In response to Bruce Wichland's Post...

"What did you take away from this class that will help you in the future?"

I have taken away many valuable lessons from this course that have the potential to help me in the future. Not only did I learn many concepts that may help me as a consumer looking to purchase products but I also learned many things that could help me as an owner of a business. I learned that it is important for a marketer to have a target market in which they aim their marketing efforts toward. The marketing mix is made up of four different variables: price, place (distribution), promotion, and product. Marketing managers decide how much of each variable to use in order to meet the needs of their consumers. It is important for marketers to have a target market and marketing mix to ensure their company will be successful when launching new products. Therefore, before creating the marketing mix, marketers must collect in-depth, up-to-date information regarding consumer needs.

Target market and the marketing mix are just a few of the many concepts I will take away from this course. I have learned many important factors regarding price and how to determine and maintain a price that will generate profit yet keep up with the competition. I learned that electronic marketing may be cheaper than direct mail but does not necessarily have more benefits. One of the most valuable tools a company should use in evaluating their company is the SWOT analysis. It is important for companies to be able to locate their threats and turn them into opportunities and use their strengths to their advantage against their competition.

Moving away from marketing concepts that will help me in the future, I also learned about different social networking sites that companies use to communicate with their consumers. Websites such as facebook, skype, twitter, wikia, blogger etc, are all utilized by different companies who want to get their products known. These websites also provide a place for consumers to talk about the products, what they like, what they didn't like and allows for feedback from the company. Some of the websites even offered different promotions. For example, Starbucks offered a promotion on Twitter, "bring in your own to-go cup and get it filled for free." This promotion was promoted to support their environmental awareness. It is important for companies to keep up with today's technology because it is an excellent way to communicate with your consumers and promote your products.

What is the most important concept you are taking away from this intro to marketing course?

Why Do Customers Tattoo their Bodies with the Brands They Love?

An article in which I recently read, Why Do Customers Tattoo their Bodies with the Brands They Love, talks about customers who take brand loyalty to the next level. Brand loyalty is a customer's favorable attitude toward a specific brand. Most consumers have at least one brand they consistently buy either a the grocery store or on a shopping trip to the mall. However, this article deals with consumers who take brand loyalty far beyond just buying the brand. These consumers actually went as far as getting the brand logo tattoo on their bodies. Most people would think, who would actually do that? Well, it is actually occurring more than you think. Companies such as Harley Davidson, Nike, Playboy, Coca-Cola, VW and Apple are doing something to drive the customers wild, because more and more consumers are getting their logos permanently placed on their bodies.

As the article puts it, "people branded themselves with tattoos to mark themselves as different and to challenge the status quo." It is ironic that people are branding themselves with brand logos. By consumers completing this act, its meaning is "branded into the soul." The article lists three psychological reasons consumers brand themselves with tattoos of companies they love: 1) Membership into social groups. By doing this it helps customers find a common interest in a social group. 2) Finding meaningful associations. By having a branded tattoo it reminds the customer of their personal values. 3) Connecting with ideals. Branded tattoos are reminders of the customers ideal life.

If you are just as shocked as me, read the article. There really are people like this out there that do take brand loyalty this seriously. What do you think? Do you know someone with a brand logo tattoo? Would you, yourself ever consider getting one?

http://www.marketingpower2.com/blog/marketingnews/2010/04/why_do_customers_tattoo_themselves_with_the_brands_they_love.html#more

In response to Chris' post...

"Do you think price is always an important role? Or does it sometimes not matter? How important is it for a company to scout out competitor's prices and adjust as needed?

I believe price is a very important component to a company. It tends to be the main driver to the overall success of a company. Many consumers, especially in today's economy are looking for the lowest prices with any product they purchase. For example, if a consumer sees that Hannaford's is selling a jar of peanut butter for $4, but is a loyal customer at Shaw's where the peanut butter is $5.50, the consumer may begin to think that products at Shaw's may be overpriced. Therefore, it is important for a company to check out the competitor's prices, that way they can either match the competitors or lower their prices. I personally always look for the lowest prices, especially when it comes to products in the grocery store. Price is something that affects any consumer, therefore it should be one of their main concerns when purchasing a product. When buying a product of more value, such as a car, the consumer is most likely going to shop around and learn about the features being offered for a variety of cars. People want the most for their money, because money is such a scarce asset these days.

