Job market takes turn for worse
July 6, 2009 by admin
Filed under Uncategorized
Employers cut more jobs than expected in June and unemployment rate climbed for the ninth straight month, hitting 9.5%.
Source: CNNMoney.com
Date: 7/03/2009
Keys: Economic activity, business cycle, government
Link: http://money.cnn.com
Questions for discussion:
- What does the high level of unemployment suggest about the current and future state of business activities? Explain your thinking.
- Why are the numbers of unemployed people an important concern for predicting the future of economic activity?
- Is there a positive side to these high figures? Explain your answer.
Fisker’s good Karma
July 6, 2009 by admin
Filed under Uncategorized
Among the different alternative-fuel strategies playing out, Henrik Fisker is betting big on plug-in hybrids. At a recent dinner speech, he said plug-in hybrids, or PHEVs, will be the dominant type of car for the next 10 to 15 years. And he has reason to hope that will be the case as his start-up company, Fisker Automotive, launches the Karma sedan, with its PHEV power train, in June of next year.
Source: CNET News
Date: 7/02/2009
Keys: Marketing, new product development, new technologies, management
Link: http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13746_7-10278455-48.html?tag=mncol
Questions for discussion:
- Does Fisker Automotive represent a real threat to the giant automobile firms like Ford and Toyota?
- What do you think the target market will like about this product?
- Is there anything the customer will not like?
- Do you believe the product will succeed in the marketplace? Explain your answers.
Anti-Smoking Campaign Hits Up Music Site for Social Media Outreach
July 6, 2009 by admin
Filed under Uncategorized
The anti-smoking Truth campaign has turned to ad-supported music site Imeem for its most extensive social media effort thus far, a multi-band concert that was streamed live on the site following a month of interactive promotions.
Source: Clickz.com
Date: 6/29/2009
Keys: Advertising, social marketing, Internet technology
Link: http://www.clickz.com/3634240
Questions for discussion:
- Do you think this sort of approach to “social marketing” issues like anti-smoking, will be more successful than other communication strategies? Explain your answer.
- What do you think is the best way to persuade people in this target market not to smoke tobacco? Explain your answer.
- Do you think “fear-based” advertising works? Why or why not?
GM name still has value
June 29, 2009 by admin
Filed under Uncategorized
CEO Fritz Henderson says the automaker has no plans to change its name.
Source: CNNMoney – video report
Date: 6/23/2009
Keys: Marketing, brands, new product development, management
Link: http://money.cnn.com
Questions for discussion:
- Does this interview with Fritz Henderson suggest to you that GM management will be changing the direction of the firm for the better? Explain your answer.
- Do you think changing the GM brand, logos, and trademarks would help or hurt future marketing strategies?
- What changes, if any, would you consider? Explain your thinking.
China’s new frontier
June 29, 2009 by admin
Filed under Uncategorized
Chinese telecom-gear makers Huawei and ZTE have already conquered Africa and Asia. Next stop: Latin America.
Source: CNNMoney.com
Date: 6/25/2009
Keys: International business, marketing, pricing, government
Link: http://money.cnn.com
Questions for discussion:
- Are you surprised by China’s successful pricing strategy?
- What can global competitors do in response to Chinese low-price strategies?
- Are there lessons to be learned that relate to other industries such as automobiles, trucks, and other transportation vehicles? Explain your thinking.
Myths and realities of teen media trends
June 29, 2009 by admin
Filed under Uncategorized
Nielsen is out with a new report on media consumption by teens and the results are counter-intuitive to what we commonly believe to be the norm. According to the How Teens Use Media report (PDF),”teens exhibit media habits that are more similar to the total population than not.”
Source: CNET News
Date: 6/25/2009
Keys: Marketing research, new technologies
Link: http://news.cnet.com/8301-13846_3-10273344-62.html?tag=mncol
Questions for discussion:
- Are you surprised by any of the items listed in the article that describe behaviours? If so, explain why.
- Given this marketing information, what advice would you offer the advertising, television, Internet, newspaper and other media related industries that would be interested in this information?
Ballmer Strikes Cynical Tone on the Future of Ad Spending
June 29, 2009 by admin
Filed under Uncategorized
Description: Speaking at the Cannes Lions festival yesterday, CEO Steve Ballmer said the company’s spending on annual measured media has climbed from $200 million to $700 million over a four-year period, as the company serves up new campaigns for Bing, Xbox, Windows, Internet Explorer, and other products.
Source: Clickz.com
Date: 6/25/2009
Keys: Advertising, marketing, Internet technology
Link: http://www.clickz.com/3634219
Questions for discussion:
- Which opinions do you agree with and which do you not agree with that were expressed by Steve Balmer? Explain your thinking.
- Do you think the PC (Personal Computer) will be replaced by other products such as hand-held devices?
- How do you see the WWW connecting with various devices?
Business of Green: Sustainability, the environment and success
June 22, 2009 by admin
Filed under Uncategorized
T.Boone Pickens: $300 oil. The billionaire former oil man says U.S. must wean itself from dependence on foreign oil.
Source: CNNMoney – video report
Date: 6/16/2009
Keys: Government, economy, technology
Link: http://money.cnn.com
Questions for discussion:
- Summarize the arguments presented by Mr. Pickens for change of U.S. consumer usage of energy. Do you agree or disagree with his arguments? Explain your thinking.
- What should government’s role be in this discussion?
- How can taxes be used to mitigate consumption and finance new energy sources?
$1 billion ‘cash for clunkers’ passed
June 22, 2009 by admin
Filed under Uncategorized
Congress approves a measure to subsidize car purchases – consumers can get as much as $4,500 to trade in old cars. Obama expected to sign bill.
Source: CNNMoney.com
Date: 6/19/2009
Keys: Marketing, promotion, pricing, government
Link: http://money.cnn.com
Questions for discussion:
- Why might some people consider this government stimulus to the economy a “good” or “bad” idea?
- Consider what might happen after the program is ended. Consider the impact this policy might have on those who have recently bought a new car but will not benefit from this promotional tool. How might consumers behave in the future?
- Can you think of a better way to stimulate purchases of cars?
iPhone 3.0 a cut-and-paste win for Twitter
June 22, 2009 by admin
Filed under Uncategorized
The ability, with iPhone OS 3.0, to cut and paste content across applications will mean a huge boost in traffic for Twitter.
Source: CNET News
Date: 6/17/2009
Keys: Marketing, new product development, co-marketing
Link: http://news.cnet.com
Questions for discussion:
- Do you think iPhone customers will be motivated to trade-up to this new model? Explain your thinking.
- What other collaborative marketing arrangements could help Apple boost sales of iPhone?
- What other recommendations would make to improve Apple’s overall marketing strategy?
- Do you think the marketplace for “smart phones” is crowed or will everyone move up to these devices eventually?
