Is it truly over???

So I graduated today and have been thrown head first into the "real world." Great fun... right? Oh well, at least I could always fall back on grad school at some point. I am really happy to be out of that though and currently am looking for a job. I do have a few small prospects that have opened up so we will see what happens with that. 

On a slightly unrelated note, the year is ending and we have had a total of three different ad campaigns from the behemoth Microsoft. I have always heard that they do not listen to their ad agencies often and I feel that this shows that off very well. We started off with the ever-so-clever Seinfeld and Gates super duo. The ads weren't bad but what were they selling? That was never very apparent in the ads. I guess you can say that Microsoft does not need to actually sell anything in their ads, just keep their name in the spotlight, but why did they switch to the third ad I will talk about???

Second off they went to the "I'm a PC" campaign that was made on a Mac. Enough said... OK maybe not. This campaign shows that even a super-company like Microsoft is vulnerable. The PC market in Microsoft's bread and and butter because we as a society (me included) have not tried a Linux based platform. We have options. Apple is just getting better at being customer friendly while Microsoft is going the way of the giants and telling people what they should want. When this happens, David comes along and slays that giant. Happens all the time, look at the Big Three. They really are not so big anymore.

Third campaign and (up til now) is the "Mojave Experiment" campaign. OK Microsoft has finally started to realize that they put a product out there that does not seem to differentiate itself enough from its ancestor. The company believes it is different but the ever important consumer sees no difference. S here comes the "trial" of a "new" operating system. Microsoft then displays top-of-the-line computers with the best-of-the-best equipment on them to display the top Vista system and show everyone what can be done with it. Big problem here is how many people can afford an operating system at a price of over $300 and the computer that will efficiently run that power hog. Honestly I am sure that everything that Vista's Ultimate package does is great but most computers will come loaded with the basic Home version. Mine did and guess what... There is NOTHING mind blowing about Vista. 

I am not trying to complain or pretend that I am a techie. For the average person, Vista is not an improvement over XP and really it takes a little time to get used to. The problem most people are running into is that the cost of learning the new features and the extreme usage of memory do not outweigh the benefits that the basic Vista user receives. That makes for a poor value and the reason consumers are so turned off by Vista.

Sorry, I guess I may have gone over board on that one but business is that simple. On a very related note I do enjoy the ease of use that the new Office suite provides. It as well took some getting used to but I do actually enjoy the setup of it all. I guess Microsoft can still do some things right. Too bad they cannot stick with one coherent ad campaign for more than a couple of months!

It's like a virus!

So I have been enjoying reading about Guerrilla Marketing as of late for a number of reasons. It is a very effective tactic in a campaign. The cost of a Guerrilla campaign can also be minimal when compared to the same reach that a television or radio campaign would be. So why does a stunt like the one that happened in Times Square work? After all we have all seen the pictures of the many neon lights and flashing signs that pack the square with advertisements selling anything and everything. Well really it is because of those same lights and signs that stunts like these work.

The biggest aspect of Guerrilla Marketing is developing a shock value. In this case, what was some guy doing carving pumpkins in Times Square and how many pumpkins did he have sitting next to him? Well the typical New Yorker that works around Times Square is now accustomed to seeing neon telling him what he should buy. When there is someone taking up precious sidewalk space with produce and the fact that he is putting smiles on those squash just makes it even more out of place.

In advertising now there are so many distractions that a marketer needs to find ways around all the mess. This calls for a much more creative campaign. What is going to pop out and call attention to your product or service? Well that is the big question. By developing and implementing a good guerrilla campaign, the buzz that is generated is better than any television spot produced. Getting people talking about an ad around the water cooler as if it was the newest episode of "24" is quite a feat (unless you work on Madison Ave).

Of course you have the failed campaigns like the one for Adult Swim a few years back, but that is the risk you run with any campaign.

Tough Market!

