The Garden of Irks & Delights- Academic Edition

Resource Links

2012-01-31T14:07:00.002-06:00

The following are links to sites with interesting items related to marketing:
Direct Marketing News
Brand Channel
Strategy
TV Ad Blog
AdWeek
AdWeek.com's Ad Freak
Trendhunter.com
AdBusters
Marketing Sherpa Blog
American Marketing Association's Marketing Power

A Quick, Animated History of Marketing

2012-01-31T13:47:00.002-06:00

This was created by a German company and it sums things up pretty well.

New Tobacco Labeling and Your Prof Repping on WWL TV Channel 4

2011-06-22T14:19:00.002-05:00

Check it out.

Common Courtesies and Other Tips For Students

2011-06-01T16:30:00.000-05:00

When 2006 came to a close, I deemed the fall semester the most frustrating in my academic career. Looking back, it became clear to me that there are many things a growing number students don't seem to know or understand. Back in December, I started this post to address these things and decided to finish it today.

If you read this list and think that most of what's on it goes without saying, then please congratulate yourself. You belong to a group that appears to be shrinking and this makes you part of the elite. However, I'm going to try to change that by making these things that used to be common knowledge less esoteric again.

I'll begin with things that might be considered common courtesy and will continue with some general tips:

Address your professor properly. All of your professors have earned advanced degrees and are not considered your academic peers. Most of your professors have earned a D.B.A. or Ph.D. At the very least, your pofessor will have a Master's Degree. Despite some of the suggestions that others have offered, the D in both D.B.A. and Ph.D. stands for Doctor and these professors should be addressed as Dr. Whatever and not Mister, Mrs., or Miss/Ms. You should never address your professors by their first names unless you've been instructed to do so. Putting "Miss" or "Mister" in front of your professor's first name, (i.e., "Miss Lisa"), may seem more polite, but it's no more acceptable. This is not kindergarten. If you don't know which degree your professor has, the safe bet is to address him/her as Professor Whatever. This will cover all your bases unless you're being taught by a graduate student in the role of Teaching Assistant. In this case, you're probably okay with first names unless the TA is much older than you are. You might be smart to just ask how your TA would like to be addressed.

Read the syllabus. We don't write them for the fun of it. And you'll be amazed by how many answers to your questions exist in this document. Reading it generally helps keep you out of unexpected trouble and will definitely prevent you from irking your professors with unnecessary questions.

Take your professors' policies seriously. Some of our policies may seem ridiculous to you, but you don't know what we know and haven't seen what we've seen. We have good reasons for the policies we make. Our policies are borne out of the problems we've seen arise and desire to eliminate them. If we bothered to put it in writing, it means we're serious about it so you should be, too.

Don't ask your professor if you really need the text. This one is really easy. If the syllabus lists a text, you need the text. If a text is listed along with the words, suggested or optional, then it's optional. See? Easy. (Yes, I wouldn't have listed this if I hadn't been asked more than a few times.)

Show up for class. When extraordinary circumstances make this impossible, communicate with your professor and offer an explanation, not an excuse. With the former, you do not expect to get any kind of exoneration for relating the reason for your absence; with the latter, you do. So, explain out of common courtesy and, if I happen to be your professor, there's a chance your absence will be excused. (Half credit, rather than full credit.)

Go to the bathroom before class. It's sad that I have to include this one, but I'm amazed at how often someone gets up and leaves the room (presumably for the bathroom) when we're only 5 or 10 minutes into class. The lines in the bathroom can't be that bad before class. And if you walk out to go to the bathroom during a test, don't expect your test to be there when you return. (How anyone can think this is acceptable is beyond me.)

Give your professor your full attention. We're here for a reason and so are you. Honor that. And give your fellow students the courtesy of your attention when they are contributing to the class through questions and discussion. Don't piddle around on your cell phone/PDA/laptop (playing games, text messaging, surfing the web, etc.), during a class session. It's rude and disrespectful and it may get you thrown out of the class. By the way, if you bring a laptop to class, we can usually tell if you're using it for non class-related purposes.

Never answer your cell phone during class. Period. I do understand that some of us need to be available in case of an emergency involving our responsibilities with work and/or family. If what appears to be an emergency call/message comes through while class is in session, have the courtesy to leave the room before answering. If you have some unresolved situation dangling out there and think you might get a call during class, it's courteous to let your professor know in advance, so when you dash out of the room to answer your vibrating (not ringing or singing) phone, we know it's not for some trivial reason.

Do not disappear during the break or pack your bag and leave class before it ends. You should know in advance if there's some obligation which requires you to make an early exit and therefore, out of common courtesy, you should inform your professor before class begins. Exit quietly and make eye contact with your professor as a signal to the rest of the class that you're not just skipping out and as a reminder to your professor that your exit was discussed earlier. I usually give a nod back which signals to everyone that your departure was not unexpected. If I notice that you've left and you didn't say anything to me, I'll take away half a credit for the half you missed. By the way, if I notice more than a couple of people missing after the break, it virtually guarantees an in-class exercise, (collected for credit), as a reward to those who stuck around.

Come to class prepared and don't expect to be spoon-fed the text. Read the materials in advance, write down any questions that occur to you as you read, then bring them up in class. We'll all get much more out of our time together this way.

Take notes. This seems to be a dying art. Writing notes engages more of your senses which increases the likelihood of retention. With the exception of straightforward terms and their definitions, the general idea is to listen, then synthesize the information --not to write everything word for word. Pull the important ideas from what's said. Note examples. If you're paying attention, your notes will be cues to remember what you didn't write.

Give feedback. There may be times when you think your professor is unnecessarily belaboring a point that you think is quite obvious and doesn't require any amount of elaboration. If your professor seems to be explaining a concept in a dozen different ways, over and over again for no good reason, you are wrong. There are reasons.

First, when we see a bunch of blank stares, it says, "I don't get it." Oftentimes, after I explain something, I'll ask, "does this make sense to you?" If you don't give some sign of affirmation, (feedback), the only reasonable conclusion I can draw is that you don't understand. So, I'll try again. In some cases, you may *get it* quite well and may nod in affirmation, but some of your classmates may not. You're not in a position to see what your professors see when we look out on a roomful of students. It may not be apparent to you that other faces show confusion and befuddlement. Since we're there to teach all of you, we can't really move on until it's clear that the majority of students understand. If just a couple of students keep me from reaching this goal, I'll request they stay after class or come during office hours for more help.

Ask questions! I've occasionally had students tell me (usually long after the fact, once they've earned a bad grade), that they never understood the material, despite my repeatedly asking if everyone understood and if anyone had questions. It seems to be implied that it's my fault that these students didn't do well. When I ask, "why didn't you say anything when we covered this in class and when I asked if anyone had questions?" I sometimes get a response of, "I was so confused that I didn't even know what to ask." Here's a simple solution. Raise your hand and when called upon, say, "I'm (still) confused and I can't even figure out what questions to ask." There is no shame in this. It actually indicates that you're very smart, smart enough to pursue an understanding of material you know you're responsible for. And chances are, many of your classmates feel the same way. They'll admire you for having the guts to come out and say what they didn't have the guts to.

I should note here that if I find that everyone missed a certain question on a test, I have no choice but to conclude that either I did, in fact, do a bad job of teaching that particular concept or that the test question wasn't well-crafted. When this happens (and I'm happy to say it's a rarity), I void the question and revisit the topic in a future class.

Do not phone or e-mail your professor asking what was covered in the class(es) you missed or what will be on an upcoming test. It's all in the syllabus. Read it. And that section suggesting that you get names of two classmates that you can contact for help when you miss class? Don't ignore that. You may need it, because I won't be sending you my notes.

Learn how to calculate a weighted average, if you don’t already know how. This way, you can figure out your average and other things such as what you need to make on the final to get an A (or whatever grade you’d be satisfied with) without involving me. You shouldn't have made it this far in a business school curriculum without knowing this, anyway.

As a rule, I do not curve grades. Considering the fact that I aspire to having you reach certain learning outcomes, it makes no sense to grade you on a scale relative to each other's performance instead of the desired outcomes. I'd rather have you actually learn the material than to inflate the grades. This is why I often give you more than one chance to "get it." And if everyone did extremely well, I would actually have to deflate grades to fit a normal curve. If you don't understand this, maybe you don't really understand what grading on a curve means, in which case, you should read this.

