Many Examples: To Better Understand Marketing, Targeting, the Nine P's/9P's, And More.

A company cannot serve all customers in a broad market such as shoes, clothes, computers, soft drinks, and many other products. I have listed many examples to better understand, using one of the Nine P's/9P's© 2007. I would use these in court, in the classroom and with my clients:

• It's the “rifle” shots versus “shotgun” approach. Distinguish major segments, target one or more and develop products and marketing mixes tailored to them. 
• Don’t buy market share with more and more advertising or discounting against the competition. Figure out how to earn market share. Better research, planning---win market share. 
• The company needs to identify the market segments that it can serve more effectively.  That is why targeting and “People” in the Nine P’s/9P’s is so important
• The proliferation of advertising media and distribution channels is making it more difficult to practice “one size fits all.” 
• The stronger your brand image is the better off you are. 

What do we mean about “People”/Prospects/Target Market, one of the Nine P’s?

• Target Market consists of a set of buyers who share common needs or characteristics that the company decides to serve. Market targeting can be carried out at several different levels. 
• A product focusing on a specific target market contrasts sharply with one following the marketing strategy of mass marketing.
• Defining a target market requires Target Market consists of a set of buyers who share common needs or characteristics that the company decides to serve. Market targeting can be carried out at several different levels. 
• A product focusing on a specific target market contrasts sharply with one following the marketing strategy of mass marketing.

Defining a target market requires market segmentation; the process of segmenting the entire market as a whole and separating it into manageable units based on demographics, geographics, psychographics, behavior, technographics or technographical characteristics.

Then determining the characteristics of segments using Geographic, Demographic, Psychological, Behavioral and/or Technographics or Technographical Segmentation in the target market(s); Separating and targeting these segments in the market based on those characteristics; Checking to see whether any of these market segments are large enough to support the organization's product; Once a target market is chosen, the organization can develop its marketing strategies to target this market.

An example from Broadcasting & Cable: Nickelodeon, during a media upfront presentation in 2013, plans to reassert its children's programming and is touting its application for mobile devices. "We look to deliver more value to our partners ... better programs, more targeted programs, more digital video programs," said Jim Perry, Nickelodeon’s head of sales. "Obviously we're doing something right. ... We still own the kids space…”

I also use Presentation: This “P” is the act of presenting any of the different 9P’s© to your customers, suppliers, wholesalers, retailers, sales force, marketing intermediaries, clients, employees, and/or partners. They are symbols or images that represent something; a descriptive or persuasive account (as a sales person of the product). Retailers including Walmart, JC Penny's, Banana Republic, Tiffany's, Neiman Marcus, Macy's want a better integration of its retailing in store and online.

The Internet changed everything especially in the “presentation” of the different P’s. Two of the Nine P’s/Nine P’s ©2007 in Marketing and the study of Marketing are “Presentation” and “Partners/Alliances.” Others are “Product,” “Price,” “Promotion,” “Passion,” “Planning,” “People”/Targeting, and “Place.”

For more on ideas and Marketing concepts: Go to www.LondreMarketing.com and look under resources and the 9P's/Nine P's ©2007. Specifically find: http://www.LondreMarketing.com/stimulating_articles.php

Or for more fun, marketing strategies/tactics and facts:  Go to http://www.LondreMarketing.com/trivia.php

Here to help you better understand. All the best.

Oscars, Super Bowl, And More About Media: What is a Rating? Share? Reach? Frequency? Continuity?

Here are some insights and background into media viewership for major events on TV. Explanations and definitions will follow.

• It was reported to be best Nielsen night, based on ratings, for the Oscars in six years based on TV viewership.
• An average of 40.3 million viewers tuned in to the Oscar telecast on ABC.
• ABC garnered a 26.6 overall rating with households and a 41 share, a 4 percent gain over the 2012 broadcast. 
• Last year, they earned a 25.5 overall rating and 38 share.

As a marketing and advertising senior lecturer, consultant and expert witness, I wanted to explain the advertising/media terms involved with the TV viewers watching the Academy Awards/Oscars.

What is a Rating? Share? Reach? Frequency? Continuity?

You see these media terms used in any marketing or advertising class, with clients and at advertising agencies, especially used in the media around major TV events, including the Super Bowl, Grammys, World Series, March Madness, NBA Finals and the Academy Awards/Oscars.

Here are some examples and definitions:

• Rating (RTG): The estimate of the size of a television audience relative to the total universe, expressed as a percentage. The estimated percent of all TV households or persons tuned to a specific station.
• Share (SHR): The percent of the Households Using Television (HUT) or Persons Using Television (PUT) which are tuned to a specific program or station at a specified time. 
• Reach (Cume; also called Coverage): refers to the total number of different people to whom you deliver an advertising message, or a complete campaign.  The number of different or unduplicated households or persons that are exposed to a television program or commercial at least once during the average week for a reported time period. 
• Frequency: Average number of times a household or a person viewed a given television program, station or commercial during a specific time period. 
• Continuity: Length of time a schedule runs. For example, a brand manager or media planner could divide a media schedule into specific weeks and months in a year. 

For more on ideas and Marketing concepts: Go to www.LondreMarketing.com and look under resources and the 9P's/Nine P's (c) 2007. Specifically find: http://www.LondreMarketing.com/stimulating_articles.php

Or for more fun, marketing strategies/tactics and facts:  Go to http://www.LondreMarketing.com/trivia.php

Here to help you better understand. All the best.

Billboard Hot 100 Is Changing. For Media and Music, the Internet Has Changed Everything.

The impact of the Internet and the web has transformed many industries.

For media and music, the Internet has changed everything. YouTube viewership will be added to digital downloads, sales, and streaming, among other measurements and metrics, to determine the top songs in the land.

The Billboard Hot 100, the magazine’s 55-year-old singles chart, takes a revolutionary and an evolutionary step by incorporating YouTube views in its number to rate total music "consumption."

The music business understands that there are lots of different ways a song can be a hit.

Billboard’s charts are based on data collected by Nielsen SoundScan, which started in 1991 and is considered reliable being a third party.  Nielsen tracks radio plays and most major streaming services.

For more on ideas and Marketing concepts: Go to www.LondreMarketing.com and look under resources and the 9P's/Nine P's ©2007. Specifically find: http://www.LondreMarketing.com/stimulating_articles.php

Or for more fun, marketing strategies/tactics and facts:  Go to http://www.LondreMarketing.com/trivia.php

Here to help you better understand. All the best.

Promotion and Media Buying: Academy Awards and the Oscars versus Super Bowl Advertising: Media Costs for Spots and Ads on Each.

The Academy Awards and the Super Bowl are two of the biggest media events for the year on TV. For advertising agencies,media buying agencies, clients and advertisers, there's a trend to launch new ads and advertising and to capture large audiences in these "TV events." But they have higher price tags:

• On average this year's Super Bowl XLVII spots were reported cost  $3,800,00 each, which did not include actors, production, sets, just the time on CBS. 
• On average this year’s Oscar’s/Academy Awards cost $1,650,000 to $1,800,000 for each 30 seconds of commercial time in the broadcast on Sunday, which did not include actors, production, sets, just the time on ABC. 

The Super Bowl, Oscars, Golden Globes, Grammys, World Series, NBA Finals, March Madness, and other big-event television programs are important in delivering audiences. In Media Planning they are called "appointment viewing," or "appointment TV."

For many years, the Academy Awards was heralded as “the Super Bowl for women” until female viewers put the Super Bowl ahead of the Oscars in total women watching.

Advertisers mentioned in this year's Academy Awards include Coldwell Banker Real Estate, Grey Poupon, Hyundai, Neutrogena, J. C. Penney,  Chobani, AMEX, Ameriprise, Anheuser-Busch InBev, McDonald’s, Royal Caribbean, Samsung Mobile, Sprint, University of Phoenix,  Hyundai and others.

Three (3) big points to look out for:

1. Viewers will rant about the spots and ads on social media like Facebook and Twitter.
2. The Academy Awards will draw the most female viewers of any entertainment event or show. 
3. Be sure to count the number of promotional spots for the network and its shows on ABC. The amount of clutter is more than you realize. 

Two of the Nine P’s/9P’s ©2007 in Marketing and the study of Marketing are “Price,” and "Promotion." Both of these fall in  the concepts of the advertising, media planning and media spending for these big TV events.

For more on ideas and Marketing concepts: Go to www.LondreMarketing.com and look under resources and the 9P's/Nine P's© 2007. Specifically find it: Here

Or for more fun, marketing strategies/tactics and facts:  Go to Marketing Trivia here.

Here to help you better understand. All the best.

Awkward Promotion: A Prison Management Company Having Football Naming Rights to a Stadium? Really?

On February 21st I wrote in my post that the naming rights were an awkward promotion. I was right.  The prison group withdrew their $6 million for naming rights for the Florida Atlantic football stadium in early April. GEO and Florida Atlantic received negative reactions, reported Bloomberg BusinessWeek.

Here's the background and more. A prison management company, GEO Group, has football stadium naming rights? Why? Really? Advertising is an investment in future sales; its greatest power is in its cumulative long-range effect. How desperate is one side or the other? Should they have been sold and should they have been bought by them? What comes with the agreement? Tickets to entertain?

In teaching marketing, advertising and media we take several concepts and practices into account, especially in planning. In class I am asked many times “What do you look for in media planning and advertising?