Do you think companies such as Shaw's and Hannaford's should put into effect the "matching" rule, where they match the competitor's prices? Or do you believe that will have a negative effect on the overall profit?

"Can't Buy my Love"

Currently I am reading a book named, Can't Buy my Love, by Jean Kilbourne, and it is about how advertising changes the way we think and feel. The book talks about thousands of different radio, television, magazine and newspaper ads that have been published in the past few decades. I was astonished to read about the basis behind some of the advertisements.

One of the most surprising categories I read about was automotive sales advertisements. Many ads today represent the car as not only a sex symbol but also a substitute for sex. Some of the ads read as followed; "after Lumina satisfies what you need, it quickly responds to what you want." A Mercedes-Benz ad picture Marilyn Monroe's face with the Mercedes symbol replacing her famous mole above her lip. A Toyota Celica was described as having "vivacious curves, a shimmering body and .. striking good looks." It is amazing that one -third of the land in our cities is devoted to cars and that Americans today are spending more money on driving each year than on health, education or food. Automotive marketers are spending $12.8 billion a year in media. What I found to be even more shocking was that the top three automakers were spending over six billion dollars a year on advertising. Some of the automotive ads go beyond comparing a car to a partner, but compare your child to your car. One ad featured a wallet with a picture on each side when you opened it, one of two children and a dog and another of a car. The caption below the picture reads, "if anybody should ask, go ahead and show them your pride and joy. The Civic 4-Door." At first glance of that ad someone would probably think the ad is referring to the person's children, but in-fact the ad is referring to their car because cars are much less trouble compared to children.

The book does an efficient job of demonstrating how advertising does influence everyone whether they realize it or not. Companies are spending over $200 billion a year on advertising, $250,000 just to produce an "average" commercial, so whether you like it or not these advertising are reaching you, and making you think in a different fashion. Marketers have a strapping set of skills which allow them to draw consumers in without making them feel as though they have been "captured" by media. What do you think? Do you think some advertisements are inappropriate or are they just adding humor to attract more consumers? Do you feel like you personally are affected by advertising?

In response to Bruce Wichland's Post...

"Which major media source do you think is best? If you were a company looking to advertise, which media source would you use?"

According to the business dictionary, advertising is the non-personal communication from an identified sponsor using mass media. Through advertising, companies can get their products and services known to the public. I believe that two of the most useful ways to advertise are through television and direct mail. If my company was brainstorming ways in which they could go about advertising, I would use television and direct-mail as my two advertising techniques.

Television advertising reaches out to a larger audience at one time compared to local radio and newspaper advertising. Also, as Bruce mentioned, television has the advantage of both audio and visual components. By having an advertisement on television shows that your business is willing to spend the money to get your product out there. It makes your product or service look creditable due to the fact that with television you can be as creative as you want and almost create a "personality" for your business. I bet you can think of at least three television advertisements that have clicked in your head, whether or not you have ever purchased that product or service, I am willing to bet you can either recite a number or phrase from the commercial. Television has a unique way of making users remember different things, and repetition may be one of the strongest marketing techniques when it comes to advertising. The more you hear a phrase, the more it becomes engraved in your mind.

Another efficient way to advertise is through direct mail. Direct mail may be one of the oldest techniques and considered to be "out dated" to some consumers, however I believe it is still a very useful tool for advertising. Direct mail has many advantages over other advertising techniques. Direct mail is a personal, targeted way of attracting customers without having to compete with other competitor's ads. Instead of sending e-mails out to every user possible, direct mail makes it easier to send advertisements out to the customers who really have value to your company, giving the customer more of a personalized touch. Another advantage over electronic advertising is that with direct mail, you have more of a chance of the customer opening the physical copy of the advertisement, compared to the electric copy where they can simply press "delete" without even opening the e-mail.

What do you think? Do you think direct mail is out-dated and not useful anymore? Which advertising technique do you find most essential?

Twitter as the newest marketing tool

I recently read an article titled, Twitter debuts Promoted Tweets: Virgin America, Starbucks among the first to use service. The author tells about some companies that are using Twitter as a new way to market their companies. According to Porter Gale, VP of marketing for Virgin America stated "the people who follow us want to fly us and want good deals, so we are rewarding our best customers for following us." The purpose of these companies joining Twitter is so they can "enhance their conversation with existing followers." One ad you can locate under the Virgin America page reads as follows, "Send us Your Best Geek Moment", where various users would then send in pictures of themselves trying to use new technology. This is an opportunity for companies to really interact with their customers on a different level besides through websites and in store interactions.

