BUSINESS MANAGEMENT A+ WORK, ON TIME, NO PLAGARIZING; ON TIME

Wk 7 Lucia (Respond no more than 150 words)

A real-world example that comes to mind is a friend of mine who owns a hair salon. She has worked in the beauty industry for more than 20 years and has owned her salon for approximately 9 years. Recently, she has faced challenges due to inflation, increased product costs, and competition from other salons that offer lower prices. She has also considered relocating because of parking issues and safety concerns in the area, but moving would significantly increase her rent and reduce her profits.

Based on what I have learned in this course, I would advise her to continue focusing on what makes her business different rather than trying to compete on price. One of her biggest strengths is customer loyalty. Her services are known for their quality, and she has built a large client base over the years. In fact, when I visit her salon, I usually have to schedule my next appointment before leaving because she is often booked six weeks in advance. This shows that customers value her expertise and are willing to pay for quality service. As discussed in this course, understanding the target market and providing value to customers are important factors for long-term success (Kotler & Keller, 2014).

One low-cost strategy she already uses is social media marketing. She maintains an Instagram page where she posts before-and-after photos of her work, which helps potential customers see the quality of her services. She also has a five-star rating on Google reviews, which helps build trust and credibility with new clients. In addition, she could continue encouraging customer referrals and offering loyalty incentives to retain existing customers and attract new ones. Maintaining a strong brand image and positive customer experiences can help small businesses remain competitive even when larger competitors enter the market (Forbes Agency Council, 2016).

Small businesses can compete with larger businesses by focusing on personalized service and building strong relationships with customers. Large companies may have lower prices, but they often cannot provide the same level of personal attention. My friend knows many of her clients personally and understands their preferences, which creates trust and loyalty. Rather than trying to be the cheapest salon, I believe her best strategy is to continue providing high-quality service while using low-cost marketing tools to strengthen her brand and attract new customers.

Wk 7 Norgie (Respond no more than 150 words)

The first bit of advice I’d give my friend is to seek professional help. Since I’m not a professional in the marketing field, I’d hate to give advice that may have long-term negative effects on her business. With that stated, there are a few things I would advise.

I’d advise her to focus on the things that the big chains struggle to copy. Making a shopping experience personal is always a good way to go. Making sure people feel comfortable, and you create an atmosphere that will make a shopper want to return. I would be very careful about just trying to cut prices since a discount isn’t always the best way to grow long-term. She can maybe have flash sales, but cutting prices will eventually cut into her profit margins.

I’d also like her to ask her customers to leave feedback. Leaving positive reviews can help elevate the visibility of her store when people nearby are searching online for places to shop. She could also update her physical marketing visuals. She can ask customers to have their children be part of the marketing. This can help develop a stronger community base. Really being able to connect with the community usually does well with customers in the area. When customers feel seen, they tend to return without needing discounts. Value tends to grow slowly but steadily with presence rather than loud ads or massive discounts (Xero, n.d.).

Wk 6 Estrella (Respond no more than 150 words)

Since I am building a social media network and my marketing plan is designed around the launch of the network being a startup, the most common communication strategy would have to be digital first. I'm going to focus on social media marketing, influencers, and most of all streamer partnerships.  Streamers are fantastic because I already know and follow many with large followings on Twitch, Kick, YouTube, and Discord. Since our network/game functions differently than a typical social media app, it would be best on a digital platform because people want to see this type of content live or in action. Consumers like to hear from people that they trust or have already subscribed to for months or years. For social media networks and games, streamers and influence are extremely important because they get to actually show you real use instead of just explaining features, you get to see it in real time. TikTok, YouTube, Twitch, and Kick all make sense because they allow creators to demonstrate products, build excitement and speak directly to the audience however some are brutally honest so selecting the right streamer for your product is paramount. They can interact live with the audience members. I'm constantly on streaming platforms, communicating, going back and forth with the hosts.

