Final Project: Situation or SWOT Analysis

Strengths:

-No product like Slender Vodka is currently on the market.

-Starting locally to develop client base

-Targeting women who will use product

-Product is not diet but will help women who count calories

 

Weakness:

-Working in larger market of competing products.

-Small company with less resources for distribution

-Must use outside resources to promote product

-Budget

 

Opportunities:

-Having a January release will increase sales due to resolutions for many to lose weight.

-100 calorie items are highly popular amount women.

-Smaller packaging encourages more repurchasing.

-Find well known figure to endorse product

-Product can be priced higher due to taking “guess work” out of measuring the alcohol.

 

Threats:

-Well known competitors might begin selling similar packaging of their vodka

-Not every woman drinks alcohol even when designed to make “life easier”

 

With any new business or product the best way to organize your concept is to create a marketing plan. “A detailed marketing plan is needed for each business, product, or brand.” (Marketing An Introduction, 56) Within a marketing plan there such be a SWOT analysis to help identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats to which helps you recognize areas of improvement as well as see the areas that you have done a great job at. “The plan begins with an executive summary that quickly reviews major assessments, goals, and recommendations. The main section of the plan presents a detailed SWOT analysis of the current marketing situation as well as potential threats and opportunities. The plan next states major objectives for the brand and outlines the specifics of a marketing strategy for achieving them.” (Marketing An Introduction, 56) By creating a SWOT analysis it will help Slender Vodka concentrate on how we want to market ourselves. Since our market group is women the SWOT analysis helps to understand what Slender Vodka offers women and what we can do to make our customers need Slender Vodka. 

Final Project: Objectives

Objectives:

Establish marketing ad to be ran in Las Vegas Weekly promoting Slender Vodka.

For the first initial year of Slender Vodka we are aiming for sales volume of 50,000 units.

Have an increase of sales by 60% during the month of December.

By the end of 2012 sales increase to units sold to 100,000.

Increase distribution to 100 alcohol distributors by 2013.

With the development of Slender Vodka our current business objective are to establish a client base. Marketing will be established with the ad campaign for Slender Vodka. With the use of the ad in a local magazine it will promote our brand to our available potential customers. “Marketing strategies and programs must be developed to support these marketing objectives. To increase its market share, Kohler might increase its products’ availability and promotion in existing markets and expand business via acquisitions.” (Marketing An Introduction, 43) Slender Vodka will be made available in 2 local liquors stores in Las Vegas, NV, Las Vegas Wine Co. and Sam’s Club. Both distributors are well established and have a customer base that will increase sales for Slender Vodka. By limiting the number of stores it will make the product exclusive and have customers willing to buy more at one time.

These objectives have been created in order to begin the steps of establishment. Since there is no current product on the market like Slender Vodka that is a great stepping stone to becoming a well-known low calorie brand. In this health conscience world a portion control product has a great stamina power. Sales and promotion objectives will change and be updated due to costs and will reflect the first initial year of distribution. “Sales promotion objectives vary widely. Sellers may use consumer promotions to urge short-term customer buying or to enhance customer brand involvement. Objectives for trade promotions include getting retailers to carry new items and more inventory, buy ahead, or promote the company’s products and give them more shelf space. For the sales force, objectives include getting more sales force support for current or new products or getting salespeople to sign up new accounts.” (Marketing An Introduction, 432)

Week 9 Final Project: Business Mission Statement

Mission Statement:

“Creating an amazing tasting low calorie cocktail to simplify any woman’s life”

Slender Vodka wants to create an experience that you do not have to feel guilty about. That is why our mission statement says it all. We want to simplify your life by providing premium vodka in a serving size that does not make you regret your decision to drink. “An organization exists to accomplish something, and this purpose should be clearly stated. Forging a sound mission begins with the following questions: What is our business? Who is the customer? What do consumers value? What should our business be? These simple-sounding questions are among the most difficult the company will ever have to answer. Successful companies continuously raise these questions and answer them carefully and completely.”(Marketing An Introduction, 39) We developed this mission because we understand how difficult it is at times to want to enjoy the simple pleasures of life without the worry of counting calories. A woman’s life can be extremely hectic. Whether you are a stay at home mom, a nurse, a businesswoman, or student in college calories are prominent subjects in our daily lives. We at Slender Vodka understand that not everyone has the time to look up the amount of calories in their food let alone in their cocktail. By providing single servings of Slender Vodka you no longer have to decide between having a little fun and sitting on the sidelines. We set ourselves apart to recognize that the health of our customers is why we created this product. We want woman to use our product because we care. “A company’s mission should not be stated as making more sales or profits, profits are only a reward for creating value for customers. Instead, the mission should focus on customers and the customer experience the company seeks to create.” (Marketing An Introduction, 41)

Week 8 EOC: Creative Content

Slender Vodka is premium vodka created for women who like to enjoy a cocktail but want to be aware of how much they are consuming. Slender Vodka will be displayed in a magazine ad in the bottle form that will be created. The ad will only display the single serving bottle to show the design of the bottle. Since the vodka is marketing towards women the bottle will be clear with a light to dark pink gradient effect on the bottom to emphasize that Slender Vodka is for women. The bottle will be displayed on a white background to show the freshness you will experience from the splash in the lime in the vodka. The white background will also help the pink gradient on the bottle pop and be an eye catcher to those flipping through a magazine quickly. The ad will display the catch phrase for Slender Vodka, “No More Counting Calories” next to a cocktail glass using Slender Vodka. I will using my own images for the ad and use the assistants of a graph artist to help create the look of the bottle in Photoshop. The ad will also display the “Drink Responsibility” information on the bottle of the ad. No prices will be included on the ad because I personally believe it will distract from the bottle. 

