Tom Wujec on 3 ways the brain creates meaning | Video on TED.com

Tom Wujec on 3 ways the brain creates meaning | Video on TED.com

Wireless Advertisement or Mobile Advertisement

Firstly let me define what wireless advertising is. It can be defined as any promotional or advertisement material placed onto a wireless device including laptop/notebook, PDA, or most commonly a cellular mobile phone. Advertisements are content targeted for relevancy. Click-through rates for Wireless Advertisements are surprisingly high compared to fixed Internet accessing, owing perhaps to the small screen size and intimacy of the user experience. It is much more cost effective than mobile marketing.

Benjamin Wallace on the price of happiness | Video on TED.com

Benjamin Wallace on the price of happiness | Video on TED.com

Kiosk marketing

A "Kiosk" is a small stand-alone unit that performs a specific function, generally without management intervention and are generally intended to provide information to those that use it. Kiosks are generally small, mobile and are designed to help the consumer find information. Kiosks can be as simple as an information center designed to hold brochures or as complicated as a computer terminal designed to collect and distribute information. An ATM is an example of a sophisticated interactive kiosk with high security.

Branding Mistakes

One of the biggest mistakes in branding is the traditional and cliched idea of the USP. A clear unique Selling Proposition can go a long way in establishing a good brand image.

If you are selling detergent powder, you cant say "my powder washes the cleanest, is the most economical and the lowest priced" people would start suspecting such a detergent powder.

The trick is to be honest and put forth a clear value proposition that would appeal to the TA mind directly. Some of the tag lines that come to my mind are : I m loving it; Its Fun to be young; sab keh do etc.

Marketing Mix

The marketing mix is probably the most famous marketing term. Its elements are the basic, tactical components of a marketing plan. Also known as the Four P's, themarketing mix elements are price, place, product, and promotion. Read on for more details on the marketing mix.

The concept is simple. Think about another common mix - a cake mix. All cakes contain eggs, milk, flour, and sugar. However, you can alter the final cake by altering the amounts of mix elements contained in it. So for a sweet cake add more sugar!

It is the same with the marketing mix. The offer you make to you customer can be altered by varying the mix elements. So for a high profile brand, increase the focus on promotion and desensitize the weight given to price. Another way to think about the marketing mix is to use the image of an artist's palette. The marketer mixes the prime colours (mix elements) in different quantities to deliver a particular final colour. Every hand painted picture is original in some way, as is every marketing mix. If you'd like to see the marketing mix applied to a real business - then take a look at our Ryanair marketing mix.

Some commentators will increase the marketing mix to the Five P's, to include people. Others will increase the mix to Seven P's, to include physical evidence(such as uniforms, facilities, or livery) and process (i.e. the whole customer experience e.g. a visit the Disney World). The term was coined by Neil H. Borden in his article The Concept of the Marketing Mix in 1965.

Price

There are many ways to price a product. Let's have a look at some of them and try to understand the best policy/strategy in various situations. More . . .

Place

Another element of Neil H.Borden's Marketing Mix is Place. Place is also known aschannel, distribution, or intermediary. It is the mechanism through which goods and/or services are moved from the manufacturer/ service provider to the user or consumer.More . . .

Product

• For many a product is simply the tangible, phsysical entity that they may be buying or selling. You buy a new car and that's the product - simple! Or maybe not. When you buy a car, is the product more complex than you first thought? The Three Levels of a Product . . . More . . .
• The Product Life Cycle (PLC) is based upon the biological life cycle. For example, a seed is planted (introduction); it begins to sprout (growth); it shoots out leaves and puts down roots as it becomes an adult (maturity); after a long period as an adult the plant begins to shrink and die out (decline). More . . .
• The Customer Life Cycle (CLC) has obvious similarities with the Product Life Cycle (PLC). However, CLC focuses upon the creation of and delivery of lifetime value to the customer i.e. looks at the products or services that customers NEED throughout their lives. More . . .

Promotion

Another one of the 4P's is promotion. This includes all of the tools available to the marketer for 'marketing communication'. As with Neil H.Borden's marketing mix, marketing communications has its own 'promotions mix.' Think of it like a cake mix, the basic ingredients are always the same. However if you vary the amounts of one of the ingredients, the final outcome is different. More . . .

Physical Evidence

Physical Evidence is the material part of a service. Strictly speaking there are no physical attributes to a service, so a consumer tends to rely on material cues. There are many examples of physical evidence, including some of the following: More . . .

People

People are the most important element of any service or experience. Services tend to be produced and consumed at the same moment, and aspects of the customer experience are altered to meet the 'individual needs' of the person consuming it. More . . .

Process

Process is another element of the extended marketing mix, or 7P's.There are a number of perceptions of the concept of process within the business and marketing literature. Some see processes as a means to achieve an outcome, for example - to achieve a 30% market share a company implements a marketing planning process.

more on http://www.marketingteacher.com/Lessons/lesson_marketing_mix.htm

Importance of idea Generation

No matter an organization is made with certain aims and objectives depending on which goal,aims and objectives,infrastructures,strategies and plans are made. But after making all these things also, a regular inflow of new ideas are required or else the organization will not be able to run for a long time...Ideas are the source of growth for the organization...

Interesting stories behind some of the greatest logos in the world

Interesting stories behind some of the greatest logos in the world

please visit the site http://jazarah.net/blog/interesting-stories-behind-some-of-the-greatest-logos-in-the-world/ as it has interesting information on how some businesses chose their logos. A logo is usually the first thing that gains a consumers attention and especially plays an important role in brand loyalty and brand identification.

