Week 8 EOC: Creative Content

In order to successfully advertise and market Cherry Poppers, the new and delicious chocolate snack, using my own skills and expertise in my area, I will be creating an exciting, intriguing, thriving sensual radio spot that will attract the listener to indulge in the sweet and creamy world that is Cherry Poppers. The radio spot will need an image to represent the product since the audio will be uploaded to both YouTube and Soundcloud with personalized accounts for the product. First off, I must design a logo that will represent the product thoroughly. Elegant, sweet, and soft to the senses is what the logo must communicate. The logo will feature the cherry oozing its chocolaty center and covered in roasted nuts and almonds. Displaying the elegance in the logo is of utter importance because that is what we are trying to communicate; this is a snack that is an alternative to the cliché snacks one enjoys while drinking wine. In the background of the cherry, there will be a bottle and a glass of wine and in the far back there will be the silhouette of a couple dancing, unfocused. The radio spot has to attract the wine connoisseur and attack its elegance “meter” in a positive way. It needs to also attract the active chocolate lover. "Lifestyle is a person’s pattern of living as expressed in his or her psychographics. It involves measuring consumers’ major AIO dimensions—activities (work, hobbies, shopping, sports, social events), interests (food, fashion, family, recreation), and opinions (about themselves, social issues, business, products)." Armstrong/Kotler – Marketing: An Introduction for Education Management Corporation, 10th Edition page 147. So a sweet, melodic, and gentle voice will advertise Cherry Poppers in a way that the listener feels comfortable when listening about this product. A soft and jazzy ambience in the background will give a listener the image of how the product is supposed to make you feel when enjoying it.

Final Project: Implementation Evaluation Control

“Companies generally create yearly marketing plans, although some plans cover a longer period. Marketers start planning well in advance of the implementation date to allow time for marketing research, thorough analysis, management review, and coordination between departments. Then, after each action program begins, marketers monitor ongoing results, compare them with projections, analyze any differences, and take corrective steps as needed. Some marketers also prepare contingency plans for implementation if certain conditions emerge. Because of inevitable and sometimes unpredictable environmental changes, marketers must be ready to update and adapt marketing plans at any time.” (Marketing: An Introduction Armstrong/Kotler Appendix 1 pg. MP2) Once Cherry Poppers has been out in the market for a year, a new marketing strategy that assesses the current status of our product shall be developed. Depending on the stage of the life cycle our product is we will then change our pricing from a good-value pricing to a complete value-based pricing creating a larger income. Transitioning from radio spots to television ads that portray the elegance of Cherry Poppers. Slowly moving from a centered demographic to a larger and expanding target market that not only encompasses middle-aged single women but also married and younger women living in areas ranging from the city to the suburbs. “For effective implementation and control, the marketing plan should define how progress toward objectives will be measured. Managers typically use budgets, schedules, and performance standards for monitoring and evaluating results. With budgets, they can compare planned expenditures with actual expenditures for a given week, month, or other period." (Marketing: An Introduction Armstrong/Kotler Appendix 1 pg. MP2) In order to complete an effective and successful implementation and control of Cherry Poppers in the marketplace, measures and research shall be performed. In order to see progress in the products maturity, there has to be a 5% revenue over budget, that way we may know that our product is in a stable, healthy, and promising stage of its life cycle. "Schedules allow management to see when tasks were supposed to be completed—and when they were actually completed. Performance standards track the outcomes of marketing programs to see whether the company is moving toward its objectives. Some examples of performance standards are: market share, sales volume, product profitability, and customer satisfaction.” (Marketing: An Introduction Armstrong/Kotler Appendix 1 pg. MP2)

