Week 10 EOC: What are the benefits vs the features

My product of course has some benefits and features. Some are obvious and some are hidden and hard to find. Every benefit is well worth the money spent, same as the features, but it is better to reassure your customers that they are getting their moneys worth. “Lower-income consumers are price sensitive, but they will pay for products if they deliver a benefit that is worth the money.” –MKTG Page 7.

A few benefits to my product are: the price, it does not cost too much and does not cost too little, the distribution, it will be distributed in a “jello sized” container which is pretty normal and user friendly. “Package uniformity: A product line can benefit from package uniformity. All packages in the line may have a common look and still keep their individual identities. Again, Campbell's soup is a good example.” –MKTG Page 177.

Features can be just as, if not, then more important than the benefits of a product. A feature of Dirt with Worms is how much content is inside the package. It has enough content for a quick fill up but not enough to make you feel full or bloated. A feature is more of a want than a need in a product “A want can be for a specific product, or it can be for a certain attribute or feature of a product.” –MKTG Page 92.

Week 9 EOC: Social Media

Social Media is extremely powerful in this day and age and it is crazy to not even consider using it to promote yourself or your product. Social Media is crucial and vital in marketing whether it is Instagram, Vine, Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Youtube, or whatever is created tomorrow. "Increased Brand Recognition. Every opportunity you have to syndicate your content and increase your visibility is valuable. Your social media networks are just new channels for your brand’s voice and content. This is important because it simultaneously makes you easier and more accessible for new customers, and makes you more familiar and recognizable for existing customers." Quoted from http://www.forbes.com/sites/jaysondemers/2014/08/11/the-top-10-benefits-of-social-media-marketing/#3f5d22052a4d .

The way that I plan on making “Dirt with Worms” popular is first changing the name to “Dirt n’ Worms” because Dirt with Worms is a mouthful. The next step is to grab my friends and family members and have them post a picture of the product with them eating it on any and all social media sites they use using #DirtnWorms. Example: Hey everyone you’ve gotta try this new thing called Dirt n’ Worms, it’s like pudding but it’s creamy and chewy and crunchy… I just can’t explain it (insert picture of them eating it)! #DirtnWorms “Richer Customer Experiences. Social media, at its core, is a communication channel like email or phone calls. Every customer interaction you have on social media is an opportunity to publicly demonstrate your customer service level and enrich your relationship with your customers.” Quoted from http://www.forbes.com/sites/jaysondemers/2014/08/11/the-top-10-benefits-of-social-media-marketing/2/#656971fb5232 .

Promoting through social media can cost little to absolutely nothing and it is much better than being bombarded with ads that you cannot avoid. Social media is never going away and is only becoming more and more popular. “The longer you wait, the more you have to lose. Social media marketing, when done right, can lead to more customers, more traffic, and more conversions, and it’s here to stay.” Quoted from http://www.forbes.com/sites/jaysondemers/2014/08/11/the-top-10-benefits-of-social-media-marketing/2/#656971fb5232 .

Week 8 EOC: Creative Content

The direction I want to take this in is for the Internet. A Website is the perfect way to reach any and everyone at any time of day regardless of where they live. The Internet is not going away for a very, very long time and will probably never disappear, ever. The website will be in English and display content of the product such as: What exactly is “Dirt with Worms”, what does it look like, and various other facts and information of the product. The navigation of the website will be displayed at the top with the title Dirt with Worms directly below it and a motto under the title. Under the title will be a picture of the product and exactly what it is and why you, the consumer, would want it. Below that will be various social media links to twitter, tumblr, facebook, instagram, pintrest, etc., and the copyright date on the footer. The color scheme of the website will be white, brown, and black (not sure exactly what shades and tints of the colors I will want to use but I know for a fact it will be those three colors).

Week 7 EOC: My Pitch

"Dirt with Worms", what is it? Sounds gross? I promise you it is NOT gross, out of the ordinary and certainly not simple, but simple is boring and boring is not fun. Dirt with Worms is a combination of chocolate pudding, crushed cookies, and white chocolate worms. The lower "Dirt" is the chocolate pudding that you spread across the bottom of the dish, the upper more visible "Dirt" is the crushed and crumbled cookies that you spread across the top of the chocolate pudding, and the final part is the "Worms" which is the white chocolate worms you place inside of the chocolate pudding, under the crushed and crumbled cookies. If you are craving something more sweet than your average everyday snack then Dirt with Worms is perfect for you. It is definitely not your average everyday snack and/or dessert, which makes it even more wonderful, and Dirt with Worms can even be made at home reaching an even larger crowd of people. It is perfect for middle and high school students and even for young adults who need a quick bite that is not messy but will fill them up so they can get back to work. If you are still asking yourself what is “Dirt with Worms”, it is a fun tasty pudding snack that is cold, crunchy, chewy, and different from your average quick fix snack.

Week 6 EOC: Me x3

The 3 things that define who I am that I own are my Xbox One, my laptop, and my Galaxy S5.

I ordered this from least to most important so my Xbox One is still important but not as important to me as the other two items that I have listed. My Xbox One is for playing games and watching videos. It is exactly what I use it for. I am always on my Xbox One when I am at home bored with absolutely nothing else to do either playing games or watching videos/movies. I use it to talk to and play with my friends who moved away to other states or even out of the country.

My laptop is practically my entire life. I do all my work on my laptop, all my files, projects, and homework are on my laptop, I download all my music on my laptop, and I used to play a lot of games on it too. Over the years it has gotten weaker and I am probably in the need of another one but I am not exactly swimming in a "green pool".

