Amazon is having competition in southeast Asian markets but from itself? The Samwer brothers, who are known for copying American businesses and launching copycat versions have just released a copy on Amazon.com. Lazada.com, their new website, copies the layour and even color scheme of Amazon. They are targeting southeast Asian countries that have not been locked up by Amazon yet. So far the brothers have made over a $1 billion dollars by copying sites like Ebay, Pinterest, etc. Their effectiveness comes out of a well-funded "clone factory." This however brings up the question that if websites can be successfully copied and can become popular in smaller markets, what's to prevent their reach into larger albeit still international markets?
Copyright laws will protect these copycats from competing with their original American versions but overseas, especially in countries with more relaxed copyright laws, these sites may thrive. It's a delicate balance the Samwer brothers must manage but it does show that copycat websites can be successful and that brand name does not mean the same thing all over the world.
The full article can be found at: http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2012-03-22/german-copycats-clone-amazon-dot-com
Wednesday
Order Up! Japanese Is On The Menu
Investors have been dumping millions into Japanese farms and fish ponds as the world's appetite for Japanese products increases. Food investors have already invested at least $281 million. "Food is the one area that has a big investment potential,” says Mori, 44, president of Dogan Investments in Fukuoka City. Twenty-five regional banks have increased their lending to farmers who want to export their products abroad. Banks are giving low lending rates because they believe that the taste for Japanese delicacies will only expand and they will make back what they lend and more from these farms.
Wagyu beef and black swine are also two other major livestock that have been growing exponentially and customers have been scouting out these markets. Owners of these farms have essentially changed from farmers to securities salesmen because of the growth in these industries. This can serve as a great boost for the Japanese economy who has had lending decrease over the past 2 years. The world's tastes are expanding and Japan is enjoying the boom it gets from these new globalized consumers.
The full article can be found at: http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2012-03-15/funds-hope-to-cash-in-on-japanese-cuisine
Wagyu beef and black swine are also two other major livestock that have been growing exponentially and customers have been scouting out these markets. Owners of these farms have essentially changed from farmers to securities salesmen because of the growth in these industries. This can serve as a great boost for the Japanese economy who has had lending decrease over the past 2 years. The world's tastes are expanding and Japan is enjoying the boom it gets from these new globalized consumers.
The full article can be found at: http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2012-03-15/funds-hope-to-cash-in-on-japanese-cuisine
Tuesday
Will Apple Need Carriers Anymore?
It appears that Apple is currently looking for telphone software engineers to work on iOS. Many people are very excited about this because Apple is looking to add voice-over-IP (VoIP) capabilities to its iPhone and iPad operating system. This is doubly exciting because it could potentially mean that it may drop its' carriers and launch its own voice service. On the other hand, it could mean that they want to work even closer with its partners because VoIP is the next generation in voice services. Apple neds experts to develop SIP-based clients to communicate with carriers' IMS cores.
Apple will most likely not go into the the VoIP business for many of the same reasons that Google is not getting into the business. This technology will probably go into a cross-device VoIP set-up that allows customers to trade phone calls among iPhones, iPads, and Macs. This communication could range from phone calls to videoconferencing to instant message. Carriers will never be able to limit Apple's ingenuity and this initiative, if it is successful, may make Apple products even more popular then they are now.
The full article can be found at: http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2012-03-23/is-apple-planning-its-own-mobile-voice-service
Apple will most likely not go into the the VoIP business for many of the same reasons that Google is not getting into the business. This technology will probably go into a cross-device VoIP set-up that allows customers to trade phone calls among iPhones, iPads, and Macs. This communication could range from phone calls to videoconferencing to instant message. Carriers will never be able to limit Apple's ingenuity and this initiative, if it is successful, may make Apple products even more popular then they are now.
The full article can be found at: http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2012-03-23/is-apple-planning-its-own-mobile-voice-service
Sunday
Extra! Extra! Want to buy a Daily Variety?
The Web once again shows it's strength and how if you can't update then you can't stay in the game. Daily Variety, Hollywood's 107 year old industry trade publication has been put up for sale. This comes after the trade newspaper has been losing out to its' competitors Deadline, the Wrap, and its' traditional competitor, the Hollywood Reporter. The Reporter had a relaunch in 2012 where it put daily news on its website and released a weekly magazine.
Daily Variety is still known around the world and this valuable asset makes it a "trophy brand," according to Ken Sonenclar, managing director at DeSilva & Phillips investment banking. The sale praice will probably be around $50 million but to survive the newspaper will not only have to get better managment but also revamp itself. Variety was one of the first newspapers to block its Web content to non-paying subscribers. Its' competitors, however, post much of the same news for free online. Daily Variety needs to be taken into the digital world. People can get the same news and the same information for free in an instant. They need to figure out what makes them different and how they can market that to customers.