1. Whom are you going to sell to?  Target market or “People” in the Nine P’s/Nine P’s ©2007.  Please realize that for GEO, their potential customers are government agencies and entities. 
2. Where is product or service distributed; where are the potential customers? In this example we have an interesting dynamic with users. 
3. Awareness Goals (AIDA)
4. What is budget?
5. What is competition doing? Is there "real" competition?
6. Nature of Advertising Message?
7. Reach vs. Frequency vs. Continuity Goals
8. Media Mix (Combination of different media, and size of ads)
9. Determine Timing and Length of Schedule 
10. Seasonality; 
11. Tie-in with Merchandising Plan and Sales Force
12. What about Flexibility?
13. Look at Cost Efficiency/Cost per Thousand  (CPM)

So I found it confusing when a prison management company/prison entities bought the rights or the naming rights to football stadium of the Florida Atlantic University Owls.

Is the only benefit entertaining the governmental entities?

One of the Nine P’s/Nine P’s ©2007 in Marketing and the study of Marketing is “Promotion.” It’s the communication element includes personal and non-personal communication activities.  Activities that communicate the merits of the overall product, which include Personal Selling/ Sales Force; Advertising; Sales Promotion; Collateral Materials; Direct Marketing (also referred to as Action or Direct Response Advertising); Interactive/Internet/Web, Digital Media, Social Media;  Events and Experiences; Events; Public Relations.

For more on ideas and Marketing concepts: Go to www.LondreMarketing.com and look under resources and the 9P's/Nine P's ©2007. Find: Nine P's and other articles. Nine P's are specifically here

Or for more fun, marketing strategies/tactics and facts:  Go to Marketing Trivia.

Here to help you better understand. All the best.

Marketing Tools: AMC’s Mad Men, Banana Republic, the MadMen Collection and the Mad for Mod events in February.

Can’t wait for Mad Men to start on April 7th, and the two-hour premiere. Associations with Mad Men will be at the Mall this month. In the past I have seen the partnership between Banana Republic, and Mad Men. Banana Republic now has a new limited edition of their Mad Men collection, in selected stores this month. It is interesting that there are a number of important strategic philosophies and practices that guide Marketing planning, efforts and/or Marketing relationships/partnerships.

Need Marketing tools? In  in the study of Marketing, I own a copyright for this Marketing concept, the Nine P’s/9 P's ©2007, which augments the Marketing Mix and 4P’s by the American Marketing Association, Neil Borden and Jerome McCarthy.

As  one of the Nine P's© , I depict and define Partners/Strategic Alliances:

• Marketers can’t create customer value and build customer relationships by themselves. 

Banana Republic is using the association of Mad Men and Mad Men is using Banana Republic to create additional awareness.  They work closely with other company departments (inside partners) and often with partners and alliances outside the firm.

Changes are occurring in how marketers connect with their suppliers, channel partners and others. A partnership is also named ...a joint partnership; the joint relationships, partnerships and strategic alliances. The relationship existing between two parties; a relationship resembling a legal partnership and usually involving close cooperation between parties having specific and joint rights and responsibilities as a common enterprise.

From Philip Kotler: Value chains, of suppliers, distributors and customers. Partnering with specific suppliers or distributors create a value-delivery network; also called a supply chain.

Partnership and cooperative agreements are formed that enable parties to bring their major strengths to the table and emerge with better planning, products, services, promotion, distribution and ideas than they could produce on their own.

Another "P," I also use Presentation: This “P” is the act of presenting any of the different 9P’s© to your customers, suppliers, wholesalers, retailers, sales force, marketing intermediaries, clients, employees, and/or partners. They are symbols or images that represent something; a descriptive or persuasive account (as a sales person of the product). Another important point in the marketplace: Retailers including Banana Republic want a better integration of its retailing in store and online.

The Internet changed everything especially in the “Presentation” of the different P’s.

Two of the Nine P’s/Nine P’s ©2007 in Marketing and the study of Marketing are “Presentation” and “Partners/Alliances.” Others are “Product,” “Price,” “Promotion,” “Passion,” “Planning,” “People”/Targeting, and “Place.”

For more on ideas and Marketing concepts: Go to www.LondreMarketing.com and look under resources and the 9P's/Nine P's ©2007. Specifically find: http://www.LondreMarketing.com/stimulating_articles.php

Or for more fun, marketing strategies/tactics and facts:  Go to http://www.LondreMarketing.com/trivia.php

Here to help you better understand. All the best.

Taking Control of Unpaid Bills and Invoices: One of the Best Stories of a Client Who Did Not Pay Their Invoices and Bills.

You’d better have control of your website, if you are that client who is avoiding and not paying invoices. Read on. The website designer and agency for Fitness SF decided to take control of the situation they posted:

•  "Dear Fitness SF customer, Fitness SF preferred to ignore our invoices instead of paying them. As a result this website is no longer operational.  Normally there is no question of paying one’s dues. It is simply a matter of morals. Having morals and acting upon them or not having any and just betraying the people that got you started. Sadly we’ve come to know what Fitness SF stands for, or you wouldn’t be reading this...”

I teach that agencies and clients should be partners; I have one of the important Nine P’s/9P’s of Marketing as “Partners.”  Marketers can’t create customer value and build customer relationships by themselves.  They work closely with other company departments (inside partners) and often with partners and alliances outside the firm. Plus suppliers, even better if the company treats the supplier as a "Partner," and the supplier treats the company as a "Partner."  In this instance, the supplier was a partner who created and maintained the company's website. Big problem is you don't pay your bills and you don't have control of your own website.

Partnership and cooperative agreements are formed that enable parties to bring their major strengths to the table and emerge with better planning, products, services, promotion, distribution and ideas than they could produce on their own.

In this case the website developer was just a "supplier," and the client decided not to pay. Probably avoided many calls and emails. It became a bigger problem, especially when the agency encouraged customers of the fitness center to post negative comments on the Facebook pages of its various Bay area locations.

For more on ideas and Marketing concepts: Go to www.LondreMarketing.com and look under resources and the 9P's/Nine P's ©2007. Specifically find: http://www.LondreMarketing.com/stimulating_articles.php

Or for more fun, marketing strategies/tactics and facts:  Go to http://www.LondreMarketing.com/trivia.php

Here to help you better understand. All the best.

Maker's Mark Reverses A Bad Marketing Decision

Another Marketing story, based on a dumb "Product" decision, not understanding the brand and the consumer. . The producer of Maker's Mark wanted to alter the product. Consumers and potential consumers spoke. The producer received negative feedback on Facebook and Twitter, after they had altered its taste, proof and/or alcohol.

A little background:
Maker's Mark is the brand known for its square bottles and sealed with red wax. I would consider that more than a distinctive product characteristic or two.

But it only took a week to hear the negatives about changing the "Product" in the Nine P's/9P's © 2007. For Marker's Mark that wasn't a good idea and they heard about it. The producer was going to cut back the alcohol volume which historically has been 45% and 90 proof to 42% and 84 proof.  

In the classroom we discuss how Marketing is the process by which companies create value for customers and build strong customer relationships in order to capture value from customers in return (Kotler and Armstrong). And that the aim of Marketing is to know and understand the customer so well that the product or service fits him (her/it) and sells itself. (Drucker)

Some analysis from the Nine P's:
Product: The goods and service combination the firm offers to the target market, including variety of product mix, features, designs, packaging, sizes, services, warranties and return policies. A product is anything that can be offered to a market for attention, acquisition, use or consumption that might satisfy a want or need.  (Kotler). Maker's Mark has unique packaging with the taste, alcohol and proof. The producer said that it was going to add a "touch" more water when the whiskey comes out of the bottle. While I have never tasted Maker's I would say that is changing the "Product."
Price: They could have changed the price based on the supply problems. Price/Pricing are all aspects regarding pricing. The amount of money a consumer is willing to pay to obtain the product. Pricing includes wholesale/retail/promotional prices, discounts, trade-in allowances, quantity discounts, credit terms, sales and payment periods and credit terms.  Pricing decision making also involves adjusting prices concerning the competitive environment, economic situations and involve buyer perceptions.  Prices are a key positioning factor and must be decided in relation to the target market, the product and service assortment mix, and the competition.

People: The potential consumers and buyers who went to Twitter, emails and Facebook to express themselves.

For more on ideas and Marketing concepts: Go to www.LondreMarketing.com and look under resources and the 9P's/Nine P's ©2007. Specifically find: http://www.LondreMarketing.com/stimulating_articles.php

Or for more fun, marketing strategies/tactics and facts:  Go to http://www.LondreMarketing.com/trivia.php

Here to help you better understand. All the best.

Apple Watch, The Smart Watch and Inspiration From Dick Tracy's Wristwatch From the 1940's

In the 1940s, Dick Tracy was a comic book detective who wore a two-way radio watch.

Sixty-four years later Microsoft introduced the Smart watch with one-way. The Smart watch  or wristwatch retrieved weather, messages, reminders and stock quotes from Microsoft's MSN Direct. It had FM reception. These watches were made by Fossil, Tissot and Swatch, and users needed a\subscription to download data. The service lasted until 2011, but the watches were discontinued earlier in 2008.

Fast forward to 2013: Now it is being reported that Apple has a team of 100 designers working on a wristwatch-like device that can handle tasks now performed on the iPhone and iPad.

