EOC Week 10: What are you going to do to get your product noticed?

I would like to use the internet and every establishment our beer is available as a channel agreeing to include a page on the Gontareks website that lists every establishment where our brand is available and a click-able link that guides you to there web page."A marketing channel consists of firms that have partnered for their common good. Each channel member depends on the others." Armstrong & Kotler (2011). Marketing: An Introduction, 10th Ed. Prentice Hall Publishing (PP 314)
The restaurants and bars that sell Gontareks will depend on Gontareks to produce a consistent product that consumers will continue to return for and enjoy. In turn Gontareks will depend on each establishment to serve and provide our brand untainted and the same way every time so the consumer knows what and who we really are. We want consumers to be able to disputably enjoy the same taste every single time.                                         

BOC Week 10: Famous Lemon Ad for Volkswagen

Volkswagen hit a home run with there 1960 add of the Volkswagen Beetle for a few reasons. First off they knew it would be hard to sell in the US only being a few years after world war II and being manufactured in Germany. Knowing that they where already at a major disadvantage they decided to focus on the negative and make it appear posative. Volkswagen did this by placing the wrod LEMON in dark bold print under the pictue of the car with an explination that there was a blemish on the chrome strip of the glove compartment. I dont know about you but any company that claims there car is a lemon for the sole purposed of an easily fixable cosmetic flaw is implying that this is an amazing machine. If a cosmetic flaw constitutes a LEMON than everything else must be meticulously combed over.The original add read
.

"The Volkswagen missed the boat. The chrome strip on the glove compartment is blemished and must be replaced. Chances are you wouldn't have noticed it; Inspector Kurt Kroner did.There are 3,389 men of our Wolfsburg factory with only one job; to inspect Volkswagens at each stage of production. (3,00 Volkswagens are produced daily; there are more inspectors than cars.)Every shock absorber is tested (spot checking won't do), every windshield is scanned. VWs have been rejected for surface scratches barely visible to the eye.Final inspection is really something! VW inspectors run each car off the line onto the Funktionsprüfstand (car test stand), tote up 189 check points, gun ahead to the automatic brake stand and say "no" to one VW out of fifty.This preoccupation with detail means the VW lasts longer and requires less maintenance, by and large, than other cars. (It also means a used VW depreciates less than any other car.)We pluck the lemons; you get the plums." What a revolutionary idea they had by focusing on this.

Implementation Evaluation Control

When we begin to implement our marketing plan our main focus is to build positive lifetime relations with our consumers and protect the dignity and quality of our brand. As we begin to implement we will make sure to keep consumer satisfaction at the top of our list as we understand that building positive consumer relationship is followed by profits. As a quality brand we understand that staying on a focused path of delighting consumers will take us where we want to be and become the next super brand. We will monitor our implementation very carefully step by step as we follow it out. As stated by Kotler "Because many surprises occur during the implementation of marketing plans, marketers must practice constant marketing control—evaluating the results of marketing strategies and plans and taking corrective action to ensure that objectives are attained." Armstrong & Kotler (2011). Marketing: An Introduction, 10th Ed. Prentice Hall Publishing (PP 58) As stated above we will conduct a monthly evaluation of the implementation and discuss the pros and cons of the process and make changes accordingly to fulfill our objectives. "Formal evaluation forces management to develop and communicate clear standards for judging performance. It also provides salespeople with constructive feedback and motivates them to perform well." Armstrong & Kotler (2011). Marketing: An Introduction, 10th Ed. Prentice Hall Publishing (PP 426) We understand that keeping a close eye on our implemantation will help us stay focused and help us to maintain our brand and what we stand for. Maintaining this evaluation process is as equally important in the future as it is now. "The marketing mix is the set of controllable, tactical marketing tools that the firm blends to produce the response it wants in the target market. The marketing mix consists of everything the firm can do to influence the demand for its product. "Armstrong & Kotler (2011). Marketing: An Introduction, 10th Ed. Prentice Hall Publishing (PP 53) With the ability to control the marketing tools that we hold we have everything we need to adjust our marketing plan to conform to the changing demands of our consumers and continue to provide the delightful experience we as a brand believe in.

