Post #13 - Contemplating Controversy

In the article, Super Bowl 2013: Kate Upton's Mercedes Commercial Draws Criticism, we are asked the question, "Is the supermodel's new ad a step back for feminism, or is all of this fuss exactly what the car company was going for?" One side of the controversy states that the ad is just reinforcing girls to use their sex appeal to get what they want. A Parent Television Council spokesperson states, "If anything, this ad proves that we've regressed rather than progressed over the last several years." On the other hand, the article asks the question if publicity in general is good publicity. It asks if Kate Upton is being used here as a sex symbol to sell cars, and if so then isn't that the goal for all models despite their gender? Maybe the ad isn't going "too far" and maybe this sex appeal tactic is just the norm used in advertising. Either way, the advertisement brings controversy, mainly to feminists and people who don't support the use of sex appeal to sell things. The other side of the story is that it's pretty much inevitable that sex appeal will be used to sell products, because it's pretty much a norm. Nevertheless, the advertisement still received the attention is sought. 

Work Cited:

Arthur, Kenneth. "Super Bowl 2013: Kate Upton's Mercedes Commercial Draws Criticism." SBNation.com. Vox Media, 24 Jan. 2013. Web. 26 Feb. 2014.

Post #12 - Forbes Article: Marketing Endorsers (Free Post)

For my free post this week, I read an article that focused on certain olympians who were expected to be useful endorsers from their success at the Sochi olympic games this year. Bob Dorfman, an Executive Creator Director of Baker Street Advertising in San Francisco believes that Mikaela Shiffrin's success as a skier will be worth $1 million a year. He describes her as the Winter Olympics "It Girl" and can potentially be a marketing force for upcoming olympic games. Not only is Shiffrin an 18-year-old gold medalist, but Dorfman describes her as "immensely talented, pleasantly attractive and surprisingly poised". 

After reading this description, I think to myself as a marketing major: What a perfect, young, successful candidate for an up-and-coming endorser! To me, as the reader, this article proves how the success of athletes/music artists/actors correlate with working marketing tactics. In the marketing world, any successful athlete who is "talented, attractive and poised," would have no problem in having an impact on endorsements and consumption. Sometimes, as consumers, we don't realize that people like Mikaela are the leading cause of why we go out and purchase many of the products that we own. Whether it's in a television commercial, an advertisement in a magazine, or the back of a cereal box, these athletes and artists are major influences in the effective number of products being sold within the market. 

Work Cited:
Riper, Tom Van. "Sochi Wrapup: Breakout Marketing Stars Few And Far Between." Forbes. Forbes Magazine, 24 Feb. 2014. Web. 24 Feb. 2014.

Post #11 - Evaluating Sources

For my prompted post this week, I chose to watch a documentary called Objectified. The documentary digs deep into the human relationship with the design of certain products, and how those products shape who we are and how we live. Throughout the film, we are shown different designers across the world in places such as Paris, Germany, Tokyo, and California. For example, in Paris, we are shown the complexity of building and designing chairs while having to think about who those chairs are for and what kind of innovative thinking goes into creating and manufacturing them. Ultimately, the film revolves around the technological to the non technological objects and how they shape the lives we live. Towards the beginning of the documentary, we are shown a design curator, who is describing even the simplest of objects, a toothpick. He talks about how the tip of the toothpick can easily be broken off to become a rest for that toothpick to sit on. What I liked about the interview with this designer was that he brings up a quote by Henry Ford: "Every object tells a story if you know how to read it." Another interview that kept my attention was of the Senior VP of Industrial Design at Apple in Cupertino, California. He talks about how we as people look at objects and how we ask ourselves, "Why is it like that and not like this?" Which in a general sense, is causing us to "constantly create." Another important thing that was said in the documentary is that when designing, it's important to look and anticipate what will be popular in the future, rather than what has already been created in the past. Towards the end of the film, a man briefly describes how the objects we have in our homes have value to us because they take part in our everyday lives. In other words, they reflect the true story of who we are and the story we tell.

