May 7, 2014

Olive Garden (Chapter 3)

Olive Garden has become one of the most well-known Italian-type restaurants. It is promoted as a family-oriented restaurant that provides quality food and service. The restaurant chain has a good understanding of consumer behavior and how consumers select restaurants. Access the following resources then answer the questions listed.

Resources:

Discussion Questions:

  1. After watching the three television ads, discuss each component of attitude formation and how the ads approach each. Which attitude component sequence is most dominant? Explain why.
  2. Look at the consumer values listed in the chapter. Which consumer values do you see promoted in the three television ads? Explain.
  3. In selecting a restaurant, which of the three evaluation alternatives is used most frequently by consumers? Explain how Olive Garden approaches the evaluation of alternatives in its television ads as well as the YouTube channel.
  4. What information and videos are on Olive Garden’s YouTube channel? Discuss why you believe Olive Garden place these items on the YouTube channel.
  5. Examine Olive Garden’s website, Facebook page, and Twitter page. What common elements do you see? What differences do you see? How well does Olive Garden integrate these three digital sources with its YouTube channel and television ads? Explain.
  6. Examine the consumer buyer behavior trends presented in the chapter. Which trends does Olive Garden seem to utilize in its marketing communications? Explain with specific examples from their resources listed.

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May 7, 2014

Consumer Behavior (Chapter 3)

The following videos present some interesting concepts concerning consumer behavior. The first makes an interesting point about advertising and today’s consumers. The second presents a different understanding of the consumer buying process. The third looks at the impact of the Internet on both consumer and business buying behavior.

Videos:


Discussion Questions:

  1. In the first video, what is the primary point of the video? Do you agree or disagree with this point? Why?
  2. Is advertising an effective means of reaching today’s consumers? Why or why not?
  3. According to the second video, what has changed in the way consumers make purchase decisions?
  4. Based on the second video, what are the five stages of consumer decision process? What has changed in this process? Explain the concept of consumer decision journey presented in this video. Do you agree or disagree with this view? Why or why not?
  5. Compare the consumer decision journey process presented in the second video to the hierarchy of effects model. What are the similarities? What are the differences?
  6. Describe how companies and brands can use the information in the second video to reach consumers and lead them to make purchase decisions.
  7. According to the third video, how has the Internet changed the decision making process?
  8. In the third video, how has the Internet changed the business-to-business buying process for companies, such as Pitney Bowles?

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May 7, 2014

Private Brands, Sears (Chapter 2)

Sears owns three private brands – Kenmore, Craftsman and Diehard. Like a number of other private brands, Sears has launched advertising campaigns that do not mention the brand is a privately owned by Sears. In addition to the broadcast ads, Sears has established a YouTube Channel for each brand.

Suggested Activity: Pick one of the private brands below. Watch the videos and then answer the following questions.

  1. What is your evaluation of the TV ads?
  2. Do you agree or disagree with the strategy of advertising the brand without tying it to Sears? Why or why not?
  3. Summarize the type of information on the brand’s YouTube Channel. Discuss your evaluation of the items that are available.
  4. Do you think there is a significant difference between these private brands and national brands? Why or why not?

Kenmore (Appliances)

Diehard (Batteries)

Craftsman (Tools)

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May 7, 2014

Branding (Chapter 2)

Branding is a critical component of integrated marketing communications. Companies spend considerable time and money to ensure its brands succeed. Brands are now seen as assets that must be managed rather than an expense item. Interbrand each year identifies the top 100 global brands and estimates the value of each brand.

Resources:

Discussion Questions:

  1. Summarize the content of the Gillette video. What impressed you the most about Gillette’s branding strategy? Explain, provide specifics.
  2. How does Interbrand measure brand value?
  3. Explain how Interbrand creates and manages brand value.
  4. What are the risks of rebranding?
  5. Based on these three videos, explain why branding is important? Be specific.
  6. What are your two favorite brands? Why do you like these brands? How do these brands reflect the information contained in these videos?

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May 5, 2014

Segmentation and Positioning (Chapter 4)

Segmentation, targeting and positioning are critical components of IMC planning. The first video describes the process used by McDonald’s. In the second video, Graeme Newell highlights some of the best positioning practices.

Video – Segmentation, Targeting and Positioning for McDonald’s

  1. Instead of brand managers, McDonald’s has a different structure. Describe this structure and how it is perceived as a better approach. What are the advantages of this structure?
  2. In terms of salads, how are African Americans different? What strategy did McDonald’s use with this market segment?
  3. How are the Hispanic and Asian markets different than the African American market? How did this impact the advertising?
  4. What is your overall evaluation of McDonald’s approach? Be specific.