So the job market currently leaves a lot to be desired. Granted I changed what is was I wanted to do for a living. It is difficult to actually get call backs now. I have received emails from different companies saying there has been more responses to a job posting than they thought so the process is taking longer. A sign of the times? Probably. So what is a college grad to do? Well this is what I have been doing.

1. Linkedin.com - Basically a Facebook for the professionals. When I first joined I was expecting something completely different. I quit using it for quite sometime but recently I have been trying to use it more for now as I have realized the power. The job search is a great tool but also being able to network with people with similar interests. Great way to find jobs you may not have thought about.

2. Personal network - So I do not have a very large network currently. It has been tough to try to get those I know or have done business with to keep an eye out for a job. The thing is, the more people you have to be watching the market, the better chance you will actually find something. I am pretty amazing (or so I think) but I am cannot be in every place at once. This way the network of my networks are also working for me. 

3. Job search engines - The W.P. Carey School of Business partners with NACELink to find jobs all over the country. Most of them are for more "experienced" professionals and do not want to give a college grad "with no experience" (although I have done more than most of my peers at school) the chance. I guess the saying, "Keep on Truckin'" works for this as well. Just cannot give up.

So these are just 3 different options. I invite you to share your experiences (Ha ha I am talking as if someone actually reads this!) on how your job hunt is going. Then go to the web and find yourself a job. Check out this BusinessWeek article for more ideas! Or this one for ideas on what NOT to do.

Long time, no post

So lately I have been a little too busy to post. I am currently job hunting, finishing my last semester at school, working an internship, running a separate website from this, having a family life and social life, and working on an advertising campaign for a local non-profit company called HomeBase Youth Services. I lead a busy life and unfortunately I have completely put off my blog. I guess you can call it lack of time/sleep to concentrate on this one thing. I do have about 3 entries I started on and for one reason or another, never finished. Well I figured it was about time.

A couple things have changed in my life this semester. Not only has it been a rough time trying to get everything done, but I have realized that maybe the path I was going down for a career is changing  originally thought of going into product/brand management in an international company. My dream really is to go international at some point in my career. I am now gravitating towards advertising. 

I am currently in an advertising class and am loving it. I am also the lead on the advertising project for HomeBase and I love using my creativity while being in charge of something so important. It is a great feeling. It is also interesting to see the board of the organization look at my group as if we have no idea what we are doing and the challenge is then to get approval for our projects. It is a great game of cat and mouse. Honestly at this point I want a job in advertising but I see how hard it is to get into right now with the large number of layoffs. Well I guess persistence pays off. Wish me luck!

P.S. Check out this ad from a local company, Moses Anshell. Great guys. I know Louie Moses and he is very intelligent and incredibly creative.

Time Flies

So I have been so busy with school and work and little side projects that I completly forgot about the blog. I am sorry and will try to update more in the future. Good luck and keep learning!

Olympics switch-a-roo

So I just finished reading about Micheal Phelps first gold medal. I must say I did not imagine that NBC had the kind of power and influence that it does. In an article on USAToday.com, it says that NBC actually got the Chinese to change the time of a race just so NBC could get it in primetime for us viewers. This did not come without resistance from the other countries but I imagine that GE gave quite a hefty sum of money to make it happen. Lucky for NBC it paid off with a gold. Hopefully enough people were watching to at least break even. Apparently NBC has spent $894 million on the idea that Phelps is going to break Mark Spitz's record of 7 golds in one Olympics.

I am not trying to sound unpatriotic but the fact that America has that much power in China is outstanding. Who would have thought that they would change times to accommodate us?

Internet Internship???

So as I go about looking for my next internship to get me through my last semester of school I have noticed something. I noticed that most ad agencies are looking for help in their interactive division. This means they want people with design skills but most importantly with the Abode Creative Suite design skills. This poses somewhat of a problem as it was never purchased in my home nor was I ever given the opportunity to learn it. I am realizing that this is the way most ad agencies are going now, not only for print material but also for the interactive portion. They want ad designers, the whole package, not just those that will help decide what to do.