Comment on articles posted on this blog. And leave some kind of identification, so I know it's you. Commenting shows you read and are thinking about the articles I went to the trouble of posting. Plus, it can make a meaningful difference in your participation grade, (these posts often come up in class), not to mention the possibility of bonus questions related to material here.

Take advantage of the opportunity to earn extra credit. And do it early so you can get feedback. More often than not, submissions earn no credit for failure to meet the required standards. Extra credit points are earned and they are not guaranteed. Your work must meet a certain standard. The last day of class is the deadline. Don't leave things to chance. (See next item.)

Don't ask me to give you a certain grade or to bump you up a couple of points. I don't give you grades. You earn them. No one gets special treatment. The only "bump" you can expect is the one that comes when a grade is properly rounded, i.e., a grade of 89.5 is rounded to 90. A couple of points worth of extra credit could save you from the humiliating experience begging for leniency and being refused.

Don't expect much sympathy for some predicament you find yourself in at the end of the semester if it's one you created. I will bend over backwards to help any student who needs it, throughout the semester. If you need a certain grade to graduate, keep your financial aid, or not get kicked out because you're on academic probation, your behavior should reflect the importance of this from the beginning. When students are serious, they show up, pay attention, ask questions, complete assignments on time, and communicate with their professors. By the end of the semester, we know which students care about learning and succeeding and which do not. If you show up at the end of the semester with a grade problem and no previous effort to do well, there's very little any of us can do for you. You get out what you put in and at that point, it's too late.

If you're required to submit written assignments, read this. It's a work in progress, but what's there is important.

If you've read this far, chances are you're naturally inclined to be one of the better students in the class and will do well. Students like you are what make my job fulfilling. Thank you for that.

LP

Data Mining Can Tell You All Kinds of Things...

2011-04-13T14:08:00.000-05:00

(Originally posted in November of 2010. Bumped up to the top for Spring 2011 students.)

The title of this article should be enough to get you interested enough to click and read it:
How Mastercard Predicts Divorce (from The Daily Beast)

Interesting. Very Interesting.

Pricing Strategy... Very Interesting, Apple.

2011-03-31T22:54:00.002-05:00

Next time you're sitting at an airport bar and hear two businesspeople debate whether Apple (AAPL) is a technology or design company, chime in: "Nope. What Steve Jobs sells is pricing."

Pricing? You bet. Jobs is a master of using pricing decoys, reference prices, bundling, and obscurity to make you think his shiny aluminum toys are a good deal.

Read the article: Apple's Pricing Decoys

More Than You Ever Wanted to Know About Licensing Music for Video Games

2011-03-03T22:33:00.003-06:00

Link after link after link on the subject, for your perusal:

Information from ASCAP.

Interview with Jeffrey Brabec , Vice President of Business Affairs for the Chrysalis Music Group.

Interview with Adam Taylor, President of APM Music, the largest production music library in the world.

Interview with Steve Schnur of Worldwide Executive, Music and Music Marketing for Electronic Arts (EA), the largest video game producer in the world and home to titles like Madden NFL 2006, The Sims and Medal of Honor. A

Stakeolders Matter

2011-02-16T12:30:00.004-06:00

Stakeholders matter. Trends (like the one of greater tolerance of diversity, especially among Gen Y) are important to pay attention to....
According to South Bend television station WSBT, an LGBT group on campus petitioned IUSB to remove Chick-fil-A as a vendor after word broke that Chick-fil-A was supporting an event hosted by the Pennsylvania Family Institute, an affiliate of Focus on the Family and one of the leading anti-gay organizations in Pennsylvania. LGBT students and straight allies on campus wanted to send the message that if you support homophobia and anti-gay politics, you don't belong on the campus of IUSB.

NOTE: This article is an example of one that would NOT qualify for extra credit because it serves as an example of concepts discussed in class and doesn't deepen our understanding of them. Examples of concepts are everywhere, but it's still good to them in "real life."

Lady GaGa- Music Marketing's Guest Lecturer

2011-02-14T02:40:00.004-06:00

I now present today's guest speaker in Music Marketing.

Anderson Cooper asks, "is she a real artist or a marketing expert? Musically gifted or a flash in the pan?"

Does this sound just like our Music Marketing class discussions? Watch this and see how many marketing lessons you can find. Hint: For starters, think branding, brand equity, brand integrity...

Recession rips at US marriages, expands income gap - Yahoo! News

2010-12-12T00:43:00.002-06:00

If you were, for example, thinking about starting up a business as a wedding planner (or getting a job in this industry), this is exactly the kind of thing that should show up in your situation analysis. (External environment.): Recession rips at US marriages, expands income gap - Yahoo! News

Brand You...hint, hint.

A 'brand' new world: Attachment runs thicker than money

2010-11-20T17:40:00.001-06:00

A 'brand' new world: Attachment runs thicker than money: "Can you forge an emotional bond with a brand so strong that, if forced to buy a competitor's product, you suffer separation anxiety? According to a new study from the USC Marshall School of Business, the answer is yes. In fact, that bond can be strong enough that consumers are willing to sacrifice time, money, energy and reputation to maintain their attachment to that brand."

I admit it. Apple owns me.

Good and Plenty

2010-10-28T02:50:00.006-05:00

Lots of tips on how to market your music...

Top 10 Mistakes Artists Make

TuneCore Offers Ten Tips to Sell More Music Online

Five Sales Tips for Independent Artists

How to Write a Bio that Doesn't Suck

The 10 Commandments of the Independent Rockstar (Pt 1)

The 10 Commandments of the Independent Rockstar (Pt 2)

And my personal favorite (because it's so right on and I've talked about these things till I'm blue in the face), 10 Great Tips to Help You Fail as an Independent Artist.

Go Native!

2010-10-19T23:42:00.002-05:00

This is a nice little video on how to use an ethnographic approach to get marketing insights. You'll need to devote about 30 minutes to it, but you'll get something of value out of it.

Music Marketing:A Real Innovator

2010-10-18T11:07:00.000-05:00

Josh Freese sets the bar high when it comes to creative product bundling and pricing. Check out this article about his innovative pricing strategy . Note: the $5000 and $20,000 narcissist's packages (limited quantities!) sold out rather quickly.

(Bumped to the top for current Music Marketing Students.)

Why did the new GAP logo fail?

2010-10-16T01:30:00.003-05:00

Exactly. Go ahead and read it and I won't say I told you so...

Major Labels: The Problem With Music

2010-08-27T12:37:00.000-05:00

For Music Marketing Students and anyone else who's interested. (This item was posted fall earlier and bumped back to the top for this fall's class.)

This classic and oft-referenced article by Steve Albini (linked below) was first published in Maximum Rock 'n' Roll magazine in the early 1990s. While some of the information and figures listed here are dated, the point is still valid and the major label deal can still be the same losing proposition, especially given the prospect of the new 360° Deals being favored by majors today. (This was mentioned in class, but go and read the article at the link below, anyway. )

Steve Albini: Major Labels: The Problem With Music
(This article contains many expletives, but hopefully you'll understand why the author felt them necessary.)

360 DEALS: The Final Nail In The Major Label Coffin?

Note- I'd like to give credit for the graphic but don't know its origin. It's not mine.

Social Media: Consumers Trust Their Friends Less - Advertising Age - News

2010-02-18T15:07:00.003-06:00

Social Media: Consumers Trust Their Friends Less - Advertising Age - News: "'The events of the last 18 months have scarred people,' Mr. Edelman said. 'People have to see messages in different places and from different people. That means experts as well as peers or company employees. It's a more-skeptical time. So if companies are looking at peer-to-peer marketing as another arrow in the quiver, that's good, but they need to understand it's not a single-source solution. It's a piece of the solution.'"

Read it!

Creativity is your greatest ally.

2009-11-25T12:54:00.005-06:00

Hey, MUSIC MARKETING students, you know how I'm always saying that knowing the concepts and theories are one thing, but what puts you on the map is your ability to come up with creative strategies and the tactics to implement them? Well, here's something for you from Weezer, to promote their album. My opinion follows...

It's funny and it's attention-getting. It's going viral quite nicely. Their timing is perfect in terms of its release. (Just in time for the holidays!) There's no real reason to believe that it was ever intended to run on television -- a really good viral ad doesn't need this expensive medium to reach people. It will probably help sell CDs to current fans of Weezer, but for a lot of people who aren't already sold on the band, I think it will just be something funny that they are motivated to share, but not to buy. In other words, I don't think it will expand their market in any meaningful way, but it does do its job to get attention and interest and get the band's name out there. Because the approach uses direct marketing, results will be measurable. I wonder if someone in the Weezer camp would share info with me on how effective it was if I asked nicely?