Video – Positioning a Brand: Best Practices by Graeme Newell

  1. Based on this video, what constitutes good brand positioning?
  2. Do you agree with this video’s understanding of positioning? Why or why not?

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May 5, 2014

Carnival Cruise Line (Chapter 4)

As described in Chapter 4, Carnival Cruise Lines developed a segmentation strategy based on non-users. They developed a campaign targeting individuals who had never been on a cruise, which is 76 percent of Americans.

Resources:

Discussion Questions:

  1. Watch the three television ads. What is your reaction to each? Which do you like the best? Why?
  2. Review the three television ads. Who do you think is the intended target audience for each, in terms of demographics and psychographics? Support your answer.
  3. Access Carnival’s YouTube Channel. What is your reaction to the design of this channel? What type of information is provided? Why?
  4. Based on the television ad and YouTube channel, has Carnival targeted “non-users:” successfully? Why or why not?
  5. Review Carnival’s website, Facebook and Twitter pages. Who is being targeted with each? Explain.
  6. Review the product positioning strategies described in the chapter. Which positioning strategy is Carnival using? Support your answer with specifics.
  7. Review the VALS groups described in the chapter. Which groups should Carnival target? Why?

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May 5, 2014

Motel 6 (Chapter 4)

Motel 6 was presented in the opening of Chapter 4. The original campaign for Motel 6 began with The Richards Group through focus group research. Tom Bodett was then retained to be the voice of Motel 6.

Resources:

Discussion Questions:

  1. View the two Motel 6 television ads. What are your thoughts about the television ad? What elements fit with the focus group research described in the opening of Chapter 4?
  2. Listen to the two radio ads. What common elements are there between the radio and television ads? What differences?
  3. Why do you think Tom Bodett was selected to be the voice of Motel 6? What makes him a good voice for the brand?
  4. Access Motel 6’s YouTube Channel. What information is provided? Why do you think Motel 6 has placed this information on the channel?
  5. Access the website, Facebook, and Twitter pages for Motel 6. What are your thoughts about the information provided and the design of each site? How well integrated are all of these resources? Provide specifics to support your answer.
  6. Based on the resources you have viewed, describe who you think is the target market for Motel 6. Describe the target market in terms of demographics and psychographics.
  7. Examine the various generation segments presented in the chapter. Which generations do you think Motel 6 targets? Why?
  8. What about business travelers? What type of business travelers would utilize Motel 6? Why?
  9. Examine the product positioning strategies presented in the chapter. Which positioning approach is Motel 6 using? Explain.

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May 5, 2014

Crisis Management (Chapter 13)

Strong brands take years to build, but can be destroyed in days. Understanding and implementing a crisis management plan can reduce the negative impact of an event and save a brand’s reputation.

Resources:

Discussion Questions and Exercises:

  1. According to the first video, what is a crisis? What is crisis management? Describe the components of crisis management and how to handle a crisis.
  2. According to the second video, what are the five steps in managing a crisis?
  3. Watch the third video. Discuss the principles the speaker outlined. Explain why crisis management is important and how to handle a crisis.
  4. Good crisis management normally requires an apology strategy. Watch the fourth video and outline the right and wrong ways to apologize.
  5. MediaCurves did a believability study during the apology strategies of the CEOs of Mattel and Dominos. Watch both videos. What makes the apology strategy believable? When was it not believable? Why? What could the CEO say that would make it more believable?
  6. The last video identifies 10 PR crisis in 2012. Choose one of the crisis. Describe the crisis. Use the Internet to see if you can locate what the brand or company did about the crisis. Report the actions taken and evaluate the company’s method of handling the crisis. If you cannot locate information about the crisis, then describe the action steps you would recommend.

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May 5, 2014

Interstate Batteries (Chapter 13)

Interstate Batteries is an active sponsor with NASCAR and is easily recognizable by NASCAR fans.

Resources:

Discussion Questions:

  1. Watch the first two ads for Interstate Batteries. What are your thoughts about the ads?
  2. Access the YouTube Channel for Interstate Batteries. What information is on the site? Why has Interstate uploaded these videos?
  3. Watch the three videos with Kyle Busch. Was this a good person to sponsor for Interstate Batteries? Why or why not?
  4. Is NASCAR a good fit for Interstate Batteries? Why or why  not?
  5. Examine the website of Interstate Batteries. Identify aspects of the site related to sponsorships. How are these elements portrayed on the website? Be specific.
  6. Compare the Facebook and Twitter pages to the website. Discuss similarities and differences you see.
  7. Examine the other social media sites (LinkedIn, Instagram, Pinterest, and Google+). For each, identify sponsorship elements. Do you think each of these sites is beneficial to Interstate? Why or why  not?
  8. If Interstate Batteries wanted to sponsor another sport, which sport would you recommend? Why?

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