Price

Pricing decisions are an extremely important part of the marketing processes. Under pricing and over pricing can have equally negative effects. "For most purchases, consumers don’t have all the skill or information they need to figure out whether they are paying a good price. They don’t have the time, ability, or inclination to research different brands or stores, compare prices, and get the best deals. Instead, they may rely on certain cues that signal whether a price is high or low." Armstrong & Kotler (2011). Marketing: An Introduction, 10th Ed. Prentice Hall Publishing (PP 294) We have decided to price our beer in different levels to attract different buyers. Our 6 Pack will be priced at 7.00 even to suggest more value than the more common 6.99 pricings. We have chosen this method because we are not a beer for drunks but for those who like to enjoy.We have also choosen an even dollar amount to suggest more value. Our 12 pack will be priced at 13.00 to provide a small savings to those who become more commited to our brand or who enjoy a little more drinking. We are not selling a 24 pack for the simple reason that are prices reflect value and providing a 24 pack or case could display the wrong image that our Brand is try to avoid. We believe in enjoying responsibly and not over indulging. "For example, some consumers will see the $299.99 as a price in the $200 range rather than the $300 range. The $299.99 will more likely be seen as a bargain price, whereas the $300 price suggests more quality." Armstrong & Kotler (2011). Marketing: An Introduction, 10th Ed. Prentice Hall Publishing " (PP 294) We will also have kegs available for commercial consumers only and they will be priced accordingly dependant upon quanity and contract. All of our pricing decisions are based upon creating value through quality and not quantity.

Promotion

We will begin our promotions with free brewery tours and samplings available to anyone who is at least 21. Gontareks would also like to place a sales rep at all possible consumer locations to promote free samples. We will also promote our brand by including a free t-shirt in every case of Gontareks for a limited time. "Beyond selecting the types of promotions to use, marketers must make several other decisions in designing the full sales promotion program. First, they must decide on the size of the incentive. A certain minimum incentive is necessary if the promotion is to succeed; a larger incentive will produce more sales response." Armstrong & Kotler (2011). Marketing: An Introduction, 10th Ed. Prentice Hall Publishing (PP 437) We would also like to promote our brew online through an interactive website that allows consumers and possible consumers to view photos of others enjoying Gontareks in a positive light. There will be periodic giveaways for "best of" photos to help provide incentives for consumers to participate. "Sales promotions are usually used together with advertising, personal selling, direct marketing, or other promotion mix tools. Consumer promotions must usually be advertised and can add excitement and pulling power to ads." Armstrong & Kotler (2011). Marketing: An Introduction, 10th Ed. Prentice Hall Publishing (PP 433) We will most certainly combine some of our promotions together with innovative advertisements created by our internal team hear at Gontareks. We will keep most of these advertisements and promotions focused towards our niche target market.

Distribution

Distribution of Gontareks will begin as an inhouse task. We will personally deliver all of our brew to every commercial consumer to ensure proper handling and protect the entire brand experiance of Gontareks. We will also do this as it provides oppertunity to build stronger personal relationships with our commercial comsumers. Being a small company we will continue to do this until we can no longer handle the work load at which point we will will hire for our company only and not outsource to keep carfule attention to protect our brands integrity.Personally delivering our brew also gives us the oppertunity to collect data and information in how our brand is displayed and positioned and promoted in each establishment. Our brew will also be available online but at an appropriate price to coinside with current shipping rates. Having Direct interaction with all of our distribution channels will allow us to stay informed about feedback of our brand. "Companies often pay too little attention to their distribution channels, sometimes with damaging results. In contrast, many companies have used imaginative distribution systems to gain a competitive advantage." Armstrong & Kotler (2011). Marketing: An Introduction, 10th Ed. Prentice Hall Publishing (PP 312)Gontareks will also be available directly from the brewery where walk-ins are welcomed by a brewery tour proposal. "Few companies have the confidence, capital, and capacity to launch new products into full national or international distribution right away. Instead, they develop a planned market rollout over time. Armstrong & Kotler (2011). Marketing: An Introduction, 10th Ed. Prentice Hall Publishing (PP 253) We understand this at Gontareks which is why we have decided to only distribute in the local Las Vegas area for now and online but with an appropriate upcharge.

