EOC 7: The Pitch

Beyond evaluating current businesses, designing the business portfolio involves finding businesses and products the company should consider in the future (Armstrong, Gary, Philip Kotler. Marketing: An Introduction, 10th Edition). For my final project, I would like to have Phileas Fogg, and his butler Passepartout, go on an African safari in Ghana. While there Phileas will mistakenly be left in the middle of the jungle while on the safari tour to fend for himself until others realize he had been left behind. It is while Phileas is trying to survive in the jungle that he captured by a small tribe for crossing into their territory. In order to draw attention to Phileas’s adventure, consumers will be encouraged to participate in the adventure through various social networking sites and post their own theories. The name of my product will be Phileas Fogg’s African Spicy Safari Chips. The packaging will be a standard chip back however it will be bright green to connect the customer to the green found in safaris. The bag will still have the current Phileas Fogg logo on it however it will have a cartoon on the front of the bag showing Phileas running from a group of tribal men. I intend for my product to be sold in a standard bar and it would be encouraged to be eaten along with whatever is the customers’ favorite beer. The spicy safari chip will actually be a thin slice of fried plantain and sprinkled with cayenne pepper, ginger, salt, and black pepper. It should be categorized as a savory snack. At the corporate level, the company starts the strategic planning process by defining its overall purpose and mission  (Armstrong, Gary, Philip Kotler. Marketing: An Introduction, 10th Edition).

EOC 6: Me x 3

This fragrance is called Lola by Marc Jacobs. The scent has a pleasant floral smell however it is not too overpowering that it is nauseating. I believe this scent describes me because it is smells uplifting and optimistic which is similar to my personality. I bought this for myself a couple of years ago for Christmas. I was drawn towards this product because I like the designer Marc Jacobs and I also because I becoming tired of my previous perfume. The shape and packaging of the perfume were also intriguing as well. I wear this every single day. 

Even though I recently just bought this dress from Anthropologie, I think it perfectly defines me. I was drawn to this dress because of its silhouette and the contrasting colors. I always have a tendency to gravitate towards clothing that is extremely feminine and visually appealing. The dress is made of heavier fabrics yet it still has bounce and movement to it. This dress is versatile and I will be able to wear it very often in many different ways. This dress is versatile and I will be able to wear it very often in many different ways. This dress not only shows how I am evolving in my personal style, but also how I am maturing in age.

This purse was a purchase I made a few years ago right before I moved to Las Vegas. The style of this purse is classic to Coach and continues to a staple in their handbag line from season to season. I bought it because I wanted a purse that was timeless and I would be able to use for years. I feel this purse also shows how I am maturing in my style and age. I like to make statements with clothing and accessories that I wear; with this purse I am able to do just that.

EOC 5: Social Networking and Job Hunting

More and more companies are turning to social media sources as a way to advertise the latest news about themselves. From finding potential new employees to recruiting brand ambassadors, businesses have evolved past their outdated standards procedures.  Employers are reaching now reaching further into online social communities in order to interact with its customers and employees. For example, Facebook can add job recruitment to its growing list of possibilities. Companies are noticing that their facebook pages are starting to become the leading contributor to traffic on their official websites. This is now growing momentum and starting to beat out other venues such as monster.com or LinkedIn which are more professional. The gain from using Facebook is not only does Facebook help businesses cut their spending costs on job boards, but they are noticing that people tend to trust referrals from their personal connections on Facebook (Light, 2011. Recruiters Troll Facebook for Candidates They Like). This is also the case for brand ambassadors. Marketers know the power of communication between people. A person is more likely to listen to someone else they know about a product as opposed to the actual company’s advertisement about the product. With that in mind, a company may recruit a loyal customer to put out the word of new exciting products in their social media circles. By doing so a person is creating buzz, which in the long run can be very profitable for a company. Although companies are using new social media sources hire employees and promote products, they realize that employees still have limits. Since Facebook initially started as a way to stay in touch with friends and family, some are not comfortable being contacted directly by a business about a potential job; they will still turn use the websites that were created for that purpose.