Regarding TV advertising, I don't think it's fully lost its power, and I say that mainly because I don't watch cable, but I do tune into big sports events which are the only time I see commercials. During the NBA playoffs and finals, I spoke to my wife said “hey, I don't know the last time I saw a commercial outside of watching sports”.  It's just ironic that this topic came up this week and funny enough, I saw a commercial for Heinz Kraft as well. I think the big companies are better suited to advertise on TV as well as social media. Smaller, up and coming, companies are better suited to using social media or pay per click type advertising because it's much more budget friendly. For my final marketing plan, I'm most definitely going to focus on influencer marketing, streaming partnerships. Social media ads and pay per click advertising. I personally get caught up more in advertising on social media than anywhere else because I don't see many ads outside of social media these days since I no longer watch cable, I no longer buy magazines, and I no longer read an actual newspaper. Because it's all digital, that's where I get my information from.  The fact that online you have tons of traffic and it's much easier to find your audience because algorithms can direct your ads to people's whose algorithm search matches your product.

Wk 6 Grant (Respond no more than 150 words)

As part of the Air Force, I still find myself on the receiving end of their marketing efforts, perhaps an indicator it hasn't targeted quite the right audience, or perhaps that is the algorithm I have set up for myself. I grew up on TV advertisements for all the branches, but I increasingly find multiple forms of advertising and recruiting on social media. The Air Force now uses a mix of traditional recruiters, TV advertisements, social media images, and short-form video standalone posts, and now interviews with service members and integration with influencers. These influencers include service members, especially athletes and highly visible jobs (though the service is not employing them as influencers), as well as non-military personnel who are believed to be influential in target audiences. This seems to align with how younger audiences consume and relate to media today.

TV advertising has not disappeared, especially for large brands that need to maintain the reach and credibility brought by the ads. However, it is not enough on its own anymore; effective campaigns are omnichannel, where each platform reinforces the other through multiple touchpoints with users. With the shift to streaming services from cable, there are new opportunities to leverage data to tailor and complement TV advertisements with social media and other channels, in real or near real time.

For my final plan with Tesla, I will focus on social media and web-based advertising. These channels allow for precise targeted advertisements, interactive storytelling, and highly personalizable content. This fits the mascot concept and Tesla's image-driven brand. These channels will allow for data-driven analysis to determine the initial impact of the campaign and perhaps allow A/B testing on what messages and stories are compelling to the target audiences.

Wk 5 Dominguez (Respond no more than 150 words)

Branding is extremely important for marketers because creates their identity that distinguishes a product/company from its competitors. A strong brand builds customer trust, loyalty, and recognition, making consumers more likely to choose them. According to Kotler and Keller (2014), brands help consumers identify the source of a product and can reduce the risk associated with purchasing decisions. Companies like Nike and Apple have developed super brand images that allow them to maintain customer loyalty and even charge premium prices. A simple google search shows, "Apple is the most popular smartphone brand in the United States, holding a majority market share of over 60%." Apple did branding correct!

I believe channel images need to be consistent with brand images because the channels through which products are sold contribute to the overall customer experience. If a luxury brand is sold through discount retailers a consumer's perspective will change to thinking it as less exclusive, which can weaken its image. Consistency between a brand's image and its distribution channels helps reinforce the values and expectations associated with the brand. Kotler and Keller (2014) note that marketing channels play a critical role in delivering value to customers and shaping brand perceptions.

Online availability has had a significant impact on branding by increasing consumer access to products and increasing competition. Digital platforms now allow companies to reach global audiences, engage directly with customers, and build brand recognition through social media and online advertising. However, online reviews and customer feedback can quickly influence a brand's reputation, making it more important than ever for companies to maintain a positive and consistent brand image across all channels. This is proven by Amazon, which mostly sells products online, "Amazon is the world’s highest-grossing online marketplace retailer with $716.9 billion in global revenue in 2025" captionaloneshopping.com.