Starbucks, one of the first companies to sign up for this new Twitter phenomena posted an ad that read "on 4/15 bring a reusable tumbler and we'll fill it with brewed coffee for free. Let's all switch from paper cups." Also, there is a link under the ad that tells about Starbuck's environmental philosophy. I found this to be the most interesting point in the article because after all the research we have done on Panera, it is interesting to see what the competition is doing to promote themselves to the public more.

The article states, "brands have to approach this as an opportunity to create dialogue and value." I believe that Twitter could be an opportunity for many companies to promote their business and get themselves out there more. What do you think? Do you think Twitter will become the new Facebook? Do you think all companies will begin to "Tweet?"

If you are interested in reading the article, here is the link:

http://www.dmnews.com/twitter-debuts-promoted-tweets-virgin-america-starbucks-among-first-to-use-service/article/167885/

In response to Bruce Wichland's Post...

"How do you feel? Do you come to expect certain things from certain brands? Do you prefer and insist on certain brands or are you open to anything?"

I agree with Bruce with the fact that many individuals grow up to appreciate one brand over another, and much of that may be due to the way in which you were raised. This brings up the idea of brand loyalty, a customer's favorable attitude toward a specific brand. Customer satisfaction with a brand is a huge requirement in order for that customer to remain "loyal" to your brand.

I believe that many individuals have preferences on what brands they buy. When shopping for shampoo, I rather purchase Biolage over Herbal Essence. Growing up, my family owned three Toyota vehicles, therefore I am now familiar with their products and would potentially want to shop for one myself someday. I do expect certain things from certain brands because if you are continually purchasing their brands, you expect to get positive attributes back from it. With the recent problems with Toyota, it has made me wonder if I should still remain loyal to their company or not. However, after such a positive track record for the past fifteen years with my family, one problem streak should not affect my perception of the last fifteen years of quality service with Toyota.

If you were in my families position with Toyota after owning three vehicles for the past fifteen years, would your perception of their company change after the recent problems they have been going through?

Product Item, Product Line & Product Mix

It is important for marketers to understand the relationship among all the products of their organization in order to coordinate the marketing of the total group of products. A product item is a specific version of a product that can be designated as distinct offering among an organization's products. For example: Gillette has a razor called the M3 Power Nitro razor which is considered a product item for Gillette. A product line is a group of closely related products items that are considered a unit because of marketing, technical or end-use considerations. For example: Proctor & Gamble has hundreds of brands that fall into one of the twenty-two product lines ranging from deodorants to paper products.

The product mix deals with the total group of products that an organization makes available to customers. For example: all of Proctor & Gamble's health-care, beauty-care, laundry and cleaning, food and beverage, paper, cosmetic, an fragrance products constitutes its product mix. The width of the product mix is measured by the number of product lines the company offers. The depth of the product mix is the average number of different products offered in each product line.

After learning how important it is for a marketer to realize the relationships among an organization's products, think of a company in which you shop from that has a developed product mix and describe what their width and depth may look like. What do their product items and product lines consist of?

In response to Dillion's post...

Do you or have you ever stereo typed someone because of something that they were wearing?

The article in which Dillion read on brand names and how they can lead to stereotypes is something that has grown into a larger issue. I believe that many people do stereotype people depending on how they dress, and the name brands on those clothes. What is it about a logo on a shirt that determines how popular a person is? A vast majority of it is because the way you dress can illustrate an individual's status. Someone who is considered to be "wealthy" would most likely not be wearing clothes from Walmart, instead they would want to make it known that they have money by wearing designer names. This article can related back to the movie, the Overspent American, because this subject is related to the "keeping up with the Jones" era.

On the other hand, there are some individuals that are devoted to saving money, and would never bother wasting their money on brand name clothes when they could purchase nearly the same article of clothing from Target or Walmart, without the logo. In the end, the individual saving their money and buying satisfactory clothes, is going to be better off in the long run. I think it is about time people get away from the idea of brand names demonstrating status' and worry more about saving money and being able to buy everyday needs.

