image.

Do you think exclusive brands are better than non-exclusive brands? Why or why not do you like them? Is the quality of these products actually better than not exclusive items? Have you ever been disappointed with a exclusive brands?

In response to Meghan Hardy's Easter Sales...

Do you think holiday sales are becoming too much?

Hardy asks the question if its too much that advertising and stores push holiday products three or so months before the holiday or event. Yes it is a bit much considering what the holidays were meant for. These Christian holidays weren't meant for materialistic reasons. If companies put products out a month and half or a month before the event it would be percieved in a less negative light and companies would not appear as greedy by not pushing items out into the market place earlier than scheduled. Within the recession people may be thinking about what these holidays really mean whether its Christmas, Valintine's Day, St. Patrick's Day, or Easter, consumers may be questioning the pure materialism of these events and if it's really nessissary to consume these things and people may choose not to impulse buy these products. Consumers may be thinking more clearly and making more conscious choices now with the recession it is a clear eye opener for consumers. Consumers may now consume what they want and not consume what they do not want.

NBC and the Major Sixth

In one of our marketing chapters we discussed trademarks, copywrites, and pattents. It was brought to our attention in class that anything by a company can be used such as their name, logo, a short snippet of music, or in NBC's case a interval of music. NBC has been using the interval of a Major 6th for decades which in solfege for musicians is going from do to la back down to do. Copywriting or trademarking this interval seems very silly since this interval has been used in pieces of music for centuries. For at least 1400 until present this interval has been used. The interval would have been seen and used in compositions hundreds of times. NBC must be careful in trying to copywrite this item because it so obviously used in the musical langauage all the time. It would be like copywriting the letter "I" which cannot be done. It is argued that the interval of a Major Sixth is only copywrited by them on the pitches while singing N-B-C but it still shows the silliness of copywriting something that is so readily used.

Is there any other case or instance that something you know is copywrited or trademarked that seems silly or stupid which people may use day to day or every day?

In response to Meghan Hardy's Summer Job...

If you've been looking for a job, have you noticed how hard it is to find one?

Granted the job market for college students may not be as good with the economy in a current recession but if someone has a good resume and work expierence they are more likely to find a job. For example I have been a waitress for six years and have a very good resume and work record always leaving a job on good terms. Three of the six years I've worked as a waitress three of them had been at one company which looks good on a resume. With my three years at Friendly's I have been a host, waitress, a cook, and fountain. For the other three years I have also been a waitress, a cook, cash handling, etc. In light of all of these things if someone is willing to try hard, works rigourously to find the job, has a previously good working record, they should not have trouble finding a job. Finding a summer job boils down to being a good worker, having a good resume, and working hard to find a job. I don't think worrying or complaining this will be very productive but looking for a job and being attentive to that is alot better. I feel when looking for a job we are in control of it.

Annoying, "In your face", personal selling at the mall...

In marketing class we were recently discussing branding and the marketing mix. On the marketing mix worksheet and personal selling got brought up. Personal selling seems to be rather out of date with the advent of ecommerce. People also generally know what they want when it comes to shopping or they should. Also when going to a store if someone needs help or assistance they can just ask. Personal selling seems outdated and an annoyance. It appears as if you can’t go into a store and just “look” or find what you want. It usually is pretty clear when someone is going on a mission to purchase something and the individuals advertising statement is annoying because you have to stand there and listen to it while not caring while you become increasingly more annoyed and do not retain any of the information to begin with. I usually cut them off with “I am not interested” and keep walking or listen to what they have to say and say “okay” and keep walking. This kind of personal selling gets more annoying and rigorous around the Christmas season turning people off to purchasing. There is enough stress during the Christmas season and the personal selling doesn’t make it any easier.

Also people in the middle of the mall use this technique and it can also be annoying. At the Hoyloke mall in Holyoke Massachusetts there are booths where perfumes and lotions are sold and people literally get in your face and interrogate everyone at the mall to sell their product. The only way to fight these people off is to be firm which shows they driving customers away rather than gaining them. There is also the booth where cell phones are sold. On some occasions but not all of them when you happen to walk by them the cell phone representatives happen to ask if you have a cell phone (which nowadays seems odd because most people have cell phones) and after you answer “yes” and it’s not their company they seem to be very rude and bad mouth your cell phone carrier which does not help the consumer to switch to their cell phone. These kinds of personal selling are rude and annoying and I don’t know why companies, marketers, and advertisers change their methods or get rid of personal selling.

Do you think store and middle of the mall personal selling is rude and outdated? You can provide examples whether you think this is outdated or any annoying stores you have with dealing with these sales representatives.

In response to Chad Brown's Cognative Dissonance for expensive items.

I believe the higher the price, the more chance of really feeling cognitive dissonance. Have you ever experienced this, and can you think of any companies that might be susceptible to this?

I also believe this is true because there is more reseach, risk, and more at stake when making these kind of purchases. With these purchases you expect a high amount of quality and anything less is highly unacceptable. Some good examples for me are UGG boots or coach bags. These items to me are boring brown winter boots and a boring cloth bag you could get at Target but because they are fashionable you often are curious to see if they are worth buying and having. I have not bought a coach bag but I did buy UGG Boots. After about five to seven years of their popularity I finally broke down and got some in a design and style I like with a nice print on them. They actually cost 150.00 which is cheaper than their original 260.00. The are warm, comfortable, and have the nice design that I spoke of but they don't feel worth it to me for that price in being just casual winter boots. I'm glad I have them but I don't feel as complete or satisfied as I should in the purchase at the price that I paid for them. I guess it is very easy to feel this cognative dissonance with an invested item when your expectation is at the utmost high. I would suggest always doing more reseach and being careful in your decision to purchase but there are also some factors you can't always plan for. Chad Brown makes the interesting point that the cognative dissonace with expensive items that I never thought of before.

