The Age of Social Media Is Ending

Posted by & filed under Consumer/Buyer Behavior, Ethics, Global Marketing, Marketing Strategy, Product Brands and Branding, Services Marketing.

Description: It never should have begun.

Source: TheAtlantic.com

Date: Nov 10, 2022

Link: https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2022/11/twitter-facebook-social-media-decline/672074/

Questions for discussion:

  • Summarize the analysis and commentary presented in the article. Do you agree?
  • What does this mean for marketers?

Twitter and Free Speech: What Is Musk’s Plan?

Posted by & filed under Consumer/Buyer Behavior, Ethics, Global Marketing, Innovation, Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC), Marketing Research, Marketing Strategy, Product Brands and Branding, Relationship Marketing.

Description: As Twitter’s new owner, Elon Musk must reconcile his dream of a free-speech paradise with the reality of a business based on ad revenue. With so much money on the line, the billionaire is changing his approach, says Wharton’s Pinar Yildirim.

Source: https://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu

Date: Nov 15, 2022

Link: https://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article/twitter-and-free-speech-what-is-musks-plan/?utm_campaign=KatW2022&utm_medium=email&utm_source=kw_campaign_monitor&utm_term=11-16-2022&utm_content=Twitter_and_Free_Speech:_What_Is_Musk’s_Plan

Questions for discussion:

  • Summarize the key points presented.
  • Do you agree with the analysis?
  • What direction do you expect Twitter to take as it tries to rebuild and rebrand?
  • Is this business model viable?
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Marketplace investigates shrinkflation and reveals the sneaky ways companies cut costs, but not prices

Posted by & filed under Consumer/Buyer Behavior, Ethics, Global Marketing, Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC), Marketing Research, Marketing Strategy, Pricing, Product Brands and Branding, Retail Marketing.

Description: Tracking how companies engage in shrinkflation and set prices is difficult here in Canada, experts say

Source: CBC.ca

Date: Nov 18, 2022

Link: https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/marketplace-shrinkflation-1.6654780

Questions for discussion:

  • What are the ways companies deal with inflation, according to the report?
  • Do you consider these decisions to be unethical?
  • Should the company be transparent about changes to packaging or ingredients used or is it up the consumer to know what they are buying?
  • Do you think consumer knowledge about these decisions reduces brand equity?

Is This the End Game for Crypto?

Posted by & filed under Consumer/Buyer Behavior, Ethics, Global Marketing, Innovation, Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC), Product Brands and Branding.

Description: Recent events have made clear the need to regulate crypto, an industry that grew from nothing to a $3 trillion market capitalization a year ago, although most of that has now evaporated. But it also seems likely that the industry couldn’t survive regulation.

Source: NYT.com

Date: Nov 17, 2022

Link: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/17/opinion/crypto-banks-regulation-ftx.html?

Questions for discussion:

  • What does Paul Krugman say about cryptocurrency and the reasons for recent problems?
  • Do you agree with his analysis and commentary?
  • Can crypto be rejuvenated given recent publicity, in your opinion?

Walmart and Target’s quarterly results lay bare the retailers’ stark differences

Posted by & filed under Consumer/Buyer Behavior, Innovation, Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC), Marketing Research, Marketing Strategy, Metrics/Analytics, Product Brands and Branding, Retail Marketing.

Description: Walmart’s stock surged this week. Target’s shares plunged. The rival big-box players are both known for selling an array of products including food, clothing, home goods and kitchen appliances. Both their CEOs − Walmart’s Doug McMillon and Target’s Brian Cornell − stepped into their roles in 2014.

Source: CNBC.com

Date: Nov 17, 2022

Link: https://www.cnbc.com/2022/11/17/walmart-and-targets-quarterly-results-lay-bare-retailers-differences.html

Questions for discussion:

  • How important is grocery shopping in explaining the variance between these retailers?
  • How can Target respond?
  • What does this all mean for investors looking ahead?

When Does Collaboration Become Collusion?

