Deutsche Telekom Teams Up With will.i.am on New Smartwatch

According to the article, the technological market becomes harder to differentiate. The Deutsche Telekom company has developed new business plans in order to differentiate them in the competitive market and they will start collaborations with award winning music producer will.i.am with respect to a new smartwatch. 

The new smartwatch named "dial" targets the fashion, fitness, music, and the technological market. It will be mostly voice controlled, self-learning, adapt to user’s accent and habits, and operate independently of a smartphone. The watch will offer more flexibility and improve the quality of life by making it usable where phones are unpractical, for instance in the car or in the gym.

The author concludes that the smartwatch is a growing market, but is not adopting as fast as the smartphones. This product will be different to observe then we have seen previously and it's going to be interesting to discover how it develops and penetrates the market.

The article relates to many marketing concepts in the marketing plan and I found the article interesting in order to combine learning with real business situations.

The celebrity collaboration with will.i.am is a huge marketing promotion strategy in order to position their product and differentiate the product in the market. This will help them to capture their target market and create awareness on social media. The promotion strategy may be critical in this homogeneous market.

As Apple controls the largest share of the market when it comes to smartwatches in the U.S. and Europe this product can become a strong competitor as it focuses on important market trends such as fashion, fitness, music and the tech market. Beats by Dr. Dree is one example where celebrity collaboration and promotions were used to turn their idea into a billions dollar company in a very competitive homogeneous market.




By Marius Roeine

Deutsche Telekom Teams Up with will.i.am on New Smartwatch,
Published, February 22, 2016.

Marketing with Modesty

Success comes with a passion for life and, in interviews, it pays to put your heart on the line rather than your resume.

Volkswagen, the world’s second-largest auto maker, has admitted its diesel cars were installed with software meant to trick emissions tests. U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer has given VW until March 24^th to come up with a remedy for U.S. drivers. After appointing Elizabeth Cabraser to the case it is clear that VW will not be getting off easy.

Even after a laundry list of prominent wins in court, at age 63 Elizabeth Cabraser is still interviewing. How did this plaintiffs’ lawyer land a job for which she was up against dozens of competitors, that prescribes her to lead a team of 21 other lawyers in a consolidation of more than five hundred law suits?

Easy! Here are the three things everyone needs to begin their journey of success:

1. KNOW YOUR CRAFT: Studying and learning will bring about more than knowledge; it will inevitably come with a side of confidence. Be intellectually curious!

Cabraser has made a career of suing big business and, after going against Big Tobacco, rose to prominence in the 1990s. She has distinguished herself with a reputation for her encyclopedic knowledge of class-action law, effectiveness in oral arguments, and ability to diplomatically manage large cases.

2. TWO EARS > ONE MOUTH:  Let your accomplishments speak for themselves – they’re loud, and they will.

Cabraser is soft-spoken and rather than reflect upon her many successes, she called the court's attention to the nearly 600,000 plaintiffs. Her eloquence and focus on the clients contrasted with dozens of others who pitched to the judge that day, bragging about their most recent awards and successes. One lawyer even stated that “there [wasn’t] a person in the courtroom who underst[ood] cars better than [he did]". However, Cabraser, a car enthusiast, worked as a mechanic in high school with her father and once repaired and resold a fleet of old International Harvester Scouts used by the U.S. Postal Service.

As one lawyer on the VW committee noted, “there are a lot of egos sitting in that conference room, but hers is not one of them”. People want to hear what she has to say; they don’t feel obligated to do so. Another attorney who worked opposite Cabraser on a Toyota suit stated that, “Judges listen when she’s speaking…at the end of the day she is rational, which you can’t say about all plaintiffs’ lawyers”. As testament to this, Cabraser was not stopped during her pitch when she went well past the two minutes allocated to each litigator.

3. LIVE LIFE ACTIVELY: Clients and organizations alike want well-rounded people in their corner. Something lovely happens when one is fulfilled in life, and it’s quite charming.

According to the article Cabraser didn’t aspire to be a class-action lawyer, she was interested in theoretical physics. A drummer, she enrolled at Berkeley’s law school but often skipped class to tour with bands or play in gigs. While fame never threated to arrive, she still plays and collects drums and has a stake in two drum businesses.