One last thought: Why might the band have chosen to do a Snuggly spoof ad? Think Macro Environmental trends.... Which environmental factor does this relate to? An extra point for the first Fall 2009 student (in any class) to tell me.

Here's a candidate who understands the hierarchy of effects.

2009-11-21T13:12:00.003-06:00

As discussed in PROMOTIONS MANAGEMENT CLASS...

See how the hierarchy works? The ad's already generated a nice slice of media coverage and its YouTube preview has generated over 16,000 views. I think someone has a marketing-savvy campaign manager.

Radio Promotion 101: How to Promote Your Music on Radio

2009-11-18T23:31:00.001-06:00

For MUSIC MARKETING students...

Bunches of articles from MusicBizAcademy.com:

Radio Promotion 101: How to Promote Your Music on Radio

Check it out!

Guerilla Marketing in the News

2009-11-13T02:38:00.003-06:00

"Captain Morgan may have pulled off the quietest and shortest-lived advertising ambush in sports history last Sunday. One that was almost universally unknown, barely noticed, and yet, promptly squashed by the NFL this week."

Read the whole article at this link:
NFL shipwrecks Captain Morgan campaign - NFL - Yahoo! Sports:

Comic Relief

2009-11-12T02:08:00.002-06:00

MUSIC MARKETING

Weren't we just talking about this iPhone app in Fall 2009 Music Marketing?

In case anyone thought I was making this up...

2009-11-11T19:01:00.001-06:00

Remember the first step in the Hierarchy of Effects model?

2009-10-20T00:42:00.003-05:00

Well, here it is:

(This should be familiar to Advertising and Promotion students.)

Show Me the Money

2009-10-19T23:35:00.001-05:00

The Future of Music Coalition has identified 29 Streams of Income for music. Read about them here.

Promoting Complementary Products at the Point of Purchase

2009-10-06T16:56:00.000-05:00

Pay attention!

Integrated Marketing Communications? Hah.

2009-09-01T02:26:00.000-05:00

Popped up to the top for Fall 2009 MKT 3540 Students.

-----------

"We usually do not have the opportunity to overhear Microsoft’s most senior executives vent their personal frustrations with Windows. But a lawsuit filed against Microsoft in March 2007 in United States District Court in Seattle has pried loose a packet of internal company documents. The plaintiffs, Dianne Kelley and Kenneth Hansen, bought PCs in late 2006, before Vista’s release, and contend that Microsoft’s “Windows Vista Capable” stickers were misleading when affixed to machines that turned out to be incapable of running the versions of Vista that offered the features Microsoft was marketing as distinctive Vista benefits."

Source: They Criticized Vista. And They Should Know. - New York Times

Read and comment. Or bring the subject up in class. You know I like that.

Just a Bunch of NonCensus

2009-07-01T03:11:00.003-05:00

Weren't we just talking about the census in MKT 3501? Here's a timely installment and some comic relief from Stephen Colbert on the subject.

The Colbert Report

Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c

The Word - Noncensus

www.colbertnation.com

Colbert Report Full Episodes

Political Humor

Jeff Goldblum

And the World Keeps Turning...

2009-06-09T18:20:00.002-05:00

The Macro-Environment never sleeps. See statistics on world population, births, deaths, how much oil is left, the amount of money spent on video games in the world today, and much, much more, all in real time.

Worldometers - real time world statistics

What Were They Thinking?

2009-02-26T12:58:00.003-06:00

Here are the 2008 Grand Prize Winning student submissions for WFT? ads. (Sorry if I offended anyone with use of the letter F above, but...)

Winner in the Print Category.

Once again, an Austrian student took home the gold with this submission in the video category.

I posted this video on my other blog and asked friends to answer the question in the title of this post. My friend Richard's response: Objectifying cows for milk or meat is just like objectifying women for their looks or promiscuous behavior???

My Reply and Analysis:

Richard, I think you've drawn a sound conclusion about the underlying message, but I doubt that this is immediately apparent to the average viewer. The audience is required to do a lot more work to get to that point, partially because the ad depicts the "dairy cowgirls" as willing participants in the milk debauchery, but I don't think the creators of the ad really meant for the conclusion to be drawn from the ad alone. And the important question is: how effective is this strategy if the objective is to turn people off to dairy products for ethical reasons?

From a critical perspective, the ad is definitely attention-getting. That's good. The engorged udder-bearing females and the milk-drunk males give it somewhat of a simultaneously enthralling yet repulsive effect. And anyone who's ever seen a Girls Gone Wild commercial definitely gets the connection. But...

Humor, generally, is not an effective appeal when the subject is serious. My opinion (based in part on my students' reactions) is that, aside from being stunned by the visuals, the ad is regarded as a spoof more than anything and the very brief appearance of the PETA logo at the end is overshadowed by what preceded it and is easily overlooked. (A large number of students didn't "get" the ad because they missed the logo, probably because of all the cognitive "noise" created by the ad, itself.) And the titillating "hot chicks with udders" theme is not enough to drive people to milkgonewild.com to see more of it, especially if they don't already know what PETA is and is all about. Actually, even if they do know, it could work against the organization's objectives. (If I know about PETA and know it uses the same kind of repulsion tactics that the pro-lifers use at abortion clinics,I'm not chancing a visit to that site. And if I know and I'm already a PETA convert, I'm not part of the target anyway.)

So, if the viewer is somehow motivated to visit the site (by what, I'm not sure), it still looks like a spoof. You'd have to be motivated to watch the "sequel" for a lot more of the same antics before you get the serious message. And I'm just not sure that anyone would want to see more of Milk Gone Wild than what was already seen in the ad.

Bottom line, I think this whole proposition was a real leap of faith, maybe too big.

----

So, what do you think?

Transformation of Corporate Logos

2009-01-30T17:05:00.002-06:00

The times change and so do corporate logos. This is a really cool piece of time travel. Check them all out at the link below:

Transformation of Corporate Logos

Race Ethnicity Culture

2009-01-28T03:26:00.002-06:00

Don't just take my word for it:

DNA studies do not indicate that separate classifiable subspecies (races) exist within modern humans. While different genes for physical traits such as skin and hair color can be identified between individuals, no consistent patterns of genes across the human genome exist to distinguish one race from another. There also is no genetic basis for divisions of human ethnicity. People who have lived in the same geographic region for many generations may have some alleles in common, but no allele will be found in all members of one population and in no members of any other. Indeed, it has been proven that there is more genetic variation within races than exists between them.-Human Genome Project - U.S. Department of Energy and the National Institutes of Health

Why is the Department of Energy involved? I wondered, too and found the answer here.

Note: The image above is from the 2000 U.S Census questionnaire.

The Language Of Emotion: Ad Slogans In Native Tongues Connect To Consumers' Emotions

2009-01-15T00:47:00.002-06:00

Link:The Language Of Emotion: Ad Slogans In Native Tongues Connect To Consumers' Emotions:

"ScienceDaily (Dec. 22, 2008) — In our globalized world, consumers are exposed to marketing messages in many languages. But a new study in the Journal of Consumer Research says messages expressed in people's native languages are most effective at triggering emotional reactions."

Initially, I wasn't going to post this because it was just another one of the many articles I see and think, Gee wiz! Really? (Maybe I'll start a category of posts called Gee wiz! Really? so you can see what I mean.) I guess every intuitively obvious thing will at some point be approached as a subject worthy of research when the pressure is on to publish or perish.

So, why did I bother to post this? Because a similar topic came up in tonight's Promotions Management class and I mentioned the article. Go ahead. Read it. It won't hurt you.

Do you really get a better deal at warehouse stores?

2008-12-02T20:22:00.003-06:00

Here's a question fresh out of a recent MKT 3501 (Principles of Marketing) class discussion. A student from the Fall 2008 class looked for an answer and found this:

The Best and Worst Warehouse Club Deals

If you like to shop in bulk, you may want to read it.

(Thanks to Christian Briceno for the submitting the article.)

12 Steps to iTunes Success

2008-11-21T12:18:00.001-06:00

How indie artist Making April systematically went from 0 to 1,000 sales a week on iTunes in one year: 12 Steps to iTunes Success

No one said they were easy steps...

Social Class in America

2008-11-18T11:56:00.003-06:00

New York Times- Class Matters: A team of reporters spent more than a year exploring ways that class - defined as a combination of income, education, wealth and occupation - influences destiny in a society that likes to think of itself as a land of unbounded opportunity.