Wk 5 Ramiro (Respond no more than 150 words)

Branding is crucial to business for many reasons. Most importantly, it allows customers to identify one company versus another and creates loyalty. Branding also allows companies to charge premium prices. Starbucks, specifically, has created a brand based on premium coffee, convenience, customer experience, and community. The majority of Starbucks customers are willing to pay more for a coffee from Starbucks than a local competitor due to brand image. I agree that channel images should match with brand images. Customers tend to associate the retailer/channels that their favorite brand is sold at. If I saw my favorite luxury brand being sold at TJ Maxx, it would make me question the brand. Starbucks channels consist of Company-operated stores, Licensed stores, airport locations, grocery store select coffee, and the Starbucks mobile app. All of these channels help the company continue to stay premium but accessible. Online availability has transformed branding by allowing for more customer convenience. Now a customer can see a product being used on Instagram, look up reviews online, order through the company’s mobile app, and pick up in store. With customers being able to interact with companies through many channels, it is important for the brand image to stay consistent across all platforms. If a company can provide a seamless transition between online and in-store, it will allow the customer to trust the company more. Starbucks does a good job of this by providing in-store, mobile ordering, starwards, and delivery.

Wk 3 Lawerence (Respond no more than 150 words)

Branding plays a major role in how consumers perceive companies and make purchasing decisions. Strong brands such as Nike, Apple, and Starbucks have built loyal customer bases by consistently delivering quality products, maintaining recognizable brand identities, and creating emotional connections with consumers. Through effective branding, companies can establish trust, increase customer loyalty, and differentiate themselves from competitors within crowded markets.

One conclusion I reached from researching branding and brand extensions is that successful extensions usually align closely with the company’s core identity and customer expectations. Consumers are more likely to accept a new product when it feels connected to the brand’s existing reputation and values. However, when companies introduce products that seem unrelated to their core business or fail to meet quality expectations, consumers may react negatively and damage the overall brand image.

Wk 3 Jasier (Respond no more than 150 words)

Branding is one of those surprisingly powerful assets a company can cultivate. A strong brand goes beyond a logo or tagline — it kind of represents a promise, an emotional link, and a sense of value inside the minds of consumers. Research keeps showing, over and over, that companies with strong brand equity get customer loyalty, better pricing leverage, and a competitive edge that’s not easy to copy. Still, even the most iconic brands are not fully safe from failure once they stretch too far, or misread what their core identity actually is. Brand extensions, though they sound like a logical growth pathway , do come with real risk, especially when the new product or service doesn’t quite match what people already think the brand stands for. 

A Brand Extension That Could Have Gone Better: Boeing's Starliner Space Capsule

Boeing is one of the most recognizable names in aerospace and commercial aviation, a brand grounded in engineering precision , safety, and reliability. Drawing on that reputation Boeing moved into the commercial spaceflight realm through its CST-100 Starliner program, developed under NASA’s Commercial Crew Program to move astronauts to the International Space Station. On paper, the extension looked almost inevitable — aerospace to space travel is a logical step, or at least it appears so at first glance. But in practice the program has run into technical problems, massive cost overruns of more than $1.5 billion beyond the contract value, and repeated launch delays that stretched out by years past the original plan. Most importantly the effort ran into serious safety concerns, including helium leaks and thruster malfunctions, which left two NASA astronauts stuck on the ISS, for longer than anyone had scheduled.

In my opinion, what went wrong wasn’t really a mismatch in product category, more like a breakdown in the very thing Boeing’s brand was built on— engineering excellence, and safety culture not just a slogan, but the daily standard. Internal investigations and reporting have pointed to a deterioration in Boeing’s quality control processes , and also to a corporate culture that, over time, started to lean harder on cost and schedule instead of the rigorous engineering standards that made the brand great in the first place. So when a brand extension faceplants and it ends up chipping away at the parent brand’s core promise, the fallout is kinda especially severe. Boeing didn’t just lose money on Starliner , it also raised pretty serious questions about whether its whole brand identity is still holding together the way it should.