Final Project: Price

“Recent economic events have caused a fundamental shift in consumer attitudes toward price and quality. In response, many companies have changed their pricing approaches to bring them into line with changing economic conditions and consumer price perceptions. More and more, marketers have adopted good-value pricing strategies—offering just the right combination of quality and good service at a fair price.” (Marketing: An Introduction Armstrong/Kotler Chapter 9 pg. 277) Offering a good-value pricing communicates to our customers that our pricing represents a fair estimate of the value our product provides. The services as well as the benefits from Cherry Poppers are grand but we must not compensate this by raising our prices. We want to maintain a fair and just price on Cherry Poppers in order to create a clear and honest relationship with the consumer. “Value-based pricing doesn’t mean simply charging what customers want to pay or setting low prices to meet the competition. Instead, many companies adopt value-added pricing strategies. Rather than cutting prices to match competitors, they attach value-added features and services to differentiate their offers and thus support higher prices.” (Marketing: An Introduction Armstrong/Kotler Chapter 9 pg. 278) After Cherry Poppers has been successfully introduced into the market and has seen continuous growth and is up to the point of the decline of the Product Life Cycle, it can adapt a value-based pricing. Up to this point our product might have a steady consumer base and we can take the liberty of pricing Cherry Poppers based on its value, services, and benefits it brings to the consumer. It might be a risky decision but tedious market research will be made before beginning with this new pricing strategy.

Final Project: Distribution

“Producing a product or service and making it available to buyers requires building relationships not just with customers, but also with key suppliers and resellers in the company’s supply chain. This supply chain consists of “upstream” and “downstream” partners. Upstream from the company is the set of firms that supply the raw materials, components, parts, information, finances, and expertise needed to create a product or service. Marketers, however, have traditionally focused on the “downstream” side of the supply chain—on the marketing channels (or distribution channels) that look toward the customer. Downstream marketing channel partners, such as wholesalers and retailers, form a vital connection between the firm and its customers.” (Marketing: An Introduction Armstrong/Kotler Chapter 10 pg. 311) In order to distribute Cherry Poppers correctly and in a successful way in order to reach our target customers, we must build strong professional relationships with our suppliers. Marketers focus mostly on “downstream” partners, when in fact “upstream” partners are what give birth to our product and without them we are hopeless. So it is of utter importance to eradicate this gap so it becomes non-existent and thus avoiding further obstacles preventing Cherry Poppers from reaching our key demographic. “Between intensive and exclusive distribution lies selective distribution—the use of more than one, but fewer than all, of the intermediaries who are willing to carry a company’s products. Most television, furniture, and home appliance brands are distributed in this manner. For example, Whirlpool and General Electric sell their major appliances through dealer networks and selected large retailers." (Marketing: An Introduction Armstrong/Kotler Chapter 10 pg. 324) By approaching distribution through selective distribution communicates to our customers that our product is exclusively selected. This is important because it creates a sense of exclusivity to our customers thus increasing the need for buying it. "By using selective distribution, they can develop good working relationships with selected channel members and expect a better-than-average selling effort. Selective distribution gives producers good market coverage with more control and less cost than does intensive distribution.” (Marketing: An Introduction Armstrong/Kotler Chapter 10 pg. 324)

Final Project: Promotion

“Above all else, new-product development must be customer-centered. When looking for and developing new products, companies often rely too heavily on technical research in their R&D labs. But like everything else in marketing, successful new-product development begins with a thorough understanding of what consumers need and value. Customer-centered new-product development focuses on finding new ways to solve customer problems and create more customer-satisfying experiences.” (Marketing: An Introduction Armstrong/Kotler Chapter 8 pg. 253) In order to properly promote Cherry Poppers I must focus on what I’m trying to channel through my product. This message is the experience the customer is supposed to feel and to eradicate the problem the customer encounters when choosing an adequate treat whilst enjoying a fine wine. That is our main objective with Cherry Poppers: To create a unique and original experience. “Each category involves specific promotional tools used to communicate with consumers. For example, advertising includes broadcast, print, Internet, outdoor, and other forms. Sales promotion includes discounts, coupons, displays, and demonstrations. Personal selling includes sales presentations, trade shows, and incentive programs. Public relations includes press releases, sponsorships, special events, and Web pages. And direct marketing includes catalogs, telephone marketing, kiosks, the Internet, mobile, and more.” (Marketing: An Introduction Armstrong/Kotler Chapter 12 pg. 377) A plethora of promotional tools shall be used to successfully promote Cherry Poppers, the first one being radio spots to introduce it to a specific target market, rather than broadcasting to a larger audience and thus making it more difficult to truly build a fundament to stand on. It would also be a viable way to promote Cherry Poppers in special wine tasting events, book releases, and other leisure-related events that many wine indulgers might specifically attend to. This should really begin building a concurrent base of consumers.

