Week 3: EOC: My Demographics

    Generation X is a term used to describe a group of people born from 1965 to the mid or late 1970s in the United States and Canada. This generation follows the powerful Baby Boomer (born 1946-1964) generation which spiked after World War II. Although the term Generation X is used to describe people born in this time period, it has also been used to describe anyone who is “twenty-something” at the time. The biggest impact that Generation X has had on popular culture probably began in the 1980s and peaked in the 1990s.

"While the term Generation X can be used to describe a wide group of people, it has come to be popularly accepted that members of this generation, wrought in the shadow of the Baby Boomers, felt alienated and disenfranchised by the cultural icons of the time. “X” described the lack of identity that members of Generation X felt — they didn’t know where they belonged.  The just knew they did not belong in the overbearing generation of Baby Boomers"(NAS Insights: Getting to Know Generation X,” 2006)

   The media played its part in promoting the Generation X stereotype by portraying them as grunge-listening, Starbucks-drinking, flannel-donning slackers who were quietly revolting against their overachieving, conservative Baby Boomer parents or older siblings. While the term Generation X has been used by a more punk faction of the generation, 

“Increasing parental divorce rates and higher employment for their mothers made them the first generation of latchkey kids. Although they seek success, they are less materialistic; they prize experience, not acquisition.”(Analyzing the Marketing Environment (page 15)

I want my MTV.... the theme song for many Gen Xers, as our world became smaller and the world of mass communication brought our borders closer together.  In turn, increasing our world of commerce and trade of products, merchandising and media. 

“Once labeled as “the MTV generation” and viewed as body-piercing slackers who whined about “McJobs,” the Gen Xers have grown up and are now taking over. They are increasingly displacing the lifestyles, culture, and values of the baby boomers. They are the most educated generation to date and they possess hefty annual purchasing power. However, like the baby boomers, the Gen Xers now face growing economic pressures. Like almost everyone else these days, they are spending more carefully.^{" (}Consumer Behavior 2009, chapter 27 (Atlanta, GA: Richard K. Miller & Associates, 2009).

 While Gen-Xers probably feel passionate about some things, in general they have been portrayed as apathetic, disaffected twenty-somethings with no course in life.This may be the general view point, but most gen Xers will tell you their free style way of life was a trickle down effect from their free-loving, peaceful protesting baby booming parents.  More so, we did also get the need to save and shop wisely from the Baby Boomers. 
    In closing,  the lack of identity for the Generation x demographic group...is the identity. This group may not have know where they wanted to go, but the definitely know where they did nor want to go!
 
Source:   
Marshall Lager, “The Slackers’ X-cellent Adventure,” CRM Magazine, November 1, 2008, pp. 30–33.

Week 2: EOC: Boston Consulting Group - Video Games

    In the world of portfolio planning, the Boston Consulting Group has developed a method, a marketing strategy to build customer relations, referred to as the Growth-Share Matrix.  This strategy allows SBU's to be categorized into 4 basic groups; cash cows, stars, questions marks and dogs.
   After reading the article in the Wall Street Journal (JULY 28, 2009; Videogame Makers Can't Dodge Recession; By YUKARI IWATANI KANE) It is clear to see how the matrix is a true working strategy.
Here is my analogy: 

• Star: download digital data . i phone games
• Question Mark:  Wii / Nintendo
• Cash Cow: PlayStation
• Dog: X box (Microsoft)

"Many console and PC game sales are also being cannibalized by digitally downloaded games and alternative entertainment sources like Apple Inc.'s iPhone, which offers thousands of games that can cost only 99 cents or even nothing at all." (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124865158612682399.html)

So what does this mean for the gaming industry?  How about drop in hardware sales or software sales?  Most importantly, would this impact the retail costs? Experts say yes.

