Day 11 : last day - Myer

This was the very last day of our company visits and our trip.
Our very last company visit is going to be famous company, Myer.
The vision of the brand is to be an international class retailer providing inspiration to everyone.  They values include :

- know your business

- focus on the customers

- make it happen

- involve people everyday

In the coming few years, Myer is going to implement their strategic plans.  They will develop new store growth and refurbishment. Second, growing their own exclusive brands.  Third, expanding the Myer One program.  Fourth Optimizing product mix.  Fifth, improving customer service. 

According to what Myer said, they reasons they use digital marketing are the high accessibility of internet.  Also, it is able to track the spending of all customers.  Although it is not free and sourcing them require salary and other expenses, it is much more effective and efficient than traditional ways.

Myer believes that social media is a tool to replace the traditional media like phones and faxes to communicate with customers. The problem is that they have to answers the questions in the public as they cannot answer them in private or on the phone.  The company do not delete any post on the social tools.  

In addition, the brand makes use of the emporium magazine on the iPad to provide interactive catalog to the customers.  The other channel the iPhone app but current there is limited usage.  As 25% of the emails from Myers are opened via an iPhone.

Myer believes that the traditional advertising is not dead, but it has evolved.  The evolution of the social media shows that the power of customers are increasing.  Engaging with the customers must be transparent and human feel. 

After this very last company visit, we enjoyed our last group activity, which is having a picnic at the Yarra Bend River!!!  It was where we had one of the best time in the trip.

After filling our stomach with fresh sandwiches and drinks, we rolled boats in the Yarra River!

Every one was rolling seriously and carefully until our boat get started.  Soon after we catch up with other boats, Bee started a water fight with each boat.  I turned up to be the wettest person...... 

But it was really fun!

This put a perfect full stop to this amazing study tour.

Good luck to every one in their new semester back in the university! =)

Day 10 : L'Oreal and Salmat

Same as yesterday, we First gather in Caulfield S building before our company visit.  Then we headed to our to interesting visits of today, L'Oreal and Salmat.

L'Oreal:

I don't think i have to talk about the background information of L'Oreal, most of us should know them, and even use their products everyday.  Then I should now move on to talk about their business operation.

L'Oreal has divided their business into various division:

1. Professional products

2. Consumers products

3. Luxury products

4. Active cosmetics

The company is targeting the whole globe including Asia.  They are trying to double the sales target two 2 billion.  They branded themselves as a sustainable company.  This affects their packaging, style, science, etc.  they are also bearing the social responsibility.

However, they also face different challenge, for example, it is difficult for consumers of Garnier to cross purchase products other than shampoo due to consumer behaviour.  

In terms of media communication, they have tight monitoring system.  The brand also launch strategy for long-term with 3 take-over:

1. Be an expert

2. educated risk and bravery

3. Believe

L'Oreal also makes use of social media as many other business do.  They believe that it is an amplifier of the offline tools.  Therefore, they suggested that if one is not working good with offline tools, one will be bad online as well, but more people will know about it.  It is important to make sure you are doing good offline before going online.  

Salmat:

The next visit we went is the advertising agency, Salmat.  The vision of the business is to enhance with engagement their client have with their customers.  And, to improve the efficiency of their clients' businesses.  

According to Sean and Thomas, Tactical market is all about numbers while Brand marketing is not about the volume but the brands awareness in the market. The company believes that Catalog is not dead, but they are changing the form of how they work.  Certain people are still being influenced by catalog.  Traditional catalog are living among the older generation customers.  Digital catalog is not just a PDF.  Catalog 2.0 = more than printed catalog, but also an integrated and interactive digital content, such as iPhone and Ipad apps.  There are a big difference between push and pull marketing effects.  A traditional catalog consumers receive information. A digital consumer seeks information. 

Sean and Thomas suggested that one of the usage of social media is that customers are going to help other customers, on behalf of the company.  Communication does not only happen between customers and business, but also between customers and customers.

They also realized that digital media is rising rapidly. Company such as Nokia make use of digital media to shorten the time for repurchase by using the digital tools as well as traditional tools.  QR code is another example of a combination between reality and digital tools.  Tis increase the customers relationships and engagement.

After all these company visits, we all went to China Town for a yummy dinner.  Before the dinner, it was again, another award giving time!!!  many of us got a prize for different reasons!! some of them are weird though  =)

Surprisingly, we all started singing birthday song.  I was so confused and shocked.  I thought today was someone's birthday again.  Then I started to notice people are all looking at me.  The next thing is, a birthday pudding is fetched to me!!!  What!!??  Why me!?   Nonono, it was not my birthday!!!

hahaha, anyway, we pre-celebrated my birthday earlier this year.  That was so embracing! LOL!!!

