Reflection (Week 9)

1) What did you know a lot about from this week’s class?
I learned a lot from this week's class about perceptual mapping. I had already created my own Google maps before, so I was familiar with this process, however I've never created a perceptual map before so it was fun to take on that challenge.
2) What would you like to learn more about?
I'd like to learn more about increasingly complex perceptual maps and Google maps. I've now become familiar with the basics for both, but I'd love to learn to make them more complex, incorporating more elements.
3) Should I include this assignment in next year's marketing course? Why or why not?
Definitely! This assignment was very fun, and the freedom to explore our own interests on the Google maps portion was welcome. My only suggestion would be to make the perceptual map on a topic of the student's choice as well - that opens a door to allow students to put in more research and explore their interests.

Perceptual Map

As can be seen on the perceptual map, the trend seems to be that unhealthy cereals are marketed to children, while "healthy" cereals are marketed towards adults. The children's cereals are designated as such because their packaging displays characters, mini games, etc. and bright colors that will appeal to children. Children tend to focus more on flavor than on health benefits of food, while adults are more likely to lean towards healthier choices, so it makes sense that the cereals designated as 'adult' should be healthier. Indeed, Special K and FiberOne are both brands that base a large portion of their marketing on their products' health benefits - lower sugar, more fiber, and lower calories, etc. draw in consumers who are concerned with their health or losing weight. The cereal that falls in the middle, Golden Grahams, is categorized as such because it does use the child-friendly colorful packaging discussed above, as well as mentioning health benefits to appeal to adults as well. Overall, Golden Grahams is not categorized as a healthy cereal because of its high sugar content.

Q1. Based on the perceptual map, which competitors are the most similar and dissimilar to your favorite brand in customers’ minds? Why? 
I believe that Corn Pops are less similar to the other cereals in the "children" category here. Marketing schemes do mention the health benefits of Corn Pops, and while the cereal is certainly a sugary treat marketed towards children, it is a sweetened corn cereal rather than fruit flavored, chocolate, etc.
Q2. Describe the two dimensions (axes) of the perceptual map that you generated. How would you label these dimensions? Explain specifically how you decide on the label of the Dimension I and Dimension II. How much of the variance does each dimension explain? What is the total variance explained by two dimensions? Do you think this is satisfactory? How would you increase the explained variation in perceptual maps? 
The two dimensions I used are adult/child and healthy/unhealthy. The adult category contains cereals that are marketed to, or appealing to adults, and the child category contains those that are more appealing to children, or clearly marketed to a younger age group. The healthy vs. unhealthy scale is simply based on which cereals give the impression of being a healthier product based on brand recognition, packaging, etc. I would like to increase the variance by including more dimensions, such as specifying between "actually healthy" and "perceived as healthy".
Q4. How do customers perceive the positioning of a brand among its competitors? On which attributes is this brand a stronger or a weaker competitor? Why?
Customers perceive the positioning of a brand among its competitors by what factors stand out. Does one children's cereal stand out as a healthy option or does one healthy cereal stand out as more child-friendly? Brands that are stronger competitors will stand out more in a greater variety of ways - a cereal using marketing tactics to appeal to children that can prove actual health benefits will be a very strong competitor, while a cereal that markets based on only one of these attributes will be a weaker competitor. The consumer does not want to research the product to find which is better based on minimal differences, so they will choose a product that stands out in obvious ways. Additionally, the products that are most in the center of a perceptual map (appeal to more groups of people) will probably see greater sales.



For background - there are three National Scenic Trails that are collectively known as the Triple Crown of long distance hiking. They are the Appalachian Trail (2189 miles), the Continental Divide Trail (3100 miles), and the Pacific Crest Trail (2650 miles). Each year, varying numbers of individuals will attempt to hike from one end to the other on each of these trails, but few will succeed. The Appalachian Trail is completed by the most people each year, with thousands of hikers starting and about 25% of these completing the trail (Appalachian Trail Conservancy, n.d.). The AT is less remote in many areas than the other two members of the Triple Crown, with easier access to water and resupply options. Because both the Pacific Crest Trail and the Continental Divide Trail traverse desert areas, it is more difficult for hikers to find water and resupply options.
My Google Map shows the proximity of major airports to the termini if the United States' triple crown of National Scenic Trails - The Appalachian Trail, Continental Divide Trail, and Pacific Crest Trail. The proximity of these airports shows which hubs should be allocating resources towards marketing to thru-hikers. While the Continental Divide Trail and Pacific Crest Trail serve smaller populations, thousands of individuals will attempt to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail every year, a significant market segment for smaller airports such as Bangor International. I chose this topic because I am an aspiring Triple Crown hiker - I'm starting my thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail this May, and plan to keep knocking one out every time I'm able until I've done all three!
The termini of the AT are Springer Mountain in Georgia and Mt. Katahdin in Maine, nearest to Atlanta Int'l Airport and Bangor Int'l Airport, respectively. The PCT stretches from the US/Mexico border in California all the way across the US/Canada border north of Washington, and the CDT traverses from Crazy Cook Monument in New Mexico to the US/Canada Border in Glacier National Park (MT). The travel plans of PCT and CDT hikers tend to vary more than those of AT hikers - since a smaller number of individuals will attempt these trails each year, there's less of a set way of doing things. I've shown on the map which airports are closest in each state, but some hikers do choose to fly into a neighboring state or travel via bus or train instead of flying. This map is meant merely to demonstrate which airports have a unique market segment that they should consider trying to appeal to.

