"HBO: Game of Thrones Piracy is a Compliment, Doesn’t Hurt Sales"

According to an article I read on www.torrentfreak.com, the wide-scale piracy of the popular HBO show Game of Thrones doesn't hurt HBO financially. In fact, it helps. According to the director of the show, David Petrarca, "shows like Game of Thrones thrive on “cultural buzz” and benefit from the social commentary they generate. Piracy, he said, helps to oil those wheels, [...] 'I probably shouldn’t be saying this, but it is a compliment of sorts,' HBO programming president Michael Lombardo told EW. '[Piracy is] something that comes along with having a wildly successful show on a subscription network.'" (See link at bottom).

What is your opinion on this? Do you think piracy of TV shows is okay?


http://torrentfreak.com/hbo-game-of-thrones-piracy-is-a-compliment-doesnt-hurt-sales-130401/

In Response to Nick Vita's April 4th Post

With annoying hosts that talk way too fast and act way to excited about everything, these infomercials can lead customers away more than bringing them in.  What is your take on this infomercials? Are they a good marketing tactic for a company?

In my opinion, infomercials are not intended for my demographic (i.e., the younger generation). They are in place to exploit older customers with extra money to spend on these products. I worked in the customer service department of the company made famous by the "One-touch can opener" and the "Faraday Flashlight." Almost every single person who called in was elderly (certainly not a member of my generation). So to answer the question posed above, they are a good marketing tactic, depending on the target market.

What's your take on infomercial and direct response marketing?

Netflix Stock Takes Hit

I recently read bit of news (link at end of entry) that questions whether Netflix, the instant movie and TV show streaming service, has reached its peak as of late. Netflix's stock "recently fell below the moving average for the last 30 and 50 days. That set off alarm bells for so-called momentum investors. 'They ride the charts and when a stock starts to lose momentum they move things around,' Janney Capital Markets’ Tony Wible says. Some also may have wondered whether Netflix might be nicked by Warner Bros’ quiet introduction of its WB Archives Instant, a streaming service for its old movies and TV shows. Major investor Carl Icahn dispelled one rumor, telling CNBC that he hasn’t been selling his shares."

My family just recently signed up for Netflix, and so far, I love it. However, it has been out for quite a while, and it is possible that the service has reached the majority of its audience as of late. Personally, I think the company may just be slowing down a bit. I doubt it will "fall from grace" anytime soon.

Do you think that Netflix is going to fall in terms of share price in the near future, or do you think this is just a small hiccup for the service?


All information, as well as the above image, taken from: http://www.deadline.com/2013/04/netflix-shares-hit-investors-worry-lost-momentum/

In Response to Jonathan Tomachick's March 8th Post

Do you find yourself doing the same when you shop? Have you ever had to cut another shopping trip short because of splurging for sale items the week prior?

I often get sucked in by sale items, especially when they are products that I have purchased in the past, and been pleased with the results. A perfect example would be this past weekend, when I went food shopping. There was a two-for-one sale on a type of cookies that I like. I previously had no plans to purchase these cookies, but the sale lured me in. However, I ended up realizing that I don't need them before I left the store, and put them back where I got them.

I've never really let my spending get to the point where I have to make large sacrifices; I just try to shop smart and only buy what I really need.

When was a time that you or someone you know spent far too much in a splurge-like shopping spree, and had to make sacrifices because of it?

"The Noob Guide to Online Marketing"

I was doing some basic research on marketing as a whole, and found a very interesting infographic (link below) describing the ins and outs of online marketing; everything from social media to pay-per-click (PPC). Out of these, I found that social media seemed to hold the "most" importance, containing the most "to-do" items out of all eight sections of online marketing. I found this interesting when considering social media's youth in comparison to many other online techniques. Yet it makes sense - the majority of a company's potential customer base utilizes social media. As an added bonus, its free.

What do you think to be the most important item within the infographic? Why?

Guide Itself: http://assets.unbounce.com/s/images/noob-guide-to-marketing-infographic-1800.png
Found on http://unbounce.com/noob-guide-to-online-marketing-infographic/

In Response to Jake Atherton's Post

What do you think of this ad? Does it change the way you view Southwest Airlines?
(Video linked at end of post)

In my opinion, this ad is a very powerful one, which is marketable to a large portion of the American public. By using a popular song, the "American Dream" theme, and positive information, it communicates to the public that Southwest is a trustworthy and valuable company. After viewing this ad, it definitely makes me feel comfortable with choosing Southwest over competitors, regardless of what little actual information was communicated to the public.

Retail Customer Monitoring Technology

Image taken from http://www.economist.com/news/business/21571452-

security-cameras-are-watching-honest-shoppers-too-we-snoop-conquer

I read an article about how retail stores have been (for quite some time) using their security cameras not only to ensure theft prevention and safety, but to gauge how many customers are in the store at a given time, aiding in shift scheduling, as well as product placement around the store. The growing demand for  this kind of technology has provided retailers with more extensive - and in my opinion, creepier - additions to their stores. Almax, a mannequin production company, have created mannequins that have the ability to "...look back at customers with camera eyes, noting sex, age and ethnicity." Technology like this allows managers to make strategic decisions to make their stores more marketable and appealing to their target market.

What do you think of this technology? Do you feel it is a violation of privacy, a useful tool for retailers, or a little of both?


For more information on this topic, visit http://www.economist.com/news/business/21571452-security-cameras-are-watching-honest-shoppers-too-we-snoop-conquer