Product

Gontareks is a well know style of brew Pale Ale. With its polish influence and American styled brewing process Gontareks posses the perfectly balanced mix of malt and hops. With a clean and lightly floral bitterness. At Gontareks we are not selling Pale Ale, its our heritage and family experience. Gontareks delightful taste is just a bonus to the wonderful feelings and memories that are created while enjoying our experience. "New products are important—to both customers and the marketers who serve them. For customers, they bring new solutions and variety to their lives. For companies, new products are a key source of growth. Even in a down economy, companies must continue to innovate. New products provide new ways to connect with customers as they adapt their buying to the changing economic times" Armstrong & Kotler (2011). Marketing: An Introduction, 10th Ed. Prentice Hall Publishing (PP 245) We understand this at Gontareks which is why we are selling an experience and not just a beer. People pay $25 for a drink in a night club because of the experience. We are marketing an experience with more value and safer options to those who wish to enjoy a specific type of experience. "The “Staples: That was easy” repositioning campaign has met with striking success, helping to make Staples the runaway leader in office retail. And the campaign’s easy button has become a pop culture icon. No doubt about it, clever marketing helped. But marketing promises count for little if not backed by the reality of the customer experience." Armstrong & Kotler (2011). Marketing: An Introduction, 10th Ed. Prentice Hall Publishing (PP 195) We understand this important concept which is why we have decided to commit to our personal contact with consumers just as a family would. Being in the first stages of the product life-cycle we understand the future will require new innovations and we will plan to offer different styles of brew. For now we will focus on our Pale ale and providing the seamless family experience of the Gontareks brand.

Target Market Strategy

We have decided to position ourselves in the middle of the market by choosing our target maket as the working class double income family. We decided to focus on double income families because to us they tend to be set in a routine with more stability, organization and loyalty. Another reason we chose this target market is that we are focused on building life time value with our consumers. As opposed to the youthful college kids who tend to not care as much what they drink and the oldtimers who are set in there ways we dicided this was the best market for us to build relationships with lasting lifetime value. We will execute this with a concentrated niche marketing strategy.Our Focus will be on double income families who enjoy spending the holidays , special occasions and every day  happy moments with friends and loved ones. Gontareks will be available to them mainly through grocery stores, favorite restaurants and local convienence stores. "Through concentrated marketing, the firm achieves a strong market position because of its greater knowledge of consumer needs in the niches it serves and the special reputation it acquires. It can market more effectively by fine-tuning its products, prices, and programs to the needs of carefully defined segments. It can also market more efficiently, targeting its products or services, channels, and communications programs toward only consumers that it can serve best and most profitably." Armstrong & Kotler (2011). Marketing: An Introduction, 10th Ed. Prentice Hall Publishing (PP 189) Being a small and new brand we have limited funds and limited experiance so we decided this was the best approach to select a target market because as stated by Kotler "segments are fairly large and normally attract several competitors, niches are smaller and may attract only one or a few competitors. Niching lets smaller companies focus their limited resources on serving niches that may be unimportant to or overlooked by larger competitors." Armstrong & Kotler (2011). Marketing: An Introduction, 10th Ed. Prentice Hall Publishing (PP 189)

SWOT Analysis

Strengths
1) We come from a land with a credible history of respected alcohol beverages.
2) We are Based in a city well acquainted with beer and good times where people travel to from all over the world just to come and drink.
3) Technology availability such as the World wide web and social networking sites.
We have a solid set of Class A strengths that will help our brand succeed and overcome obstacles. As state by Kotler "Strengths include internal capabilities, resources, positive situational factors that may help the company to serve its customers and achieve its objectives"Armstrong & Kotler (2011). Marketing: An Introduction, 10th Ed. Prentice Hall Publishing (PP 55) Our objectives where made based upon our strengths enhancing our possible brand success.