BUT, PLEASE DO THAT AGAIN NEXT YEAR TO THE GROUP!!! It will be so much fun as well!!!  Love it!!!

Day 9 : The Age & 3AW AND Western Bulldogs football club

Today is the first tour after we came back to Melbourne.  Yet, schedule is also packed with two different company visits.  The first one is The Age and 3AW.  The second one is Western Bulldogs Football Club.



The Age & 3AW:
When we first arrived 3AW, we took a quick 30minutes tour on the office.  The office was filled with piles of newspaper and magazine.  similar to Southern Cross Austereo, there are some studios where radio programs are recorded for the public.  After the tour, we reached the room for discussions with their staff.

According to the AGE, they engage with audience differently throughout the day.  Media will be used differently during the weekend from weekday.  The company pointed out the traditional media consumption is declining due to the rise of internet.  There is a 70% decrease in newspaper consumption.  Although newspapers are still consumed, they are read on day-offs and most likely in staff lunchroom.
In terms of trade marketing, The company have various marketing tools:
1. Sponsorship (Run Melbourne)
2. signage and digital signage
3. iPad launch events.
In terms of consumer marketing, The company tries to develop must-have iPad app for the consumers.  They do that by issuing free trial of the app, then Optimizing the review on App Store.  In addition, they make use of the social media to create buzz and word of mouth.
In addition, partnership is another key element of the consumer market.  Various parties with the following features can be considered as their partners:
1. brand alignment
2. Strategy priority
3. readerships
4. Stakeholder engagement
5. Commercial opportunity


Western Bulldogs football club:
After visiting The AGE, we moved on to the Western Bulldogs football Club.

The company is aiming at a positive brand position. In order to strengthen your brand, one should start the brand with a story.

The Company made use of the newspaper, SMS, television, and social media to promote.

They also make use of the jumpers to build up relationships with the fans.  Engage them and related them.  They are trying to attract not only club fans, but to attract people to move from s.e. suburb to the western Melbourne to live.  Thus become one of the fans.

Their target market are : 

1. existing members

2. new prospective fans

3. community and corporate partners

On the other hand, the company planned for their next step, which is to localize their campaign.  It is important for the marketers of Western Bulldogs to monitor their social media.  There are 16,000 fans watching the social media.  The challenge is occurs when the club lose a match.  Although it can be challenging to control the comments from the fans, it is a great engagement tool for two parties.  

According to Western Bulldogs, their next step is to build enough infrastructure to support the social media, for example, wifi internet access in the stadium.  

Day 8 : Google it~! and Shoes of Prey

Same as yesterday, we are having a tight schedule.  We are going to visit two very different company.  The first one was Google.  The second one was Shoes of Prey.


Google:


Google's office was the best office i have ever seen.  It is really as described.  Canteen, relaxation, drinks, and even the working areas are designed to help employees enjoy the place they work in.  Before getting into the office, each of us got a name tag.  Its the time when all of us started to take photos of our own name tag.  Then we took a quick tour at this amazing office.  From the Canteen, to the entertainment room, then to the working spaces.  Finally, we arrived the presentation room where we had our discussion with their staff.  


Google believes that marketing is focusing on the user and making the users to use their magic.  Although Google is one of the leaders in the market of internet, they said that there is a tough competition in the browser market.  The macro changes are the key to the shape of their business model.  This include the consumers behaviour and change in technology.  
Then we focused at the search engine optimization and marketing.  People have pay to have a higher rank at the result of the search.  There are two ways a company and promote their web page in a google search :
1. Paid per Click
2. Search engine optimization. 


In addition, Online video is another big trend on the internet.  The question was, how can advertisement add value to the television.  This is because Advertisers are getting more ads on the Youtube than television.  
They also pointed out that it is important for marketers to develop and design new ways to engage with their customers.  It is not a long-term strategy to stick on one marketing tools to engage with their customers.  






Shoes of Prey:
To be frank, this is only of the best company visits.  Yes, I know, this company is not as large as Google, but their operating system is so impressive.  It was innovative and efficient.  
Shoes of Prey does not only focus on Australian market, but global market.  Japan is the second largest market for them.   60% of the sales is going outside Australia.  
During the visit, they pointed out that the company makes use of Mass customization.  This refers to a mass product that enables customers to do variations and customization base on the mass mass product.  Their idea is that consumers have got everything they want, but they want something unique just for themselves.  


Also, it is suggested that there are several Business entry Barriers which put their business in an advantage position:
1. Brand Loyalty
2. Operations
3. Technology : augmented reality and 3D reality
4. Partnerships


In addition, they believe that social media is another word of mouth tool, which enables the business to make the experience personally.  It is similar to a online customer services desk.  They introduced the use of Youtube channel to promote that products.  The business fee the featured Youtube stars to promote.  This help them to establish their own YouTube Channel.