EOC 1: My Voice

Hello everyone! My name is Akua. I find inspiration in music, art, nature, people and even food. For these reasons alone, the fashion industry has had my undivided attention since a very young age. I love how fashion can tell a story and allow one to look at something from a completely different perspective. Although my journey temporarily led me in a different direction, I finally decided to pursue a career in the fashion industry. As a Fashion Retail & Management student, my intent is to gain the knowledge that will focus my creative mind in the right direction. The extent of my experience in fashion thus far has been working as a sales associate for various clothing retailers. During these times I have been able to experience firsthand how visual concepts, customer interactions, ad campaigns, and other strategies have influenced consumers and effected company sales. I also began interning for Fashion Week Las Vegas and have truly enjoyed my experience thus far. Although my interest in fashion PR and event planning has peaked, I am always open to any opportunity that comes my way. Thank you for reading!

EOC 1: Great Customer Service

These days, decent customer service can be hit or miss. When you do actually receive it, you feel the need to tell all of your friends and family of this rare experience. Customer relationships and value are especially important in today’s tough economic times, when more frugal consumers are cutting back and spending more carefully. (Armstrong, Gary, Philip Kotler. Marketing: An Introduction, 10th Edition. Pearson Learning Solutions, <p.4>).Off the top of my head, the most recent time I had superb customer services was few weeks ago at Sephora. Immediately upon entering the store I was greeted by one of the sales associates; she told me to let her know if I had any questions or needed assistance. As I wondered aimlessly around the store examining the latest summer products, I noticed that all of the sales associates were checking in with customers in their area to make sure they were okay. Eventually I began looking at tinted moisturizers, the reason I went to Sephora. I had a done a little bit of research online before coming to the store however I still needed a hands on experience before purchased the product. The minute I looked up, the original sales associate that greeted me at the door was heading in my direction with a bright smile on her face. After I explained to her what I was looking for, she excitedly led me around store to some of their best selling products. Along the way she explained all the pros and cons of each and sampled a little on my hand for me to see. I truly appreciated the one on one interaction with her. She was able to maintain this even when other customers tried to ask her questions. She was able to fluidly redirect towards on sales associate on the floor. This impressed me since it in the middle of the afternoon on a Saturday and the store was packed with customers. I finally settled on a product and headed towards the cash registers, I thanked her for her input. It is experiences like this that have made me a loyal customer at Sephora.

EOC 4: Business to Business Marketing

In the consumer and business markets there are various factors and that have an impact on the buying behavior of a consumer or a business. A similarity between business marketing and consumer marking is that in both markets, the marketers have to understand what their customers need as well as apply strategies that ensure the customer will value the products or services provided. Another similarity between business and consumer marking is that there are people who are responsible for making the buying and purchasing decisions to satisfy the market’s needs. In the consumer market that may just be an individual or an entire household. In the business market, there are usually teams and multiple meetings before a final decision is made. One major difference between business marketing and consumer marketing is that business marketing happens on a much larger scale than consumer markets. In order for business markets and business buyers to coexist, a solid relationship must be in place. A business market cannot solely rely upon the consumer market alone to be profitable. It is all the individual pieces or supplies to create the final product that help business markets. In other words, in the business buying process, business buyers determine which products and services their organizations need to purchase and then find, evaluate, and choose among alternative suppliers and brands. (Armstrong, Gary, Philip Kotler. Marketing: An Introduction, 10th Edition. <p.157>). Another difference between consumer and business marketing is the number of buyers within each market; the business market does not have as many. However, the few buyers that a company has tend to have a lot more buying power that the same consumers in the same market. As previously mentioned, business markets will usually have several people involved for the decision making process of buying because there more money involved. Businesses truly do rely upon each other succeed.