Week 4 EOC: There's An App For That

In the world of smart phones and especially iPhones, most people have now come to rely on the wonderful app world to guide them through their daily lives. It is now very easy to completely customize your smart phone to a person’s specific needs. I have become one of those people. There is now a huge market for the app world. People are making money simply off creating a new iPhone app. I have often thought, “Is there an app for that.” Well my daily life revolves around work and school. The 3 apps that would help me get through my days would maybe save me countless stress and time. One app I have thought of is something that would make just about everything on my phone voice activated. With more cities outlawing the use of phones while driving, and let’s all admit the growing dangers of it, we all could use this. Simply start the app and speak a command. It would work much in the same way the new cars have voice-activated features. So you could have your texts or e-mails read to you, as well as dictate a new message while sitting in morning traffic. Another app that would be very useful to me would be

Week 3 EOC: My Demographics

“One thing that all of the Millennials 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 Millennials were the first generation to grow up in a world filled with computers, cellphones, satellite TV, iPods, and online social networks.” [Armstrong & Kotler (2011). Marketing: An Introduction, 10th Ed. Prentice Hall Publishing] Is that really who I am? As a generation we are summed up so succinctly. Well  yes I am at ease at a computer and I can, for the most part, navigate around most common forms of technology. My cell phone is no longer a phone, it is much more; almost a constant companion. My sidekick at all times. But I can also put down the laptop and iPhone long enough to pick up a book and enjoy a good read. I do much more texting and messaging than ever speaking to anyone on the phone or holding actual conversations. But that is the way I feel my generation has been pushed to. Everything youthful and important much be part of the newest technology. “However, the Millennials are bombarded with marketing messages coming at them from all directions.” This statement I completely agree with. I often feel bored down with so much information and ads and just stuff. If I want certain things I am very well equipped to seek it out myself. I don’t need my inbox filled with ads and coupons. Now the website of  my favorite radio station from LA is cluttered with ads that I just close it out and don’t check the site as often. I don’t have a lot of money, but the money I do spend I spend where I really want and not on the cheapest thing. Although, as a woman I am the exception as I am content buying most of my clothes at Target where I can find better deals. When it comes down to it, as a generation we don’t need to be hit at from every single angle to get us to buy. We for the most part know what we want and how to go out and get it. The constant bombardment of information just turns us off as consumers.

Week 3 EOC: Making Money for Good

A different way to sustain a charity came with TOMS Shoe Company. The company is a for profit charity, which means they are self sustaining. They are not limited by having to rely on donors to run their charity. Other companies have followed this charity/ business model and in a struggling economy are actually succeeding. “‘But despite these hard times, a few companies who have chosen to swim against the current by actually giving back some of what they earn are recording record profits. But these aren't the corporate donations carefully orchestrated by a clever PR department looking to bolster the company image.” [http://www.huffingtonpost.com/andrew-shapter/despite-economy-not-only_b_486607.html] KIND Snacks and Stubb’s BBQ are two fairly new companies making this business model work and giving to charity at the same time. But larger companies are getting involved as well.  One of which is the internet mogul Google. “The ambitious founders of Google, the popular search engine company, have set up a philanthropy, giving it seed money of about $1 billion and a mandate to tackle poverty, disease and global warming. But unlike most charities, this one will be for-profit, allowing it to fund start-up companies, form partnerships with venture capitalists and even lobby Congress. It will also pay taxes.” http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/14/technology/14google.html?_r=1&ex=1158897600&en=8e001539df9e4e0e&ei=5087%0A
There are still much controversy about this type of charity model. The issue of the company’s true interested always has to be asked. Is the company really using a charity front in order to gain profits or are they truly trying to do some good?
“Though if you’re worried about what a for-profit mentality might do to a charitable organization, Larry Brilliant, executive director of Google.org, told The New York Times, “We’re not doing it for the profit.” He mentioned that while he would like company projects to turn a profit, it wouldn’t really matter if they didn’t. “If we didn’t get our capital back, so what? The emphasis is on social returns, not economic returns.’” [http://www.looktothestars.org/news/137-google-org-operating-as-a-for-profit-charitable-organization]

