Olympics-SOCHI 2014

SOCHI Olympics 2014

I have been a fan of the Olympics for as long as I can remember. At a young age I was obsessed with the gymnastics events in the Summer and the ice skating events in the winter. Something about the grace and poise the athletes possessed always amazed and inspired me. 

As I've grown older I've come to appreciate a variety of Olympic sports and the dedication and talent that each one of the athletes possesses. There are so many events now that there really is something for everyone to watch and cheer for. The coolest part about the Olympics is the intense competition among athletes around the world but at the same time the unspoken bond and camaraderie that they all share. They have a love for the sport and a determination that can't be matched.

  

Just like any other popular sporting event, The Olympics is a huge marketing and advertising stage. Millions of dollars in sponsorships are given by individuals, companies, and countries to support their athletes and the Olympics in general. One of my favorite things to watch during the Olympic coverage is the backstories on the athletes. It's amazing to hear about their journeys and how hard they've worked to get to this point. 

One of the biggest factors in an Olympian's life is the support they receive from their parents. One major company has taken advantage of this concept and has crafted a brilliant campaign based on the countless moms that have sacrificed so much for their children to become the best athletes in the world. 

Everything about this campaign is effective. It's emotionally appealing. The commercials are very high-quality. The ads are inspiring. And it's easy to make the connection between the brand and the sponsorship even though it barely mentions the name P & G.  

These campaigns really hit home for a lot of people. The P & G name has become tied to a concept that is so positive and profound that it is surely going to be effective in boosting sales and brand awareness. I think P & G really went for the Gold! 

The Olympics is such an awesome time to see creativity come out in so many different ways and advertising is just another aspect of that. I think sponsoring athletes is an awesome thing for companies to do and it's one of the most effective things to consider when trying to build a household name. I love the Olympics and the marketing behind them. Go Team USA! 

Feel the Love.

Valentine's Day

For some it's a much anticipated holiday and for others it's completely dreaded. I personally love Valentine's Day and always have. I think it's a beautiful concept to set aside a day that is completely devoted to love in any form. As a tribute to St. Valentine and everything the holiday represents here is a list of the 5 best things about Valentine's Day in no particular order (in my opinion anyway).

1. Unexpected Love- It's always nice to receive kind words or a treat from someone you aren't expecting anything from. It's even better to give unexpected gifts of appreciation and love. Everyone in life has someone to be thankful for and why not take the opportunity to tell them on a holiday centered around love?

2. Chick Flicks- I am a huge fan of chick flicks. They may be a little mushy and sometimes even a bit unrealistic but I enjoy a nice feel good story with a happy ending from time to time. There is always a chick flick that comes out around Valentine's Day and with so many thrillers, dramas, and action movies it's nice to be able to relax, not be on the edge of your seat and just watch someone fall in love. 

3. CANDY! There's something about Valentine's Day candy that just tastes better. There are all sorts of specialty products that come out around the middle of January which always adds festivity to the stores. It's also great from a marketing perspective because you can tailor specific products and campaigns towards the holiday and possibly reach a new audience of consumers.

  4. Calories Don't Count. Just like every other holiday I think everyone is allowed to eat whatever they want without having to count calories and worry about it. I mean Valentine's Day only comes once a year so why not spoil yourself and eat a couple chocolates. and ice cream. and cookies. and cake. and whatever else your little heart desires. Things just taste better when it's a holiday. 

5. Everyone is just happier. I've always loved holidays but I especially love Valentine's Day because it's the only day of the year that you can be cheesy and loving for basically no reason at all. I think it's important to realize that everyone has someone in their life to love every single day and Valentine's Day gives us a reason to celebrate that. Happy Valentine's Day!  

xoxo Brooke xoxo

THE SUPERBOWL.

THE SUPERBOWL.
A marketer’s dream.
Every year, America waits for the Superbowl with so much anticipation. It’s always an exciting time to see which two teams are going to play in the game and of course, what commercials will debut during the big event. I feel like the Superbowl becomes a bigger deal year after year. Superbowl commercials are always creative and always cost a pretty penny. Marketers really have to consider their target consumers and decide if a 30 second Superbowl ad is really worth 4 million dollars to their company. Often times, commercials are talked about for weeks following the big game.

Not only is the Superbowl a huge marketing opportunity for companies that choose to advertise using television but it’s an experience that can be talked about with many different products. Food is a huge part of the big game day. Different products come out with special packaging for the Superbowl and countless football-focused recipes circulate the internet in preparation for the party hosts and the party goers. There are even specific marketing campaigns that are designed to get consumers involved in the advertising process. Doritos has gotten extremely creative this year. The chips company held a contest for the public to create commercials for the company and enter into the contest. The videos get voted on by the public and the winner gets a cash prize and the ad aired during the Superbowl. What an awesome campaign to build brand awareness and creativity and encourage engagement among consumers. To view the final videos go here.

Another industry that is heavily involved in the Superbowl hype is the alcohol industry. When fans are holding viewing parties for the big games there is usually some type of alcohol involved and most years the alcohol ads are the most anticipated because they are usually funny and bold. This year a commercial has come out on the internet before the big game. Budweiser has chosen to air an adorable commercial featuring a Labrador puppy and the Clydesdales. It is absolutely heart-warming and sure to be a fan favorite. Watch it below:

A huge part of the Superbowl is the halftime show. It’s a favorite for everyone and in recent years hasn’t been without a little or a lot of controversy. It is always a huge publicity event for whoever is performing and you can bet that the halftime will be talked about and these days blogged about for weeks to come. Artists have the chance to create a positive image or spark a little controversy among the public. It’s always exciting to see what’s going to happen. Bruno Mars is performing this year so we will have to wait and see what he chooses to do.

