In Response to Stephen Rolfe...

"In today's media, we (this generation) seem to be drawn to those who act a fool and demonstrate less than responsible ways of life....... Do you feel that other generations role models acted this way or are we the beginning of a new look on our figure heads?"

      Although I agree with Stephen when it comes to marketing illegal activities to teens seem to be more widely accepted and portrayed on television, I don't think it was absent from television before our generation.  TV shows in the 70's-80's like Roseanne, Baywatch, Three's Company, etc. also used sex and drug experiences to gain the viewer's interest in the programs.  However, I think that in today's television it is much more glorified.

     As someone who has never really taken part in the "party" scene I still find myself interested in watching other people do it.  I've never been a fan of Jersey Shore, and I honestly don't see the appeal.  Perhaps it's my lack of interest in seeing what 6 unattractive people a few years older than me (that act many years younger) are up to this weekend.  My hope is that people don't really look to these people as role models, but the opposite.
     Shows like 16 and Pregnant however, pose more of a concern for me.  If you have ever seen the show, it tends not to show the true hardships of having a child young.  When my close friend's six year old daughter said "I can't wait until I'm 16 so I can be on this show," my concerns about what is being shown on television began.  I think that without television there will still be an interest in drugs, parties, and sex, but to have teens actually thinking it would be a good idea to get pregnant...we need to begin to worry.  Should television marketing be held to the same standards as product and service marketing?

Narcissistic Websites

     Peter DeLegge wrote an article, which can be found on the Marketing Today website about company websites that are more concerned about promoting themselves than helping the consumer.  He states that it tends to be found more commonly in small to mid sized companies than larger ones, however, I doubt that there are not large companies with similarly poor websites.  Narcissistic websites are those websites that you go to in order to find help with an issue and all that you find are boastful stories and raves about the company.  From a marketing perspective this type of issue on a website could cause huge problems for a company.

     When a consumer is looking for information, or help with a problem, if they don't find it quickly and efficiently they may get the wrong idea about a company.  Of course it is important to talk about the company on the website, especially it's success; but there is a place for that, and it should not be the main focus of a website.  For example, I was recently looking for a screen printing shop to send in a T-shirt order.  The information that I wanted from the companies were options, prices, packages, specials, etc.  I went to a number of websites and had such a hard time finding all of these things in one place that I gave up and am now planning on waiting until I get home over break to use a company that I already know has what I need.  This means, that all of those companies that I reviewed lost a potential customer, and I doubt that I am the first.

     Today, it is easy to find other options when you are unhappy with what you are already using.  Can you think of a time that you have been unimpressed with a Narcissistic website?  If yes, has this ever caused you to take your business elsewhere?  If no, take a look at this website, and see how easy or difficult it is for you to find out how to contact the company for help.

In Response to Laurie Whalen...

" Do you think companies should think twice before signing an endorsement deal with celebrities? "

    I think that celebrity advertisements can be appropriate, but in most cases should be avoided.  For example, if a well known NHL Hockey player like Alex Ovechkin was to advertise a CCM brand hockey stick that he actually plays with, the advertisement would be honest and effective.  However, if there is an advertisement that uses a celebrity that clearly isn't using the product it makes me question the honesty and integrity of the company.  An example of this is Justin Bieber (new young artist) who advertises for Pro Active.  Not only is Bieber about the 5th celebrity that Pro Active has signed to do their commercials, but it is highly unlikely that with a celebrity income, they are using Pro Active to wash their face.  Pro Active is targeted at middle class families who need a product to help them clear up acne.  Celebrities are much more likely to use more expensive products.
   I agree with Laurie when it comes to potentially taking a hit on your profits when celebrities get a bad reputation.  However, I don't think this would necessarily devastate any company that is able to afford a celebrity endorsement in the first place.  All in all, I think it's great if celebrities want to advertise products that they actually use, but I don't like to see celebrities advertising products that they do not use.

Social Responsibility

If Wal*Mart is selling milk for $3.00 per gallon and your local farm is selling milk for $5.00 per gallon, which milk do you purchase?  The less expensive milk would make the most sense, if all other things are equal.  Now, take some other factors into consideration.  Wal*Mart's cows are living in conditions shown by picture 1.  The local farm however, has free-range cows, represented in picture 2.

<------- PICTURE 1

             PICTURE 2  ------->





Does that make you feel differently about the extra $2.00 you would need to spend?
I am a very big supporter of businesses that are ethical, and socially responsible.  Social Responsibility to me, is the biggest piece of becoming a successful business owner.  I have been [broadly] planning out the business that I want to eventually own around commitment to fairness, ethics, and giving back to the community.  As an animal lover, the above question is very easy for me to answer.  Of course I would pay the extra money to get the free-range cow milk, and I truly believe that educated consumers tend to feel the same way.  I think that as consumers it is our responsibility to be educated about the products we're buying, and the businesses we are buying them from in order to make good decisions about which companies/products to support; and paying attention to marketing can help us make those decisions.  Many companies like Walgreens, and Yoplait (as we discussed in class) use their socially responsible actions to market their companies.  My hopes are that as consumers become more educated about social responsibility, they will learn to support more socially responsible companies even if it means paying a few dollars more for similar products.

Do you think paying a little bit extra to consume products and services from socially responsible companies is worth it?  Why do you think Wal*Mart has been so successful when they have been criticized about so many socially irresponsible aspects of their company (paying women lower wages, sweatshops over seas, child labor over seas, poor animal conditions, etc)?