Week 2 EOC: Boston Consulting Group- Video Games

At a time when the financial climate is so unstable, the video game industry is more uncertain than ever. Last year the industry was reporting growth, but by the end of 2010 the market slowed down and they reported losses. The market is now facing much more competition than ever, which is changing the environment drastically.  The true question here is who is the leader of the gaming market? Since the Wii came out it has arguably ruled the marketplace. Its direct competitor Playstation 3 has fallen behind. Xbox hasn’t been able to keep up with either systems, but still remains a major player in the competition. Now there is a new player, Microsoft’s Kinect, which has made an impact but still not selling the keep the market afloat for too long. “According to a study by Strategy Analytics, The video game market worldwide has grown by over 50% in the period 2005-2010 thanks to the popularity of console games like the Wii and PS3. However, it is believed that Wii has already peaked in sales and will decline post 2011.” [http://gorumors.com/crunchies/video-gaming-console-market/]
If trying to place the gaming consoles in a Growth Matrix, based on sales this year, the Wii and Playstation would be the Cash Cow,  the Kinect would be the Star, PC Games would be the dog due to their lack of real competition in the market, and smart phones would be the question mark. Smart phones offer a brand new range in the market and have a relatively low cost so far. “Smartphone subscribers will drive the mobile gaming market upwards, comScore states, noting that these users are more likely to play games on their handsets.”
[http://news.softpedia.com/news/Smartphones-Help-US-Mobile-Gaming-Market-Increase-139866.shtml]
The market is at a down time and desperately looking for something new and revolutionary to pull it out. “The advent of numerous smart devices featuring enhanced gaming capabilities has largely caught most gamers’ attention. A recent study by Flurry reveals that the iOS and Android video game market sales have increased from 5% in 2009 to 8% during the last year.” [http://www.mobiletor.com/2011/04/19/apple-and-google-increase-u-s-video-game-market-share-in-2010/]

EOC Week 1: Great Customer Service

A time I have encountered great customer service recently was while dining out with my mother. Whenever I visit home we try to spend as much time relaxing, talking and doing some shopping as well as eating some good food. During my last visit to LA, we had a few chanced to eat out, nothing fancy. Just a good meal and nice atmosphere. Being in the Los Angeles area we have a wide variety to choose from. But we usually stay local. The last night I was home I chose the place. I was in the mood for crab, so we went to Joe’s Crab Shack. Being a Friday and during Lent, we beat the evening rush of Catholics who were unable to eat meat for the day. Apparently our waitress gave up early as she was very inattentive most of the time we sat there. She walked by us several times without bothering to really stop and check if we needed anything. The meal was great but service was shameful. The day before my mother wanted Italian so we went to Johnny Carinos. It’s not my favorite place and the food is so-so. But the dining experience was much superior to my usually favorite Joe’s Crab Shack. The service was wonderful, and the waitress on top of everything. She actually didn’t even go above and beyond. She just remained attentive and gave us good service. Every customer should always be given superior service at all times as Zappos does,“today’s successful companies have one thing in common: Like Zappos, they are strongly customer-focused and heavily committed to marketing. These companies share a passion for understanding and satisfying customer needs in well-defined target markets. They motivate everyone in the organization to help build lasting customer relationships based on creating value.” [Marketing: An Introduction for Education Management Corporation, 10th Edition page 2]

EOC Week 1: My Voice

Who am I right now???
Lost in the City of Sin a year later. Yet again I am looking for a new home. The big question I’m facing: To continue to rent or to buy? I am still trying to make my way at Cashman Photo as a photographer. Although I’m no longer the newbie, I am still treated like the new kid on the block. I definitely need to find a renewed passion and drive for school. I’ve fallen much too behind and need to get through it. My work has taken a back seat to personal drama. Time to grow up and get this life together. Although I want to just run and hide, there is no looking back now. Need to renew all my passions and rediscover myself and what I want. There is much to learn and much more work to be done. The goals for this summer will be to get nothing less than A’s and B’s this quarter, prove myself a worthy photography at Cashman, and add to my portfolio. Not one opportunity should be missed or left behind.