Culture Shift In Gender-Specific Play

 

"Construction toys for girls, once a well-intentioned but unsuccessful part of the toy market, are blossoming. Small toy makers littleBits, GoldieBlox Inc. and Maykah Inc. are marketing products they say can bolster spatial skills, which recent research has linked to degrees and careers in these disciplines."

Researches show that spatial skills are directly connected to the ability one has in math and engineering. Boys have higher spatial abilities than girls. Spatial skill "it is one of the largest cognitive sex differences," says David Lubinski, a professor of psychology at Vanderbilt University; and parents collaborate to this difference when they reinforce gender- specific play. New researches show that spatial skills can be improved with practice, and that building toys can positively impact girl's math and engineering skills. Upon this finding, small and big toys companies are investing heavily in this opportunity to extend their product line to girl's friendly construction toys. Not pink blocks, but storytelling construction toys. For years the toys industry didn't explore this market because they didn't understand their consumers. I couldn't care less to build pink blocks when I was growing up, but I loved to play with my cousin's Legos because we added stories to the construction play. However, I never owned my own Lego because they didn't offer the features the society labels for girls toys. This new research is a great opportunity for the shift in culture belief. Both boys and girls can play with kitchen toys, doll, constructions toys, and toy car.

Source:http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324504704578411194039125724.html?mod=WSJ_hp_EditorsPicks

Is It The End Of The PC Era?

" In a surprisingly harsh assessment, IDC said Windows 8 hasn't only failed to spur more PC demand but has actually exacerbated the slowdown—confusing consumers with features that don't excel in a tablet mode and compromise the traditional PC experience."

PC companies were hopeful that Windows 8 would spur PC sales, but unfortunately that was not the reality. Windows 8 innovations failed to stimulate sale of PCs. In fact, it drove some consumers away. Consumers are confused with the new software, and they rather by tablets than upgrade their Windows 7. In addition,   business owners say that the cost of switching from Windows 7 to Windows 8 is high considering the minimal benefit gained in the upgrade. The new technology will take time to be adopted, but the drastically fall in computers' sale show that this industry need differentiation soon, and Windows 8 may be their hope.  

Source: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324695104578414973888155516.html

Shift In Consumer's Demand

 

"Microsoft's tablet ambitions, combined with planned price breaks for its flagship software and updates in coming months to its Windows operating software, paint the picture of a company trying to move more quickly than ever to counter urgent threats to its $75 billion software empire"

Technology companies need to be flexible regarding their marketing strategy to accommodate the fast changing in consumer's demand. Microsoft introduced the Surface tablets in order to compete in this new market. After external analysis Microsoft realized that it needed to introduce a smaller version of its current Surface Tablet to compete with Google 7- Inched Nexus and Mini iPad. The company will introduce a 7- Inch Tablet at the end of the year. There are also indication that the company plans to break prices for its Windows and Office software as part of a strategy to spur lower-cost touch-screen devices enabled by its Windows software. Microsoft is transitioning from a software maker to a "devices and services" company. With this new denomination Microsoft aims to maintain market share and diversify its product mix since the sales of computers and laptops have decreased drastically threatening the existence of the company. The demand for personal-computer is  changing and so it is Microsoft core businesses. 

Source: online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323741004578415661035812902.html   

"Quanto Mais Mariana Melhor"

Our lecture last class made me think about the extraordinary marketing campaign Coca-Cola Zero had in Brazil, and its successful impact in the social media. Coca-Cola Brazil adapted an Australian marketing campaign created by Ogilvy Sidney to the Brazilian market in 2012. This campaign has the strategy to print 150 different cans and bottles with the 150 most common Brazilian names. Everyone wanted to find their name in a can/bottle, and consequently whoever found their name posted a picture of the can/bottle on social media. I only knew about this campaign because my Facebook feeds kept telling me that a friend of mine found their can/bottle. Coca-Cola said that they are using the knowledge acquire from this campaign to adapt the strategy to other countries. I wish I could find "QUANTO MAIS Mariana MELHOR".    

Sources: http://www.thehmt.com/brazil-coke-zero-jumps-onto-mass-personalisation-trend
              http://apaixonadapelobrasil.wordpress.com/2013/01/17/the-best-marketing-campaign-ever/
              http://www.meioemensagem.com.br/home/comunicacao/noticias/2012/07/31/Coca-Zero-imprime-nomes-em-embalagens.html

J.C.Penney Buys Time

"Cash-strapped J.C. Penney Co. JCP +1.38% drew $850 million from a credit line to help fund its day-to-day operations, buying time for new chief executive Myron "Mike" Ullman to reverse sagging sales at the department store operator while it looks for ways to raise additional capital."

J.C.Penney's new CEO has a hard work ahead to gain back J.C.Penney's customers loyalty and brand equity. This article says that before borrowing $1.85 billion from its banks, Penney wouldn't have enough cash to support its operation for more than one year. In addition, the company currently has CCC+ credit rating based on S&P rating system. The changes made during Ron Johnson's leadership hurt the company's sales as well as its brand equity. Mr. Ullman is likely to continue with some aspects of Mr. Johnson's vision on creating a myriad boutique-like shops within J.C. Penney stores while going back to the old J.C.Penney's coupons and odd prices (9.99). We are all watching Mr. Ullman's next move.

Source: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324485004578424423870595916.html?mod=business_newsreel

Zuckerberg Is Not Only Interested In You Personal Life

"The 28-year-old Facebook Inc. chief executive is in the process of co-organizing a political advocacy group made up of top technology leaders that would push federal legislative reform on issues ranging from immigration to education"

When I read this article it made me think about the marketing strategy behind this. Facebook  has more users than any other social media website. What a better way to impact federal legislative reforms than the pressure of 1.06 billion active users worldwide*.  You must remember the equal sign campaign to support same sex marriage. It was a big hit! Having a political group formed by Mark Zuckerberg will put him in a position of leader of a new generation, and consequently, the new generation will be attractive to Facebook because they will want to support or not the cause endorsed by this group. I believe that Facebook will be around for a long time since it is often innovating itself. 

Source: om/article/SB10001424127887324105204578384781088854740.html?mod=WSJ_business_whatsNews
* data from http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-57566550-93/facebook-by-the-numbers-1.06-billion-monthly-active-users/

Maybe Funny But Certainly Not Appropriate

"A top Ford Motor Co. executive formally apologized Wednesday while the auto maker's Indian advertising agency unit fired an undisclosed number of workers following a series of controversial proposed advertisements to promote Ford's Figo subcompact car."

JWT India's employee didn't have Ford's or JWT's authorization to publicize the unappropriated series of ads featuring Paris Hilton, the Kardashian sister, Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, and  Formula One drivers Michael Schumacher, Sebastian Vettel, Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso. Someone in the company uploaded the ads in a website called Ads of the World, which gives monthly awards to ads submitted by users. Minutes after, the entire web had access to the ads. It is clearly that the employees responsible for this either didn't understand the power of the internet or didn't think the ads were offensive or creative enough to make international headlines (well.. they were). The ads came in a very sensitive moment in India. The country's parliament recently approved a bill that aims to strengthen sexual assault legislation. The publicity wouldn't be so negative if India wasn't going through a very delicate moment since the horrific gang rape and death of a young Indian woman in December. The employee's of JWT that created and uploaded the ads didn't analyze the market situation and the possible consequences of their non-authorized ads. 

Source: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324685104578386000459196108.html?mod=WSJ_business_whatsNews