The Great Construction Mystery

Posted by & filed under Ethics, Innovation, Pricing, Relationship Marketing.

Description: Here’s something odd: We’re getting worse at construction. Think of the technology we have today that we didn’t in the 1970s. The new generations of power tools and computer modeling and teleconferencing and advanced machinery and prefab materials and global shipping. You’d think we could build much more, much faster, for less money, than in the past. But we can’t. Or, at least, we don’t.

Source: NYTimes.com

Date: Feb 05, 2023

Link: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/05/opinion/economy-construction-productivity-mystery.html?smid=em-share

Questions for discussion:

  • Summarize the reasons offered that explain the lack of productivity growth in construction.
  • Do you think this is a fair assessment of the industry?
  • What are other possible explanations, as you see things?
  • What would recommend to the players involved that would allow for greater productivity?

Campaign Trail: Neutrogena lathers up reality TV parody on TikTok

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

Description: Movers+Shakers mined dating show tropes to turn one of the skincare brand’s products into the “bombshell” of “Hydro House.”

Source: MarketingDive.com

Date: Feb 03, 2023

Link: https://www.marketingdive.com/news/neutrogena-hydro-house-tiktok-movers-shakers-campaign-trail/641901/?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Newsletter%20Weekly%20Roundup:%20Marketing%20Dive:%20Daily%20Dive%2002-04-2023&utm_term=Marketing%20Dive%20Weekender

Questions for discussion:

  • Summarize the TikTok strategy used by Neutrogena to break through the clutter on social media.
  • What do you think about the strategy and the results it generated?
  • What would you advise marketers at this time?

Airbnb is making a simple, but big booking change bringing it closer to hotel check-in

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

Description: Come Spring 2023, Airbnb will require all users booking reservations on its platform to verify their identity to book a reservation, further expanding a program that asks for credentials like a photo of a valid government-issued ID or a legal name and address.

Source: CNBC.com – video report

Date: Jan 23, 2023

Link: https://www.cnbc.com/2023/02/03/airbnb-will-soon-push-all-vacationers-and-hosts-to-verify-identity.html

Questions for discussion:

  • What are the controls in place to help mitigate problems for all participants in this business?
  • What are the marketing implications for employing these controls?
  • What additional suggestions would you send to management?

Ask for Payment Before or After? The Effects of Timing in Pay-What-You-Want Pricing

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

Description: Pay-what-you-want is a pricing mechanism where consumers can decide how much to pay for a product or service. Variations of this idea have been employed widely over the years. Public museums, such as New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art, have long allowed nominally free entry but with requests for donations at entry and/or exit.

Source: AMA.org

Date: Dec 20, 2022

Link: https://www.ama.org/2022/12/20/ask-for-payment-before-or-after-the-effects-of-timing-in-pay-what-you-want-pricing/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=rasa_io&utm_campaign=newsletter

Questions for discussion:

  • Summarize the key research reported.
  • What does this mean for marketers considering using this pricing mechanism?
  • Do you think this model should be used by new media and entertainment companies like Netflix?

Nike Sues Lululemon (Again)

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

Description: Nike is suing Lululemon in a Manhattan federal court for unspecified damages, accusing the Canadian company of patent infringements in four of Lulu’s athletic shoe models.

Source: MarketingDive.com

Date: Jan 31, 2023

Link: https://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/382086/nike-sues-lululemon-again.html?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=headline&utm_campaign=129129&hashid=7T9TCmQZSDGbnu-424RuBQ

Questions for discussion:

  • What do you believe is behind Nike’s strategy?
  • Do you think Lululemon will do well in this category?
  • How would you package and promote the Lululemon brand as an athletic ensemble from head to toe?

Jobs report shows increase of 517,000 in January, crushing estimates, as unemployment rate hit 53-year low

Posted by & filed under Consumer/Buyer Behavior, Marketing Research, Metrics/Analytics, Retail Marketing, Supply Chain.

Description: The employment picture started off 2023 on a stunningly strong note, with nonfarm payrolls posting their biggest gain since July 2022.

Source: CNBC.com – video report

Date: Feb 03, 2023

Link: https://www.cnbc.com/2023/02/03/jobs-report-january-2023-.html

Questions for discussion:

  • Where were the main growth areas for employment?
  • What does this say about how the economy is recovering from the past few years of decline?
  • What does this mean for management, marketers and investors?

How a Drug Company Made $114 Billion by Gaming the U.S. Patent System

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

Description: AbbVie for years delayed competition for its blockbuster drug Humira, at the expense of patients and taxpayers. The monopoly is about to end.

Source: NYTimes.com

Date: Jan 28, 2023

Link: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/28/business/humira-abbvie-monopoly.html

Questions for discussion:

  • Summarize the issues related to how businesses, governments, insurance companies and consumers are connected to the drug Humira.
  • Is this an acceptable system for the industry, in your opinion?
  • How might the system be changed in order to be more fair to all parties?

9 marketing trends to watch as 2023 tests transformation bets

Posted by & filed under Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC), Marketing Research, Marketing Strategy.

Description: Pivots to ad-supported streaming, alternative measurement currencies and new social platforms all face challenges as consumers simplify their choices.

Source: MarketingDive.com

Date: Jan 18, 2023

Link: https://www.marketingdive.com/news/2023-marketing-trends-predictions/640489/

Questions for discussion:

  • What are the key issues facing marketers and the recommendations to deal with them, according to the report?
  • Do you agree with this assessment?

How Instagram, Discord, and other social media platforms balance teen attention with parents’ concerns

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

Description: Last week, Instagram announced Quiet mode, which lets users pause notifications to “set boundaries.” The app prompts teens to enable Quiet mode at night. In the same week, Discord bought Gas, adding the teen compliment-giving app into the messaging platform’s fold.

Source: Insiderintelligence.com/eMarketer

Date: Jan 23, 2023

Link: https://www.insiderintelligence.com/content/instagram-discord-social-media-platforms-balance-teen-attention-parents-concerns?utm_source=email&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=eDaily%201.23.2023&utm_id=eDaily%201.23.2023&utm_term=eMarketer%20Daily%20CORE/EMEA%20%28Mon-Fri%29

Questions for discussion:

  • How are these firms dealing with complaints about their influence on teens?
  • Do you think these efforts are sufficient?
  • What else should/could they do?
  • Why do you suppose the ranking of these sites is as shown in the report?

Manage Your Customer Portfolio for Maximum Lifetime Value

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

Description: How converting customers to closer relationships, leveraging them, and defending them can drive future revenue and lower costs.

Source: Sloan/MIT.edu

Date: Sep 13, 2022

Link: https://sloanreview.mit.edu/article/manage-your-customer-portfolio-for-maximum-lifetime-value/

Questions for discussion:

  • Summarize the key ideas and organization of this model.
  • In general, what do you think about the value of applying this model?