Final Project: SWOT anaylsis

 A marketer should conduct a SWOT analysis, by which it evaluates the company’s overall strengths (S), weaknesses (W), opportunities (O), and threats (T)

The strength of Verb vodka is its pricing as well as its openness to promote sexual responsibility as well as drinking responsibility,. Verb vodka’s weakness is the fact that it is so new and that it’s taking such a bold stance out the gate. Verb vodkas openness can be a major opportunity in the sense that it can open up future partnerships with condom companies. Our threats are all the condom companies that are against a partnership as well as the other mid level vodkas in our price range.

Strengths include internal capabilities, resources, positive situational factors that may help the company to serve its customers and achieve its objectives. Weaknesses include internal limitations and negative situational factors that may interfere with the company’s performance. Opportunities are favorable factors or trends in the external environment that the company may be able to exploit to its advantage. And threats are unfavorable external factors or trends that may present challenges to performance.

Final Project: Target marketing stratagy

Geographic segmentation – based on location such as home addresses; Demographic segmentation – based on measurable statistics, such as age or income; Psychographic segmentation – based on lifestyle preferences, such as being urban dwellers or pet lovers.

Our target market at Verb Vodka is 18-30 year old African American male and females. Studies show the African American neighborhoods with the most poverty consume the most alcohol as well as have the largest teen pregnancy rates. We will use Psychological segmentation t encourage drinking but packaging it with condoms to help lower the pregnancy rate.

Final Project: Objectives

The company’s objectives should be defined in specific terms so management can measure progress and plan corrective action if needed to stay on track. This section describes any major issues that might affect the company’s marketing strategy and implementation.

The objective of Verb vodka is to provide the experience that comes with the consumption of the product consistently at a high level at an on demand basis, based upon rigorous demographics and constant contact with distribution centers as well as retailers.

Marketing managers and researchers must work closely together to define the problem and agree on research objectives. The manager best understands the decision for which information is needed; the researcher best understands marketing research and how to obtain the information. Defining the problem and research objectives is often the hardest step in the research process. The manager may know that something is wrong, without knowing the specific causes.

Final Project: marketing mix product

A firm can obtain new products in two ways. One is through acquisition—by buying a whole company, a patent, or a license to produce someone else’s product. The other is through the firm’s own new-product development efforts. By new products we mean original products, product improvements, product modifications, and new brands that the firm develops through its own research-and-development (R&D) efforts. In this chapter, we concentrate on new-product development.

Verb vodka is a completely original product/company. We provide consumer products and  our own R & D.

Products and services fall into two broad classes based on the types of consumers that use them—consumer products and industrial products. Broadly defined, products also include other marketable entities such as experiences, organizations, persons, places, and ideas.

Final Project: marketing mix distributiom

Companies often pay too little attention to their distribution channels, sometimes with damaging results. In contrast, many companies have used imaginative distribution systems to gain a competitive advantage. FedEx’s creative and imposing distribution system made it a leader in express delivery. Enterprise revolutionized the car-rental business by setting up off-airport rental offices. And Apple turned the retail music business on its head by selling music for the iPod via the Internet on iTunes.

Verb vodka will be distributed to liquor stores and clubs via truck and cargo plane depending on the regional demand. We will not own any of these vehicles we will contract out companies to handle these duties. This will help our cost effectiveness and overall efficiency in regards to timely turn around of products.

Distribution channel decisions often involve long-term commitments to other firms. For example, companies such as Ford, HP, or McDonald’s can easily change their advertising, pricing, or promotion programs. They can scrap old products and introduce new ones as market tastes demand. But when they set up distribution channels through contracts with franchisees, independent dealers, or large retailers, they cannot readily replace these channels with company-owned stores or Web sites if conditions change. Therefore, management must design its channels carefully, with an eye on tomorrow’s likely selling environment as well as today’s.

