South Coast Energy Challenge - Rewards Group

REWARDS PROGRAM 

SUMMARY:  The group that I was working with for the SouthCoast Energy Challenge was the Rewards Group.  Our objective was to develop a rewards program that would incentivize customers to take the Challenge to go green.  We knew from the start that this would be a difficult task.  Mercy explained to us that in the past they have tried to create Rewards Programs but continuously failed because they were mostly relying on partnered companies.  Their plan for us was to create our own rewards program not linked to any other companies using as little money as possible.

REASON:  The SouthCoast Energy Challenge is trying to create a rewards program to get more people to go green and take the challenge.   For customers who already took the challenge, we wanted to give them incentive to come back and take further actions.  We planned to ask local businesses for coupons and or discounts that we would be able to give out to customers who took the challenge.  The rewards program is both beneficial to the people who take the challenge and the companies who sponsor it.  The rewards program is a way for the SouthCoast Energy Challenge to give back to the people who actually took time out of their day to take the challenge and go green.

PURPOSE:  The purpose of the rewards program is for when people do take the challenge they have something to give back to them.  Although in the long run, when they take the challenge, they will be saving money by using energy efficient products, the rewards program will give them a quick incentive to come back for more.  Everyone likes “free” products, coupons and discounts, so if they know they can take the challenge and get one of those in return they most likely will be more willing to take the challenge.  Then they find out that the added bonus is saving overall money throughout the year.  The rewards program purpose is to get people to come back and take further steps towards going greener in their house.  The purpose of us to take on the difficult task of creating a rewards program was for us gain real life experience of working for a company.  I feel that this project was to show us that working in a company setting is a lot different than in school.  There isn't a lot of right and wrong answers and sometimes you have to try something multiple times to get it right.  Also I feel that this project wanted to show us that communication is a huge issue in the business world.  Building a rewards program gave me a lot of experience with working for a business although we didn't complete the project the way we wished it was completed.

DIRECTION:  While trying to create a rewards program that we think would be successful over many years, we had many different ideas.  At first we considered giving little green flags to every customer who took the challenge with the SouthCoast Energy Challenge logo on them to put on their lawn.  We thought that this would help catch peoples attention and have them wonder ‘what are those’ and ‘how can I get one’.  We quickly realized that our idea would be more of a long-term project and since we only had a half of a semester, we decided to take the rewards program in a different direction.  We then decided to go to local businesses and ask them if they were willing to give us coupons and or discounts for people who singed up for the program.  We thought that this was a simpler task and more realistic in the short time period that we had.

EXPERIENCES:  Overall, I thought that this project was a great real life experience.  I realized that things are much more difficult in real life then in a school setting.  Throughout this project, I had a lot of trouble getting in touch with Mercy.  Each time I emailed her it would take her at least a month to respond back.  We couldn’t go to different companies or do much else without her agreeing to what we plan to do.  The companies that we did go to said that we didn’t have enough information to give to them.  This was part Mercy’s fault also because she was supposed to email us a letter of what the SouthCoast energy challenge was about so we could give it to the companies to explain what our incentive was.  At times I would get frustrated because it was hard for our group to move forward without hearing from her.  Although we ran out of time and could not completely finish the project, I feel that if Mercy keeps implementing the steps that we planned, the rewards program would eventually be successful.  

Essay 3A Branding

Essay 3A

Branding – Apple

 THE QUESTION: Define what branding is and it’s importance to these products.  How have these companies’ brands been solidified (solid) or fortified (make something stronger) through the effective use of both traditional offline and emerging online marketing and media?

  

PART ONE:

SUMMARY: While answering this question, I realized that Apple is one of the most known brands out there.  It is such a simple picture, but mostly everyone who sees the Apple logo knows what it stands for.  I also noticed how important branding is since most people are able to tell a company by their logo, no matter how simple or elaborate it is.  Branding is a very useful and common way to help companies market to get their name heard.

REASON:  This question was asked so we could understand how much of an impact branding has on marketing.   I think you also wanted us to realize that most companies are known just by looking at their logo.  In marketing we learn that a product must have something to catch peoples attention and stand out to them and branding is a key way in doing so.

PURPOSE:  I think the main purpose of you asking us this question was for us to think about why branding is so important in marketing and why it’s essential for companies to market their brand so persistently.  I also feel like you wanted us to recognize that you don’t need a fancy complex logo to get your band out there.

