@prentism Hi Prentis! This is such a great example of customer participation! This also reminds me of the lays potato chip flavor contest. This contest, as well as the Starbucks contest, involves consumers and gives them the excitement of possibly having their creation made public. Enticing the consumer with this chance as well as a chance at a monetary reward definitely promotes a product.
As technology and the use of social media have progressed, the methods of marketing to consumers has changed by making the visibility more prominent. Instead of commercials on television, ads relating to the video being watched may be seen in the middle of the video or before it. For example, I may be searching for a video about something specific for my pets and after a while when I finally click on a video that may be of interest an ad from ASPCA will play. This also occurs throughout other social media platforms. When scrolling, an ad that is related to someone’s specific interests may pop up or individuals promoting a specific item or brand that is of interest will appear more than a random ad promoting something that someone has no interest in whatsoever. I have seen brands collaborate with other brands during a special promotion or event that likely would not have happened before. If a large community event or even a concert is occurring a collaboration on a product will occur giving recognition to both brands.
Specifically in the medical community, some marketing may be done through a vendor using a physician as a middle man to promote the product to patients. I have experienced a physician where she promoted a supplement and promoted the product by offering her discount code when purchasing. This was new to me because I didn’t expect to see this in the medical field but as I have seen more of this over the years I think it’s interesting and a testament to the ways that marketing is changing.
In recent years, I've observed an increase in large brands that invite customers to interact with the goods/devices they sell. Making use of social media is one way to do this. Companies will provide products to people with millions of followers so they may use and promote the product exclusively. This is executed in a very deliberate manner. I've seen this paralympic athlete promote a brand-new prosthetic limb before. The individual received the limb for free from the business and was permitted to tell his followers about it.
@reshamn I agree in the world of rampant social media platforms, companies are indeed more clever about how they interact with consumers. I've seen funny memes being twitted and pertinent viral videos being used to grab the attention of the younger generation and it seems to be affective. Most baby boomers use social media but not for the same reasons and continue to seek TV, radio, and in person ads for their needs.
I agree with many of these posts that the most common way that companies advertise is through social media sponsoring different professional athletes or famous people. I know that I personally have an ad blocker on my computer, so the only real way I see them is through social media on my phone. I also listen to podcasts, which remain free because the host will pick companies to sponsor their show. I saw another post that said community outreach, especially with pharmaceutical companies hosting different events to promote their company by fundraising for different groups. As a runner, I find this to be one of the best ways of marketing. As I run different races, many different companies come to sponsor the event and they give out different small products for their brand; whether it be a bag, shirt, or pen it reminds you of the brand and other people see you wearing it for added effect. It also builds trust within the community, that these companies show up and interact with you, and builds awareness for their brand. In a society that is faceless because of all the technology, it is beneficial to me at least when I see people from the company and interact with them at different events.
Does anyone else think that the different "swag" that companies or schools give out helps immensely in their marketing? I know when looking for schools/products, the more you see people wearing gear or having products the more people will think of your school/product when they need it.
I guess a clever way of participation is having a virtual interaction with the company. I have encountered a live person willing to speak to me about a product that I was not pleased with. I believe it was on the Amazon website, but I had left an inquiry through email to them to let them know how the product I purchased was not performing as it should. They were willing to ask me questions about it faster than I thought they would honestly. On other websites, it would take hours or even days for them to contact you back, but they were immediate with their response and willing to help as well, which probably helps them out in their popularity.
In the medtech start-up space, participation is probably the most important piece of the puzzle given how imperative it is to engage with early adopters. Unlike with existing and established companies with entire marketing and sales division, it is difficult for start-ups to grab people's attention. The most standard and traditional means of engagement is by going to medical conventions and trade shows to be able to interact with your end users. It is through these events that one can more clearly define user needs and build customer archetypes. However, as mentioned by most of my peers - companies have been taking more and more advantage of social media and the reach one can have at a fraction of the cost. I have networked with several incubator and accelerator programs who work with entrepreneurs to leverage platforms such as Meta or TikTok for advertising.
Several years ago I encountered an interesting example of participation-focused marketing when I was walking around the mall. The Korean skincare brand Laneige had just arrived at Sephora, and a pop-up display was set up near the store with interactive activities to promote the products. If you completed all the activities, you got free samples of some of the skincare products. I remember there being a video about their product line that you could watch through a VR headset, there was a touch-screen game to play, and you had to follow the company's Instagram page. Of course the display was manned by sales reps knowledgeable about all the different products who could make recommendations to you based on your specific skincare needs. I thought this was a great way to introduce this brand to US consumers as it provided people with no prior knowledge of Laneige an interactive, memorable, and fun experience to associate with the brand. Plus, having a requirement to follow the company on Instagram helps boosts the brand's social media presence, a must for any brand trying to make a name for itself nowadays.