If you were considered to be a "wealthy" individual, would you buy all brand name clothes, or would you choose to shop at stores like Walmart, Target, Forever 21 etc as well?

Product Classification

A product is a good, a service, an idea received in an exchange. A product may be tangible or intangible and includes functional, social, and psychological utilities or benefits. It also includes services, such as installation, guarantees, product information, and promises of repair or maintenance. Products can be classified into two groups, either consumer products or business products. As college students, most of us tend to fall under the consumer category when purchasing different products.

Consumer products are products purchased to satisfy personal and family needs. When classifying consumer products, it is based on the consumer buying behavior. There are four different classifying categories: convenience, shopping, specialty, and unsought products. However, not all buyers may behave in the same fashion when purchasing a specific product, therefore one product may fit into several different categories. Convenience products are relatively inexpensive, frequently purchased items for which buyers exert minimal purchasing effort. Shopping products are items for which buyers are willing to expend considerable effort in planning and making the purchase. Specialty products possess one or more unique characteristics, and generally buyers are willing to expend considerable effort to obtain them. Unsought products are products purchased when a sudden problem must be solved, products of which customers are unaware, and products that people do not necessarily think of purchasing.

Business products are products bought to use in a firm's operations, to resell, or to make other products. Business products are usually purchased on the basis of an organization's goals and objectives, and they can be classified into seven categories according to their characteristics and intended uses: installations; accessory equipment; raw materials; component parts; process materials; maintenance, repair, and operating (MRO) supplies; and business services.

What was the last product you purchased? Under which category of consumer goods would you classify it as? Explain.

In response to Bruce Wichland's Post...

"How do you feel? Do you think this documentary is accurate? Are these issues blown out of proportion? Do we have a spending problem?"

I feel as though the documentary, The Overspent American, did an excellent job demonstrating how many Americans are in debt today due to over spending on wants rather than needs. Just as Bruce mentioned, people do not care if what they are purchasing is impractical, if they are working the long hours each week, they should be able to buy whatever they want. However, with that being the case, these Americans may be working long hours, but they are spending their paychecks too freely. According to the documentary, 25% of Americans with an annual income of $100,000, do not have enough money for basic necessities.

The issues raised throughout the document did not only show Americans trying to "keep up with Jones" but also how important designer names and logos have become among much of today's society. Although it may have seemed as though some of the issues were blown out of proportion throughout the document, in the end it is the brutal truth of how serious of a problem spending has become among our country. Why is it necessary for people to drive SUV's if they do not have a large family or need it for off road use, when they have been proven to cause more damage to an environment and suck up more gas money weekly? What makes the alligator or moose logo on the right corner of a polo so impressive? It is unfortunate to watch middle class families struggle to cover basic necessities because they rather be driving a Escalade. The sad reality is that material objects can ruin an individual's life. I think it is time for Americans to worry less about "keeping up with Jones. Or the Gate's" and worry more about keeping up with their own family's needs.

Do you think there is any hope for Americans to forget about the logos and designers and just settle for what they can afford? Or do you for see the problem growing larger and more out of control?

Consumer Problem-Solving Processes

There are three different types of consumer problem-solving processes: routinized response behavior, limited problem solving, and extended problem solving. Consumers usually rely on routinized response behavior when when buying frequently purchased, low-cost items that require very little search and decision effort. For example, a consumer will usually spend almost no time deciding on what soft drink they want to purchase. Buyers use limited problem solving when purchasing products occasionally or when they need information about an unfamiliar brand in a familiar product category. This problem solving usually requires more time for gathering information and achieving a decision. For example, if Procter & Gamble were to introduce a new laundry detergent, consumers may be interested in it, however they may want to gather more information about the product before purchasing it. Extended problem solving is usually employed when purchasing unfamiliar, expensive, or infrequently bought products. For example, purchasing a car, home or college education requires extensive research and time seeking before a consumer can make their final decision.

What do you think about these three consumer problem-solving processes? Which one seems the most important to you and which one do you use more frequently?

In response to Bobby Lyon's response...

"There are times when you can't always do the ethical thing, would you sell the names if it was the only way to save the business and the employees?"