Final Project: Product

5

Final Project: Situation or SWOT Analysis

“The marketer should conduct a SWOT analysis, by which it evaluates the company’s overall strengths (S), weaknesses (W), opportunities (O), and threats (T).” (Marketing: An Introduction, Armstrong & Kotler, Pg. 55) Having to create a SWOT analysis for your business is of utter importance and should bring to the light the real strong and fragile points of the same. A strength (S) my company has is its uniqueness in its field. There aren’t many sweet treats that accompany wine so good and that it compliments it greatly. A weakness (W) my product may face is its lack of knowledge from part of the consumer. A consumer might feel uneasy trying this new sweet-tasting product simply because of its originality.  An opportunity (O) that presents my product to the table is the opportunity to create a new and wide-range market for new sweet treats. A market that has yet to be tested may also become a multi-million dollar industry. A threat (T) my product will face is  its unpopularity because of it being new, but it may also face a rapid growth in competitors and thus creating the theft of the new idea.  “The company should analyze its markets and marketing environment to find attractive opportunities and identify environmental threats. It should analyze company strengths and weaknesses as well as current and possible marketing actions to determine which opportunities it can best pursue." (Marketing: An Introduction, Armstrong & Kotler, Pg. 56)  The ability to create a new product in a new and undiscovered industry is the rising popularity and trends it can set off. But, the counterparts of these benefits are the unsure attitude many customers can show just because of it not being tested yet in the market thoroughly. It’s a hit or miss. "The goal is to match the company’s strengths to attractive opportunities in the environment, while eliminating or overcoming the weaknesses and minimizing the threats. Marketing analysis provides inputs to each of the other marketing management functions.” (Marketing: An Introduction, Armstrong & Kotler, Pg. 56)

Final Project: Target Market Strategy

“Geographic segmentation calls for dividing the market into different geographical units such as nations, regions, states, counties, cities, or even neighborhoods. A company may decide to operate in one or a few geographical areas, or to operate in all areas but pay attention to geographical differences in needs and wants.” (Marketing: An Introduction Armstrong/Kotler pg. 177) In order for Cherry Poppers to grow in a healthy and profitable environment, it has to be targeted to a specific market. Segmentation is a great strategy to use when defining in what market the product must enter in order for it to have a future and reach a maturity stage. Cherry Poppers will be targeted to mostly young adult women to middle-aged women who are between the ages of 28 and 45 who currently live in large metropolitan and suburban areas. “Demographic segmentation divides the market into segments based on variables such as age, gender, family size, family life cycle, income, occupation, education, religion, race, generation, and nationality. Demographic factors are the most popular bases for segmenting customer groups. One reason is that consumer needs, wants, and usage rates often vary closely with demographic variables.” (Marketing: An Introduction Armstrong/Kotler pg. 177) Why this specific group? To be honest, people ingest alcoholic beverages and eat in excess mostly in times of emotional turmoil and need to express or release their emotions in some way. Women are more emotional to men and women between this age range are most likely to be facing problems that make their lives seem unstable and worrying, ranging from sentimental to financial, that directly influence their ingest of alcohol and treats. Psychological distresses such as middle-age crisis also play a role in most subjects in this age group. It sure is a crude and raw approach to this target market strategy but I need to keep an objective view in order for my product to succeed.