Psychology and Buying Behavior, are we really swayed and is it real?

According to marketing and the division of advertising most people are swayed psychologically by it and are apt to purchase things without even thinking. Apparently Americans don’t know what they are spending their money on even if they create a budget. The question is this true for everyone? Is everyone not aware of what they are doing? Can people be swayed by advertising this easily? My personal answer to this question is no. There is so much “noise” in the media in today’s world that can be ruled out if people think clearly and are aware of what is going on. Thinking critically, focusing on personal values, goals, etc are key to spending and doing things in your life that you really want. This question can be very complex but here is my brief stance on it.

People are attacked everyday but vast kinds of marketing. Some examples are television, newspapers, magazines, billboards, the internet, etc. If these kinds of advertising media are plaguing individuals there are ways to rule it out because it can be very annoying and create a “taste” for a product that you really don’t want or need. It is true that this is psychological but if someone is an intelligent and clear thinking individual they can overcome it. They can always ask themselves questions like do I really want this? Why do I want this? What benefit will it bring me? Will it help my standard of living; make my life easier, can I accomplish the same thing with another product instead? , etc. This may not work for everyone but asking questions are a way to rule out what you really want and what “you think you might want”. People can also rule out these kinds of media that you really don’t need or want as well. As I’ve stating throughout this blog all these things may not work for everyone but some of them should work for everyone. All it takes is a little bit of discipline in getting what you want like an exercise routine or any other way in setting a goal that you might want to achieve. I have personally ruled out television in my life for about twelve years now, I don’t read magazines/newspapers that don’t interest me (the same can go for any printed reading material you are not interested in or something you want to stop reading), billboards are hard to avoid as you may walk or drive by them, and lastly if you want to avoid advertisements on the internet you can simply not go online as often. Instead you can take the time to think of your own personal goals, clear your head, and do things that you truly enjoy! All of this may be defined as selective exposure. It may be a biased thing but with all the advertisements and media targeting people every day it is now necessary. It has gotten severely out of control.

There are other concepts and ideas from the textbook that can also be applied to this subject. When purchasing an item individuals can make a more throughout post purchase evaluation. Most people only spend no more than five minutes on their evaluation. But as a person after every purchase you could make a thorough analysis of how you feel about the product. If you notice a positive or negative pattern you can plan accordingly in the future rather than purchasing something you don’t want blindly.

With the post purchase evaluation you can also think clearly when it comes to “impulse buying”. Impulse buying usually occurs typically when you are on a vacation where you save money to have a nice time on your trip and you are there to spend money to enjoy yourself. Some other examples are when you go to the mall to get one set item and you might buy other unplanned items and usually you expect that when you go to the mall or when you go to a convience store and you get a snack. Impulse buying isn’t always bad but it can become an addiction. If you think clearly and ask yourself questions when you see an item you want or “have to have” think about it yourself as a person, your goals, if it exemplifies who you are, and if you really need the item even if you can easily afford it.

It is lastly difficult in our American society where television, shopping, and the media are now widely accepted at the norm. Our “mainstream culture” (which is not the only culture in America because there are divisions of other cultures), our self concept, lifestyle, or our reference group may be contrary against what you really want to do or what you’d like to spend. Again the bottom line of this message is to not do something you don’t really want so thinking about it critically and consciously is key and again rule out things that you really don’t want or need in your life that will help you achieve your goals.

Personally I don’t feel that people are not in control of their spending but they are in a fog because they are not thinking about it. All it takes is some efforts to achieve what you want and in this advertising and spending will not control the American people.

Do you feel you are in control of your own personal spending? Are you swayed by advertising in getting something or wanting something you don’t really need? Are these psychological tools overbearing/over powerful in the sense that you cannot overcome them? Would you be willing to rule out the “media noise” in your life to achieve what you really want?

In response to Doug Kendall's Marketing Trash Talking:

Do you think this is effective marketing? Do you think this type of advertisement actually has an adverse effect on these companies?

It may be beneficially to keep the market competative but it does get annoying for the customer and may cause them to boycott both companies as a result it makes both companies suffer. If a company was to use the other company to compare itself in being a better product, why the product is better without use of propoganda or ‘bad mouthing’ the other company it is probably a healthy way of doing business otherwise both companies have the risk of losing as a result of it.

Some examples where it does work is in a towel commericial for example where say a bounty is compared to Charmin or Coke is compared to Pepsi showing the quality is better or worse and what changes in technology is made to the product or industry. This is a good way of marketing because it is supported with evidence or what both companies have done for quality in their product without a biased propoganda.

Some examples where it doesn't work is in political campaignes where the voters get so disgusted with both party's talking about one another and describing either democratics and republicans in a hyper negative way causing voters to not vote and be alienated as a result. A example of this is the Massachusetts election where Martha Coakley and Scott Brown ran against each other. Martha Coakley barley talked in her advertisments except at the end saying she "approves this message". The commericial appears to have propoganda about Scott Brown, a stretching of the truth, or the data was changed to see negatively. An example is her campaigne party suggesting that all republicans are alike, all are pro-military, pro-life, and Pro-George W. Bush. These are people we are talking about and all republicans are not the same or cut from the same group. Also these commericials were played at a such a frequent rate that voters were also alinated. For example if someone was to watch a TV program the majority of the commericials over the break were these campaignes. Scott Brown's campaigne also used a different approach. There were some commericials that indicated a few negative things about Coakley but he took more of a hometown approach. But campaines are one way to drive people away through in fighting no matter which party it is they are both gulity of this.

Another example that has personally drove me nuts is the Apple Macintosh commericial against the PC. The reasoning why I dislike this commericial is because it shows sterotypes about both PC's in Mac's much like the democrats and republicans. For example the Mac people are portrayed as artsy, smug, intellectual, condescending, people while the PC's are portrayed as boring, office types, that appear to have no life, and are very ridgid, structured, and have no personality. These kinds of ads make someone be turned off by the Macintosh company completely. I think taken to this level it does not work no matter who the company is or how sucsessful they are.