Ironically the time may be right. There is all this clamoring by Apple stockholders for something new with the dropping stock price.


For more on ideas and Marketing concepts:
Go to www.LondreMarketing.com and look under resources and the 9P's/Nine P's ©2007. Specifically find: http://www.LondreMarketing.com/stimulating_articles.php

Or for more fun, marketing strategies/tactics and facts:  Go to http://www.LondreMarketing.com/trivia.php

Here to help you better understand. All the best.

Picking Celebrities, Marketing, and Advertising: Oscar Pistorius, Nike, the Nine P's and More.

You may have heard that Nike pulled Oscar Pistorius sprinter's "bullet" ad with the advertising body copy "I am the bullet in the chamber" after the murder charge of the former Olympic runner and accused murderer. Nike has declined to comment other than express sympathy to "all families."

The advertising change is a business, creative and copy issue. In Marketing and Advertising classes at USC, CSUN, Pepperdine and UCLA I have taught how to use and pick a Celebrity. Unfortunately, this one this week is one sad situation for all. Along with Oscar Pistorius, Nike has had a relationship with Lance Armstrong and still has one with Tiger Woods.

Here's a formula on why celebrities are used, a series of questions to ask and doing your Marketing homework/background:

Why are celebrities and spokespeople used? Using a Celebrity endorsement will, in many cases:

1. Can attract attention
2. Improve company or product’s image
3. Boost company or product’s awareness
4. Break through clutter
5. Exploit celebrity’s popularity
6. Increase sales
7. Increase company or product’s credibility
8. Use celebrity in marketing and sales meetings. Star can appear in and at internal and external events.

 In the selection process, major questions brand manager or marketing manager should ask?

1. Is the celebrity appropriate for our product or service?
2. Does celebrity subtract from product or service?
3. Does the celebrity add value? Or generate a good impression?
4. Does the celebrity add to the product’s image?
5. How much is the fee?
6. How is the contract structured?
7. Do you pay the celebrity their fee, which will decrease media exposure/expenses?
8. What about the history and future of the celebrity exposure?  What about “after hour” behavior, any criminal record, FTC issues? Health?
9. Be sure celebrity uses and continues to use the product?
10. Be sure the facts about the product are true and substantiated, before giving script to celebrity.
11. You must disclose if the star or celebrity has considerable interest in the company or product.

Two important strategy or strategies, which we discuss in class, clients and others:

• Come up with the right idea or selling concept.  That must be first.  Then decide on the “celebrity” to present, sing or act.
• What you are going to say is more important than the "who."

Three of the Nine P’s/Nine P’s ©2007 in Marketing and the study of Marketing are Promotion,  Presentation and Passion, which for Passion, Nike seems to come up in class often along with Apple. Both Nike and Apple have used celebrities numerous times in their advertising and Promotion .

For more on ideas and Marketing concepts: Go to www.LondreMarketing.com and look under resources and the 9P's/Nine P's ©2007. Specifically find: http://www.LondreMarketing.com/stimulating_articles.php

Or for more fun, marketing strategies/tactics and facts:  Go to http://www.LondreMarketing.com/trivia.php

Here to help you better understand. All the best.

Poor Communication and Difficult Relationships of Agencies and Clients in the Digital Environs

We've got a great example in the past week concerning how the time of a client-agency relationship is getting shorter than ever. The Bedford group calculated 2.5 years and it was 7.2 years nearly 20 years ago. Not like the years of Mad Men, and Don Draper, Bert Cooper or Roger Sterling. Or NW Ayer, Y&R, Grey, Lord and Thomas and FCB.

For the agency and client relationship, communication is always a big deal. I’d add trust, chemistry, quality, market share, sales increases or decreases, technology, time and timing, costs, agency conflicts, personalities and more.

Besides all of that, the relationship and agreement between Volvo and LBi got a headache. A big headache and huge butt ache. The agency merged with an agency with GM as a client. How do you spell conflict…D-i-g-i-t-a-s. Unfortunately, Digitas works with rival, GM, as in General Motors. Sadly there was no warning besides the client reading about the conflict on AdAge.com.

Agency management and account management, can help, for example from Mad Men, that would be Pete Campbell and Ken Cosgrove. These "Mad Men" are the communicators, planners, in meetings, by phone, email or whatever. In this Volvo example I feel an in person meeting and a "heads up" in advance would have been appropriate, at a minimum. Way, in advance. Tough to do in a fluid environment, but needed to help all, work it out.

I teach marketing and advertising, and agencies and clients are a weekly topic to discuss. In the past year I have been discussing those relationships at USC, CSUN, UCLA and Pepperdine Universities, in either the graduate school, undergraduate program or in both talking about agency and clients. Last week I was presenting "What Clients Should Expect" at Pepperdine.

For the client and agency relationship/agreement/contract they agree on retainers, hourly rates, project costs, commissions and combinations of them to pay for the services, which would be part of “Product,” in the 9P’s. Plus in this example with LBi and Volvo, mutual exclusivity for LBi.

One of the Nine P’s/Nine P’s ©2007 in Marketing and the study of Marketing is “Price:” It would include the revenue and pricing of the arrangements between the client and agency. Price/Pricing involve all aspects regarding pricing. The amount of money a consumer, or in this case, a client is willing to pay to obtain the product or services. Pricing may include, in the B2B and consumer marketplace, wholesale/retail/promotional prices, discounts, trade-in allowances, quantity discounts, credit terms, sales and payment periods and credit terms.  Pricing decision making also involves adjusting prices concerning the competitive environment, economic situations and involve buyer perceptions.

For more on ideas and Marketing concepts: Go to www.LondreMarketing.com and look under resources and the 9P's/Nine P's ©2007. Specifically find: http://www.LondreMarketing.com/stimulating_articles.php

Or for more fun, marketing strategies/tactics and facts:  Go to http://www.LondreMarketing.com/trivia.php

Here to help you better understand. All the best.

Looking For the Answer to the “First Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Cover?” And More.

This special issue of SI is a marketing, sales and publicity success story. Ironically the special issue was designed to increase sales and readership of the magazine during the winter lull after football and before major, significant basketball. The Super Bowl was only a week or so ago. March Madness in March and the NBA in May and June. By the way, the 2013 SI Swimsuit issue arrived today with Kate Upton on the cover again.

With ten to fifteen times the sales at the newsstand and the single best-selling issue in Time Inc.'s magazine franchise, it’s truly a multi-million dollar business. Let's call it an event The issues now captures one million newsstand sales, three million copies sold and 23 million readers.

Let's go back to the question. It’s a tricky one. The answer is either February 21, 1955 or January 20, 1964.

The “first” Sports Illustrated swimsuit “edition” debuted on Jan. 20, 1964, as a five-page supplement. This premier cover featured Babette March in a white two-piece. The answer to the question actually is February 21, 1955 which featured Betty di Bugnano in a swimsuit on the cover.

The swimsuit issue isn't just a boon to marketers and advertisers, but to the swimsuit manufacturers, accessory businesses and the jewelry designers when their items are featured in the special issue. Huge sales increases for all.

In 1983, SI rolled out its first swimsuit calendar, followed by a television documentary, videos, TV specials, trading cards, screen savers, and other products and services.


I teach and consult in Marketing and Advertising, in the classroom, court and with my clients. For more on ideas and Marketing concepts: Go to www.LondreMarketing.com and look under resources and the 9P's/Nine P's ©2007. Specifically find: http://www.LondreMarketing.com/stimulating_articles.php

Or for more fun, marketing strategies/tactics and facts:  Go to http://www.LondreMarketing.com/trivia.php

Here to help you better understand. All the best.

Got Your 3-D Glasses On? Many Super Bowl Messages and Ads Were Uplifting. Some Were Just Dumb.

This year you did not need your 3-D glasses. Many Super Bowl messages were uplifting. Some were just dumb for Super Bowl XLVII.  Each 30-second TV spot cost on average $3.8 million, plus production, talent, sets, and more.  Were they worth it?  I tell my marketing and advertising classes, what’s the R.O.I. or return on the advertiser’s investment?  Companies could have spent their money in other promotional areas, such as a better, larger sales force, better call center, dedicated customer service, social media, sales promotion, P.R. or direct marketing. Add alternative marketing strategies of new product development or just lower prices.   By the way, I do not know of a company which is not improving and revising their website. For $3.8 to 4.0 million a spot in media only that’s a lot of product or services to sell.

Conversely, the high price tags of the commercials all but promise viewers that they will be spectacular and innovative, in most cases. A couple were excellent. I liked the Clydesdale Budweiser spot, but not sure it sells beer. Clever spots for detergent Tide, with the Joe Montana stain, Samsung's two-minute "copy points" with Rogen and Rudd, and for Ram Truck with the v/o of the late Paul Harvey. Plus Oreo's spot culminated a good year of promotion for the ubiquitous cookie. The Godaddy spot seemed creepy, the more you thought about it and it was discussed by the students and others. To me, the ones which missed were the two Bud Black Crown and the Beck's goldfish for beer. Really, bad and dumb.

For many in marketing and advertising, the commercials are always more anticipated than the game.  The ads generate much buzz now even before the game. Stung by the economy, some of our biggest companies have been cutting and slashing their advertising budgets. But television viewers won't know it from watching the spots in Sunday’s game.  It takes both millions of dollars in media costs and add on the creation and production dollars of the spots. My classes are always surprised this is usually for a one-time airing, plus all on youtube.

