Week 5 EOC: Best & Worst of the 2011 Superbowl Commercials

The past week had one of the biggest advertising days of the year for an event that many consider a holiday, even though it’s not listed officially as one. Superbowl Sunday has been looked at in years past as the one day where companies are willing to spend loads of money to advertise during one of the most watched games of the year. It’s become such a big deal that there are many out there that tend to watch the game, not for the game itself, but for the commercials. While this year didn’t have the standout commercials that the past years have had, there had been a few noteable ones. One of the ones that fans seemed to like the most was done by Volkswagon in a commercial called “The Force”. In this commercial, a kid, who’s face we never get to see, is trying to use the force to move objects. Being a Star Wars fan, this commercial brought me back to my childhood. I’ve always wanted to do something like that. In trying to use the force, he tries over and over again to make it work, but fails, till his father gets home with the car. With the help of his father, he manages to make the car beep. This commercial was likable and funny and I felt was the best.

 

The worst of the 2011 Superbowl commercials had to have been the GoDaddy commercial called “The Contract”. GoDaddy has always had commercials that have tried to sell based on sex appeal, which has nothing to really do with websites and domains. They seem to be cheesy and really make no sense. If they had made a commercial saying how good the company actually is, their commercials might be more likable.

Week 4 EOC: Business to Business vs. Consumer Marketing

General Electric is a supplier of many products and services to both the consumer and businesses, but as much as advertising as one might see in the various forms of media we see every day, consumer sales only account for less than a third of the company’s profits.  What is the difference?  It could be summed up in one quote:

 “Whereas it might be disappointing when a refrigerator buyer chooses a competing brand, losing a single sale to a large business customer can mean the loss of hundreds of millions of dollars in business.”(Pg. 39, Marketing an Introduction, Armstrong and Kolter )

The company known that started out bringing light to almost every household in the world has opened itself to bigger markets, from entertainment to creating companies such as Boeing the means to transport both people and cargo from point A to point B. While a decision to buy a refrigerator might way on how big it is or how much food it might hold, or even the look or style, companies that buy GE made engines might have to look at things like environmental impact, fuel consumption, reliability, and serviceability. While a buying a GE made microwave, dishwasher, washer and dryer, and refrigerator might seem like a lot of money for us to spend, contracts for Boeing to buy 20 engines to fit on 5 747’s would be worth more money than we could even imagine having.

Why does GE do really well in its business sales? It’s because GE develops a working relationship with its customers. While there are many consumer products that might fall in to our needs, GE works with the business customer to make sure their products will fit their special needs, like working around international economics and politics in its deal with Kazakhstan National Railway to supply them with 310 Evolution Locomotives.  In working with it customers, in both the business and consumer arenas, it’s no wonder GE has become a household name all over the world.