John Smith Case

John Smith and his company are in a pickle and he must make a choice to keep the company going or to go bankrupt and money is a issue. Usually when money is involved people tend to let their own ethics/morals go for money’s sake because its usually means of surival unfortuantly.

Its hard to make a choice about this ethically unless you are in John Smith’s positon. Usually when the stakes are high people show their true character, strenght, and courage in these situations. As a bystander my ethics and morals tell me that he shouldn’t part with the names even if it provides him with 8000 dollars and he can potentially save the company by not laying people off but by not giving the names the people will be layed off, the company will go into bankrupcy, and end the business all together. Again if I was financial vested in the company the choice would be harder but my general ethics tell me that its not right to give up the names making it not only a mortal sin to decieve his employees but it may also be against the law.

According to the AMA Statements of Ethics this is illegal or shouldn't be used agains the employees. According to the website www.marketingpower.com their are three key things in modern marketing that must be abided by; 1.) do not harm, 2.) foster truth in the marketing system 3.) embrace ethical values. According to this it would be wrong to give up anyone's information without just cause, their autority or notification, which uses their information in anyway by the other company. In other words John Smith cannot know unless he recieves it in documented writing whether this company will use their information for good or evil. Even knowing that he did this without their consent which is also wrong.

To go in depth on the AMA website cited above the description indicates 1.) Do Not Harm: meaning to not intentially use actions to harm people by abiding the set ethical standards by the choices the company makes. 2.) Foster Truth In Marketing Systems: striving for good faith and fair treatement towards the exchange in business to customers by avoiding any kind of deception what so ever. 3.) Embrace Ethical Values: in use of ethics this means to build a relationship with the customer by enhancing it with confidence by following core values of honesty, responsability, fairness, respect, etc.

With all these things it is pretty clear that if John Smith was to give the names it would be morally wrong and illegal concerning modern marketing. Does anyone argue for giving the names and the reasoning why? Did any one come to their decision with fluid ease or extreme diffuculty? Do you think religious beliefs, culture, or other expierences shape how a person would approach this situation in the real world or answer this question?

In response to Robert McCarthy's Catcy-Tunes

Do you think catchy tunes are effective in commercials? What else makes something stick in your head?

As a musician I must say there is a reason for pieces of music being catchy and I'm sure musicians and marketers alike have come to a conclusion on how to make it work as far as creating a melody in which a customer can have stuck in their head in liking the company or not. No matter if the customer likes the piece or finds it annoying the consumer will remember the company none the less and may purchase something from the company. Psychologically catchy music has been stuck in people's head for centuries depending on the piece of music. Traditionally if the piece has notes that are too counterpuntal and complex (having a busy and congested harmony) its diffucult for the ear to follow but if the music is more spacially spread out and uses typical chord structures it is easily remembered and stuck in your head. An example of typical chords that are easily tied to memory in a given major key signature typically chosen over minor in a advertisment are the I-IV-V-I tonality. These chords are the most common or predomiant in a key signature. This is the logical reason why songs get stuck in the consumers' head. Its interesting how music can be tied to the customer, used for marketing, and the tool of getting a piece of music stuck in one's head as a marketing tool. It should be noted that some marketing campaignes do sometimes use popular songs and pieces from the baroque, classical, and romantic period to draw attention to their product. Several of these songs are popular or familiar and usually conjure up feeings about the product. Music or aural perception is tied to vivid memories such as the sense of smell is tied to memories as well. Marketers as well can manipulate the power of music in advertising campaignes as well but again its a powerful tool.

Other ways in advertisements that get stuck in peoples heads maybe the topic in the advertisement, the scene, the acting, if their is a joke or a punch line such as a TV ad on the Superbowl which may be commical or fun. Marketing campaignes in the realm of using good acting, music, and culture can make advertisements inventive and fun for both the company and the consumer and also drawing in that consumer to purchase their product. I am very glad that Robert McCarthy brought up the power of music in advertisment, it is a powerful too which can be used for good or for propoganda. Many may not know it but music can attack and sway the customer's emotions and senses for good or bad. It is a very interesting topic.

Victoria's Secret Pink and Target Markets

I am sure by now consumers have heard of Victoria’s Secret and in recent years Victoria’s Secret Pink as a line of lounge wear clothing targeted to high school and college age girls. Victoria’s Secret was originally established by a man who had difficulty shopping for his wife and decided to launch the store which has progressed amazingly since then. The original idea of the store was to portray classy yet risqué lingerie and clothing that is inspired from the Victorian period. The original sites target market is a loyal customer base of women at the age of 20 at the earliest to women in their 50’s and 60’s. Their most common target market is women between 30-50. The original idea of the store was to cater to the ‘sophisticated women’ noted by Barbra La Planca.

La Planca is also outraged by the Pink line stating that she is a loyal customer who is over 40. She also indicates she has more money to spend at the store and the company is driving away loyal customers that could create and drive more revenues than college girls could. La Planca also adds that the numbers in the baby boomer generation can provide this company among others as a large asset where the younger generation cannot.

