Sales Promotions

My first example of a consumer-oriented promotion is Noxzema shavers.

This is an example of a bonus pack. I received 6 shavers for the price of 4. For this item, marketers were able to provide an extra value, being the 2 extra shavers, without needing a coupon or rebate offer. Personally, the fact that this had 2 more influenced my purchase decision. Also, because there are more, it will be a little bit longer before I have to go to the store to purchase more, which helps the company because I am not buying the competition's product for the time being. However, for a customer like myself, I would have bought this product anyway, with or without the bonus pack. This is the biggest problem with bonus packs, because they have a great appeal to current consumers, but can have little influence in drawing in new users or the users of a competitor. Also, this item did not have a display, so there were plenty of opportunities for other brands, such as Schick, to steal away potential customers, because they had a display in the store, right before you entered the aisle.
My second example of a customer-oriented promotion is a Kwik Trip Sweepstakes to win lunch with Ryan Braun.

This is a sweepstakes because the winner is determined by chance, not judged by any kind of skill or ability. All that a consumer has to do is pick up an entry form at a Kwik Trip Store, fill in a name, address, phone number, and e-mail, and drop it in the mailbox. I found this to be effective, because all of the information about this is right on the front of the postcard. Also, these entry cards are right at the register, so basically every person who walks into a Kwik Trip will see this. I think that the fact that this is easy to enter is also a huge draw for consumers, because they do not have to take time out of their day just to enter a sweepstakes. I think this is a benefical choice for the company, because the final cost of the prize is already known. Also, the company does not have to judge entries, like in a contest. All they have to do is pick a random winner from all of the entries. The timing for this is also perfect, as people are just getting into the swing of baseball season.
My first example of a trade-oriented promtion is for the latest Harry Potter movie, "Harry Potter and the Deatholy Hallows Part 1".

This display attempts to make the movie stand out in the electronics department of Wal-Mart. This is beneficial for the consumer, because he or she does not have to search for the movie in the new release section. However, compared to displays for other movies, including the Twilight Saga and other Harry Potter releases, this one seems to be lacking. It is relatively small compared to other displays, And only utilizes three sides of the structure, when it really could use all four. I also think this display has been up for too long, as this movie was released on April 15th. Now that there has been a chance for many people to buy this movie, the display has kind of been neglected, and is now a resting place for items that people do not wish to carry or purchase anymore. I think something really spectacular could have been done with this display, as I was expecting with this being one of the last films in the series, but was really let down by this simple display with only a few pictures posted on it.
My second example of a trade-oriented promotion is a display for Swiffer.

I found this display to be very effective. The bright color demands attention, and can be seen from very far away. I was actually looking at another display, but stopped just to see what this was a display for. I think this display also allowed the company to uniquely display its product. Instead of having the Swiffer on a hook down the cleaning aisle, they are neatly displayed in a way that allows you to see all of them at once. This also benefits the retailer, Wal-Mart, because this is easier to fill than trying to balance the Swiffer between to narrow hooks. Having this display available at the current time is also effective, as people are beginning or in the midst of spring cleaning. I think that this bright, interesting display will really play a positive role in the purchasing decision process, which usually happens in the store.

Ch. 13 ~ Billboards

I think that the reason for the increase in outdoor advertising spending is due to the fact that this is where marketers can really be creative. Not only is it more likely that a person will look at a billboard, due to the fact that they can't turn the channel or flip a page, but it seems like extremely creative advertisements become a part of our culture. There have been so many times when I am talking to my friends and family, and they ask if I have seen a specific billboard, or tell me to watch for it the next time I am traveling. I still remember the outdoor advertisements that I saw in New York City 10 years ago! I also remember how people just stopped and stared at these billboards and displays, because places like Times Square were, and still are, THE place for creative outdoor advertising. I think another factor that plays into this increase is the fact that more and more people are working, specifically more two income families. Now that people are spending more time outside of the home, they may have less time to watch television, or read a magazine. So, this leads to more outdoor advertisements. This increase also leads to an increase in the number of total people that will see this display, which makes this form of advertising well worth the cost. I think that as technology advances, we will see even more outdoor advertising, perhaps with an emphasis on interaction with the viewer. With items such as smart phones and iPads, the sky is the limit.



I also just wanted to include this video by Nokia that was shown at this year's SXSW. It is an outdoor video advertisement on a building, to promote the new levels of Angry Birds the company was going to be offering. I think this really demonstrates just how creative some companies are in utilizing outdoor advertising.

Chapter 14 Direct Marketing Piece

Well, this is the only direct marketing piece I received in the mail in the past week. It is for Furniture Studio's Twilight Tour of Homes. The piece did capture my attention. The weight of the paper used for this piece is heavier than a lot of the mail I receive, so it stood out from the stack. The picture on the front also captured my attention. It shows a very beautiful home, and I really like when a picture is black and white, with a few pops of color, in this case, it was the items that were a burnt orange or brown color. However, this piece did not really reach me, or anyone in my family, as a consumer. Nobody in my family has ever gone to Furniture Studio, which is made obvious by the fact that this was sent to "Current Resident". Also, we've never really been interested in attending the tour of homes since we've been up here, which has been five years now. I think if my family was looking for something to do on this date, we may consider going. However, this piece of mail would most likely be thrown away by this date, so if we were to go, we would be more likely to be influenced by a radio ad or billboard that we hear or see closer to the day of the tour of homes.