A lot of people have lost jobs, and haven't replaced them. Today, generating sales revenue is tough.  In last Sunday’s Super Bowl, I saw strategies of value, hard sell; get it with others, appeals, and more.  It's a terrible time for the economy but continues to be a strategic opportunity for marketers to build and generate additional market share and enhance their brands versus their competition.  

Well, the game is over, but the advertising lives on.  My classes discuss that it’s the commercials or the spots that get talked about, more than the game.  One of my first thoughts is to go to youtube.com to watch the best ones again.  Other avenues you can read a recap of the advertising in USA Today, plus for 37 years of advertising you can go to Adland, at. http://commercial-archive.com/SuperBowlCommercials.  

The most renowned Super Bowl spots have been:

• In 1984, which just celebrated its 25th anniversary, and has won recognition as the best TV spot ever by Adweek, TV Guide, and AdAge.  It was the “Big Brother” ad introducing Apple's Macintosh followed a 1984 theme, and ending with the copy of “We shall prevail.”
• In 1993, Michael Jordan’s  most famous spot included Larry Bird playing an entertaining game of HORSE, for McDonald’s Big Mac and fries.  The advertising was interesting  due to the dares and obstacles set for both players.
• In the February 4, 2013 issue of Sports Illustrated has the pets.com spot of 2000 as one of the greatest. Really. That makes zero marketing and business sense. There is an old adage in advertising: “It is only creative if it sells.”  Let’s review the stats on pets.com.Pets.com  spent $55.3 million in advertising, mostly on TV and generated only  $5.8 million in total sales.  Yes, $5.8 million. Total. Pets.com had cost of goods of $13.4 million, more than two times their actual sales of $5.8 million.  

For more on ideas and Marketing concepts: Go to www.LondreMarketing.com and look under resources and the 9P's/Nine P's ©2007. Specifically find: http://www.LondreMarketing.com/stimulating_articles.php

Or for more fun, marketing strategies/tactics and facts:  Go to http://www.LondreMarketing.com/trivia.php

Here to help you better understand Marketing. All the best.

Here's to Romance, Valentine's Day and the Promotion of Walgreens.

Walgreen promotes themselves as "At the Corner of Happy & Healthy.  But are they clueless or just stupid, or maybe to a select target segment, clever, when they promoted Menage A Trois red wine as the perfect toast for Valentine's Day in their Promotion and Presentation. In the Marketing strategies of the Nine P's/9P's© 2007 we use one of the P's for "Presentation," as a Marketing strategy.

In class and with our clients, we use "Presentation" in Marketing as the act or acts of presenting any of the different 9P’s©2007 to your customers, suppliers, wholesalers, retailers, sales force, marketing intermediaries, clients, employees, and/or partners. They are symbols or images that represent something; a descriptive or persuasive account (as a sales person of the product). Wal-Mart, Walgreens, CVS and retailers want a better integration of its retailing in store and online. Something set forth for the attention of mind. So does Walgreens have a "special" marketing strategy and a target which American may not understand?


The Internet changed everything especially in the “presentation” of the different P’s. Another part of “presenting” is the big picture perspective of corporate social responsibility (CSR) which refers to consideration of, and the firm's responses to issues, beyond narrow economic, technical and legal requirements.

Which brings me to another of the 9P's:  Passion: The intense, driving or overmastering feelings, emotions in the marketing and selling of products or services.  Emotional, as distinguished from reason and rational decision-making; A strong liking for or devotion to some activity; Deep interest in your partnership/presentation of any of the 9P’s to any target or partner. APPLE and how they present their new and existing products is a great example students bring up in an Advertising or Marketing class at USC, CSUN, Pepperdine, and Ucla.

Another of the Nine P’s/Nine P’s ©2007 in Marketing and the study of Marketing is “Promotion,” which Walgreens is using to promote Valentine's Day.

For more on ideas and Marketing concepts: Go to www.LondreMarketing.com and look under resources and the 9P's/Nine P's ©2007. Specifically find: http://www.LondreMarketing.com/stimulating_articles.php

Or for more fun, marketing strategies/tactics and facts:  Go to http://www.LondreMarketing.com/trivia.php

Here to help you better understand. All the best.

Marketing, Valentine's Day, Targeting and the Nine P's.

The NRF (National Retail Federation) expects consumers to spend $18.6 billion for Valentine's Day in 2013.

For companies and retailers, they are putting together combinations of “Products “and Services, with “Promotion,” “Price/Pricing” and targeting segments of “People.”  These are four of the Nine P’s/Nine P’s ©2007, influencing objectives, strategies and tactics in Marketing.

I teach that one of the 9’s “People/Prospects (Target Market)” consists of a set of buyers who share common needs or characteristics that the company decides to serve. Market targeting can be carried out at several different levels, especially during the Valentine’s Day period, usually ten days to two weeks in February.

Defining a target market requires market segmentation; the process of segmenting the entire market as a whole and separating it into manageable units based on demographics, geographics, psychographics, behavior, or technographical characteristics. Some strategic variable include male and females, geography, income, education, along with "technographics" with so many items sold on the web. Once a specific target market is chosen, the organization can develop its marketing strategies to target this market.

It was interesting to read this week that one in ten relationships end on Valentine's Day, and 85% believe trust/trustworthiness is the most important trait in a relationship (Bing survey results). Of the billions who will buy Valentine's Day gifts, 26.3% plan to buy on-line, which has been trending up.  Have you seen all of the candy and flower deals this week, and we are a week away?

One of the Nine P’s/Nine P’s ©2007 in Marketing and the study of Marketing is “Price:” Price/Pricing: All aspects regarding pricing. The amount of money a consumer is willing to pay to obtain the product. Pricing includes wholesale/retail/promotional prices, discounts, trade-in allowances, quantity discounts, credit terms, sales and payment periods and credit terms.  I’m keeping track of the deals including free delivery, discounts, offers, free vases, shipping, combos for Valentine’s Day.

For more on ideas and Marketing concepts: Go to www.LondreMarketing.com and look under resources and the 9P's/Nine P's ©2007. Specifically find: http://www.LondreMarketing.com/stimulating_articles.php

Or for more fun, marketing strategies/tactics and facts:  Go to http://www.LondreMarketing.com/trivia.php

Here to help you better understand Marketing. All the best.

The "Big L," "The L" for Super Bowl "L" in 2016.

Anniversaries may be important for marketers, clients and advertising agencies.Sometimes they are important to the company and no one else. Sometimes for the employees it's important to them, but customers or potential customers don't care unless the anniversary is attached to a great Promotion or Sale.

The 2016 Super Bowl will be the 50th anniversary year for the Super Bowl. It will be the “Big L.”
It will be in Roman numbers --- L, with some referring to “The L”  in 2016.

Some other interesting Roman numbers for the Super Bowl.
IV                 (1970)  Hint: Be sure to say it out loud.
XXX              (1996)
XXXXVIII        (2004)
L      (2016)
LIX              (2025)
C                 (2066)
MD              (3466)

The first Super Bowl had 33K empty seats and was called the “AFL-NFL Championship Game.” Or the "Supergame.” There were two college bands and the Arcadia High drill team.  Much different than megastar Beyoncé in 2013.              

One of the Nine P’s/Nine P’s ©2007 in Marketing and the study of Marketing is “Promotion."

For more on ideas and Marketing concepts: Go to www.LondreMarketing.com and look under resources and the 9P's/Nine P's ©2007. Specifically find: http://www.LondreMarketing.com/stimulating_articles.php

Or for more fun, marketing strategies/tactics and facts:  Go to http://www.LondreMarketing.com/trivia.php

Here to help you better understand. All the best.

Marketing, Corporate Strategic Planning/Mission Statements, Nine P's, the GAP, Ritz-Carlton, Wal-Mart and More.

In any Marketing class, Corporate Strategic Planning/Mission Statements are presented, reviewed and discussed, because an organization (profit/non profit) must plan and the organization exists to accomplish something, such as sell products, services, ideas, experiences, etc. Examples may be producing consumer products; lending  money; providing a service, like transportation, health care, a night’s lodging, provide energy. I use one of the 9P's/Nine P's ©2007, "Product," to describe Products and Services as "A product is anything that can be offered to a market for attention, acquisition, use or consumption that might satisfy a want or need. (Kotler)"

In developing new products and services it's vital to look at trends in the study of Marketing. I discuss in class that these trends are like waves.  You can let them crash into you or build a surfboard and ride them. Companies must identify major forces of change. Companies know that there will be a road to restructuring, but sometimes they have no plans to be the perpetrators rather than the victims of what they all saw coming.

There are opportunities and threats in the company's external environment, strengths and weaknesses in the company’s internal environment. Corporations as mighty as General Motors, Sears and IBM have been brought to their knees by ignoring trends, changes in the marketplace and environmental changes. Additional examples: Xerox saw the future in coping, IBM and Kodax did not. Sears dismissed discounting, Target and Wal-Mart did not.

Here are some helpful planning hints for management, who must define its mission:

• What is our business?  
• Who is our customer? 
• What is value to our customers?
• What will our business be? 
• What should our business be? 

Original mission of the Girl Scouts: “To prepare girls for motherhood and wifely duties.”