The full article can be found at: http://www.latimes.com/business/ct-variety-sale-20120324,0,7980325.story
Daily Variety is still known around the world and this valuable asset makes it a "trophy brand," according to Ken Sonenclar, managing director at DeSilva & Phillips investment banking. The sale praice will probably be around $50 million but to survive the newspaper will not only have to get better managment but also revamp itself. Variety was one of the first newspapers to block its Web content to non-paying subscribers. Its' competitors, however, post much of the same news for free online. Daily Variety needs to be taken into the digital world. People can get the same news and the same information for free in an instant. They need to figure out what makes them different and how they can market that to customers.
The full article can be found at: http://www.latimes.com/business/ct-variety-sale-20120324,0,7980325.story
"The Hunger Games" - More of a Dessert to Finish a Great Quarter in Hollywood
Hollywood executives are breathing a little easier after the phenomenal first quarter it has had after coming out of a disappointing 2011. Last year had the lowest levels of movie attendance in 16 years when it dropped 4%. The newly-released "The Hunger Games" just had the 3rd biggest opening ever with $155 million dollars although it cost Lionsgate studios only a little more than $80 million to make the film. This has been the biggest first-quarter increase in years and this is changing the film industry's mindset that the first quarter and winter, in general, is only for the "least attractive pictures."
This winter has produced a number of hits with filmgoers such as "The Lorax," "Chronicle," "The Woman in Black," and the "The Devil Inside" which opened to a strong $33.7 million on the year's first weekend. Veteran movie producer Sean Daniel notes that "Word of mouth goes viral today," and that Internet trailers help build excitement and it keeps the audience in a "moviegoing frame of mind." Recent movies also have been so varied that it is attracting a wider scope of individuals. Furthermore, social media and targeting specific cable channels has made advertising more impactful and cost-effective.
This trend seems like it will continue because the two biggest films of the year, "The Avengers' and "the Dark Knight Rises" have yet to come out and those will definitely be breaking some records. All in all, 2012 does not look like to be the end of the world, at least not for the film industry that is, they will surely be resting easier once the year's sales figures come in in December.
The full article can be found at: http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/movies/la-fi-ct-projector-20120323,0,1353397.story
This winter has produced a number of hits with filmgoers such as "The Lorax," "Chronicle," "The Woman in Black," and the "The Devil Inside" which opened to a strong $33.7 million on the year's first weekend. Veteran movie producer Sean Daniel notes that "Word of mouth goes viral today," and that Internet trailers help build excitement and it keeps the audience in a "moviegoing frame of mind." Recent movies also have been so varied that it is attracting a wider scope of individuals. Furthermore, social media and targeting specific cable channels has made advertising more impactful and cost-effective.
This trend seems like it will continue because the two biggest films of the year, "The Avengers' and "the Dark Knight Rises" have yet to come out and those will definitely be breaking some records. All in all, 2012 does not look like to be the end of the world, at least not for the film industry that is, they will surely be resting easier once the year's sales figures come in in December.
The full article can be found at: http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/movies/la-fi-ct-projector-20120323,0,1353397.story
Wednesday
How Do You Say Delicious Around the World?
Kraft Foods is taking a new name
that it will attach to its global snacks business. Mondelēz International was a
creation from two employees in different parts of the world. Johannes Schmidt,
in Vienna, and Marc Firestone, from company’s headquarters in Northfield, Ill,
came up with the name because they wanted to work upon the idea of a “delicious
world.” The name has two main parts, “Monde,” which is French for world, and
“-delēz,” which is a play on the French word for delight, “délice.” It’s a word that very much exemplifies
the international focus this name is meant to embody. Some worry that
non-Spanish, Italian, or French speakers will have difficulty pronouncing the
name properly but the uniqueness of the name, in my opinion, adds to its’
appeal. They macron over the “e”
also helps make the word in the words of Kraft spokesman Michael Mitchell,
“more ownable.” The specific product names will remain the same, such as Oreo
and Cadbury but this name is for the corporate brand. I believe that this name
will be very successful for them and that it does an excellent job of working
with their strategy. Kraft will just have to wait to see if the general public
finds the name as catchy and interesting as the creators found it.
The full article can be found at: www.businessweek.com/articles/2012-03-21/kraft-mondelez-and-the-art-of-rebranding
Monday
UPS: Bringing the Brown Overseas
UPS recently spent $6.77 billion
purchasing Dutch rival TNT Express. This deal comes after weeks of negotiations
and UPS can now better compete with DHL. According to estimates, UPS will have
between ¼ and 1/3 of the European package delivery market. UPS sales will grow
from 26% to 36% with the acquirement of TNT. UPS shares rose 4.2 percent in afternoon trading; they had
total sales of $53.11 billion last year and it expects sales of $60 billion
with TNT. UPS also was in competition with FedEx Corp. for the acquisition of
TNT. By 2015, UPS expects savings to grow from $525 to $725 million a
year. This purchase will make UPS
a shipping powerhouse worldwide and FedEx will have to work hard to try to stand
up to this new shipping magnate. UPS was always one of the nation’s biggest but
now it will be one of Europe’s biggest as well.
The full article can be found at: http://www.lompocrecord.com/business/ups-snags-europe-s-no-package-delivery-outfit/article_4c976b15-dd2c-51d8-9021-a34c109e0e54.html
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