SWOT Analysis

SWOT Analysis, which I like to call 'Say What?" is actually quite easy to understand and develop but I still should explain what this acronym stands for and represent. Basically SWOT stands for: "An overall evaluation of the company’s strengths (S), weaknesses (W), opportunities (O), and threats (T)." (Marketing: An Introduction, Armstrong & Kotler, Page 6 Chapter 2) Understanding and assessing each of these is very important to better yourself for future advancement. To go more indepth, here is a definition that my clear up any questions that you might have: "Strengths include internal capabilities, resources, positive situational factors that may help the company to serve its customers and achieve its objectives. Weaknesses include internal limitations and negative situational factors that may interfere with the company’s performance. Opportunities are favorable factors or trends in the external environment that the company may be able to exploit to its advantage. And threats are unfavorable external factors or trends that may present challenges to performance.” (Marketing: An Introduction, Armstrong & Kotler, Page 6 Chapter 2) Now that we’ve cleared the air and got a full analysis of SWOT, I think it’s about time that Koot’s Brüt Vodka provides our SWOT Analysis.

Our strengths here at Koot’s must be that we have such a fine product and great are here to prosper of customer relations but since we are a relatively new business, we are weak in being a well-known product and we have to work for product promotion and advertisement to further promote ourselves and get rid of this weakness. As in Opportunities, I believe we have a great chance because we are sold across most liquor stores across America and soon to be international as well as the club scene. We also sponsor a few concerts and venues in Las Vegas which will create great future opportunities. Last but not least would be our threats: One of our main threats is competition which will always be there. Another threat would be that our product doesn’t appeal to the market as well as other competing brands so we have to be on our A game at all times and looking for new ways to improve ourselves.   

Objectives

Now that I've constructed a thorough Mission Statement, it is now time to compile together a group of objectives that Koot's Brüt Vodka will strictly abide to so that we can create the best relations and experiences for our loyal customers. We are here to provide an experience more than just an alcoholic beverage.

But before we decide to jump in our objectives, I think its best that the term 'Objectives', is defined and completely understood for our potential customers, returning customers, employees, and whomever our business may concern. 

I going to break this down to two main objective categories that I believe will greatly improve this company. First would have to be our Advertising objectives: “An advertising objective is a specific communication task to be accomplished with a specific target audience during a specific period of time.” (Marketing: An Introduction for Education Management Corporation, Armstrong/Kotler-pg. 19 Chapter 12) Advertising objectives alone breaks down into 3 sub-categories of informative, persuasive, and reminder advertising which I’ll get into in a moment but these all build on each other to create a greater costumer relation. “Informative advertising is used heavily when introducing a new product category. In this case, the objective is to build primary demand.” (Marketing: An Introduction for Education Management Corporation, Armstrong/Kotler-pg. 19 Chapter 12)  This is basically just to get our product out there in the open. Then there is Persuasive objectives, that deal the increase of competition and our market has high and strong competition so it’s important to persuade and made our product stand our more than the rest. Last of the advertising objectives would be ‘Reminder’ advertising which is here to maintain costumer relations and reminding them of future products they may want. “Reminder advertising is important for mature products—it helps to maintain customer relationships and keep consumers thinking about the product.” (Marketing: An Introduction for Education Management Corporation, Armstrong/Kotler-pg. 20 Chapter 12)

The other main objective that we at Koot’s Brüt Vodka stand by is Strategic Market Objectives. “Strategic objectives focuses on winning additional market share, overtaking key competitors on product quality or customer service or product innovation, achieving lower overall costs than rivals, boosting the company’s reputation with customers, winning a stronger foothold in international markets, exercising technological leadership, gaining a sustainable competitive advantage, and capturing attractive growth opportunities.” (http://mystrategicplan.com/resources/objectives-and-goal-setting/) This is nails it straight on and we strive for the best.

Now that we understand what objectives are and what we look forward to, I believe its time we unveil Koot’s Brüt Vodka Objectives:

      We here at Koot’s strive for the unmost quality of Vodkas and the best relations a business can achieve. We always put our customers first and always will aim to create great relations between us. Last but not least, We crave returning customers and will create great opportunities an benefits for loyal friends here at Koot’s Brüt Vodka. 

Business Mission Statement

In developing a mission statement that specifically applying to such a unique company like Koot’s Brüt Vodka; one must know and understand what a legitimate mission statement composes. “A mission statement is a statement of the organization’s purposes—what it wants to accomplish in the larger environment. A clear mission statement acts as an 'invisible hand' that guides people in the organization”. (Marketing: An Introduction, Armstrong & Kotler, Page 5 Chapter 2) Basically, your mission statement must state your purpose and position as a business. Sounds simple and yet work is still put into this to get your point across as a striving and unique company.

The mission statement is actually built for both customers and employees of our company so that our employees know what goal they are working for and what the customers expect from our company. “Mission statements should be meaningful and specific yet motivating. They should emphasize the company’s strengths in the marketplace. Too often, mission statements are written for public relations purposes and lack specific, workable guidelines.” (Marketing: An Introduction, Armstrong & Kotler, Page 6 Chapter 2) So companies choose to have a mission statement that goes on and for pages and pages. Others keep it short and simple and yet still fill in all the cracks that a mission statement should be composed of. It is important to have the mission statement openly available and easy to find for your customers and employee so that it’ll show commitment to your market and company itself.

Now that we understand a true mission statement, this the one I have developed for Koot’s Brüt Vodka:
            We are committed to producing and providing the finest vodkas of the highest value to our customers. We are dedicated on improving and maintaining the relations between our customers and employees; and most of all, providing a supreme experience and vodka.

