Week 8 EOC: Creative content

To create my creative content I used Photoshop to edit a picture of the Grand Canyon to provide a dramatic background. The Grand Canyon fits into the idea that nothing should stand in your way of quality. It also ties into the brand name of Continental Divide as an iconic landmark that is a barrier to the other side. Next is the all important bottle. The bottle style can become the image of the product and the shape, design and appearance can stir emotions in customers. The bottle i chose is a decanter style bottle that fades from clear at the bottom to cobalt at the top. The reason I chose this bottle is the color shift reveals the pure product at the bottom and symbolizes the sky at the top fitting with the natural concept of the product. Also the decanter style bottle adds a level of richness and style to the vodka. Using Photoshop I added a label to the bottle and then overlaid the bottle on the Grand Canyon picture. Finally I added text to the overall image to convey the mission statement of the Continental Divide brand.

Implementaion Evaluation Control

Marketing is a dynamic and volatile process.   We need to do continuous evaluation of our promotion programs and measure areas of success and areas of poor returns. If our company is not achieving its goals; it could be caused by a poor plan, poor implementation or the plan has become outdated.   Using costumer feedback and sales figures we can evaluate if we are being successful with our marketing.  Customer satisfaction is the ultimate indicator of tracking our success at meeting our goals.  Most people are more willing to give negative feedback than positive. Although the feedback may seem to indicate that our product is poor, this negative feedback is a good starting point for improving our product or potential product line expansion. Also evaluating different market areas on a quarterly basis will be key. If sales are inconsistent from one market to the next, in depth analysis of the differences in each market will help us to improve targeted marketing for the less successful markets.  Evaluating efficiency will also be another important control to ensure our product is produced in a manner that ensure product availability to all markets we supply.

Marketing Strategy: Price

 

“Today’s squeezed consumers are seeking greater value—just the right combination of good quality and service at a fair price”. (Kolter p.95) While fair is a difficult term to define, our customers need to feel that they are not being ripped off.  “Price is the sum of all the values that customers give up in order to gain the benefits of having or using a product or service”. (Kolter p.275) Our brand isn’t just about the Vodka it’s about a life style. The pricing of our product will make it just above the price point of the customer that is only concerned with price, yet close enough that they will be tempted to purchase above what they would normally spend to “live Large.”  “In the normal case, demand and price are inversely related; that is, the higher the price, the lower the demand.” (Kolter p.283) because of this we set our price at what could be considered to be just above the middle of the price range. At $39.99 a bottle people will expect our vodka to be a quality product and that is what they will get.  “To the extent that customers view the services of different providers as similar, they care less about the provider than the price. The solution to price competition is to develop a differentiated offer, delivery, and image.” (Kolter p.226)

Kotler, Gary Armstrong and Philip. Marketing: An Introduction for Education Management

Marketing Strategy: Promotion

Our promotions for our product in order to “communicate the merits of the product and persuade target customers to buy it.” (Kolter p.54) Include multiple digital media approaches as well as traditional media.  We will be using Search  Engine Optimization (SEO) to help drive potential customers to our site. Also using Facebook to have a product raffle for people who like our product, as well as a cocktail recipe contest.  During our initial marketing push we will be giving away outdoor adventure packages for skiing, backpacking, and fishing at locations in the Rocky Mountains.  “Developing separate marketing plans for the separate segments requires extra marketing research, forecasting, sales analysis, promotion planning, and channel management.” (Kolter p.188) To start we will focus mainly on the North West US  market to  focus our efforts and avoid “ trying to reach different market segments with different advertising campaigns increases promotion costs.” (Kolter p.188) Although many start u p companies use the “ affordable method and set the promotion budget at the level they think the company can afford. “(Kolter p.388) Using this method, although initially it can seem beneficial, can have negative long term impacts. In order to make a significant impact into the vodka market we will be using the full court press method to attempt to win as many custumers as we can.  

Kotler, Gary Armstrong and Philip. Marketing: An Introduction for Education Management Corporation, 10th Edition.