Check out this comprehensive piece on social class- there's a lot of substance for you to peruse. (And I know the graphic is from The New Yorker and not the NYT, but it's one of those classic upper-class icons.) Again, here's the link.

Maxim Magazine Reviews Album Without Hearing It

2008-11-16T01:43:00.000-06:00

From:MusicDish Industry e-Journal

How is it that a magazine can review an entire album--and assign a star rating to it--without actually hearing the album?
Case in point: the "review" of Warpaint--the new album by THE BLACK CROWES--in the March issue of Maxim magazine. The writer--who has not heard the album since advance CDs were not made available--wrote what appears to be a disparaging assessment anyway, citing "it hasn't left Chris Robinson and the gang much room for growth."

I told you this business was ugly...

Who Said You Could Use My Song? Bon Jovi Joins Rock Horde Mad at McCain

2008-10-17T01:59:00.005-05:00

"John McCain has run afoul of Foo Fighters, Van Halen, Heart, Jackson Browne, John Mellencamp and even that hack Paris Hilton. But the hits just keep on coming: On Wednesday, Bon Jovi added his name to the list of rockers angry at the McCain-Palin campaign for using their tunes for political purposes."

Read the article: "Bon Jovi Joins Rock Horde Mad at McCain | Listening Post from Wired.com

I weighed in on the issue in the Comments section of the Wired article. Feel free to add your own thoughts here or there. (If you comment there, please leave a note here telling us that you did.

Boston's Tom Scholz sums the issue up in his letter to Huckabee earlier this year, compliments of Rolling Stone.

UPDATE: I saved the best for last. There's an excellent interview with Jackson Browne's lawyer, Lawrence Iser from The Am Law Daily, wherein he discusses the use of music in advertising. But here's a snippet related directly to the topic of this post:

How does the law differentiate between rallies and ads?
There's a different kind of license required for the television commercial--the synchronization license--than there is to play it live at an event. Most of the time when you play something live at an event, it's covered by the public performance license and the campaigns purchase a traveling public performance license from ASCAP and BMI--the two leading public performance organizations--that covers the use of songs at the rallies.

And that upsets some musicians even more?
Yep. But what some artists are complaining about here is more than just publishing, it's the implied endorsement. They don't want their song, talent, or persona associated with Republicans. And that's why the Lanham Act exists, because of that false endorsement. Nobody has decided to take on the Republicans other than Jackson at this point. They could, but musicians by nature are not litigious.

Don't stop with just this. Read the rest of the article.

Nine Inch Nails: One Outstanding Example of Creating Consumer Involvement

2008-10-04T02:51:00.007-05:00

The fan involvement in the promotion of Nine Inch Nails' Year Zero release has been called a "marketing team's dream."

Before you do anything else, click this link and watch 42Entertainment's interactive case study on the year zero concept. (Reminder: Interactive means you should eventually be pointing and clicking, but watch and listen first.)

From a February 2007 article in Rolling Stone:

In what has to be the most innovative promotion scheme since the leaked sex tape, NIN have treated their fans to a sort of Where’s Waldo game that includes tour merchandising, a dizzying network of websites and, umm, bathrooms in European concert halls. We’d be lying if we said we weren’t checking echoingthesound, the main fan checkpoint, every hour to see what the latest update is.(Read the complete article. The comments offer some interesting insights as well.)

There are lots of great sources for getting acquainted with the Year Zero story. For the most straightforward, start with Wikipedia's entry. Read about how the intrigue played out in this timeline. Then check out this forum to see the involvement firsthand, as fans try to figure things out.

The Year Zero story may take on another incarnation as an HBO series. Stay tuned...

ASCAP Shakedown?

2008-10-02T20:46:00.000-05:00

It's a good read. ASCAP delivers an ass-cap:

The sounds of silence in Bernal Heights / Tavern owner ends live music after ASCAP suits.

Feel free to express yourselves in the comments.

The Extended Self: As Promised- My List

2008-09-25T01:37:00.003-05:00

NOTE: This was originally posted during the spring semester of 2007 for my students in Consumer Behavior. I've changed the date to move it to the top of the blog to facilitate access for this semester's students who were asked to do the same exercise tonight. I also added the photo of my pre-Katrina living room/studio, where several of the material manifestations of my extended self are housed.

--LP
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In my last post, I said that I would produce the same list that I asked you guys to produce in class to illustrate the extended self in material symbolism. When I asked you guys to do this, I said to list possessions --objects you purchased or owned, since they may not have been purchased, but given to you. I also said that you may not want to look at this from the perspective of ownership, because it may go against your grain to think of something like a pet in those terms. Lots of you listed things like "family" because, understandably, family is important to you. But things like your family or your faith are not material symbols. And because my intention is to demonstrate how the extended self is reflected in the material goods we acquire, you will not find things like these on my list. However, it doesn't mean they won't be represented in some form.

Here's my list of objects and what they say about me (in they order that they occur to me and not necessarily in order of importance):

My house. It was a pretty nice, old Victorian before the storm. (And it will be again, one day.) It's in Orleans Parish and is over 100 years old. It's almost twice the size of the house I grew up in, it's paid for, and I paid for every penny of it myself. It's in a very ethnically and socio-economically diverse neighborhood. It says that I am a responsible adult, that I've achieved some degree of success, that I value diversity, that I'm not afraid of "the city" and prefer to live in it, and that I appreciate architecture and the character of an old house.

My Macs. (I have 4 working Macs and 3 that have earned their eternal rest.) To me, the Mac is not just a computer. It represents my self as a non-conformist, as a highly creative person, as a semi-geek with as much of an appreciation for design aesthetics as for function (and not just in terms of computers), and as a tech-savvy early adopter who is not very price sensitive when it comes to these machines. My mac is my hub of communication as well as the locus of my creative activities.

My cameras and the pictures I've taken over the years. I practically grew up with a camera in my hand and was in the darkroom developing pictures with my father, (who was a pro), from the time I was in kindergarten. My brother is a very successful commercial photographer. It's in my blood. (Extended self on the family level.) And it is the primary mechanism through which I capture images of the important people in my life (my children, in particular), my experiences, the places I visit, and the many forms of beauty I find in this world. It says that I'm nostalgic. I'm not willing to leave these moments of life behind without a way to capture and revisit them later.

My musical instruments. Most important are my piano, bass and guitars. These things attest to the fact that I'm musical. For a long time I kept my musical proclivities a secret from most people. Many still do not know the degree to which I am musically inclined. My instruments and audio equipment (see next) allow me to "say it without saying it."

My audio recording equipment (audio interfaces, microphones, etc.). These symbolize a certain seriousness I have about composing and recording music, even though I am not terribly motivated to make any money off of my songs.

Objects (art, crafts, jewelry) I've acquired in my travels to other countries. They say I am worldly and well traveled and that I value other cultures and their artifacts.

My books. The vast majority of mine are non-fiction and they symbolize my value of knowledge and my ceaseless desire to learn. The books of fiction that I own are by writers who are particularly gifted with words, somewhat cynical, irreverent and tend to delight in poking fun at the the vested institutions and conventions of society. (That sounds a little like me, doesn't it?) Some of my absolute favorites are set in New Orleans and are steeped in this city's history and culture. That tells you something about me, too.

This should be enough to give you the idea. I could point out many other, less important things on the list that communicate "who I am" just as well. The good, the bad and the ugly. But you get the picture, right?

(By the way, you're always free to comment or ask questions here, if so inclined.)

More Consolidation in the Music Industry

2008-09-16T17:05:00.005-05:00

From Music Marketing student Sally Stevens come the following articles:

Best Buy to acquire music-sharer Napster

and

Sources: EMI close to deal with MySpace Music

For some reason, that second item gives me a queasy feeling...

And Even More About Millenials

2008-09-15T03:19:00.000-05:00

Read the Article:

Generations at Work: Managing Millenials

The 'millennials' come of age - USATODAY.com

2008-09-09T23:20:00.000-05:00

"Demographers differ on just what ages they include in this next generation. Some include those born since 1980; others start with 1982 and go to about 2000. Most researchers have focused on the 'first-wave' millennials — those roughly ages 16 to 25. Although there's no one set of traits that everyone shares, research has suggested some commonalities in areas ranging from home life and education to workplace behavior and leisure-time interests. "

Read the article:
"The 'millennials' come of age" - USATODAY.com

Check out the sidebar on the left for more interesting tidbits.
Here's another one:
"A Stereotype of Generation Y" - AmericanSportsData.com

If you're a Millennial, do you agree with the assessments in these articles? The comments section of this post is a great place to air your thoughts. (And you know I like that.)

