Crunch CEO Jim Rowley Sees Big Gains for Entrepreneurs Who Can Take Advantage of the Changes Coming to the Fitness Industry

Posted by & filed under Consumer/Buyer Behavior, Innovation, Market Segmentation, Supply Chain.

Description: Crunch Fitness CEO Jim Rowley has seen many fitness fads come and go. The former Marine spent 15 years as an executive at 24 Hour Fitness, founded three gyms of his own, and has been at Crunch for 13 years. So when he says to jump on a trend, know that his opinion carries weight.

​Source: INC.com

Date: Oct, 2022

Link: https://www.inc.com/magazine/202210/steven-i-weiss/jim-rowley-crunch-fitness-future-of-2022.html?utm_source=newsletters&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=IncThisMorning-Oct%2011,%202022&leadId=261346&mkt_tok=NjEwLUxFRS04NzIAAAGHavawSPj9_6_zFA5BdaFBfgG3LPHGv8VUZOfU9qfTEcTDYmQLnWXecNi_ayMOfgRhncQeAmwN-oHrHr61yLCZuxo9jDryAwZuwkX9Ag

Questions for discussion:

  • What are the changes taking place that marketers should be interested in knowing?
  • What does the article say about consumer behavior in this industry?
  • Do you see niche opportunities for start-ups?

These colleges promise no student debt: ‘Loans are not part of the deal’

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

Description: Increasingly, college is an option only for those who can afford it or are willing to take on massive student debt. But not all schools see it that way.

Source: CNBC.com

Date: Oct 12, 2022

Link: https://www.cnbc.com/2022/10/12/these-colleges-promise-no-student-loans.html

Questions for discussion:

  • What are the pros and cons in this plan for students and colleges to weigh?
  • How can this orientation become a greater marketing tool for colleges?
  • How does this affect the college “brand”, in your opinion?
  • Do you think this approach will grow in popularity?

Patagonia’s grand gesture sends the wrong message about ethical capitalism

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

Description: Patagonia’s recent blockbuster announcement that the company was “turning capitalism on its head by making the Earth our only shareholder” is generating a lot of attention. It is the start of another chapter in a long and storied history of a company that, more often than not, has been getting ethics right.

Source: TheConversation.com

Date: Oct 11, 2022

Link: https://theconversation.com/patagonias-grand-gesture-sends-the-wrong-message-about-ethical-capitalism-191660

Questions for discussion:

  • Summarize the commentary presented in this article.
  • Do you agree with these sentiments?
  • What are your thoughts on the subject, as they relate to marketing issues such as branding and PR?

Mismanagement and ‘Monster Trains’ Have Wrecked American Rail

Posted by & filed under Services Marketing, Supply Chain.

Description: After World War II, railroad companies ceded freight, including mail and perishables, to semi trucks and instead favored goods like newsprint, chemicals and steel coils, which could sit in rail yards for days. Many freight companies made this change enthusiastically; trucking’s rise gave them a strong reason to stop servicing goods that were financial and logistical pains to ship. So long to the rail cars full of livestock.

Source: NYTimes.com

Date: Oct 09, 2022

Link: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/09/opinion/business-economics/freight-train-mismanagement.html

Questions for discussion:

  • How has the railroad industry mismanaged itself, according to the report?
  • What are the solutions?
  • Can truck and rail transportation co-operate and become a a more efficient system?
  • How would this impact prices and supply management?

The economics of Costco rotisserie chicken

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

Description: Costco’s popular chickens have stayed fixed at $4.99 for more than a decade — even in the face of raging inflation. But it’s come at a cost.

Source: TheHustle.com

Date: Oct 08, 2022

Link: https://thehustle.co/the-economics-of-costco-rotisserie-chicken/

Questions for discussion:

  • Why has Costco kept chicken prices fixed?
  • How has this strategy fit with overall branding strategy?
  • Do you think the company has chosen the “right” product to telegraph the branding message?
  • What other products would also communicate the Costco message, in your opinion?

Lexus highlights diverse personalities in latest campaign

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

Description: Lexus is highlighting diverse communities in its latest marketing campaign, “Never Lose Your Edge,” per a press release. The push is meant to promote the 2023 Lexus RX.

