| BLOG 10: THE END |
SAY IT AIN’T SO...
I cannot believe that this semester has come to an end. It went by much quicker than I thought it would. I have to honestly say that this marketing class has been the most enjoyable marketing class I have taken during my time at UT. Actually, this is my last marketing class that I have to take (minus the MKT 370 required capstone course!) and I am really glad to end on such a good note. Over the course of the semester, I have learned so much about marketing and about myself through the class lectures, podcasts, blogs, articles, and especially the group project. I was able to see how marketing methods, theories, and concepts affect my everyday life!
PARADOX OF CHOICE
When Professor Walls first lectured on paradox of choice, the only examples I could think about were grocery aisles filled with medicine and shampoo. I only thought about the paradox of choice as a problem when dealing with actual tangible objects. However, working on the group project showed me how paradox of choice can even affect intangible objects, such as an idea.
The very first assignment that we had to work on as a group was to pick a segment to focus our whole project around. There were no real boundaries so the possibilities seemed quite endless. There were so many segments to choose from that our group had such a hard time deciding on one. We constantly struggled to choose between teen girls, retired old grandparents, and first time expecting parents (and this is just the narrowed down version of the list we wanted to work on). We finally ended up choosing expecting parents just because we thought finding people that would fit this segment would be the easiest.
After we made the final decision and worked on our project all semester, I have always kind of regretted our decision. Sometimes I feel like we made the wrong choice and that we should’ve picked the old retired grandparents. When I feel this way, I think about how paradox of choice can lead people into feeling a sense of regret because opportunity costs are involved. Knowing that a sense of regret might brew due to the paradox of choice...I often have to shake it off and remind myself that our choice was a great one and that I’m just going through a normal regretful stage and to not take it so harshly.
I AM SUCH A GENERATION Y-ER
Another interesting thing that I learned after working on the group project is that I am such a Generation Y-er. If you read my blog 1 post about Generation Y and their products...you can see that I believe that I am a little above average when it comes to being a true Generation Y-er. After working on this group all semester...I would say that my 7 self has become a level 8.5 Generation Y-er! So, why the increase you ask? It’s simple...my life has become even more relied on technology!
All semester, I hardly ever made or received a phone call from my group members. If I needed to reach any of them...I would Facebook, e-mail, or even chat with my teammates online! Even if I urgently needed to hear back from them...I would wait online all day in case they decided to chat online or respond to my e-mails. Looking back, I could’ve saved so much time just picking up the phone to call them. I don’t know why I didn’t do it. OH, WAIT A SECOND! I do know why I didn’t call them on my phone. It’s not that I’m stubborn, it’s because I’m a GENERATION Y BREED!!!!
Also, my team’s approach to collecting data proved that I was supporting and getting sucked into the Generation Y trend! Originally we had wanted to collect responses from our segment through personal interviews but we ended up just having them answer all of our questions through an ONLINE survey! We even asked that they make digital copies of their journal pictures so that they could send it to our e-mails!
I really need to take a time out with technology before I lose all human contact. Connecting through the web is not a healthy way to live my life! I could’ve saved myself so much trouble and stress from waiting impatiently to hear back from team members and respondents if I just had the common sense to meet with them face-to-face or even talk to them through the phone! This has definitely become a reality check and I am going to force myself to spend less time on the internet now.
FULL OF EMOTIONS
Overall, the class has been a very enjoyable experience. This project was stressful at times, but I feel like I really was able to apply marketing methods (segmenting, sampling, surveying, evaluating data, etc.) to the actual big team project. I thought the most fun thing to do throughout the project was to evaluate our collected data. The data consisted of a photo journal and a list of responses to our survey questions. I would not normally put that much thought and look for trends in responses, but this project has taught me how to look at responses in a new light.
My teammates were a definite blessing. I know that I can be a very dominant member, but I was fortunate to have a team where each member really wanted to contribute to the project. This made me way less of a dominant person, and I felt that each of us were able to contribute and balance out the other members of the group. Furthermore, when evaluating the target’s responses to our surveys and photo journal requests, we all took part in this event. Things that I would’ve never thought of considering or would’ve missed otherwise were spotted by other group members. We were able to generate so many ideas because everyone had a different way of thinking how the consumers felt. This was extremely beneficial because we were able to build off of one another’s ideas. Also, as mentioned before, they really had me see just how much I relied on technology and how my life would be so much easier if I didn’t depend on technology as much.
