Coca-Cola moves into the alcohol market 

Coca-Cola is launching its first premium mixers under the Coke brand as it looks to expand into the growing premium mixer market. Coca-Cola Signature Mixers features four flavors designed to be mixed with dark spirits, which will launch in the UK from June alongside a fully integrated marketing campaign.

Coca-Cola Signature Mixers marks an exciting time for the brand and expansion into dark spirit mixology. The change of markets comes because drinkers increasingly opt for more expensive mixers. According to figures from research company CGA, premium mixers are growing at 32.9% compared to the 7% decline seen for mainstream mixers, a trend which is set to continue.

Inspired by the brand’s heritage, Coca-Cola Signature Mixers are served in a contemporary Hutchinson glass bottle, first used by Coca-Cola in 1894 when the product was bottled rather than served at a soda fountain. The new range, which is available in Smoky, Spicy, Herbal, and Woody, was created in collaboration with mixologists and marks the first time Coke has invited outsiders to help develop its own brand.

Consumers were invited to taste the new recipes, with the four most popular going into production, with each bottle stamped with the signature of its co-creator.

In my opinion, this new marketing strategy is showing how Coke-cola is trying to streamline its innovation pipelines in order to keep up with consumers’ changing tastes. Coca-Cola has always been part of cocktail culture and history. So why not profit from it.

UFC on the rise

The Ultimate Fighting Championship, or UFC, is an American mixed martial arts promotion the company, a subsidiary of the parent company William Morris Endeavor, based in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is the largest MMA promoter in the world and features most of the top-ranked fighters in the sport.

WME-IMG, an entertainment agency known for representing Hollywood actors and directors, recently purchased UFC for approximately 4 billion dollars. After WME-IMG's initial investment, they were able to get multiple high profile celebrities to also invest in their endeavor. 

Twenty-three celebrities, including Ben Affleck, Adam Levine, Serena, and Venus Williams, Jimmy Kimmel and Tyler Perry have invested in the UFC since it was purchased. Terms of their investments have not been disclosed, but with a a company as successful as WME-IMG, celebrities have no issue investing in a a company that already has a large fan base that continues to grow.

Target Market
MMA fighting has quickly grown in popularity, taking over for sports like wrestling and boxing. The rise in popularity is due to the fact that mixed martial arts is a combination of multiple fighting styles and it is very violent. This sport, which at first was targeted towards adults, has quickly become popular among younger audiences. The UFC is targeting all age groups now.

Competition
UFC is in a world of its own. There really is not a sport that offers the same type of excitement, except boxing, as the UFC. Combine that with incredibly brash and cocky athletes, and you have must see tv that millions of people pay to watch on tv.

Bustle eyes

In the wake of slow-moving fundraising efforts and inadequate exists, but that is not the case in the realm of digital media. Bustle Digital group, a young news and culture outlet targeted mainly at millennial women, is on track to increase its revenue by 50% this year to approximately $45 million, according to its founder Bryan Goldberg. It is widely believed that digital media is a solid growth sector. The firm is on track to reach its revenue targets, due to its high sales in the native advertising to its audience on Instagram. It had signed video deals with Facebook Inc. and YouTube to support boosting its commercial activities, generated by links included in its posts. The firm’s growth is in the mid of a turbulent phase for digital media publishers such as Alphabet’s Google and Facebook who have gobbled up larger portions of the online advertising pie, as they account for 63% of U.S digital ad spending this year, according to rough estimates from eMarketer. This led to much investor’s uncertainty and made it quite challenging for digital media companies to survive up to higher valuations

A new era for package delivery services are under development! With drones being sold to the public today, we anxiously wait for them to be used by online shopping websites to deliver our packages. However, we may have to wait just a bit longer.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has set up specific rules to which all package-delivering drones must follow. This so makes delivering packages by air as safe as possible. However, companies such as Amazon, Alphabet Inc. and United States Parcel Service Inc. are advocators in the idea that we need drones now! They have been pushing for faster check-ups by the FAA, stating that we need to speed up the regulatory process. With the pushing of faster check-ups, the FAA stays firm with their decision to take their time.
It is important that the FAA clears up any issues with the drone manufacturers so that a sky is a safe place for drones to fly. We do not want damage to the drones or packages. Most of all, we do not want accidents which could put people down below in harm's way of falling debris.

China Car Makers Pioneer 'Mild Hybrids'

In a world that focuses on decreasing emissions and saving the environment, people tend to see nothing but the bottom line. However, China car makers are increasing use in an emerging battery technology that provides a way to boost fuel economy to near hybrid performance. 

Chinese automakers Geely Automobile Holdings and FAW Group Corp. will begin introducing gas powered cars with a 48-volt battery system that provides additional energy for steering and other high energy devices. This battery system is similar to the 200-volt battery systems that are used in current hybrid cars, but instead of relying mostly on the 200-volt battery, the new mild hybrids will rely on gasoline first, with the 48-volt battery system as a helper for better fuel economy. 

This 48-volt battery adds to the fuel economy of the vehicle without the large price tag of the current hybrid cars. Consultants at AlixPartners LLP say that the 48-bolt battery driven hybrids lead to a 15% increase in fuel economy compared to the 25%/30% improvement in current hybrids, but with a cheaper selling price. “What’s nice about the 48-volt systems is that you are getting a lot of the same benefits of a full hybrid at 30% of the cost,” said Dan Hearsch, a partner with AlixPartners. 

Although China has long been behind in the technology concerning cars, it is the front runner in this new technology. Analysts soon expect this emerging technology to make its way to the more advanced USA and Japanese auto industry. 

The major concern regarding these battery systems is the required complexity of the internal electric system. However, Mary Gutanksi of Delphi Automotive PLC says that the "industry has no choice." With more advanced technologies needing a more stable source of power, the auto industry has to adapt to feed these power-hungry advancements.

Alana Houck

Tesla Plans to Sell Owners Cheaper Car Insurance

May 07, 2019

https://www.wsj.com/articles/tesla-plans-to-sell-owners-cheaper-car-insurance-11557221400

Tesla is trying out a new insurance program in order to provide cheaper insurance for their autonomous vehicles. Tesla's Model S is currently ranked as the 15th most expensive car to insure in the country. Tesla reported over $700 M in losses this quarter, so they are trying to come up with several new marketing strategies in order to raise revenue. They've gone as far as even lowering the cost of their vehicles. Although this new insurance idea is not implemented yet, it could definitely be an incentive to buy a Tesla. Many people's concern with investing in an autonomous vehicle is the high insurance rates. If Tesla can provide affordable insurance for its customers, it could result in a great marketing strategy to get more Tesla owners on the roads. 

Fifth Avenue Losing Luster as Vacancies Climb, Rents Fall

Global retailers used to seemingly pay what ever to be on fifth avenue in Manhattan. They didn't care about the slim margins and steep price. This has begun to change with the rise of eCommerce. this has lead to a decline in retail sales making the cost no longer worth the asking price.  Sales were down by and average of 11% across the board from this time in 2017. Retailers argue that even must have locations must have rents that are still reasonable

. This demonstrates the need for a company to be able to adapt to its surrounding market. If people are no longer willing to pay the highest of the high for a retail space and it continues to sit empty, the price must be lowered to reflect the market at large. This is why these spots continue to remain empty. Their own business also being impacted by an outside force.