Communication and Management DB 5

DUE in 24 hr

International Faux Pas

When a major airline wanted to advertise its new leather first class seats in the Mexican market, it literally translated the "Fly in Leather" tagline as “Vuela en Cuero,” which ended up meaning "Fly Naked” in Spanish.

Companies make mistakes when it comes to marketing products in different countries, using various languages, and in the context of diverse cultures. Many of the companies making the errors are huge multinational conglomerates.

WEEK 9 MAIN DISCUSSION POST:

Research a marketing blunder made by a large company. DO NOT USE AN EXAMPLE FROM THE TEXTBOOK.

• Present an overview of the error. Why was it considered a “blunder” or mistake? Explain fully.
• Discuss what could have been done differently (citing concepts from the text is permitted).
• Could the “blunder” work in a different country, in a different language, or with a different target group? Explain why or why not.

Your analysis must be substantiated by research from professional and graduate-level resources such as the course text AND articles from the library's full-text databases. Use of consultant or other inappropriate sites is banned and may result in a zero for the assignment. Since you are engaging in research, be sure to cite the source(s) in APA format.

WEEK 9 INTERACTIVE RESPONSES:

NOTE: each week, interact with different class members rather than always communicating with the same two people

Interactive Reply 1:

Critique the presentation of one classmate. Is the blunder clearly defined? Does the analysis provided make sense? Why or why not. Has the student properly applied the concepts studied? Analyze and explain.

Marilyn Basden

Unit 5 DB #1

Skittles Touch Blunder

The Skittles Touch blunder was of an older man who touched any and everything and it would turn into Skittles.  He stated in the commercial with much sadness

that he couldn’t touch his own grandson because he would turn it into a skittles.  He said he shook hands with a man on the bus and “He’ll never see his family again”

(US Data Corporation, n.d.).  What should have been done differently was to children in the commercial not old men or women, because they are the real Skittles

eater.  Also, the commercial seems to be a bit scary for children and would be a deterrent for them due to the fact that no child want to make their parents, sibling,

friends, toys nor their pets to turn into Skittles by simply touching them or items.  There is no buying power in scaring children, they should have things that are scary

to children or foods they don’t like to turn into Skittles.  This is concept wouldn’t work in any country, a different language or target group because it eliminates people

and things and replace them with Skittles (Incitrio, 2017).      

Interactive Reply 2:

Critique the presentation of another classmate. Is the blunder clearly defined? Does the analysis provided make sense? Why or why not. Has the student properly applied the concepts studied? Analyze and explain.

The two interactive posts should be substantive in nature and showcase mastery of the concepts and your professional marketing and business communication skills. Apply your knowledge. Do not simply state that it is a good or bad idea, specify why and be detailed in your explanation.

Andrew Bayer

AirBnB is a company that offers rooms at regular peoples homes and also rentals as sort of a ride-share program.  THe company is very similar to Uber, but for overnight stays.  Similar to the situation between Uber and taxi driver unions, AirBnB upset much of the hotel markets, partly for offering rooms at much lower rates, but also because the rooms did not have to be regulated like hotels do, increasing profits, but potentially causing customers poor exerience or even healthy code violations.  As cities and municipalities have caught on to the way that the organization avoids taxes and regulations, some have created laws especially for taxing these types of organizations, including AirBnB.  As such, in San Francisco, a bit of a battle ensued when AirBnB got their tax bill for $12 Million dollars (Engadget, 2015).  Understandably, they were not very happy about this and decided to take out an ad campaign targeting the local governement.  Bus stop and billboard ads were simple letter style notes to the local library, board of education and public works department.  For example, one message read 'Dear Public Library System, we hope you use some of the $12 million in hotel taxes to keep the library open later. Love, Airbnb'.  THis passive agressive attempt to smear the local government for collecting taxes had a huge backlash from the education, library and public works departments, as well as residents of the consumers who saw Airbnb as an organization designed to dodge taxes.  This is definitely a blunder.  This message in any country would not work.  Most consumers agree that consumers and businesses alike should pay taxes to support the local government.  The passive aggressive nature of these messages is what caused such an uproar, especially when targeting seemingly innocent public organizations.  A positive alternative to this message could simply have pointed to the fact that Airbnb supports the local government through the hotel tax, rather than targeting the library and school systems without cause. 

WEEK 10 MAIN DISCUSSION POST:

Take a look at the Course Description and Course Objectives:

This course provides the background to make marketing decisions at the international level. The course examines issues involving trends, factors, and forces (such as institutions, culture, politics, law and environment) which affect global marketing activities.Terminal Course Objectives (TCOs)

• Differentiate between international and domestic marketing.
• Explain cultural diversity and ethnicity, race, class and gender perspectives as they relate to international markets.
• Evaluate marketing strategies of multinational corporations.
• Describe some of the basic issues involved in developing and executing an international marketing strategy.
• Construct a marketing plan to introduce a product or service into a foreign country.
• Predict situations that present potential ethical and legal issues and develop solutions for those issues.

Share with the group how you think this class has developed skills that will serve you in your profession. What skills are most important for your industry and career path? What aspects of the course would you like to study further?

WEEK 10 INTERACTIVE RESPONSES:

Interactive Reply 1:

Read one classmate’s assessment of the course. Can you relate to what is being said? Share your feelings

Geremy Hurley

DB#2

Aloha Class,

For the last ten weeks, we have worked hard to try and understand the foreign marketing of companies. The trends of the marketing industry is constantly changing and evolving all the time. I have learned a lot personally. I think that I came into this class thinking that I knew what it is like to own a business in an international market seeing that I have my own business in a foreign country, but after these 10 weeks I have realized that I had no idea what larger companies must go through to get to their target market. My products are generally easier to get out to the public and there isn’t really a lot of things that can be messed up when marketing custom pens and pencils to a target market.

Ten weeks isn’t nearly enough to fully grasp the international marketing concept, it gives us a general understanding of what legal and ethical practices are needed in order to market our products.

Interactive Reply 2:

Read another classmate’s assessment of the course. Can you relate to what is being said? Share your feelings.

Marilyn Basden

Unit 5 DB #2

This course was most definitely a challenge for me, but in the end, I have learned a lot.  I really had to focus while working through all of the many assignments that had to be completed in this course. I also, had to have more self-discipline in order for me to complete the assignments so that I would not fall short, which I did in one DB with not making enough posts. 

However, I do not work in a profession that will require me to use any of the knowledge that I gained, but if I were to get a job that required me to use the skills of international marketing I feel I would be capable of doing the job and be successful at it.  I have learned in many instances that I learn better with hands on and this course was close to that, if I had to do research international information for a company I feel confident that I would be able to do that.

I have a great interest in learning everything I can about the diversity of international culture, ethics, marketing strategies of MNC’s.  I am also glad that I have learned how to construct a marketing plan for the introduction of a product into the international market.  This will be helpful to me should I want to expand my future business into the international market.  The strategic marketing and planning for both domestic and international is something I would like to get more information and knowledge on for any proposed endeavors I have my near future.