Final Project: marketing mix promotion

Sales promotion tools are used by most organizations, including manufacturers, distributors, retailers, and not-for-profit institutions. They are targeted toward final buyers (consumer promotions), retailers and wholesalers (trade promotions), business customers (business promotions), and members of the sales force (sales force promotions). Today, in the average consumer packaged-goods company, sales promotion accounts for 74 percent of all marketing expenditure

Verb vodka will utilize radio and print media for promotion. As well try to form partnerships with recording artist and nightclubs for exclusive promotion.  The typical radio and print ads will serve as supplemental promotion. We will invest most of time trying to establish a relationship with record companies and clubs for easy product placement as well as potential big names to give us brand recognition and association.

Sales promotion objectives vary widely. Sellers may use consumer promotions to urge short-term customer buying or to enhance customer brand involvement. Objectives for trade promotions include getting retailers to carry new items and more inventory, buy ahead, or promote the company’s products and give them more shelf space. For the sales force, objectives include getting more sales force support for current or new products or getting salespeople to sign up new accounts.

Final Project: marketing mix price

Even small differences in price can signal product differences. Consider a stereo receiver priced at $300 compared to one priced at $299.99. The actual price difference is only 1 cent, but the psychological difference can be much greater. For example, some consumers will see the $299.99 as a price in the $200 range rather than the $300 range. The $299.99 will more likely be seen as a bargain price, whereas the $300 price suggests more quality. Some psychologists argue that each digit has symbolic and visual qualities that should be considered in pricing. Thus, 8 is round and even and creates a soothing effect, whereas 7 is angular and creates a jarring effect.

Verb vodka will go for the retail price of  $24.99 7.5L at your local liquor store for the chocolate and strawberry flavors and $34.99 for the rhino horn flavor. This will put us in the middle of the road as far as competition goes. The price was going to be lower but an executive decision was made to include two condoms thus raising the price $5.00 respectively.

Price says something about the product. For example, many consumers use price to judge quality. A $100 bottle of perfume may contain only $3 worth of scent, but some people are willing to pay the $100 because this price indicates something special.

Final Project: Implemation Evaluation Control

For effective implementation and control, the marketing plan should define how progress toward objectives will be measured. Managers typically use budgets, schedules, and performance standards for monitoring and evaluating results. With budgets, they can compare planned expenditures with actual expenditures for a given week, month, or other period. Schedules allow management to see when tasks were supposed to be completed—and when they were actually completed.

Verb vodka will set quarterly milestones centered around nightlife buzz on a social standard and actual amount of units being distributed and sold for a more tangible standard. All standards will be approximations and social and economical issues that can hinder sales will be taken into account. The president of the company will make all decisions and he will be expected to do everything in his power to keep these standards high yet feasibly maintainable.

Performance standards track the outcomes of marketing programs to see whether the company is moving toward its objectives. Some examples of performance standards are: market share, sales volume, product profitability, and customer satisfaction.

Week 10 BOC, EOC: Who is Les Paul

Les Paul is the father of hard body guitars. Thus making him a legend. he made the sound of rock and roll possible. He wasn't the first to adapt overdubbing but he was one of many who experimented with it and made it popular world wide. He also helped popularize tape delays and phasing effects. he died in August 2009. Today is his birthday he would have been 96 years old. Happy birthday and thanks for making the world sound that much cooler!  http://goo.gl/doodle/PFYA

EOC Week 9: Three Great Mission Statements

I like Danielle’s mission statement "Cheap Ass vodka strives to maintain the absolute lowest cost vodka in every market to provide our customers with the ultimate inebriated experience." It’s simple to the point and very realistic, being in her targeted demographic I can appreciate that. I like Keri’s mission statement "It is our responsibility to make, distribute and sell the finest quality all natural, hand selected Vodka and with a continued commitment to incorporate wholesome, all natural ingredients and promote business practices that respect the Earth and the Environment. Which in turn, will give you the most natural experience On the Rocks." After reading this statement I felt a genuine sense of responsibility is taken in every aspect of the vodka. I feel like this is a top shelf premium brand even though there was no mention of price, I would buy this and have friends over to brag about how luxurious I am. I also liked Sean’s mission statement “…The Vice Vodka Collection passes down to you some of the best tastes from around the world in your glass. Vice Vodka is made with many alchemical methods…”The wordplay of this mission statement is really clean. After I read it I felt as if hip hop moguls drink this vodka. Almost like the vodka has an exclusive aura about it. As the book says “Mission statements should be meaningful and specific yet motivating.” I feel as if all three of these products came through on that side of things