Final Project: Objectives

“The company needs to turn its mission into detailed supporting objectives for each level of management. Each manager should have objectives and be responsible for reaching them. For example, Kohler makes and markets familiar kitchen and bathroom fixtures—everything from bathtubs and toilets to kitchen sinks. But Kohler also offers a breadth of other products and services, including furniture, tile and stone, and even small engines and backup power systems. It also owns resorts and spas in the United States and Scotland. Kohler ties this diverse product portfolio together under the mission of “contributing to a higher level of gracious living for those who are touched by our products and services.” (Marketing: An Introduction Armstrong/Kotler Chapter 2 pg. 41) Our company’s objective is to bring the customer the unique experience of indulging in a guilt-free pleasure. To indulge the customer into the benefits, not only emotional but physical benefits, that make Cherry Poppers so great. Treat the customer with the best service to create value for our name and value. “This broad mission leads to a hierarchy of objectives, including business objectives and marketing objectives. Kohler’s overall objective is to build profitable customer relationships by developing efficient yet beautiful products that embrace the “essence of gracious living.” It does this by investing heavily in research and design (R&D).” (Marketing: An Introduction Armstrong/Kotler Chapter 2 pg. 43) Through research and design, we shall build profitable customer relationships by always giving the customer the exclusivity of having personal service and the quality of our product which is designed to bring the very best to every table.

Final Project: Business Mission Statement

"A mission statement is a statement of the organization’s purpose—what it wants to accomplish in the larger environment. A clear mission statement acts as an “invisible hand” that guides people in the organization." Armstrong/Kotler Marketing: An Introduction for Education Management Corporation page 39 Our business mission statement is to create the alternative road to wine snacking. Rather than it just being a product, it shall be a service that some people may find in other places. A comforting hug and uplifting feeling is what Cherry Poppers has in mind. "The mission should focus on customers and the customer experience the company seeks to create." Armstrong/Kotler Marketing: An Introduction for Education Management Corporation page 41 The ultimate companion to wine snacks that not only distracts the consumer from its troubles, but gives him or her the uplift he or she needs. Bring uniqueness and fresh feel to the dull and cliché wine and cheese, Cherry Poppers is here to entice you in its comforting arms. “We define a product as anything that can be offered to a market for attention, acquisition, use, or consumption that might satisfy a want or need. Products include more than just tangible objects, such as cars, computers, or cell phones. Broadly defined, “products” also include services, events, persons, places, organizations, ideas, or mixes of these. Throughout this text, we use the term product broadly to include any or all of these entities.” Armstrong/Kotler Marketing: An Introduction for Education Management Corporation page 209 Our sole business mission statement is to provide a beneficial service to the consumer. Reward the consumer with both emotional and physical health. Health that Cherry Poppers offers through its handpicked cherries, which provide the consumer with anti-inflammatory benefits, reduced pain from gout and arthritis and an extensive list of heart health benefits, the antioxidants that only quality chocolate can provide, and the reduced heart diseases nuts can help you avoid. So not only does Cherry Poppers provide the service of good heart health, it also provides the feel-good emotional health one might need when indulging in these snacks. Cherry Poppers is dedicated to bring a happy consumer more happiness and ease of mind. Cherry Poppers is more than a product, it’s a service.