The RIAA: Foul Play

2008-09-09T01:30:00.000-05:00

Graphic credit: Gizmodo

For Students in MKT 3590- Music Marketing (and anyone else who is interested.)

The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is the trade group representing record labels in the U.S. They been particularly aggressive in going after college students for copyright infringement related to peer-to-peer file sharing. Now the organization continues to make enemies by committing wrongs such as this one: (link:) RIAA Pockets Filesharing Settlement Money, Doesn't Pay Artists Whose Copyrights Were Infringed.

Jello Biafra, former vocalist for the Dead Kennedys, thinks the RIAA is like the Mafia.

SouthPark pokes fun at the subject, too. You can watch the full episode at this link (select Season 7 and the Episode #709 "Christian Rock Hard"), but be warned, it's SouthPark so some things might offend you. (I hope not, but if so, lighten up! It's comedy!)

Yeah, there's a lot of big-label hatin' going on out there and lots of contempt for the RIAA as well. But are there as many voices out there singing the praises of these organizations? You tell me. A great way to do that is to leave a comment for this post. Bringing it up in class is a good idea, too.

The Music Industry: From Major to Minor

2008-09-04T12:43:00.001-05:00

For Music Marketing Students (MKT 3590)

Few industries have experienced the kind of turbulence the music industry has in the past decade. Read this article from Economist.com to get some insight.

Trends in Music Purchases

2008-09-04T12:31:00.001-05:00

For Students in Music Marketing (MKT 3590)

Take a look at the numbers from 2007 and think about what it tells you about the Big Picture:

MusicDish Industry e-Journal:2007 Music Purchases

Make note of your general impressions, as this will be a topic for class discussion.

Why the Physical Environment Should Always Be Included in Your Situation Analysis

2008-08-27T03:37:00.004-05:00

Click on the map for more info.

Better keep you eye on this one. If it stays on this track we can all enjoy some firsthand lessons in consumer behavior. (Our own.)

The map of computer models comes from WeatherUnderground. These are updated frequently, so don't panic... yet. More info on the models can be found at this link.

Stay tuned, as I suspect that this will impact our class schedule one way or another.

LP

The death of the coupon - MSN Money

2008-08-06T03:12:00.001-05:00

"The hope is that these electronic discounts will revive the dying coupon business. Only 0.5% of the 285 billion coupons issued last year were redeemed, according to coupon processor NCH, down from an average of 1% a decade ago."

Read the whole article here: The death of the coupon - MSN Money

Thanks to my friend Bonnie, the legendary Coupon Queen of the West Coast.

So... What is Guerrilla Marketing?

2008-07-18T16:21:00.003-05:00

Check out WebUrbanist's 8-part series on GuerillaMarketing for a thorough look at this approach to marketing communication.

Second Life

2008-07-18T15:40:00.007-05:00

Here are links to the articles about Second Life I mentioned in class:

Eric Kintz: Marketers Flopping in Second Life

My So-Called Second Life

McKinsey: Ignore Second Life at Your Peril

Is Second Life about to have a second life?

Want to check it out? Try Wired.com's Travel Guide before you jump in.

Eye on the Macro Environment: A Falling Tide Lowers All Boats

2008-06-27T02:41:00.003-05:00

(I'm going to mix metaphors here. Sorry. I can't pick one over the other, so you get them both.)

There are a lot of dominos lined up behind consumer confidence. When it falls, they all fall. If you're at the helm of the ship, you'd better have a plan.

"“From a consumer perspective, this is the most troubling economy since the 1980s,” said Mark Vitner, an economist at Wachovia Corp." Read the article:
U.S. consumer confidence drops in June - Stocks & economy- msnbc.com

Thanks to Nicky V. in MKT 3501 for submitting this one.

(This article was sent in by Nicky V. and the preceding article was sent in by Christopher V. Students whose last names begin with other letters should feel free to challenge me to make new Venn diagrams.)

Class Topics in the News

2008-06-13T14:27:00.001-05:00

Pay attention to that regulatory environment, follow the rules, or pay up:

Retailers break vows on analog TV sales, get FCC wrist slap

Thanks go to Christopher V. in MKT 3501 for sending the link.

A Few Important Tips for Written Assignments

2008-05-26T02:24:00.005-05:00

The following is by no means an exhaustive list of tips, but following them when you work on any written assignment will help steer you away from trouble.
--------------
Follow instructions. Implicit in this is that you actually read and pay attention to the instructions given for an assignment. I don't normally recommend making assumptions, but here's one that's safe: short of assignments completed in class, all work should be typewritten, not handwritten.

Specific formatting instructions are given for the same reasons that class policies are developed. I ask you to format your questions and answers a certain way because if I don't, invariably there will be students who present their work in a form that's difficult to read, (some impossibly small or flowery font), or difficult for me to effectively comment on, (single spaced). Case in point: I recently had a student turn in a homework assignment written in ALL CAPS, single-spaced. That's right. You haven't seen what we, your professors, have seen and you don't know what grading dozens of assignments and papers entails. Please follow instructions.

Answer the question. I'm amazed by how often students respond to a specific assignment or test question with something that completely fails to address what was asked. In some cases, it's an obvious attempt to lay some BS on your professor. If you're inclined to this approach, do you really think we can't tell? You'll hear me say again and again that substance trumps quantity, so resist the temptation to use a lot of superfluous verbage. If staying focused on the question is difficult for you, it might be helpful to include the question in the answer to facilitate staying on track. (Ex. Why did the chicken cross the road? Answer: "The chicken crossed the road because...") It truly saddens me that I've had to put this in such elementary terms.

Know the difference between a fact and your opinion because your professors do. Examine the following statement: "The store should close at 11:00 PM because nobody ever shops after midnight." Absolutes, words like always and never, reek of personal opinion, (yours), and seldom hold up to scrutiny. Just because you think something is true doesn't mean it is. (How many things exist in reality without exception?) If you state your opinion as fact, you'll see "prove it" written on your paper, but it unless it's a draft submitted for feedback, it will be too late for proof. So get the facts, and...

Don’t make statements of fact in any written work without citing your sources of information. Failure to do this is a form of plagiarism and you should know all the nuances of this word's definition.* Whether you're writing a paper, completing an assignment or taking the opportunity to earn extra credit, if you present information that's not considered common knowledge, (Ex: "New Orleans was inundated by flood waters in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina."), then you must cite your source(s). More on this here and at the bottom of the page, including an example from a former UNO student.

If you're not sure, cite. And don't make up fake sources because I do check them.

The only exception to this rule is in the case of homework where you might refer to the definition of a term or or some concept and the obvious source(s) of your information would be me or your text.

Spelling, grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, cogent organization of your thoughts into paragraphs-- all these things matter. And things like subject-verb and noun-pronoun agreement are things I just take for granted. Don't blow it.

Some of those words you like to use aren't really words. Don't use them. Unless you want to hear me rant, avoid words like conversate, irregardless, administrate and my personal favorite, orientate. I don't care if they're in your spell-checker database and dictionary. Because uneducated people who don't know any better have embraced these words, foolish lexicographers have caved in and duped you into believing the words are okay. But no person of reasonable intellect would use them. This means you.

Proofread your work. When we read something we've just written, our minds will often substitute what we meant to write for what's actually on the page. This is how we miss those little (and sometimes big) mistakes. (You'll probably find the occasional mistake on this blog, but this is something I write on the fly and not a business proposal or a paper I'm turning in for a grade.) Once you've completed something, take a break from it, then read it fresh. Or have someone else read it. Or read it aloud. Or best of all, have someone else read it aloud.

Read this document for more important tips. An excellent list of common mistakes begins somewhere around page 8.
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* Here's an example of a plagiarism from a UNO student last semester. I e-mailed the student indicating the problem, (no sources cited), along with the definition of plagiarism and a link to its source in UNO's policy manual. (See below.)

The student's unedited response: "What I wrote on RFID was more as commentary and summary on what I read on an article and what I learned in class and in a video cassette that I have. RFID has always attracted me and I think it is very interesting on how technology is getting so advanced. I came up with the title as well; I did not plagiarise..."

If you looked at the paper, you can easily see that the student was dead wrong. And if you can't see that, please read the definition below and review it again. If you still don't see it, well, we'd better talk.