Week 8: Creative Content

For Koot’s Brüt Vodka creative content/Advertising/Commercial, I’m thinking about making 2 different radio commercials. These commercials are geared for men and women between the ages of 21 and 35; the party animals that prefer classy drinks. One commercial aimed at men with the fast energetic speaker and the random punchy sound effects that you find in a lot of radio commercials or maybe just a short funny guy story, I don’t want the commercial to be over the top. The other commercial will be made to appeal women with a slow and soothing deep voice describing the product along with ambient sounds of a club or scenery and people mingling chatter. They are both are not going to be longer than 30 seconds each, the second one made for the female audience will be about 15seconds. I want to keep these commercial simple and to the point, kind of like my product: No flavoring, no additive. It’s just great vodka. Possibly develop a short slogan or theme for the product as well because those usually do well in advertisements. The first commercial directed for men will have a quick story of 2 individuals arguing over something at a party (A male and a female) and a narrating voice will interrupt their conversation and they freak out thinking its god and the narrator will tell them about Koot’s Brüt Vodka. As for the women’s voice, I want to intentionally make it a man trying to make a women’s voice to get a little laugh out of it. This might sound a little dull at the moment but this is just the beginning of the creative content process. I am also thinking about creating a unique green bottle through Photoshop or Adobe Illustrator. When I have the radio commercials playing through the YouTube video, I’ll have pictures of my vodka brand throughout the clip. I am also trying to keep my options open right now so I can add or change this plan around to suite the market appropriately.

EOC Week 7: The Pitch

Koot’s Brüt Vodka is a premium and silky smooth vodka based from the great land of Scotland. Brüt is all specially handcrafted from finest grains to give it the best flavor possible.  Made from the waters of Loch Awe and distilled 4 times in the richest whole berry Scottish Rye to provide that full and crisp flavor of Whiskey without the harshness completely smooth. Loch Awe surrounded by the prestigious ruins of castles and is the water supply for main local villages throughout Brut and Argyll, Scotland. This vodka is unfiltered to keep in the Brüt flavors of the Scottish Rye and doesn’t have any additive flavors for the complete and authentic experience of Vodka. With 80 proof, this vodka is meant to be enjoyed for its natural sweet taste and is at a reasonable and affordable price. Whether if it is for the gentlemen who enjoy straight shots of vodka or the lady who enjoys her mixed drinks. Everybody can savor the genuine rye flavor of this premium vodka.  Experience the beauties of Scotland from a bottle of Koot’s Brüt Vodka.  

Week 6 EOC: ME X3

There are plenty of products and items that help us individualize ourselves and kind hard to bring down to three products but the first product that comes to mind has to be music. Music is a big product. Whether it’s a cd or an MP3 or itunes, music defines my everyday life. It determines my mood I am in at that moment and inspires me through my choice of a career and channels its way into my own music. I could say my iPod but that’s not a product that defines me, it’s the music that is contained within it. Something else that definitely sticks out to me are Metallica T-shirts. I love the artwork that Pushead (an artist) has done in drawing up various shirt designs for Metallica T-shirts. I love the artwork on Metallica T-shirts so much, I got actually got one of them as my first tattoo and I’m planning on getting some more. Wearing my Metallica shirts makes me feel proud to a fan and in some sort of way, contributing to the band. I tend to look and Metallica T-shirts that I haven’t seen anybody else wear because I want to have something different but at the same time, sporting my favorite artists. I think hair ties would oddly enough be a product that projects who I am. I love and enjoy my long hair and the only way I can tame it from its intense curls is by putting it back in a ponytail, usually using Scrunci hair ties. They are cheap and always have one on me, whether if it’s on my wrist or in my hair; I couldn’t live a day without one. All these products all kind of tie into each such as the Music, Metallica T-shirts, and of course the hair tie because Metallica used to have long hair. I could probably go on with a list of products but these are predominantly the first things that popped into my head.

Week 5 EOC: Social Networks and Job Hunting

Everything has become so emerged in the digital world; it has its downsides but also has some great upsides to it as well. I think it’s awesome that some of these big time companies are now employing real customers to promote their product. It’s a great way to prove relations between consumers and I think it could be cheaper way of advertising. “The ambassadors were given a free camera and other equipment along with lessons on how to use them. They were then encouraged to show the camera to friends, associates, and anyone else who asked; hand out discount coupons; and blog weekly about their travel and picture-taking adventures” (Marketing An Introduction, Armstrong/Kotler, Pg 15) Using social networks and other things such as blogs to get in touch with the loyal customer is great we to do so. Businesses are also using social networks such as Facebook to find potential employees or even look up an interviewee.  This is such an easy way to find information on a potential worker because people on Facebook post everything to the whole world. It’s the easiest and cheapest way to research people. “More companies are trying to tap Facebook Inc.'s 750-million-plus user base to find new employees, threatening traditional job boards and competing with LinkedIn Corp., which has dominated the online professional networking arena… Candidates have been 50% more likely to apply to positions they found through Facebook than through other means.” (Wall Street Journal, Recruiters Troll Facebook for Candidates They Like) I mean even bands and other artists’ stubble upon other potential recruitments such as Journey whom found their replacement lead singer on YouTube; that’s also how Justin Bieber got discovered.  I think this is a great way to reach to consumers, potential candidates, or whatever the situation might be for businesses to expand their horizons in customer relations and recruitment. World is technological advancing at ridiculous rates, it’s great that marketing and businesses and keep up and use it to their advantage.