DIRECTION:  I used the Internet to get all my research on this topic.  I found various websites and blogs that talked about Apple and their logo.  When I first started my research I was mostly looking at how Apple came out with an apple as their logo and “Apple” as their name.  But then as my research progressed I started focusing on how the Apple Brand became so well known and how they market their products.

IMPRESSIONS: A surprise that I had while doing research on Apple was where their name actually came from.  I was shocked that Steve Jobs used to work at an Apple farm, thought apples were the perfect fruit and admired the Beatles Apple record label.  So when the deadline was coming up and he needed a name for the company, he was eating an apple and decided the company would be called Apple.  I was shocked that such a common fruit could become such a successful company. (http://www.maxintosh.org/reviewsnews/2010/7/12/how-did-apple-get-its-name-and-that-logo.html)

PART TWO:

ANSWER:

Creating a product that has a well-known brand helps increase the popularity of that product.  The purpose of a branding is to get your customers to see you as the best and only choice that provides a solution to what they need.   The American Marketing Association defines a brand as a customers experience represented by a collection of images and ideas; it often refers to a symbol such as a name, logo, and slogan and design scheme. (http://www.marketingpower.com/_layouts/Dictionary.aspx?dLetter=B)  When a product has a popular brand name, most consumers view that product as being most reliable and having better quality, when in reality they’re probably the exact same product.  Most people are willing to pay more for a brand name product when they could get the same product for cheaper.  Over the years, Apple has created a very simple yet successful brand name and logo that is associated with extremely reliable products.

When Steve Jobs, the former owner of Apple, was trying to create a name for his company he was around apples a lot.  He was working on an apple farm, was a fruitarian and also loved the Beatles record label, which was also named Apple.  The day he needed the name because the deadline was coming up, he couldn’t seem to think of anything better but the name “Apple”.  He thought that it was ‘fun, spirited and not intimidating’.  (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_Inc.)  Apple Inc is an excellent example of how you don’t have to have a complex logo to make your brand popular and stand out next to others.  In reality, the simpler the logo is, the easier it is for people to remember.  Apple Inc’s logo is a silhouette of an apple with a bite taken out of it, yet when most people see if they immediately think of Apple, Inc.  Over the years, the Apple logo has changed color, but has always been the same picture.  The Apple brand helps Apple, Inc compete in numerous competitive markets, including the computer industry, electronics, digital music, magazines, books, games, tablets and most recently cell phones.  (http://www.marketingminds.com.au/branding/apple_branding_strategy.html) 

Branding and trustworthy products have played a huge part in Apples success.  When people hear of the brand “Apple”, the first thing that comes to their heads usually is extremely reliable.  They are so reliable that when someone has their first Apple they will always look to Apple for future purchases.  Apple has done a great job in reinforcing their products and adapting to customers needs.  When you walk into an Apple store there is always someone at the front door asking what you are looking for.  Also, throughout the store there are numerous electronic devices that you can test out to see if you truly like the product that you are buying.  When you walk into the Apple store you immediately feel like you are going to get the best and newest technological product out with great support from the tech crew to help you understand the product.

Apple has made many strategic moves over the past several years that have made them the top competitor in the technology world.  Apple products are known as cool and futuristic which grabs consumer’s attention.  “When you hear some marketers talk about Apple, you hear about emotive benefits associated with the brand: the cool design aesthetic, the imagery in the advertising, and the sense of community evoked by seeing people you respect with Apple products.”  (http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2011/07/the-secret-to-apples-marketing-genius-hint-its-not-marketing/241724/)  Apple seems to always be one step ahead of technological changes that helps grabs customers attention because everyone always wants “the new cool technology” before their friends can get it.

One of the first things that Apple did that brought them to become one of the top competitors was when they created the iPod.  At the time of the iPods, mp3 players were the newest and coolest music player.  As the mp3 player fad was dying Apple came out with the iPod, which had a cool TV screen and was extremely simple to use.  When people were introduced to the iPod, they wouldn’t settle for anything less than that anymore, including their old mp3 players.

Apple followed up their success with the iPod with their computer brand known as Macintosh.   They benefitted through the “Halo” effect to help market their product.  “In advertising terms this is when one product or brand from a company benefits in sales from a 2nd product or ad campaign from the same company.”  (http://seekingalpha.com/article/74064-apple-s-branding-strategy-delivers-superior-results)  When the Macintosh computers came out, customers knew how reliable their iPods were and how cool and technology superior than other products.  So when the Macintosh computers came out, everyone wanted to get one.  They were known to rarely get virus and are fast working computers, which they are still to this day.  Soon after their computers became popular Apple released the iPhone.  Everyone had to get his or her hands on the iPhone because it was the most up-to-date technological phone.  Through branding, Apple has solidified their products by being known has having the newest technological products that are most reliable with great customer service.   The Apple crew is always looking out for customer needs and trying to create the best products for Apple users.   