Weaknesses
1) We are a new Brand no one has ever heard of.
2) We a have limited funds and resources to put our marketing plan into action.
3) We lack professional experience
Our weaknesses play a huge role in our over success as a company but with a high drive and motivation there aren't any that we cant overcome.

Opportunities
1) We are located in a city filled with tourist who travel worldwide daily who can help spread the word about our new brand.
2) We are surround by many high volume restaurants, bars, clubs, and businesses
3) We have a very diverse market giving us many options of target markets
Kotler stated that "Marketing has the main responsibility for achieving profitable growth for the company. Marketing needs to identify, evaluate, and select market opportunities and lay down strategies for capturing them." Armstrong & Kotler (2011). Marketing: An Introduction, 10th Ed. Prentice Hall Publishing (PP 45) With our brand focused on building positive consumer relations, and bringing friends and family together, what better opportunity than the Holiday seasons to launch our new brand. This is the season when everyone comes together to enjoy each others company and just when you though it could be better you crack open a fresh bottle of Gontareks delightfulness.

Threats
1) Surrounded by a large number of highly successfully competition
2) The Current economic situation is driving people to strap down on spending and vacation travel
By identifying our threats we can try and predicted market shifts and succeed from planning and identifying ahead. "Consider the impact of popular music groups, movie personalities, and other celebrities on young people’s hairstyling and clothing norms. Marketers want to predict cultural shifts in order to spot new opportunities or threats." Armstrong & Kotler (2011). Marketing: An Introduction, 10th Ed. Prentice Hall Publishing (PP 52) With this knowledge we can use the knowledge of our threats in many different ways to try and predict the next affecting cultural shift.

Objectives

Our primary objective as a new brand is to create customer value by delighting customers and focusing on lifetime value. "The company’s objectives should be defined in specific terms so management can measure progress and plan corrective action if needed to stay on track." Armstrong & Kotler (2011). Marketing: An Introduction, 10th Ed. Prentice Hall Publishing (PP MP7) We would like to create a personalized experiance for new consumers by allowingthem the share photos of themselves, friends and family while enjoying our delightful brew and submittiing them to our blog for a chance to have it appear on the label of Gontareks. To keep our brand personal and to create value for our consumers we will read all emails and respond within 3 days or less. This being said we would like to organize all of this and make our brew accessable to anyone trying to find it by building an interactive website. "True market orientation does not mean becoming marketing-driven; it means that the entire company obsesses over creating value for the customer and views itself as a bundle of processes that profitably define, create, communicate, and deliver value to its target customers." Armstrong & Kotler (2011). Marketing: An Introduction, 10th Ed. Prentice Hall Publishing (PP 48). We have many objectives as a new brand. Another objective is to create an advertisement that will catch the attention of local bars, casinos, restaurants and stores to help promote our new brand and create a buzz here in our local city of las vegas. Our objective is to have consumers associate Gontareks with happy times and great memories.

Week 9 EOC: Three Great Mission Statements

The first great mission statement that I have chosen is by Robert Bowman because as stated by Kotler “Forging a sound mission begins with the following questions: What is our business? Who is the customer? What do consumers value? What should our business be? These simple-sounding questions are among the most difficult the company will ever have to answer.” (Marketing : an introduction / Gary Armstrong, Philip
Kotler. — 10th ed., Printed page 39.) Bowman clearly displays his knowledge of this quote with a catchy and effective mission statement.
The second mission statement I choose was written by Ernest Stepp. He also clearly express his knowledge of marketing though his Mission statement. "... a company’s mission should not be stated as making more sales or profits—profits are only a reward for creating value for customers. Instead, the mission should focus on customers and the customer experience the company seeks to create." (Marketing : an introduction / Gary Armstrong, Philip Kotler. — 10th ed., Printed page 41.)  He expresses the companies involvement with the community and concerns for surrounding business showing there mission is focused on others.
The Third I chose was by Stacy Woody because in her mission statement she shows her understanding of marketing by creating value in creating an experience rather than selling a beer.

