Technology + Marketing

A blog focusing on how companies are using technology to transform the way consumers interact with their brand.

[technmarketing-blog]

Every now and then a product emerges that deviates from the norm, and that’s exactly what the PC makers at Acer are trying to accomplish with their new gaming laptop the Predator X. This PC’s design is the exact opposite from what other PC makers are producing. The Predator X is big, bold, and aggressive, while others are normally slim, sleek, and minimal like the MacBook. The Predator X will start at a very steep price of $9,000, which is pretty daring given its controversial design. Is Acer trying too hard to differentiate their products from the competition and will they get a return on their investment?

           Read more here:

http://mashable.com/2017/04/27/acer-predator-triton-700-gaming-laptop/?utm_cid=hp-h-5#M_pMiRhe7qqf

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[technmarketing-blog]

Apple Store or hot new hangout?

Apple has been testing some new interior designs in their stores. The goal of the design is to bring customers together and meet up at an Apple Store, the way friends would visit a coffee shop, bookstore, or mall. With the input of what they call “Genius Grove” they hope to create a space where customers, specifically teens/Gen Z, come to spend time rather than stop in to buy a product or for tech support. The Grove includes comfortable seating and tables, ready for brainstorming or a study session. The line of trees appeals to the Gen Z attitude of environmental friendliness. 

Additionally, Apple has launched “Today at Apple” which is a program that includes free workshops and classes for visitors to learn what is new in technology at Apple. Not only will this give exposure to new Apple products and technology, but consumers will also learn, so it is a win-win situation. I believe the test of the new Genius Grove interior design will be a success, because consumers already like visiting Apple Stores due to their sleek interior. The set-up of the store also allows customers to be hands-on with the products. Now that there is a supple amount of seating provided, I believe teen visitors will be more inclined to stay a while and spend time socializing with friends or working with classmates.

Sarah Jones

http://mashable.com/2017/04/26/apple-store-teens-retail-interview/#qQHkJk.5yiqa

[technmarketing-blog]

Google the Whopper

Burger King has people asking is marketing becoming too invasive. Burger King will start airing a TV commercial that is designed to activate Google voice-controlled devices. Burger King doesn't feel this approach to marketing is too invasive. A Burger King Representative said, “Burger King saw an opportunity to do something exciting with the emerging technology of intelligent personal assistant devices.” The commercial is designed to activate these voice-controlled devices of the viewers watching the commercial. The Burger King commercial uses a specific line that will activate Google voice-controlled devices. OK, Google, what is the Whopper burger is the line that activates the devices of the viewers. Viewers of this commercial who have their Google devices reply to them what a whopper may have this happen a few times a week. Burger King may be attempting to use informative advertising in a way even though the whopper isn't a new Burger King product.

http://www.businessinsider.com/burger-king-debuts-whopper-ad-that-triggers-google-home-devices-reuters-2017-4

Dontrell Lawrence

[technmarketing-blog]

Toyota Goes Robotic

Thought Toyota only made cars? Well they are extending their brand with a new product that offers a new type of ride. Toyota recently introduced a product that uses the same technology that is found in their cars to create a robotic leg called the Welwalk WW-100. Doctors are using this rehabilitative device to help consumers who are relearning to walk again. This new product is set a price of $9,000, and will probably be more of a b2b product because of the price.

Here is a quick video to learn more about the device:

http://mashable.com/2017/04/19/toyota-robotic-leg-brace/?utm_cid=mash-prod-nav-sub-st#_MT_ZWD1gOqa

Bradley Tomlin

[technmarketing-blog]

Apple has been clocked for using some underhanded marketing tactics to push the sales of their newer products. There is a class action lawsuit that was recently filed against them in California. Apple allegedly broke the FaceTime app on devices that still run IOS 6 to push consumers to purchase a device that runs on IOS 7 and up. An email exchange between two Apple engineers showed that they rendered IOS 6 devices useless and stated that the only way to fix this issue was to upgrade devices. How will Apple handle the bad PR when this news reaches the masses? Apple consumers are already abuzz all over the internet weighing in on this issue. If this is true it makes you wonder, does Apple do this when all of their new products come out?

Apple’s brand equity lets them do things like this and have the issue blow over in a couple months. This lawsuit may expose some unethical practices that Apple uses, but will it really deter people from Apple products in the long-run? 