Victoria’s Secret admits their marketing fault by indicating in the Wall Street Journal that their ‘efforts to target younger customers may have disenfranchised their core market’. The store was described before as;

“In the 1990s, professional women shopped the pastel-painted stores for colorful, European-inspired lingerie, supplementing underwear wardrobes previously filled with black, white and beige styles. Soft music played in the background while saleswomen discreetly offered help.”

http://www.grokdotcom.com/2008/03/03/victorias-secret-marketing/

It should also be noted that the Pink line applies more aggressive marketing campaigns than the ‘Mother brand’ as it is referred to in a student’s business blog of the Pink brand. Pink much like many companies have targeted social networking on Twitter and Facebook. The student suggested that the company could serve itself better if the larger organization did that as well. It would be interesting to find out of this marketing procedure would help the company and gain back their original and loyal customer base.

http://www.ignitesocialmedia.com/victorias-secret-social-media-marketing-example/

In my opinion the company got greedy and counted on keeping their loyal target market while gaining another thinking it would all work out and make the company better but they lost loyal customers and a price cannot be put on that because they keep coming back because they have built up that loyalty over years or decades. The company simply did not count on this backfiring but it did. Now the company is picking up its pieces and trying to solidify the situation but the brand Pink will have to stay because it was successful but not in the numbers of customer that they lost. Only time will tell to see what path the company will go down next.

Do you think that the Pink line has marketed too much to drive the original customer base away? Do you think it is right for the company to shift their target market this way? Does it hurt or help the company?

In response to Conor Hanlon's Blog; Will snail mail and traditional marketing be replaced by smart phone marketing?

Conor Hanlon presents the following questions. How do you think the economy plays a role in the e-marketing schemes? Even though direct mail costs more initially, the influence it has on the customers greatly outweighs that of e-marketing. How do you think the availability of smartphones plays a role in this marketing? When the economy begins to prosper again, will an increase in smartphone sales lead to a larger role in e-marketing? How do you think e-marketing will play out in the future as newer technology begins to come out? Also, do you think the direct mail approach should ever be abandoned?

I personally believe smart phones are a too tedious avenue for marketing. Most people tend to check their email and Facebook while they are on the go and for nothing else. This is only for means of communication. If they are to use their smart phones for something else it would because they are bored. If someone were to actually use their phone to look up products I would think they’d prefer an actual computer. Smart phones are on the small scale where there is not full range of motion on the keyboard, it is much slower in loading a page, and the page does not have the same set up. That is why web page searches are more tedious on the smart phone rather than a computer and text messaging is also an annoyance compared to instant messaging and email.

When the economy begins to prosper again cell phone technology will increase and better smart phones will begin to be produced. But if smart phones were to be used for marketing they would have to be much faster, bigger, and less annoying and tedious in order to work for marketing. In this cell phone companies and marketers have their work cut out for them. There is a lot of work that needs to be done in order to reach a mass audience in order to get the majority of people on board doing this form of e-marketing on a smart phone.

It is also obvious that direct snail mail marketing should not be abandoned based on the article we read. For example look at the elderly people, there is a great population of elderly people that choose not to use computers or do not understand them as well as choosing not to give computers a chance at all. This is a great target market that companies would be avoiding which would be unfortunate for the comapany in marketing nd also resulting in loss of sales because of not marketing in this way. It is also noted in the article about snail mail that people like the personal touch of mail as long as it’s not crafted like junk mail. If this is personally crafted with care this avenue of marketing will work. Also because of the advent of smart phones companies should also not abandon traditional e-marketing on computers. In this companies should think of new ways to e-market on normal computers when new fads, social networking trends develop, and other kinds of technology develope which would benefit from marketing. It is uncertain how things will produce in the future for marketing but traditional marketing on billboards, personal mailings, and traditional computers should not be given up.

Snail Mail Marketing and Bar Code Linked Marketing

Article One: From Print to Phone to Web:

This article is very confusing. They refer to a bar coding system that some other countries use in marketing and that America has not yet caught on yet. Maybe because America has not caught on yet is a reason why I do not understand it but I’ve never heard of such a way to marketing which baffles me. I wish the article showed a photographic example of what they mean and what it is referring to. What I liked about the article is what some companies are using as marketing tools. InStyle for example is not using the barcode which they refer to as an ugly black box that does not link consumers in because it literally means nothing to them. Instead they use a photo that will actually hold weight to a customer and represents something. Maybe this is the block that America is having, that a barcode which is simplistic, meaningless, and is just a listing of numbers has no significance at all. InStyle also has ‘cute’ applications on the website for example showing a consumer how to make an outfit work as an ensemble as well as making it work as a day outfit and a night outfit. This is a helpful tool for people interested in fashion. InStyle also indicates that using this method makes customers happier by not forcing them to go to a website or download an application which can be equally frustrating for the company and consumer. ESPN is another company that has advertised in a unique not only through their magazine but also a text messaging code which provides information and special offers. My thoughts are that of InStyle and ESPN's marketing avenues being very helpful but the start of the article and discussion of the barcode system was very confusing. This article jumped in and it was very diffucult to follow at first since I had no prior knowledge of the barcoding system.

Article Two: Firms Hold Fast to Snail Mail Marketing

This article was easy to follow since it was introduced in a less bombastic manner. The argument of this article was from snail mail marketing to e-marketing. By one company’s example from reducing its snail mail marketing because of the economy provided to be a big mistake. The company saved 20,000 by not sending letters out but the company also lost 25% in sales. They realized immediately that the world of marketing would not be internet based and people still like to be mailed something personal to get them the buy things. This company does agree that sending tacky junk mail to a mass audience will not work anymore but sending a hand mail to someone that is personal and sincere will actually gain something in getting customers. The company also agrees it is easier to press the delete button in your email inbox than to read a message so the e-marketing will never reach the person in the first place.

Was anyone else confused by the barcode description and introduction to the first article? Why or why not? Please explain what you got out of the article. Do you agree that snail marketing is still work despite what this company states? How can a company customize their snail mail to be more personal and not appear as junk mail to customers?

In response to P Conte: Social Networking and E-Marketing

Because of the extent to the popularity of facebook, how come not all companies have shifted their marketing towards social networking sights to advertise?

