Thursday, April 19, 2012

In response to Danielle's post...

Question: What do you think of brands advertising on campus, through student ambassadors or sponsored activities? Should colleges allow this sort of thing, or should campuses be kept as ad-free as possible?

I think a lot of colleges and college students are always looking for ways to make money and if a company such as Target or American Eagle offered to hire students to promote their product or to sponsor an activity, most people would say yes. I personally think it is actually a really effective way to get their brand name out their but not necessarily the right thing to do because some students or campus organizations are in need of money any way they can get it. Since the majority of college students are essentially broke, they are vulnerable to this brand adversiting; an opportunity for free stuff or a promotional job to make money would probably be welcomed with open arms. Some would see adversiting on college-campuses as a problem but I know personally coming into college I already had loyalty to certain brands and it would take an overwhelming amount of adversiting to even get me to try an opposing brand. Also, there is already a lot of brand name advertising around the campus already with the clothes in the campus stores, the food/beverages sold and all the people who are ultimately walking advertisements for hundreds of different brands.

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Will Sears' survive?

Sears ultimate demise?

Sears has provided many products with well-known brand names such as craftsman and lands end which for years customers have resonated these items to be found in a Sears store. However, as several Sears stores continue to close down due to lack of sales and staying in the competitive marketplace they are starting to sell their private-label brands to other retailers. The clothing portion of Sears has been declining as well because of lack of innovation and incorporation of the newest fashion trends. The department store will continue to try to sell their products in the remaining stores they have, online and in other closely related stores. Many loyal customers and people who have been purchasing hardware and appliances at Sears stores for years will remain in favor of the store's revival. Michael Stone, CEO of Beanstalk who wrote the above article is rooting for Sears survial but believes that without rethinking their apparel and certain unsucessful celebrity lines being sold in their stores they will not be able to stay afloat.

*What do you think will happen to Sears in the next 5-10 years?