Final Blog

The core idea that I understand better, after taking this course, is to focus on the consumer. This sounds really simple, and it is, but the idea of relating everything to the consumer is often neglected. An example from the group project is when we chose 10-13 year-old boys, and the backyard was our assigned room, we thought the project would be a breeze. About halfway through the project we realized that it wasn’t going to be quite as easy as we thought, and when we started to try to analyze our segment better it became even harder. We wanted a product that wouldn’t be just another toy that is played with for a month, then never played with again. We also wanted a product that 10-13 year old boys would really enjoy and relate to. We could have taken an easy way out and designed a generic product, but we decided to focus on the consumer and the information our target segment provided us in surveys. Designing a product like the Wii Vision took a lot more time and thought, but afterwards we felt that the product was something that really focused on the consumer.

A second concept I will take with me from this course is that of making something an experience for the consumer. The idea impacted me this weekend when I went to a concert in the Woodlands. A friend and I were at the Dave Matthews concert and were having a great time; then I realized how complex the concert really was. There were huge LED screens behind the band that had graphics and showed close-ups of the band. Unique posters only available at this one show were for sale. The lady sitting next to me, whom I didn’t know, leaned over and told me this was her tenth Dave show. The concert wasn’t only about the music, but so much more. People had been tailgating for hours before the show in anticipation, listening to Dave Matthews from their cars in the parking lot before the show. All of these things added to the experience of the concert. Sure, the show would have been great if it was just the musicians on stage playing, but all of the other factors truly made it an experience and not just a show. I also wrote in my paper how Whole Foods and Central Market do a great job of making shopping an experience. Although the experience is only one way retailers can help consumers, it is definitely important and provides a way to interact with the consumer. Before this class I really didn’t consider how the customer could have an experience, but now I am a true believer. For our group’s project we wanted to create an experience that combined the backyard with insights from our segment, so we developed the Wii Vision so boys could experience their favorite video games, with friends, in the backyard.

When we first did the updates for the project I thought they were kind of pointless, I also felt like the project wasn’t going anywhere. Everyone in the group wasn’t too excited about the project and felt like it was just another assignment to do. I was a little frustrated at first because we didn’t have any results from the first few updates, and there was hardly any tangible proof we had done anything besides PowerPoint slides. I’m used to coming up with an idea and immediately following through with it through research or implementation, but this project was different. Towards the end of the semester our group was more excited about the project and started to contribute more ideas, the quality of the ideas were also better after we were engrossed in the project. Now I realize that having the project spread out over the semester was better, since we were able to build on ideas and plan everything out. The project also taught me that insights come in two forms: the immediate “ah-ha” idea and the insights that come with time. I also learned that time and patience are valuable tools when trying to gain insights. I’m less frustrated about the project now and feel like it is one of the most valuable projects I have done in the business school.

I was nervous about the group project at first, as I usually work better by myself. I also didn’t know anybody in my group, which made me get out of my comfort zone. At first the group just discussed the project, but towards the end of the semester we were having fun and joking around. I am happy with the group that I worked with and had a great experience. Everybody completed their work on time and everybody contributed to the project equally. When Michael, Caitlin, and I went to get supplies for the prototype we had fun and it was a good experience. I feel that I learned more about gaining insights by working with a group; more ideas were also generated and we were able to build on each others’ ideas. This project would have gone by faster working individually, but I think I learned more and our end product is better by working with a group.

My experience with Professor Walls was really positive, too. I liked how open the class was to discussion and how every student’s ideas were considered and discussed. I also enjoyed how unstructured the class was, and if an interesting idea or comment came up we took time to talk about it. Professor Walls is always available and approachable during office hours and I always felt welcomed. If the class was more structured and the professor not as open, students would not take away as much from the class (plus it would be a real downer). I enjoyed the class and feel that it has been of value to me, I can also see how it would relate to a professional career in marketing. During office hours I always felt like I was being completely listened to; sometimes professors try to rush students or add their comments mid-sentence, but this never happened and I appreciated the attention Professor Walls gave.