As a marketing major, I really enjoyed watching this documentary. I found it really interesting to see how the objects we use, whether just a toothpick or a computer, have a true meaning in who we are as people. The documentary really focused on how each and every one of us are creative beings but also how we live off the creativity of other people as well. Every day, creative minds are working to better how a product works, whether it's from the design stage of a certain product to the manufacturing stage. Whether we realize it or not, objects that endured hours of designing and creating are surrounding us every day. The keyboard I am typing on right now was built in a way for the benefit of myself, in this case, a consumer. Even the chair I'm sitting on, or the spoon in my cereal bowl, and even the lamp on my desk. All of these items consumed a certain designer's time to ensure that it would be creative and easy to use. This film in a sense reminded me of the videos I've watched on Steve Jobs. Especially where Jobs had described Nike as a company and how they focus on great athletes and athletics rather than just the product itself. The objects shown in Objectified, such as a chair, a toothpick, a vacuum cleaner, or a computer - they are all being created while having the consumer's well-being kept in mind. Personally, this is why design exists in whatever it is that we do. We are constantly made happy by the easy-to-use whatever it might be, and ultimately, the design stage of that object is what universally makes it so successful.

Post #10 - Nike Marketing Strategy: How Nike Branding Flatters Athlete Egos (Free Post)

I thought that for this week's free post, I could watch a marketing video on Nike and its marketing strategy. I decided to do this because for my Steve Jobs free post a few weeks ago, he mentions how Nike's greatest strategy is "honoring great athletes and athletics." Because I thought this was interesting, I decided to go ahead and dig deeper into Nike as a company. In the beginning of the video, a Nike advertisement is shown to prove that the brand's belief revolves around "tenacity". At the end of the commercial, it says, "success is not calculated, it's earned." The host of the video then goes on to describe that this commercial is successful because everybody believes the same thing about themselves. Also, it's a universal thing because people around the world believe that they don't give up, or that they are tenacious and smart. This is the message that Nike is ultimately giving off, which causes the brand to be so successful. Another advertisement is shown that reveals a woman running up a hill, and claims that she used to be fat and was not even able to walk up the hill back then. Furthermore, Nike is said to have a 5 step formula for their successful ads. They are: First To The Challenge, In The Zone, Doubt and Suffering, Rededication and Victory. This formula is supported with examples such as being up early and training while everyone else is still asleep, being focused and "in the zone", overcoming obstacles or falling down/getting hurt, getting back up/fighting, and then reaching victory. The host says this works so well because it's a "universal story." This is what Nike strives to accomplish as such a large brand. They emotionally capture every athlete's attention or for that matter, anyone who is striving to be the best.

I believe this video correlates with the Steve Jobs one because Job's quote of great athletes and athletics is the marketing strategy that causes Nike to universally capture consumers' attention. Nike's successful advertising is measured by their ability to tell real life stories of athletes around the world. Not only this, but they use famous athletes as well. They are able to include emotion, which is a huge strategy in selling Nike's product.

Work Cited:

"Nike Marketing Strategy: How Nike Branding Flatters Athlete Egos." YouTube. YouTube, 09 June 2013. Web. 17 Feb. 2014.

Post #9 - Defining Ethics

According to the APA (American Marketing Association), there are certain ethical norms and values that marketers must follow. They are:

Norms:

- Do not harm

- Foster trust in the marketing system

- Embrace ethical values

Values

- Honesty

- Responsibility

- Fairness

- Respect

- Transparency

- Citizenship

I believe these norms and values correspond to my every day life because as a college student, I feel that it is just as important to live by these standards. Do not harm in the marketing world could resemble that of my life because it discusses obeying regulations and laws while making choices. Fostering trust deals with avoiding dishonesty when dealing with the communication of marketing. This is parallel to how I live because it is important to live truthfully. Lastly, embracing ethical values focuses on relationship building, integrity, consumer confidence, and core values. This definitely has to do with the life I'm living because it's important to ensure that trust exists in any relationship. Also, core values such as responsibility and honesty are major aspects of college life, too.