Essay 1B Competition

Essay 1B

Competition - McDonalds vs. Burger King

THE QUESTION: Define what market competition is and how it pertains to any one or all of these rivalries.  How are these rivalries reflected through the effective use of both traditional offline and emerging online marketing and media?

Part One:

SUMMARY: While attempting to answer this question I noticed that almost all big businesses have a major competitor.  I never noticed or even thought about a businesses competitor while shopping at a business.  It made me wonder why I choose one place over the other since I never sat down to think about which one I liked more.

 

REASON:  I feel that you asked us this question because you wanted us to think about how business use marketing to grab peoples attention.  I think that you also want us to realize how much online marketing is capturing people’s attention more so than offline marketing.  With rapid change of technology these days, I feel that it is very important for marketing to stay ahead of the technology so businesses can advertise the best way possible. 

PURPOSE:  I believe the purpose of this question was for us to realize how marketing effects us everyday as much as we don’t realize it or think about it.  Marketing is all around us and is used in so many various ways each day. 

DIRECTION:  While beginning to do research on the topic of market competition and rivalries I started my searches on the Internet.  All my ideas and information came from various articles and blogs on numerous websites.  During my research I noticed that there isn’t as much information on market competition as I thought there would be.  I feel that a lot of the stuff I already knew because of common knowledge.

IMPRESSIONS:  Something that surprised me while doing research that I will never forget was that every business, no matter how big or small they are has a competitor that they market against.  I always felt that a small entrepreneurship never had a big competitor but in reality every small business does.

Part Two:

ANSWER:  There is market competition within all businesses.  Market competition is a competition in which individuals and firms strive for a greater share of market to sell or buy goods and services.  Each company has a rival they compete against although some are more intense than others.  When reading this question I decided to focus my research on McDonalds vs. Burger King.  I have always heard that people say they like McDonalds fries but Burger Kings burgers better, which made me wonder if marketing had anything to do with that.

There is no question that McDonalds and Burger King compete against each other since they sell similar products, yet there are other business that they compete against also like Wendy’s and Subway.  The picture below shows how much money in advertisements the following companies spend in a year.

The chart clearly shows that McDonalds overall spends more money on both regular ad’s and TV ads combined.  A big part of McDonalds customers is from children begging their parents to take them to McDonalds for the toy.  McDonalds always had Disney and Barbie toys while Burger King had generic toys that didn’t attract children’s attention.  I have also noticed that McDonalds has been big on advertising there salads to attract the ‘healthy fast food eaters’ while Burger King promotes there double stacked burgers and unhealthy food.

Burger King has tried many different marketing strategies trying to get there products out there and known.  They advertise on twitter, Facebook, myspace, commercials and more.  Burger King has also been known for having a celebrity spokesperson to pitch there products in ads.  Another way Burger King has marketed themselves is through media tie-ins.  "The Burger King" has showed up in many different movies and shows like Star Wars and The Simpsons.  Even with them just having the Burger King make an appearance in a show helps market there product.

Similar to Burger King, McDonald's has also had numerous celebrities help advertise them, although theres may have made a bigger impact on people because they used more famous people like Larry Bird, Michael Jordan, Yoa Ming, ect.  Starting in 2008, McDonald's also sponsors NASCAR which helped get there logo out to a bigger audience of people..  "McDonalds' racing not only sponsors NASCAR cars but also sponsors other racing series/divisons, including the #02 McDonald's car o Graham Rahal in the IndyCar Series."  Although McDonald's and Burger King have similar ways of marketing there product, they celebrities they use and the way they do it attract different audiences.

Both McDonalds and Burger King also have very catchy slogans that really catch peoples attention.  Thinking of McDonalds most people think of the quote “I’m lovin’ it” while the same goes for Burger Kings quote “have it your way”.  These two quotes attract many peoples attention.  I feel that the quote “I’m lovin’ it” attracts more peoples attention then “have it your way”, just because I feel that you can also order food the way you want it at McDonalds.  Equally, they came up with very catchy slogans that people will remember forever.

Works Cited:

Chart from: http://www.burgerbusiness.com/?p=1505

http://www.bk.com/

http://www.mcdonalds.com/us/en/home.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burger_King_advertising
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McDonald's_advertising