Marketing Strategy: Distribution

“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. “(Kolter p.253) In order to grow our product we will limit our distribution to the northwest region. Specifically Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Nevada and Northern California. Although Nevada is somewhat out side of the northwest region, the marketing opportunities and ability to touch other markets to evaluate growth potential makes distribution to Las Vegas worthwhile.  While many “Companies often pay too little attention to their distribution channels, sometimes with damaging results.”(* p312) We have set up distribution channels to ensure our product is moved in a timely and efficient manner.  Building our own distribution system from scratch is difficult. “When Nikon entered the digital camera market, it decided that it needed an entirely new distribution strategy as well. So it asked transportation and logistics giant UPS to design a complete system for moving its entire electronics product line “(Kolter p.162) To bring our products to market we have partnered with FedEx to create a flexible and expandable distribution system. “Distribution channel decisions often involve long-term commitments to other firms.” (Kolter  p.312) and ours is no different, we have set up a 5 year contract with FedEx and have the option to extend for  5 more. “ Although in store sales are the norm, “many companies have used imaginative distribution systems to gain a competitive advantage.”  (Kolter p.312) We are going to use GetWineOnline.com to sell our product online to allow us to reach customers that are outside of our traditional distribution network.

Kotler, Gary Armstrong and Philip. Marketing: An Introduction for Education Management Corporation, 10th Edition.

Marketing Strategy: Product

“Products include more than just tangible objects, such as cars, computers, or cell phones. Broadly defined, “products” also include services, events, persons, places, organizations, ideas, or mixes of these.” (Kolter p.209) because of that continental Divide Vodka will be marketed as more than just another vodka, it will be marketed as a lifestyle and an expression of personal image. Using  the image of the outdoors and being all natural give our product an organic quality that seperates uis from the more industrial image that many vodkas brands achieve. “Product planners need to think about products and services on three levels (see Figure 7.1). Each level adds more customer value. The most basic level is the core customer value, which addresses the question What is the buyer really buying” (Kolter p.210)  Continental Divide isn’t just another way to get drunk it’s a way to enjoy experience a taste of nature.  “Finally, product planners must build an augmented product around the core benefit and actual product by offering additional consumer services and benefits. (Kolter p211) this will be achieved by sponsoring events and having promotions at bars and nightclubs.

Kotler, Gary Armstrong and Philip. Marketing: An Introduction for Education Management Corporation, 10th Edition.

Marketing Strategy: Target Market Stategy

“The major marketing mix tools are classified into four broad groups, called the four Ps of marketing: product, price, place, and promotion.”  (Kolter p.13) Our marketing strategy will be a mixture of advertising our product to let people know about our new product, using sales promotions and multiple types of media to promote our product, offering deals to bars, nightclubs, and liquor stores to get optimal placement.  In order to best serve our custumer we are creating an image and lifestyle. “There is no single way to segment a market.  A marketer has to try different segmentation variables, alone and in combination, to find the best way to view the market structure.” (Kolter p. 178) one way we will market our vodka  is with the image that nature is our partner in making our vodka. By emphasizing the natural aspect we can tap into nature lovers and the rugged western lifestyle. Another way is the concept that nothing should stand in the way of what you want.  We will continue to review and analyze the market for expanding market areas. Purity is also key marketing point.

Kotler, Gary Armstrong and Philip. Marketing: An Introduction for Education Management Corporation, 10th Edition.

SWOT

We conducted “a SWOT analysis, by which it evaluates the company’s overall strengths (S), weaknesses (W), opportunities (O), and threats (T)” (Kolter p.55) In order to conduct a SWOT analysis we needed to be brutally honest and look at all facets of our business and the market. The “marketing function begins with a complete analysis of the company’s situation.”” (Kolter p. 55) Continental Divide has obtained the suppliers of the raw materials to make the product and the facilities to produce the final product.  Our team of digital techs will be launching a social media blitz due to the strong impact social media has on brand recognition and popularity.  One weakness is that there is significant competition in the market place.  There are hundreds of brands of vodka on the market. Differentiating us from the competition will be one of our biggest challenges. To do this we are introducing our product in the northwest with emphasis on the rugged natural concept of our product.  An opportunity for us is that alcohol has never gone out of style even when the economy has gone bad.  Alcohol is an affordable luxury for many people.  A threat for us is the weather. If we have a bad growing year it would have negative impacts on our ability to provide our product.

