A sort of off-topic blogpost right here, sort of related to marketing I guess, more off a focus on "Marketing Blogs".
After blogging for not very long, I've made very little progression, although personally I think my posts have became a bit more detailed, as well as more interesting posts. But the problem is the lack of blogs similar to this one ... Where are they all?
I've stumbled across a few which you will be able to find on my profile in the "reading list" (http://www.blogger.com/profile/06663843431741506482) but other than the very few I've found, nothing at all is creeping up.
I've seen thousands of Fashion blog's and Lifestyle blog's which must be the "in" thing, so I don't know whether Marketing blogs, especially from a students perspective are a sort of "niche" market, with very few of us.
Why is that? Why are there so little marketing students blogging about such topics, it maybe seen as the norm in several years time because of the increasing number of large corporations that use blogs to promote/comment on their products, meaning that young marketers like myself will need the skills and knowledge to create/manage a successful blog.
So... What can I do to find more Marketing blogs, that is the question! Feel free to comment below on anyways to find similar blog's, any advice would be much appreciated :)
The massive computer giants seriously messed up again, yes can you believe it? Just like Sony did with the release of their PS3, their main competitors, Microsoft, messed up big time with the initial announcement of their new 8th generation console the Xbox One.
Being a massive Xbox fan boy myself, I couldn't wait to see/hear about the next Xbox console, about how they were going to improve my gaming experience and "take my money" in a sense... but I don't think many predicted what Xbox had in store for us!
What they did to mess up
First of all, one of the most simplest most popular things people do with games cut out of the picture, borrowing games. Yes, borrowing games, no pre-owned Xbox One games, no borrowing to friends and family, SERIOUSLY MICROSOFT? Personally I'm not a massive fan of the "selling your old games" malarkey because of the simple fact that when at uni, with a lot of time on my hands, I'll pick out an old Xbox game to spend hours of time on, whether it be a game released last month or last year, but Microsoft's "In-genius" plan to take trading games out of the equation is just stupid!
Now some witty employees at Sony saw this opportunity after the announcement of the ridiculous feature from Microsoft and create a humorous mockery of their rivals at Microsoft, which became a very successful viral ad (13,246,760 views as off 23/06/2013) this can be seen below, so check it out!
The second mistake that Microsoft made with their next gen console was the online checking function, meaning that you would have to be connected to Xbox live on your new Xbox One console every 24 hours... so what your saying Microsoft is that if I don't fancy playing my Xbox everyday something might happen to my live, seriously Microsoft what are you playing at?
My theory - A really devious PR Ploy
But really...were you playing at that? Did you actually plan to make these features set, or was it a marketing ploy? Microsoft decided not too include these features that were a talking point on twitter as well as across the rest of the world wide web.
Looking through the internet I see lots and lots of people blogging and writing about how "Microsoft have listened to their users" and how they've "came to their senses" ... but I really don't think that, not at all.
Xbox twitter announcement
Personally, and this is a very personal opinion which could just be some sort of delusionally piece of rubbish poster on just another blog, but I think the whole thing was a clever marketing and PR ploy put together by the guys at Microsoft.
Who was talking about the PS4 for the few weeks after the announcement of the Xbox One and its features? Apart from the odd few saying " oh I'm getting a PS4 now" because of how obserd Microsoft had been with their new console, not many, not many people at all. But when Microsoft decided to say on twitter and on their site "We've listened to your opinions and acted" they've created them selves a lot of publicity, an image of "listening to what their loyal customers want" and "creating what's best for the customer".
So, if my theory is correct, Microsoft announced on their twitter and their website showing their acknowledgement for their customers wants of "removing" the features of the new console, but didn't plan too even include those features. BUT don't take this as a fact, just my opinion, and I guess a strong opinion at that.
So if im right, did they pull it off?