The answer to the question is these companies can target children, teenagers, young adults, and some adults who do use these social networking sights. Social networking sights are merely another avenue which is somewhat new for business. Companies have experienced using banners, pop ups, emails, and links to websites. Social networks can be fun and interactive for providing feedback to the company. Customers or potential customers appear more willing to share thoughts, ideas, likes, and dislikes over a social network even though it is a company doing it. People on social networks may feel more inclined that the business will listen to them and take their advice on the website. Hopefully the companies have good intentions and are using it as a learning experience and not to exploit customers. It seems to be a useful tool for the relationship of customer to business to gain information in a friendly, convent, and inexpensive manner.The future of marketing will be interesting for businesses and how they treat social networking such as will it be just a friendly communication or will it get tedious or annoying like spam? In this the social networking authorities may need to regulate business. The future may also hold other ways of social networking or other ways e-marketing can occur as well. It will be interesting to find out how the internet unfolds in this regard. These are the benefits of using social networking.

Not all companies chose to use social networking for means of gaining marketing information. Some companies may not be equipt or suited to conduct business online, some companies may think its an invasion of consumers privacy because they use social networking on their own time, it may also be a companies' waste of time to just discuss things with a customer because they are not selling anything they are only discussing things but at the same time this dicussion can also lead a person to the website of a business. Some companies may just haven't gotten around to it or do not have a reasonable plan of action with these social networks. Some of the ways businesses use social networks must be carefully crafted so companies may be tip toing around it. But it is true that most internet based companies are using social networking as a avenue of consumer communciation and e-marketing.

CAN-SPAM is still a problem...

CAN-SPAM is non-solicited pornography and marketing according to the text. The issue that I am primarily concerned with and will be blogging about is not the marketing but the pornography. Although president Bush enstated the act in 2003 and the percentages of this spam is reasonably down since 2003 there is still a percentage of bothersome spam's going through.

For example it can go to your email even if you've never been to any similar site and your gender is also not exempt. I personally have to change my email every year or two due to pornographic spam getting sent to me. I used to have a Myspace account where there were dummy accounts formed in order to send pornographic spam to users not only attacking me but some of my friends and collegues had the same issues. There are other examples of websites such as Facebook users or hackers providing pornographic images on Facebook and creating dummy accounts much like Myspace where the IT staff at Facebook has to fix these issues. On the website Deviant Art where people can blog, post their own art/drawings, and poetry. People have hacked into people's personal accounts and added pornographic images to their profile and added comments pretending to be the account holder as well. There are issues on YouTube where a person will be searching for a video and either recieve the wrong type of video or at the end of the video where there is other like-video suggestions are pornographic as well.

With all of these descriptions this is a problem. This not only lowers the standards and reputation of the website but it also puts induviduals in jepardy through hacking and ruining innocent people's image online which is not easily erased. It is equally frustrating to people who are innocent who annoyed by these things where they have delete, replace, and clean out accounts as well as the danger of children witnessing these things while online. These incriminating and falsehoods can also put people in legal danger and withold them from jobs based on something they never even did in the first place. Although CAN-SPAM may be sharply reduced than it was 7 years ago it is still a problem and enough a problem to ruin someone's identity, force them to change accoungs, delete accounts all togehter, provide to be an annoyance, be dangerous to children, ruin jobs and marriages as well.

Do you see this to still be a problem and an annoyance? How has this kind of a thing hurt innocent adults from things such as (jobs and relationships) in their life? Have you heard in recent years what it has done to children?

Response to Robert McCarthy on Negative Advertising

After some of the students writing their A type blogs about shiney suds their was a debate of ethics in advertising. I have chosen to respond to Robert McCarthy's interpretation of ethics in advertising.

McCarthy asks if any of us remember negativity in advertisements that we remember. He also asks if it was a big deal or blown out of proportion or not. I am going to evaluate a few adds and which they offended me and why as well as how they were recieved by the public eye.

The first advertisement I will describe that I found personally offensive was Xyience Extreme Supplements used with diet and exercise. The offensive commercial consisted of a brunette girl with hot pants, a bra, and crawling around on the ground while dancing like a stripper in the commercial. Also in this commercial it did not describe the product at all. Only after the scene it stated the product and the fact that it was sold at GMC and like stores but nothing else about the product. I found it offensive but it wasn't heavily advertised only on Spike TV which their were only a limited of male viewers which would indicate why it was advertized on the tv channel. Generally speaking their were only a few people including myself that I heard were offended.

The second advertisement that I will mention that I found offensive was Martha Coakley advertisements in the Massachusetts senate campaigne. I am well aware that political campagines are very cut throat but in this regard republicans and democrats were pinned against each other and were labled as something black and white. For example the advertisement either stated directly or implied that all democrats are "anti-war, pro-choice, pro-enviromental induviduals for example and all republicans are pro-war, anti-abortion, and all like George W. Bush. I found this offensive. In this case I was not the only person offeneded by this commercial. From what I heard on the news and other fellow Massachusetts residence they were offended if they supported Coakley or not because of her team judging the parties by extremeties and not activily talking in her commercial about some of the positive changes she would make if elected.

The third and last advertisement that I will comment as offensive in my opinon is also in a sexual regard as well. The company is godaddy.com where girls in skimpy clothes or fully clothed then stripping layers on the commericials. These commericials are typically shown during NFL Football games and Nascar Games.
Most people in today's world are so desensatized to sex on television that they may not notice it anymore or they may accept it as a current social norm in the 21st century. I will state I do not accept these things as appropriate for television as a advertisement. It may be geared toward a specific target market but other markets of people see it and it causes a digusting or repulsive reaction to the product. I think in this regard advertisements have gone too far in being this explisic.

Do any of you think commericials have gone sexually too far for television for a general audience? Do you think these kinds of ads really serve any purpose for their product?

