"Wal-Mart lists groceries online"- summary, Financial Times

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/1c1f0d22-89d2-11dd-8371-0000779fd18c.html -by Jonathan Brichall, posted 24 September 2008

Wal-Mart finally expands its online uses. It's pre-existing e-commerce webiste has procured a list with all groceries found in the mall. It has several thousands of products; from prepared salads to make-up. The website has become the second busiest American retail already. Although it is so widely known, its is still not available to an online delivery. Another feature of the website are the nutritional ingredients listed with each product. This way the customer can make sure what is in the product; a link to this website can be found at the end of the paragraph. Not only the product can be found, but also the availability of the product is stated next to the item. Furthermore the company is formating the programm to pre-order online, so the customer can pick up the bought products right from the store. The purpose of this website is that the customer can shop more efficient; knowing what they will find in the shop or not. In the company of its main competitors, Safeway and Royal Ahold's Peapod, it is the only company so far not having the online grocery service; were the comes to the door. Wal-Mart has become the US biggest retail, with more than twenty percent total market. Another example, using bulked packaged groceries send to ones house, is Amazon. The company started their mission two years ago, with success. Head of the Wal-Mart explains that they will continue looking for oppertunities to see how they can expand further. Wal-Mart still has a online grocery list, however, in future years it is possible to be seeing Wal-Mart trucks driving from house to house.

*Wal-Mart website- http://www.walmart.com/catalog/catalog.gsp?cat=976759&fromPageCatId=14503

'Grunge'

'Grunge' is not only a salacious slang, but a widely known form of music. Grunge is a slang that uses the word 'grungy', which originated around 1965 and means 'filthy', or 'dirty'. Mark Arm, vocalist of Green River, used the word (generally know) first to describe his music. Grunge is also known as the Seattle Sound, owing to the fact that it originated in the mid 1980s in Washington (USA), and particularly in Seattle. It was inspired by hardcore punk, heavy metal, and indie rock. The music includes heavily distorted electric guitar, bass guitars, drums, and vocals; often uneased lyrics. The grunge movement united in Seattle's independent record label; Sub Pop. It became more and more successful in the mid 1990s, and tied in with commercials. This is mainly because of the release of Nirvana's song "Nevermind", and Pearl Jam's song "Ten." The outspread made grunge the superlative form of hard rock. However, in the late 1990s the music style faded again, and became less known. Although it has only been majorly known and advertised for several years, it has influenced today's music loads.

No Logo, Chapter 2 Summary

In the second chapter of the book NoLogo, the author writes about cultural events. She mentions that bigger logos are made for children, getting younger and younger. Cultural events are the major target for brands. Art used to be art, now it has become art for advertisment's sake. Advertising has become competetive, and is a need. More advertising has started to replace culture, nowdays, advertising is becoming culture. Brands work together with companies as well as with famous stars. One example is Michael Jordon, who wears Nike and therefore made Nike more known all over the globe. Stars, such as singers, are often dressed by certain brands; which makes them more desirable. Nike is one of the major brands that uses sports for branding. After getting a famous person like Michael Jordon to wear their clothes for them, the second step is the destroying of the competitions. They expand and have tried to to open up an agency. The third and last step is to sell the pieces like it was part of the Berlin Wall. Nike, by now, has all products checked. It has toothbrushes, clothes, bathroom materials, school materials, and many more. The highest blueprint for branding, is Michael Quitz. Branding not only has taken over the media, but it has become culture.

"David and Goliath' battle for TV control"- summary, Financial Times

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/a06938d2-80e5-11dd-82dd-000077b07658.html

The satellite broadcaster, British Sky Broadcasting, is being ripped apart. Mr. Marks, head of BT's television sees SKY as a powerful competition; that is hard to wipe out. Mr. Mark's BT onlz has 282 thousand customers compared to SKY who has nine million. With its priority and rights to show live Premier League football, SKY steals BT the show. Several complaints have been looked at, one that consumers complain to charge more for BT, as SKY is more known and therefore is more dominant. Not only SKY, but also Virgin Media, the cable TV operator and some other broadcasters are unhappy with the situation. SKY should share its premium content on possible terms. The argument between the two broadcasters has not changed yet, though some think SKY has chances of loosing the argument. One reason for why BT's customer rate has increased, is its own marketing. By persuading the future customers with "Freeviw platform of digital TV channels," and "Adult program". Next year, the "BBC iPlayer," will be put on market. This is another try to persuade more customers into buying BT's products and watching their program. However, the main decision, on whether or not BT should advertise more about its own product, lies in SKYs decision. If it is possible to provide access to live football content, at an adjusted rate, BT can look forward to a happy next year.