Kotler, Gary Armstrong and Philip. Marketing: An Introduction for Education Management Corporation, 10th Edition.

Objectives

The “mission is then turned into detailed supporting objectives that guide the whole company. “ (Kotler p.39) This needs to be accomplished to raise awareness of our product. For our product to succeed we need to ensure people know of our product and see the value is buying our product. Marketing our product using numerous promotion formats will help raise awareness. While maintain a consistent product will ensure people who enjoy our vodka will be happy every time they drink it. We will be doing this by having strict quality control measures. Taking a multiple samples from every batch and having it sent to a second party laboratory to have our product analyzed down to the smallest detail. By using only our core ingredients and not using lesser substitutes we will be able to maintain true to our corporate mission and gain a share of the over $1.5 billion per year sales of vodka in the United States.  

 

 

Kotler, Gary Armstrong and Philip. Marketing: An Introduction for Education Management Corporation, 10th Edition. , 10th Edition.

Week 10 EOC: Business Mission Statment

"Mission statements should be meaningful and specific yet motivating. They should emphasize the company’s strengths in the marketplace." (Kotler, Gary Armstrong and Philip p41). That is why our mission statement is short and to the point. Our mission should be to provide a product that is the foundation for our product. Our mission statement conveys our unyielding commitment to a top notch product. Elaborate mission statements with excessive wording can distract for what a company really should be doing. A mission statement focused around profits will lead a company down a road to inferior products and eventually a diminishing market share. "Instead, the mission should focus on customers and the customer experience the company seeks to create." (Kotler, Gary Armstrong and Philip p41) Our mission statement should lead to increased profits due to the  value our product delivers to the customer and  by remaining true to our mission our market share will continue to expand. Our mission statement focuses on what we deliver to our costumers; a pure, high quality vodka.  

Our mission is to let nothing stand in the way of providing our customers with vodka made using pure and natural water from artisan wells in Oregon because starting with pure water ends in a pure and smooth vodka. Combined that with vacuum distilled alcohol made from Silver King Corn grown in  Wisconsin and you have a Vodka that mother nature herself would enjoy. Settling for “Good enough” is not an option for you and it is never an option for us, drink Continental Divide and don’t settle for good enough.


Kotler, Gary Armstrong and Philip (). Marketing: An Introduction for Education Management Corporation

Week 7 EOC T Pitch

Don’t let anything stand in the way of enjoying your vodka. Enjoy the vodka Mother Nature herself had a hand in creating.

You’re not the type of person to settle for mediocrity.  You know what you like and don’t let anything stand in your way. Here at Continental Divide we feel the same way and craft our vodka without settling for good enough. We use only Silver King Corn imported from the Heartland of America. Most vodka is distilled to around 95% before blending, to create a smother more pure vodka we distill our vodka using vacuum distillation process to reach 98% because like you we know that perfection is worth the extra work. Although you may enjoy drinking Continental Divide around the campfire, we use our own version of a “campfire” to flash test every batch to ensure the highest quality.  Once we are done with our “campfire”, we blend the alcohol with water. We could have settled for everyday tap water or ever river water, but again we didn’t settle at good enough. We use water given to use from mother earth herself. Our water comes from artisan wells in Oregon.  Some say artesian water has magic healing properties, others say the water has been there since prehistoric times. All we know is starting with pure water ends in a pure and smooth vodka. We then use charcoal made from the Rocky Mountain Juniper to filter our blend a minimum of three times to impart a hint of the great outdoors. Don’t let anything stand in the way of enjoying your vodka. Enjoy the vodka Mother Nature herself had a hand in creating. Drink Continental Divide and don’t settle for good enough.