The Superbowl is always a fun event to watch and be involved with. There’s a part of the Superbowl that everyone seems to love and there is also a part of the Superbowl that is marketable to everyone. It will be interesting to see where 2014 takes the big game!

My Addiction.

My Weakness. One word. Pinterest. The main founder, Ben Silbermann, had quit Google because it didn’t allow him to have creative freedom and that’s what he really wanted in a career. A week or so after he quit, the recession hit. Ben knew he needed to take some chances and create something that was going to get people interested and something that was going to last. Ben met two other people that liked his idea and were willing to try this concept of an online collection board out. Pinterest was launched in January of 2010. The very first pin to ever be on the site looked like this:

Fast forward 4 years later and Pinterest has 70 million global users. The site has completely changed the online world. Its goal is to inspire people to get offline and do things they love. Pinterest inspires me and probably millions of other users around the globe. With Pinterest, I feel like I can do anything. Need to make a nice meal for entertaining guests? Pinterest it. Need to find the best way to deep clean your house? Pinterest it. Need to find out how to control crazy toddlers? Pinterest it. Need to get some motivation to go to the gym? Pinterest it. You can literally find ANYTHING on Pinterest.

Besides being an information monster, Pinterest allows you to get personal with your pins. YOU get to choose what goes on your boards and how you want to organize them. You get to choose what’s good enough to be re-pinned or what’s cute enough to be liked. It gives you a complete sense of ownership over online material and that feeling is addicting. Users thrive on that. Users also love that Pinterest is pretty. Ugly things don’t get pinned. Whether it’s food, travel destinations, home décor or fashion, Pinterest pins are visually appealing. The site is also easy to use which keeps users coming back time and time again. Pinterest is an escape. Life these days is stressful for most people. Who wouldn’t want to spend an hour away from the real world dreaming about vacations you could take or home improvements you could make.

Pinterest isn’t just for personal use anymore either. Many business are using it to gain brand awareness and get their products and ideas circulating in the Pinterest world. It’s a great resource for product based companies and it’s beginning to gain steam from other types of companies as well. If a company isn’t on Pinterest, it is definitely missing out on an incredibly easy marketing tool.

I absolutely love Pinterest and have since day 1. I think it’s a genius concept that is not only helpful but fun. It is relevant for everyone and I think it will continue to gain followers. However, like most innovative online tools, Pinterest will probably make some changes in the future in order to increase profits. Until then I will be its biggest fan.

Perhaps, The Best Decision Yet.

I want to be a marketer for the rest of my life. I can say that with the utmost confidence in myself and my future. However, I haven’t always known that. When I was going through the glorious years of high school I thought I was meant to be a nurse. After taking medical classes and becoming a nursing assistant, I learned that I get too attached to relationships and I could never handle the emotional ups and downs of a career in healthcare. When I began college I thought for sure that psychology would be my thing. I truly enjoy listening to people and giving advice when I can. I love learning about why we, as humans, think the way we think and do the things we do. After taking a couple psychology classes, I just wasn’t loving it and knew that some reevaluation was in order. I looked into the different programs that Utah State offered. I had always had a passion for leadership and for continuous learning. I finally came to the conclusion that business was the perfect field for me. I knew within the first 5 minutes of my introduction to marketing class that it was the perfect path for me. That was 2 ½ years ago and I am still as sure about it as I was then. The knowledge that I’ve gained from multiple marketing courses and professors, countless textbooks, and some real world experience reassures me that I will be happy for the rest of my life working as a marketer.

The thing that I really love about marketing is the fact that it is relevant to EVERY industry, company and product. Marketing is relatable and it’s memorable. Everyone has a logo, slogan, commercial or campaign that sticks out in their mind forever. Thinking about the fact that someone created that not knowing that it would last forever is so cool to think about. It’s interesting to me because studying marketing teaches you so much about people and the world around us. I think marketing defies stereotypes and opens people’s minds up to new ideas, passions and possibilities. Also, it is constantly changing and there is always something new to learn. This has become so apparent with the explosion of social media. As soon as you think you know everything about the different marketing platforms it basically vanishes and a new tool is introduced. This is what makes it so fun though. It’s a constant challenge and changes as fast as we do.

I’m excited to continue expanding my knowledge of the business world and of the marketing field. I’m also anxious to get out into the real world and experience marketing first hand. There is always so much to learn in the application phases of knowledge and I know that I will be amazed at what I learn. When I graduate I will begin working for a cheese production company. I interned for the company last summer. It was a great experience that finished with a job offer that I’m extremely grateful for. I will be a Marketing Management Trainee which consists of different rotations through the commercial department of the company. I will be exposed to more hands on marketing, sales, research and development, finance and logistics. It will be a great position to get a taste of many different aspects of business and to learn how all the pieces of the puzzle fit together to create a successful company. I couldn't be happier to be graduating with a degree in marketing and to be pursuing a career in this field. It's what I'm meant to do. I just know it.