Implementation Evaluation Control

 “It’s not about telling and selling. It’s about bringing a [customer] relationship mindset to everything [you] do.”  Pg. 99 In conclusion to my project I came to realize that maybe if I were to have actually taken this product through development process it might have not been the best idea.  From having been in school for business for almost three years now I've learned one thing.  Branding is not easy, nor is competing with major brand labels that have already been around for decades. I'm not saying there isn't any room in the market for this item because their really is.  All I'm saying is if this product were to develop we would have to work extremely hard in the marketing sector and social networking.“Too [few] small-business owners have a … marketing mind-set,”  pg.124 The best and fastest way to create and instant following for any new product would have to be by using a celebrity endorsement.  Other than having all those other direct competitors offering similar vodka then what we offer I think over time we would have created a following. Just because the bottle itself is being sold at a reasonable price point that differentiates itself from the rest of the brands on the shelf. “Consumers make many buying decisions every day, and the buying decision is the focal point of the marketer’s effort. “ pg. 137

Distribution

Blue Stripe distributes to domestic vendors only.  Eventually Blue Stripe would like to expand abroad and bring the product to other countries but cost of shipping makes this a bit difficult.  Blue Stripe works with big house name brands that purchase our product and place it in their stores. We have grocery brands such as Wholefoods, and Trader Joe's as two of our huge vendors. We also deliver to small owned business such as liquor stores, bars, restaurant, and clubs.  “Each distribution method involves a different level of reach and cost. Increasingly, marketers are blending several media into a total campaign concept. The length of the promotion is also important. If the sales promotion period is too short, many prospects (who may not be buying during that time) will miss it. If the promotion runs too long, the deal will lose some of its “act now” force.”  pg 437  We currently only hold one distribution center which is located near the corporate offices.  We like to handle all of the steps from the developing process to the shipping process.   “Growth is pure oxygen, It creates a vital, enthusiastic corporation where people see genuine opportunity.” Pg. 45

Pricing

“Nike has always known the truth—it’s not so much the shoes but where they take you.” Pg. 37

Blue Stripe like ive said before will be an affordable but hand over over free vodka.  Our price point for the 750 mls start out at $19.95 and our 1.75 liter bottle goes for $25.   For not we will only be shipping domestically due to liability issues and shipping cost. Blue Stripe on average will have a competitors advantage overall other vodka labels would be because of its affordable price point.  The first thing a consumer does when they walk into the liquor isle they scout for the cheapest alcohol they can find.  Why not make it easier on them and offer a great tasting vodka for a affordable price.  Once a consumer grabs purchases the bottle for the first time its almost guaranteed he or she will be coming back for more.  "Price is the only element in the marketing mix that produces revenue; all other elements represent costs. Price is also one of the most flexible marketing mix elements. Unlike product features and channel commitments, prices can be changed quickly. At the same time, pricing is the number-one problem facing many marketing executives, and many companies do not handle pricing well. Some managers view pricing as a big headache, preferring instead to focus on the other marketing mix elements. However, smart managers treat pricing as a key strategic tool for creating and capturing customer value. Prices have a direct impact on a firm’s bottom line. A small percentage improvement in price can generate a large percentage in profitability. More importantly, as a part of a company’s overall value proposition, price plays a key role in creating customer value and building customer relationships. " pg.275

Promotion

My marketing team and myself plan on working with local radio stations networking with the right local dj's in town, we want our brand to be well known across the nation.  We will be updating constant "How to mix it drinks" on our website and will be constantly updating our facebook, tumblr, twitter, and instagram with up to date promotions.  Blue Stripe is working on collaborating with a few well known celebrities all in which would cater to different age markets. We will on also be featured on a few segment cable commercials and eventually work something out with a network and see if we can collaborate with them.
 " The closest thing to an official promotion is the company’s Web site or a newsletter mailed out to people who opt in to receive it. Trader Joe’s most potent promotional weapon is its army of faithful followers. Trader Joe’s customers have even started their own fan Web site, www.traderjoesfan.com, where they discuss new products and stores, trade recipes, and swap their favorite Trader Joe’s stories."  Or you can be like Trader Joe's and create a awesome following who is willing to create a fan made website to just keep the viewers up to date.  Some small business that have grown to become corporations started and still to this day remain showing minimal advertising or marketing. 

