Public Records Presentation Reflection

This presentation was about requesting public documents. The speaker, Ginger McCall, explained the process. First, I learned what FOIA stands for, which is the Freedom of Information Act. This act allows people to request information held by the United States government that has not previously been released.

Next, Ginger explained what qualifies as a public document. For example, even though Ginger is a state worker, if she were to keep her medical records in her office, those documents would not be available to the public. Some qualifiers of public documents include anything that could be considered "news media" and documents related to an educational institution.

She also explained what a hassle it is to actually acquire certain documents. She described a time when she personally requested a document over ten years ago. Ginger's friend, who works in the Department of Homeland Security, just recently encountered her request. The information that Ginger requested is no longer relevant. The amount of time it takes to acquire the information is only one of the flaws in the process of requesting public documents.

Another con of requesting a public document is the fees. Depending on what type of request it is, the fees can be pretty extreme, especially for duplication. Fees apply even if requested information does not exist. It is important to weigh out the value of the information versus the cost of acquiring it.

I learned that one way to avoid wasting time and money is doing research beforehand. Prior research should involve information about whether or not the document is actually available to the public, whether or not any exemptions apply, whether or not the document actually exists, and what government body possesses said document.

Sometimes in business you need certain information in order to start your business, keep your business running, or expand your business. This presentation is extremely relevant to marketing because marketing requires a lot of research. 

Marketing and advertising are directly related to news/media, which is public information. Doing your research and acquiring necessary documents beforehand is super important because you need to make sure that the information you are providing is authentic and reliable, otherwise you may find yourself in a lawsuit, which could potentially shut down your business.

Week 2 Blog

La Croix is a company that sells flavored carbonated water, their value proposition being "100 percent natural".

There has been a lawsuit filed challenging their claim of being "100 percent natural", as certain chemicals have been found in their products, such as linalool, which can also be found in certain insecticides.

Experts say that since La Croix beverages contain such little amounts of these chemicals, there is not need to worry about the effects.

They said that if people were worried about this affecting their health, they shouldn't be consuming curry, orange juice or lemonade, either.

They also included that the only possible side effects would be mild skin and eye irritation, only from a vast consumption of the chemical.

The marketing challenge in this situation is the company's reputation. Their number one claim turned out to be untrue, so La Croix's customers most likely feel betrayed and that they can no longer trust the company to tell them the truth about what they are consuming.Some outcomes of this occurrence could be loss of customers, lower sales, and overall loss in profit.

If I were the brand manager of La Croix, I would apologize to our loyal customers and obtain expert statements which support that La Croix is safe to drink and the chemicals are harmless. I also might try to find a way to prove that the product is still 100 percent natural, but if that doesn't work out, then I would have the company statement edited to not contain false information.

I learned from this assignment that people are constantly trying to tear each other down. Business is a dangerous game.

Marketing Week 1

1. I enrolled in this marketing class because it is required for my degree.
2. I am a business major.
3. I want to learn how to sell stuff.
4. I am passionate about coffee. I've been a barista for nearly 2 years and am now addicted to coffee.