Week 10 EOC: What are the Benefits vs the Features?

In Make a Change flag football league, mostly everyone in the community gets some kind of benefit, since all of our features do good for everyone one way or another. “A brand is the company’s promise to deliver a specific set of features, benefits, services, and experiences consistently to the buyers.” Page 230 Marketing: An Introduction. There are two purposes for our league, for people to have fun enjoying themselves in a safe environment playing an amazing sport, and to help people help others donating to the causes that matter to them the most. “The company must weigh the benefits of providing higher levels of service against the costs.” Page 330 Marketing: An Introduction. Many charities are going to be benefit from this event since most of the moneys are going to go to them, with that many people receive benefits from such organizations. Also the satisfaction this event will give to young athletes to know that they have helped so many other people just by paying a small fee and enjoying themselves in a sport they love. Also getting the community active to what happens around them will give them a feel of union with their neighbors which would eventually will make them feel comfortable with everyone around, Make a Change flag football league will definitely will bring a community together, or at least most of it. “Features are a competitive tool for differentiating the company’s product from competitors’ products. Being the first producer to introduce a valued new feature is one of the most effective ways to compete.” Page 215 Marketing: An Introduction. The fact that we are trying to help people help others is something very unique since our main goal is to help as many people as possible. We do not concentrate on helping just one specific group of people, but what we want and hope to achieve is to help as many as possible. This we believe is the feature that makes us the most unique.

Week 9 EOC: 3 Great Mission Statements

The mission statement of a company really gives the main idea of what the company itself it's all about. Personalty, I find companies that work hard, mentally and physically speaking, very inspiring. the following quotes are form mission statement that make me feel like these people are really trying to make a change and put their all in it.

"The animals will be passed out by volunteers who donate their time to taking the bears and personally handing them to each child." – AngelDonohew 

"Teach that it takes a kind heart and mouth to be truly beautiful." – Haley Blaine

"Having a charity concert for local bands to come promote themselves and have people pay a small entry fee, all the earnings from the entrance fees go straight to the charity." –Timothy Mize 

These people are really trying hard for their companies to work, or at leas from their mission statement it looks like it. They are willing to put hands on their projects to make it work and to make it succeed.  It takes one person to really make a change. It takes power and desire to make it really work.

Week 8 EOC: Creative Content

People now in days just don't pay attention to anything printed anymore. Personally I can't recall the last time I read a poster or a flyer. I usually consider that as useless trash. Everyone seems to be really concentrated ether on their laptops and their smart phones. They look at those screens 24/7 and look at nothing else. As sad this can be, this technological era is actually a good time to put a product like the one the Make a Change Flag Football League offers. Millions of people are always logged in in social media websites such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. For which is why is our plan to contact our costumer in that way. We will get them to like us, like what we have to say and what we have to offer. Also this is a great opportunity to hear what they have to say for which is why we will not just talk non stop but we will also listen and pay attention to their needs. We will keep them informed of everything that is going on with our event, and also share with them every single thing that happens, such like new members joining or anything like that, giving them a chance to comment on everything we do and determine from there if everything we do is adequate for them.
 
Twitter: @makechangeflag
Instagram: @makechangeflag

Week 7 EOC: The Pitch

Everyone has something they believe in and they want to support. Also everyone needs help in his or her own way ether is cancer or protecting someone from something. In my case, I like to help as many people as possible in any way possible, though doing that is very difficult, so a way I see to help out as many people as possible helping people help others. Researching around I found so many people trying to help other. Yet again everyone has a different mindset. It wasn’t until I was out playing football with some friends that I hit me. The best way on getting people active is by letting them have fun and defend their beliefs. Sports are the easiest, effortless to make people stand up and have fun, so I came up with the idea of planning a sports event where teams can compete, have fun and give their all for a charity of their choice. I chose flag football since football is the most American sport and flag football to make it not as aggressive. The next day driving around parks I saw a football event so I looked around for a leader. The event was a small football league just playing for fun where the winner wouldn’t even win anything yet they still had to pay.  I reached out to some of the teams and asked if they would be willing to collaborate in my plan, play, have fun and contribute to society. They were in. That is how my plan of making small leagues for charity started and with it I found my pitch to help people help others.

Week 6 EOC: Me x 3

Brands are as important to me as to everybody else. Even if we don't realize it we are always leaning towards a specific brand over the other. My main three are very specific stuff I ether use or consume on the daily and I couldn't use any other brand just because I do believe that no other brand would satisfy me as much as these brands do.

"Companies today recognize that they cannot appeal to all buyers in the marketplace, or at least not all buyers in the same way." Page 175 Marketing: An Introduction. Vans "Off The Wall" shoes is the only brand I personally use. No other shoe is as comfortable, neat and appealing to me as they are. Founded in 1966, Paul Van Doren instantly turned a good cheap shoe into a fad. Yer this brand is not suited for everyone. It is specially marketed to the skateboard lifestyle.