As far as Professor Walls goes...he was awesome. He opened my eyes up to so many different marketing topics that I found to be so interesting. He made me want to go to class because he never seemed to bore me. My team was fortunate enough to receive the help of Professor Walls on our project since he was a part of our segment. Also, Professor Walls is someone that truly supports his students’ ideas and goals. Never once did Walls turn down my ideas or make me feel like I was silly for asking certain questions. Instead, he would always make me feel like my ideas and questions were actually of importance and ingenious! And let’s face it...we all love to feel like we’re doing the right thing! I cannot thank Professor Walls enough for his help and constant support throughout this semester and I know that I wouldn’t have enjoyed this class as much had Walls not taught it! |
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| BLOG 9: FREEBIE |
BACKGROUND
I recently read the article titled “So Your Kitchen is Tiny. So What?" by Mark Bittman. To sum up the article briefly, Bittman, a recipe cook book author, posted up a picture of his smaller than average 7 by 6 feet kitchen space on his blogging website. Overwhelmingly, responders stated how they were so surprised that someone, a well-practiced cook, could possibly tolerate and do work in such a tiny sized kitchen. Bittman’s rebuttals go in depth about how there are only a couple of necessities that he needs which include a stove, sink, refrigerator, and a couple of pots and pans. Furthermore, Bittman makes it known that he knows many great cooks that get by with even less supplies and appliances than he has in his kitchen!
Reading this article made me think about how consumers often feel like their products make them who they are; as if they can buy massive amounts of a certain product or brand and be virtually transformed into this idea/image that the product tries to advertise itself as. So, why do we consumers do it? Not only do we want to feel like someone else through the products we buy, but I believe that consumers forget that “less is more” because of what our peers and society consider to be the norm nowadays. All this spending becomes a huge problem because it leads to overconsumption. Sounds crazy? Let’s see if you agree after this blog!
WE TRY TO TYPECAST OURSELVES WITH POSSESSIONS
A lot of consumers purchase products because they know that they are being judged. Many people choose to buy expensive and showy things to try to associate themselves with those products. One example of this is when we buy clothes that promote a big clothing designer. A lot of consumers will go out and get apparel, accessories, and even shoes that are popular labels to try and typecast themselves to that brand. They want other people to associate them with having expensive taste, quality type clothing, and living the rich and luxurious lifestyle that so many people envy. Rappers do this all the time and even create songs talking about the products that they wear. Nelly dedicated a whole song about wearing Air Force One shoes and Big Tymers created a song about owning Gucci Suits and driving a Mercedes E-class.
Sweet Sixteen? More Like...SOUR Sixteen!
Yes, I agree that people constantly feel like they are being judged by their peers. But to a lot of people, they think it’s a necessity to have the bigger and flashier things. All they want is to gain a little R-E-S-P-E-C-T from their peers. A really great (but frustrating) example of this is a show that airs on the TV station MTV called “Sweet 16.” It is a series of episodes about girls turning 15-17 years old who have their parents throw them expensive and elaborate coming-of-age parties. Each episode dedicates a small segment to the birthday child passing out invitations to their friends and classmates. It’s always the child’s favorite time because they know that their peers are dying to go to their party, and the birthday boy/girl wants everyone to envy their lifestyle. Because the birthday child is placed on such a pedestal, they feel that the more extravagant their party, the more their classmates will respect and like them. Several episodes have shown the birthday brat crying because they were not granted an elaborate gift like a convertible and some form of this comment is always made, “I’m going to be so embarrassed! Everyone is going to make fun of me!” Certainly, there are many other cases where people feel they need expensive and new things to associate themselves with a social class, but this is the first thing that comes to my mind.
Amount of Wealth
Many consumers believe they are being judged by other people because they believe that life is a competition where wealth is a key component. To many people, money is a sign of success and power. As consumers, we are always trying to compare ourselves with others by looking at the differences in our disposable income. For instance, when comparing a Mercedes owner to someone who drives a Honda, many people feel that the Mercedes driver is the more successful person. They do not stop to think that a car is merely a tool and the Honda is able to fulfill every need required to get from point A to point B. I feel that this idea is very similar to Bittman’s situation where his readers criticized him for not wanting a kitchen equivalent to the Mercedes. If anything, Bittman should be seen as a more successful cook because he is capable of outperforming people while using less materials. People fail to see past the glamour of expensive things and open their minds to the idea that not everyone believes in buying more than what’s necessary to get the job done.
WHY PEOPLE SHOULDN’T SWEAT THE BIG STUFF
Many people are stuck with this preconceived notion that the objects a person own define who they are. In order to discover a person’s true worth, we need to look beyond the worth of their physical possessions. I’ve often heard the saying “money can't buy you everything.” Even though many consumers believe that buying nicer brands and items can change their status and class; this is not always the case. You can’t always buy yourself into what you want you be!