Week 8 EOC: Creative Content

For my creative content I’m going to create a label for the bottle of beer and apply it to a bottle take photographs and create designs to create an editorial advertisement. I will use people, photography and Adobe Photoshop. I will apply these creative ideas to capture the minds of consumer and create a relationship with them. Apple has shown “a marketing and creative genius with a rare ability to get inside the imaginations of consumers and understand what will captivate them”. I will take on and accomplish the same goal as Apple and repeat their success in my own unique way. The photography will be done using HDR images that will be processed to be highly saturated with vibrant colors and eye-popping composition. The creativity will be applied in a way that is realistic yet almost mystical. I will identify who we are and what we are with my label because "the label might help to promote the brand, support its positioning, and connect with customers. For many companies, labels have become an important element in broader marketing campaigns" Armstrong & Kotler (2011). Marketing: An Introduction, 10th Ed. Prentice Hall Publishing (PP 217) Through my advertisement I will create something people want by using flashy elements people canrelate with or want to relate with.

Business Mission Statement

Our mission at Gontarek breweries is to provide "a personalized experience that brings friends and family together" We believe here at Gontarek's that there is no place better to be than in the presence of good company. We strive to create a personal relationship with every consumer by bringing people together to enjoy and share the great times as we Gontareks do. We also believe that life is meant to be enjoyed. We've created a beer that can be savored, warming your heart and soul. We insist that Gontareks beer should be enjoyed responsibly and should create relaxed ,delightful and joyous memories that leave you feeling that wonderful nostalgic feeling every time you taste the pleasant bite on the tip of your tongue.We agree as stated by Kotler "a company’s mission should not be stated as making more sales or profits—profits are only a reward for creating value for customers. Instead, the mission should focus on customers and the customer experience the company seeks to create"Armstrong & Kotler (2011). Marketing: An Introduction, 10th Ed. Prentice Hall Publishing (PP 41) Family is most important to us and when you drink Gontareks your family.

Week 7 EOC: Final Project The Pitch

Step into our grotto here at the Gontarek brewery and learn the secrets that make Gontarek's the Pale Ale of choice. Brought to you by an unpretentious family in the United States whose ancestors come from the small town streets of Poland. The Gontarek's come from a land that has been creating some of the worlds prime beverages which are distributed, shared and enjoyed by millions. We show pride in our beer taking note to cover every vital aspect of the brewing process to bring you only the finest. Our unique taste is attributed to the generous amounts of ahtanum hops used. Bred on the well known Yakima Chief Ranches of Washington State that were established in the year 1869, the ahtanum hops give Gontareks the perfect bite of bitterness with a fully fledged floral aroma and a flavor profile that would be appreciated by the well known ancestors of Poland. Our beer was designed to give you a beer for all occasions, whether it is the perfect complement to any meal at your favorite steak house or the relaxing beverage you crack open after a hard day’s work. Gontareks hold a special value in the hearts of our entire family. “Value is the magic word,” says a P&G marketing executive. “In these economic times, people are doing the math in their heads, and they’re being much more thoughtful before making purchases. Now, we’re going to be even more focused on helping consumers see value.” Armstrong & Kotler (2011). Marketing: An Introduction, 10th Ed. Prentice Hall Publishing (PP 24) With its fragrant bouquet, deep golden color and exceptionally full bodied complexity it’s a Pale Ale for those who enjoy indulging.