Product

"Product concept :The idea that consumers will favor products that offer the most quality, performance, and features and that the organization should therefore devote its energy to making continuous product improvements." pg. 10 Blue Stripe will come in two size bottles 750mls & 1.75 Liters.  Blue Stripe is distilled twice during its purification process and has a total of 40% alcohol.  The bottle will be clear all around and with a rustic grey coding around it.  As far as letting and marketing I will have bright royal blue lettering saying "Blue" and right below I will have a dash representing the second part of the name "Stripe".  This bottle is a prime example of a upcoming classical brand. The reason why we choose not to go all out with our bottle marketing is because we simply don't have to we have great quality vodka that allows us to let the drink do the talking. We let the beverage itself do the word to mouth and we provide the with great social media advertising and most importantly top of the line distilled vodka. "The societal marketing concept questions whether the pure marketing concept overlooks possible conflicts between consumer short-run wants and consumer long-run welfare. Is a firm that satisfies the immediate needs and wants of target markets always doing what’s best for consumers in the long run? The societal marketing concept holds that marketing strategy should deliver value to customers in a way that maintains or improves both the consumer’s and society’s well-being. It calls for sustainable marketing, socially and environmentally responsible marketing that meets the present needs of consumers and businesses while also preserving or enhancing the ability of future generations to meet their needs." pg. 12

Target Market

 “a brand identity that reflects the Xerox of today.” Pg.65

Imagine a retailer with service so good its customers wish it would take over the Internal Revenue Service or start up an airline. Pg.3

Blue Stripe caters to a wide range market.  Here at Blue Stripe we believe in catering to both men and women.  Our average age group ranges from 23-55.  “it all begins with understanding our client’s dreams.” And “Dreams don’t retire.” Pg. 71 This age group tends to have the most common alcohol purchases then any of the other age groups.  Blue Stripe doesn't like to follow the typical vodka branding rules.  Blue chooses to broaden their market because simply they are able to hit such a wide niche by researching data and marketing themselves to the consumer in a breathtaking way. Some special occasions you might catch are clients drinking our beverage would be at clubs, bbq's, holidays, family functions etc.  We try not to limit who we target ourselves to because the broader the market the bigger the chances.   “It’s just a lot cheaper to get existing customers to buy from you again than it is to try to convince someone [new].” Pg. 3 

SWOT Analysis

 “Start-up businesses need information about their potential customers, industries, competitors, unfilled needs, and reactions to new market offers.” Pg. 124

Strengths: Blue Stripe offers domestic distilled vodka purified to en-light the taste buds that never been discovered.  Being that we are a domestic brand gives us a competitive advantage because our brand offered distinctive vodka that truly distinguishes itself from the rest.  “if we didn’t talk [to consumers] about their laundry habits [and practices]. We talked about their lives, what their needs were, how they felt as women. And we got a lot of rich stuff that we hadn’t tapped into before.” Pg. 99

Weakness: Blue Stripe's weakness towards the rest of the market, Blue Stripe isn't mainstream just yet so our brand has still yet to be discovered by the world.   “what was once the domain of the high-cost experts has now become available to practically anybody with a desire to use it,”  pg.114

Opportunities:  Being up and coming gives us an advantage to becoming mainstream in little as months.  Thanks to our society now a days and how social media has controlled our lives we are able to send anything viral to any place across the world in lest then seconds.   We offer great customer service and refund your money back if not satisfied

Threats:  Competitive market, mainstream brands, advanced advertisement strategies, financials

 “set annual cost-reduction targets [for the parts they buy]. To realize those targets, they’ll do anything. [They’ve unleashed] a reign of terror, and it gets worse every year.” Pg. 68