It is easy to read this scenario and automatically think to yourself that you would never do that because it is unethical, however what we forget to do is put ourselves in John's situation. I completely agree that it is unethical for John to sell the names of his employees without consent, however I think there are different ways he can go about benefiting from this situation that could potentially save his business and employees. By John selling the names to the car salesman would automatically give him $8,000 and keep his business from going under or having to fire valuable employees. In return John would have to give up the names of his employees to the car salesman, who would probably try to pitch his automobile sales to those employees to encourage them to purchase a vehicle. The employees may have to deal with a nagging car salesmen, which is better than losing their job because their business was going under.

In response to Mallory Beam's response

Which segmenting variable do you think marketers use the most?

It seems as though many marketing managers use the demographic variable the most. The demographic variable segments markets according to age, gender, race, ethnicity, income, education, occupation, family size, family life cycle, religion, and social class. This specific market segmentation seems to be the most widely used because it can respond to almost any individual in society. It seems as though more and more products are being marketed to men or women, children or adults, etc. I bet most of the products people purchase have been segmented under the demographic variable. Almost all hygiene products are marketed according to gender. Many clothing stores try to appeal to certain occupation groups. For example, Express shows off its business attire on manikins throughout the store and in the store flyer to try and catch the attention of different customers shopping for suits. Another clothing store that uses demographic variable is Forever 21. Forever 21 makes it possible to find an entire outfit for less than thirty dollars. This draws the attention of not just female students, but also male. Forever 21 has expanded its clothing line so that they now carry male clothing. A vast percentage of Forever 21's success is due to the cost friendly prices that allow college students with low income, to afford to shop there. BJ's Wholesale Club allows customer to buy in bulk. This is extremely helpful for large families who may not have the time to go food shopping on a regular basis which therefore allows them to stock up. There are a million different products that will illustrate the demographic segmentation.

What do you think? Do you agree that the demographic variable is used the most? If not, which one do you believe is?

John Smith Scenario

"Should John Smith sell the names? Does the AMA Statement of Ethics address this issue?"

If the decision for John to sell the names was based solely on moral and ethics, I do not think he should sell the names. Those names were used for a privately run survey and for no other use. Although John's company is going under, it is clear that he is very torn on what to do. From John's perspective, if he releases the names to the car salesman, he receives $8,000 and will avoid laying off a number of employees. The car salesman also benefits because he receives a list of potential customers that may be looking to buy a car within the next year. This gives the car salesman an competitive advantage on other car dealerships because he has time to research and pin point what those potential customers will be looking for in a car. However, by John selling those names without consulting the participants from the survey, breaks the "embrace ethical values" listed in the AMA Statement. Embrace ethical values states "building relationships and enhancing consumer confidence in the integrity of marketing by affirming this core values: honestly, responsibility, fairness, respect, transparency and citizenship." John would be breaking more than one of those core values by going behind the backs of those customers, and selling their information to other corporations.

What would you do if you owned your own company and were put in the same situation as John? Would you sell the names or follow the AMA Statement of Ethics?

Target Markets & Market Segmentation

It is vital for marketing managers to come up with a target market in which they try to satisfy. A target market is a specific group of customers on whom an organization focuses its marketing efforts on. There are all different types of target markets. A marketing manager may try to target elders or teenagers, women or men, wealthy or lower class. No matter what the case may be, it is important that you decide who you are trying to reach out to. Who do you think will be the most interested in your products? Once a manager asks themselves that question, they can then advance in the process of producing their product by fitting the wants and needs of that specific target market. Target markets make it possible for products to be successful once introduced to the public.

Target markets can be segmented into four different variables: demographic, geographic, psychographic and behavioristic. Demographic variables deal with factors such as age, gender, race, ethnicity, income, education, occupation, family size or life cycle, religion and social class. For example, clothing stores such as American Eagle, Abercrombie, and Aeropostale, target teens and young adults. This calls for marketers to be aware of the changing styles and age distribution. Also the company, Dial, tends to target a gender-specific segment by making soap for either male or female. Geographic variables works with region, urban, suburban, rural, city size, county size, state size, market density, climate, Terrain. Some firms, such as Wal-Mart, start in small towns where they believe they have more opportunity to survive and succeed. Psychographic variables works with personality attributes, motives and lifestyles. Now a days more and more people are concerned about their weight and getting the proper nutrition, therefore many fast food restaurants are trying to make their menu's appeal to the weight conscious customer. For example, Subway advertised, Jerry, who lost hundreds of pounds from eating a Subway sandwich everyday. Behavioristic Variables covers volume usage, end use, benefit expectations, brand loyalty, price sensitivity. In this type of market users may be separated into categories such as heavy, moderate, or light users.