Week 6 EOC: Me Times Three

The personally really enjoy Dial’s Antibacterial Gold liquid soap. The reasons I enjoy this product is because it comes in a pump bottle which makes it easy to use and doesn’t require lathering and also doesn’t leave soap scum on your sink. It’s very simple yet effective and is scentless with no additional fragrances. I believe that Dial markets this product towards the average middle class women, who cleans her own home and has men and or boys in the house hold. The reasoning is that the product provides an alternative to traditional bar soap that requires no clean up is just as effective and is easier to use. Dial keeps there focus on this market because “companies today recognize that they cannot appeal to all buyers in the marketplace or at least not to all buyers in the same way.” Armstrong & Kotler (2011). Marketing: An Introduction, 10th Ed. Prentice Hall Publishing (PP 175) the second personal care product I enjoy is Tide laundry soap because it does an amazing job cleaning clothes and is always consistent and it leaves your clothes smelling fresh and clean without any perfumes. Tides target market is aimed generally toward women because most women are the ones who usually purchase the laundry soap and when men do they generally grab just anything or whatever is on sale. Tide used psychographic segmentation to determine this because “the products people buy reflect their lifestyles. As a result, marketers often segment their markets by consumer lifestyles and base their marketing strategies on lifestyle appeals” Armstrong & Kotler (2011). Marketing: An Introduction, 10th Ed. Prentice Hall Publishing (PP 179) my third favorite personal product would have to be Adidas’ body deodorant stick. Adidas’ deodorant and a great smell and last all day while never turning my clothes white or flaking and it leaves a subtle yet pleasant fragrance. I believe addida's aims there market at the average active male who enjoys sports and smelling good. Adidas’ is using target marketing - “identifying market segments, selecting one or more of them, and developing products and marketing programs tailored to each. Instead of scattering their marketing efforts (the “shotgun” approach), firms are focusing on the buyers who have greater interest in the values they create best (the “rifle” approach). Armstrong & Kotler (2011). Marketing: An Introduction, 10th Ed. Prentice Hall Publishing (PP 175)

Week 5 EOC : Health Care Reform

The governmental healthcare reform is completely unnecessary. Those facts are very easily pulled from the US Census available to view at http://pubdb3.census.gov/macro/032007/health/h01_001.htm . First off only 46,995 out of 296,824 didn’t have any health coverage. But they are mostly for unnecessary reasons. First we can mention the 8,661 who are under the age of 18. There are many assistance programs available to those in need under 18 to obtain health insurance from the government already making any reform for them completely useless. That brings the numbers down to 38,334. The next 27054 are people between the ages of 18 and 44 which for the most part really aren’t in desperate need of health care and should mostly be in good health already and working with the option of healthcare. Once again making reform for them completely unnecessary and bringing the numbers down to 11280. Is it starting to make any sense yet? The next 10737 are between the ages of 45 and 64 and should be in the years of prime income earning. That brings numbers as low as 543. The rest of those are people over 65 who receive social security and also already have healthcare. Who does that leave left you ask? The answer is very clear NOONE! Yes there are the few exception here and there and in-between. The question you should ask yourself is Does that make it necessary to reform the entire healthcare system in the United States? Of course the answer is no. There is no point to fix something that isn’t broke. The bottom line is that there is absolutely no point to reform the healthcare system when you look at the numbers and facts.

Week 4 EOC: Advertising is Based on Happiness

I started my day searching through the used car adds looking for a good deal. I scrolled through searching and searching but everything seemed to be beyond my price range. I finally stumbled upon a used Saturn SC Coupe that had been hit in the front end and needed some minor repairs. Though it was not my first choice I decided for only four hundred dollars it would be worth a look. I went to look at the car and took it for a test drive. It’s seemed like a perfect fit. I decided to purchase the vehicle. When I got the car home I purchased the parts much cheaper than I anticipated and did the necessary repairs. At that point I was very happy with the car and it only cost me one thousand dollars total. A year later I still found myself very pleased with my purchase and possibly even more pleased and attached. On the other side of the token a new pizza joint opened a location close to my home. They made a claim to have great New York style pizza and it was 18”. Though the Pizza was eighteen dollars I though it’s real NY pizza. Everyone from NY knows it’s hard to find good pizza in NY. So I waited fifteen minutes and I took my pizza home. I was very happy the pizza was huge and it smelled great. I walked in the house and showed my girlfriend and said “look at this amazing pizza” Then I started to eat the pizza. That’s when it all went downhill. The pizza tasted very mediocre, there wasn’t enough cheese and the sauce was just not that good. I started to think to myself that this pizza was not such a great value after all. And as I thought about the price and my experience, I decided I need to find somewhere else to get pizza. I wasn’t happy with that one.