Posted by & filed under Ethics, Global Marketing, Innovation, Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC), Marketing Research, Supply Chain.

Description: Adhering to antitrust regulation while negotiating collective sustainability targets is proving tougher to navigate for some in the fashion industry.

Source: NYTimes.com

Date: Nov 07, 2022

Link: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/07/fashion/fashion-industry-antitrust-sustainability.html

Questions for discussion:

  • What are the issues facing the fashion industry as it attempts to become more efficient and eliminate waste?
  • What are the marketing implications for any collaborative efforts?
  • Do you think governments should encourage or discourage any collaborative efforts in the industry?

How Do You Create a New Product Category? By Intentionally Carrying a Heavier Load

Posted by & filed under Consumer/Buyer Behavior, Global Marketing, Innovation, Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC), Marketing Research, Product Brands and Branding, Retail Marketing.

Description: Stefan Olander, founder of the ‘gravity fitness’ brand Omorpho, on taking a counterintuitive approach to a multi-billion-dollar industry.

​Source: INC.com

Date: Nov 07, 2022

Link: https://www.inc.com/jeff-haden/omorpho-fitness-create-new-product-category.html?utm_source=newsletters&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=IncThisMorning-Nov%2007,%202022&leadId=261346&mkt_tok=NjEwLUxFRS04NzIAAAGH9jODEi-aB8BSWOtAjxQ5LviJsnpSGu6izEIdAulqq9OFXACSjXffhpgv8YhETHeLOiIpndGHU71NYEZ9YRA2a1coLhFrW1ZAOuZ6Ag

Questions for discussion:

  • Who is the target market for this product category?
  • Have a look at the products presented on the company website https://www.omorpho.com and evaluate the appearance of the garments.
  • How would you go about expanding the target market?
  • Do you think this is a specialty product that would find acceptance by a larger audience?

Retailers have a new holiday headache — people are spending their money on travel

Posted by & filed under Consumer/Buyer Behavior, Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC), Marketing Research, Marketing Strategy, Relationship Marketing, Retail Marketing.

Description: Retailers have a new threat this holiday season: wanderlust.
Americans are returning to the skies, filling hotels, swarming theme parks — and they’re showing a willingness to spend more of their money on trips.

Source: CNBC.com

Date: Nov 03, 2022

Link: https://www.cnbc.com/2022/11/04/travel-has-edge-over-shopping-holiday-season-amid-inflation.html

Questions for discussion:

  • How is travel affecting retail shopping, according to the article?
  • How would you suggest retailers respond?

Reduced consumer spending has Lightspeed Commerce ‘cautious’ ahead of holiday season

Posted by & filed under Consumer/Buyer Behavior, Global Marketing, Innovation, Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC), Marketing Research, Marketing Strategy, Relationship Marketing, Retail Marketing.

Description: Lightspeed Commerce Inc.’s chief financial officer says reduced consumer spending has the software company being “cautious” ahead of the typically busy holiday season.

Source: Yahoo.Finance.ca

Date: Nov 03, 2022

Link: https://ca.finance.yahoo.com/news/reduced-consumer-spending-lightspeed-commerce-163818200.html

Questions for discussion:

  • What are the factors influencing Lightspeed Commerce and its customers?
  • How is the company dealing with these influences?
  • How are its customers dealing with these influences?
  • What would you recommend to these companies?
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The big reveal: New laws require companies to disclose pay ranges on job postings.

Posted by & filed under Ethics, Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC), Pricing.

Description: New York City has joined a handful of places, including Colorado, Washington State and Rhode Island, which require some form of salary transparency. In the case of New York City, companies are required to include a salary range when they post a job opening.

Source: NPR.org

Date: Nov 08, 2022

Link: https://www.npr.org/2022/11/05/1134193927/salary-transparency-range-new-york-pay-laws

Questions for discussion:

  • What are the pros and cons of salary transparency?
  • How do you think this affects employees attitude toward their work and fellow employees?
  • How do you think it affects recruitment and management?
  • Do you think this can affect profitability of firms?