DISCUSSIONS 1

Please make a comment to the following discussion from a student.

Hey Mark, I have an Apple ipad and I love it. I do think that Apple markets themselves very well. I even heard a while back that they are starting to make the iphones prepaid. I think by allowing prepay customers to also be able to buy a iphone is one of the smartest moves they could have ever made. This will definitely generate huge profits. Now I will agree with you about their prices being more than other companies, which can make a person want to buy another device. I to thought that customers was the most important simple because without them there will be no companies. And competitors was the least important to me also.

ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTION FROM MY PROFESSOR

Yes, good.
Apple does a good job actually creating product categories.
Was there a market for the iPhone before it was launched? Was that not a big risk for Apple?

Please make a comment to the following discussion from a student.

I recently purchased a LED Smart TV. The product line is Samsung and I purchased the smart TV from Best Buy. I was in the mindset of enhancing my theater room and I noticed Samsung made a smart TV that had the features I was looking for. Although I was in the market of purchasing a new smart TV, I decided to do some research on Samsung electronics verses other retailers. So, after looking on the internet and comparing the features of all smart TVs, I came to the conclusion that Samsung was the right choice for me. Once I made my decision on the brand, my next step was finding the right retailer and price. After, a long search I found Best Buy had a floor model for sale for the right price, which included a full service warranty for an open box item.
So from the 4P's aspect, Best Buy had the floor model TV (product) in the store that I could look at (place) and the salesman covered all of its features and warranty (promotion). Next, best buy offer the right price for a floor model TV (price).

ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTION FROM MY PROFESSOR

So, as the marketing manager for a firm what comes first, the 4Ps or the 5Cs? Or, does it not matter? Explain.

DISCUSSION 2

Please make a comment to the following discussion from a student.

Media Clutter is one of the major problems marketing has encountered not just on the internet, but on television and in the
newspapers in today's society. It is a common belief that people get immune to advertising and this persuades them to spend money and this is the normal outcome of saturation of marketing messages in all aspects of our lives. I find myself becoming more frustrated when I look on a particular website and I am swamped with surveys or a cheap form of getting something that I want. Moreover, marketers seem to fight this problem by running more and more advertisements which is something that inevitably causes even more media clutter. I hate when I am on the internet and I am overwhelmed with pop up bloggers from different companies.

My solution.

1. By engaging customers in the marketing campaigns. Let the users participate in the process of marketing. If they want to participate , then they can do it on their own without feeling like they are being " forced" into taking a survey or buying something

2. Or come up with a strategy of not using internet campaign too much. Maybe just utilizing your own website and showing off your ads.

ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTION FROM MY PROFESSOR

So, if you are looking at Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) strategically, how do you focus your message? Where do you start?
Tip: think about your target segment.

Please make a comment to the following discussion from a student.

Over the years, the challenges that marketers face in reference to marketing clutter has drastically increased. Not only does the clutter cause problems for television, it has now become a large problem for online marketers. Clutter in any situation causes aggravation and stress, so when it comes to marketing, why would it be any different. I have noticed a recent increase of banner ads which drives me crazy, so I know that the clutter has to bother marketers. How can one expect a marketer to reach its target population when their target population is too busy from all the clutter from ads? Clutter not only causes problems for customers trying to shop, it has a negative relationship when it comes to the effectiveness of a marketer's ads. If I could suggest two solutions that could possibly correct this dilemma, it would be:
Ensuring that the specific target population that the marketer is trying to attain is attracted and fully engaged into the ad. This will provide the marketer with reassurance compared to the cluttering of other ads.

Encouraging the marketer to fully understand the demand of their customers would be another solution. If a marketer has the ability to grasp this information, the marketer will be provided with an advantage over other marketers that market through the same type of media.

ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTION FROM MY PROFESSOR

What is the future of marketing, Public Relations and advertising agencies going to look like?