Extra Posting: Holiday Special Offers

At this time, Monster Cable has not posted any particular advertisement for their products for the holidays on their website. Instead Monster has create an email list to keep consumers up to date on future holiday offers. All customers have to do is input their email address into the form located on the lower half of  home page of Monster's website.

Chapter-16 Integrated Marketing Communication

  Monster uses the AIDA concept for most of their endorsed products. An example of this can be seen with their promotion of the headphone inspired by the movie Tron:Legacy. This year Disney release a fellow up to their cult classic Tron. The movie is about a society that live in computer' hard drives, were the occupants are forced to battle via live action video games. Fans of the new movie rave about the film cutting edge graphics and designs, as well as the hit soundtrack by the techno artist Daft Punk. Monster use the films premise to create a line of headphone and accessories for fans of video games and techno/electronic music.

The exterior design is based on the stylish outfits featured in the movie, while the sound is suppose to enhance the quality from video games and music, specifically techno/electronic genre. The AIDA concept works perfectly for this product.

• Attention- Monster creates a headphone line that's is based of the future style from the movie Tron: Legacy. The headphone even glows like the outfits in the film. There is also a limited edition endorsed by the techno group Daft Punk, the artists behind the soundtrack to the movie.
• Interest- Monster will peak the interest of consumers with their claim that the headset will enhance the sound quality of electronic music and video games. Fans can get a chance at owning a limited pair from the Daft Punks. And to help advertise, Monster has a web page dedicate for the Tron:Legacy products. This will give consumers the chance to view all the products available as well as some specifications. The web page looks strikingly similar to the movie's web page.
• Desire- Fans of the both the movie and video games will more than likely be drawn to purchase these items for the simple fact that the product may improve their experience with games, as well as owning something that look like its from the movie itself. Consumers will have a reason to believe the claims of enhancements, since the product is made from a company that is world renown for quality in sound. 
• Action- Monster provides live demonstration at conventions to back up their claims. Also, with viral testimonials on YouTube to motivate potential buyers, when the product becomes available. This also factors in a bit of the pull strategy in which Monster's promotion to consumers causes the consumer to demand the product from the retailer like Target or Best Buy. The retailer then has to order the product in order to meet the demand. 

                                                            

Chapter-10 Product Concept

  Monster's brand fit the charactertics types of a specialty product. Their family brands can only be purchase at a few authorized outlets. Consumers are willing to pay higher prices in order to get the special quality that Monster's products offer. Their products are sought out by consumers that are serious about their own electronics as seen in a episode from Street Customs a show about car customizations. In the episode owner Ryan expresses his love for Monster's products and that it is the only audio cable they use in their custom cars assembly. Monster's product mix has great depth as noted in one of my earlier posting. When Apple announed its newest iPhone the 4S, Monster begin advertising a slew of their products that were already available, and compatable with the 4S. The same can be said with video game console to which Monster dedicated a portion of the website to. Monster product mix extend beyond just cable and headphones. Monster's line also includes screen cleaners, 3D glasses, ethernet networks and power surge protecters. Monster even paired with WestCoast Customs to create a car care line.

    In order to stay current, Monster constently modify its products style and qualtiy by offering different variations to their products, such as with their M series of HDMI cables. Each cable while boast superior video quality, but varies in output capabilabity. The M650 HDMI cable ($90) caters to standard HD viewing while the M1000 ($150) line caters to hardcore gamers. And of course, Monster offer a cable that can do both functions and perform at a higher rate if the consumer is willing to spend a little more (Monster's M2000 priced at $200).

   Style modifications are very apparent with Monsters headphone lines. The sound quality doesn't change, however the aesthetics changes with each models release, such as with singers Gwen Stefani's Harajuku Girls earbuds and Lada Gaga's Heartbeats.
   

Chapter 18- Sales Promotion and Personal selling

   Products from Monster Cable have a long standing history of quality and excellents. The company does a great job in promoting their concepts and ideology through their website, and tons of celebrity endorsements. Monster even offers discount prices and a frequent buyer program for their customers. However, there are a few restrictions that may cause some consumers to feel a little leery about participating in these incentive programs.
   Monster Cable's frequent buyer program is called "Monster Bucks". Customers earn points which values at 30% of purchase before taxes. Customers are then able to use these points to purchase other Monster items. Unfortunately there are a few downsides to these programs. First, Monster Bucks are only available for selected products that are Monster's website. Second, Monster Bucks are non transferable and are not legal tender. Third, the "bucks" will expire one year after they are earned. Fourth, if a product is purchased using Monster Bucks and is returned, the full value of he points may be reduced or unearned.

   Discounted products are available at Monster's outlet store online. At the outlet store, several products are available for up to 50% off of their normal prices. The drawn back is that these products are all refurbished, and Monster's standard warranty does not apply. In place of Monster standard warranty is a limited 90 day warranty. Also, Monster Bucks can't be used for purchase at the online outlet.
   Monster doesn't have any retail stores so most personal selling is done by sales representatives at authorize chain stores (Wal-mart, target PC Richards & Sons, etc).

   However, Monster does their best to aid these sales representatives by providing in store demonstration. These demonstration are a simple display of Monster's quality. For video, Monster will set up two monitors. One using regular component cables, and the other using Monsters superior HD component cables.