No matter what way a marketing manager may chose to segment their target market, it is important that they fulfill the wants and needs of the consumers in that market. Can you think of a product you buy continuously? If so, do you think that company tries to target a certain target market when selling that specific product?

In response to Michelle's Response..

"Is there anything you found interesting in this article?"

I found it interesting when the article, From Print to Phone to Web. And a Sale, talked about a product named CueCat that had been introduced to the market in 2000. The company, Digital:Convergence, established this product with the anticipation that people would use it to print pages using bar codes. This would allow people to access web pages and products they were interested in through the scan of a bar code. The idea made the process of web browsing look effortless. CueCat was used by companies such as Forbes and Wired, however many of their employees considered the newly designed product to be too "clunky." In order for the bar code scanner to be utilized, the customer would have to be mailed a hand-held scanner, along with a CD-Rom. After receiving both those items, the user would then have to install the CD-Rom program, and attach the device to their computer. The scanner was designed in a particular manner, where the user would "wave" the hand-held over the bar code. However, companies exercising CueCat found that it was not "portable or easy," and actually in some cases they believed it was more trouble than just doing a search through a Web address.

It was interesting to read about the introduction to the CueCat and what limitations it brought about. It is simple to see how much technology has improved since 2000. Within ten years we have grown from a product such as the CueCat, to having a software programed into your cell phone allowing you to scan bar codes on the spot. Although these programs do not exist yet for all cell phones, it is amazing to see how much potential our economy has for technology advancement.

What do you think the future is for bar code scanners? Do you think they will become advanced enough for people to use in their everyday routines, or do you think they will fade out again like they did in 2000?

E-marketing vs Direct Mail & Bar Codes

Direct mail tends to have many benefits over electronic mail. As one of the articles stated, an individual is more likely to delete an electronic copy of mail without taking a second look, compared to having a hard copy to refer back to. Many electronic messages also come off as "junk" mail to individuals, therefore many people will delete them before even opening them. Direct mail tends to be more "personal," when a customer receives an e-mail about sales, they probably tend to think "this got sent out to all individuals" where as if a customer was to receive a 20% off coupon in the mail, they are more likely to feel like a valuable customer. Many customers use direct mail as a "reminder" of what is going on with that company each week. In fact, when the company in the article cut off their direct mail, they had customers calling, saying, "did you take me off your list?"

Bar codes, although marketers have been getting closer and closer to making them easily accessible, there are still potential concerns with using them. Compared to the year 2000 when bar codes were first introduced, technology has grown tremendously which has boosted the success of bar codes. No longer is an individual required to own a hand-held scanner that once needed to be installed on their computer, but now people are able to scan bar codes from certain cell phones. However, not all cell phones have the application to scan bar codes, leading to a potential problem. As of right now, there are bar code applications (ScanLife) for Blackberry, iPhone, Android based handsets, and some Sprint phones. If ScanLife wants to be as successful as it is trying to be, this application needs to be made for every cell phone or people will not use it daily.

As far as e-marketing goes I do not think that is will completely replace traditional forms of marketing. Although internet has replaced many aspects of communications, I believe that companies have great success using the traditional forms of marketing such as direct mail, phone calls, and newspaper promotion. Technology has grown immensely over the years, however many people still enjoy reading the newspaper and opening their mail. If all companies were to use e-marketing as their only marketing technique, I believe that many customers would no longer be aware of promotions or sales going on, causing them to slowly break away from those companies. Flyers are easy to flip through while on a break from work or sitting on the couch watching television, where as e-mails can be deleted with the click of a finger, never to appear again.

A company such as Panera Bread could benefit from direct mail by sending out coupons to committed customers. As of right now Panera has no form of marketing, therefore to boost their success they may want to try and reward their dedicated customers with a little break from spending now and then. Direct mailing could potentially bring in more business, and have their customers continually checking their mailboxes for coupons.

In response to Kelcy's question

"If any company markets their product internationally, do you think the company will flourish no matter what? Or do you think there can be some issues with certain products being marketed internationally?"

