McDonalds.. are they running out of ideas?

  McDonalds has millions to spend on product development and marketing yet they haven't really come out with a new and original food idea for a long time. Their last very successful items was the iced coffee and thier cappuccinos. They were good ideas but you can find those on any street corner already.  The US is saturated with companies trying to make a buck off coffee.  I visited to local McDonalds during the iced coffee craze to get a bag of ice since the would give bags out if you asked but we were told that they were no longer offering ice due to the popuality of the iced coffee. Amazing. 

When you visit the McDonalds website you are introduced to thier new product right off the bat, the Angus Snack Wrap.  Of course the photo presents the wrap in a fresh and tasty with juicy veggies and meat.  It looks good but there is nothing new in that wrap that wasn't already in the store.  Is McDonalds getting cheap, or efficient, with their new products?  This wrap is just the insides of a cheeseburger with a tomato added then put in a breakfast burrito wrapper.... really it took the company until 2010 to think of that idea? 

The company has done well on the website.  It is clean and simple to use with good product imagery.  The saturation of McDonalds across the world may cause them to not build as much customer value into the products/company on the website.  The value may lie in the simplicity of the page and the lack of pop-ups.  They do offer to inform you about what goes into their products as well as look up store locations near you.  They are staying up with social media marketing with links to both Facebook and Twitter on the front page.

As for myself, if I want Angus beef I am going to get it in a steak, not a processed and seasoned patty. Can anyone really tell the difference between a McDonalds Angus patty and a non-Angus?... I doubt it.

Its slightly overcast today with a slight breeze and 48 degrees.

TIDE!!

Tide is a brand that the majority of the population in the US know and recognize.  Their site is very simple and clean but lacks information about exactly what their product is, to inform current potential customers.  The cover page for Tide, while aesthetically pleasing, does not create value for a customer with initial contact.  Along with the scenic imagery they could benefit from adding a description of thier core product and its benefits. This description could possibly on the lefthand side of the page where there is empty space that could be used.  In the center of the page the have customer testimonials which are nice to read but not always believable.  Tide does allow customers to provide thier own testimonials but to the first time customer or potential customer, I question how pursuasive the testimonial  really is.  It appears that the ability to upload you own comments about the Tide products is the company's attempt at interactive brand building.  The comments are mainly positive on the testimonial area yet I wonder if there were constructive comments if the company would take them to heart. 

It appears that Tide is follow some of the adverstising suggestions as per IAB, Interactive Advertising Bureau. With the first visit to the site there was one initial pop-up window and none afterwards.   Even after closing the window and opening a new Tide page the pop-up remained off. 

Spam.....

Spam...it is a well known product but the company webpage lacks in informing visitors to what the product is exactly.  Appraently the name SPAM is derived from what is inside those little cans... spiced ham.  What exactly is that you ask? I am not exactly sure.  Heavily processed "ham" with some light spice flavoring as far as I can tell.

The website does not present the product or even explain what it is exactly on their main page.  They show half a can of Spam, with just the name, then tabs for recipies products and activities.  There is a large slide window in the center of the page but you need to click a hovering window to get into it. Once inside you are at what is called the "Recipe Exchange".  Still no description of the product and the only item that looks like food is a cartoon macaroni with eyes and a big moustache.... definately not Spam.

Maybe the company is assuming that society knows exactly what their product is.  After years and years of ridicule towards the brand, the majority of people know of the product and what is inside those tin cans.  Yet to continue to market their product well I believe they need to present the product up front, describe what it is and show why a customer should choose to purchase it.  The look of the website is simple, pleasing and easy to navigate.  Yet the company needs to let the world know.... WHAT'S INSIDE THAT CAN??

Its overcast this morning with minimal breeze and 46 degrees! Could use some warm spicy SPAM..

Target's Value Proposition

Target offers quality products with good value and an innovative design. The company is actively reinventing their brand, designs, and partnerships in order to cycle new in economical products through their stores. 

When you visit the front page of their site you get a cycling window with catch phrases regarding brands and savings on each window.  They continually enforce the savings mantra on each section of the window.  By getting a product they want at a reasonable price a customer is more apt to return to their site in the future.  The site is also clear and easy to navigate, with product group tabs at the top and the side.  There is also a search bar that allows customers to directly search for a specific product.

Target has a strong marketing team and it is evident on their site design.  They present the products clearly and easy to find.  There are also savings on shipping that customers value and most likely take advantage of.  As an Aggregator business type model, Target.com has a stable presence in today's online marketplace.  With many product options online, quite a bit more than individual stores, Target strengthens its value.  By saving customers time and money by being able to shop at home, Target gives those customers more time for freedom. 

The company also is open about how they use internet cookies and gives a link on their front page.  This is great to have a company that presents the way they gather information in a forward and open format.  They list the five uses of cookies on their site as; Website Functionality, Guest Surveys, Promotional Offers, Reporting and Analysis, Targeted Advertising.  As well as listing and explaining the cookies they also inform the reader how they can manage or opt out of cookie use if they choose.  More companies need to be proactive with how they care about thier future business!

Jeep.com

Jeep is going through a new rebranding process.  They have restyled the Grand Cherokee and placed strong emphasis on being American made.  They are also working on connecting with the modern "wired" customer by creating applications to view the new Grand Cherokee by using the Ipad.  The company also have an interactive application for Iphone users where they can plan, post and find out about trips from other users of the application.  It works to bring users into the Jeep culture and has them interacting with the business on a regular basis. From initial review it appears to be actually a fun and interactive application.

The website Jeep.com is creative and interactive.  It has a modern and clean layout with interactive buttons for each of the vehicles.  When you hover over each button a vehicle rolls from behind and a tab pops up with the base price and milage listed along with tabs to build your own custom model.  By allowing a customer to build and price the vehicle along with getting a quote from local dealers the company is working on their virtual value chain.  As of yet you cannot build and order a full vehicle directly from the site, like Dell computers, but due to costs it might be some time before you see the full chain online for Jeep.  They are proactive in thier marketing efforts and it will be interesting to follow thier progress over the next few months.

The weather today is sunny with a slight breeze and about 64 degrees~

Inital post for Marketing Insight

This is my initial post for my Marketing Insight blog.  As the country begins a slow, upward slope towards economic recovery I will look at some of Americas larger businesses and how they market themselves online.  With the begining of fall and the start of a holiday shopping season, I have no doubt that we will see some interesting topics come up.  Thank you for following my blog!

As I look out the window this morning it is partly sunny with a slight breeze.  54 degrees.