Source: MarketingDive.com – video report

Date: Oct 06, 2022

Link: https://www.marketingdive.com/news/lexus-diversity-influencers-campaign/633480/?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Issue:%202022-10-06%20Marketing%20Dive%20Newsletter%20%5Bissue:45053%5D&utm_term=Marketing%20Dive

Questions for discussion:

  • Who is the target market for this ad campaign?
  • What is the message being sent?
  • Do you think it will be successful?
  • What would you advise management?
    ​

What can we learn from Gen Z’s favorite brands?

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

Description: While marketing to Gen Z is notoriously challenging, some brands seem to have it figured out. Morning Consult surveyed thousands of Gen Z adults, and the data revealed some interesting findings about their preferences, including:

​Source: TheHustle.com

Date: Sep 30, 2022

Link: https://thehustle.co/09302022-Gen-Z-brands/?utm_campaign=Healthy%20food&utm_content=09302022-Gen-Z-brands&utm_medium=email&utm_source=daily&utm_term=4ABCD

Questions for discussion:

  • What are the commonalities of these brands and businesses?
  • What does the research suggest about this demographic?
  • Which other brands should be paying attention to this research?

SPOS #847 – Matthew Dixon On The Science Of Getting More Sales

Posted by & filed under Consumer/Buyer Behavior, Marketing Strategy, Metrics/Analytics.

Description:Here it is: Six Pixels of Separation – The ThinkersOne Podcast – Episode #847. If you’re in sales (and who isn’t?) you should probably read (if you haven’t already) The Challenger Sale by Matthew Dixon. The book was published in 2011, and has become one of the bigger books about sales. Matt is back with a brand new book, The JOLT Effect – How High Performers Overcome Customer Indecision (co-authored with Ted McKenna). The book focuses on a big idea: Customers no longer care about succeeding. What they really care about is not failing… and how, as a sales person, you can use this strategy to open up bigger conversations with prospects and close even bigger sales. Matt is Chief Product & Research Officer of the Austin-based AI and machine learning venture, Tethr. In this capacity, he has responsibility for product strategy, product management and product marketing. Prior to joining Tethr, Matt was a Senior Partner and Global Head of Sales Force Effectiveness Solutions at Korn Ferry Hay Group and, before that, held numerous global leadership roles in research, product development and management for CEB, now Gartner. A seasoned business researcher, Matt has been involved in dozens of original quantitative and qualitative research studies on topics ranging from customer experience strategy to customer service and sales effectiveness. Matt is also the author of several other books. Enjoy the conversation…

Source: SixPixels.com

Date: Oct 02, 2022

Link: https://www.sixpixels.com/podcast/archives/spos-847-matthew-dixon-on-the-science-of-getting-more-sales/

Questions for discussion:

  • Summarize the basic message Matthew Dixon has for sales people.
  • What do you think about his analysis and recommendation?
  • What else would you add to this conversation?

Businesses considering added credit card fee to pass on costs as rules change: survey

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

Description: Canadians may see a jump in businesses adding credit card surcharges as restrictions on the practice lift this week, though research from the Bank of Canada shows consumers have long been paying extra because of the payment option.
​
Source: Yahoo.Finance.com

Date: Oct 05, 2022

Link: https://ca.finance.yahoo.com/news/nearly-1-5-merchants-considering-131330390.html

Questions for discussion:

  • What are the potential marketing issues related to any decision taken by merchants?
  • How do you think customers will react to additional credit card fees?
  • Would this affect the credit card companies as well as merchants?
  • What would you advise merchants to do?

How YouTube Created the Attention Economy

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

Description: YouTube has consumed a good part of my days for more than a decade. As a teen-ager, I used the video-streaming platform to scrounge for crumbs of knowledge, watching free lectures on everything from algebra to literary modernism. Now I navigate to the YouTube app on my television most mornings to watch the news. I stream workout videos. I listen to music. I watch celebrities give tours of their garishly decorated mansions. Sometimes I stay on the site for hours, lost in the maze of memes, dinner ideas, and all manner of distraction.

Source: NewYorker.com

Date: Oct 04, 2022

Link: https://www.newyorker.com/books/under-review/the-overlooked-titan-of-social-media

Questions for discussion:

  • How has YouTube evolved from how it started?
  • Why is the business model so successful?
  • What would you advise the company do to make it even more successful?