Week 5 EOC: Social Networks and Job Hunting

Marketing has always been about reaching people. For years the method has been to use one sided media to reach the customer. Television, radio, newspaper, magazines billboards and mail flyers have the ability to reach many customers but are only one sided activities. The potential customer reads, views, or hears the marketing and then will either be influenced to start the purchase process or not. The company doing the selling has limited influence beyond the potential customer’s impression of what they saw. Worse the customer may never get the message due to that ability to change channels, disregard the flyer or with the advent of DVR’s just fast forwards.  To help avoid those shortcomings some companies are turning to brand ambassadors. “People love talking about things that make them happy—including their favorite products and brands.”(Kotler, Gary Armstrong and Philip p. 143). With a little training a person who is passionate about a product can become a powerful tool to help market the product.  The internet has had a huge impact on marketing since it became publicly available; now with social media it can have an even bigger impact.  Brand ambassadors have the ability to connect with a much larger audience than was previously possible.  Using social media, blogs and and their friends the circle of influence can be huge.  Another use that social media has besides marketing products is the potential to find employees.  There are numerous large job posting sites on the internet from LinkedIn to Monster, but cost can be a factor.  At the moment  “Facebook hires account for less than 1% of the total hires companies are making, according to Jobs2Web, which helps companies track the sources of candidates and hires.” (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111903885604576490763) Even though social media is having only a small impact on job posting sites now the projection is for growth in this area for the foreseeable future.

Week 5 EOC: Me x 3

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Although there are many things that define me, here are three items that I have purchased and are good examples of who I am.  

First is my Ryobi cordless drill. I enjoy fixing things and making things. The Ryobi is a perfect fit for me. Although there are more robust drills out there, the Ryobi has a excellent cost to quality ratio that is typical of how evaluate if a product is for me. This is my second Ryobi drill. My first one lasted me 10 years and although it still works it is showing its age. The use and even abuse that my first drill took made it worth every penny.  The cordless aspect defines me as well for I like to be able to do what I want when and where I want.  Grab the drill and go to work, no need for cords.

Another item that defines me is my Polaris ATV. It’s powerful and fast. This ATV Fulfills my desire for speed and adventure. Getting out in the more remote places and facing the challenge of driving over, around or through difficult terrain brings a smile to my face. The 525 has the power to go where I want and gets there fast. Although other ATV's can be modified using aftermarket parts to go as fast, typically they become less reliable over the long term. 

Finally my Canon EOS 7D Camera defines my creative side. It has the resolution to capture images that can be made into large prints and takes pictures at 8 frames per second to capture the fast paced subjects I prefer shooting. The EOS 7D also gives me all of the control I need to capture the images want.  The EOS system has hundred's of lenses available to allow me to specialize for the type of shooting I am doing as well.

Week 4 EOC Business to Bussiness vs Consumer Marketing

Marketing to businesses shares some similarity in marketing to consumers. They are both the customer and desire to be delighted.  However there are some significant differences in the marketing process between businesses and consumers. Where consumers are numerous and very diverse and require potentially numerous marketing campaigns based on how to appeal to differences in region, gender, age or possibly ethnicity,  Businesses are more limited and concise. Another significant difference is the size of the purchase. Consumers marketing is based on typically smaller quantities and is a simple transaction.  however, "Compared with consumer purchases, a business purchase usually involves more decision participants and a more professional purchasing effort."(Kotler, Gary Armstrong and Philip p.160) Due to typically larger quantities of overall cost marketing to businesses needs to address more criteria and undergo much more scrutiny. "Business buyers usually face more complex buying decisions than do consumer buyers. Business purchases often involve large sums of money, complex technical and economic considerations, and interactions among many people at many levels of the buyer’s organization. " (Kotler, Gary Armstrong and Philip p.160) These coplexities make the overall process more involved and involve more back and forth dialog between purchaser and seller. Due to the need for more dialog and the complexities of the process  "The decision-making unit of a buying organization is called its buying center—all the individuals and units that play a role in the business purchase decision-making process." (Kotler, Gary Armstrong and Philip p.160)

Week 4 BOC There's an app for that

If I were to design an app I would crate an app that unlocks the doors to my car. With this feature you would never have to worry about locking your keys in your car again. I know what you are thinking. "What if I lock my phone in my car as well?" Well having your significant other or a d close trusted friend with your vehicle's code loaded on it would allow them to open your car by connecting to your phones app that is in the car. After your significant other or friend runs the app on their phone it connects to your phone and unlocks your doors Built into the app would be timer and an automatic lock out of remote apps. The timer would be set to relock the doors after a set amount of time if you don’t acknowledge the access fro a remote user.  The purpose of the timer is that way your car isn’t just sitting around unlocked either as a prank or if you get sidetracked on your way to your car. The auto lock out of the remote app would also set to lock out a remote app if the attempt to unlock your car more that a set amount of time without your acknowledgement on your phone.