A clever marketing tactic that I noticed was for a celebrity that owned a clothing line. They know that their fanbase goes crazy over any of their announcements so instead of just posting an instagram picture of their collaboration, they made a game out of it. In the minigame, you dress your avatar up in the new collection and play a quick jumping game similar to "Doodle Jump."
When the Snapchat sunglasses came out, Snapchat built a hype around it on their app and then made it semi-exclusive to buy the first generation. If I'm remembering the experience correctly, it was a little bit of a mystery where the next pop-up will be, with them dropping hints and interacting with users on Twitter. When you made it to the pop-up, you purchased your sunglasses from something similar to a vending machine, making it a little bit more fun than just pointing to a pair and having an associate get them for you. The vending machine was interactive and you could preview which color you'd like to buy on you by standing in front of the machine camera and viewing the augmented screen. I think that this situation is a good example of Participation as when you think about it, just due to the interactions between the company and the consumer, a social media company with fashion industry presence was able to come out with a relatively successful sunglasses line (for the tech fashion individuals).
This is a bit more sinister than clever, but after the advent of data sharing and collection; all companies have access to our individual wants and desires. The documentary, "The Social Dilemma" on Netflix describes it very well. Social media companies collect and share information about things we like and dislike to other companies who produce items for consumers. Those companies, dutifully following the fifth P of marketing; use this targeted info to place ads on your YouTube videos, Social Media home page, and wherever else they can. Not being a conspiracy theorist, such is the state of marketing in the 21st century. Either way, this has worked on me and lots of my friends. We've all shared a story about speaking a product's name aloud and then seeing an ad for it later on our phones. Placement is getting real good!
In recent times people get attracted to innovative ways of marketing a product. The fifth 'P' of marketing, participation means being part of the consumer's life. And to be part of the consumer's life, it is essential to find ways, that can easily help to incorporate the product into life. Social media is the most common of them. However, as it is very ubiquitous, tons of products will be shared on social media too. That's why it is important to find innovative ways to stand out in the crowd. Moreover, allowing the consumer to have the privilege of returning any product and sharing their user experience will enhance the confidence of the customer to use a specific product.
The most recent and common form of the Fifth P that I have noticed lately is incorporating social media, specifically TikTok. Customers can and want to be involved with the brands they love, from product development to brand advocacy. Brand engagements and answers on social media are a bare minimum. Consumers have a legitimate expectation that, if a brand has a social media presence, it will go out of its way to engage with them there rather than using it as a one-way communication channel. I feel like customers thrive off of the interaction with their favorite brands, from participating in social media challenges and becoming a brand ambassador to even replying to a tweet, the recognition shows that there is a person behind the brand.
In this scenario, he owner is entirely responsible for the operation of the business and for determining what is and is not permitted. The proprietor is free to alter anything he thinks will benefit the expansion of his company. Sadly, when a business owner passes away, the company also will most likely dies or gain less essentially. The owner is free to give his children or anyone else he thinks qualified for the job access to his equipment. This does not imply that the business will remain unchanged from the time it was founded. The two boys can retain the team they had and run the company as the owners, but it essentially changes. This business may have been founded by children, but that does not necessarily mean that it is the same thing. In a sole proprietorship, the original owner continues to run the company, and subsequent generations would need to launch a brand-new enterprise. I am sure there are ways to find a solution to this after doing extensive research!
Participation is a critical part of marketing mix. Brand interaction with existing and potential consumers is not just part of a marketing mix, it's required to maintain brand relevancy. Never before have brands been able to be this close to consumers and include them in all facets of the branding process. Brands embracing this opportunity will be rewarded with increased brand customer advocacy, loyalty, and ultimately brand success. To better understand the 5 Ps, student groups looked at how business is using them to manage its brand. With an emphasis on how digital is affecting all aspects of marketing. Marketers can now include consumers in all stages of brand management, which is good, since a brand is essentially just an idea in a consumer's mind in the first place. From product development to brand advocacy, consumers can and want to be engaged by brands that they love. Therefore brand participation is quite possibly now the most important P (although I would argue that without a great product, the other Ps aren't very useful. At a minimum, brand responses and engagements are required on social channels.
