A1 - The Bottled Water Market Documentary Notes

The water market has been growing for just over 40 years with many people joining the competition for customer loyalty creating many new brands on a product that the consumer wasn't even aware was in demand until marketing teams told them otherwise, turning water from a commodity to a brand.

Though there had been other bottled waters in the market before hand, the Japanese brand Mahalo was said to be the point in which bottled water began to make it's mark on the shopping industry. Mahalo is now 10x more expensive than oil.

Nestle vs Danone
Pure Life vs Evian

These are two very big companies with many products already famous in markets across the globe - both becoming household names within short spaces of time. As a result, both companies are competing for customer loyalty on a global scale with billions being made through their alternate products.

But they are only separated by Lake Geneva.
Nestle's headquarters being in Switzerland whilst Danone's is in France.

Evian (Danone):

• "Water with no human intervention";
• Purity;
• Mountains - it's a major part of the branding and idea of purity being presented to the consumers. Mountains are featured in the logo of the product but are also embossed around the top of the bottle. It's also stated on the bottle that the water came from the French Alps with no human intervention in it's purity;
• "Nature in a bottle";
• 1.5 million liters sold every year;
• "French is best".

Pure Life (Nestle):

• They had sterilized water left behind from other products so decided that they would filter it further and put it to good use;
• Uses NASA techniques which make water good enough for astronauts to drink;
• Culture
• The water has no specific source like Evian does so it can be sourced closer to the places it's being produced in. This gives some form of instant gratification for consumers knowing that they can get a product soon as it won't take too long to ship it from country to country but rather city to city;
• This also gives Nestle the advantage of being able to give a low price for their product;
• Short time victory.

Perrier

• Brought out during a time of audience confusion - water was free from a tap so why should they pay for it from a bottle?
• Sales increased to very clever marketing campaigns;
• Dubbed "the yuppy drink";
• Sophistication;
• Brought out during the time of the liquid lunch in which men would end up coming back to work drunk. This meant that they had a bit of class remaining, being able to keep a stable self image whilst remaining sober;
• Water was glamourised;
• Sales increase - 25,000 bottles to 10m;
• Tap water was then privatised by Thatcher - consumers thought "we're paying for tap water now. We may as well just by it in bottles..."
• The fall of Perrier began when Benzine was discovered in one of the bottles. Recalls of all that shipment were brought in and during the time that it was off of the shelves rival brands swooped in to take it's slot on the market.

Highland Springs

• Britain for the British;
• Ready market waiting;
• Product placement;
• BA was a big marketing tool used. They were originally using a foreign water on commercial flights, but soon changed to using Highland Springs after it was pointed out that "it's a British airline, they should serve British water''.

Still water in bottles feeds into everyone's urge for instant gratification whilst sparkling water gives people that air of sophistication and glamour whilst keeping themselves moderately healthy.

It's typically observed that people aren't really buying the water, they're buying the packaging of the water - the bottle itself. Whether it's a water bottle masquerading as a wine bottle or if it's ergonomically designed for athletes on the go - everyone ends up paying for the design rather than the water.

However, we have become a more affluent audience. We've entered the age of the foody meaning the want for naturalised tastes.

"Demand is manufactured". The audience is never aware that they want a product until the marketing teams of said product say they should have it.

"Water can be whatever you want." It fits into the new age of the healthy life style; working along the lines of the "5 a day" vegetable and fruit campaign, water was then pushed forwards saying "8 glasses a day".

Volvic and One Water

One small company saw how bottled water was becoming ridiculously easy to get hold of in countries like the UK and the USA which have the means to simply turn on a tap and get water in an instant.

So, they created One Water - the only bottled water brand that gave all it's profits to helping those in need in Africa and developing countries.

It gave the audience a positive brand choice, giving them not only the water that they wanted by the knowledge that their purchase had just helped to improve someone else's life somewhere else in the world.

In the first few months of the product being released just over 1.4 million people were helped.

But Volvic, another Danone brand, knew that the market was moving in that direction of helping. Their want for customers prompted their own water campaign in which a small percentage of their profit would go towards helping those in need in developing countries. So their sales increased once again and people got helped. It was win win. 

A1 - Water Tasting Focus Group

A1 - Virgin Atlantic

Advert One

This first advert is the 25 anniversary advert promoting the long standing reputation held by Virgin Atlantic.

The advert is more male orientated, targeting the business class male by using attractive air hostesses. It starts with a businessman leaving a taxi whilst trying to get into the airport. You can tell that this man is of some importance because it makes prominence of the old mobile phone in his hands - the originals that was the size of bricks. In that time, it was generally those types of people that could afford to get their hands on a product like that so it instantly makes you aware of who they are trying to target.

