I live in Rindge, NH home to a grand 6,206 people and counting. I graduated in a class boasting just over 100 students and if you are looking for small town atmosphere... look no farther. Rindge has everything a small town could possibly want. There are a lot of locally owned businesses that are balanced by Walmart, Hannaford, and Market Basket. There are no malls within 15 miles of the town and everyone carries a sense of pride for being part of such a community.
I used Prizm as a market segmentation tool to see what it would think how Rindge is broken up. The two main groups found were Big Sky Families and Mayberry-Villes. Big Sky Families are "a segment of middle age rural families who have turned high school educations and blue-collar jobs into busy, upper-middle-class lifestyles. Residents enjoy baseball, basketball, and volleyball, as well as fishing, hunting, and horseback riding." These families are definitely a presence in Rindge. People enjoy going out and enjoying the nature that surrounds the small town. Rindge is a great place to raise kids and that is one of the main reasons why couples who have a family are drawn to it.
Mayberry-Villes are described as "upper-middle-class couples who like to fish and hunt during the day, and stay home and watch TV at night. With lucrative blue-collar jobs and moderately priced housing, residents use their discretionary cash to purchase boats, campers, motorcycles, and pickup trucks." Again these older couples and individuals are extremely interested in staying fit and active and enjoy the natural surroundings of Rindge. Campers, trucks, and boats can be seen almost every Friday and Sunday in the summer... camping is an extremely popular activity.
Overall I would say Prizm did a fantastic job describing the more populated segments of Rindge. The families and the elderly with no children definitely seem to be two of the major population sources. However, I disagree with Prizm that most of them are upper class. I feel as if the population is mostly middle class with a few upper class spread here and there.
Do you think that you would want to raise a family in a small town or a big city? How could Rindge market towards a different target market?
Monday, March 21, 2011
Monday, March 07, 2011
Response to Lia Moreggi
Would you go to a campaign like this?
I would go to a campaign like this because I know so many people that struggle with alcohol abuse as well as drug addictions. I don't drink or smoke or do drugs, but I would go to support the many people around me who struggle with it. I think it is a great idea and I feel as though a lot of the "above the influence" campaigns are centered around high schools where as I think the bigger problem is on college campuses. "College" is unanimously mingled with drinking. Teenagers are out on their own for the first time and are a lot more likely to give into peer pressure then they would have in high school. There are very few rules at college compared with living at home and because of this it opens the world of drugs and alcohol up to students. I can only hope that something like this would spread across campuses in the United States.
Do you think Keene State College gives students too many opportunities to party?
I would go to a campaign like this because I know so many people that struggle with alcohol abuse as well as drug addictions. I don't drink or smoke or do drugs, but I would go to support the many people around me who struggle with it. I think it is a great idea and I feel as though a lot of the "above the influence" campaigns are centered around high schools where as I think the bigger problem is on college campuses. "College" is unanimously mingled with drinking. Teenagers are out on their own for the first time and are a lot more likely to give into peer pressure then they would have in high school. There are very few rules at college compared with living at home and because of this it opens the world of drugs and alcohol up to students. I can only hope that something like this would spread across campuses in the United States.
Do you think Keene State College gives students too many opportunities to party?
Anti-Smoking Advertisements
Every year 440,000 people die from smoking cigarettes in the United States alone. This "activity" has become such a normal occurence in our lives that I hardly notice who smokes and who doesn't. After looking at these pictures of anti-smoking advertisements I began to not only realize that smoking is a big deal, but that America has a responsibility to its citizens to provide as much help as possibly to those who want it.
Anti-smoking campaigns have been around for years and yet smoking is still such an accepted activity. The truth of the matter is that we need to take bigger steps in not only helping to prevent smoking, but in helping those who want/need to quit. Smoking is an addiction. Like any addiction it is a painful process to stop and it takes a lot of strength, determination, and money. Quitting can be very expensive and that combined with the emotional and mental toll it is hard for a person to find the motivation to quit.
The marketing industry can help with all of this. Stop making advertisements that show how bad smoking is for you... the majority of people recognize that fact and start making advertisements that inspire you to quit. Offering a support system could go a long way on the journey to quitting. I'm not saying all the advertisements out there are all bad... I especially like the ones that take into account second hand smoking because it gives a smoker an outside motivator besides their own health to quit.
Obviously, we have come a long way from the days of smoking in restaurants, movie theaters, and bowling alleys, but I think we have quite a journey ahead of us still. Can you think of some other ideas and activities that marketers could do to help this movement?
Wednesday, March 02, 2011
Response to Jordan's Post
Do you think Japans obesity rates will ever be close to the U.S?
I absolutely do not think that Japan's obesity rates will catch up to the U.S. I definitely agree that they are bound to rise with the installation of McDonald's, but I think that where McDonald's is marketing to the majority in the U.S. they are marketing to the minority in Japan. McDonald's saw a target market and although it was small there was very little competition in acquiring the market. Burger King and Wendy's (as far as I know) are yet to be in Japan and therefore they have very little competition. Because of this it made the loyalty of those few customer's worth a lot more. Therefore because the target market is so small I don't think the obesity rate will increase to the levels of the United States where the target market here is so huge.
I absolutely do not think that Japan's obesity rates will catch up to the U.S. I definitely agree that they are bound to rise with the installation of McDonald's, but I think that where McDonald's is marketing to the majority in the U.S. they are marketing to the minority in Japan. McDonald's saw a target market and although it was small there was very little competition in acquiring the market. Burger King and Wendy's (as far as I know) are yet to be in Japan and therefore they have very little competition. Because of this it made the loyalty of those few customer's worth a lot more. Therefore because the target market is so small I don't think the obesity rate will increase to the levels of the United States where the target market here is so huge.