Bradley Tomlin

Source:

https://9to5mac.com/2017/02/02/apple-facetime-lawsuit-ios-6-ios-7/

[technmarketing-blog]

Adidas for Women

Adidas is unhappy where its women’s apparel line currently is amongst some of its competitors. Adidas has plans to double its women’s apparel market share by 2020. That may be a difficult task because much Adidas’ marketing is aimed toward other categories of their brand like football, basketball, and soccer. Women that are unfamiliar with Real Madrid or James Harden, Adidas’s top basketball athlete, may be unaware of that Adidas has products strictly for women as well. Adidas feels lots of women are more familiar with Instagram, YouTube, and other social media figures compared to Adidas brand categories. For that reason Adidas is focused on brand revitalization for their women’s line. Adidas plans to change the way that they market their women’s line. They are going in an untraditional route by teaming with women with high social media presence instead of female athletes. Hannah Bronfman, model and disc jockey, is a woman Adidas is teaming with along with Zanna van Dijk, personal trainer. The Adidas women’s line could be seen by millions of social media followers thanks to this partnership. If Zanna van Dijk and Hannah Bronfman have a great influence on their followers, Adidas could see its brand equity increase as well as their market share in the women’s apparel market.

Dontrell Lawrence

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-03-14/adidas-hires-social-media-stars-to-double-women-s-market-share

[technmarketing-blog]

Uber Teen Accounts

Uber has recently received some backlash by way of negative PR due to ‘political-related misunderstandings,’ some may say. They then found that their current target market of city-living millennials and professional adults were turning to competitors like Lyft and Juno. While Uber has made efforts to gain the loyalty of these customers back, they have also chosen to take on a new target market: busy parents of busy teenagers. Uber recently announced the launch of Uber Teen Accounts just about two weeks ago. Uber allows a parent to create a teen account for their child (ages 13-17), set up a ride to baseball practice or a dance lesson for example, and allows them to check in with their parent to let them know they have arrived safely. It also tracks the teen’s location for 20 minutes after he or she is dropped off to the destination to make sure they are where they said they would be.

I think this is a great new target market for Uber. As a daughter of a family of four girls, I’ve seen firsthand what it is like for a parent to struggle between work, running a household, and making sure their kids get to where they need to be safely. If Uber can keep up a positive track record with this newly offered service, it will go down as a marketing win.

Sarah Jones

Sources

https://www.uber.com/info/teen/#

http://mashable.com/2017/03/23/uber-for-teens/#SFn5b5NkrmqQ

http://jezebel.com/its-a-more-complicated-choice-than-uber-vs-lyft-1791784214

http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2016/10/10/juno-takes-on-uber

[technmarketing-blog]

Spotify is taking a new approach on how its reaches its listeners with advertisements. Spotify is the world’s largest music streaming service and has millions of users. Spotify currently purchased an app called MightyTV. MightyTV is a TV and movie recommendation app that made recommendations based on user's previous selections of TV shows and movies. Spotify is purchased MightyTV in order to create technology that will allow advertisers to target listeners based on their listening habits. Spotify will now be using user's listening habits as another form of segmentation. Spotify currently uses geographic and demographic segmentation when advertising to its listeners. Spotify asks its users their sex, age, home state, and other personal information when signing up. The segmentation based on listening habits that Spotify is looking to use is has been used by online publishers for a while now, this form of segmentation is not as frequently used for audio advertising. Spotify and MightyTV have a great opportunity to perfect this method of segmentation in order to propel themselves above competitors.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-03-27/spotify-buys-tv-app-that-helped-viewers-figure-out-what-to-watch

Dontrell Lawrence

[technmarketing-blog]

With the recent launches of live-streaming capabilities across platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube, it seems as though everyone is giving it a test run. Everyone, including companies with Superbowl commercials, such as Wix. 

You may be thinking, “Superbowl commercials? The Superbowl hasn’t happened yet.” However, Wix.com gave a sneak peek of it’s third Superbowl commercial by live-streaming over Facebook Live and YouTube Live. Not only is the commercial exciting and thoughtful, but it is the first Superbowl commercial to be live-streamed. 

You can watch the Facebook live clip by clicking: https://www.facebook.com/wix/videos/10154833900740429/. The commercial is also available on YouTube: https://youtu.be/bcrrxRk-YeQ. Article acquired from http://www.superbowlcommercials.co/wix/ on January 23rd, 2017.

Sarah Jones

[technmarketing-blog]

Welcome

Hello!

Welcome to our blog, Technology & Marketing. Our names are Sarah, Dontrell, and Brad. We are all students attending the Williamson College of Business Administration at Youngstown State University. 

As a project for our Marketing Management course, we will be discussing current news in the technology and marketing industries through this blog. These industries often cross paths, creating an incredible experience for consumers. Now more than ever, companies are using technology (social media, for example) to appeal to and reach current customers and potential customers. 

Throughout the semester, we will analyze various current events and give our opinions on campaigns, commercials, and news within the technology space. Join in on the conversation!