The mission of the Ritz-Carlton: “We are ladies and gentleman serving ladies and gentlemen. The Ritz Carlton is a place where genuine care and comfort of our guests is our highest mission. We pledge to provide the finest personal service and facilities for our guests who will always enjoy a warm. Relaxed yet refined ambiance. The Ritz-Carlton experience enlivens the senses, instills well-being, and fulfills even the unexpressed wishes and needs of our guests.”

Mission of the Gap: "Gap, Inc. is a brand-builder. We create emotional connections with customers around the world through inspiring product design, unique store experiences, and compelling marketing." So I found it interesting that the GAP, which opened its first store in 1969. The name is a reference to the Generation Gap.  I found that interesting. How many changes have there been over the years in the generation gap, the product, pricing, targeting, promotion and partners of the Gap?

Successful companies raise questions constantly.  The answers are shaped by:

• History of company’s aims, policies, achievements
• Current preferences of management
• Market environment
• Resources
• Distinctive competencies

A well-worked out mission statement gives direction, shared purpose and opportunities to employees, partners, suppliers, distributors, and other groups.


For more on ideas and Marketing concepts: Go to www.LondreMarketing.com and look under resources and the 9P's/Nine P's ©2007. Specifically find: http://www.LondreMarketing.com/stimulating_articles.php

Or for more fun, marketing strategies/tactics and facts:  Go to http://www.LondreMarketing.com/trivia.php

Here to help you better understand. All the best.

More on Marketing and Advertising: Linking Super Bowl XLVII, 85th Academy Awards and the Nine P's.

As a Marketing, Advertising senior lecturer and guest lecturer at  USC, UCLA, CSUN, Pepperdine and other schools since 1975, I have used several of the TV spots in the Super Bowl and in the Academy Awards to illustrate marketing strategies, AIDA (Attention, Interest, Desire and Action); creativity; objectives, strategies, tactics in advertising; ratings and share; media planning; plus "It's only creative, if it sells."

Here are a few additional, interesting points:

• On average this year's Super Bowl XLVII television spots cost $3,800,000 each, which did not include actors, production, director, agency talent, sets, just the time on CBS. Some spots cost up to $4 million each for the time only.
• In the Academy Awards set to air on February 24th, it's been reported that ABC negotiated rates of $1.7 to $1.85 million per 30-second spot. 
• Last year's Super Bowl XLVI was the most-watched U.S. telecast of all time, according to Nielsen.
• A 30-second ad during the first Super Bowl, which was called the NFL-AFL Championship Game was sold for $38,750 and in today's dollars, $266K. 
• Don't forget to count the number of promotional spots for the network and its shows. The amount of clutter is more than you realize.

In class and with my clients we discuss targeting or "People."  In  the Nine P's/9P's ©2007,  People/Prospects/Target Market  is defined as a set of buyers who share common needs or characteristics that the company decides to serve. Market targeting can be carried out at several different levels. Defining a target market requires market segmentation; the process of segmenting the entire market as a whole and separating it into manageable units based on demographics, geographics, psychographics, behavior, technographics or technographical characteristics. Once a target market is chosen, the organization can develop its marketing strategies to target this market.

Once a target market is chosen, the organization can develop its marketing strategies to target this market. What is interesting with the Academy Awards is that this event has a high concentration of well-educated and affluent, upscale viewers with income.

Two of the other Nine P’s/Nine P’s ©2007 in Marketing and the study of Marketing are “Price,” and "Promotion."  The TV spots are part of Advertising which is part of "Promotion" for a client and the TV spots are part of the "Product" of the networks. The "Price" and pricing is negotiated between the agencies, media buying services and clients.

For more on ideas and Marketing concepts: Go to www.LondreMarketing.com and look under resources and the 9P's/Nine P's (c) 2007. Specifically find: http://www.LondreMarketing.com/stimulating_articles.php

Or for more fun, marketing strategies/tactics and facts:  Go to http://www.LondreMarketing.com/trivia.php

Understanding Rating and Share Figures in Super Bowl XLVII, Plus Reach, Frequency and Continuity.

• TV's Third-Biggest Audience Ever, with 108.4 million. Viewership was dipping and then rising after the power outage. 

As a marketing and advertising senior lecturer, consultant and expert witness, I wanted to explain the advertising/media terms involved with the TV viewers watching Super Bowl XLVII. The audience was the largest in the final 17 minutes with a Rating of 51%, of the household tuned in. 

What is a Rating? Share? Reach? Frequency? Continuity?

You see these media terms used in any marketing or advertising class, within clients and at advertising agencies, especially used in the media around major TV events, including the Super Bowl and the Academy Awards/Oscars. 

Here are some examples from yesterday’s Super Bowl, including ones after the blackout on the "Baltimore" side of the field at the Superdome. 

• In Nielsen's metered-market households: It was reported that the 8:45-9:15 p.m. portion did a 46.5  rating/68 share, but viewership spiked from there. To explain, 46.5 percentage of the total possible audience was watching and of those watching 68% were watching the Super Bowl game, meaning that 32% were watching other programming. In my advertising and marketing classes at USC, Pepperdine and CSUN, there were always a few students who thought "Everyone was watching.(at least part of the game)." 

The 9:15 p.m. quarter-hour did a 47.9 rating/68 share; the 9:30 p.m. quarter-hour did a 49.6 rating/70 share; the 10 p.m. portion did a 51.3 rating/73 share and the 10:30-10:45 p.m. quarter hour, during which the game ended, did a 52.9 rating/75 share.

The 8 o'clock half-hour containing the Beyonce concert at halftime earned a 48.2 rating/71 share. 

It was reported nationally that the overnight score for the game (48.1 household rating/71 share) was up 1% from last year's 47.8/71 for New York Giants-New England on NBC and the highest on record.

• Rating (RTG): The estimate of the size of a television audience relative to the total universe, expressed as a percentage. The estimated percent of all TV households or persons tuned to a specific station.
• Share (SHR): The percent of the Households Using Television (HUT) or Persons Using Television (PUT) which are tuned to a specific program or station at a specified time. 
• Reach (Cume; also called Coverage): refers to the total number of different people to whom you deliver an advertising message, or a complete campaign.  The number of different or unduplicated households or persons that are exposed to a television program or commercial at least once during the average week for a reported time period. 
• Frequency: Average number of times a household or a person viewed a given television program, station or commercial during a specific time period. 
• Continuity: Length of time a schedule runs. For example, a brand manager or media planner could divide a media schedule into specific weeks and months in a year. 

For more on ideas and Marketing concepts: Go to www.LondreMarketing.com and look under resources and the 9P's/Nine P's (c) 2007. Specifically find: http://www.LondreMarketing.com/stimulating_articles.php

Or for more fun, marketing strategies/tactics and facts:  Go to http://www.LondreMarketing.com/trivia.php

Here to help you better understand. All the best.

All This Talk About A Big Idea In Advertising in the Super Bowl. Plus All of the Media Vehicles

There are pros and cons of creating, building and executing the BIG IDEA in that one spot in the Super Bowl, but you need to know an advertiser is only paying $3.8 million to $4 million for the space or time cost only. Add on top of those millions, production, sets, director, actors camera work, etc. 

Advertising has traditionally relied on “big ideas:” the concepts, stories and taglines that have helped brands sell product for years. I like to use in my Marketing and Advertising classes the example of M&M’s. So simple a candied covered chocolate, now in many variations. Marlboro had the Marlboro man, Apple uses  “Think Different,” and then, of course, there’s “Enjoy Coke” or the “Pause that Refreshes. And  McDonald’s “You deserve a break today.”  

Now there are so many media vehicles. I have a list on my website: http://www.londremarketing.com/documents/LondreMarketing-Advertising-Media-and-Sales-Promotion-Vehicles-1.29.13.pdf

For more on ideas and Marketing concepts: Go to www.LondreMarketing.com and look under resources and the 9P's/Nine P's (c) 2007. Specifically find: http://www.LondreMarketing.com/stimulating_articles.php

Or for more fun, marketing strategies/tactics and facts:  Go to http://www.LondreMarketing.com/trivia.php

Here to help you better understand. All the best.

Super Bowl Spots and Commercials: "They Are Only Creative, If They Sell."

In watching the Super Bowl TV spots for Super Bowl XLVII, I want to give you some strategies to look for. It’s more than an idea communicated in the ad, it’s also based on targeting, production and execution. And more.

I speak as an marketing/advertising instructor, seasoned Marketing pro, former account manager and client professional, with advertising agencies reporting to me.

Today what we have to train people for in advertising, creative, production, marketing and media is so much wider, broader than it used to be. The majority of the advertising is no longer traditional media. In MAD MEN’s time it was TV, radio, print. The actual discipline of planning, thinking creatively and communicating with the target segments is the same. But now audiences are so fragmented.

I still teach in the classroom: “It’s only creative, if it sells.” Meaning that the ad and advertising must sell product or services.

The advertising needs to sell products and services, so when you are watching tomorrow, do the spots deliver...SALES? Look for the polls on rating the spots, but do the spots deliver sales, awareness, getting people into the stores, buying products, car dealer visits, Google searches?
Look at the aggregate but decisions should be made on sales, not “creativity.”