Swot On EA games

Strengths

• Electronic Arts (EA) Games, is a global corporation which develops, markets, publishes and distributes video game software, online interactive games, and mobile games. They design games for a number of platforms including Sony PlayStation 3, Microsoft Xbox 360 and Nintendo Wii; handheld game systems, including PlayStation Portable (PSP), Nintendo DS and Apple iPod; personal computers (PCs); and mobile phones. The company distributes games in over 35 countries worldwide.

• EA Games has four segments under their label: EA Games, EA Sports, The Sims and EA Casual Entertainment.
• The EA Games label has the largest percentage of research and development staff, and produces action-adventure, role playing, racing and combat games and the extraordinarily popular online role-playing games.
• The EA Sports label produces sports-based video games, including the Madden NFL, (which in 2007 grossed $100 million in sales in their first week on the market), FIFA Soccer and Tiger Woods PGA Tour franchises. The sports division brings in 43% of EA's revenue.
• The Sims label is a line extension of life simulation games, and an online interactive game with over four million regular users.
• The EA Casual Entertainment label develops games that are intended to be quick to learn and play online, making them easily accessible for a wide audience. Pogo has 1.6 million subscribers.
• In 2007, EA created a strategic alliance with Hasbro, which included crossover licensing. They were able to create digital versions of Hasbro's classic board games, including Monopoly, Scrabble, Yahtzee, Trivial Pursuit, Nerf, GI Joe, and Littlest Pet Shop. They have also created these digital games in a variety of platforms, including for mobile phones, handheld gaming devices and computers.
• EA Games has a social responsibility platform that includes a grant program, software donation program, volunteer opportunities, and supporting non-profit organizations and schools by giving to organizations that provide services to underprivileged youth in the areas of math, computer science, music and art.

Weaknesses

• In December 2008, Electronic Arts cut its worldwide workforce by approximately 10% and closed at least nine of its studios and publishing locations. They also laid off 6% of their staff, and let go of Kathy Vrabek, head of EA's Casual Entertainment division, just 18 months after she took the job.
• Their software is dependent upon the platforms that are created by other companies, leading to limitations in design capabilities, graphics and game performance.
• Game release times have to be tied into specific times of year, Christmas sales, sports seasons and major sporting events, any miscalculation of production and distribution further hurts sales, and makes their assets less profitable.
• In 2008, EA, in a licensing deal with Hasbro, created a digital Scrabble game, which was a failure due in part to software problems.
• EA's crown jewel Madden NFL franchise was the company's only title among the industry's top 10 best-selling games in 2007.

Opportunities

• In 2008, EA acquired ThreeSF, Inc., a gaming-based social network; and they acquired J2MSoft Inc., a Korean-based developer of PC online games.
• The computer gaming industry has begun to recognize that the U.S. Army needs simulation training and EA Games can provide the instruments to achieve their goals. Games are also being adopted for defense, medicine, architecture, education, city planning and government applications.
• A line of interactive training tools featuring voice commands and instructional coaching.
• Complete game-in-a-box containing all the equipment necessary for kids to practice and play a sport.
• A line of sports toys that will utilize electronics to reward young athletes with cheers when they use proper techniques.
• A basic line of high density-foam balls to help kids develop skills at an early age.
• CEO Riccitiello believes EA may one day even go so far as to give away many of its games for free, making its money off action figures and other licensing deals the same way that George Lucas did with the Star Wars movie franchise.

Threats

• Since 2004 sales have been steadily increasing, however, profits have been steadily decreasing until 2008, when they actually had a negative profit margin. They earned $3.8 billion in sales, but had a $454 million loss.
• Sales and profits are dependent on the success and prolonged purchasing power of gaming consoles. If sales for a gaming console wane (such as a Playstation or Wii) software/game sales will slump.
• Software piracy has become a serious problem, especially in countries, like South Korea where laws are not enforced; software is pirated and distributed without much fear of consequences, cutting into EA Games' profits.
• In May 2009, EA Games was sued claiming they illegally used the names and likenesses of thousands of college football and basketball players in their software since the 1990's.
• Due to their executive staff layoffs, restructuring, and lack of stability there has been speculation that they are a prime candidate for a takeover by other global entertainment companies.

The marketing environment surrounds and impacts upon the organization. There are three key perspectives on the marketing environment, namely the 'macro-environment,' the 'micro-environment' and the 'internal environment'.

The micro-environment

This environment influences the organization directly. It includes suppliers that deal directly or indirectly, consumers and customers, and other local stakeholders. Micro tends to suggest small, but this can be misleading. In this context, micro describes the relationship between firms and the driving forces that control this relationship. It is a more local relationship, and the firm may exercise a degree of influence.

The macro-environment

This includes all factors that can influence and organization, but that are out of their direct control. A company does not generally influence any laws (although it is accepted that they could lobby or be part of a trade organization). It is continuously changing, and the company needs to be flexible to adapt. There may be aggressive competition and rivalry in a market. Globalization means that there is always the threat of substitute products and new entrants. The wider environment is also ever changing, and the marketer needs to compensate for changes in culture, politics, economics and technology.

The internal environment.

All factors that are internal to the organization are known as the 'internal environment'. They are generally audited by applying the 'Five Ms' which are Men, Money, Machinery,Materials and Markets. The internal environment is as important for managing change as the external. As marketers we call the process of managing internal change 'internal marketing.'

Essentially we use marketing approaches to aid communication and change management

see more on: http://www.marketingteacher.com/Lessons/lesson_marketing_environment.htm