August 29, 2014

Loyalty Programs (Chapter 11)

This article in MediaPost discusses the differences between men and women in how they define loyalty programs.

Discussion Questions:

  1. How many loyalty or frequency membership cards do you have? How many do you use regularly?
  2. How do you define loyalty programs?
  3. Do you agree that men and women look at loyalty programs differently?
  4. Do you believe age makes a difference in how loyalty programs are viewed? Why or why not?
  5. Is brand loyalty important to you? Why or why not?
  6. The article identified six loyalty segments. Which segment would you fit into? Explain why.

Posted by on August 29, 2014 in Chapter 11 and tagged , .

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August 28, 2014

Mobile Apps (Chapter 8)

I found this article about the costs of acquiring mobile apps very interesting. Competition for mobile apps has increased among brands, but is it worth it, in terms of gaining new customers or increasing sales?

Discussion Questions:

  1. How many apps do you have on your mobile phone? What percentage did you purchase?
  2. What are you willing to pay for a brand or company app?
  3. Have you made purchases through any mobile app? If so, which one? If not, why not?
  4. Do you think having a mobile app on a phone increases purchases? Why or why not?
  5. What are your thoughts about this article, from the viewpoint of a business?

Posted by on August 28, 2014 in Chapter 08 and tagged , .

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July 25, 2014

Geico and Ad Spending (Chapter 4)

This article in Bloomberg Businessweek ties in well with Chapter 4 and the discussion of IMC budgeting. Geico spent $935 million on advertising, three times its closest competitor. The result – Geico is now in second place next to State Farm in terms of auto insurance policies. Here is a website that shows the market share of each auto insurance company.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Why has Geico gained market share? Is it only advertising or are there other reasons? Explain.
  2. If companies spend more on advertising than the competition, will it always result in a market share gain? Why or why not?
  3. What do you think is the relationship between ad spending and market share? Does the industry make a difference? Does the amount spent make a difference? Explain.
  4. What is the relationship between ad spending and ad content? Will strong ad spending create results regardless of ad content? Why or why not? Will strong content produce results even with low spending? Why or why not?

Posted by on July 25, 2014 in Chapter 04 and tagged , , .

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July 23, 2014

Customer Rewards in Exchange for Ad Tracking (Chapter 8)

In this Wall Street Journal article Verizon is now offering consumer rewards in exchange for permission to track the person’s location, web browsing, and mobile applications. They will also obtain demographic and other information of interest.

Discussion Questions:

  1. After reading this article, would you let your cell phone service track your location and activities in exchange for rewards and coupons? Why or why not?
  2. What type of rewards or coupons would it take for you to agree?
  3. What are your thoughts about Verizon sharing this information with the company’s partners?
  4. If Verizon or your cell phone service sold your information to other companies, how would you feel about it?

Posted by on July 23, 2014 in Chapter 08 and tagged , , .

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July 21, 2014

Ads Using a Sex Appeal

Here are 3 recent ads using a sex appeal.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is your impression of these ads? Favorable or unfavorable? Why?
  2. Do the ads you an appropriate sex appeal? Why or why not?
  3. Which of the sex appeal categories are each of the ads? Justify your selection.
  4. What type of execution is used in each ad? Justify your answers.
  5. What type of message strategy is being used in each ad? Justify your answers.

Posted by on July 21, 2014 in Chapter 06 and tagged .

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July 3, 2014

Emotional Ad from Thailand (Chapter 6)

A colleague sent a link to this advertisement from Thailand to me and I wanted to share it with you. It is longer than most at 3 minutes, but very good.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What emotions does this ad elicit?
  2. Identify the message strategy, appeal, and execution used in the ad.
  3. Do you like the ad? Why or why not?
  4. Does the length of the ad reduce its effectiveness? Why or why  not?

Posted by on July 3, 2014 in Chapter 06.

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June 11, 2014

Biometrics (Chapter 15)

Chapter 15 presents various methods companies use to measure advertising and marketing activity. This YouTube video shows how biometrics are used to evaluate viral ads. It can be an excellent starting point for a discussion of ad evaluation and specifically biometrics.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are the advantages of using biometrics over paper/pencil type of tests that ask for consumer reactions to an advertisement?
  2. What are the disadvantages?
  3. Can biometric reactions be faked? Why or why not?
  4. Does the knowledge that a person’s physical reactions are being measured have an impact on the reactions that are observed?
  5. Biometrics are seen as a superior way to evaluate certain types of ads, such as controversial ads or ads with sexual content, than traditional methods? Would you agree or disagree? Why?

Posted by on June 11, 2014 in Chapter 15 and tagged , .

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June 11, 2014

Ad Targeting (Chapter 8)

This article about eBay opening its data for ad targeting is an excellent launch point to discuss the issues of behavioral targeting, geotargeting, and privacy. Amazon, Google, and Facebook already do this. Additional articles that you can use include:

Discussion Questions:

  • Why is ad targeting beneficial for companies? What are the advantages?
  • What privacy issues are raised by targeting? Are students concerned about privacy?
  • With the rise of smart phones, geotargeting has become more prominent. How do students feel about geotargeting of ads via their smart phone?

Posted by on June 11, 2014 in Chapter 08 and tagged , , .

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June 11, 2014

Chapter 14 Videos

Here are some videos that would be useful for discussion or assignments for Chapter 14.

  • Stealth Marketing (6:24)
    • Is stealth marketing unethical? Justify your position.
    • What are the advantages of stealth marketing? What are the disadvantages?
    • The Word of Mouth Marketing Association (WOMMA) has stated brand ambassadors have a responsibility to reveal they are being compensated for pitching a product. Should this apply to stealth marketing? Why or why not?
  • Marketing to Children, CBS news (7:10)
  • Corporate Advertising to Children (4:58)
    • What is your view on marketing to children?
    • Does advertising to children create hedonistic and materialistic desires in children? Explain.
    • Are the current regulations sufficient? Why or why not?
    • What responsibilities do parents have in regard to advertising to children?

Posted by on June 11, 2014 in Chapter 14 and tagged , , .

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June 11, 2014

Criticism of Athlete Endorsements (Chapters 7, 14)

An article from USA Today highlighted food and drink endorsements by top athletes. The study examined 513 brands endorsed by the top 100 athletes. Kids 12 to 17 are the primary viewers of these ads, which tend to promote foods and drinks that are high in calories and low in good nutrients.

Discussion Questions for Chapter 7

  1. Why do food and drink brands use athletes as endorsers?
  2. Which of the source characteristics listed in in Chapter 7 do athletes tend to have?
  3. Why do brands pay millions of dollars in endorsements to athletes?
  4. Which athletes do you consider good endorsers? Why?
  5. Which athletes do you consider poor endorsers? Why?
  6. Does the product category or brand make a difference in your attitude towards an athlete’s endorsement? Why or why not?

Discussion Questions for Chapter 14

  1. The primary viewers of these ads are kids 12 to 17. Is that a concern to you? Why or why not?
  2. Kids 11 and under are also a major target of these ads. Is that a concern to you? Why or why not?
  3. Should athletes consider the calorie and nutrient content of foods and drinks before agreeing to be an endorser? Why or why not?
  4. Should there be regulations governing the endorsement of high-calorie, low-nutrient food and drinks by athletes and celebrities? Why or why not?

Posted by on June 11, 2014 in Chapter 07, Chapter 14 and tagged , , , .

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