What am I doing in college to help prepare me for my work in the marketing field?
1. Responsibility: Making sure I complete my work on time while staying organized.
2. Honesty: Staying truthful, where it may be to my professors or peers. Honesty goes a long way.
3. Transparency: Communication and accepting constructive criticism will help prepare me for the real world, especially in a marketing career. Communication is the key to success no matter what field someone is going in. Also, accepting constructive criticism will only help me do better in the future, which is very important!

Work Cited:

"About AMA." American Marketing Association. MarketingPower, n.d. Web. 12 Feb. 2014.

Post #8 - Observing Community

This past weekend, I was able to go home and attend a meeting at Intermix, a high end clothing store at my hometown mall. I was able to attend because as I said in one of my previous posts, I worked at a clothing store which is really close to Intermix. Therefore, I already had contact with the manager there. Before I went, I did not expect it to be that formal because there are multiple Intermix's in the country. However, there is only 1 in the state of Michigan. I was wrong though, and I learned how meetings are a very important process to that individual store's success. Not only did the meeting focus on marketing and sales techniques, but I also found myself sitting in on a public relations meeting. That was pretty cool because I am currently taking a public relations class here at Michigan State. The manager discussed with the employees recent communication with other Intermix stores, mainly in New York City. They also talked about different ways to advertise locally while building relationships with local businesses and customers, too. After the more important aspect of discussion, the meeting consisted of smaller topics, like making the customer happy and techniques to selling product. During this part of the meeting, I was reminded of my days working at Caruso Caruso. Our meetings were actually really similar. We always talked about different things we could do to attract the local customer, especially because Caruso Caruso wasn't a corporate business. So we were always talking about ways to attract customers. The method of communication was really a 2-way street. Not only did the manager stand in front of the employees and go through a list of what she was to talk about, but the floor was also open for employee opinion, too. It was a pretty laid back meeting but still was as formal as it needed to be. Overall, I enjoyed attending this meeting because not only did I learn, but I was able to connect the topics to what I've already experienced as a sales employee. That was my favorite part.

Post #7 - Timeless Wisdom And Advice For 2014 And Beyond (Free Post)

For my free post this week, I read an article in Forbes in which an interview was held with Jeff Olson,  an author and senior marketing executive from a marketing agency called ThomasArts. The first question asks Olson what kind of effect the emergence of technology and social media has had on business professionals. His response mainly states that "great marketing is simply great storytelling". He then goes on to discuss how new technology is a way for us all to connect with each other and share our messages. Comparable to when the Mayans left handprints and messages in caves, just like so, today we do the same by sharing through social media which allows back and forth communication. "Being more personal, more endearing and more creative is the integrity of making connections as we engage around the online fire." Here, Olson is describing the importance of bringing emotion to the storytelling, which ultimately is what gets people to listen. Another intriguing question that Olson was asked was what advice he would give someone who is just starting out in Marketing. He says it's important to be honest, interesting, relevant, and authentic. The last thing I found interesting was when Olson describes how he sees Marketing evolving in the next 5 years. "Humans will still have a desire to connect. They will still have emotions to feel with and there will be yet another fire to gather around," says Olson. 

I found that last sentence really intriguing. Although Olson claimed that he had no idea where Marketing will be in the next 5 years, he knows how much we as humans will still want to connect with each other. What I learned from this interview is how important connecting is and how much Marketing revolves around it. 

Work Cited: 

Williams, David K. "Timeless Wisdom And Advice For 2014 And Beyond." Forbes. Forbes Magazine, 22 Jan. 2014. Web. 05 Feb. 2014.