"The companies themselves vary widely in their abilities to serve different segments of the market." Page 175 Marketing: An Introduction. Coka-Cola is not just my choice of drink, it is THE only drink. Whenever I'm offered any other brand of soda I instantly feel offended to some extent. Coka-Cola is marked to be the drink for every occasion, if there is some kind of gathering going on, be sure that this is the drink of choice.

 

"It must design customer-driven marketing strategies that build the right relationships with the right customers." Page 175 Marketing: An Introduction. Without my MacBook pro, I don't think I would even be able to function in real life. Designed by Apple, there is no other computer I would eve like to use, if I ever do is for pure obligation. Moreover, every Mac computer is acceptable as well because Apple is just the way to go when it comes to technology. I do also plan on acquiring an Iphone, needless to say also designed by Apple, this would be my culmination to the whole set of Apple products in my collection.

Week 5 EOC: Superbowl Commertial

The Best Buy “Phone Innovators” commercial for the Super bowl 2012. This commercial is a tribute to one of the most popular and important invention in today’s society, the smartphone. Today most people have a sentimental attachment with their smartphone, and also to the apps in them, including myself. These people’s life it’s so adapted to the phone that many can’t function without it for a whole day. Many dispute that it has ruined society and the way we look at things. In part I do agree with them since I believe that your entire life should not revolve around a materialistic object. Yet I am technology’s number one fan. We live in an era where technology is essential, without it humanity would have not come this far. But one has to remember technology works for people and not the other way around, and that is exactly what the smartphone is to me. Yes my phone is used in big part for my social life such as Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, texting and what not, but it is also my gateway to the rest of the world such as emergencies, work or any business I’m currently working on. And the little extras have never bothered anyone. Through this apps mentioned in this commercial, which I have all downloaded into my phone, I have done way much more than socializing. I have kept myself in communication with people in other countries, even continents. Also I have gotten a few photography gigs through them.  My smartphone is so much more than just a piece of metal to me it’s my most useful gadget. There is definitely a sort of sentimental attachment between me, my phone, and my apps, and I’m sure I can speak for millions as well. Best Buy really nailed waking that feeling. 

Week 4 EOC: Busines VS Consumer Buying Behavior

People buy from companies. Companies buy from even bigger companies. But what is the difference between them both? "Most of GE’s business comes not from final consumers but from commercial and industrial customers across a wide range of industries." Page 158 on Marketing: An Introduction. Big companies as GE have a higher interest in other companies over small consumer, since is those big companies that buy millions of dollars at once for their product. Then those small companies treat with consumers, which gives them the money to, again, buy from the big companies and the cycle continues. "At a general level, marketing medical imaging technology or diesel locomotives to business customers is like selling refrigerators to final buyers." Page 158. Both business and consumers have similar ways of buying different objects. They both have the same objective, cheapest, best quality of anything they can get. For business is transportation, sometimes big mass merchandise and other heavy duty machinery. For costumers is smaller things, such as household items, food, and even electronics. Same objective, different subjects. "buyers carefully scrutinize factors such as cost, fuel efficiency, and reliability." Page 158. And they can both be very similar, looking for details. details such as which is going to last longer, which one works faster, better, stronger, at the end, which one is the best deal. Business and consumers can be as different as they can be similar when it comes to buying, and at the end the whole consumerism is one big cycle.

Week 3 EOC: My Demographics

"Millennials or Generation x. The 83 million children of the baby boomers, born between 1977 and 2000." Printed page 73, Marketing an Introduction. Being born on 1993 I'm a Millennial. "One thing that all of the Millennials have in common is their utter fluency and comfort with digital technology." Page 73. In my case this is to the extremely accurate.When it comes to technology I know how to operate it, and even how it functions. I basically know how a new gadget functions before it even comes out, and it looks like. My parents being baby boomers know nothing about how a computer works. They are lucky enough to know how to operate the microwave, and it still gives them a hard time to warm up their food with out ruing it. “All generations are comfortable with technology, but this is the generation that’s been formed by technology” says a Yahoo!. Since I was born there has been some kind of "complicated" technology around my house. From a computer, to a video game console, or even a fancy can opener with a billion of unnecessary buttons. "Marketers of all kinds now target the Millennials segment" printed page 74. Everything now on days is made through online. In my 19 years of life, I have yet to see an actual marketing survey printed in actual paper, but as soon as I log into the internet, surveys pop out of nowhere, and if it catches my attention I fill it up, takes me no time and I lose nothing for filling it out. Even costumer service seams to be easier and less tedious online, you don't have to fight with anyone and your concerns are taken care off in a much quicker time. Well at least that's how it is in my experience.

