EOC: Week 10: What Are The Benefits vs The Features

Thai Chili Crisps are wonderful for the person seeking adventure.  These crisps offer an international experience but aside from their delicious flavors, the spicy Thai Chili's found in these crisps offer many health benefits. "Companies address needs by putting forth a value proposition, a set of benefits that they promise to customers to satisfy their needs"(Kotler, Gary Armstrong and Philip, 33).
Research has shown that Thai Chili Peppers may actually help you sleep better. They are said to help people stay asleep longer.  By consuming Chili's with your dinner, they are said to actually make you feel more awake the next day!
Another benefit is their ability to keep your heart healthier.  Chili's help reduce cholesterol and keep your blood pressure at a normal range. This is very good for the heart because it allows more blood to reach the heart.  Who wouldn't enjoy a healthy heart?
Lastly, one of the main causes of disease is inflammation.  Eating Chili Pepper's are the perfect remedy for reducing inflammation.  Research has shown that people who's diet included chili's actually had a lower rate of certain types of cancer such as colon and stomach cancer.
At the end of the day, these Thai Chili Crisps not only offer you a cultural experience, they include a variety of benefits! Who wouldn't want to be able to enjoy their favorite bar drink and include a delicious exotic snack to accompany it, especially one with these amazing benefits packed into these yummy crisps?

Week 9 EOC: Three Great Mission Statements

1.  The mission of Philleas Fogg Snacks is to provide a unique flavor experience that will take your taste buds on a journey around the world and back. We allow mature adults to enjoy snacks that complement the alcohol experience by providing narratives that are instant conversation starters.
http://jquik.blogspot.com/
I really enjoyed this mission statement because it describes the product and adds and exciting element to it by stating “will take your taste buds on a journey around the world and back.” He always mentions what his target audience is by stating “adults.”  Lastly, his product creates an experience and a setting.  I would suggest adding a quote to describe what a mission statement is but other than that I think that it is well written.

2.  It is always important and imperative to understand your mission statement for your new products you are lunching. According to Armstrong and Kotler, "mission statements have largely devolved  into flat- head jargon. Almost no one can figure out what they mean."( Marketing an Introduction p. 41) I want my mission statement to engage consumers to indulge in my treats, while understanding my objectives for the product.   Phileas Fogg's Bangkok Bites are delicious Thai chicken jerky treats that go well with beer and wine, while at home and social events. Your taste buds and imagination will come alive when you consume these high protein snacks. One bite, and you are immediately transported to the enchanted city of Bangkok, experiencing excitement and adventure.
http://tonyromestproductions.blogspot.com/
I thoroughly enjoyed this mission statement. I like that he used the mission statement description.  I really enjoyed his creation and his description of his product.  The title “Bankok Bites” is brilliant!  He also mentions that these bites would pair well with beer and wine, this is targeting a specific demographic.  He also mentioned that they can be enjoyed at home and at social events, I think this sets the perfect time and place to enjoy these bites as well. Lastly, the final sentence wraps up with the bites offering a unique experience of excitement and adventure!

3.  What is a mission statement?

 "A mission statement is a statement of the organization’s purpose—what it wants to accomplish in the larger environment. A clear mission statement acts as an “invisible hand” that guides people in the organization." (Marketing: An Introduction for Education Management Corporation, Pg. 39)

My Mission Statement:

At Phineas Fogg's we don't just make ordinary snack foods we take you on a journey around the world with our many exotic flavors. We want to give you the experience that you would have if you were actually in that country or city, without ever leaving your own country. We being to you adventure, mystery, and memories. You will personally feel as if you went on this amazing voyage with Phineas Fogg tasting all of the exotic flavors of the world. Take the chance and go on one of these amazing adventures, you won't regret it. Try one of our newest snacks, it is filled with the flavors of Madrid, Spain. You will feel the rush and the despair that Phineas went through to discover this amazing snack just for you.

http://xandriamariefashion.blogspot.com/
I loved how she created the adventure in her mission statement! She describes how this snack with personally affect you, this creates a mystery and adds excitement to her product.  I like how she included the “flavors of Madrid, Spain,” this sets the tone and the flavors to expect from her snacks.

Week 8 EOC: Creative Content

For my creative content I plan to bring to life the Thai Chili Crisps! I want to incorporate the use of colorful chili's and place them near my rice crisps.  I have not decided if I plan to use regular rice crackers, or try to create them from scratch (this could be a more fun option).  I will place them in a decorative manor, possibly using a wooden bowl where the crisps will be filled to the brim.  I want to translate a rustic older feel, to be sold as the perfect snack or street food.  The chili's will be placed next to the rice crisp so that the buyers will instantly know that these crisps will pack a punch.  The variety of different colors of chili's will also promote their exotic nature.  I will be photographing my model holding a glass of beer and eating the crisps; then using photoshop to emphasize the packaging. Since the rice cakes don't have much color, I have thought about adding color to the crisps.  My intention is to use this as my advertisement pitch.  I would like to grab everyone's attention with this photo.  No one is aware of this exotic chili in the United States but they are about to be! This will bring a new and uncharted flavor to people that can't be found in your everyday potato chip.