Week 9 EOC: Creative Content

The creative content that I will have for VERB vodka is twofold. First I will have a picture for what I would like to be as a magazine print ad. This will showcase the Rhino Horn Experience flavor and a tag encouraging drinking and having sex responsibly. The second is a series of radio commercials promoting the three flavors of verb vodka. These commercials will vary in length from 15 seconds to potentially forty five seconds I have yet decided. I will be scripting recording and sound designing the radio commercials myself and I have a very vivid idea for the print ad but I don’t have the skills to bring that idea to life so I will more than likely get out side help.

week 8 EOC: What makes my vodka special narative

VERB vodka is a very special product.  The infusions of infatuating scents that come from the different flavors are amazing. VERB vodka comes from exceptional wheat grains grown in great fields of the United States, water distilled from Crater Lake, and triple filtered.  Chocolate delight and Strawberry Spanish fly are forty percent alcohol by volume. The Rhino Horn experience is fifty percent alcohol by volume. All VERB vodka products come packaged with two condoms, to promote sexual responsibility.

Final Project: Business Mission Statement

Mission statements should be meaningful and specific yet motivating. The mission of Verb Vodka is to give a quality beverage to accent a good time, as well as promoting responsibility when consuming alcoholic beverages and participating in sexual activities. Verb vodka like “some companies—such as Patagonia, Ben & Jerry’s, Timberland, and others—are practicing “caring capitalism,” setting themselves apart by being civic-minded and responsible. They are building social responsibility and action into their company value and mission statements.” that is why every bottle of Verb Vodka comes packed with two condoms. Verb vodka prides it’s self on being the beverage that leads to a sensual and pleasurable experience, yet Verb Vodka understands the importance of being responsible in that arena also.

EOC Week : 7 and Final Project Pitch

VERB vodka, “Vodka for those who like action” is an inexpensive alcoholic beverage that is also an aphrodisiac. 80 Proof alcohol by volume.  VERB comes in three sexy flavors chocolate delight, Strawberry Spanish fly, and The Rhino Horn Experience. Science shows that the top aphrodisiacs are chocolate, strawberries, Spanish flies, Rhino Horns as well as alcohol. The chocolate delight and strawberry Spanish fly flavors are infused with the scent of sensual chocolate and seductive strawberries respectively. The Rhino Horn Experience is a potentially orgasmic blast so intense it’s illegal in China. VERB offers not only a sexy taste but a more active libido to compliment it.

EOC Week 6: Me x 3

Three products that I use are Sony MDR-7506 Headphones, Converse brand shoes, and Zebra -301 ink pens. Sony MDR -7506 headphones are professional grade studio headphones. I bought these headphones for two reasons. First off after doing a lot of research and watching random videos of musicians in the studio I found that they are industry standard headphones. The second reason why I purchased them was because I need a pair of reliable and accurate headphones; by accurate I mean no adding or boosting of any frequencies of a recording. The Sony MDR-7506 headphones have a flat response of 20 -20000 Hertz which also happens to be the range of human hearing. This was a perfect purchase for me seeing that I am an aspiring Audio Professional and I want my mixes to translate across all mediums, having the slightest boost or cut in frequencies can throw off an entire mix because I will be trying to compensate for something that isn’t there. The second purchase I make is Converse brand shoes. I am a fanatic I currently own 22 pairs of converse Chuck Taylor all star hi-top shoes. The reason is I enjoy how comfortable they are and I love the tradition. Converse was the first basketball shoe and many legends of basketball have worn or been endorsed by the brand. They even footed the soldiers of World War One. My father also woe converse Chuck Taylor all star hi-tops growing up and still owns a pair to this day. As a child I wanted to be like my father, but my love for converse didn’t take off until I was 18 years old. Being so deeply involved with music and various cultures I decided to get obsessed. Zebra- 301 pens are my favorite for every activity whether writing songs or taking notes in class. I feel being comfortable and a smooth writing pen is essential to getting your thoughts on paper.