Cabraser already had a full schedule when she applied to be the lead lawyer in the VW suits but that didn’t hold her back. Outside of court, Cabraser teaches law school courses on both coasts and sits on a committee drafting rules of federal litigation procedure. While we aren’t all lucky enough to function without a full eight hours, Cabraser says that “[she] doesn’t need to sleep a whole lot…if [she] gets four hours, that’s good for [her]”.

Next time you interview for a job make sure that your resume reflects your accomplishments so your time can be spent talking WITH, not AT, your interviewer.

A Plaintiffs' Lawyer with Eye for Big Settlements

Mitt Romney Attacks Donald Trump, Pushes for Contested Convention

This upcoming Presidential election has caused much heated controversies within both political parties, particularly within the GOP party as many conservatives have issues with the current front runner Donald Trump. The most vocal recently being the former GOP candidate from the 2012 Presidential election Mitt Romney. He suggest that Trump is a "fraud" and that the party should unite to block him in the upcoming national convention in Cleveland this July. "The 17-minute assault on Mr. Trump’s record, temperament and integrity marked another bizarre twist in an already stunning campaign drama that has, in the words of Mr. Romney, “shredded” all the “rules of political history,” pitting the GOP’s last nominee against the favorite to be its next." As you can see by Romney's assault on Trump that there is much distain. Trump fired back on Romney saying that he was "failed candidate". What Romney suggest would be the biggest party showdown since 1976 election. The GOP wants to prevent Trump from winning the March 15 primaries in Florida, home of follow GOP opponent Marc Rubio, and Ohio. “If Donald Trump wins Ohio and Florida, he’ll be the nominee and nobody can stop him,” said Ben Ginsberg, a leading Republican election-law expert. “If he doesn’t win both, it is theoretically possible that he wont have a majority of delegates going into the convention.” The biggest issues come that Trump doesn't know anything about foreign policy. There was also speculation that Trump campaign is a big cover up to help the Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton win the White House. Can the conspiracy theorist by correct?

Title:
"Mitt Romney Attacks Donald Trump, Pushes for Contested Convention"
Link:
http://www.wsj.com/articles/mitt-romney-to-attack-donald-trump-as-a-fraud-1457021229

Mars to Phase Out Artificial Colors in M&M’s, Other Foods

Feb. 5, 2016 5:25 p.m. ET

Mars, the maker of M&M’s, will discontinue the use of artificial colors in their food during the course of five years. Mars said that artificial colors are not risky for humans, however, many people want products to contain natural ingredients. Mars wants to keep the bright colors of its M&M’s by using natural ingredients. Mars would like to discontinue the use of artificial colors on many of their “human food” brands as well as its “pet” brands.

Mars Inc. wants to follow the steps of many companies that are getting rid of artificial colors and using more natural ingredients. Many brands such as Kraft Foods Inc., Nestle SA, General Mills Inc., and Hershey’s have already tried to remove artificial colors in their food.

The reason I picked this article is because I am very interested in the food industry. I think this is very relevant to marketing because it can be a huge risk for the company to discontinue the use of artificial flavors. This could make the product taste different or simply have a different color or consistency, which some of the customers will not like. On the other hand, this can attract a new group of customers. This change could be attractive to people who tend to buy “healthier” products containing natural ingredients. Even though the Food and Drug Administration approve the coloring Mars Inc. uses for their M&M’s, many people think that this type of coloring will have serious effects in their future health.

http://www.wsj.com/articles/mars-to-phase-out-artificial-colors-in-m-ms-other-foods-1454711099

California Lawmakers Approve Bill to Raise Tobacco-Purchase Age to 21

                                              

The goal of this bill is to prevent cigarettes usage among teenagers before it becomes an “adult habit.” The bill has been approved by the state Assembly and is expecting to be approved by the Senate sometime next week before reaching Democratic Governor Jerry Brown to sign it into law. In addition, the Assembly has also approved new laws that would allow local governments to impose cigarette taxes and further ban the use of electronic cigarettes.

