Privacy Concerns When Conducting Marketing Research

Observational research has become much more mainstream as companies often learn more by watching what customers do than what they say.  However, this type of research also raises ethical questions about consumer privacy.  Please read the article In Bid to Sway Sales, Cameras Track Shoppers from the NY Times.  Do these observational techniques raise ethical questions for you as a marketer?  Why do you feel this way?  Post your thoughts to the blog no later than the beginning of class on Tuesday, April 19th.

Africa: Coke's Last Frontier

Many companies are looking to Africa as their next opportunity for growth in the world market.  One company that has been aggressively pursuing the African market is Coca-Cola.   Read the article, Africa: Coke's Last Frontier, from Bloomberg BusinessWeek.  What do you think about Coca-Cola's African strategy?  What other U.S. companies do you think could be successful in Africa?  What do you see as potential problems for U.S. companies wanting to market their products in Africa?  Post your thoughts to the blog no later than the beginning of class on Thursday, April 14th.

Remaining Course Material & Quizzes

There are only 2 weeks left before Exam #3 (Tuesday, April 26th).  Here is the plan for what we will cover during what is left of the semester -- please note that you should read the chapter BEFORE we cover it during class.

• Chapter 7 - Global Consumers & Markets: April 12th -- the quiz for this chapter will be due by the beginning of class on April 14th.
• Chapter 8 - Marketing Research: April 14th -- the quiz for this chapter will be due by the beginning of class on April 19th
• Chapter 5 (as well as pages 143-149 from Chapter 6) - Consumer Behavior: April 19th and 21st -- the quiz for this material will be due by the beginning of class on April 21st

Is Vitamin Water Really a Healthy Drink?

The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) has brought a class action lawsuit against Coca Cola.  CSPI claims that Vitaminwater’s health claims violate FDA guidelines.  Each 20 oz bottle of Vitaminwater contains 33 grams of sugar and 125 calories.  Vitaminwater’s health claims may violate the FDA’s jelly bean policy — where you can’t claim that a jelly bean is healthy because is has no cholesterol.  See “Is Vitaminwater Really a Healthy Drink?” in Time (July 30, 2010).

What do you think?  If not legal, is it ethical for Coca-Cola to make the health claims it makes?  Every consumer for themselves?  Or should the government be protecting consumers from this type of promotion?  Post your thoughts to the blog no later than the beginning of class on Tuesday, April 12th.

How Much is that Doggie in the Browser Window?

We have long known that online sellers have the ability to offer the same product to different customers at different prices — in fact Amazon was caught doing this back in 2000 with a resulting PR disaster.  This is a great article in Slate‘s online magazine which offers some nice detail and examples in a short easy read (“How Much Is That Doggie in the Browser Window?” Slate, December 6, 2010).

What are your thoughts about the pricing tactics described here?  Do you think they are ethical or unethical?  Why do you feel this way.  Please post your answers to the course blog no later than the beginning of class on Thursday, April 7th.

Chapter 3 Quiz

The quiz for Chapter 3 will go "live" after class tomorrow and is due no later than the beginning of class on Tuesday, April 5th.  You should also make sure you read Chapter 4 in your text before Tuesday's class.

The Coke Happiness Machine Promotional Project

Read about the development of Coca-Cola's award winning "Happiness Machine" video, which has gained wide exposure virally, in the interview "How Coke Create Its Happiness Machine" from mashable.com.  If you have not seen the video, you can access it from the article.

Post your response to the following questions to the blog no later than the beginning of class on Thursday, March 24, 2011.  (1) Why do you think the Happiness Machine project was a success for Coca-Cola?  (2) What are your thoughts about companies using viral marketing  to promote its products and services?  (3) In your opinion, what differentiates between a successful and unsuccessful viral marketing campaign (in other words, what works and what doesn't)?  (4) Provide an example of another company who could benefit from using viral marketing.  Why do you think viral marketing would be effective for this company?