Week 7 EOC: The Pitch

Chocolate-filled cherries covered in nuts and almonds, Cherry Poppers, the perfect wine snack. Whenever people are feeling down and about, they usually resort to alcohol; this snack would go well with a glass of wine and each wrapper, besides being edible, would have an uplifting and short message. Since there has been a breakthrough in beer snacks and beer-flavored snacks, why not go the other way around and do something fancier. Wine enthusiasts sometimes find themselves at a crossroads when trying to accompany their beverage with a simple snack instead of a complete meal. Many take the normal and cliché road of wine and cheese. Cherry Poppers are an exception to that solution to wine lovers who want a different experience. Many wine purists may argue and hate the idea of wine combined with chocolate because they say after such a treat, nothing quite tastes the same. Who cares what wine purists say? You’ve had wine and chocolate, you have been completely satisfied in a way many dream of. What makes this sweet and creamy snack different from other alcoholic snacks is the unique feel of emotional soothing one gets when opening and reading the short but sweet and uplifting message or saying from famous people. One can indulge in the sweet taste of the wrapper too. The wrapper? Indeed, an edible wrapper, a feature, which makes it easier to truly get involved with the unique emotional experience, the experience one truly needs. The somewhat bitter and dry taste wine leaves on our taste buds, especially red wine, might really need an uplifting turn. Elaborated with the finest European chocolate, handpicked and naturally grown Bing cherries, and fine and roasted nuts and almonds. This twist and twirl of sweet, salty, and creamy characteristics is sure to take the wine enthusiast into a trip to unexplored lands many have not experienced.

Week 6 EOC: Me Times Three

Many non-conformists may not agree and might not give in to the idea that some products define them, but one must understand that these products were made with one thing in mind, the consumer. So, whether someone accepts it or not, we are all consumers. The first product that defines me as a person might have to be my Technics turntable. I have been close to music and music has been part of my life ever since I was a little boy. The simple idea of having and owning a vinyl record makes me, as many other listeners, feel a lot more connected with the musical composition and the artist. The warm sound of LPs make me stay in sense with my roots and make me feel more real in a plastic world.

 

A human being without a voice is just another soul in the world. Voice does not have to be literally the sound of your voice. It can be through sight, smell, touch, and taste, but it has to be a unique idea from your being; that is a voice. My MXL microphone is what truly defines the fact that I am able to express my ideas, opinions, and feelings through clear sound. I have the ability to record my voice and print it forever to echo through time.

What truly brought me into the world of audio and music a decade ago is what really matters. Without this product I would not have stumbled into my passion and into a world of dreams and aspirations. Without my DW Ice White drum set I would still be a lost soul with probably a dead-end and unfulfilling job living a dull and boring life. I owe my life and happiness to this instrument that my own father introduced me to on that first drum lesson, how to correctly grab a drumstick.

Week 5 EOC: Social Networks and Job Hunting

As a hardcore advocate of user privacy, I find that Facebook has now become merely a database for personal information ready to be handed to companies, agencies, groups, and organizations for the right amount of money. Although I do believe that Facebook has now become a cursed blessing. It is a curse because of the former statement in which Facebook has been rumored to be selling information from its users to advertisers in order to target better their consumers. But, it is also a blessing for many professionals who find themselves out of luck and with no jobs. In Wall Street Journal’s Article Recruiters Troll Facebook for Candidates They Like it says that Facebook has now become one of the leading, but unofficial, job boards that many companies who are hiring turn to. “The majority of social-media traffic to Waste Management Inc.'s careers website comes from Facebook, beating out LinkedIn, said Jenny DeVaughn, manager of social media and employment branding. The Houston-based environmental services company is currently trying to fill 1,500 positions—from software developers to garbage truck drivers.” (Job Recruiters Turn to Facebook to Find Candidates - WSJ.com). Many Facebook users do not find this method of recruiting a comfortable nor pleasing one. “Indeed, Jeff Vijungco, vice president of world-wide talent acquisition for Adobe Systems Inc., said that in focus groups, prospective job candidates were sharply averse to being contacted through Facebook for jobs.” (Job Recruiters Turn to Facebook to Find Candidates - WSJ.com). People now find it difficult to truly have a personal and private life that does not interrupt their professional life with the changing and growing digital world. Many users of this social network now find themselves trying to truly make their private life a lot more private. Now, they feel that Facebook is in no way a means to connect with family friends, it has now become a peeping hole to your life for the whole world to see, even your employers. Creepy, isn’t it?