1. The Appalachian Trail Conservancy. Thru Hiking. n.d., accessed 3/23/2018. http://www.appalachiantrail.org/home/explore-the-trail/thru-hiking

Week 6 Discussion

1.      What is the difference between inbound marketing and outbound marketing? Among the sponsored brands (or brands who use outbound marketing strategies), which brand(s) get(s) the best visibility? Why?

Inbound marketing strategy targets a certain demographic. Marketers must figure out who is purchasing the product and who is likely to purchase the product in order to market directly to them. Outbound marketing is broadcast to everyone – these wide broadcasts mean that the target demographic doesn’t need to be determined, but marketers have to put in the work to get the message across to all groups. Many local businesses use outbound marketing tactics such as radio commercials or trade shows.

2.      Among the non-sponsored brands (or brands who use inbound marketing strategies), which brand(s) get(s) the best visibility? Why?

Brands like Gainful (who sell dietary supplements like protein powder) who advertise on social media and use blogs to explain and promote their products while providing interesting content are successful inbound marketers. They have determined their target audience, and are generating new interest as well.

3.      What do you think are some “core brand values” held by Olympics event/organization? Do any of the sponsors have good online/offline brand alignment?

The core brand values of most Olympic sponsors seem to be ease of use and high reward for use of the product. Intel has great online/offline brand alignment – their products are accessible online and in stores, and their brand is represented evenly in all situations.

4.      How do you feel about the Twitter content being produced by @NBCOlympics (the official broadcast partner)? Can you find an example Tweet that resonates with you?

I think that @NBCOlympics has done a great job of creating content that appeals to consumers who use twitter. By using common post formats and slang, the page makes the content relatable and funny and makes Twitter users curious to find more information about the Olympics. My favorite recent Tweet featured a medalist with lyrics from the song “Jump” altered to apply to winning a gold medal!

Discussion Questions for Week 6 - Section 2

Discussion Questions: The Culture Map provides a new way forward, with vital insights for working effectively. How do you analyze the positioning of one culture relative to another? Please give one example on the marketing implications for doing business with a culture different from yours?  Discuss how leadership, culture & processes, and organizational design impact your culture. Please try to use the Culture Map to address the business issues in the following case studies. Refer to the concepts and theories in Chapter 8 when possible.

When doing business with a different culture it is important to research their customs and business models. It is possible for a seemingly harmless advertisement to come across as highly offensive, or for a business model to be a flop because it doesn’t cater to the priorities of the people in that area.

Week 5 Discussion

Discussion Questions – Week 5

Initial Blog Post - Due time: Friday at 11:00 pm

Responses – Next Tuesday at 11:00 pm

Each piece of marketing theory or concept is first introduced and explained in the context of a specific application.  Please use relevant concepts and theories from the textbook and give examples to support your argument.

Please read Chapter 6 before approaching the following discussion questions.

Part 1 (Q1-7): (Note – I have the sixth edition of McGraw Hill’s “Marketing” by Levy and Grewal rather than the fourth edition, so I’m unsure if the same product comparison and information was used)

1. Food packages have claims about taste, value, and nutritional information as well as information on the organic or conventional status of the product.

2. The Snapple tea mentioned early in the chapter claims to be natural – claims such as this lead to the idea that the product doesn’t contain highly processed or synthetic ingredients, meaning that they are healthier for consumers, however the Snapple tea in question does contain high fructose corn syrup. Labels such as “organic” or “natural” can be deceiving to the non-critical consumer.

3. Individuals who are concerned about their health, but perhaps are not the most critical consumers. They are willing to shell out more money for products that promise to be all natural or low fat, but may not spend time researching exactly what the benefits of the product are, and therefore won’t be likely to find out that their all-natural product contains not-so-natural ingredients.

4. Consumers favor products with packaging that sticks out from the rest. The example used in the book was a tube of Pringles – chips in a tube are less common than a shapeless bag, so Pringles stick out from the competition because the packaging doesn’t look the same.

