Quoted – Apple’s Leaky Vietnamese Connection

Apple bling iPhone wallpaper
Image by The Pug Father via Flickr

Why so many Apple leaks from Vietnam? Once again, the Vietnamese blog Tinhte has revealed what could be a real-deal upcoming Apple product. The blog recently showed a new MacBook days before Apple announced it, as well as an iPhone prototype that looks very much like the 4th-gen device Gizmodo obtained last month. This time, Tinthe has shown an iPod touch with a 2MP camera.

Since tight control over new product information is an important part of Apple’s success strategy in its markets, this latest rash of leaks — multiple fourth-generation iPhones, information on MacBooks and now this supposed iPod — must be disturbing to the company. However, it shouldn’t be surprising, according to Scott Testa, a professor of business administration at Cabrini College in Philadelphia.

“If you’re a large company, and you’re outsourcing R&D and manufacturing, you’re going to have leaks,” he told MacNewsWorld. “That stuff is going to happen.”

While the Tinhte leaks may have minimal impact on Apple’s marketing strategy, Cabrini contended, that’s not the case with another lapse in the company’s information control: the obtaining of an iPhone prototype by the gadget website Gizmodo.

“Apple gains a lot marketing firepower from the secrecy of their products,” he asserted. “The loss of the prototype did much more damage than the other [leaks].”

While the Tinhte leaks may have minimal impact on Apple’s marketing strategy, Cabrini contended, that’s not the case with another lapse in the company’s information control: the obtaining of an iPhone prototype by the gadget website Gizmodo.

“Apple gains a lot marketing firepower from the secrecy of their products,” he asserted. “The loss of the prototype did much more damage than the other [leaks].”

http://www.macnewsworld.com/story/Apples-Leaky-Vietnamese-Connection-70042.html

Reblog this post [with Zemanta]

Quoted – Marketing to the Mommies – Demo Dirt

6 23 09 Bearman Cartoon John and Kate copy
Image by Bearman2007 via Flickr

Marketing to the Mommies

Marketers should approach mothers and women without children differently, says a Prospectiv “What Women Want” survey, which found that women with kids and women without have different reactions to various forms of online marketing.

Are mommy bloggers losing their influence? Marketing expert Scott Testa says that there is “no right or wrong answer.”

“If you look at samples, it costs less to a company to send them to a blogger than to a lot of mothers,” Testa, professor of business administration at Philadelphia-based Cabrini College. “The idea is to find out who these influential bloggers are and get information or samples to them and you can touch a market at a lower cost. It is cost-effective solution at getting the word out.”

Whether mommy bloggers are wielding less or more influence today than in the past is difficult to say, Testa adds, but there are still a few women who many moms still look to for product recommendations.

“In the blogging universe in general, some mommy bloggers hold considerable sway with their readership and to get them on your side is a very powerful thing,” he says. “Certain ones can influence new products launches and the effectiveness of new marketing campaigns, and there are some that can’t. It depends on the blogger herself and how big her audience is and how much sway she has with them.”

When it comes to marketing, Testa says he finds it “hard to believe” that reaching women with children versus women without would involve great differences in strategy, but agrees that some methods of online marketing would be more effective for some groups than for others.

“As for mommy blogging, the FCC is discussing whether to have mommy bloggers disclose how much compensation they are getting,” he explains. “When it comes to mommy blogging, that is an issue we may see come to a head in the next few months.”

http://www.demodirt.com/index.php/women/consumer-spending/303-marketing-to-the-mommies

Reblog this post [with Zemanta]

Myspace significantly reduces staffs to compete with fast growing Facebook.

Image representing MySpace as depicted in Crun...
Image via CrunchBase

Can you believe that Myspace is letting go 30% of it workers? That is so crazy. I remember, when Myspace first started, all of my friends created an account and could not stop talking about it. Myspace was the premiere social networking site on the internet. But now its growth cycle is on its way down because of the new social networking site such as Facebook and Twitter.

I cannot believe it. What a pity but desperate times call for desperate measures. Can Myspace save itself by cutting down the fact? Should myspace renew it website? What do you think? Is the same going to happen to Facebook and Twitter if a new social networking site is created? I hope not, but the evolution you never know.

Now no one talks about myspace anymore. It is like myspace has never existed despite its popularity. This is the night mare part of business when it comes to evolution. What is lost for such a powerful company. Can Myspace compete against facebook and twitter? I do not know how about you?

Reblog this post [with Zemanta]

Firms know what to look for when it comes to target marketing

An example of street markets accepting credit ...
Image via Wikipedia

Some firms are very good and know what to do when it comes to target market selections.  Target market adapts the marketing mix for one or more segment.  Credit card companies for instance target young college students like me.  They hope to influence the way I buy things. Just yesterday, a credit card company called me to tell me that I have been selected to receive a certain credit dollars from the company even though they know that do not an income right now. Because, I am a college student they are banking on me getting a good job with good disposable income.

The credit card companies take big risk but it must pay off because they have been doing that for many years.  Sometimes, I wonder if they make profit this way. Because, I believe and I am sure that not every credit card holder is able to pay off their loan. Credit card companies continue to do this so the data must support their decision.

Credit t card companies are not doing so well these days; it is interesting to see if they will change their tactics.

Reblog this post [with Zemanta]

Marketing can be cheap but still effective

Cover of Madea's Class Reunion.
Image via Wikipedia

When I went the movie last weekend saw the movie “Madea Goes to Jail” I only chose this movie because one of my friends recommended it to me. She told me that the movie was very funny. I watched the movie and yes it was worthy. Although I did see many advertisements for the movie I was not impressed enough by them to make me go see the movie.

It was not until when my friend told me that “M you must see this movie, I promise, it is pretty funny”. So after that I decided to spend my money and time to go see the movie. What? I am a college student with no job so I have limited funds.

I can only describe my decision to see the movie as a Word Of Mouth marketing (WOM). I doubt that Tyler Perry paid my friend any money to advertise the movie “Madea Goes to Jail”. WOM is a type of marketing that does not cost much, but if you put out good product it pays for its own marketing many times. But be aware that it is worth the same way if the product is not good.

Reblog this post [with Zemanta]