From UNO's Policy Manual- Academic Dishonesty:
Plagiarism: The unacknowledged inclusion of someone else’s actual words, ideas or data as one’s own, or the paraphrasing of someone else’s words, ideas or data. This means that sources of information must be appropriately cited with footnotes or quotation marks and identified, whether published or unpublished, copyrighted or uncopyrighted.

Important Consumer Trends for 2008

2008-04-25T00:22:00.001-05:00

Lots and lots and LOTS of information on status consumption trends here, falling right in line with this week's discussions in Consumer Behavior. Article and graphic compliments of Trendwatching.com:

Link: 8 important consumer trends for 2008

Check it out!

You might wish you had found this before you turned in your assignments.

Intelligent and insightful comments that lead to discussion here will be considered for a point or so of extra credit. (You'd have had to have read this to know that, though, and it's my observation that the students who do peruse this blog don't need the extra points.)

In the News: Be Careful When Using Expert Sources in Advertising

2008-03-14T14:20:00.002-05:00

More timely marketing lessons from the real world:

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Pfizer Inc said Monday it was voluntarily withdrawing advertising for its Lipitor cholesterol drug featuring Dr. Robert Jarvik, inventor of the Jarvik artificial heart, because its ads led to "misimpressions."
The ads involving Jarvik had come under scrutiny, including from a House Committee as part of an investigation into celebrity endorsements of prescription medicines.
Democratic lawmakers had voiced concern that Jarvik's qualifications were misrepresented in widely seen television commercials touting the blockbuster drug. They said he seemed to be dispensing medical advice even though he is not a practicing physician.

Read the story:ABC News: Out of Circulation: Pfizer Pulls Jarvik Ads.

I love it when blogworthy events like this synchronize themselves with my syllabus.

Subliminally Subliminal?

2008-03-11T00:10:00.001-05:00

"Is the campaign responsible for sending out a subliminal message to stimulate racist thoughts in the unsuspecting viewer? It is either deliberate or terribly incompetent. There is no other writing on screen until the very end of the commercial, and if letters appear in any place in a commercial, they should be carefully selected letters. Certainly, each image is artfully composed and shot and intended to deliver an emotional impact. Could this be a mere lapse?"

Althouse: "Why are the letters 'NIG' on the child's pajamas?"

Read Anne Althouse's post and comments and check out the links. Then tell me what you think.

Dude!

2008-03-10T23:57:00.004-05:00

"The play here isn't 'Drink Bud Light because we can make you laugh,' or 'because it's what the guy who gets the girl drinks.' It's 'Drink Bud Light because we understand the world you live in.'"

Read the article! Bud Light's brilliant dude ads. - By John Swansburg - Slate Magazine

Oh, by the way, I like it when you comment.
----
Special thanks to my brother for this one.

In Case Anyone Thought I Was Making This Up...

2008-02-23T17:41:00.001-06:00

I can't even remember the context of the discussion now, but this came up in my Consumer Behavior class. On the slim chance that anyone thought I made it all up, here's a quote and a link to more information on the event that will transform the Superdome into a giant vagina." I thought it might have already taken place, but I was wrong about that. (After all, how could this have already happened without any of you taking notice?)

Excerpted from the event's site:

April 11 and 12 will find the Louisiana Superdome interior turned into a pink and red vagina -- 'with a big vagina entrance,' Ensler said -- as a setting for performance events, parties, parades, workshops, wellness and education programs, speakers, even spa treatments, which will be free to residents of New Orleans and the Gulf South. (Men are excluded only from the spa.)

For those two days, New Orleans will be 'the Vagina Capital of America,' Ensler said. 'We're coming here to say that we should celebrate New Orleans, cherish it, protect it, just as we do our vaginas, and make sure it goes on and on.'

Read about V TO THE TENTH in “The Big V-easy”

There's a lot more to this event than what you might glean from the above clip, so check it out!

The Story of Stuff

2008-01-30T02:00:00.000-06:00

I can only really argue with the sweeping generality made about advertising in this critical assessment of the long-term consequences of our consumption-driven economy. It supports the need for another way of doing things and should be regarded as a macro-environmental trend worth paying attention to. Give Annie Leonard 20 minutes of your time and consider her assertions carefully and if you disagree with any of them, please make your case in the comments.

The Story of Stuff with Annie Leonard

(The relationship between the subject of this post and the post featuring the newly revised definition of marketing should be apparent.)

The American Marketing Association Revises Its Official Definition of Marketing

2008-01-30T00:39:00.000-06:00

I didn't get the memo in December, but today I discovered (with great joy) the AMA's newly revised definition of marketing. The memo is excerpted below. I have "bolded" some of the text for emphasis, and if you've been in any of my classes and have heard my "rap," you'll understand why. You can read the full memo at the link that follows this excerpt.

...on behalf of the Board of Directors, the American Marketing Association is pleased to announce a new definition of marketing.
New Definition of Marketing (est. in December, 2007)

Marketing is the activity, set of institutions, and processes for creating, communicating, delivering, and exchanging offerings that have value for customers, clients, partners, and society at large.

Previous Definition (est. in 2004)

Marketing is an organizational function and a set of processes for creating, communicating, and delivering value to customers and for managing customer relationships in ways that benefit the organization and its stakeholders.

The new definition takes into account input from a broad cross-section of the Association membership. Marketing is regarded as an 'activity' instead of a 'function' and positions marketing as a broader activity in a company/organization, and not just a department. The new definition also positions marketing as providing long term value rather than narrowly as an exchange of money (short-term) for the benefit of the shareholder/organization.

AMA Academic Community Memo- New Definition of Marketing.

Needless to say, I am very pleased with this change and hope that all businesses will embrace and adopt this approach. And now that it's official and we've included a long-term value proposition for society as a whole, I guess I don't have to call myself the "Marketing Antichrist" any more.

Is Perception Reality? OR Can You Hear It Now?

2008-01-28T23:11:00.000-06:00

Are you still part of the market for an ultrasonic ring tone? To what frequency level can you hear?

Ultrasonic Ringtones - The new ringtones that only kids can hear!

It may be to believe that there are tones being generated when you don't hear anything, but they're there. Today I can't seem to hear anything above 8 kHz. (Hmmm. I'm pretty sure I was able to hear beyond this frequency last week.) My 19 year-old son tops out at 15.8 kHz and my 11 year-old daughter tops out at 17.7 kHz.

And you? Please comment. To make it more interesting for us all, please including your age and gender.

UPDATE: A commenter asks, How are we to know how many khz one can here [sic]. I am interesed [sic] to know. I am a 26 year old male.

First, clearly I am not any kind of expert on this subject but I do know that what is considered "normal" hearing varies depending on your age. I looked around but couldn't find any single set of reference values, but apparently no one hears anything beyond 20,ooo kHz.

According to the information presented by the University of New South Wales that accompanies this hearing test, "Children usually hear 16 kHz moderately well. The high frequency hearing of adults depends on age and exposure to loud sounds. It is not uncommon for adults to have very low sensitivity for the highest frequencies." By the way, don't forget that volume (decibel level) makes a difference. I suspect you'd be considered an adult by now, so don't be too upset if you can't hear the higher frequency tones. (I don't do so well below 60 Hz, either, but I've had more than the average exposure to loud, live music over the last 30 years. )

If you decide to play around with the hearing test at the link above, please read the instructions carefully. There are many factors that can affect the outcome of the test.

Oh, to those of you who like to keep the ear buds in and the music loud, you may want to read this article: Play it Loud and You May Pay For It.

How Much You're Willing To Pay Depends On What You Were Just Doing

2008-01-28T22:29:00.000-06:00

"Your shopping buddy turns to you and asks, 'Which one of these would you get?' Or, you're talking with your spouse about which candidate you'd like to vote for before switching on the nightly news. Turns out simply being asked to make a choice-- especially if you're in a hurry or have something on your mind -- will make you like the next thing you see more, says a new study from the Journal of Consumer Research. The researchers found that asking people to choose among things primed them to think about positive attributes -- and caused them to be in a positive frame of mind when evaluating the next item they saw."

Read the whole article here: How Much You're Willing To Pay Depends On What You Were Just Doing.

More Creative Advertising

2008-01-28T16:47:00.000-06:00

Beer advertisers seem to have the most fun when it comes to creating an entertaining message execution:

VB Stubby Symphony

Clever, Clever, Clever.

2008-01-28T03:41:00.000-06:00

Check out these 9 Clever Musical Ads From Around the World
compliments of Inventor Spot.