Implementation Evaluation Control

Marketing control is defined as "the process of measuring and evaluating the results of marketing strategies and plans and taking corrective action to ensure that objectives are achieved" (Kotler & Armstrong, G10).  I will be able to take control of my marketing strategies' results by evaluating the effectiveness of each strategy.  "Profits increase during the growth stage as promotion costs are spread over a large volume and as unit manufacturing costs fall" (Kotler & Armstrong, 262).   By taking inventory of my product and evaluating the net profit 4 times per year, I will be able to establish a clear view of whether or not marketing changes need to be made.  I would then need to go back to planning stages in promotion, marketing, and distribution to determine where possible improvements could be made. "At some point, a product’s sales growth will slow down, and the product will enter a maturity stage (Kotler & Armstrong, 262).

Price

"The amount of money charged for a product or service, or the sum of the values that customers exchange for the benefits of having or using the product or service" (Kotler& Armstrong, 275) I have chosen to price the Thai Chili crisps at $1.25 for a single 1-ounce bag and $3.50 for an 11-ounce bag.  By purchasing the large 11-ounce bag, consumers would be saving $10.25 as opposed to buying 11 1-ounce bags for $13.75.  I have made both bags a reasonable price while still encouraging the consumers to purchase the larger bag because of it's value.  "Setting prices based on competitors’ strategies, prices, costs, and market offerings"(Kotler & Armstrong, 275) The prices are competitive because they are priced within the same bracket as other brands and determined by the current economic status.  "In setting prices, the company must also consider competitors’ prices. No matter what price it charges—high, low, or in between—the company must be certain to give customers superior value for that price" (Kolter & Armstrong, 275).  Based on the economy, the price of my product will be on the same pricing plane as the rest of the products in its category.  It will not be too expensive that consumers will not purchase it, nor will it be too cheap that no profit will be made. "Economic conditions can have a strong impact on the firm’s pricing strategies. Economic factors such as a boom or recession, inflation, and interest rates affect pricing decisions because they affect consumer spending, consumer perceptions of the product’s price and value, and the company’s costs of producing and selling a product."(Kotler & Armstrong, 284).

Distribution

When distributing my product, it would be most beneficial to use an intensive distribution strategy.  "Intensive distribution is a strategy in which producers stock their products in as many outlets as possible" (Kolter & Armstrong, 323).  Thai Chili Crisps are classified as a snack food, this allows them to be distributed in a very broad range of outlets.  Grocery stores, convenience stores, and bars would all be very common outlets for Thai Chili Crisps.  "Exclusive distribution is often found in the distribution of luxury brands and brands" (Kolter & Armstrong, 324). 

Promotion

The specific blend of promotion tools that the company uses to persuasively communicate customer value and build customer relationships (Kotler & Armstrong, 432). I believe that the best way to introduce the Thai Crisps into the market is through social media to create a relationship with our customers.  Social media is becoming a staple in today's society and success of products.  I could create a Facebook fan page and a Twitter account for Thai Chili Crisps.  The Facebook fan page could offer occasional promotions.  I could encourage users to "Like" the page and get a coupon for one free sample to try the Thai Chili Crisps.  Twitter could be used to tweet pictures of products, promotions, and events that include Thai Chili Crisps.  These promotions are considered sales promotions.  Sales promotions are "short-term incentives to encourage the purchase or sale of a product or service" (Kotler & Armstrong, 432).  Since it is a new product, I want to do everything possible to get the name into circulation.  Google is a great way to advertise products.  I would like my product to show up as a banner on Google every time a person searches for "alcohol", a local bar, or "snack food."  Since Anheuser-Busch (A-B) is one of the most popular brewers of beer, it would be a great promotion strategy to team up with A-B to promote my product.  We could run promotions that offer a free sample bag of Thai Chili Crisps with every 24-pack or 30-pack of any A-B beer.  A very popular time of year that my product could make a lot of profit is football season and specifically the Super Bowl.  Advertising to get Thai Chili Crisps for Super Bowl parties could be done via commercials, Facebook, Twitter, and Google.  Promotion is a great strategy to reach to customers. A company "must communicate with target customers about the offering and persuade them of its merits" (Kotler & Armstrong, 13).