Dr. Maresco's Marketing Moments

Product placement in the new film "The Women"

Hello to all you marketing mavens.

You may know that I am crazy about product placement (product integration). I look for it in ads, television programs, movies and any other sources that I can find. Recently a student in my MK 261 class sent me an email telling me that she had gone to see the new film, "The Women", and that it was loaded with product placements. This is exactly what I would hope all my students would do, no, not send me an email every time they see products placed in a movie, etc. but that they are aware that product placement is everywhere if they would only become a bit more conscious of it. This is why I tell my students that marketing is so much fun to study because they are surrounded by it. this is exactly why I show the video about Professor John R. Stilgoe from Harvard. Open you eyes, there is a whole new world out there for you to discover.

Go see a movie this weekend and look for products, you will amazed at how many you will find.

Till next time,

PM

Interesting sites

Hi everyone,

There are two marketing sources that need to be brought to your attention. One is free and the other is not.

The first one is the Styles Section that appears in the Thursday and Sunday editions of "The New York Times." Since the paper is delivered free during the week you really should read the Thursday edition. Why? Because it is so very much more than just a section devoted to the latest fashions. It is really a commentary on what is going on in society and how marketers use these trends to market goods and services.

The second source can be found every Sunday in the "New York Times Magazine" which comes free when you buy the paper. Within the magazine is a section titled "Consumed" written by Rob Walker. This section is about consumerism and each week he takes on a new and different topic. If interested try and get a copy of the article that appeared in the October 7, 2007 issue.

Oh yea, one more thing. For those if you who want to know why I dress the way I do check out the "Official Preppy Handbook." It will answer all your questions.

It's Fashion Week and Fashion Magazines

As Fashion Week continues to transform Bryant Park in NYC into the center of the fashion world it's time to think about just how all the clothes that are displayed throughout the week are actually marketed.

From one runway to another hundreds of the world's top models will be wearing the newest fashions representing the best of what will be appearing in Spring 2009. These are the clothes that will eventually be available for sale in all the top clothing stores across America and the world including stores such as Neiman Marcus, Saks, Nordstron, Bergdorf and a host of other specialty botique locations, most owned by the designers themselves. So, other than seeing them on the runway, how does the fashion conscious consumer see these trend setting creations? In the fashion magazines, of course.

If you are at all slightly interested in the fashion industry you MUST subscribe to one of the top tier fashion magazines. These include, at a very minimum, VOGUE, HARPERS, ELLE, W, and VANITY FAIR. By the way, the best thing about subscribing to these magazines, along with the fashions is the price, most are only $12.00 a year which is especially attractive since the cover price of most of them happens to be at least $5.99. VOGUE, the industry leader, has so many pages that may cause back problems due to its weight. So if you love fashion, want to keep up with the industry and get mail on a regular basis do yourself a favor and become a subscriber. It will be the best $12.00 you ever spent.

What I did on my summer vacation

Well here goes nothing.

In my MK 286 class, Consumer Motivation and Behavior, I speak at length at why we do what we do when it comes to our purchase decisions. Mostly I ask students to take a good hard look at why they buy what they buy and ask themselves if they really need what they are buying or if there are other factors involved. Well, this past summer this is exactly what I did.

Summers are a difficult time for me. Everyone thinks it's great that I basically have 4 months off. What they don't realize is that while I have al this time off all my friends are working. everyone thinks all I do is play tennis and golf and have a good old time. Not exactly. So what did I do with my time? I hate to admit this but I shopped till I dropped; both in persona and on-line. Part of the reason is because I made the decision to loose as much weight as possible which I accomplished. This then led to a situation that caused me to need to buy a new wardrobe. Not just slacks and Polo shirts but shoes. Lots of shoes.

What seems to have happened is that I got caught up in the same situation I discuss in my classes. By that I mean getting the same rush as a 5 year old in the weeks prior to Christmas. I started buying shoes and couldn't stop. Mostly I shopped on-line but also made two treks to Woodbury Common in New York and on two occasions to Clinton Crossing in CT. Woodbury Common is the place to go especialy if you like high end products, especially shoes. Over a three month period I bought 15 pairs of shoes, slacks, Polo polo shirts. and even Polo sweaters for when the cold weather arrives. Why? Who knows other than I got caught up in the experience of buying high end Gucci, Tod's and Cole Haan shoes. It was like the UPS or Fed EX truck was coming at least twice a week. I was doing exactly what I had told my students to be careful of not doing; getting caught up in the excitement of shopping.

A word to the wise. Get control of yourself and if you must shop to excess know why you are doing it.

Vogue Magazine in India

On the front page of the September 1, 2008 edition of the Sunday New York Times Business Section was a story that proves marketers will go to any lengths to get products and especially their brands noticed.

Basically the story was about how Vogue Magazine in India featured advertising of very high end brands such as Prada and YSL (if you don't know what YSL stands for shame on you) being worn and carried by poor Indians; in fact Indians whose yearly income is less than most Americans spend in an average day. For instance, there was a picture of a poor Indian woman carrying a baby in her arms wearing a $100.00 Prada bib and a man carrying a $400.00 umbrella. Is this good marketing or is it over the top?