Advice for Successful Branding

For any company trying to build a strong, sustainable brand , I’d suggest three main things, not too complicated. First, know what your brand actually stands for before you try to grow it. Brand equity gets built from clarity and consistency, and companies that try to be everything for everyone end up kinda saying nothing to no one. Second, before you launch a brand extension, ask a simple but important question: does the new offering sit inside the trust and expectations consumers already have for the parent brand? The more the execution drifts from the standards that originally made the brand believable, the more dilution and reputational harm you risk. Third, put real effort into emotional connection, not just visibility and ads. Brands like Nike and Apple don’t just push products—they sell membership, aspiration, and identity . That emotional layer is what turns a customer into a loyal advocate, and it’s also what can shield the brand during rough periods.

Artificial Intelligence and Brand Management Today

Artificial intelligence is reshaping how companies manage and extend their brands in ways that feel a bit more immediate, and also more complex. AI-powered tools now help brand managers track sentiment across social media platforms in near real time, so organizations can react to perception shifts before they spiral into reputational trouble. This matters a lot for a company like Boeing, which has been under intense public scrutiny and really needs to actively manage how its brand is being seen across several stakeholder groups. Past simple monitoring, AI supports hyper personalized brand experiences—algorithms can adjust messaging , product suggestions, and advertising based on individual consumer preferences at a scale that used to be out of reach.

In conclusion, strong branding requires a clear identity, consistent delivery, and careful judgment when expanding. Boeing's Starliner experience is a cautionary tale that even a logical brand extension can go badly wrong when the execution fails to uphold the standards that built the brand's reputation in the first place. As AI continues to mature, it offers brand managers powerful new tools, but the foundation of any great brand remains deeply human: trust, relevance, and connection.

One example of a brand extension that struggled was Colgate launching frozen meals in the 1980s. In my opinion, this extension failed because consumers strongly associated the Colgate brand with toothpaste and oral hygiene products, not food. The connection between dental care and frozen meals created confusion and did not fit consumer expectations. As a result, many consumers viewed the product negatively before even trying it. This example demonstrates the importance of maintaining consistency between a company’s established brand image and any new product extensions.

My advice to companies regarding successful branding would be to focus on consistency, customer trust, and understanding their target market. Businesses should carefully research customer preferences and ensure that any new product or service aligns with the company’s existing reputation and values. Companies should also prioritize customer experience, product quality, and clear communication because these factors strongly influence long term loyalty and brand perception.

Artificial intelligence is also becoming increasingly important in brand management and extension strategies. AI tools can analyze customer behavior, identify market trends, personalize advertising, and predict consumer preferences more efficiently than traditional research methods. Companies now use AI to improve targeted marketing campaigns, monitor customer sentiment on social media, and develop more personalized customer experiences. AI can also assist businesses in evaluating whether a potential brand extension is likely to succeed based on consumer data and market analysis. While AI provides valuable insights, companies must still apply human judgment and ethical decision making when developing branding strategies.

Overall, strong branding requires consistency, customer understanding, and adaptability. Companies that maintain a clear identity while evolving with consumer preferences are more likely to build lasting customer loyalty and successfully expand their brands.

Wk 2 Lindan (Respond no more than 150 words)

I am posting this early since I know some of you are probably ready to start working on week two.

Please answer  all four questions for this discussion and respond to two other students to maximize your grade. Too often, I have seen students drop a whole grade, because they did not complete all the discussion assignments. Also, remember this is not Shark Tank, meaning you should  not use your marketing plan to launch a newly created product or service with no known competition and no research you can tap into for your plan.