5. Kashi certainly has the most public image for a nutritious product, with low fat, lots of fiber, little sugar, and plenty of protein. Grape Nuts have less fat, but less protein and more carbohydrates than Kashi. Cheerios have the same amount of fat, but less protein and fiber than Kashi. Overall, I would say that Kashi is the most nutritious.

6. At Walmart, Kashi cereal costs about $6, while Cheerios and Grape Nuts are closer to the $3-5 range.

7. A 2-for-$5 is more effective than $2.49 each. If you have a 2-for, you will almost guarantee that every customer will buy the multiple. Why? If purchasing two items guarantees that a consumer will pay a lower price for each than they would pay for the two individually, most consumers will purchase multiple because the lower price-per-item offsets the idea that they will be spending more money overall.

Part 2 (Q8): Please read Chapter 6 (i.e., 6.1 Ethical and societal dilemma) before approaching the following discussion question.

8. Gun owners absolutely should have to buy liability insurance. I believe this is the case because guns can cause an inexplicable amount of damage, and certainly need to be controlled much more than they currently are. I believe that liability insurance is a great idea for a way to control guns. If insurance companies had to offer insurance for gun owners, in order to reduce the risk of insuring this population the insurance companies would certainly lobby for more stringent requirements on gun ownership.

Part 3 (Q9-12): Please read Chapter 6 and the reading Prospect Theory before approaching the following discussion questions. You might also want to check out the following video if you prefer video-based learning:

9. When viewing advertisements in my daily life, I am careful to be aware that companies are only telling consumers what they want consumers to know. I never make decisions based on an advertisement alone, because obviously a company is not going to tell me about the flaws in their product or service.

10. With no context on what the numbers represent, I would choose option B because 3 is my favorite number.

11. The example of insurance is similar to the example of the warranty on the TV in the reading. Consumers will fail to take into account their future income, or their likelihood of actually needing to pay the deductible, choosing to pay a higher premium. I agree with the reasoning of paying a higher premium, but on a different basis. For me, it comes down to costs I expect and costs I do not expect. I would rather diminish unexpected costs that have the potential to derail my financial plans, even if it means expecting to pay a little more up front. I have had to pay the deductible on my car insurance twice, and both times I was very happy to have paid more up front to save money when I wasn’t expecting it.

12. In today’s technological age, new models of phones are always coming out. In advertisements, only the new features and improvements are mentioned, while many things remain the same from model to model. New features are seen as a gain, so whichever company advertises the most gains will likely see greater profits. Old features that are kept are not gains, they are just sticking to the status quo. These features won’t be mentioned in advertisements nearly as often because they just don’t bring in new consumers.

Week 4 Discussion

Q1. What consumer trends does Seventh Generation respond to most effectively?

Seventh Generation's marketing is based on consumer desires to purchase environmentally friendly products. As mentioned in the reading, the company is great at offering products that consumers want before they are even requested - Seventh Generation knows exactly what products their customers want. They are the dominant eco-friendly brand for most household cleaning products because of their excellent customer relations and superior goods.

Q2. Which consumer trends might it be missing?

While Seventh Generation offers excellent products, they do not offer budget products. More eco-friendly goods can often be more expensive to manufacture, however many consumers may not be able to afford Seventh Generation products on a regular basis despite wanting to do something good for the environment. I can speak for myself and say that I try to buy eco-friendly products as much as possible, but as a college student trying to save up money, it's hard to justify paying $2.97 compared to $0.99 for dish soap. Seventh Generation should either place more effort into providing affordable products, or into educating consumers on why it's worth paying the extra cost for eco-friendly goods.

Week 3 Discussion

Please read Chapter 3 and the report Customer Research using Market Basket Analysis - Unraveling-the-Customer-Mind (Cognizant) and answer the following questions:

1.       How did Kroger use the market basket analysis method?
Kroger used MBA to determine which items drew customers into stores and generated the most profit. to do this, they made up a matrix of all products that customers purchased, and compared which combinations were the most popular. They were then able to use this data to provide customized coupons and offers to their customers.

2.       Why is market basket analysis so popular in the retail industry?
In short, because it can help companies to generate more income. By advertising one item, or offering a certain discount, a company that has performed proper market basket analysis will be able to increase sales based on groups of items that are most commonly purchased together.

3.       How easy is it to run a market basket analysis?
Because most companies offer a wide variety of goods and services, market basket analysis can be a complicated process. By using computer algorithms to analyze patterns, the process is greatly simplified, however there is a vast amount of data to consider.

4.       Which method was introduced in the report?
Kroger created a three dimensional co-occurrence matrix to analyze which combinations of goods were purchased together most frequently.