Tiger Woods: Marketing, Morals, & Infidelity

Tiger Woods’ deeds of infidelity are known throughout the country and plastered all over the news. Again the media has blown one person out of proportion just because of their celebrity status. This news may not have been shocking if it had been someone else, say Paris Hilton, but it was Tiger Woods. Tiger Woods before this epiphany had happened was the pinnacle of something proper. He is a successful, fair skinned black golfer, who seemed to have manners, good family values, and seemed soft spoken and refined. After all of this happened and his image was ruined, some think it will be forever but only time will tell, but in the mean time he decided to take a leave of absence. Many of the companies that had supported, sponsored, and used him in advertising have retorted and are now refusing to use him ever again. This indicates that companies that market certain images have a moral code and that they do not want to displease their customers. Nike had stated they would not use him in an advertising campaign again but went back on it, thinking it was too harsh.

In this situaton it provides to be an example of the public relation issues that can come up in marketing. There are many other examples that have happened before, after, and will happen even after this issue with Tiger Woods blows over. Another hot issue that affects a companies PR is also Toyota's recall and how customers may not feel 'safe' driving their cars. Companies need to overcome these PR issues whether it is a figure's personal life or a product that failed. A company can use SWOT analysis to either overcome or fail this situation. They can use these PR issues as either an oppertunity to overcome and be a better company or let the threat instated overcome them.

This issue brings awareness to our moral code in America because it came from someone we did not expect, someone who was supposed to be full of virtue, and this may be the reason why it bothered so many people. Each and every day people do these things but because it came from someone with a reasonable amount of importance people were flabbergasted. A poll on www.allaboutlifechanges.org/marital-infidelity.htm indicated that 90% of people disprove of infidelity but statistically 60% of men and 40% of women have affairs themselves. People in America have lost sight of their moral code yet act like hypocrites in the public eye when someone important is involved. It is not only a sin but it is illegal and punishment is dwindling. But it also should be considered it is a different world now, not the world that our grandparents lived in.

Question: Why are the American people so shocked with Tiger Woods’ action when the majority of people are guilty of infidelity themselves? Do you think weeks, months, or years down the road this will hurt his career or those who market him and why? What can oppertunities can Nike gain in SWOT Analysis from this situation with Tiger Woods? How can Tiger Woods fix or revamp his image?

In Response to Conor Hanlon: Can Company’s become Eco-Friendly?

Effects of environmentalism can make a company that was once not eco-friendly now eco-friendly but it is not an easy task. If the company has awful PR issues it could take a while. The company must be weary of how quickly they do it and the methods that they do it in to avoid appearing fake and upsetting customers even more. This process is very time consuming but it can be done if the company has a real and genuine desire to change. The company needs to brainstorm what they feel the problem is as well as brainstorm solutions. The company needs to look at ways to become socially responsible or eco-friendly and which programs mean a lot to the company and what the people in the company stand for. The mission statement will need to be revamped and implementing social responsibility programs will take time to get going and if they want to promote their social responsibility. There will probably be media attention if the company’s new change isn’t fluid. The media may ask why this change and is it legitimate. The company must brainstorm and think of ways to react to media questioning or criticism of the company. But as a result it will take time to do (months or a year) but in the long run it will benefit the company and it can be done.

The company can keep and maintain previously loyal customers by maintaining what is great about the company. Through brainstorming this also should be emphasized i.e. what is great about the company, what competitive advantages the company has, what the customers like about the company, and ways to keep this element of the company making it apparent that this component will never change. There needs to be a smooth fusion of company values, new social responsibility changes that are genuine, and keeping consistent what is good about the company as well. It’s a very careful process and perhaps a consultant may need to come in to fix the situation gingerly. Another dimension must be added to get another target market depending on what the industry is. More or different products, packaging, and different kinds of marketing campaigns must be in place to reach a new or different target market when revamping the company. This process will also take a number of months to accomplish.

These time consuming changes will be laborious and exhausting but it will help the company in the long run. But doing the grunt work will provide use and a competitive advantage to the company in the long run as well as preventing an even worse down turn or causing the company to go out of business. It is my best suggestion to implement this kind of positive change rather than the company doing nothing and remaining autocratic, cold, and unethical. In time all of these things will yield their benefit to the company in time.

Marketing Environment: Friendly's vs. 99 Restaurants

The marketing environment a process as we discussed in class to first collect data through research, analyze the situation via SWOT analysis, apply marketing objectives, have a action plan to do with thoroughly evaluation of the four P’s which can be a time consuming process in order to execute it correctly, eventually have a set of activities or a program plan that must be implemented, and lastly after it’s been implemented the company must control it i.e. check if it is working frequently. An example would be monitoring sales, looking at what the competitors are doing, checking if the promotion part of the marketing for the product is working, and to see if the packaging of the product needs to be revised or if the product itself must be upgraded.

Social responsibility is described as the company going the extra mile. It can be something environmental friendly or charitable but in the late 20th and early 21st centuries companies have taken it upon themselves rather than it being enforced upon them to do so. In the text it states if company’s don’t do it on their own the government enforcement will be far worse and strict so they decided to implement it themselves which is less strict and benefit them in the long run. Companies also may be doing it for PR reasons i.e. it makes the company look good or they simply believe in the cause. Social responsibility has become a chain reaction and most companies are doing it now, there are usually some information on a company’s social responsibility statement in their mission statement or could be easily found on the company’s website. Some company’s although do not implement social responsibility functions at all, it is most likely the ‘old school’ production based company’s but it appears that these methods will make the company fall behind and go out of business they aren’t doing what the rest of the company’s are doing.