WEEK3 EOC: Making Money for Good

 
Many companies out there work solely for their own profits and make as much as they can to keep for themselves. Although these companies aren’t what you would necessarily call "bad" companies, there are some companies that give some of their profits to worthy causes. These companies could be considered "good". Proctor and Gamble is one such company. From the sales of several of their products the use some of the profits to help people in need.

One product that gives something back is Pampers. "Each year, approximately 140,0002 infants and 30,000 women in developing countries die from tetanus, which can be contracted during childbirth. That’s one death every three minutes." (http://news.pampers.com/fact-sheet/about-one-pack-one-vaccine) in response Proctor and Gamble will give on vaccine shot to UNCEF for each package of specially marked diapers are sold.

Anther product that gives back to the community is Tide. The Tide Loads of Hope trucks Proctor and Gamble assist people in areas of natural disasters. In coordination with the Red Cross they assist people in the hardest hit areas. "The Tide Loads of Hope truck spent the last week in Eatontown, New Jersey and washed over 1,800 loads of laundry. We also donated 10,000 bottles of Tide to be distributed to those in need throughout New Jersey and New York through our partner the American Red Cross."(http://www.tide.com/en-US/loads-of-hope/index.jspx?tm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=tide%20loads%20of%20hope&utm_campaign=Tide_Search_Desktop_Brand+Advocacy&utm_content=sJ78FAxtu_16715145556_e_tide%20loads%20of%20hope)

These are just two examples of why Procter & Gamble were chose by The Cause Marketing Forum’s 2012 Golden Halo Award Winner. "Procter & Gamble focuses its corporate social investments on supporting disadvantaged youth and providing relief when disaster strikes."(http://www.forbes.com/sites/davidhessekiel/2012/01/31/cause-marketing-leaders-of-the-pack/ ) A well earned award for a "good" company.

Week 3 EOC: My Demographics

Generation X. The baby boom was followed by a “birth dearth,” creating another generation of 49 million people born between 1965 and 1976. Author Douglas Coupland calls them Generation X because they lie in the shadow of the boomers and lack obvious distinguishing characteristics.

Generation X
The 45 million people born between 1965 and 1976 in the “birth dearth” following the baby boom.
The Generation Xers are defined as much by their shared experiences as by their age. Increasing parental divorce rates and higher employment for their mothers made them the first generation of latchkey kids. Although they seek success, they are less materialistic; they prize experience, not acquisition. For many of the Gen Xers that are parents, family comes first—both children and their aging parents—and career second. From a marketing standpoint, the Gen Xers are a more skeptical bunch. They tend to research products before they consider a purchase, preferring quality over quantity, and they tend to be less receptive to overt marketing pitches.
Once labeled as “the MTV generation” and viewed as body-piercing slackers who whined about “McJobs,” the Gen Xers have grown up and are now taking over. They are increasingly displacing the lifestyles, culture, and values of the baby boomers. They are the most educated generation to date and they possess hefty annual purchasing power. However, like the baby boomers, the Gen Xers now face growing economic pressures. Like almost everyone else these days, they are spending more carefully.

I would have to agree with most of the criteria that is used to describe Gen X also describes me. For me my family is a top priority and was the key factor in my retirement from the US Air Force right at 20 years instead of trying to stay longer and make more rank. Experiences drive most of my recreational lifestyle. I continuously look for new "adventures" from ATV riding to trips down slot canyons to rock climbing, I am always looking for new experiences. I will spend large amounts of time researching and comparing purchases to the point that my wife( in Generation Y) gets frustrated adn tells me to just buy it. Although I don't fit in the category for pay check with mine being only my military retirement, overall I fit the definition of a Gen Xer.