"Analysts expect Sony to cut the price on its PS3 by about $100 this year, leading to price cuts by Microsoft on some of its Xbox 360 models. The PS3 starts at about $400, compared with the equivalent Xbox 360, which costs about $300. Though Nintendo has said it won't cut prices on its $250 Wii this year, it is expected to do so indirectly by bundling games with the console." (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124865158612682399.html)

So what is the solution to a diminishing demand? Should gaming companies stop producing hardware?  Or should they concentrate on SBU's that enhances their customer base and market share? The leaders at Compuware suggest expansion into IT that optimizes applications.

“Organizations today depend on the rapid development and delivery of high-performing applications to drive revenues, customer satisfaction and brand,” said Compuware Chief Executive Officer Bob Paul. “To meet these demands effectively, IT organizations must have visibility into the performance of every transaction, from development, through test and in production. Together, Compuware and dynaTrace APM solutions allow IT to meet business demands for performance and agility through unbeatable insight into the user experience – whether in cloud, complex or traditional environments.”  (http://www.compuware.com/about/r/Compuware_Acquires_dynaTrace_press_release_final.pdf)

Although the recession and unemployment may factor into a consumers buying power; the desire to game will always remain. Consumers are demanding faster downloads, lower game costs, better graphics and interaction with others. The world wide web was listening and so was the creators of "Happy Cloud."

"Gamers don't want to wait overnight for a download that might get interrupted," says Eric Gastfriend, VP and GM of Happy Cloud. "Happy Cloud offers instant accessibility for top quality PC games. Our technology enables a seamless trial-purchase flow that gives publishers a hassle-free way to expose their games to new audiences. We're launching today with 10 games from 3 publishers, and we will be rapidly expanding the catalog post-launch."( http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2011/07/18/prweb8649125.DTL#ixzz1SU4tQpcj )

 Games have always been an entertainment to pass time. Cards, dominoes and board games have stayed around for hundreds of years for a reason.

Happy Cloud is opening to customers in the U.S. with games from publishers including Warner Brothers Interactive Entertainment, Paradox Interactive, and Frictional Games. No support is required from publishers or developers to bring the games to the cloud on the Happy Cloud. Try or buy a new game today at www.thehappycloud.com.

Source:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2011/07/18/prweb8649125.DTL#ixzz1SU6qHoiT

Week 1: EOC: Great Customer Service

 I often became frustrated by the way management would handle what I like to call, "customer situations."  This is merely my term for problems.  Let’s face it; we have all had problems with customer service.  Like the time I brought in a sandwich card (with NO expiration date) at the local franchised sub sandwich store, only to be told, it was worthless and no longer honored.  What did I do? I spoke with the manager, debated the lack of expiration date, and was told, "Sorry, corporate policy." It was obvious, my business was not important to them. So, I walked out and went down the street to the competition, Joe’s subs.I told the staff about my customer service at their competitors and guess what Joe's did? They made my meal "complimentary."

"Marketing, more than any other business function, deals with customers. Although we will soon explore more-detailed definitions of marketing, perhaps the simplest definition is this one: Marketing is managing profitable customer relationships. The twofold goal of marketing is to attract new customers by promising superior value and to keep and grow current customers by delivering satisfaction." (Marketing Creating & Capturing; pg 4)

Week One: My Voice

 

Hold on world, a new day is coming!

   With over twenty-five years experience in the field of communication and advertising, I decided I wanted to decelerate.  Don’t get me wrong, I loved my work and cultured a great deal of business knowledge, mostly through trial and error.  I spent countless hours meeting with clients, designing their ad layouts, planning their advertising campaigns, story boarding their commercials, writing scripts for their radio ads, and list goes on.  However, there is one thing I enjoyed the most, taking pictures.  So, in 2000, I started my own LLC, specializing in photography and graphic design.   

The reality is, technology will pass you by, if you let it.  Now, after forty years of life training, I am currently a student at the Art Institute Las Vegas for digital photography.  Although I love my film cameras, and the anticipation of the developing time, I now have the benefit of doing it all myself with digital skills. The ever changing software, search engines and mechanics of the World Wide Web, no longer frighten me. Most importantly, I am able to work at my speed, my time, my choice.