No, I do not think that a company will solely flourish just by internationally marketing a product. The marketer needs to do research and find out what the other culture is like. Then after gathering the correct amount of information, the marketer can then adjust their product and marketing strategies to appeal to that countries specific needs and wants. Just as Kelcy mentioned in her post, marketers would not market cigarettes in the same fashion in the U.S as they would in a foreign country. Therefore it is important for marketers to take into consideration the needs of consumers in other countries or there may be issues with certain products being sold.

Methods of Collecting Primary Data

There are a variety of ways in which one can go about collecting primary data whether it may be through sampling using different types of surveying. Sampling is the process of selecting representative units from a total population. There are many different types of sampling; random sampling, stratified sampling and quota sampling. The two basic types; probability sampling and non-probability sampling. Under a probability sampling method the population has a known chance of being selected for the study. On the other hand, a non-probability sampling, there is no way to calculate the likelihood that a specific element of the population being studied will be chosen.

Surveys usually describe and analyze customer's buying behavior. There are four different ways in which people could be surveyed; through mail, telephone, online or personal-interviews. Which method is chosen, depends solely on what information the researcher is looking to receive, and by what crowd they wish to reach out to. Depending on how much information a marketer may hope to receive, they may employ more than one survey method.

Personal-interviews allow marketers to get in-depth replies out of customers, compared to mail, online or telephone surveys that may receive short, one word replies. Telephone surveys have a higher response rate compare to mail surveys because they involve less energy to pick up the phone and answer questions compared to filling out a paper survey and mailing it back in.

Gathering information from surveys is becoming more and more difficult because people are no longer willing to participate in them. Surveying can be very costly for companies, and if the response rate is not constant with the amount of surveys being administered, is it worth it to be surveying customers at all? What are some of the advantages and disadvantages of sampling a population through surveys? Do the costs out weigh the benefits?

Response to Dillion's Post

"If you were a CEO would you outsource right now?" The present status of today's economy has left corporations desperate for change and a chance to be financially stable. Every expense a company makes is crucial. Therefore as a CEO of a corporation, I would want to do everything in my power to keep my corporation alive. Outsourcing is a good place to start. If I could get the same products made in China as I could here in the United States, for half the cost, then that alone would boost my financial situation dramatically. As Dillion mentioned in his post, if more and more companies decide to use outsourcing, there will be less available jobs in the United States. That means that companies have to make the decision to whether or not they want to boost their company's financial situation now, and chance getting hit with losing jobs later, or and keep pushing to improve the economy without using outsourcing. If the economy was not currently going through a recession, do you think as many companies would be considering outsourcing?

Electronic Marketing (E-Marketing)

Electronic marketing is the strategic process of creating, distributing, promoting, and pricing products for targeted customers in the virtual environment of the Internet. E-marketing has become more and more popular because it allows customers to see a company's products and all their features, specifications, and prices, all at the click of a mouse. Another positive aspect of e-marketing, is consumer feedback. Most websites have an area where customers can say whether or not they liked the product, their preferences, and needs to the company. This also allows for customers to be able to ask questions before purchasing the product. Not only does e-marketing allow for customer feedback, but it is also an excellent way for customers to receive updates about any promotions or sales that may be taking place each month. Trading stock is significantly easier for many customers online because they can complete their own orders.

There are a few characteristics when it comes to electronic marketing that customers should be aware of; addressability, interactivity, memory, control, accessibility, and digitalization. One of my favorite characteristics of e-marketing is digitalization. Digitalization allows a customer to track the product in which they have purchased. I recently purchased a new laptop, FedEx's online tracking service allowed me to follow my package and it was directly on time to what its estimated delivery time. The tracking system told me when my package was shipped, dropped off, picked up on the delivery truck, and then a final destination, date and time. This feature makes it possible for people who may be on the go constantly, to find the time to be home when their package is expected. Do you purchase any products online? If so, what advantages and disadvantages do you face? What is your favorite characteristic of e-marketing?

