Author Archives: Kamila Soopy

Week G

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The Jones family can definitely be categorized as personal selling. They have used several techniques through out the movie such as conversation and demonstration, like on the golf course where Steve shows off the new design of the clubs and gains sales through the staff recommendation rather than directly.

The main point that the Jones family gave off with their selling techniques was that this next product would make you better or happier somehow. This is very similar to a lot of popular brands now, ie the tracksuit everyone buys because of how attractive and confident Kate looks in hers. One could even say reference selling in which the members of the family themselves are the happy customers with positive results from a product, one such example could be the earrings that Steve shows Larry saying he intends to gift them to his “wife” Kate.

I wouldn’t consider their selling techniques ethical as they weren’t genuine in their reality. Even with social media posts, the viewer is aware that there is editing and other tools used to perfect the image being posted. In the movie, people are losing what they have to achieve something that isn’t even real. A lot of the time people lose sight of the fact that the reality isn’t necessarily what they are being shown. But at the end of the day being unethical doesn’t mean something is illegal; it is a value question and the answer can vary from person to person.

I would like to be friends with someone happy and confident who shared tips but if I were to find out that they were actually trying to sell me something; I wouldn’t feel comfortable as there would be an immediate doubt as to whether they are genuine or not.

 

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 3/18/21

Kamila Soopy

WWF – World Wildlife Fund

1 800 960 0993

kamila.soopy001@stu.bmcc.cuny.edu

 

The Second Year of the One Square Foot Project

WWF with Airwick® Restores the Ecosystem of the Northern Great Plains

 

Washington, D.C.: Last week the World Wildlife Fund began its second year of a three-year partnership with Airwick® that will be running until June 1st. The One Square Project is an initiative to restore the ecosystem of the Northern Great Plains by reseeding the natural wildlife and grassland habitat there. They were able to reseed nearly 51 million square feet in the first year. This year there is an added feature known as a “Super Bloom,” which is when millions of wildflowers bloom simultaneously.

 

Heather and Bart Bilden, who have a ranch in Montana, are working to restore cropland to the grassland and forb species with the support from WWF. This is what Heather had to say when asked about the project, “We are very grateful and honored to be able to restore the grasslands by seeding a variety of native plans back into the Earth. These seeds and the soil are our investment in the future.”

 

WWF and Airwick® hope to accomplish this years Super Bloom by planting one square foot of wildflowers for every social media post tagged #SquareFootSuperBloom alongside the reseeding already being done. These posts can be a photo, video, or even an illustration, the only requirement is that the post is of a wildflower. Social media networks included are Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, and Facebook.

 

About World Wildlife Fund: WWF is an international organization founded in 1961. They work to reduce the human impact on the environment as well as preserve the wilderness. Having over 5 million supporters worldwide, in more than 100 countries, the WWF has invested in around 12,000 conservation initiatives since 1995.

Week E

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Out of all the pitches presented in this episode of Shark Tank, the one that interested me the most was the Calm Strips. It is easy to get overwhelmed in daily life, so having an immediate source of relief is a good option to have around.

There were several points highlighted in the product concept. Firstly it’s an anxiety reducing sticker that can be conveniently placed according to the individuals needs. The concept is similar to other products that provide sensory and tactile stimulation. Calm Strips also have a good profit margin in comparison to the cost it takes to make them which makes it appealing for the sharks while having an affordable price for the consumer.

The product is sold in packs of five which can serve a multitude of purposes; you could have them in multiple places. Also since Calm strips are stickers, they’re not likely to be lost compared to other options in the market. This product has been heavily marketed towards schools and children. I feel like with this kind of market, customized stickers would be a great option to get peoples attention.

Overall I think Calm Strips are a good, affordable option for people who have anxiety and want a discreet but effective way to calm themselves down. It is definitely a product that will have a place in the market considering the increased stress that everyone is facing.

Week C

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It might have once been difficult finding restaurants that deliver after moving to a new city, but that definitely is not the case now. With food review sites like Yelp and multiple delivery apps, the task has been made effortless, with the only issue being to choose from the available options.

I would generally prefer something casual when ordering in, that is around a moderate price range. I also wouldn’t want to have to go out of my way to pick up the food so delivery is a dealbreaker. After narrowing down the type of cuisine, there is a general list of variables that I’d need the restaurant to have.

The first step was simple, google Italian restaurants that deliver in Salt Lake City. Checking several sites showed two common names that piqued my interest, Stoneground Kitchen and Flatbread Neapolitan Pizzeria. After reading reviews and browsing through their menus, I had come to a conclusion. Stoneground, comparatively, is a bit more pricy and had an interesting dessert menu, it would be somewhere that I prefer to dine in. So for this specific situation I ended up choosing Flatbread Neapolitan, having customizable options, friendly prices, good reviews, and delivery.

As I went through several steps of the consumer decision making process, I realized that though everyone may not have the same exact requirements I do, there is definitely overlap in how we make informed decisions.

Michael’s

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Michael’s is the largest arts and crafts retail chain in America. It’s one of the first places I’ve shopped for craft supplies. Though it is a very convenient place to shop, I feel they can go a long way in terms of sustainability.

I’d like to mention a few of their practices I feel make a positive impact for the public overall. They have discounts for three categories; teachers, senior citizens as well as veterans. Michael’s has also partnered with Boys & Girls Club of America and Project Sunshine. Two charities that help children to expand their imagination and have a creative outlet.

In 2019 Michael’s signed the “Open to All” business pledge. This is basically a statement saying that an important goal of their business is to be able to service all types of people irrespective of a variety of factors such as race, religion, sexuality etc. This applies to staff and customers alike. 

To improve their ethical standpoint they could do some of the following. Michael’s wouldn’t be considered the worst employers but they could improve benefits to their employees like health insurance or wages; this would incentivize better performance on their part as well. 

Considering their shipping procedure, decrease the amount of plastic used during packing. Make more environmentally friendly products available to the public as a majority of their items are not and many crafts are not salvageable after the fact. They have mentioned starting an energy conservation plan in the past but there hasn’t been much of an update to that so showing that they follow through with potential plans would also have a positive effect.

Overall, I think Michael’s is a decent place to go that could be improved with a few changes here and there. The main issue I see is a lack of commitment to the environment which in this day and age is very important.