Week 3 EOC: Making Money for Good

“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” said Sir Winston Churchill. Giving back is something that should be part of everyone's life, but it's not always easy to find out how to. Sometimes inspiration to start giving is needed. When giving also becomes a fad to young people it becomes even more powerful because this young people are not just trying to be "cool" but also trying to give back. One company that makes an amazing job at doing that is Pura Vida Bracelets. They donate 1% back to The Surfrider Foundation through 1% for the Planet. Also they help in Costa Rica by providing clothing, food, shelter and a job to young artist in need. The FEED Foundation is another excellent example of fad and giving back. Founded by model Lauren Bush, She took a special interest in the WFP School Feeding program, she first created the FEED 1 bag, tote made out of burlap and organic cotton bag reminiscent of the bags of food distributed by WFP, to help raise funds and awareness around these school feeding operations. It was stamped with "FEED the children of the world" and the number ‘1’ to signify that each bag feeds one child in school for one year. Krochet Kids International is an exceptional example of how to use fad, giving back and also empower people. A group of three guys go around teaching people how to do crochet hats, giving them a way to overcome poverty. Later whoever made the hat signs them, then this guys sell them providing for that new artist. There are many other companies like this, and you might even be wearing something at this moment that might have helped someone else and you are not even aware about this.

Week 2: EOC Boston Consulting Group

65% of the usa households play videogames. Xbox 360, Wii and ps3 are the leading videogame consoles at the moment. As an owner of every single of this consoles it becomes simple to know the pros and the cons of each one. “For the Xbox 360, still relatively comfortable as the best selling console” digital-digest.com. With the addition of the Kinect Xbox sales really went up, yet the sensor is not all that great, you need to have a big open space in order to play correctly. In the BCG analysis I would definitely put Xbox 360 as cow cash. “The PS3 had the smallest year-on-year decline of the home based consoles, and comprehensively beat the Wii by just over 130,000 units” digital-digest.com. The PS3 has a free online gaming where Xbox you have to pay extra for it. With this console the PS3 move controller can be bought separately and it gives you an experience such as the one that the Kinect for the Xbox would give you. Also the PS3Vita came out recently which is a mobile console that can also be adapted with the PS3 itself. Even though this extra gadgets are amazing people is not running out the door to buy them. Things like this also position this console as cash cow with a lot potential of growth. “Definitely the end of a cycle for Nintendo’s Wii, and the Wii U can’t come soon enough for the company. A near 50% decline year-on-year is a bad result no matter how you look at it, and in terms of hardware, and innovation, the Wii now looks like a very dated piece of tech.” digital-digest.com. The Wii had an amazing concept once it came out, it was cheap, it was fun, it was unique. But the innovations of the other consoles out staged the Wii.  The Wii console is still a cash cow, but slowly moving towards dog. Yet not of these consoles is ether a star, the one thing that I would consider a star when it comes to gaming is the smartphone, its multi functionality, cheap price on games, diversity, mobility and it’s easy accessibility makes it the perfect videogame console.

Voice

Be remembered by your good work, not by your bad actions. My name is Geovanny Sorto, but I prefer to be called Geo, I’m 19 year old and I live in sin city, Las Vegas. Art is my passion, creativity my motivation and a camera my weapon of choice. I have always tried to express myself, but growing up that was never easy. I’m originally from Honduras, where art is not always encouraged since the main goal is to get money and to get it fast. That never stopped me from doing what my heart told me to do, I self thought myself how to paint, sketch and write. Yet something was always missing, later on my life I move to America where I discovered a whole new world of empowerment where people believed in my goals and dreams. With so many people trying to pursuit the same objective that I had it was even easier to find inspiration everywhere I looked. More than just describe scenery I wanted to turn it into an actual image that one could appreciate visually and not just mentally, then is where I started to experiment photography, and there is where the journey began.

Week 1 EOC/ Great Costumer Service

“The selling concept is typically practiced with unsought goods—those that buyers do not
normally think of buying, such as insurance or blood donations. These industries must be good at
tracking down prospects and selling them on product benefits.” I usually don’t shop unless I need to
shop for something in specific, or something that I truly need at that moment. The other day I went out shopping because I realize it was time for me to get a new pair of shoes since my old pair where
completely destroyed, and no human being should ever be seen wearing treads for shoes. There is only brand of shoes that I wear, Vans, they are comfortable, stylish and they usually last me a long time. Usually when I go in the store I have my headphones on so none of the selling monkeys will bother me and let me shop in peace. This time I forgot my headphones so I had to confront them. As soon as I walk in the door the first think I hear “Welcome to Vans”. Great it has started I thought. I keep on walking without acknowledging the tiny girl that had greeted me. I was surprised that she didn’t follow me immediately. After a wile of wondering around I see the same girl walking to towards me. I had to confront the million questions. She started talking and the only thing she said was “Make sure to check out our buy one get one 50% off” then she proceeded on her way. I was surprised I wasn’t attacked like I have been before a million other. I called the girl and she turned around with the biggest genuine smile and I asked a little bit more about the promotion. Bottom line is I ended up buying four pairs of shoes and two packages of socks, two shirts and I’ going back for a skateboard sometime soon, all thanks to a smile and just the right amount of words.