Magazine Advertising

The consumer magazine that I chose to analyze from an advertising perspective is Vanity Fair, specifically, the March 2011 issue.
The target audience for this magazine is women, most likely in their twenties. They are likely to have a high disposable income, and have an interest in fashion, especially high end brands, as well as celebrities, but not necessarily celebrity gossip.
Out of the magazine's 353 pages, 194 of them are advertisements. Even though that means over half of the magazine's content is advertisements, it did not appear to be cluttered. This is due mainly to the placement of the ads. The advertisements are more towards the front of the magazine, amongst the table of contents, current events, beauty and fashion tips, and lighter, shorter stories. As you make your way through the magazine, the ads are further apart, and then nonexistent once you hit the cover stories, which are 7-10 pages long.
With over half the magazine devoted to advertisements, there are a lot of different companies and products showcased. One major category or ads is beauty, which features Covergirl, La Mer, Balenciaga, MAC, and Lancome. Another major category is clothing, which includes Dior, Gucci, Prada, Giorgio Armani, and Chanel. There are also ads for travel destinations, such as New York and Dubai. Jewelry is another category, with companies like Omega, Cartier, and De Beers. I feel that these advertisers are attracted to Vanity Fair because their readers have a higher disposable income, as well as a interest in fashion and particular brands.
The editorial climate of the magazine displays famous actors, but in a more relaxed and personal environment. In this particular issue, the editorials are focused on actors and their recent film accomplishments. There is also an editorial on the lives of legends, as well in a posh, exclusive neighborhood in California. I think that the editorials make the lifestyles of celebrities seem attractive, yet down to earth. I think this causes the readers to want emulate those lifestyles, and this causes them to seek out high end brands. These higher end companies are then attracted to place advertisements in Vanity Fair.
I think Vanity Fair magazine positions itself as a vehicle to reach women who have an interest in higher end labels and exotic vacations and fashion. It's a place for advertisers to be a little more editorial with their advertisements, while still being able to push the envelope in order to be noticed.

Commercials and Cable Television

I chose to analyze the commercials that appear on the cable television channel ABC Family. I analyzed the channel in three one-hour segments during the shows "Still Standing"' "My Wife and Kids", and "Gilmore Girls", which air at 11am, 1pm, and 4pm, respectively.
The commercials during the eleven o'clock hour were very heavily oriented toward the stay-at-home mom, as this is who is home during this time. The commercials consisted mainly of food, beauty, and family. The Scott toilet paper commercial showed parents dropping their daughter off at college. The Welch's Juice commercial was informative and focused on family health. There was also a large number of commercials for cleaning products such as Swiffer and Clorax.

During the one o'clock hour, the commercials slowly started to shift toward a younger demographic. While the majority still consisted of many of the same commercials seen in the 11 o' clock hour, ABC Family began to introduce "younger" commercials. These commercials include Ice Breakers gum, electronic Scrabble, and a commercial for the new PG-13 movie "Red Riding Hood".

When "Gilmore Girls" aired at four o'clock, the majority of commercials shifted to the younger demographic, with the smaller portion of commercials devoted to parents. The commercials geared toward the younger demographic included: Extra dessert gum, Nike, iPhone, an anti-drug psa, Butterfinger, and a commercial for the new PG-13 movie "Beastly".

The commercials I viewed on ABC Family were 30 seconds in length, focused on giving a large amount of information, and were family centric. They were not flashy, and were relatively straight forward, and simple.

I do think that the commercials that appear on cable networks, such as ABC Family, differ from those found on major networks. ABC Family had very limited network commercials, about one during every commercial break. Also, there were no local commercials, which often appear on major networks.

Learning Plan #2: External Influences on Consumer Behavior

The first category is Culture. I have chosen a commercial produced by the Got Milk? campaign.



I think that this commercial demonstrates the values of the United States. It shows building strong families, helping one another, and volunteerism. I believe that people are more willing to support and buy from a company that reflects their own values. The marketers have developed this campaign to correspond with Facebook, which has become a huge part of the American culture.

The next category is Subculture. I have chosen a Dove commercial.



This commercial focuses on the subculture of women, as well as, presenting what is happening to young girls, to the older women in their lives. Dove is presenting the values of feeling beautiful and accepting who you are, which sets women apart from a larger cultural audience. I think that women would be more likely to purchase Dove products, knowing that the company is providing opportunities for young girls to learn they are truly beautiful.

Third is Social Class. I have chosen a Hyundai Equus commercial.



This commercial is targeting the upper social class. By giving the purchaser an iPad as an owner's manual, the company supports the product and shopping habits of the upper class. While other classes may see this as not essential, members of the upper class may see this as a way to demonstrate their lifestyle, income level, and status to the rest of the world.

Fourth is Reference Groups. I have chosen a Nike commercial for this category.



I believe that this commercial demonstrates an aspirational reference group. People may use this commercial as motivation to be better, and to be able to say that they are better than the next person. While they aspire to be better, people may decide to wear Nike clothes, the clothing that the "better" wear.

Finally, there is Situational Determinants. I have chosen a Campbell's Soup Commerical.



This commercial tends to run once the temperatures start to drop. I believe that this demonstrates situational determinants, because people tend to buy more soup during the winter.

Commercial