5.       Based on your shopping experience or direct observation, which Maine-based grocery store is the best player in market basket analysis? Why? Use pictures if you can.
While I may not have a great picture of the situation, as I do most of my grocery shopping at Hannaford, I think that they have a great method of market basket analysis. It seems like anything that I might consider buying is conveniently placed just when I'm thinking about it as I walk through the store, and many of the coupons or sales that they offer would pair very well with another item. Today I noticed that the brand of tortilla I prefer was on display at the end of the aisle where beans, salsa, and other ingredients I would choose to put in a burrito are sold in addition to the display in the bread aisle where I usually find them. An example of MBA based more on discounts than display locations is the new My Hannaford Rewards app - upon downloading the app, I was offered a variety of coupons for free items, however, most of the items were something that would either require another purchase with them for the meal to make sense, or they were items that would put the idea of something more in a consumer's head. 

Please read Chapter 4 and the News release: The food and beverage industry is marketing our children and youth to death and answer the following questions:

6.       Who should be responsible for the overconsumption of sugar?
Companies that market processed and unhealthy foods to children are certainly responsible for the unhealthy diets those children will learn to follow. It is unfair for the food and beverage industry to market this way to children, causing either an unhealthy diet or conflict within families if parents won't give in.

7.       Do you believe if the government should regulate the sugar advertising?

Yes. I believe that all advertising targeted towards minors should be regulated by the government, because currently many harmful products and lifestyle choices can be marketed to people of all ages and backgrounds. Children in particular are susceptible to the advertisements around them, so products that have been shown to have negative effects on health should not be marketed directly to children.

8.       Identify the stages in the ethical decision-making framework in Chapter 4 and describe how ethics can be integrated into the snack industry’s advertising strategy?
The first step is identifying what decision must be made - here, should harmful products be marketed to vulnerable children? Step 2 is research - find out what is at stake, who stands to gain and who stands to lose from any possible outcome. Here, the food and beverage industry is a stakeholder, as are children and families. The third step involves considering any alternative choices, and taking time to think about the impact of the decision. In this situation, we can contemplate whether there is, in fact, a happy medium. Maybe we can outlaw certain marketing strategies, or mandate that food and beverage companies must also market healthy lifestyle choices such as exercise or spending time outdoors along with their harmful products. The fourth and final step is to choose a course of action. As I have stated, I believe that government interference is necessary for the question at hand, however others may feel differently.

Google Trends: Searches for Crossfit over the past twelve months

For this project, I used Google Trends to determine which of Crossfit's competitive worldwide events in 2017 sparked the most searches. I compared the terms "Crossfit" (blue), "Crossfit Open" (red), "Crossfit Regionals" (green), and "Crossfit Games" (yellow) for all web searches worldwide in the past 12 months. For reference, the Crossfit Open is the worldwide qualifier for the next two stages of worldwide competition - most Crossfitters will participate, so even those individuals who don't qualify to move on will get a good idea of how they measure up in the sport as a whole. This event begins in late February, with one workout released each Thursday for five weeks. Regionals are the next step in the process - the top 40 male and female athletes as well as top 40 teams in each of the eight regions go to competitions in May and June, and the top ranking individuals and teams (a different number in each region) will go on to the Crossfit Games in August, where they will compete for the title of Fittest on Earth.

Overall, "Crossfit" is a much more popular search term than any of the individual events, with year round popularity and spikes during each of the major events. During the Crossfit Games and Crossfit Regionals, "Crossfit Games" is the most popular of the remaining terms, while "Crossfit Open" barely surpasses it during the Open. "Crossfit Open" peaks during the Open, of course, and becomes a hair more popular during the Games. Finally, "Crossfit Regionals" accounts for an insignificant number of searches, except after the Open when qualifiers are announced and during Regionals - however, "Crossfit Games" is more popular during Regionals than searches for the event itself.

It makes sense that Crossfit-related search terms would become more popular during worldwide Crossfit events - because the Games is certainly the most publicized, and probably the only event that members of the general public who are not involved in Crossfit will follow at all, its popularity is natural as more individuals are likely to perform a "Crossfit Games" web search rather than a search for any other specific event. Additionally, the Open and Regionals are run out of the same website as the Games, so searches from one will often lead to information about both. Regionals are less publicized both in and out of the Crossfit community, so the term is unlikely to garner many searches year round, and because of the way the competition cycle works, searches for "Crossfit Games" will lead to information about Regionals as well. Of course, "Crossfit" is the most popular term because it applies not only to whatever phase of the competition season is currently happening, but to all individuals curious about the sport, trying to find workouts, or trying to locate a gym near them.