Week 7 EOC: The Pitch

Slender Vodka

For the ladies that want to have fun on the weekends but not have to worry about Monday’s weigh in, your answer is here, Slender Vodka. By being continuously distilled to insure flavor and a splash of lime, Slender Vodka is premium vodka for women looking for a way to enjoy a cocktail without the worry of counting calories. Slender Vodka is designed to enjoy in 100 calorie serving bottles to enjoy with your favorite cocktail. No need to deprive yourself of having fun, simply try Slender Vodka.

No one wants to be the girl who sits in the club without a cocktail in hand because you’re watching your weight. You could have done that at home! As women we are always on the lookout for new easy ways to have fun without the worry of gaining weight.  Slender Vodka takes the guess work out for you. With Slender Vodka no need to bring your measuring cups when you go out with your friends. With the combination of amazing taste and simplicity of 100 calorie bottles Slender vodka does the work for you. Adding Slender Vodka to your favorite mixer will have you enjoying the night without the fear of the scale on Monday. With the ease of 100 calorie bottles you can even bring your favorite vodka to enjoy at a party or get together. All your friends will want to know how you are able to go out and still keep that amazing figure. Your friends will be thanking you for sharing the secret and so will we. The name says it all, Slender Vodka. 

Week 6 EOC: Things I buy that "define" me

Spending money is always a trigger of emotions and feelings. If you’re going to grocery store to buy a carton of eggs and bread more than likely you are not too excited about spending more money on food because you’re going to have to come back and spend more money when you run out of food. Your emotion changes when you spend money on things you want. Instead of buying something you need, you feel that high if you buy something you have wanted or something you really love. I will admit I love shopping. What girl doesn’t? I don’t need the excuse of the holidays or a birthday to need to shop. As a child my mother would beg me to start carrying a purse. I would normally stick my money in my pockets and go to the store with crumpled bills and my other pocket would be jingling with the change I would bring as well. Every time my mom told me to get a purse I refused. Why would I want to carry something else when I could stick my money in my pockets? High school is when I finally discovered my love for designer purses. I became obsessed with them. Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Coach, Versace, Valentino, Burberry. I could go on forever. The smell of leather in the store was seductive to me. As an adult I realized I became known for always carrying a designer purse. To me it’s like carrying art on your arm and I love adding to my gallery.

As I think about what items in my life that “defines” me I instantly think of my glasses. I’ve worn glasses since the 4^th grade. At that age I would get my favorite color but now as an adult my glasses have changed at least once a year. My latest pair, purple Vera Wang’s with thick bold frames. I choose my glasses first on label, appearance, comfort, and then price. I have been very fortunate to be able to afford glasses that I really love and love wearing. I have considered getting Lasik eye surgery, but then I would lose my reason to buy a new pair of glasses. To me glasses are basically an accessory for my face.

One last thing item that I feel makes me happy and really defines my need for beautiful things is makeup. Sure I could go to the grocery store or drug store and buy my makeup there but I don’t get the same feeling I get when I spend my money on high end makeup from Sephora or a department store. Whether it is the higher quality or the experience I get from going to the store, I look forward to the day I allow myself to purchase new makeup. My collection is big enough so that I wouldn’t need a new eye shadow or lipstick for years but something about finding a new item I know I’ll love makes me in turn feel satisfied.

As a result, all of the items that I consider “defining” of myself seem quite shallow. None are for medical reasons or to survive but all because I want them. I don’t have to carry a designer purse or buy makeup from a department store. I want these items. There is no real reason why I do. I can afford them and I know the feeling I’ll have once I do so I continue to purchase them. If society only bought things they needed we would be very different people. The experience created by these companies is proof that with great marketing you can sell anything even in times when people should be saving.

Week 5 EOC: Midterm

In today’s society we literally interact with everyone through social networking and the internet. If we want to see what someone did this weekend, instead of asking them we look on their Facebook page. If we want to know what’s in style we look it up online. Such simple things that we used to do before checking the internet is now second nature to hop online to your favorite website and do a little research. It comes as no surprise that we have become a world where now you can find a job or career just by your interaction with the internet. In the article “Job Recruiters Turn to Facebook to Find Candidates” many recruiters have used Facebook as a way to save money on posting available jobs on Facebook. Though the percentage of hiring is only 1%, it does become show that even Facebook can help someone find a job they might otherwise not have seen. Also since Facebook is so widely used it gives the confidences in its users that job listings are more legitimate. “Candidates have been 50% more likely to apply to positions they found through Facebook than through othermeans, said Mr. Staney. "[Job boards] just blast it out. This is much more efficient and targeted," he said.” (Light, 2)

More companies like Facebook are using their customers love for their product in order to develop product ambassadors. Who better to endorse a product that a real life person who loves it? Sony and JetBlue are among the companies using real customers as ambassadors of their products. It believe it is a great way to give back to their clients, even though these clients would use their product anyway, and also a great tool to see what the company can do to better improve their products. “Brand ambassador programs leverage the power of peer-to-peer communication. Consumers hear about products and brand experiences from others just like themselves—people they trust—rather than from commercial marketing sources. “It’s the value of having someone there who wants to talk to you about the product and the features,” says one brand ambassador. “It’s not really about sales; it is about sharing of information. If you go about it in a way that is positive and relatable, it’s a positive experience for [both parties].” (Armstrong & Kotler, 15)