Week 2 EOC: Boston Consulting Group - Video Games

Console video game companies are being hurt by a decline in sales. “Total video game sales fell from $1.11 billion in September 2011 to $848.3 million last month, a decline of 24 percent(http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2410940,00.asp)” The drop in sales is due in part by the economic recession, as well as gamers switching to cheaper formats for game play. Mobile devices, such as cell phones and tablets, which are more portable and have lower initial cost for games are having an impact on the market.  “Games are the number one category of sales at Apple Inc.’s App Store; tablet users spend 67 percent of their time on the devices playing games, according to the mobile analytics firm Flurry, while smartphone users dedicate 39 percent of their time to games.” (http://www.boston.com/business/innovation/2012/11/01/mobile-apps-upending-video-game-industry/UnPw0t2ZBnyLJ83Iz6uHjK/story.html) Nintendo has seen a significant drop in sales for its Wii console so far this year, selling  only 3,270,725, making their sales less than half of the 6,847,893 they sold all of last year(http://www.vgchartz.com/article/250537/2012-year-on-year-sales-and-market-share-update-to-november-3rd/).  Although Nintendo will be releasing a new console for the holidays, it is difficult to say if their sales will even come close to last years. this puts nintendo in the dog category.  Sony’s PS3 sales so far this year puts them on course to sell roughly the same as last year, however, no growth in sales is to be expectedmaking them a cash cow for now. Microsoft’s sales are on track to be slightly lower than last years, and without a significant upgrade or enhancement to the console system are likely to continue to diminish for the foreseeable future putting them in on thier way from being a cash cow to a dog. . With increased usage of mobile devices as gaming platforms the market share for game consoles has decreased, as many part time gamers see the benefit of gaming on their phones, tablets and other hand held devices while on the go. Mobile devices are currently the star in the market due to growth and lower cost overhead for game makers.   Even though console game systems sales are slow due to the recession, many gamers have decided to convert to different gaming formats, and potentially will stay there even after recovery for this current recession. There will continue to be a market for console games in the future because many serious gamers will continue to be attracted to the format, but the market looks like it will be a smaller segment than in the past.

Week1 EOC: Great Custumer Experience

When I had trailer tires that when bad…

While driving my travel trailer down the highway I heard a loud thump.  I pulled over and checked what had happened and found the entire tread surface had separated from one of my trailer tires.  After switching to my spare I continued my trip.  After my trip, I went back to the dealer I purchased the tires from. I purchased an extended warranty when I had bought the tires originally, and expected to get the tire replaced. When the technician and I went and looked at the tire, he was concerned about the way the tire had failed. He looked at the other three tires on the trailer and noticed two others with what looked to be a similar problem beginning to happen. He said he would replace those as well under warranty. As he was filling out the work order the Manager came over to see how everything was going and showed concern about the situation. He then directed the technician to go ahead and replace all tires under warranty, to ensure there would be no further problems with the tires, and it would keep all the tires the same. This is a great example of one definition of marketing. “[P]erhaps the simplest definition is this one: Marketing is managing profitable customer relationships. 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, p.5).” The technician and the manager both did everything they could to ensure I left satisfied.

Week 1 EOC: My Voice

As the owner of KBDrake Photography, I have over 20 years experience taking pictures. I started in film photography before the digital format was available. When digital cameras became sophisticated enough to compete with the film format, I quickly saw the value in the format and switched over. By continually increasing my skills over the years, I have transitioned from taking basic snapshots to taking high quality photographs. Years of self taught knowledge combined with an Associate’s Degree in Digital Photography from the Art Institute of Las Vegas have given me the skills and experience needed to be a professional in the field of photography. As a professional photographer I don’t settle for good enough, I am always driven to capture the best photograph possible.  My motto for this business is “Enjoy yourself, we’ll capture the memories”, and that is the value I provide you by hiring a photographer for your event. I will melt into the background and capture the invaluable photographs that will last you a lifetime, while you get to relax and enjoy the event, rather than multitasking and missing out on once in a lifetime activities.