It's hard to tell really, a lot of my close friends decided then and their that they were to get a PS4 because of the outragous plans from Microsoft, but when the changes were anounced, it got them thinking. Yes the pricing of the Xbox One is still a lot more than the Sony Playstation ( I think around £100 more), but from my personal experiences, Xbox live as a feature, the gaming community, the controller (its seriously so much better) and every other part of the Xbox are just so much better than the PS4!
Just going to end this blogpost how I started it.... Well played Microsoft, Well played
IRN BRU, a very well known soft drink from Scotland made by BARR's just seem to have the best television adverts known to man. Yes this may be a little bit bias being a massive fan of IRN BRU, the reason for this probables being my dad, who seems to drink 4 litres + a day (Ohh and he's Scottish). Studying Marketing and Advertising Management, I thought that this would be relevant to my degree (some how) & an interest of mine (or should I say I just have a healthy addiction too IRN BRU).
A whole line of fannys
One of the most recent IRN BRU adverts I've seen is the "Fanny" advert, which mixes Scottish humour with the revealing taste of their product. This ad involves a family that have just given birth to a baby girl, which the family decide in the end to name Fanny.
" Advertising can be used to ahieve a number of DRIP- based outcomes. It can be used to Diffrentiate and position position brands, it can be used to reinforce brand messages, and it can easily inform and even persuade audiences to think and behave about and around products, services, brands and organisations." (Chris Fill, 2009)
BARR created this advert very well, taking into account all aspects of DRIP "Diffrentiate, Remind/Reassure, Inform and Persaude". They differentiate through the use of the Scottish humour, reminded those of their product "IRN BRU", informed the public of how IRN BRU can "Calm your nerves" essentially (not an actual trait of IRN BRU realisticly) and persuade you to go out and buy their product! They use this humour in their other adverts, and is what differentiates them from the competitors such as coke. An advert like this also causes contraversy, which is a very good thing if you use the term "any publicity is good publicity", as although some complaints are made, it gets it into the spotlight and gets more and more people onto the "FANNY" craze!!!
One downside I guess you could say about the IRN BRU adverts is the Scottish twist too it. Although the majority of people who have the advert broadcasted to them ( UK) will understand any slang used or the accent of the actors in the Ad's, not everyone would, me knowing this through personal experience (people not having a clue what my dad says lol), but other than that, BARR's, keep em coming!!!
BARR and their PR
Aswell as their ad campaign, BARR's also cleverly started a PR campaign to indirectly fight back at one of their main competitors, Coca-cola. Coca-Cola started the "share a coke" campaign several weeks back in the UK after it being succesful in other countries in the past. the share a coke campaign involves putting peoples names onto the labels of their coke bottles, trying to push people to go into the store and look through the shelves to find their name on a coke can/bottle, or to even give a coke to someone as a gift (obviously with that persons name on). BARR's saw an oppertunity, and cleverly took it with a very witty "comeback" at their competitors, with the release of the "FANNY" can as seen below. Why get a coke bottle with your name on it, when you can get the great taste of an IRN BRU can with fanny on it, ey?
Coca-Cola's "share a coke" campaign
IRN BRU Fanny can
But no, BARR's haven't stopped their fanny'en about there, they've even started a "Fanny of the week" which involves a person being picked each week to be the IRN BRU Fanny of the week, that will feature on their facebook page, talk about interacting with the public?! Fanny of the week involves members of the public emailing in a picture, your name, adress, date of birth to contact@agbarr.co.uk .... might just do that myself! (Found at http://www.irn-bru.co.uk/news/fanny-wee)
So whats my view on BARR's advertising and PR? Well where to I start, interaction, humour, promotion, competitiveness and an amazing product... what more could you ask for? Each advert I see just get's me bad laughing I cant help myself! All I have to say is keep at what your doing BARR, keep your ginger tasting like it does, and keep on being fanny's! As for the other soft drink manufactureres like the Coca-Cola company, what are you playing at? Yes you might have that chilled out image, but where is your sense of humor??
Ohh and if by any chance a member of the IRN BRU marketing department creep upon this blog post, just tell me where to sign up!