As the women (and some men but their out-shined by the women) walk through the airport, you are drawn to them by the vibrant red of their uniforms.

Red is a very important feature in this advert not only because it is the branding colour of all Virgin products but for it's connotations with these women. It's sexy and passionate, the entire tag line of the advert centering on this point Still red hot after 25 years.

Appearance is the biggest point of this product because Virgin relies on it's good public image. They use attractive women as their air hostesses whilst "average" people are on the sidelines watching them - other air hostesses wearing drab uniforms with their hair tied back looking the complete opposite of what Virgin are offering.  

Advert Two

This second advert was released more recently and provides a more glamourous look at the upper class services available through Virgin Atlantic.

Just as stereotypical as the last, the women are once again very attractive with the uses of red highlighting the brand and the domination these women possess. The power shown by these woman in some sections of the advert suggest that they are in complete control of what is going on but at the same time they are there to get you where you need to go.

However, this time the advert has taken a turn and has used men in an appealing way as well. You witness them pole-dancing on forks, swimming in Martini glasses and many more showing that not only is the business class male being targeted but the business class female too as we have entered an age where women are becoming more equal in that audience and not just a pawn to get the men to use products.

The entire advert is a James Bond parody,  giving the audience the illusion of grandeur. It takes on the connotations of the James Bond universe - the sex appeal, sophistication and smoothness. Most men in their lifetime have wanted to be James Bond and some women "Bond Girls", so this gives them the idea that they will get that high level of service.

It's a fantasy - their kind of "dream" image to show you what services they promise you will receive.

A1 - What is the Marketing Mix?

The marketing mix is the recipe used to make sure that there is consistency whilst marketing a product.

During this process, marketers have to go remember the 4 P's:

• Price
• Place
• Promote
• Product

Each section affects the other, meaning that as the audience's needs change the marketers are able to change the product as such. So if you were to promote a product in a place with a high price bracket the audience will change to the people who shop in those areas. If used successfully then the product will reach it's target audience and make a profit.

Applying the MM to a product

Furby

Product
The Furby is a toy last seen in the 90s but has recently made its comeback in 2012. It's seems to be a very peculiar bird (though it reminds me of Gizmo from Gremlins) - with the ears and the beak - and has the tag line A Mind Of It's Own. The 2012 version of the toy has been improved for further interactivity with the child as Furby seems to learn from them.

Old Furby:

New Furby:

Place
Furby can be found in any major store that sells toys - from general supermarkets such as ASDA and Tesco to actual specified toy stores like Toys R Us and Smyths.
Because of it's artificial intelligence programing and electronic features, it would be placed in aisles with similar products - probably closer to the older child's toy section by mp3 players and over interactive products.
It can also be bought online through shopping websites like Play and Amazon (as well as through audience selling sites like eBay).

Promote
Adverts have been shown on the main TV channels ( ITV 1, C4, C5 ) during the peak times when children would be watching - mainly after 3pm when school is finished and the TV schedule incorporates children's TV for a couple of hours.
It has also been shown on specific children's channels like Disney Channel and Nickelodeon throughout the day - this could be on the off chance that a parent with a younger child and an older child (the younger being at home, the older being at school) would be watching and think that it could be a good present for their child.
Online has also been an excellent place for promotion as it has connected a world wide audience. Those old enough to remember Furby when it first came out started to talk about it, using word-of-mouth to spread the word that their childhood toy was making a comeback - getting people anticipated for a product that wasn't target at them and wasn't even released. Some of that past target audience have children of their own now so can relive the memories of that old toy by getting the new version for their own kids.
Furby also has an interactive website in which children (with parental supervision) came "meet Furby", get to know it's personality and even design their own.

Price
The pricing of Furby really depends on where you look for it. On the adverts, the general price of the toy has been stated as £60 but sometimes a store will alter the pricing to get more people to buy it there. If they know that this product is popular and in-demand then they can cut the prices (penetration and competitive pricing) to encourage the customer to shop there.
Online prices are usually the best when it comes to purchasing toys as they can afford to put a lower price on the product but counter it with post and packaging charges. On some sites, I have seen the Furby priced at £50 or £55 but with p+p charges of up to £7 depending on where you live. International shipping prices vary too as the distance always makes the prices increase.

We're a Culture - not a costume.

During the run-up to Halloween, the third biggest holiday in America, a campaign has been set out to make people more aware of the "costumes" that they may be deciding to put on this year.

In the past, it has started to become more "acceptable" to put on costumes depicting people from different religions and cultures and because of that more people from those groups are being alienated.