As for the audio demonstrations, Monster will step up their headsets with a pre select rotation of music to show monster audio quality through a range of music genres. This make the sales representatives job easier, by show the consumer the quality before they purchase the product.

Chapter 17 Advertising and Public Relations

  Monster Cable uses various types of media to advertise their products. Television & Magazines are two of the main mediums that are used for Monster's advertises. Although product advertising is used on both mediums, each conveys different approaches when introducing their products. In their magazine ads, Monster makes sure to list some sort of brief specification to their product without being to technical, as well as images of the device. Most magazine ad are placed in magazines that specialize in music and electronics. However in their television commercials, Monster's advertising objective appears to focus more on the product being an accessory for everyday activities, such as seen in their advertisement for Beat by Dre. New commercial focuses on several individuals going about their normal routines while using their Beats headphones, be it skate-boarding or exercising. Music is another way of advertising that Monster uses. In the hit song "BOOM,BOOM,BOOM" by The Black Eyed Peas, rapper Will.I.am is heard is heard saying "I be rocking them Beats" repeatedly referring to the Beats headphone. This part of the song also appears in the commercial for Beats by Dre.

  Managing their companies reputation is very important to Monster Cable, however they have received unfavorable publicity in protecting their establish brand name. Monster Cable began suing companies that use the name "Monster" or "Cable" for their own companies. Monster Cable felt that the other companies profited from their brands reputation, even if the company in no way are competing in the same industry. While large companies such as the job search website Monster.com and beverage company Monster energy drinks may be able to settle their lawsuits, smaller companies were not as fortunate. Monster Mini Golf is a small company that develops miniature golf courses in local communities. However the impending lawsuit would have put the mini golf developer out of business, but luckily the general public intervened. Monster Cable started to be viewed by the public as a "corporate bully", and people began protesting Monster Cable. In response to the protest, Monster Cable dropped their lawsuit with the mini golf developer.

Chapter 15 Retailing

  Monster Cable products can be purchased at retail specialty discount stores that mainly supply electronic goods. Independent retailers like J&R Music and Computer World to major chain stores, such as Radio Shack and Best Buy are some of the locations where one can find Monster's products. At retail stores, sale representatives use sale tactics like suggestion selling. Suggestive selling is when a sales representative attempt to get a customer to purchase more items for their initial purchase. For example when I purchase my new HDTV for Best Buy, sales representative tried their best to sale my every accessory for my TV available.

   I was amazed by all of the product the store carried, and most were product from Monster. From HDMI cable for high definition viewing to surge protectors. Monster even has cleaners for the TV screens. The representative was very knowledgeable on the products and inform me of Monsters long standing history of excellents. The rep. would have sold me, but unfortunately I didn't have enough money(I also discovered that nothing repeals an aggressive sale person faster than saying no cash). This practice benefits companies like Monster, since they are in the accessory manufacturing business. To insure customer purchase monster products from an authorized dealer, Monster offers a lifetime warranty they call "Monsters Live Forever". Monster will replace customers defective Monster product only if it was purchased at one of their authorize dealers.

List of authorized dealers

   However, authorized dealers aren't limited to retail stores. They also have several option for non store retail shopping, such as online retailers such as Amazon.com and Bobizzo.com, to shop at home networks likes HSN.
   Monster also has a factory outlet store available on line were they sale their refurbished products at a discounted price. However there are some stipulations involved when purchasing from their outlets, namely the "Monster Live Forever" warranty doesn't apply. Instead of the lifetime warranty the company provides customers with a 90 day warranty. There is also a no return policy making all sales final. Costumers looking for a good deal may view outlets to be a good option minus the possibility of receiving a unwanted (and probably defective) refurbished item. Personally as a consumer, I would prefer to spend a little more to ensure my product is new, and protect with a life time warranty.


      

Chapter 6 - Consumer Decision Making

      Monster Cable does a affective job of centralizing the consumer decision making process by creating a marketing controlled information source with their website. Consumers generally follow a 5 step decision making process (Need Recognition, Information Search, Evaluation of Alternatives, Purchase and Post Purchase).
      Apple computers recently announce the release of their newest addition in their iPhone series, the 4S. Apple iPhones are the most popular cell phones in today's market. In anticipation of Apple's release, Monster cable has prepare a group of accessories to go along with apple's product. This is Monster first step in influencing the Need Recognition in consumer decision. Monster sees a popular product in about to come out and immediately create a list of must have items for that product. Available in this list are several items including headphones (diddyBeats), component cables and portable docking stations with speakers. Most items match Apple signature white color theme, such as the pair of diddyBeats headphones in all white (normally black), mimicking the standard ear buds that come with iPods. Monster advertises this list on their website, which begins the second step, Information Search. 

      On their website, Monster regularly displays their products as well as user reviews of their products. Monster's website also displays alternatives to the costumers selected products from the companies lines, which begins the third step Evaluation of Alternatives. After having reviewed the different products specifications and reviews from other customers, consumers are ready to move on to step four, Purchase.
      The fifth step is pretty much up to the customer to decide on following. In the Post Purchase stage customers reflect on their purchased decision. Monster customer can comment on their experience be it satisfactory or not on Monster's fan page from the social network Facebook. Customers are also encouraged to leave a comment a review for their purchased product on Monster's website. The review consist of a star rating (ranging between 1-5 stars), pros and cons list and a brief comment. With all of these resources available on their site, Monster customers don't have to search around to other websites for information.