Week 3 EOC: Internet Privacy VS Market Reasearch

Internet Privacy Is a huge concern to people in today’s world. We often find ourselves falling victim due to companies conducting market research. Many people today participate in and or posses an online profile, little do they know they are giving away all their personal information through what they thought was a free service. Companies sell this information to marketing companies and use it for profitable purposes. “Google, MSN Search, Yahoo!, AOL, and most other search engines collect and store explicit records of user queries. They are, in effect, using the free services they provide as market research wrappers, and as a result, are ever more successful at targeting advertising. It is a clever, efficient, and modern method of advertising. But the scale and precision of this sort of market research causes concern for online privacy advocates and should, probably, cause concern for all users of the services.” http://www.marketresearch.com/map/prod/2690245.html . As it is, companies do not have very strict privacy regulations. Users give out there personal info much too easily without refrain. For the uneducated though there is hope that soon new laws and policies will take effect to protect all of us. As stated by Marketresearch.com “Consumers are willing to provide personal information liberally online because the value exchange is poorly defined and opaque. In the face of increasingly complex user-centric applications, improved clarity of the consumer value exchange will require that companies adopt new privacy-enhancing practices.” http://www.marketresearch.com/map/prod/773024.html . Facebook one of the most widely used social networking sites is a prime example of lacking internet privacy. Facebook uses tactile strategies to take what you thought was your private information through simple apps and games. “Ten popular Facebook applications, including Farmville, Frontierville and Texas HoldEm Poker, have been transmitting players names, friends, interests and other data to dozens of advertising and Internet tracking companies, The Wall Street Journal reported this week.” http://www.tmcnet.com/usubmit/2010/10/20/5080731.htm . Its just plain wrong these companies sell personal information to make a profit.

Week 3 EOC: Making Money for Good

Yard House is not only a company that provides quality food and drinks in a relaxed and casual atmosphere; they are a company that prides themselves on doing well in the community and providing every guest with the same opportunity. The Yard House is a restaurant that provides the world’s largest draft beer selection, and the opportunity to help local charities through Round it Up America. “Round It Up America™ aims to provide support to local non-profit agencies, such as food banks, homeless shelters and crisis relief centers that protect the welfare of children and older adults living in our communities as well as provide emergency assistance for military troops and their families.” http://www.yardhouse.com/about/community.aspx .Yard House allows guest to round their check up to the nearest dollar and donate that change to Round it Up America. To name A few others, the top three most charitable companies last year included Wal-Mart, AT&T, and Bank of America. “Wal-Mart took the top spot, having donated over $288 million in cash this past year. AT&T and Bank of America were not far behind with $240 million and $209 million donated, respectively. Wells Fargo (NYSE: WFC) and ExxonMobil (NYSE: XOM) rounded out the top five.” http://www.investorplace.com/14051/wal-mart-most-generous-company/. These Companies care about people and the show it with their donations. I think that $288 million dollars in a single year definitely qualifies. Wal-Mart not only donates money but they take it a step further and actually donate food. Now you can’t get much more personal than that. Wal-Mart was the leading donator of food in 2009, giving and supplying a necessity to people in need. Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club have been named Donor of the Year by Feeding America, the nation’s leading hunger-relief organization, after providing outstanding donations of food, funds and vehicles during 2009. http://feedingamerica.org/newsroom/press-release-archive/donor-of-the-year.aspx . If that’s not doing good than I don’t know what is.

