In response to Katie Longchamp

What are some other products that you can think of that can use an undifferentiated strategy to market their products?

The first product that comes to mind is beef. In the early 90’s the beef council ran ads with the following slogan, “Beef. It’s what’s for dinner.” Ads for travel, like the ones for Michigan, California and Jamaica and auto insurance fit into this category.  Their mass marketing effort gives them more bang for the buck.  

Is there a way that the beef council can use a different strategy?

Sheep or a Wolf

Have you ever wondered, outside of a marketing class, why you buy what you buy? There are of course needs which have to filled however much of what we spend goes way beyond needs. It could be argued, and I’m sure it has, that an IPad and a pair of Jimmy Choo’s are needs. Think about your gym membership which you visit so infrequently. Americans spend an estimated $330 billion a year on clothing. We buy for the life we want to have—cocktail dresses for parties we never go to or fancy new workout clothes for the gym we never visit. Another estimate says that we spent about $370 million last year on our pets Halloween costumes. By playing on our delusions and our fears, companies tempt us to shell out for needless items, and that can be a burden on our finances.

I have bought and will continue to buy things which go beyond what I need. I'm not suggesting that you stop buying things you want, but perhaps a little thought might be given to what you need before you buy your next bottle of vitamin water.

When you buy stuff, do you follow the crowd like a sheep, and buy what everyone else does? Yoga pants and Uggs comes to mind. Or do you defy convention and follow your own path?