Week 5 EOC: Sony Sleuths-Marketing

Recently Sony was hacked twice. The first time 70 million customers personal information was compromised. The second time 10 million customers credit card information was obtained. Sony said it discovered a file left on its servers called "Anonymous." The contents of that file said "We are Legion," which is the tagline of a loosely affiliated group of Internet vigilantes dubbed Anonymous.  Anonymous, which attacked the websites of credit-card firms in December, had said it would target Sony in retaliation for a lawsuit the firm brought against a popular hacker, George Hotz. Anonymous took credit for disabling Sony websites but denied involvement in the data breach. Many customers weren’t upset that their personal information was obtained, but they were more upset that they couldn’t access the Playstation Network to play games online. Sony described in a letter to Congress the "large-scale cyberattack" that pried loose personal information on more than 100 million of its online gaming accounts. Nick Wingfield reports.. Sony’s net worth is over $45 billion, I feel that from a marketing service Sony should offer free downloads to all their customers on the Playstation Network for free for the equivalent amount of time the network remains down. The fact that customers are so loyal that they disregard the major threat of identity theft is amazing and Sony can actually expand their markets due to this situation. I myself am an Microsoft Xbox 360 user and Microsoft will nickel and dime you at any chance they get regardless to who is at fault. If Sony to offer free downloads for the equivalent time period yes they would lose money but they would open a lot of eyes in the marketing departments of their competition. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703849204576302970153688918.html?KEYWORDS=sony

Week 4 EOC: App for that

Three Apps that I think will make the world a better place are “Pro tools control surface” “wi-find-a-printer” “smart silence”.  The “pro tools control surface” would be amazingly productive for all audio professionals. A control surface is a device that lets the user control what’s on the screen remotely with a more comfortable device, for example in the audio world a mixer is more ideal than a mouse and keyboard. In the audio field speed and efficiency is the most important part of one’s success. Therefore being able to control every function as you would if you were sitting in front of a computer while mobile increases your productivity vastly. The “Wi-Find-a-printer” app automatically links your apple device to a wireless printer in the area. This is perfect for the traveling business person or college student who doesn’t have access to a desktop and or laptop connected to a printer. This would also be great for the commuter who does all their business on a mobile device. Have you ever been in a class and your Iphone goes off and you lost professionalism points? Aren’t you tired of having to manually adjust your volume? Well with the smart silence app it automatically changes your volume based on the wi fi signal in a previously visited location. This app lets you determine exactly the volume level of your phone as soon as the stored wi fi signal is picked up, making life for the average college student a lot easier.i feel these apps will  be extremely useful (even if they are already invented) and will help make the iPhone world a more productive and less distracting place.

Week 3 EOC: My Demographics

Generation y is the 83 million children of the baby boomers, born between 1977 and 2000. One thing that all of the  Millennial’s have in common is their utter fluency and comfort with digital technology. They don’t just embrace technology; it’s a way of life. The Millennial were the first generation to grow up in a world filled with computers, cell phones, satellite TV, iPods, and online social networks. A recent study found that 91 percent of Millennial are on the Web, making up 32 percent of all U.S. Internet users. According to another study, 77 percent of Millennial frequent social networking sites and 71 percent use instant messaging. “All generations are comfortable with technology, but this is the generation that’s been formed by technology,” says a Yahoo! executive. For them, “it’s not something separate. It’s just something they do

                According to the research above I fit into the stereotype of my generation. I have a Facebook and a Myspace (though I don’t use it). I have owned 3 ipods and I feel lost without my cell phone. I’m not completely reliant on technology. I prefer paper books over eBooks. As far as being an audio professional I prefer analog equipment over digital and I can’t stand digital replicas of analog gear. I still listen to the radio vs. Pandora or an mp3 player/ iPod.