Week 2 EOC: Boston Consulting Group - Video Games

The gaming console market has either good news or bad news depending on which manufacturer you are. Apple is looking at the future with optimistic eyes based on current market trends. The iphone and ipod touch make them the big? For sure. "Noting that some 665-760 million games may have been downloaded from the Apple (AAPL) App Store during the last 12 months, Sacconaghi estimates that the installed base for the iPhone and iPod touch platform could amount to about one third of the total handheld gaming installed base by 2012." “http://digitaldaily.allthingsd.com/20090929/iphoneos-gaming" On the other side of things Nintendo remains the star but may soon fall down the latter. "U.S. consumers are increasingly ditching the Wii and are adopting rival game consoles, especially Microsoft’s Xbox 360. Nintendo needs a new Wii now, not in 2011 or in 2012. Nintendo has to face reality that the Wii is dying in the U.S. It will be nearly impossible for Nintendo to return to positive growth again." http://www.conceivablytech.com/2685/business/game-console-market-dissected-nintendo-wii-is-dying/" Remaining as the cash cow Ps3 has been able to keep up and stay in the game. "The SACHD report says that in the first quarter of 2010, the PS3's market share grew at the expense of the Xbox 360. The Wii still holds the largest share of the market with an estimated 17.5 million sales by the end of 2010, compared to the predicted 14 million for PS3, and 10.5 million for the 360." http://www.gamepro.com/article/news/215272/ps3-hits-31-percent-market-share-gets-hbo-distribution-deal/" As revealed by the above sources the Xbox 360 still remains at the end of the pack. All in all we can clearly see the big ? will soon be the dominating star. Hats of once again to Apple.

Week 1 EOC: Excellent Customer Service

I approached the front door after receiving a flyer with high end guitars discounted for a sales event with flashy typography saying “To Low to Print!” and “Guaranteed Lowest Price”. As I approached the entrance, A Guitar Center employee standing outside opened the door and welcomed me in. I thought, well that was nice. As I entered the musical haven more employees came to greet me with a smile. The employees encouraged me to play anything I wanted and even had a sound room so I could play as loud as I wanted. Now that’s what I call great customer service. Allowing me the customer to try before I buy was very smart. Not only did they sell me a guitar, they sold me one that was more than I had originally planned to spend. Being able to play the guitar created value to me. It also gave me a feeling of possession, I felt for a moment as if it was mine. I could never walk out the door and leave my guitar there I thought. After selecting the Guitar of choice, I had a quick and friendly transaction, where the manager even threw in some free strings. The representative insisted to carry the guitar all the way to the car for me. As I thanked the sales associate he reminded me of their thirty day money back guarantee. As stated by Armstrong and Kotler, "The twofold goal of marketing is to attract new customers by promising superior value and to keep and grow current customers by delivering satisfaction." Marketing: An Introduction for Education Management Corporation, 10th Edition (Page 3). Guitar center definitely hit that bull’s-eye as I went home feeling important and delighted. They created value by letting me play guitars through professional sound set-ups, making the guitar sound much better. Knowing I was a return customer, they kept me wanting to return by making me feel important, carrying my purchase to the car, and giving me free strings. That is truly phenomenal customer service.

Week 1 EOC: My Voice

I am a web designer. I find myself extremely intrigued with entering a small vibrant screen of color manipulating and twisting text and images to present to not only myself but the entire world. Providing mental and visual stimulation within a career that has an endless amount of knowledge to learn. As a web designer I am able to apply my knowledge to design websites that help guide millions through the creative visions within my mind and soul. Every time you open the internet you are guided through the creative mind of many others from the past. Its so amazing that you can literally see the world and travel from one place to another with the click of a button. That’s all made possible by Web Designers, people just like me, how rewarding! I see myself practically flying through new open doors every second since beginning my journey in becoming a distinguished Web Designer. I feel so fulfilled that I have taken the opportunity to spend my life creating with purpose and emotion. Jeff Gontarek / Web Design and Interactive Media