Last Post :(

          As the semester comes to an end students are to be seen frequenting the library (often causing the servers to crash L). But, with the semester ending I would like to look back and note what I have learned in this course. We started the class learning about the 4 Ps of marketing and ended the semester using them in our marketing plan for Country Life Restaurant. I learned a lot about social media this semester, which I find fitting because I we had to make a blog and use this medium to chart what we had learned. Throughout the course I learned about advertising – where and when it is appropriate and ethics in the work environment. By working on an actual company for a marketing plan I learned about non-profit organizations, how to sustain a competitive market and the do’s and don’ts for running a business.

         Even after this course I am considering going into this field. I find the social media to be fascinating and I enjoy creating displays to help merchandise sell. I hope to be able to use what I have learned in this course in real life applications and make an impact on the marketing world. At first I did not enjoy blogging, but I think it is a good application to get my thoughts heard and keep up with the advancements in the marketing field. 

In response to Cameron Drouin...

Cameron posted about Mother’s Day and the commercials that are associated with this holiday. Every year, my sister and I plan a day for just us girls and we bring her out to lunch at her favorite restaurant and normally a manicure. When I go to work at Hallmark all I see is reminders of Mother’s Day and presents that are “recommended” everyday. I have never felt the need to buy things for my mom to show her  how much I appreciate her, but seeing the ads everyday since the beginning of April has made me think that I don’t do enough for her. How do you show your appreciation on Mother’s Day?

How to Choose a Company Name

I was working on Country Life Restaurant’s Marketing plan the other day and was having difficulty deciding what the inside of the establishment should look like. I was considering the foods they offered and wondered why they called themselves “Country Life”. Their menu offers food from around the world such as coconut curry from India, enchiladas from Mexico, Brazil nut meatballs from Brazil, and French Provencal pasta from France. When I think of country foods the first thing that comes to mind is comforting foods such as steak and potatoes or fried chicken. Now being a vegan buffet, this is obviously not possible.

I found an article on how to choose a company name. You can read it here. 

It says that to test out a company’s name, first ask if it posses these qualities:

Simple –- one easy-to-understand concept

Meaningful –- customer instantly “get it”

Imagery –- visually evocative, creates a mental picture

Legs –- carries the brand, lends itself to wordplay

Emotional –- empowers, entertains, engages, enlightens

Then scratch the name if it’s got these deal-breakers:

Spelling-challenged — you have to tell people how to spell it

Copycat – similar to competitor’s names

Random – disconnected from the brand

Annoying – hidden meaning, forced

Tame – flat, uninspired, boring, nonemotional

Curse of knowledge – only insiders get it

Hard-to-pronounce – not obvious, relies on punctuation

If you were going to rename Country Life Restaurant – what would you name it?

In Response to Rachelle Beaudoin...

Rachelle talked about mobile marketing and how companies are using the new smart phones as a way to advertise on a device that most people use constantly. She asked, “What other ways do you think mobile marketing can help?” She had already brought up ads on free apps, but I would like to talk about the advertisements on web pages that show up even on a mobile device.

According to MobileMarketingWatch.com new research estimates that a total of $3.3 billion has been spent on mobile marketing in 2011. 1/5 of this number is contributed by American Corporations. They project that by 2015 that number will jump to $20.6 billion. Clearly the mode of advertising is shifting to our mobile devices, such as a Smartphone, laptop, or the iPad. With the capability to reach masses in such a short time is a powerful tool that businesses are using. Even at Keene State College you can see a trend towards using our mobile device. There is a class offered here called Apple Development that is a course that is all about making apps on an iPhone.

Is anyone considering going into the mobile marketing industry? What do you hope to contribute in that field?

Going "Green"

Professor Johnson had posted an article about the 3 Keys to Successful Green Marketing. They say for green marketing to be effective, a business has to do three things: be genuine, educate your customers, and give them an opportunity to participate. Considering Country Life Restaurant totes being “green” I figured I would read up on the new trend.

Part 1) Being genuine

         This means that you are actually doing what you say you are doing. For instance if you say you are using locally grown foods, but buying from the grocery store you are not being genuine to your customers.

Part 2) Educating your customer

         This is when the business lets their customers know they are a green business and tells them why it is important. I did not see any signs of Country Life being a “green” business. I probably would have never known if the owner had not told us.

Part 3) Giving your customers an opportunity to participate

         This means that you allow your customers to be “green” as well. This can take form in many ways, the most common being a recycling bin or reusable containers.

I think that going “green” will have a huge impact on a businesses image as the trend continues. Do you think that having a “green” business makes it more appealing to customers to buy your products?

In response to Kelsey Rhodes's post...

Kelsey wrote about logos and asked, "Do you think it is beneficial to change the logo every few years, or do you think if it changes so much, a customer may not recognize it?" In my opinion I do not think changing a logo is beneficial in most cases. It costs lots of money that is then pushed on the consumer who enjoyed the first logo to begin with. 

In some cases consumers boycott items where the logo has been changed. Like for instance, the new Tropicana redesign has been almost universally rejected by designers and the customer base. This redesign was an attempt to make the brand appear simple and down to earth. In the end Tropicana went away from its signature iconic image: the orange with the straw in it – making it difficult for customers to spot the brand at the store.

Do you think changing a logo is worth the cost? Are you willing to pay for a new logo as a consumer?

Reward Cards On Your Mobile Phone

I work at Hallmark and every time before I total a purchase I am required to ask if the customer has a Hallmark Rewards Card. The majority of customers I ask say yes, but have a hard time locating it in their wallet/purse. They complain about how many there are and how obnoxious it is to have to carry them around all the time. Those who do not have a rewards card normally do not want one for the same complaints.

I am not a big fan of Starbucks coffee, but I have to commend them on their genius Starbucks Card Mobile app. It is really easy – all you have to do is download the free app then type in your Starbucks card number. Through the app you can track the stars you have earned through My Starbucks Rewards or even pay for your drink right through the phone!!

With the growing technology we have seen many new progresses. It always amazes me to see what these big companies are coming out with the help their customers shopping experience easier.

Do you think that soon we will have all our information on our phones?