It's proving to be a fairly successful campaign in the sense of making more people aware of these cultures, however with such a large population I doubt that the majority of the people in the USA would really take notice of the offence they could be causing.

However, it has been a good source for debates within classrooms and on the Internet. When shown in the BTEC Media classroom, a small debate began on whether people were just being sensitive as "the Mexican on a donkey was funny". People did support the campaign though pointing out the connotations of the Muslim poster (the general stereotype that all Muslims are terrorists when that isn't the case).

On the Internet, people have definitely been getting into debates on this topic further promoting it as the images are passed along with peoples comments:

A1 - How was "The Sweeny" Marketed?

Vertigo Films is a UK Media company which was founded in 2002, and they are responsible for producing some of Britain's popular movies.
In recent years, they produced Europe's first live-action 3D movie Street Dance 3D.
But they have also produced other films such as:

• Monsters
• Outcast
• A Night In The Woods
• The Sweeney
• Horrid Henry: The Movie
• The Firm

Their films are typically based around British culture - using iconic series like The Sweeney and Horrid Henry for movies are great examples as they have been household names for many years. So, though their movies wouldn't do as well in further reaches of the world, the British target audience would understand the references and style presented to them.

Rated 15+, The Sweeney is targeted at the older teenage audience through the action, grit and tension. It is portrayed through the posters as a dark, steely action film - Ben Drew carrying a large gun whilst walking alongside Ray Winstone, both looking tough and intimidating. However, The Sweeney was originally a British television series during the 70's. So, as well as trying to entice this new generation of movie goers to see it, Vertigo Films are also trying to get the audience of the original series interested too.

Posters were the most obvious marketing technique that was used to promote the film to the audience - thousands of posters were set out across the country, saying the name of the film and looking dramatic to gain the audiences attentions. Billboards were set up too - a captive audience during rush time traffic with the only visuals outside the car being these images of this upcoming movie.
TV and cinema trailers were also released, clips sent out across the nation and internationally thanks to YouTube and social networking - they got the audience talking, also using word of mouth to spread the message about this film.
Also, they did the obscure thing of partnering with Orange for joint promotion during a segment of the promos in the cinema. In this, Ben Drew and Ray Winstone acted through what the audience originally think is a clip from the movie - until the colour orange becomes the standout feature. In the end, the audience are told not to let their phones ruin the movie - a memorable trick which was also used to advertise The Expendables 2.

These techniques were used as they reached across to all of their audience members. Some were more memorable than others, but all were successful in promoting the film. One of the most useful techniques that a marketing team can be sure to work is word-of-mouth - once a member of the public has heard of this movie (whether it be for the memories of the series or the general action for the younger audience) they will start to talk about it, spreading the word from person to person. So if one part of the marketing was very successful then that will be the talking point; this can also be turned around that if it went spectacularly bad then people will remember it for that.

A1 - Class Discussion - What is Marketing?

1 - What is marketing?

Marketing is the process in which a product is developed and promoted through audience research.
It is put through a system that can be called the "Marketplace" - mainly because it is an area in which you can buy or sell services. In this time, a marketing team can identify who they are selling the product to, primarily by conducting research on them in situations like focus groups. But at the same time, the modern audience has developed so that it is more aware that they are being targeted or that they would enjoy a product being promoted.
They are responsible for communicating a message about the product (i.e. what it is, how the audience can purchase it, how much it is, where they can by it). This also includes brand development and packaging.

Things that can be marketed include:

• Products
• People (self-promotion, bands etc.)
• Services
• Networks (Orange, O2 etc.)
• Customer Services
• Media text (Films, books etc.)
• Places (Visit Scotland campaign)
• Government
• Events (Festivals etc.)

2 - What is involved in a marketing campaign (Tools and Techniques)

One of the main processes that happens is market research. Before a product can be really promoted or created, an audience needs to be targeted and researched. Once a company has an idea of the audience's needs, then they can start to develop and change a product according to what they have dicovered. If done successfully, a company can generally create a highly successful product.
Although it is technically in a different section, advertising is another area in which a product can be marketed. It's generally the final promotions of a product and can be seen through:

• print - leaflets, posters
• outdoors - billboards
• TV - trailers, commercial, tv spots
• radio - adverts, interviews
• online - social networking, websites

Once a product has been created it's imperative that the public remain aware of it. Word of mouth is key after the initial promotion, people are the most effective forms of advertising as everyone has the urge to talk to someone or to gossip about something they have recently witnessed - if you make a memorable advert/product then people are going to want to talk to it. Also, people are the perfect testers. Trial runs are very good ideas to test out a product in a real situation - you can tell if it lives up to the standards that were expected by the audience or if there are any further improvements that need to happen.