Ethics are doing what is right, morals, values, and social norms that are important to people. These will vary to country, geographic region, age group, religion, and the subculture they belong to. It is important for a company to have a code of ethics and many do in writing. Companies don’t usually put in a code of ethics ruling until they see a problem but over time rules have collected. Some examples is have internal controls on departments and CEO’s to avoid a situation like in the case of Enron but there is also federal laws protection that. Internal controls are also in place to prevent the stealing of company property as well as fair and just treatment of employees. Ethics is important to the human condition and isn’t limited to business. It is an important element that is often overlooked.

In the past where there was the ‘good old boys’ days of business it was viewed as a threat by everyone. But as times and trends are changing like a wave current, if people don’t abide by the changes of social responsibly the company will be left behind or not be a company anymore. Because social responsibility is a growing trend or a business fad most people view it as a good thing. If people aren’t on the ball with social responsibility it looks bad to the customer base. Customers will become disgusted because the company doesn’t care and they may boycott the company and go elsewhere now. I would say without a doubt it is an opportunity in business of the 21st century.

I have chose to select a company which embraces social responsibility and ethics and a company that blantly ignores it. A company that has embraced social responsibility is the 99 Restaurant and a company that completely ignores social responsibility is Friendly’s Ice Cream Corporation. I have chosen both of these within the same industry for an easy comparison.

Friendly’s Ice Corporation is a very backwards looking company which appears to be a service based company but is more production based when looking at their daily activities/functions. They are a very hierarchical and autocratic company. The company’s website has nothing described as their mission statement only a company history and a listening of previous marketing campaigns. They do not declare anything the stand for as far as ethics on their website as well. As a previous employee of Friendly’s for three years their main concern is making sales even at the expense of their customers and employees. This is a prime example of how a company is not socially responsible. This company also speaks to an ethics issue as well. This company has been known to force employees work off the clock, not take breaks, being refused drinking water for health reasons, not letting them leave work well after their shift is over, force them to do a multitude of jobs concurrently, as well as harassment in many forms. Friendly’s also is a anti-environmentalist company because they choose to waste so much such as in food. While Friendly’s throws everything in a trash and sends it to a landfill they could recycle and feed the excess wasted food to pigs on a farm and recycle the cardboard and the packaging products.

The 99 Restaurant on the other hand has a clear mission statement on the website under the ‘about us’ tab as well as a column on the left-hand side that says ‘community involvement’ within the ‘about us’ information. Some examples are dining for a cause, boys and girls club of America, and Pine Street Inn which is also a fundraising function. While Friendly’s has always sold Easter Seals around Valentine’s Day, that is the only fundraising that they perform. The 99 is beating Friendly’s in the social responsibility department by a long shot. Also as far as ethics go the 99 offers and provides their employees with fair and just treatment as well as many benefits. For example the 99 provides these benefits for employees; 401-K, flexible hours, medical and dental plans, as well as rewards for performing well .The 99 also does not look at customers as just a sale by treating customers as people with dignity and respect. The company also does not overload employees to the point they cannot handle their job under normal circumstances. Although the 99 has nothing listed on their website for environmental causes, their causes include programs for children, the homeless, and functions that donate money to the local police/fire department fund.

After definining the marketing environment, social responsibility, ethics, and what it means to 21st century business my opinion on social responsibility is very clear. Looking at Friendly’s and the 99 Restaurant also made it very clear as to how business is operating in that regard. My stance is there is no room to not have social responsibility is a part of business. The company should act upon it before it is mandated which could severely disadvantage the company and set them back for something they aren’t ready for. Also to gain a competitive advantage on other companies it is a good method to contract business. As I said within this blog customers may become disgusted and eventually boycott companies that do not apply social responsibility because it makes the company appear cold and unjust. There are legal, competitive, and public relations benefits in doing social responsibility. All companies in the 21st century cannot afford to not comply.

In Response to the 4 P’s in Marketing by Douglas Kendall:

Briefly I will recap on the four P’s of marketing; product, promotion, price, and place. A product according to marketing is a good, service, or idea. Promotion is advertising, publicity, public relations, and personal selling. Examples of price are tuition, rent, fees, dues, wages, and interest for example. Places in most cases are stores or purchasing over the internet. Also the orientation of a product must be remembered i.e.; production based (just getting the product out there and being more manufacturing based), sales (commonly based in clothing or cars), and the marketing orientation (which is based on pleasing the customer and employing values).

The four P’s relate how I shop in some regard but I also ignore other parts of the four P’s that other consumers may pay attention to. As a consumer I pay attention to the product, place, and sometimes the promotion but I tend to ignore the promotion part of it unless it’s a certain circumstance such as a good sale but as professor Johnson stated sometimes sales are a tool used after raising prices as an illusion to customers. The other situation is if there is a product that I really would like and I need to purchase it before it sells out. When a product is highly advertized that is most likely to happen rather than a product that isn’t as heavily advertized.

I choose a good product if it is durable and lasts and if there is a reasonable amount of research and quality put in the product. I am a consumer who is willing to pay more for something that will last a number of years rather than buying something cheaper that won’t last a year. I am a bit pickier with a service. When dealing with a service people are involved and if they are rude, irritate me in some way, sell me something I do not want, or do a poor job I will not hesitate to firmly reprimand them for what they did wrong, boycott the company completely, or in the case of bad service at a restaurant not tipping them since the tip is a commission for their good service. Since I’ve been a waitress for six years I know the field and that kind of treatment is unacceptable. So in other words I will be very liberal about buying a product but be more firm in dealing with a service. An idea in marketing may also seem like a service, the two are similar but are not exactly the same. Some examples of ideas are counseling, music lessons, weight loss programs, becoming a member of a church, or a non-profit organization. On this I stand in the middle but if someone was to take my money and not give me a good service I would not go to them anymore. For example I went to a voice teacher who charged me 60 dollars an hour for lessons and did not teach me anything, she liked to talk the whole time, which only lasted 2-3 sessions until I stopped going to her. As far as ideas go it’s far more difficult to tell in getting what you want as a consumer because it isn’t always tangible and the rates are usually high so the consumer can get abused in this regard. It is best to use your gut reaction if you are getting something out of it or feel fulfilled in making the choice on ideas.