Eye on the Economic Environment

2008-01-23T01:54:00.000-06:00

NewsDaily: Business -- Consumer confidence slipping, poll says.

Confidence in the U.S. economy is sagging among consumers, 30 percent of whom now rate the economy as "poor," a Gallop Poll released Tuesday indicates.

The Power of Scent

2008-01-23T01:48:00.000-06:00

I don't think this really qualifies as news, but since we talked about this subject in today's Consumer Behavior class and the headline is funny (to me), I thought I'd share it:

Aroma Of Chocolate Chip Cookies Prompts Splurging On Expensive Sweaters

Ice, Crack...It seemed to make sense at the time.

2007-12-07T01:04:00.000-06:00

For the Unfortunate Product/Packaging Decisions file:
Sugary Candy Looks Too Much Like Street Drugs, Cops Say.
Story via the 23/6 News.

I have to wonder if this was someone's idea of a joke that went too far or if they just hired some "heads" in the packaging design department. Hey! They call crystal meth "ice." Ice cracks. Crack and ice come in little baggies. Yeah. Let's put this new, powdery Ice Breakers candy in something that looks like a crack bag. Heh, heh. I said crack. Heh, heh, heh.

In the photo: something illegal on the left, Hershey's Ice Breakers Pacs on the right.

This reminds me of the one time that picking up trash outside my house proved fortuitous for my students. My house is on a corner a block away from one of those corner stores where commerce takes place inside and out. One of the many unfortunate results of this activity is the commercial and contraband trash that ends up on the ground in a two block radius of the store. A lot of time my time is spent picking it up (and I've found some truly disgusting things out there), but only once was there a payoff.

On this particularly fateful day, among the detritus I found a tiny baggie similar to the one in the picture on the left, but with a little marijuana leaf on it. (Though, clearly it was not marijuana that had been in the bag.) A scene began to play out in my head of a marketing department meeting in the corporate offices of some plastics manufacturer. When the subject of product development comes up, some young upstart proposes targeting the illegal drug trade segment. The idea of the putting an image of a crack pipe on the bag is dismissed over the more universally embraced marijuana leaf. The company decides to list the product under Retailer and Dealer Supplies.

I stuck the baggie in my pocket and pulled it out that night in my Principles class when we talked about market segmentation. Feedback indicated that the example was a huge success and the students really got it. (And for some reason, marketing segmentation generally is not *gotten* easily.)

I considered saving the baggie for use in future classes but couldn't figure out how to store it without the risk of someone finding it and getting the wrong idea. I guess I could have sent a notice to everyone in my department saying, "I wish to go on the record that I have an empty crack bag in my office. I found it on the ground outside my house. It's a great and memorable classroom prop for explaining market segmentation. Please don't judge me too harshly."

Just Follow the Recipe?

2007-11-08T13:52:00.000-06:00

"In 1978, Donald Gunn was a creative director for the advertising agency Leo Burnett. Though his position implied expertise, Gunn felt he was often just throwing darts—relying on inspiration and luck (instead of proven formulas) to make great ads. So, he decided to inject some analytical rigor into the process: He took a yearlong sabbatical, studied the best TV ads he could find, and looked for elemental patterns."
From: There are only 12 kinds of ads. Resist them all! - By Seth Stevenson - Slate Magazine

Check out the multimedia presentations that accompany this article and you'll see full ads with explanations, or a synopsized version, depending on which presentation you choose.

Is this the definitive categorization? Well, lets just say that there are probably as many ways to categorize appeals and execution formats as there are textbooks on advertising. All have their merits.

Don't forget to read the article's comments, as this is where good discussions often occur.

My Absolute Favorite Commercial

2007-11-07T23:11:00.000-06:00

Okay, so you've probably seen it in class by now, (and if you haven't yet, you will), but now that this commercial has made it to YouTube, I've got to post it here. There's a good chance you've met that little toy-throwing girl before. It's my daughter, Rachel. More after the video...

The commercial made its debut during the 1999 SuperBowl. Here's a polaroid of us just before it was filmed in October, 1998. (Just in case anyone thinks I'm trying to pass some other kid off as my own. By the way, the polaroid was cut so the other little girl and her dad could have the half they were in.)

For the uninitiated, there is more to this ad than an opportunity for me to indulge my motherly pride. And you'll find out all about it in class. (Any one of them, but some more than others.)

From: The Garden of Irks and Delights: Do You Know This Pain?

2007-11-07T04:29:00.000-06:00

Do You Know This Pain? Cross-posted at The Garden of Irks and Delights

"'People are fighting over food and water, and the lack of electricity and running water are making life in the city impossible,' said Martha Lilia Lopez, who has been handing out food to victims on behalf of a nonprofit foundation she heads. Many in Tabasco remained camped out on the rooftops or upper floors of their flooded homes to guard their possessions from looters, but their resolve was running out — along with water, food and other supplies. 'We spent days without food. We thought we were going to die,' said Marta Vidal, 47, who was taken to safety by helicopter." From: The Associated Press: Food, Water Scarce in Mexico Floods

Read the full post here. Then follow the link in the post (or just click here and look down the right sidebar) to do something for your brothers and sisters in the state of Tabasco, Mexico. Every little bit helps. (I donated to Save the Children and to the Root Coffee Blog's fund.)

So many people, friends and strangers alike, reached out to us when we needed help and continue to do so as we struggle through our recovery. Pay it forward....

You'll know these ads like the back of your hand.

2007-10-29T23:41:00.000-05:00

Handvertising.
If you can put a message on it, it's a medium. At least this one is cheap and easy to manage.

Do NOT Call, Please!

2007-10-19T03:41:00.001-05:00

They're still telemarketers. Why are they exempt? And being an annoying nuisance doesn't endear you to your "target." So are political solicitation "robo-calls" really a good idea?

Who shot Alexander Hamilton?

2007-09-26T03:36:00.001-05:00

Since we talked about these ads in Advertising tonight, and you know the backstory...

Got Milk?

2007-09-26T03:32:00.001-05:00

Where am I??

Got Milk?

2007-09-26T03:27:00.001-05:00

Happy little fellow, isn't he?

Because It's Test Time and We Could All Use a Laugh

2007-09-14T02:18:00.001-05:00

Personally, I think the task of writing and grading tests is much worse than taking them, so don't think you're alone in your pain. Now, a moment of levity...

You've probably heard the audio before. The video is from the 1960's. That's right. Your generation didn't invent all the moves. (And apparently, neither did mine.)

Now here's a deal for you: If all students in my Retailing and Advertising classes pass their tests next week, all students in my Principles class pass Test #2, and one person from each class comments on this post, I'll post a potentially embarrassing video clip of myself dancing to the Sugar Hill Gang's Apache-Jump On It.

Hopefully, getting a laugh at your instructor's expense will be motivating.

Enjoy the video.

(Hat tip goes to fellow NOLA blogger EJ for the video.)

Keep Your Eye on that Technological Environment

2007-09-13T02:31:00.000-05:00

That's where you're most likely to find fast-paced innovation. Here's a good example of why you should be vigilant...

Shop Via Print Ads - H&M Semacode (GALLERY)

“Brands are resorting to high-tech measures to lure customers into buying their products at instant whim,” reports NewLaunches. “The latest techie style is the Semacode tag that actually lets you shop for the product as soon as you lay your eyes on it. But this H&M style has gone one level up and offers an opportunity to shoppers to shop at an impulse.”

Let me get my language and logic irks out of the way. First is the word "lure," which conjures the idea of being led by false pretenses toward some kind of action that would otherwise be resisted. This notion is contrary to responsible, enlightened marketing. You might say, "it's just a word," but words have power and I think responsible markers would be wise to lose this one (and its synonyms) both as a word and as an objective. Next, that's a direct quote above and, yes, it begs the question (at least to me) of the difference between shopping for a product "as soon as you lay your eyes on it" and shopping "at an impulse." This, of course, makes the idea of moving from one to the other or moving "one level up," pointless to ponder.

Nonetheless, for the right product and the right market, this could up the ante in terms of competition. But regular folks can find uses for it, too. Below you will find the semacode for this blog. If you download the free semacode reader for your mobile phone, (http://semacode.org/) you could point your phone's camera at my semacode (which, presumably would be placed somewhere other than here), and your mobile device would connect you to this site.

You can go to semacode.org and make a semacode for your own site. It's free for non-commercial use.

Would you be likely to buy products this way? (Assuming you're read the linked articles and you understand how it would work, of course.) Feel free to comment.

Can You Say "Niche Market?"