In Response to Kelcy's Environmentalism

In response to Kelcy's last question in her post, "what do you think the go green fad will be like in ten years? Will it be different from now? Will more companies support the go green efforts or will this fad end?" Due to the recession our country is currently facing, I think it is imperative for companies to be using their natural resources as much as they can to save money. Why use brand new materials when you can use recylced ones? I think the whole "go green" campaign should not be considered a fad, but almost a way of life. In order to keep our planet alive, companies, along with every individual, needs to do their part. Car companies are going to be continually looking for new models and aspects to add to these cars to make them more environmentally friendly and appealing to customers. Companies such as Poland Springs are going be cutting more and more out of their water bottles so that they use less materials. Even Disney is constantly researching ways in which they can become more Eco-friendly, by trying cut down the 80 toxic cleaners they use daily compared to the 12 non-toxic cleaners used at the animals park for animal safety. There is always more ways in which companies can better their products to help save the planet. So, in response to the question, yes I do believe that the "go green" campaign will be different in ten years, because more people will be taking advantage of this new way of life. I do no see "go green" fading out because it can only help the environment so why would we want to stop? How do you feel? Do you agree that in ten years more people will be taking part in the "go green" campaign?

Environmentalism as an Opportunity

"Is environmentalism more of an opportunity or threat to marketers?" This question could have a variety of answers depending on who you ask. Environmentalism could come as more of a threat to those who do not have the technology or money to keep up with the constant demand. On the other hand, it could be an seen as an opportunity for corporations to shine a little brighter while up against other companies.

Environmentalism has become a common theme through a variety of car companies. More and more models are being created to reduce greenhouse gases that are exposed to the environment. Ways in which companies reach these goals are by improving fuel efficiency, using different engines, and low carbon fuels. Some models that follow these new discoveries, are hybrids and plug-in vehicles. Companies such as Toyota, Honda and Ford are continually looking for new ways in which they can become more Eco-friendly. I believe that by doing this, the companies are creating a positive environment image that will attract more buyers to help improve their environment. Global warming is a never ending problem, by these companies taking a proactive approach, it will appeal to more buyers.

Another company that took the initiative to do something Eco-friendly to better their product and image was Poland Springs. Their water bottles now feature smaller caps to cut down on the amount of plastic used. By doing this, Poland Springs stands out against other companies such as Vitamin Water and Sobe Lifewater. Environmentalism gives companies more opportunities to come up with new products that will appeal to the public eye. How do you feel about environmentalism? Is there any other examples you can think of that demonstrates how environmentalism has helped or hurt marketing efforts?

Bruce Wichland's 4 P's of Marketing

In responding to Bruce's post on the 4 P's of the marketing mix, I agree with all the valid points he pointed out for each section. Location is one of the most important factors for an indivdual to factor in when deciding on a job. If the person is planning on traveling a great distance, they want to make sure that all the aspects of the job look promising, because if their is any negative vibes, there may be a price to pay. Due to the constant rises in the price of gasoline, an indivdual should make sure they are happy with their job, if they are going to be spending a great deal of their pay check in gas money to get there. Or if commuting is not an option for that indivdual, what would it take to get them to move closer to their place of work. Also as Bruce mentioned for promotion, the indivdual, or "product," needs make sure they demonstrate their most positive attributes that they can add to the business. Why should they get the job over the next guy? It is important to stand out against all other applicants, leaving that last impression in the company's heads after all interviews. What attributes could you bring to a company that may get you chosen for a job over someone else?

Marketing, Advertising and Propaganda

Although marketing and advertising may seem tremendously similar, they have two different meanings. Marketing is an activity used to satisfy customer wants and needs. Marketing compared to advertising does not solely deal with persuading customers, but it may also stimulate a demand. Propaganda is rumors that could potentially be spread that may harm a company or the products in which they are trying to market. The “war on terror” demonstrates how propaganda can be used through the media. Many posters were created when the war on terror began, some of which read “don’t discuss” with the statue of liberty pointing his finger towards you, with a serious face on. Most of the propaganda that was created during this time of war showed the U.S being honest compared to Bin Laden whose messages were filled with hatred. An example of this propaganda found on globalissues.org, “Rise of terrorism in the Middle East, beyond, they hate our freedoms.” It is evident how easily someone’s views can be altered or demonstrates self censorship, not only with propaganda, but with marketing and advertising as well. It is possible for competitive companies to come out with an advertisement discriminating against your product, showing many cons to purchasing it. What comes to mind when you hear marketing, advertising, and propaganda? Is there anymore aspects you can think of when defining each of these words?