After looking at your choices, I may reach out to you to reconsider the brand/company you intend to pursue. This is mainly so that you don't take on something more difficult than required. Using a company that is non-existent today (as in a future start-up you are planning) will make writing your plan more difficult. Instead, perhaps find a similar competitor in that industry. What you learn about the competition will help you a lot with your startup. Like Sun Tzu said, "Know Thy Self, Know Thy Enemy. A Thousand Battles, A Thousand Victories." 

A while back, I had the opportunity to hear Ken Fisher (Fisher Investments) speak, and he had a slide titled 'Churn in the Top 20 Biggest Firms by Market Cap.' For example, IBM was number one back in 1970, and by 2024, Microsoft was number one. So, here is a list of 'has beens' (that still exist) that might be good for your marketing plans. AT&T, GM, Eastman Kodak, GE, Xerox, DuPont, 3M, Avon, Coca-Cola, Proctor & Gamble, and Ford. Now you are thinking, these are all pretty successful companies, and for the most part, they are - but other companies have surpassed them in growth. Just something to think about, and remember, if you want to keep it less stressful, make sure you can find existing data and research. 

Data Availability and Research Feasibility

Finally, ensure that sufficient data and research are available for your chosen brand. This could be through:

· Publicly available reports, such as annual reports or industry analyses.

· Access to reputable sources of consumer behavior data, trends, and competitive analysis.

· Case studies or examples from similar brands or companies that have faced comparable challenges.

Choosing a brand that clearly needs a new or revised marketing strategy will allow you to develop a relevant and actionable plan. Ensure the brand has a clearly defined issue, opportunity, or objective that can be addressed through a comprehensive marketing approach.

And a note on AI use: Make sure you cite any use of AI, just as you would any other source. What I don’t want to see are assignments that score 80%-100%, because even with false positives, this usually means you have used AI, (probably way too much) and also have not cited it. Review the APUS AI webpage for more information  https://www.apu.apus.edu/student-handbook/university-policies-and-code-of-conduct/apus-student-code-of-conduct/generative-ai-policy/

Wk 2 Lucia (Respond no more than 150 words)

For my final marketing plan, my topic is Lexus, specifically the Lexus TX 350. My target market is professional women, military and government employees, and families in North America who want a luxury SUV that is reliable, safe, comfortable, spacious, and useful for everyday life. I chose this market because many people are now choosing SUVs instead of sedans. SUVs offer more space for passengers, cargo room for errands and family trips, a higher driving position, and a smoother ride than older SUVs.

Lexus is a good fit for this market because the brand is known for reliability, luxury, and well-made vehicles. The Lexus TX was created for the North American market to meet the demand for a spacious three-row SUV (Lexus, 2023). Lexus also reported that North American sales were led by models such as the RX, NX, and TX, which shows how important SUVs are to the brand (Lexus, 2026).

The best research methods for this market would be both primary and secondary research. Primary research could include surveys, interviews, and focus groups with Lexus owners, families, and possible SUV buyers. This would help Lexus learn what customers care about most, such as safety, comfort, cargo space, fuel efficiency, price, technology, and dealership service. Secondary research could include Lexus sales reports, competitor websites, customer reviews, industry reports, and scholarly articles. Banerjee et al. (2025) explain that automobile purchase decisions are influenced by product features, quality, price, design, social status, and personal needs.

Lexus can build loyalty by giving customers a strong ownership experience. This could include excellent dealership service, maintenance reminders, personalized communication, owner rewards, warranty support, and follow-up surveys. Since I own a Lexus, I understand why reliability and trust are important. When customers feel that the vehicle is dependable and the company treats them well, they are more likely to stay loyal to the brand.

The luxury SUV market is very competitive. Lexus competes with BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Audi, Acura, Genesis, Volvo, Cadillac, and Lincoln. Many of these brands use loyalty offers, service plans, mobile apps, lease incentives, and luxury customer service. To compete, Lexus should continue focusing on reliability, comfort, quality, and making customers feel valued.