Of the four P’s the one that weighs the most heavily on me is primarily the product as I stated I’m very rigorous on the quality of the product. Secondarily the location because I get annoyed with customer service representatives in stores so I mostly shop over the internet, and lastly price because sometimes products are priced outrageously high. I usually ignore the promotion. I don’t see many advertisements in general unless they are over the internet or on billboards.

When picking a product’s price I usually pay a little higher than the normal rate for a product but not the top. For example a sweater at Wal-mart or Target for 20-35 dollars. But I would pay up to 40-60 for a good quality sweater but not 100-200 for a sweater. So I tend to choose the upper end of the middle of the spectrum.

Promotion is a case that I chose to ignore but if the product is promoted using propaganda or promotes in an immoral regard I usually get so disgusted with the product that I want nothing to do with it. If the product is promoted in a sophisticated, glamorous, upscale, or refined way I will be more opt to purchase it.

Lastly the way I choose a location is usually no more than an hour or two drive when I am at home (meaning not on a vacation where there are outlet stores). For example I could shop in Keene, NH Brattleboro, VT Greenfield, MA Hadley, MA Northampton, MA Holyoke, MA or Springfield, MA but I wouldn’t go much further on normal circumstances. The more I want the product the further I would go but if the product isn’t imperative to have. As I said previously if people are rude and annoying, the customers themselves annoy me such as stop in front of me and make my shopping experience awful I will be more opt to shop online.

Marketing, Advertising, & Propaganda

We are asked to define in our own words, express questions, thoughts, and articulate the differences between these three terms which affect business. As management majors these terms, ideas, and questions are all important and valid. I will first elaborate on my personal definition of these i.e. not the Webster definition but what I have read in the marketing text, what I see in the media, and what I have learned in other course work.

Marketing is a process of creating, distributing, promoting, and pricing. This is a very involved chain of events that is important in business and within a company. Marketing in necessary in order to sell the product and make revenues so marketing must be done to be successful. Some companies are large enough to have their own department and some companies must do it on a much smaller scale. But it can be agreed upon that it’s an imperative part of business to keep the company running. Marketing is grouped together by subcategories where each part works together to achieve a common goal through tasks. The kinds of items involved in marketing within a company in order to sell are goods, services, or even ideas. Marketing is also a relationship between the customer and the business unlike the ‘good old boy’ version of business decades ago which will not work anymore. It must be remembered that commerce is now a relationship and everyone is equally important. As we also discussed in class marketing can be looked at as a large father category or an umbrella and the other categories under it work together.

Advertising is the subcategory within marketing that focuses on the portion of marketing in the area of promotion. Advertising focuses on needs, wants, and desires and is sometimes but not always targeted at conjuring people up to do certain things. It is obvious that advertising is very media focused. Even though it is only a subcategory of marketing the work done in advertising is work intensive and important. Tremendous amounts of research and planning must be done for the whole goal is to be accomplished.

Propaganda can be used within advertising and is sometimes used in a sinister light. For example it is used to manipulate a situation; but propaganda can be used in both good and bad ways which can be a matter of ethics.

Now that these have been defined a recapitulation of the differences is needed even though the definition has been stated. Generally the differences are that marketing is the large picture, advertising is a subcategory of marketing and is very important even though it is a subcategory, and propaganda is persuasion which can be used for good or evil.

Upon questions and thoughts I feel like I would like to know more about the other subcategories in marketing more in depth but that is why I am taking the course. By understanding marketing and the subcategories on the micro level the comprehension of the ‘big picture’ can be better understood. More discussion and reading of the chapter will answer these questions. My thoughts on advertising is this; I will remain open minded but I have personally experienced negativity in both of those areas in the past. A lot of times my tastes and beliefs more often than not do not coincide with the general consensus of the current American culture and what are fashionable. The good thing about propaganda is this; intelligent people who are educated enough will know the difference between truth and propaganda and can read between the lines immediately. It is obvious all three things are different i.e. marketing, advertizing, and propaganda, and at this point all ideas are exhausted and thoroughly explained.

The issue of the “War on Terror” that has been described and is clearly propaganda. But it is to be causioned that this can be a sensitive topic when dealing with the different ideologies and expierences of people in the class. In this form of propaganda it is my view point that it is used positively. It is seen as promoting patriotism after 9/11 in order to get troops for the cause for the Iraq and Afganistan War. The same type of propaganda was positively used in World War II to promote patriotism. One example of this is “fight or buy bonds”.

A clear line is drawn between marketing and advertising because advertising is a subcategory of marketing in the promotion area where the internet, magazine advertisements, and television commercials are advertising. Marketing and advertising is pretty clear to us as marketing students but for non-management majors there is a lot of grey area. To the common public creating a product or idea might be seen as advertising. In movies when people are seen in board meeting brainstorming as a marketing team people may think it’s an advertizing team and may think the advertizing department is the large department when this is an untruth. Movies also romantize marketing and advertising making it appear glamourous. In these movies the two get blurred which makes it difficult to have a solid comprehension of either.In this Hollywood image of marketing/advertizing the pricing can also be confused in the realm of being a part of advertizing. Marketing myopia is another problem that occurs. Marketing myopia as we discussed in class is when a company gets an idea about what is best for a customer or what a customer wants which is untrue and it results in a unfortunate situation for the company and not the consumer. In this the advertizing is clear but there is an obvious lack of communication in the research and the other components in marketing.

Question: Do you think that propaganda can be both negative or positive? Does propaganda become a matter of ethics? Is the differences between marketing and advertizing cut in dry or more blurred? Is there anything ‘problematic’ about marketing and advertizing that I missed?