The absolute and most important thing to me is my phone. I love listening to music, I listen to music every single day of my life. I literally cannot go a day without listening to music. If I had a choice between losing my ability to see or hear I would honestly lose my sight even thought I am a visual designer. My music defines who I am and the only way I can listen to it is with my phone. Of course I use it for communication and social media but I cannot live without my music.

Week 5 EOC: This is what has my interest

I have made 15 tweets so far but I am very fond of a few of them, primarily 3. One of the three tweets is "How to learn code for (almost) free http://www.forbes.com/sites/laurencebradford/2016/08/02/learn-to-code-for-free/?ref=webdesignernews.com#2f4a9ff33262 … #WebDesign." This tweet has my attention because learning code is definitely not easy, but if you want to become a Web Developer, it is absolutely necessary. Learning code with the provided information within the link is the cheapest way to get you on the right path, or at the least an entry level position as a coder. It is an alternative for college.

Another tweet that catches my eye every time is "10 professional fonts for ALL designers http://tinyurl.com/zz67plk  #Designer." As a designer a lot of factors play a role in creating a beautiful presentation (I say presentation instead of product because one day we will all be presenting our work). Typography plays a huge role with expressing how our work flows off the page. Big bold heavy fonts say, "Look at me!" Thin light fonts can read off as something highly professional. Comic sans can read off as, "Do not continue reading after the first word."

My favorite tweet of the 15 I have done so far is "Parallax Websites that'll have you like WOW! http://www.awwwards.com/websites/parallax/ … #WebDesign." Even to this day parallax websites are a rare site but they are absolutely amazing, interactive, creative, and beautiful. A parallax website can and will easily stand out from the rest. A parallax website is the closest thing to a 3D website and will leave your audience stunned without even leaving the home page.

Week 4 EOC: My New App

An app I would develop that would revolutionize the world is called F.M.R.P - Free. Find My Remote Please - Free. People lose their TV remotes all the time and it takes forever to find them. F.M.R.P. will send a signal to your TV, which will then bounce to every remote within a 20 ft. radius that is compatible with that TV then send the information back to your phone and act exactly as a GPS. It will allow you to zoom in very closely to give the most accurate depiction of your surroundings. The F.M.R.P. – Pro version will cost $0.99 USD and instead allow you to use your phones vibration as a metal detector and vibrate when you are within 9 inches of your TV remote. This will revolutionize the world.

Week 2 EOC: Boston Consulting Group - Video Games (reupload)

The declining sales of video games and consoles in 2009 were drastic but it was more so the fault of the price of the consoles since gamers are not exactly rolling around in money.
The reason I say it is the fault of the console sales is because in 2013-2016 the sale of the Playstation 4 as risen exponentially compared to the sales of the Xbox One. “There are around 40 million PS4 consoles in the hands of gamers around the world, Sony revealed in its earnings report released Thursday. The Japanese electronics giant sold 17.7 million PS4 consoles in its year that ended March 31, up from 14.8 million sold in the previous year. Despite revenue being down 1.3 percent year-over-year, Sony reported an operating income of $2.6 billion for its year, a 329 percent increase year-over-year.” By http://www.ibtimes.com/ps4-vs-xbox-one-close-40-million-playstation-4-consoles-have-been-sold-2013-launch-2361021 , author Charles Poladian. Microsoft has refused to release the sales numbers of their console, Xbox One, but it is estimated around 19-20million since their last earnings report.One of the reasons why Playstation 4 sold more than the Xbox one is due to the price, “In April, Sony confirmed PS4 sales reached 7 million, while Microsoft claimed 5 million Xbox Ones had been sold to retailers. Industry watchers attributed the difference to several things: the PlayStation 4’s price of $399 compared to the Xbox One’s price of $499, the PlayStation’s earlier launch, and the lack of availability in certain areas for the Xbox One" by http://www.ibtimes.com/ps4-vs-xbox-one-sony-spent-24-million-more-advertising-microsoft-january-2014-1617944 , author Abigail Elise.Comparing the 3 most popular consoles on the BCG (in 2014), the Xbox One is a star, the Playstation 4 is a cash cow, and the Wii is a dog by http://www.techtimes.com/articles/9023/20140624/xbox-one-vs-ps4-which-game-console-is-more-popular-in-which-u-s-state-facebook-to-the-rescue.htm#sthash.VDIQO7JG.dpuf , author Vamien McKalin.

Week 3 EOC: Making Money for Good

Many for profit companies donate to non profit companies but a company that surprised me the most was Amazon.com. I am a very frequent consumer of Amazon.com but I have never known that Amazon donates to charity organizations. Amazon donates .5% of ALL individual purchases to the charity of their choice.

It is surprising but at the same time not really. “Today's business ethics actually consist of a subset of major life values learned since birth. The values business people use to make decisions have been acquired through family, educational, and religious institutions”, a quote on page 37 of MKTG. We grow up and are raised to believe in certain values like giving back to the poor or helping those less fortunate than you. Amazon is a very prosperous and flourishing company making millions and donating some of their earnings to those who need it more than they do. “We support local and national nonprofits with cash and product donations, and we will continue to donate across the United States over the coming years”, a quote by Amazon.com.

“Ethical values are situation specific and time oriented. Everyone must have an ethical base that applies to conduct in the business world and in personal life. One approach to developing a personal set of ethics is to examine the consequences of a particular act. Who is helped or hurt? How long do the consequences last? What actions produce the greatest good for the greatest number of people?” A quote on page 37 of MKTG. More companies are realizing that the more they reach out to the people the more appealing the become to the eye of the consumers and gives them an overall better appearance.

“…many factors determine the nature of an ethical decision.”