Two of the Nine P’s/Nine P’s ©2007 in Marketing and the study of Marketing is “Promotion” and “Product.” For more on ideas and Marketing concepts: Go to www.LondreMarketing.com and look under resources and the 9P's/Nine P's (c) 2007. Specifically find: http://www.LondreMarketing.com/stimulating_articles.php

Or for more fun, marketing strategies/tactics and facts:  Go to http://www.LondreMarketing.com/trivia.php

Here to help you better understand. All the best.

Ever Wonder if the Expression "Drinking the Kool-Aid" Adds to the Sales and Consumption of Kool-Aid?

Nearly everyone has consumed Kool-Aid, in one form or another. In the marketplace and in the study of Marketing and Advertising you research your competitors. In the grocery store potential consumers see all of the brand choices, "Products," one of the 9P's/Nine P's. The competitors or in Marketing terms "competitive set" for Kool-Aid are: Capri Sun, Hawaiian Punch, Juicy Juice, Tropicana, Ocean Spray, Apple & Eve, Minute Maid, Motts, Tree Top, Welch’s.

For a Marketing class, I was wondering if the expression "Drinking the Kool-Aid" in the workplace, marketplace or at your place adds to the consumption of Kool-Aid?  Maybe. Read on.

Carrying a negative connotation “Drinking the Kool-Aid” is a metaphor commonly used that refers to a person or group holding an unquestioned belief, argument, or philosophy without critical examination.
The basis of the expression is a reference to the November 1978 Reverend Jim Jones Jonestown Massacre, where members of the Peoples Temple allegedly committed suicide by drinking a “Kool-Aid” drink laced with cyanide.

I read that some survivors and their families of the Massacre object to the link between blind faith and the deaths, because some victims were murdered. They were forced to drink at gunpoint, than being convinced to commit suicide. There were also many rehearsals for the event in which the drink did not contain poison, which led to cult members believing the drink was harmless.

The “Kool-Aid” phrase has also been used in a variety of contexts to describe blind, uncritical acceptance or following.  In some cases, over the years, it began to take on a neutral or even positive light, implying simply great enthusiasm.

Lately, the phrase has been used in business and in technology circles to mean devotion to a certain company or technology.

I found a NYT article about the dotcom era, which there were so many companies running out of cash, but employees were still believing, a tasteless reference to the Jonestown massacre.

Not sure anyone thinks of juice or a phony, artificial juice-based product.  So, now you are really wondering if the expression "Drinking the Kool-Aid" adds to any purchase, use or consumption of Kool-Aid?  Probably not, unless you are in product sampling, and an employee with Kool-Aid.

One more thing: I remember seeing the Mr. Kool-Aid man at a Food Marketing Institute (FMI) trade show in Chicago, not so long ago. He was standing with Mr. Peanut. On our website I have a photo of all three of us (LondreMarketing.com).

Using the Marketing concept of the Nine P’s/9P’s ©2007 there are references to “Product,” “Presentation,” “Partners,” “Passion”  and “Planning.” Probably other 9P’s we would discuss in a Marketing class.
For more on ideas and Marketing concepts: Go to www.LondreMarketing.com and look under resources and the 9P's/Nine P's (c) 2007. Specifically find: http://www.LondreMarketing.com/stimulating_articles.php

Or for more fun, marketing strategies/tactics and facts:  Go to http://www.LondreMarketing.com/trivia.php

Here to help you better understand. All the best.

Largest Audience, Most Watched U.S. Telecast Will Be A Super Bowl Game. It Will Be Either 2012 or 2013.

The Super Bowl's attraction is simple: It's about the game and it's about the commercials and spots. It's also about getting together with friends, eating and partying.

As a Marketing and Advertising senior lecturer at USC, CSUN, Pepperdine and other schools since 1975, I use a few on the spots to illustrate AIDA (Attention, Interest, Desire and Action); creativity; objectives, strategies, tactics in marketing and advertising; ratings and share; media planning; plus "It's only creative, if it sells."  Here are a few interesting points:

1. Last year's Super Bowl XLVI was the most-watched U.S. telecast of all time, according to Nielsen.
2. A 30-second ad during the first Super Bowl, which was called the NFL-AFL Championship Game was sold for $38,750 and in today's dollars, $266K.
3. On average this year's Super Bowl XLVII spots cost $3,800,00 each, which did not include actors, production,sets, just the time on CBS.
4. Count the number of promotional spots for the network and its shows. The amount of clutter is more than you realize.

Two of the Nine P’s/Nine P’s ©2007 in Marketing and the study of Marketing are “Price,” and "Promotion."  

For more on ideas and Marketing concepts: Go to www.LondreMarketing.com and look under resources and the 9P's/Nine P's (c) 2007. Specifically find: http://www.LondreMarketing.com/stimulating_articles.php

Or for more fun, marketing strategies/tactics and facts:  Go to http://www.LondreMarketing.com/trivia.php

Here to help you better understand. All the best.

"Sports Illustrated" Magazine Has the Pets.com Super Bowl Spot of 2000 As One of the Greatest. Really.

Here's more information on Super Bowl spots or commercials for Super Bowl XLVII:

In the February 4, 2013 issue of Sports Illustrated magazine there's a story by Mark Bechtel. He may not have much of a business background. He has the pets.com spot of 2000 as one of the greatest. Really. That makes zero marketing and business sense to me who has worked for clients and advertising agencies and taught at USC, CSUN, Pepperdine and LMU in marketing, global studies and advertising since 1971.

There is an old adage in advertising: “It is only creative if it sells.”  Let’s review the stats on pets.com.

Pets.com  spent $55.3 million in advertising, mostly on TV and generated only  $5.8 million in total sales.  Yes, $5.8 million. Total.

Pets.com had cost of goods of $13.4 million, more than two times their actual sales of $5.8 million.

One of the Nine P’s/Nine P’s ©2007 in Marketing and the study of Marketing is “Promotion." The communication element includes personal and non-personal communication activities.  Activities that communicate the merits of the overall product, which include the tools of:  Personal Selling/Sales Force;  Advertising; Sales Promotion; Collateral Materials; Direct Marketing; Interactive/Internet/Web/Digital Media/Social Media; Events and Experiences; Public Relations.

For more on ideas and Marketing concepts: Go to www.LondreMarketing.com and look under resources and the 9P's/Nine P's (c) 2007. Specifically find: http://www.LondreMarketing.com/stimulating_articles.php

Or for more fun, marketing strategies/tactics and facts:  Go to http://www.LondreMarketing.com/trivia.php

Here to help you better understand. All the best.

J.C. Penny's Eroding Profits. It's About Sales (Or Lack Of), Promotion, Pricing and Revenue.

It reported again that J.C. Penney is changing its pricing strategies. Actually it is changing its "Promotion" too,  with its announcement of 100 sales. Up from zero and their every-day low pricing model. Down from 500 sales in '11.

Wall Street is reacting to lack of customer traffic which means less potential shoppers which are shopping fewer times and lower overall sales. To Marketing and Wall Street that means less revenue and dropping revenue.

JCP will no longer offer its ELP (everyday-low-price) model, which had been blamed for eroding profits. They will run 100 sales and holiday events throughout the year, which is about 500 fewer promotions than the retail chain ran in 2011. Some investors are not happy. They are selling the stock short.


One of the Nine P’s/Nine P’s ©2007 in Marketing and the study of Marketing is “Price:”

Price/Pricing: All aspects regarding pricing. The amount of money a consumer is willing to pay to obtain the product. Pricing includes wholesale/retail/promotional prices, discounts, trade-in allowances, quantity discounts, credit terms, sales and payment periods and credit terms.  Pricing decision making also involves adjusting prices concerning the competitive environment, economic situations and involve buyer perceptions.  Prices are a key positioning factor and must be decided in relation to the target market, the product and service assortment mix, and the competition.

For more on ideas and Marketing concepts: Go to www.LondreMarketing.com and look under resources and the 9P's/Nine P's (c) 2007. Specifically find: http://www.LondreMarketing.com/stimulating_articles.php

Or for more fun, marketing strategies/tactics and facts:  Go to http://www.LondreMarketing.com/trivia.php

Here to help you better understand. All the best.

Light, Bright and Polite: Your Actions on Social Media May Be Holding You Back From Landing a Job

Last month, I endorsed a new book Light, Bright & Polite: How Businesses and Professionals Can Safely and Effectively Navigate Social Media by Josh Ochs. You will find me as part of "People Talking" and page two.

If you've met Josh, you'd consider him a friend. Great first impression. He's charming and extremely likable. Plus knowledgeable

He starts the book by answering three helpful, instructional concepts about you and social media. When writing, responding and sharing something, always keep it "Light, Bright and Polite:"

1. Light: Make the message short. People are busy. Grab their attention. Do not lose it. 
2. Bright: Make it helpful to the readers and that they want to pass it on to others. 
3. The third item from the title is Polite: That you are proud, have reflected on the "message" (photo or message) before sending or forwarding them and that if thousands of people see the "message,"  it reflects well on you and if your boss or parents see it it would be appropriate and they would be proud of you. 

I talked about the book and mentioned it last night in the Business Communications class at Pepperdine. I have assembled for more than thirty years senior Marketing and Advertising people, with recruiters and HR professionals to help students in class. Usually our "Better interviewing and job looking skills" class or seminars are in the last or second to last class of the semester.

In Ochs' book, Josh has put some of these strategies in writing that we have talked about over many years. His thoughts have been included in the interviewing and job panels in my classes at USC, Pepperdine and CSUN.  