Now from what I hear Abode is not that hard to learn. That is not my point here. Time is more important right now. I have to start my career search soon and finish school but I also need to learn a program that I have no money for. I guess this is just how it works out.

Times they are a-changin' as it is said. Technology needs to be learned to get ahead in the business place and society dictates what must be learned. As for me I guess there will have to be some way to get around this and either learn the software or find a position that does not need it. Have fun everyone and good luck!

Sales and Marketing

So I have recently been participating in an internship at a local credit union and I have realized a few things, people do not know how to sell.

One of my responsibilities was to help with a competitive brand analysis and as part of it I researched and shopped the local competition. During my visits I did not find a single credit union that did everything the sales process asks for. First off when I dealt with sales I would make sure that if a potential customer came in to ask about any account or loan I would direct them to the right representative that could answer their questions and set up the product. When I was the one doing the selling I would make sure to probe to find out what was needed and not just list off a "laundry list" of accounts or services. After the chat I would be sure to do the most important part of the sales process (the most overlooked part), I would ask for the sale. I would not let the potential customer out of the branch without asking if they would like to open the account.

I went into ten different credit unions and not one asked me for the sale. Everyone assumed I only wanted information and that if I decided to open the account I would be back. The customer is already in front of you. Most times if they walk out they will not be back. Of course there are a few that will be back but what I was really shopping for a new financial institution and what they had to offer was appealing but no one asked me if I wanted to open the account at that time. I would then go to another place that would not be any better and they ask me to open the account and I do it, only because they asked for the sale.

One part of sales that many do not understand is that to get your consumer to listen to your message is the hardest part. If you have them there AND in your place of business but you let them go, you are literally watching sales go out the door. The easiest thing to do is to get in the habit of saying, "Would you like to set that up now?"

The other part of sales that is apparently hard for some people to grasp is the relationship selling. I went to a branch today to make sales calls with one of the managers and the sales call turned into a counseling session. The manager decided that she did not need to make her sales calls and only wanted advice on how to perform the calls better. What I gathered from our visit is that she does not believe in the credit union's products. She is afraid that her products do not match up to other institution but what she needs to know is that banking products are almost exactly the same across all institutions and what the person is really buying is your service. If you believe in the product and your company the consumers will trust you and and will purchase your products. This is the same for any industry.

Remember to sell is to believe.

When Nascar takes Sponsorship too far.

So one of my favorite things to do is watch NASCAR. As a Marketing student I also love to see the "creative" ways they bring in sponsorship dollars. Every race has a sponsor, the cars have multiple sponsors, there are official drinks, delivery companies, and even motor oil; not to mention the mid-race trivia and the restarts that received sponsorship. It seems that NASCAR knows sponsorship.

The one thing that does surprise me is the possible sponsorship of a car in an upcoming race from presidential hopeful Barack Obama. Now the Senator is only considering the sponsorship but lets look at how this could work out. NASCAR is very republican. For the most part the large demographic is southern conservative so this is a crowd that typically will not even give a democratic candidate the time of day. This would be great exposure for the presidential hopeful, if they get it right (which I will come back to).

The team they are in talks with is a part-time team. It sounds like the proposal is for one race, Aug. 3 Pocono. This could possibly be a nice way for Sen. Obama to boost his image with the southerns, those who cling to their guns and bibles. He needs their support to get a good showing and any votes he could take away from McCain would only be in his favor.

The big problem with this is that the team races Toyota cars. Even if Sen Obama is not directly sponsoring the make of the car, being associated with a car that is taking away jobs from Detroit could potentially be a downside for the Senator. He has spoken numerous times in Michigan about bringing jobs back and this would not be a good way to show he is committed to the American auto industry.

On top of that the driver that would be sponsored is Ken Schrader. He is by no means a top driver... hence the part-time status but the big drawback to sponsoring his car is the fact that he is Republican. He has donated to numerous Republican campaigns in the past so how would it look if Obama was sponsoring someone who would be potentially donated to Sen McCain?

