Market Segmentation or Stereotype?

http://www.claritas.com/MyBestSegments/Default.jsp
http://www.esri.com/data/esri_data/tapestry.html#

In my Consumer Behavior course, my professor gave us the assignment to go to the above websites, enter our zip codes and make a summary of the information provided about the major market segments in that area.

I entered, obviously, the zip code from the town where I live in, and have lived in consistently for the past 15 years, in Texas.  What I found was in some ways disturbing.  There were comments on nearly every segment provided that the "people" that live there were, for lack of better terminology, technological retards.  I realize that my zip code also covers about half of the county in which my town is located, but there was NOTHING that was included in ANY of the 10+ segments I read that was about the college students who live in the area, or anything that I could personally identify with.

Is it possible that these segments are nothing but a generalized stereotype that was made up based on the population density of the area?  I know that there are definitely areas that are still untouched by technology still today, but there has to be at least 75% saturation of at least 1x coverage for cell phone service, if not more, when I was working for the US Census Bureau 3 years ago, I was consistently getting 3G coverage in the rural areas I visited.  So, how is it possible that the top two market segments listed on any of the settings contain information about how the population has NO cell phone usage?

I do, however, agree that the average income of the families living within my zip code is significantly lower than some of the surrounding areas, but I also know that in 2008 our local economy of mostly oil based industry, and retailing was hit extremely hard by the recession. Of course now the market is depressed compared to the "richness" it was used to before.

I don't know... if these market segments are the main way a new business decides to come to an area, maybe it's not good that our zip code is listed in such a... "back woods" kind of way that leaves out those of us who are environmentally aware, own 2+ computers, have college education, use cell phones, DO NOT drive huge gas-hog vehicles.

Working Man - Boost Mobile TV Commercial

I thought this commercial was ironically true to the way our consumption based society operates.  People work day and night just to have "stuff" like a cell phone, specific clothes, shoes, a car, almost anything.  If a cell phone provider is advertising that they "understand" that we work our asses off for this stuff, and they are marketing to those people that are tired of doing so, I think it's a sign that maybe we're living for the wrong thing in the US.

Think about what the guy in the commercial is doing.  And notice that when he tweets "How many jobs does it take to pay a cell phone bill?" that he is working as a janitor, one of the least respected jobs in our society.  But he HAS that cell phone that can complete things such as tweeting from anywhere, making it (obviously) worth doing a job that so many of us look down on.

Food for thought today.

Expectations... and Reality

This summer I am taking courses at the University of New Orleans, and I love it.  The people are nicer than I expected, classes are exciting and actually require you to do something more than sit there and listen to the professor drone on and on for hours. 

I'll be honest, when I signed up for two classes that are 2.5 hours long back-to-back two times a week, I expected to want to shoot myself by the end of the second class.  However, I barely notice the time going by.  Dad says it's because they "feel bad" for those of us that chose to take summer classes. I see it as a huge value, I'm taking 9 hours, which could easily be a regular semester (or about 15 weeks) in 7 weeks.  That's less than half the amount of time for the same number of hours.  And I get to graduate a semester earlier than I would if I had taken them in the Spring or Fall.

Repost of my Very Brief History on Mazda Motor Corporation

Last Thursday in my C.B. class we had a discussion about the evolution of logos, and as I drive a Mazda3, I thought I'd share a little history of the company and why the logo looks the way it does.  I borrowed a lot of this information from various websites, and talks with my dad on the subject.  I'll give proper notation at the end of the note.

Before I continue with what most people will consider the "boring stuff," I'll give a link to the website with the evolution of the logo, just like what we viewed in class the other day; this site includes an explanation of why the company chose each logo, and what each one "means." (http://worldsbestlogos.blogspot.com/2008/02/mazda-logo-evolution.html) Most importantly the last emblem that Mazda uses today represents the following according to the site: "Capturing the spirit of Mazda, the stylised "M" evokes an image of wings in flight and symbolises the Mazda’s flight toward the future. The "V" in the centre of the "M" spreads out like an opening fan, representing the creativity, vitalty, flexibilty and passion that is Mazda. The symbol as a whole expresses the sharp, solid feeling that Mazda will be seeking in all of its products. The dynamic circle symbolises our readiness to spread our wings as we enter the 21st century."

Now that the air has been cleared about what the logo actually is, here's the (brief) history of why there are wings in the logo, and what Mazda went through to get to the point it's at today.

Mazda was formed in Hiroshima, Japan in 1920 and was originally named Toyo Cork Kogyo Co., Ltd. In1921, a man named Jujiro Matsuda became the president of the company. 

In 1927, Mr. Matsuda reformed the company naming it Toyo Kogyo Kaisha. Come 1929, the company made machine tools, and their first motor vehicle. A test run of 30 tri-cycle trucks were made. By 1931 these same tri-cycle trucks were being exported to China. It was called the “Mazda-Go-a.” The first “Mazda’s”, if you will, were out and about in the world. 

In 1934, Toyo Kogyo changed its name to Mazda, although it was unofficial. Some say it was in honor of the founder (the “t” is silent in his name) and others say it is also in reference to the Zoroastrian (this is the Old Iranian religion) god, “Ahura-Mazda”. However, according to Ford’s Brand web site on the subject of Mazda’s history, it says that Mr. Matsuda changed the name in 1931, and he specifically wanted the company to associate its image with the god Ahura Mazda. It also says that Mr. Matsuda had trouble deciding between naming the company after his family name or the god. However, he finally chose the god’s name because as the site says, “This was characteristic of the company’s founder, who was humble and idealistic and wished the brand name to be symbolic of a broader positive meaning.” 

(Some production happens, Mazda spreads worldwide, and they entered into a technical cooperation with NSU/Wankel [Germany] to develop the rotary engine. Fast forward to the 1970s.)

1970 Kouhei Matsuda becomes president, and in 1971 forms MMA (Mazda Motor of America.)

In 1979 Mazda partners with Ford Motor Company.  

In 1984 the company is renamed Mazda Motor Corporation. It is now the Corporation we know today.

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Mazda Company Website. History. http://www.mazda.com/profile/history/

History of the Mazda Motor Company. Stutters, Chris. 2003, October 29.http://www.triplezoom.com/news/publish/printer_56.shtml

Ahura Mazda wiki. Various Authors. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ahura_Mazda