Commercials

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o3CUariDFGE&feature=related
The (above hyperlink) commercial is selling the new Internet Explorer 7. This commercial sells the not just a product, but mostly a lifestyle. Over one minute and twenty seconds, the lifestyle without everyday technology is presented to the audience. The man in the commercial does not need any machinery, electricity, or effort to make his life as normal as never. He is brushing his toothpase with a non-existing electric toothbrush, shaves without the electronic shaver, dries his hair, peels the orange, makes orange juice, opens a can, makes a suit out of his morning robe, and throws the garbage into space without using electronics. The product tells us that with the new Internet Explorer 7, life will be as easy as never. There will be no worries, or complications in life. This draws the consumers attention, as everyone wants the least work possibly. This commercial is not on going about the new internet explorer, it is focused on the easy lifestyle that it brings into peoples homes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tLlIW2T3kDE
The above link roots to a commercial that is all about advertising its product. In this commercial, the OREK XL ULTRA Vacuum Cleaner is being sold. The vacuum cleaner is sold, by the commercial telling the customer all it has to know. It states all the positive things that will come into the house with the new vacuum cleaner. It mostly however talks about what it can do. The customers want this vacuum just by looking at it. It is described, that it only weighs eight pounds, is a bagless vacuum, cleans the air, and has a new CELOC Filtration System. Not only that, but it has four layers in the outer bag, as well as three layers in the inner layer. To make the customer even more convinced, the commercial talks about how 99.9% of all particles are absorbed by the new OREK XL ULTRA Vacuum Cleaner. With its suction velocity of 102 miles per hour, its easy to change filter bag, the helping hand handle, and the "Ease of use Commondation," it seems perfect for every housewife who likes having a clean surrounding. When one thinks there could be no better offer, the commercial get even better. Included with the new vacuum cleaner, there is a thirty day trial, a free gift (cord-free steam iron), and a one year supply filter, not including the free shipping and handling. If one watches this advertisement, there seems nothing better. It is the perfect way for simply selling a product.

No Logo- by Naomi Klein, Chapter 1 Summary

Chapter one in the book No Logo, written by Naomi Klein, talks about an economy’s industry, income, and brands. The more an industry is possible to produce, the higher the income is after all. As brands start to open, the focus seems to drift from the manufacturing, towards the marketing, which is the real goal of all brands. Branding includes the advertising of the project, the sponsorship, and the logo licensing. As more and more brands were asked, the faster the industry had to produce the products. Brand-based products are therefore made mostly in factories. The pseudoscientific formula is used when marketing a product, this process includes the never mentioning of the rivals, large headlines should be used and much space should be left for the ad copies. In the 1940s, brands were seen as “corporate consciousness”. Forty-eight years later in 1988, Philip Morris bought ‘Kraft’ for 12.6 billion dollars, six times the original price. It now was an image, had reputation, and was worth much more; the public became interested. Advertisement spending was now an investment in cold equity. Five years later, in 1993, the Wall Street declares the brand as dead. However, the real problem producers were facing was to create new products constantly; as customers got bored easily. Advertisements were suddenly found everywhere, on cans, food products, toys, and even on telephone lines. The longest running campaign with one face in its advertisement launched in 1954; the Marlboro Man became the new face for Marlboro cigarettes. Klein says that if one cut’s prices on the market, there will be an avalanche, which is the welcoming to the value generation. After the baby boom, mostly found after the major wars the countries had gone through, families bought more brands. Housewife’s wanted the best for their children, and with brands new cleaning and other substances were introduced. Families that had the ability to buy these products only wanted the best. In the olden days it was all about advertising products, now days it is not about advertising anymore, but all about marketing, and image.

Me

Viacom

VIACOM
Radio-
Networks:

• Infinity Broadcasting (manages Westwood One Radio Networks
  


• Metro Networks

Stations:

• Infinity Broadcasting (owns and operates over 180 stations)
  

Internet-

• MTVi Group
  


• CBS Internet Group



• Nickelodeon Online
  


• BET.com
  


• Contentville.com (35%)
  

Film-
Production and Distribution:

• Paramount Pictures



• MTV Films
  


• Nickelodeon Movies

Theater Operations:

• United Cinemas International (joint venture with Vivendi Universals
  


• Paramount Theaters
  


• Famous Players (Canada)

Video:

• Blockbuster Videos

Other-

• Famous Music Publishing (copyright owners)
  


• Theme Parks
  


• Paramount Parks
  


• Infinity Outdoor/TDI Worldwide -- the largest outdoor advertising group in the U.S.
  


• Star Trek franchise

Publishing-
Books:

• The Free Press
  


• MTV Books
  


• Nickelodeon Books
  


• Simon & Schuster
  


• Pocket Books
  


• Scribner
  


• Touchstone

TV-
Networks:

• CBS
  


• UPN
  


• MTV Network
  


• MTV
  


• Nickelodeon
  


• Nick at Nite
  


• TV
  


• Land
  


• CMT
  


• TNN
  


• VH1
  


• Noggin (joint venture with Children's Television Workshop)
  


• Showtime Networks
  


• Showtime
  


• The Movie Channel
  


• Sundance Channel (joint venture with Robert Redford and Universal Studios)
  


• FLIX
  


• SET Pay-Per-View (sporting and entertainment events)
  


• BET
  


• Comedy Central (joint venture with AOL Time Warner)
  

Production and Distribution:

• Paramount
  


• Spelling Entertainment
  


• Group (80%)
  

Big Ticket Television

• Viacom Productions
  


• King World Productions
  

Stations:

• 16 CBS-affiliated stations
  


• 19 UPN-affiliated stations