This is a difficult spot for Barack Obama's campaign team to be in. What are the pros and cons of this sponsorship and is it worth it? I believe, if done right (i.e. right driver, car), it could be a big boost amongst the so-called "NASCAR dads." It could help his campaign by being visible to a demographic that consistently votes Republican. I guess we will see what his decision will be and what outcome it could have.

True Ethics?

So this last semester I took a class called Business Ethics. Now don't get me wrong, it is a great class but can you really teach ethics? The rash of unethical business people in the news shows us that indeed there is a problem and it needs to be fixed but is a classroom the right way? Don't get me wrong, I am all for a more ethical marketplace. Ethics is a win-win for everyone. I really don't think ethics in class is going to help as much as society thinks.

So the biggest reason I think teaching ethics will not work is the definition, "the rules or standards governing the conduct of a person." Answers.com These standards come from within. They are, or should be, taught to us while we are young and strengthened as we grow. Parents and school teachers growing up should be the ones to teach ethics, not university professors. This isn't to say that if you grow up in a broken home or if you are an orphan or go to a bad school that you will not be ethical but I an just stating that there is a better chance that ethics will be instilled. They can be brought up later in life but not always is it going to be through a classroom setting, in fact I would venture to say that most of the time ethics will not be learned in class.

Many times ethics are gathered from ones spiritual beliefs as well. Religion is a big part of life for any culture and always brings with it a certain code of conduct. The need to please the god of any religion is enough to keep some from unethical behavior. This is the big reason many colleges receive great rankings for their graduates. Students from religious private universities are supposed to be more ethical and it stems from that belief in an after-life. As we have seen this is not always the case. Ken Lay of Enron fame was the son of a minister and he still had a few problems with ethics, which brings me to my next point.

The old adage that everything is for sale fits well with ethics. How much will you sell your ethical standards for? When ethics are "learned" in a college classroom, without any help from some epiphany, it is usually only a matter of time until these ethics are "sold" to make a buck or rise up the corporate ladder. Really the way I see it is that learned ethics are only temporary. Now this isn't the case 100% of the time but I feel it is pretty good. Unfortunately many people now are selling out their ethical standards. The need to make a quick buck or to grow your business portfolio has become a bigger draw for some than keeping their standards. The mortgage crisis has proven this with the number of loans that are now deemed to be "bad" loans but at the time were the mortgage industry's cash crop.

Maybe the day will come when we will not need to teach ethics in a classroom. It will take a change in the society as a whole. Can we change? Yes. Will we....

First post.

Well I am fairly new to the blogging world. I figured I would try to contribute a little to the internet and also learn something in the process as I always learn more when I try to explain my views.

I recently returned from a three week long trip to Europe for school where I was privileged enough to learn more about the cultures in five different countries along with being able to learn how various companies conduct business in the international market. It was a great time and not only did I learn a lot from the companies but I also learned a lot from the other students I met.

One very common thing in Europe is the length of the business meeting. The people are very friendly and would much rather sit down and chat over a nice long lunch than have a short and sweet appointment. The art of schmoozing is alive and well across the ocean. It was interesting to me as I have been in sales for quite some time and we have become accustomed to quick visits that are very meaningless. We will talk about the weather or the family but typically we use this as pure filler until we get to the sales pitch. I truly respect the European culture as any visit you have is truly and warranted visit. They truly want to know with whom they are doing business.

Things were so much more laid back which is nice. It is true that Americans just want to move on to the next appointment and not worry about all the filler but as we grow into a truly global society, things will change... at least when we are in the other country. I do not see this approach working in the states because of our fast food culture. We want to know whether or not we have the sale and we do not want to waste any time. Unfortunately sometimes time is just a cost of doing business.

Well for now this is all I have to put down but fully intend to keep this blog updated. If you have any thoughts feel free to post them! Thanks.