Overconsumption
Consumers need to change the way they think about buying things of value because many times it can lead to overspending. In this day and age, overconsumption is a problem that a lot of us consumers face. There is this constant feeling that we need more than we really do. The article, “So Your Kitchen is Tiny. So What?” even mentions how people criticized Bittman for not having what they thought was a sufficient amount of cooking supplies, but Bittman ensures readers that he has all the adequate items he absolutely needs, which does not seem like much to most people. He states that, “...when it comes to kitchens, size and equipment don’t count nearly as much as devotion, passion, common sense...” I believe that if you have the minimum amount of tools needed, why spend money on extras that probably never get used? Many consumers automatically believe that having more appliances means that it will make them a better chef, but in reality, cooking is an art-form that must be learned, not bought. Consumers need to realize that consumption is now merely an act of desire and not a necessity… needs have limits but there is no bottom to desire.
WE THE CONSUMER
So as it turns out, as a consumer, I too am not immune to overconsumption. There are times when I feel that it is my right… no my duty, to go out and spend money on things that I “want” instead of “need”. While it’s easy for me to take a step back and look down at all the other consumers buying unnecessary things, it’s much hard to actually change my spending habits. I hope to someday cure myself of this lifestyle and become more like Bittman. It is indeed our duty as consumers to spend money, but not to the point of overconsumption.
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| BLOG 8: EXTENSIVE PAPER OUTLINE |
Outline for a paper about Packaging
I. Introduction
a. Thesis: The packaging for every product/brand helps build brand equity and is an important element in the marketing plan since it plays a crucial role in customers’ purchasing decisions.
i. Colors and design images used
ii. Words/messages
iii. Shape /size of the final packaging
iv. Material the packaging is made of
II. Body
a. The careful selection of colors and design images for the use of packaging is extremely important because it needs to be able to draw the attention of potential customers.
i. Colors
1. Warm colors such as red and yellow indicate an energetic feel
2. Light colors such as blue and green create a calming atmosphere
ii. Design Images
1. Images need to be appropriate for the product
a. Cartoons/mascots for adult products
i. Adult audience can have a hard time relating to the cartoon
ii. Adult may not take the product seriously
2. Marketers will place design images carefully on the packaging in order to draw attention to the brand name.
b. Words/message
i. The word choice and messages printed on the packaging need to be able to amuse and grab the interest of consumers.
1. Positive words
a. Healthy words or things that indicate a healthier alternative help draw in consumers
2. Message can indicate that the brand/product is a community leader
a. Box tops for children’s education at the bottom or top of the packaging
b. Message saying that the package was made from recycled products.
i. The “green living” trend is rapidly growing and marketers working on packaging are taking advantage of this.
c. Physical shapes/sizes of the package
i. Oftentimes, marketers strategically create certain shapes for the product to spread an even deeper message.
1. Drink bottles
a. Drinks targeting women (ex. Propel bottles) will often be shaped to be skinny bottle to spread the message that the woman will be skinner and have a physique similar to the actual bottle if she uses the product.
b. Drinks targeting men (ex. Gatorade) will often be shaped to be big and bulky to spread the message the men can gain a muscular and bulky physique similar to the drinking bottle if he uses the product.
ii. The packaging needs to be the right size for the right consumer
1. Women need their packaging to be smaller, smooth, and easy to grip
2. Men tend to like their packages bulkier and bigger
3. Children like their packages to be easy to open and easy to grip
iii. The packaging needs to create an experience for the consumer
1. EX: Apple really focused on this experience when they created the iPods because the packaging was so intricate that it felt like the consumer was unfolding a present.
d. Material the packaging is made of
i. As mentioned before, “green living” is a huge trend so many people are starting to use their packaging out of recycled products.
ii. Consumers are turned onto products that can be reused.
1. I prefer to buy products that I can open and close at my own convenience.
2. Also, I like to buy products that I can use the package for later purposes such as a glass jar or plastic containers vs. cardboard boxes.
iii. Durable packaging helps draw in more customers.
iv. See through packaging helps consumers see exactly what the product is and this helps drive their purchasing decisions.
III. Conclusion
a. With so many different products and competitors out in the market today, it only makes sense that the packaging for products go beyond their traditional methods in order to stand out and grab the attention of their consumers.
b. What I have learned from the research
i. Revisit key research findings
c. Application to customer insights – how understanding the needs of consumers and the social responsibility aspect can ensure greater profits. |
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Name: Tina Bui
Major: Marketing
and Communication Studies
Email: tina.u.bui@gmail.com
Birthday: January 29th, 1988
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posted by
TunabeREAL at 