In March I have put together a panel at California State University, Northridge where I started teaching in 1975. More on that at Londremarketing.com.  The panel is called: "Getting an Interview. Landing a Job. Practical, Insightful, Timely Advice and Counsel for the AMA (American Marketing Association)  at CSUN.”

Another important concept: I wanted to add to Josh's SOK (Silent Opportunity Killer).  It's so true. We've talked about this for years when the web shanged everything about finding and landing a job. What is that you ask, SOK?  It's the sad fact that as a potential job searcher and job seeker you may get passed over because of the public social media posts and poor decision making about putting photos on Facebook, for example. 

Students and other job seekers need to be aware and realize that their actions on social media are keeping from getting them hired because a recruiter or professional HR director are "researching them"  on the web. 

More on the book later.In a future blog. 

For more on ideas and Marketing concepts: Go to www.LondreMarketing.com and look under resources and the 9P's/Nine P's (c) 2007. Specifically find: http://www.LondreMarketing.com/stimulating_articles.php

Or for more fun, marketing strategies/tactics and facts:  Go to http://www.LondreMarketing.com/trivia.php

Here to help you better understand. All the best.

Passion And Presentation of Post-it Notes And More on the 9P's/Nine P's

It seems everyone uses Post-it notes, all of the time. I found their latest promotional campaign to be using important parts of the 9P’s/Nine P’s ©2007;  3M's new advertising campaign brings three of the 9P’s factors together, including Passion, People and Presentation.

3M is launching a $10 million ad campaign for Post-it notes; it’s asking consumers to find creative uses for their product. The tagline is "Go ahead," which re-creates real-life examples of the "customization" trend (I have a lot on customization in my marketing and advertising classes), where consumers have personalized applications for mass-market products.

From the 9P’s/Nine P's:

• Passion: Intense, driving or overmastering feelings, emotions in the marketing and selling of products or services. Emotional, as distinguished from reason and rational decision-making; A strong liking for or devotion to some activity; Deep interest in your partnership/presentation of any of the 9P’s© to any target or partner.
• People/Prospects: (Target Market) Target Market consists of a set of buyers who share common needs or characteristics that the company decides to serve. Market targeting can be carried out at several different levels. Share is a key word, here.
• Presentation: The “P” is the act of presenting any of the different 9P’s© to your customers,suppliers, wholesalers, retailers, sales force, marketing intermediaries, clients, employees, and/or partners. They are symbols or images that represent something; a descriptive or persuasive account (as a sales person of the product). Wal-Mart and retailers want a better integration of its retailing in store and online. Something set forth for the attention of mind. 

The Internet changed everything especially in the “presentation” of the different P’s. Another part of “presenting” is the big picture perspective of corporate social responsibility (CSR) which refers to consideration of, and the firm's responses to issues, beyond narrow economic, technical and legal requirements. These objectives and firm strategies of accomplishing social benefits along with the traditional economic gains which the firm is seeking is vitally important to the “presentation” to the constituents, different publics and to the world.

Unfortunately Post-it notes are not great for the environment.  In the study of Marketing, companies look and review issues of global sustainability, not interfering in the internal politics of the different countries and the governments of local markets, respecting natural resources, conducting research and development activities in developing countries, respecting local laws and regulations, environmental concerns, creating jobs in the served markets, respecting human rights, and more.

For more on ideas and Marketing concepts: Go to www.LondreMarketing.com and look under resources and the 9P's/Nine P's (c) 2007. Specifically find: http://www.LondreMarketing.com/stimulating_articles.php

Or for more fun, marketing strategies/tactics and facts:  Go to http://www.LondreMarketing.com/trivia.php

Here to help you better understand, apply and learn.  All the best.

If Tourism Is So Important to Los Angeles, Why Do We Have Such Poor Roads?

We were biking yesterday and I was thinking how we, as Los Angeles, promote our city? How does the city look and feel to tourists? 

Another question concerning the marketing to tourists for Los Angeles: If tourism Is so important to LA, why do we have such great bike paths/lanes and such poor roads? 

We, as a city,  welcomed a record 41.4 million visitors in 2012, a 2.5 percent increase over the previous record-high 40.4 million visitors in 2011 according to L.A. Tourism & Convention Board.  Total domestic visitation accounted for 35.3 million visitors, a 2.7 percent increase over 2011; total international visitation set a record with six million visitors, a 1.2 percent increase over 2011, with China becoming the destination’s top overseas market for the first-time ever. 

With all of this money and people coming in, why can't we have better roads? In addition, direct visitor spending, hotel occupancy and hotel room nights sold set all-time record highs.  Visitors to the city spent an estimated $16.5 billion, a more than $1 billion increase over the $15.4 billion spent in 2011. Hotel occupancy set a record at 75.4 percent, surpassing the previous 2006 record of 75.1%; and the city sold a record 26.64 million hotel room nights generating $180 million in tax revenue for the city. 

The tourism industry supports one in ten jobs in LA and the revenues that come from its success go directly to the city services. But our roads?

The City generated $151 million in transient-occupancy taxes in FY11-12.  So I ask why are the roads so poor in helping us all get around, visitors and residents, business people?  

But the bike lanes are beautiful and have new paint. I'm not against bike lanes. I was on many bike paths yesterday, but our adjacent roads are in decay.  Our priorities seem out of line with the number of people driving around, visitors and citizens. 

"Planning" and "Presentation" are two of the 9P's/Nine P's (c) 2007 of Marketing.  "Place" or Distribution is another of the nine P's. We are not presenting the city as well as we could. I hope our next mayor is better. 

The overall planning, service, presentation for tourists and for our citizens should be better.   

For more on ideas and Marketing concepts: Go to www.LondreMarketing.com and look under resources and the 9P's/Nine P's (c) 2007. Specifically find: http://www.LondreMarketing.com/stimulating_articles.php

Or for more fun, marketing strategies/tactics and facts:  Go to http://www.LondreMarketing.com/trivia.php

Here to help you better understand. All the best.

Blending the Study of Marketing on Price or Pricing with Customer Service

You know that cell phone can be annoying to others, especially in restaurants.  Almost any place where customers get together or congregate.  Some restaurants have signs just like in a doctor’s office “No cell phones” or "No cellphone in the dining area.” Add the loudness of the voices or the frequent calls which may disrupt service for everyone.

You may have heard about Eva’s in Los Angeles on Beverly Boulevard which wanted to curb cellphone use so they offered a five percent discount off the meal at this restaurant if the customers would check their cell phone at the door.

I teach marketing and advertising. Plus Global Strategies.

One of the Nine P’s/Nine P’s ©2007 in Marketing and the study of Marketing is “Price:” Price/Pricing: All aspects regarding pricing. The amount of money a consumer is willing to pay to obtain the product. Pricing includes wholesale/retail/promotional prices, discounts, trade-in allowances, quantity discounts, credit terms, sales and payment periods and credit terms.  Pricing decision making also involves adjusting prices concerning the competitive environment, economic situations and involve buyer perceptions.  Prices are a key positioning factor and must be decided in relation to the target market, the product and service assortment mix, and the competition.

There's a "price" we pay to be fed, wined and dined. Dining should be fun. Eating out should be for all.

For more on ideas and Marketing concepts: Go to www.LondreMarketing.com and look under resources and the 9P's/Nine P's (c) 2007. Specifically find: http://www.LondreMarketing.com/stimulating_articles.php

Or for more fun, marketing strategies/tactics and facts:  Go to http://www.LondreMarketing.com/trivia.php

Here to help you better understand. All the best.

Super Bowl XLVII is Significantly Different From the First "One" in 1967

The first Super Bowl had 33K empty seats and was called the “AFL-NFL Championship Game.” Or the "Supergame.” There were two college bands and the Arcadia High drill team.  Much different than megastar Beyoncé.

Tickets were priced at an outrageous price of $12. On stubhub today January 23, the top ticket is $315, 916 for a suite in the 400 Level to a low of $2197.00.

This remains the only “Super Bowl” not to have been a sellout. It also is the only Super Bowl to have been simulcast in the U.S. by two networks: NBC had the rights to nationally televise AFL games while CBS held the rights to broadcast NFL games; it was decided that both networks could televise the game.

Where was I? Attending University of Southern California/USC and working at the corner of Santa Barbara (now Martin Luther King) and Vermont for Standard Stations, Inc. I had two years of experience working in what was then a "real"service station, not a gas station. I did everything from sell tires, repair tires, change shocks to oil and filters. Plus pump gas and actually clean the windows and check the air in the tires. Premium gasoline was 32.9 cents per gallon.

I was making $3.42 an hour (great money and putting myself through college with a 50/50 split with my father) and I oil and lubed 23 cars that day. Using my business major I suggested giving free parking for attendees of the “AFL-NFL Championship Game.

A lot has changed on pricing.  Besides an expensive venue ticket, now the cost of parking would go for $200/car or about $70 to $80 per car for the Notre Dame game versus USC across the street at the Coliseum.

The “AFL-NFL Championship Game was played on January 15, 1967 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum  or the Coliseum to us in Los Angeles. Featured the Green Bay Packers who defeated the American Football League (AFL) champion Kansas City Chiefs by the score of 35–10.

