In Response to Abby Hajec's Post

In Abby's post, she talked about the marketing practices that Apple uses.  I agree with everything that she says.  I think that the Apple has created a great phone that has many different  aspects to it.  This company has thought of every customer demand and put it into one phone.  Having the ability to look up anything, or have such a variety of applications is extremely beneficial.  My dad, mom and my sister all have the iPhone 4.  Me on the other hand, I have a blackberry.  While I think the iPhone is a brilliant phone, I personally do not like it.  I have an ipod touch and I've used my families phones and I just can't use them.  My decision between a blackberry and an iPhone was a personal choice.  Apple has done an amazing job marketing their phones.  Not only are their advertisements everywhere, but they have created phones, computers, AppleTV and other gadgets that can pretty much sell themselves.  My father is always boasting about how awesome his phone and laptop are.  He could easily be Apple's biggest fan!  I don't think Apple needs to put in too much effort with their marketing because their service and their products speak for themselves.  I haven't met anyone who has negative things to say about the products they create.  Having good customer reviews can really help out a company.  Most people listen to what other customers or their peers have to say more so than reading into the advertisements.

Don't like it, Don't buy it.

Social responsibility plays an important role in marketing today.  Companies are always looking for new ways to keep the relationship they have with their customers.  Our book calls this notion "green marketing."  Green marketing is the strategic process involving stakeholders assessment to create meaningful long-term relationships with costumers while maintaining, supporting, and enhancing the natural environment.  Some companies do community work in order to get their brand name out to the public and to build a good reputation.  Customer loyalty and trust is what keeps most companies afloat.  Especially with our economy being unpredictable at times, keeping a good reputation is key.

Some companies struggle being able to maintain good customer relationships.  With one bad marketing move or a simple mistake, you can loose most of your customers.  BP for example has lost a good amount of their customers because of the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.  In Milwaukee, a BP station owner said that their customers have stopped using his gas station.  There are Facebook groups called "Boycott BP" and other movements to stop people from using their gas.  This incident in the Gulf has caused the BP representative a lot of trouble in trying to regain their reputation.  Someone who is in charge of a product or a company always have a target on their back.

I feel as though cigarette companies have the most troubles with the public.  Obviously it is public knowledge that tobacco is not good for your health.  In the 1950's it was common to see a smoking advertisement trying to make smoking look "cool."  The negative side effects on your health was not known by many people.  Today, a cigarette company has to have the surgeon general's warning on the advertisement and several other restrictions.  When the public became aware of how bad tobacco is for you, many people stopped smoking which ultimately decreased cigarette companies profits.  These companies had to find other ways of targeting their customers in order to stay in business.  Most companies target teenagers because they are the most influenced by the media.  Fully aware of the health side affects and even environmental affects of cigarettes, the companies continue to sell their product.  There are many anti-smoking commercials and advertisements.  These commercials mostly consist of people interviewing the CEO's of the cigarette companies.  The commercials are aimed at making the public aware of the health risks with cigarettes but they are also trying to make the owners of these companies look bad. The commercials give the CEO's a bad reputation for fully knowing they are selling a harmful product to the public.

In my opinion, I feel bad for the CEO's or tobacco executives of cigarette companies.  In USA Today in 2003, there was an article about tobacco executives launching an attack on the anti-smoking ads. Tobacco executives went to court to try to ban the anti-smoking ads from portraying them as "callous killers who try to get kids addicted to nicotine."  They understand the advertisements saying the health risks of smoking but targeting the executives for being killers is a little too far.  These executives are not "callous killers."  They are trying to earn a profit.  Yes, tobacco is very bad for you.  Yes, teenagers especially should not be smoking.  Yes, the companies are fully aware their product is not healthy.  But tobacco sells!  I feel bad for the executives because they are just trying to make a profit.  I am not a smoker and do not like cigarettes at all, but I understand that these people are just trying to make a living by selling tobacco.  I feel bad for the executives being portrayed as "killers" or people saying "how can they live with themselves!?"  The executives aren't putting the cigarette to your mouth, you are.  They are just trying to make a living by selling tobacco.  Companies have a lot of pressure with their customers and the social responsibilities they have.  With companies that sell dangerous products such as tobacco, I think people need to give the executives a break.  We are all trying to make a living somehow.  It may be selling not the most socially acceptable product but if you don't like it, don't buy it!


These are some articles I read to write this blog.
http://www.smokinglobby.com/tobacco-news/tobacco-execs-launch-attack-on-antismoking-ads

http://www.nytimes.com/1994/03/20/magazine/how-do-tobacco-executives-live-with-themselves.html?pagewanted=3&src=pm