The biz of social networking
July 27, 2009 by Brahm Canzer
Filed under Part 4: Marketing Management
Fortune’s Jon Fortt and Michael Copeland chat with LinkedIn’s Reid Hoffman about the Web’s future.
Source: CNNMoney – video report
Date: 7/24/2009
Keys: Marketing, management, segmentation, positioning, consumer behavior, new product development
Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/technology/2009/07/24/tm_reed_hoffman_linkedin.fortune/
Questions for discussion:
- Describe the segment of the market that LinkedIn is directed towards?
- Are you currently a part of this market? Explain why or why not?
- How does LinkedIn distinguish itself from FaceBook, MySpace and other social networking sites?
- How would you use the customer base and features of LinkedIn to increase revenues in the future?
- How could the HR department of a firm use LinkedIn as a tool to recruit new employees?
Get ready for banking’s next headache
July 27, 2009 by Brahm Canzer
Filed under Part 1 Business in a Global Environment
A weak economy and frozen financing markets could spell trouble for regional banks with big commercial loan portfolios.
Source: CNNMoney.com
Date: 7/24/2009
Keys: Finance, economy, investing
Questions for discussion:
- Banks reflect the local economic conditions that exist by way of the current state of their loans to businesses and consumers.
- Summarize the reasons given for concern over the banks mentioned in this article?
- What does this article suggest about investments in these banks and the businesses they serve?
Helping cities prepare for electric cars
July 27, 2009 by Brahm Canzer
Filed under Part 4: Marketing Management
When President Obama said that he wanted to put 1 million plug-in hybrid vehicles on the road by 2015, it sounded good to many people worried about the effects of fossil fuels. But when you consider that there are currently about 230 million vehicles on the road in the United States alone, you realize that Obama’s goal amounts to less than one half of 1 percent–hardly what’s going to move the U.S. into a post-gas future.
Source: CNET News
Date: 7/25/2009
Keys: Marketing, segmentation, consumer behavior, adoption process, technologies
Link: http://news.cnet.com/8301-13772_3-10294453-52.html?tag=mncol
Questions for discussion:
- In your opinion, will the transition to electric cars depend on the creation of an infrastructure that will allow re-fuelling as convenient as gasoline stations?
- Do you that the Chevy Volt will be successfully adopted by the market of electric car buyers?
- Describe who you think the buyer of the Volt will like be in terms of age, income, education, geography, etc.
Sales Fail to Keep Pace With Profits as Economy Stays Sluggish
July 27, 2009 by Brahm Canzer
Filed under Part 1 Business in a Global Environment
Sales growth lagged behind profits as companies in the Standard & Poors’ 500 Index beat analysts’ estimates this week, a signal that economic recovery may be slow.
Source: Bloomberg.com
Date: 7/25/2009
Keys: Economy, finance, investing, business cycle
Link: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=a8SqhtHkyfL4
Questions for discussion:
- Explain what the article says about the relationship between sales revenues and profits.
- Why is this good news and bad news at the same time?
- Which businesses do you think will lead the economy back to better employment levels? Explain your answer.
Google, Microsoft turf war
July 20, 2009 by Brahm Canzer
Filed under Part 4: Marketing Management
Microsoft announces a foray into online office apps, while Google unveils plans for a netbook OS.
Source: CNNMoney – video report
Date: 7/17/2009
Keys: Marketing, market share, brand, consumer behavior, new product development
Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/technology/2009/07/17/f_tm_microsoft_vs_google.fortune/
Questions for discussion:
- Summarize the key arguments favoring Google and those favorng Microsoft winning this battle for market share?
- How important do you think consumer brand loyalty is in this battle?
- What would motivate you to switch to products offered by either firm?
Privileged teens and their digital toys
July 20, 2009 by Brahm Canzer
Filed under Part 4: Marketing Management
Why the Kids of NYC Prep brandish BlackBlackberrys.
Source: CNNMoney.com
Date: 7/17/2009
Keys: Marketing, target market, branding, re-positioning, consumer behavior, new product development
Link: http://brainstormtech.blogs.fortune.cnn.com/2009/07/17/privileged-teens-and-their-digital-toys/
Questions for discussion:
- Summarize the reasons given for Blackberry’s success among teens.
- Which reason provides the greatest explanation for the popularity among this “target market”? Explain your thinking.
- Given this segment growth, what would you do to increase further growth in sales of Blackberries?
- What would you recommend to competitors to counter this growth?
Dell poised to benefit most from PC market recovery
July 20, 2009 by Brahm Canzer
Filed under Part 4: Marketing Management
All signs are pointing to an improved PC market that will start to materialize later this year and really regain ground next year. Dell, the PC maker that’s arguably been battered most by the downturn, also stands to make the greatest gains when the seas begin to calm.
Source: CNET News
Date: 7/15/2009
Keys: Marketing, market share, technologies
Link: http://news.cnet.com/8301-1001_3-10287854-92.html?tag=newsLeadStoriesArea.1
Questions for discussion:
- Summarize the reasons given for recovery in sales of Dell products?
- Explain how these sales are related to the economic recovery and spending by business? By consumers?
Future of Newspapers: Profitless? Go Wireless
July 20, 2009 by Brahm Canzer
Filed under Part 4: Marketing Management
It’s undeniable that the going rate for information on the internet is “free.” That’s meant big trouble for newspapers, which have seen nearly all of their traditional roles usurped by better, faster, free online services over the past few years.
Source: Wired.com
Date: 7/14/2009
Keys: Advertising, Internet technology
Link: http://www.wired.com/dualperspectives/article/news/2009/07/dp_newspaper_wired0714
Questions for discussion:
- Summarize the key points presented.
- Do you agree or disagree that the old business model used by newspapers is no longer valid? Explain your thinking.
- What solutions would you recommend to the newspaper industry?
- Would you think that an online newspaper dedicated towards a youth market, (much like the “The Daily Show”, with Jon Stewart at Comedy Central), would be successful? Explain your answer.
Sci Fi becomes Syfy
July 11, 2009 by Brahm Canzer
Filed under Part 4: Marketing Management
Science Fiction Cable TV network undergoes an overhaul, changing its brand image and name.
Source: CNNMoney – video report
Date: 7/06/2009
Keys: Marketing, target market, branding, re-positioning, consumer behavior, new product development
Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/fortune/2009/07/06/f_scifi_rebrand_syfy.fortune/
Questions for discussion:
- Who do you think is the target market for this firm today?
- Do you think the target market will likely change in the future with their new marketing strategies?
- Do you think the new strategies will result in growth? Explain where this growth is likely to come from.
- Which products would you put at the forefront for development? Why?
- How would you tie marketing strategies to the sale of games and their associated television programming and movies?
Marketers to Cut U.S. Social Network Ad Spend in ’09
July 11, 2009 by Brahm Canzer
Filed under Part 4: Marketing Management
EMarketer has sharply lowered its outlook for ad spending on social networks in this country. A new report from the researcher finds such expenditures will fall 3 percent to $1.1 billion this year as marketers continue their retrenchment in the poor economy.
Source: Clickz.com
Date: 7/09/2009
Keys: Advertising, Internet technology
Link: http://www.clickz.com/3634342
Questions for discussion:
- Do you think social media sites are likely to see greater advertising revenues over the next five years? Why?
- What would you do to increase the advertising design appeal to users on one social media site such as Facebook?
- What are the some of the advantages to advertising on social media sites in comparison to other websites?
- What advantage or disadvantage is there to an advertiser to reach their target market through a social media site instead of other media such as television or magazines?