For more on the $4 million advertising spots, ideas and Marketing concepts: Go to www.LondreMarketing.com and look under resources and the 9P's/Nine P's (c) 2007. Specifically find them at http://www.LondreMarketing.com/stimulating_articles.php

Or for more fun, marketing strategies/tactics and facts:  Go to http://www.LondreMarketing.com/trivia.php

Here to help you better understand. All the best.

A Story About Anticipation

Anticipating the Marketing situation and looking for the answer has pros and cons. A big insight into creativity.

The story:
During a visit to the mental asylum, a visitor asked the Director what the criterion was which defined whether or not a patient should be institutionalized.
 
"Well," said the Director, "we fill up a bathtub,  then we offer a teaspoon, a teacup and a bucket to the patient and ask him or her to empty the bathtub."

"Oh, I understand," said the visitor. "A normal person would use the bucket because it's bigger than the spoon or the teacup."

Scroll down for the answer

"No." said the Director, "A normal person would pull the plug.   Do you prefer a room with or without a view?"


For more ideas and Marketing concepts: Go to www.LondreMarketing.com and look under resources and the 9P's/Nine P's (c) 2007. Specifically find: http://www.LondreMarketing.com/stimulating_articles.php

Or for more fun, marketing strategies/tactics and facts:  Go to http://www.LondreMarketing.com/trivia.php

Here to help you better understand. All the best.

Writers Discussing the Super Bowl Ads Seem to Miss the Big Point About the Networks, Including NBC This Year

With 47 minutes of commercials (or in advertising we call them "spots")  in this year's Super Bowl, the writers on the Super Bowl ads/spots keep missing the "Big Point."  Their stories should include the network's number of self-promotion, program/programming spots. Why do they forget? It seems so obvious, the number and frequency.

I teach and consult in marketing and advertising, why not include the tremendous number of spots/promotions for NBC last year and CBS for this year’s game?

I include a whole section on my website: #29 on http://www.LondreMarketing.com/trivia.php

• “During the broadcast advertising time has also grown from 40 minutes, 15 seconds in 2001 — or 82 messages — to 45:10, or 84 messages in 2009. There was a big rise in 2010, to 47:50 and 104 commercials. Which product is advertised the most on the Super Bowl? Not beers, movies or cars. It’s the network’s own programming promotion. In a typical Super Bowl, 15% to 20% of all commercial time is a plug by the network for its own programming and shows. One of the questions I answer is "How much did a 30-second TV commercial or spot cost in Super  Bowl XLVII, February 3, 2013? Who starred in the most “watched” musical event, the halftime show?" 

A couple of concepts before you go to my LondreMarketing.com website:

• Good news for CBS in 2013, a single Super Bowl XLVII spot topped $4 million with ads ranging between $3.7 million and $3.8 million and topping $4 million.

• The big premium was for a typical 30-second spot in the first quarter of the game, which averaged around $100K extra. This premium was due to the larger audience and better chances that consumers will recall the ads early in the game. Viewers are usually “in a better state of mind.” The audience averages 111 million.

For more go to http://www.londremarketing.com/trivia.php

Here to help you better understand the Super Bowl and the ads or advertising or Promotion. All the best.

Above the Fold. Today Versus Yesterday in Communication.

Today you want to be “above the fold, “ whether it is a computer, iPad,  cell, smart phone, newsletter or newspaper. What do I mean? I mean high on the page. Higher on the screen. Where does that expression "Above the fold" come from?  From the old days, the printed newspaper business.

Newspapers and newsletters were the primary form of communication. The keyword is  "was." And the best stories were put on the front page. Still are.

In my marketing and advertising classes I bring a copy of USA Today which has high readership especially in hotels and I bring a copy of the Wall Street Journal.  They prove my points. The class discovers and presents. They learn.  We discuss “above the fold” has more readership or viewership than below the fold or inside the paper.

Visitors and viewership/readership means awareness, or increased awareness. However, there are many new sizes of screens---iPad, cell phones, computers, notebooks, Smartphones.

In the old days I remember one of my favorite bosses at Grey Advertising –Worldwide tell me --- we want to ask for positioning on the right hand page, above the fold and second impression page of the newspaper.  The second impression page was the second page printed. He saw how the ink was absorbed on the first pass and that ink was bolder, stronger on the second page, or on the back.  So he taught us more than just right hand page positioning.

Today we are looking at prime positioning or real estate, but ink isn't as important as where your story or photograph is located.

Want to solve a business or marketing problem. Go to more on the Nine P’s/9P's (Product, People/Target Market, Planning, Price, Promotion, Place, Partners, Passion, Presentation  and other marketing resources). Positioning isn't one of the 9P's but is part of "People and Targeting" and more.

Go now, "right now" to http://www.LondreMarketing.com/stimulating_articles.php

Which Product or Service Will Be Advertised the Most During Super Bowl XLVII?

Here's a question that is asked in Marketing and Advertising classes, "Which product is advertised the most on the Super Bowl?"

During the broadcast, advertising time has also grown from 40 minutes, 15 seconds in 2001 — or 82 messages — to 45:10, or 84 messages in 2009. There was a big rise in 2010, to 47:50 and 104 commercials.

The product or service is not beers, movies or cars.

The Answer: It’s the network’s own programming promotion.

For Super Bowl XLVII, the Super Bowl will be on CBS. In a typical Super Bowl, 15% to 20% of all commercial time is a plug by the network for its own programming and shows.  Enjoy the game.


P.S. Find more fun questions and answers on a variety of marketing, advertising and media subjects at Londremarketing.com and, specifically at "DO YOU KNOW" and “Get the Answer.”

Super Bowl Ads in Super Bowl XLVII: Are They Worth the Millions

A question which come up in class every year in January and February. Are the Super Bowl XLVII Ads: Are They Worth the Millions?

Many messages will be conveyed in the commercials aired during Sunday February 3rd's Super Bowl. some will be uplifting, while some will be just dumb.

Each 30-second spot costs on average at least $3.7 to 3.8 million, with some topping $4 million each, plus production.

Are they worth it?

It's a question I ask my marketing and advertising students. That's a lot of product and services to have to sell in order to get a return on the advertiser's investment.

Generating sales revenue is tough in any market, and especially during today's economy. But it's a strategic opportunity for marketers to build and generate additional market share and enhance their brands versus their competition. Enjoy the Game. Both Games.


P.S. Find more fun questions and answers on a variety of marketing, advertising and media subjects at Londremarketing.com and, specifically at "DO YOU KNOW" and “Get the Answer.”

Super Bowl XLVII Questions and Answers: First Quarter of the Game, plus Longest Running, Exclusive Sponsor

Here are a couple of answers about the Super Bowl XLVII. You want, as an advertiser, to be usually in first quarter of the game, which averaged around $100K extra in pricing.

Prices for each "30 this year have averaged $3.7 to $3.8 million with some thirty-second spots costing over $4 million each. This premium is due to the larger audience and better chances that consumers will recall the ads early in the game. Viewers are usually “in a better state of mind.” Also positions in the first half of the game sell first for clients at the advertising agencies and media buying services.

Who is the longest running sponsor, and oh, by the way, an exclusive sponsorship?

Anheuser-Busch delivered four-and-a-half minutes during last year’s Super Bowl XLVI, the company’s 24th consecutive season as the exclusive malt beverage category advertiser. This year on February 3rd will be their 25th consecutive  year.

Also, on Tuesday, the Anheuser-Busch said it would run one or two commercials during the game for a new beer, Budweiser Black Crown.

Find more fun questions and answers on a variety of marketing, advertising and media subjects at Londremarketing.com and, specifically at  "DO YOU KNOW" and “Get the Answer,” on the top right. See you at the Game.  

How Many Marketing Concepts Are in the Press About the Dismissal of the Dealer Lawsuit Against Tesla?

In a word, “Many.” A little background, first. Dealers and dealer groups were trying to block Tesla Motors' retail stores in Massachusetts. There are other states involved, too. The dealer groups lost in Massachusetts when a judge dismissed their lawsuit against the electric vehicle maker.

What caught my eye was this line “…to introduce consumers to electric vehicle technology in an open, friendly, no-pressure (emphasis added by me) environment," Elon Musk, Tesla co-founder and CEO”

When Tesla started selling its Model S hatchback, Tesla planned to bypass the “traditional dealership network” to open its own stores.

Marketing Concepts

• Traditional Dealership Network
• Dealer Network
• Dealer Associations
• Distribution
• "Place,” one of the Nine P’s (http://www.londremarketing.com/documents/Londre-Marketing-Consultants-9Ps-10.11.2012.pdf)
• New Car Sales
• Models, as in car models, product line 
• Selling, as in “Selling cars directly to customers rather than setting up a dealership network.” 
• Market
• Entrepreneurs 
• Traditional Business
• Nameplate
• Customer Service
• Sales Strategy
• Retail Stores
• Factory Stores
• Franchises
• Unaffiliated Manufacturer 
• "Planning,” one of the Nine P’s (http://www.londremarketing.com/documents/Londre-Marketing-Consultants-9Ps-10.11.2012.pdf) 

You may also be interested that the franchised new-car dealership system goes back to the start of the auto industry, when hundreds of manufacturers were fighting for market share. They didn't have enough resources.  The setting up of showrooms was expensive and time-consuming for them. So automakers sold the right to sell and  market their cars in specific cities and regions.

From Autoweek and other media outlets.