Monday, February 28, 2011
AMA Statement of Ethics Dilemma
Scenario: John Smith owns a small marketing research firm in Cleveland, Ohio, which employs 75 people. Most employees are the sole breadwinners in their families. John’s firm has not fared well for the past two years and is on the verge of bankruptcy. The company recently surveyed more than 2,000 people in Ohio about new car purchase plans for the Ohio Department of Economic Development. Because the study identified many hot prospects for new cars, a car dealer has offered John $8,000 for the names and phone numbers of people saying they are “likely” or “very likely” to buy a new car within the next 12 months. John needs the money to avoid laying off a number of employees.
Questions: Should John Smith sell the names? Does the AMA Statement of Ethics address this issue? (Yes, go to the site and check out the statement.) What does the AMA Statement contain that relates to John Smith’s dilemma?
According to the AMA Statement of Ethics John Smith should not sell the names. It doesn't specifically mention this exact issue, but very clearly states numerous times that a customer should be held at the highest level of respect. In this instant the survey participants would act as customers. The AMA Statement of Ethics has many areas that cover why selling the names and phone numbers would be unethical. Here are just a few:
1.) Ethical Norm #2..."Foster trust in the marketing system. This means striving for good faith and fair dealing so as to contribute toward the efficacy of the exchange process as well as avoiding deception in product design, pricing, communication, and delivery of distribution." This clearly states that a company must avoid deception in order to encourage trust in the system. If I were a survey participant and I found out my name had been given out I would feel betrayed and definitely would not be trusting in the system.
2.) Ethical Value #1... "Honesty – to be forthright in dealings with customers and stakeholders. To this end, we will:Strive to be truthful in all situations and at all times and honor our explicit and implicit commitments and promises."
I doubt that those participating in the survey were told that there names and numbers could be sold to car dealerships... thus the research firm would not have been forthright with their customers.
3.) Ethical Value #3... "Fairness – to balance justly the needs of the buyer with the interests of the seller. To this end, we will: Reject manipulations and sales tactics that harm customer trust and avoid knowing participation in conflicts of interest. Seek to protect the private information of customers, employees and partners.
This is the big one... it states quite clearly that firms must protect the private information of customers.
The AMA Statement of Ethics is posted at this site.
There is no way that ethically the marketing research firm can disclose the customers' information, but can you think of another way that the research firm could avoid laying off employees?
Questions: Should John Smith sell the names? Does the AMA Statement of Ethics address this issue? (Yes, go to the site and check out the statement.) What does the AMA Statement contain that relates to John Smith’s dilemma?
According to the AMA Statement of Ethics John Smith should not sell the names. It doesn't specifically mention this exact issue, but very clearly states numerous times that a customer should be held at the highest level of respect. In this instant the survey participants would act as customers. The AMA Statement of Ethics has many areas that cover why selling the names and phone numbers would be unethical. Here are just a few:
1.) Ethical Norm #2..."Foster trust in the marketing system. This means striving for good faith and fair dealing so as to contribute toward the efficacy of the exchange process as well as avoiding deception in product design, pricing, communication, and delivery of distribution." This clearly states that a company must avoid deception in order to encourage trust in the system. If I were a survey participant and I found out my name had been given out I would feel betrayed and definitely would not be trusting in the system.
2.) Ethical Value #1... "Honesty – to be forthright in dealings with customers and stakeholders. To this end, we will:Strive to be truthful in all situations and at all times and honor our explicit and implicit commitments and promises."
I doubt that those participating in the survey were told that there names and numbers could be sold to car dealerships... thus the research firm would not have been forthright with their customers.
3.) Ethical Value #3... "Fairness – to balance justly the needs of the buyer with the interests of the seller. To this end, we will: Reject manipulations and sales tactics that harm customer trust and avoid knowing participation in conflicts of interest. Seek to protect the private information of customers, employees and partners.
This is the big one... it states quite clearly that firms must protect the private information of customers.
The AMA Statement of Ethics is posted at this site.
There is no way that ethically the marketing research firm can disclose the customers' information, but can you think of another way that the research firm could avoid laying off employees?
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Response to Erik Bergstrom
I found this to be a very clever marketing idea. Do you share the same opinion?
I would definitely agree that this was a very clever marketing idea. I think sometimes organizations forget that there is a little part of adults that will always remain children. When I was younger I loved getting the children's menus because it gave me something to do while I waited for my food. I think this marketing idea does the exact same thing, but it also allows the customer to entertain themselves as well as learn about the different companies that support the restaurant. It's a win-win situation for both customer and restaurant... what more could you ask for?
I would definitely agree that this was a very clever marketing idea. I think sometimes organizations forget that there is a little part of adults that will always remain children. When I was younger I loved getting the children's menus because it gave me something to do while I waited for my food. I think this marketing idea does the exact same thing, but it also allows the customer to entertain themselves as well as learn about the different companies that support the restaurant. It's a win-win situation for both customer and restaurant... what more could you ask for?
My Experience in Mexican Marketing
Mexico. Sunshine, ocean, and tanning oil. What more could a person ask for? For those of you who have never been to Mexico vendors are ruthless in the area. There are no advertisements or commercials on TV. There is just lots and lots of in your face marketing.
Vendors selling clothing, jewelry, and much much more litter the beaches, the streets, and the restaurants. They will come right up to you and pester you until you either agree to buy something or walk away and sometimes even then they will follow you. Many Americans are turned off by this push marketing and therefore no longer even vacation in the area.
Mexican marketing is a turn off to Americans because there is no structure and more than that there are no price tags. Nothing is labeled because everything can be bargained and bartered for. Would this turn you off as a customer? Are you a barter and get the best price for buyer or would you rather see the price up front?
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