Supporters of raising the tobacco purchase age argue that the continuation of selling cigarettes to 18-year-olds will likely result in more spread of minor smokers, for example, “seniors in high school can distribute them to minors”. This argument is supported by the federally commissioned study that proved the raising tobacco purchase age to 21 would reduce the number of minors who begin smoking. In order to push this bill forward, these supporters also proposed an exemption that would allow active military personnel under the age of 21 still be able to purchase tobacco. However, in opposition, the Republicans argue that the passing of this bill means limiting personal freedoms. The Altria Group Inc., the nation’s largest tobacco company, states that this bill needs the Food and Drug Administration and Congress’ to involve before the state enacts different minimum age of tobacco purchase laws.

Although the California bill is still in the process, as of last year, Hawaii officially became the first state to raise the tobacco purchase age from 18 to 21 years old. Lawmakers in Massachusetts, Illinois, New York (New York City), and Missouri (Kansas City) are also considering similar legislations as well.

The passing of this bill will disadvantage the tobacco industry because there will be changes to the number of sales as customers under the age 21 will no longer be able to purchase tobacco anymore. According to the California’s Board of Equalization’s estimation, at an average price of $5.96 per pack, there is approximately about $256 million in loss sales and would reduce California’s excise-and-sales-tax revenue about $68.4 million. 

http://www.wsj.com/articles/california-lawmakers-approve-bill-to-raise-tobacco-purchase-age-to-21-1457042337

Casting the Future of Lighter Vehicles

Casting the Future of Lighter Vehicles

The Italian-U.S. automaker Fiat Chrysler automobiles wants to use lighter metals such as magnesium to produce lighters vehicles. With stricter emissions codes car manufacturers are turning to this solution because it much lighter than other metals such as aluminum or just plain steel. Magnesium is 75% lighter than steel and 33% lighter than aluminum according to the trade group the International Magnesium Association.This material is easy to mold in either thick or thin areas making it easier for car designers to cut waste and do more shaping. Furthermore, Fiat Chrysler automobiles first used Magnesium to trim the fat on the all new 2017 Pacifica mini-van by replacing the heavier steel in the lift gate. Moreover the use of Magnesium and its affect on lowering the weight of the car as a whole has a compounding effect meaning that with a lighter tailgate the car maker could use lighter brackets a smaller lift gate motor which could eventually allow the automaker to use lighter engines. The only downfall of using magnesium is that it is a bit costly. A kilogram of metal costs $3.75 while the same amount of aluminium costs $1.54 and steel costs between 40 and 98 cents per kilogram depending on its grade according to industry data.

http://www.wsj.com/articles/casting-the-future-of-lighter-vehicles-1455892867

Chip Hacking Might Help FBI Unlock iPhones

With all the buzz about Apple not giving the Government access to a back door/bypass for the IPhone the FBI still maybe able to access the data anyways according to Julia Elvidge, president of Chipworks Inc. It would have to be done by physically removing the processor chip and using an ion beam to precisely extract the 1 and 0 in order to unscramble the UID key, and information could then be migrated to a PC to view the information on the phone. This process has never been attempted on an iPhone, and is only hypothetical, but similar processes have been done successfully on other hi-tech electronics. Not to mention, it would take an extensive amount of time, effort, resources, and money to accomplish this. If any mistakes happened during the process important data or all data could be compromised. Prior to the iPhone 5 extracting the data would have been very easy, users who had older iPhone remember getting them "jail broke," this was achievable due to the security or lack of implemented into the processor chip.
  
I thought this article was interesting because we had discussed the Apple topic in class and this is a perfect example of the Governments reach. Even if Apple does not provide them with a back door to their security they can find one anyway at the cost of the American tax payers. This is only good publicity for Apple because it make their products security look unbreakable, when in reality we all know it is not. It is also naive to think that the FBI could not get into the iPhone if they really wanted to. I am an iPhone user myself, and I am happy to hear that it is not that easy to bypass the security, but I also know it is not impossible.

The relevance this article has to marketing can be looked at from many angles. Apple is instilling confidence in their products, and in the consumers who purchase these products. Apple is also reinforcing it's reputation of being trust worthy as a company by not simply giving over a customers information to the Government. The biggest marketing perk, is all the free publicity that Apple is receiving and while it may not improve sales of current and future phones it will definitely not diminish it either.