Furthermore, the type of promotion that people little remember is the sponsorship of items. If your product becomes a sponsor for some large broadcast, event etc - like the many logos you see flashing around the outside of a football pitch in a stadium - then more people are likely to see it. Though the prime slots on TV are very expensive to purchase, if you find the perfect time to advertise your product - primarily when the target audience is watching - then you are more likely to sell it.

A great example of sponsorship dealings is Dr Pepper and Thorpe Park. For the past couple of years, Dr Pepper has been in a deal with Thorpe Park in which they will sponsor the "Sun Scream" season during the summer - which includes a motocross stunts show - if they allow Dr Pepper to be the main drink advertised throughout the park. At busy points in the day, people wearing the logo of Dr Pepper walk around the parks and hand out free samples of the drink to entice people to go and buy more.

• Focus groups
• Placement
• Online - effective everywhere. YouTube is a great source for adverts these days. Great for the promotors, that is. For the users of the website, it's been complained about that even the advertising system on there has been marketed. Adverts are almost always compulsory on highly subscribed users - such as PewDiePie, Ray William Johnson and Tubuscus. Often you can skip the adverts - after you've watched 5 slow seconds of it - but sometimes you have to sit through an advert. That, and the banners on the websites. Adverts are everywhere you look.
• Radio - it's a more subliminal form of advertising. You don't realize it's really happening because you're listening to the music anyway. Sometimes, the adverts could blend so efficiantly from or into a song that you don't realize you've heard about this product but you still know it. Catchy jingles help as music always gets stuck in your head - how many times have you heard "GO COMPARE~" since that advert came out 4 years ago?
• TV - though everyone still watches TV, this form of advertisement has started t struggle in recent years thanks to V+ and Sky+. All these on demand features (including the online ITV Player, 4OD etc) have started to obliterate the adverts - making them much easier to avoid on TV. Even when a program has been recorded straight from the TV, you can still fast forward through the adverts to skip them.
• Print - the most escapable. If you don't want to look at a piece of paper then you don't have to.
• Outdoors - this one is inescapable. When you're walking around outside or stuck in traffic, billboards are always there. Particularly around the areas where traffic becomes awful at peak times of the day - they pretty much have a captive audience.

3 - What is PR?

PR stands for Public Relations, and it is a part of the marketing mix; it is part of managing the message of a product.

PR manages have to make sure that there is a good relationship between the product, the company and the audience.

This area of the marketing has the strongest relationship with the media - utilizing the media to the best effect.

Generally, these sectors use PR companies:

• Big companies - like Apple.
• Governments
• Celebrities - Max Clifford is a big name in this area having dealt with celebrities like Kerry Katona over the duration of his career. 

4 - How has marketing strategy/techniques evolved over the past 10 years?

Since the Internet grew (Web 2.0), marketers have had easier access to niche markets - being able to go directly to people through their social networking profiles or searches to find out what they are interested in and whether that can help develop products further.

In recent times, web devices known as cookies (a data collecting "virus") have been inserted onto websites by their creators to help figure out what a user is interested in whilst they are searching. Play.com, Amazon, and eBay are prime examples of websites who use this tactic as you could be searching for Avengers Assemble on Play.com and see it being advertised by another website on banners somewhere else.

However, because of these changes the new generations have become more media savvy. Education has changed in recent years to incorporate the new technologies and media techniques. Thus this has created a more media-sceptical generation.

5 - How has our understanding of marketing audiences changed in the 21st century?

Now that the audience is becoming more media savvy, the marketers have a harder job pushing through the barriers that the audience are trying put up. However, with social networking systems such as Facebook, Xbox Live, and Tumblr the audience are already doing the marketing for the companies.

By creating multi-national sites, people have the ability to talk to people on the other side of the world - everyone connecting through their comment interests.

Tumblr is a good example of this. Through their tagging system, users are able to promote themselves, products, news to anyone else in the world with Internet access and a connection to that site. We are able to influence each other with much more ease - making an advert viral or talking about a product like the newest camera or phone. We give reviews of these products - either saying that they are the greatest invention to date or warning people to avoid them at all costs.

6 - What is more important, the product or the marketing?

In the general sense, the two need a balance but sometimes marketing happens before there is even a product.

In some cases, branding works better where marketing is concerned - for example, people were raving and wanting the iPhone 5, talking about the product before it had even gone into production. Apple were able to assess their user wants and needs to create this product - with the audience creating the hype and anticipation for it months before it was created.