2007-09-12T02:19:00.000-05:00

Just because you don't like to eat stinging insects doesn't mean everyone doesn't... Wasp Rice Crackers - Buzzing In Tokyo

Vintage Commercial Flintstones selling Cigaretts

2007-09-05T04:12:00.001-05:00

Bush Campaign 'Rats' Subliminal Message

2007-09-05T04:10:00.001-05:00

Pay attention between 23 and 26 seconds.

Food Network Subliminal Advertising?

2007-09-05T03:55:00.001-05:00

Subliminal? (It's not hard to see this one.)

University of New Orleans Commercial

2007-09-05T03:51:00.001-05:00

I don't recall ever seeing this whole ad run, only the last 15 seconds as a single spot. Advertising students: for your assignment, look at this one in it's entirety and again as a single spot featuring the last 15 seconds.

UNO Spring 07 Ad Campaign, Commercial #2 - "Creative Writing"

2007-09-05T03:48:00.002-05:00

I have two things to say.

1) The Department of Marketing in the College of Business is in the business of research and scholarship and we do not market the University. No one ever asks our opinion before they run ads like these.

2) NEVER ask an open ended question like this unless you already know that your audience has the answer you want in their heads and a reason to believe that the answer to the question is true.

This, in my opinion, is a colossal FAIL.

UNO Summer 2007 Commercial - "Naval Architecture"

2007-09-05T03:47:00.001-05:00

University of New Orleans - Spring 07 Spot 1, "Tourism & Hospitality"

2007-09-05T03:43:00.001-05:00

Terquila- A Spoof Ad

2007-09-04T00:31:00.000-05:00

In terms of visual creativity, this ad spoof scores a zero; but the humorous poke at the product and the "truth in advertising" perspective make it worth a minute of your time.

MKT 3501 SUMMER 2007- Test #2 Results

2007-07-14T21:24:00.000-05:00

Here are a few stats from Test #2 compared to Test #1:

20% of students in the class scored the same or within 2 points of their Test #1 score
25% scored worse
55% scored better on Test #2, despite the expression by many that this test was harder than the first.

If you were one of those who scored better on Test #2, here's your chance to help your fellow classmates out by sharing any tips, strategies or insights you have that might help other students improve their grades. Just leave a comment on this post. You don't have to have a Blogger account to do this and you can comment anonymously. If you don't wish to remain anonymous and don’t have a Blogger account, just leave your name in the text of the comment.

I'm interested in your insights and am sure other students will be as well.

Researching Companies on the Internet - A Tutorial

2007-06-26T01:27:00.000-05:00

The following link comes compliments of my friend Richard, of Electronic Ephemera. It might come in handy one day.

Researching Companies on the Internet - A Tutorial

The Dilbert Mission Statement Generator

2007-06-25T18:56:00.000-05:00

Dilbert Mission Statement Generator

Check out this site for Dilbert’s sardonic approach to the “typical” corporate mission statement. You can count on the output to be chock-full of the latest corporate clichés. (And if any of your favorites are missing, you can add them.)

Mission Critical

2007-06-25T18:26:00.000-05:00

A mission statement is critical in guiding the decisions and actions of a business, and can serve individuals as well, when plotting a course for the future. This article emphasizes the importance of a well-crafted mission statement and drives home the point with examples. (Don't miss the link to the case study at the end.)

CCH Business Owner's Toolkit | Developing a Mission Statement

You know you're from New Orleans native if ...

2007-04-30T04:44:00.000-05:00

Unique culture? You betcha. Links below:

You know you're a New Orleans native if ...

More of the same here.

FDA Draft Guidance on Complementary and Alternative Medicines (CAM)

2007-04-30T02:52:00.000-05:00

To my Consumer Behavior class:

I promised I'd post more information on the issue referenced in the title of this post, but because I'd only learned about it the day I mentioned it in class, I felt further investigation was in order.

This FDA Guidance is not a change in the law, (only Congress can do that), just a "clarification." But some in the CAM industry believe it sets the stage for future regulatory power over the production and sale of things like vitamins, minerals, herbs and other supplements, as well as a number of alternative practices like chiropractic, and that such regulation will make it much more difficult, (if not impossible), and more expensive for consumers to get these products and procedures.

You can read the draft Guidance here, (this links to the PDF document on the FDA's website), or a summary document here (web).

I read through the Guidance document and can see why the CAM industry is a little nervous. I highly recommend reading this post at The Integrator Blog where multiple perspectives on the meaning and ramifications of this document have been compiled for your review. (FDA included.) I believe you should mind the author's caveats.

If, after reading all of the different perspectives presented in The Integrator Blog post, you agree with the assertions of the Natural Solutions Foundation, (Item #2), you can add your signature to its response to the FDA by visiting this link. Other organizations favor activities that may be more effective in the long run, such as writing to your legislators.

Otherwise, you can submit your comments to the FDA directly at this link. The comment period has been extended to May 29, 2007.

PEOPLE LIKE US: Social Class in America

2007-04-08T19:54:00.000-05:00

PEOPLE LIKE US: Social Class in America

This relates to the topic of class on April 12th. A new assignment, due on the same day and related to this (often touchy) subject, has been posted on the class page at Audible Vision.

Study Guide

2007-02-28T15:18:00.000-06:00

I've posted a partial study guide on the class page. I will update it as time permits.

Update: 10:38 PM- It's completed. (You can use the same link above.)

Please don't complain that you had less than 24 hours before getting the whole thing. Remember, I don't have to give you any kind of study guide at all.

Schedule Change

2007-02-21T22:09:00.000-06:00

Due to circumstances detailed in the previous post, tomorrow's test will be postponed until next week. We will have class tomorrow (2/22/07) and will cover next week's material, (Chapter 7.)

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT for STUDENTS

2007-02-20T21:48:00.000-06:00

Regarding your study guide and assignment details and upcoming test:

On Friday, the start of Mardi Gras weekend, my laptop suffered a serious accident and is essentially dead. As a result, I have no access to my all of my essential stuff, (shame on me for not having backed up in way too long), and can't even access my website. I haven't been able to get service for the laptop because of Mardi Gras. For now, I'm using someone else's desktop computer, (my other Macs are in deep storage), and this one doesn't have the software I need to access my website, post assignment details, or even to create the upcoming test. I'm working on that but in the meantime, all I can do, aside from occasionally checking my e-mail and e-mailing you all from BlackBoard, (if you check your UNO account regularly), is post here and hope that you guys will read it.

I wish I could be more clear about what to expect, but I'm not sure myself. If you want to be safe, prepare for the test.

If I have to postpone the test, we will still have class on Thursday. We'll simply cover next week's material.

Please pass this message on to anyone you might know in the class.

Oh, yeah- I hope you all had a great Mardi Gras!

Market Segmentation Tools

2007-02-15T21:10:00.000-06:00

Check out the Prizm and ESRI geodemographic segmentation and VALS2 psychographic segmentation tools.
Do any of these segment results fit you?

If you're a student in my Consumer Behavior class, go to the class web page on Audible Vision to get your assignment instructions. If you were in class tonight, you know what you're supposed to do and can start this now. If you weren't there, you'll have to check with a classmate or wait because, as usual, the written instructions, (same as you were told in class, but with reminders on how to format your work), will be posted between late Sunday night and Monday afternoon.

Have a great Mardi Gras and don't forget to study for the test next Thursday!

What Would America Be Like Without New Orleans?

2007-02-12T13:10:00.000-06:00

PBS's American Experience seeks to answer that question in it's program airing tonight at 8:00 PM on your local PBS affiliate station. (In New Orleans, that would be WYES.)

Watch this program.

Whether you love New Orleans or hate it, whether you've always lived here or are a recent transplant, whether you will stay and fight or know you'll never leave, watch this program.

If you're in my class, then this is your home, even if its only in your heart because you're commuting from some outlying area since the storm. Watch this program.

It's important.

This city is important. You may not realize just how important it is yet.

Watch this program.

It should occur to you by now that this is relevant to consumer behavior. But you have more reasons that that to watch this program.

Watch it tonight on PBS.
(Read an article about the show here.)

Thanks.

Beauty, Self-Perception and Racial Identity- How Much Has Changed?

2007-02-12T10:17:00.000-06:00

Here's the news bit on high school student Kiri Davis' recent reenactment of Dr. Kenneth Clark's experiments on racial identity and self esteem in the 1950s. (Sorry, but you have to endure a short ad before it plays.)

Please watch it.

Then go watch the film itself at this link. Choose film #2.