Targeting Pittsburgh’s Markets

Pittsburgh is a market segment in itself when looking at the bigger picture. People here act a certain way and buy certain things that are different than people in other cities or countries. Then, within Pittsburgh, we can break down the market even further. Different industries and companies identify and target specific segments to sell their products then develop strategies to reach these segments.

I have come up with some strategies for marketing to different segments in Pittsburgh:

	Homosexuals	Retirees	College Students	Single Mothers	Wealthy Couples
	- In specific neighborhoods and social venues that are known to be gay attractions - Gay-affiliated websites and internet groups - Rainbow Alliance on college campuses	- Country Clubs - Hospitals - Pennysavers, newspaper ads - Commercials on the local news channels - Large writing, speak loudly	- On campuses, in dorms, cafeterias - School newspapers - Facebook - Bars and clubs - Offering free stuff (esp. food)	- Grocery stores - Day care centers - Coupons - Through their children/make their kids want it - Words such as FAST, EASY, QUICK, CONVENIENT, LOW COST	- At up-scale restaurants - In neighborhoods with high property value - Malls, high-end stores - Focus on the name brand/brand image and its lower-priced competitor - Words such as LUXARY, PERSONAL, STAND OUT, BETTER

Using THEIR Thunder

The title of Frey’s article is a spinoff of a 90’s television series that had the same name. Using a phrase that has an alternate meaning strikes readers’ interest because they already have a connection with the title. The demographics of America and the famous TV show starring Al Bundy have nothing to do with each other. Frey is not stealing the title, he is taking the popularity of it to draw familiarity and give readers a reason to dig in to the contents.

Payless is also doing this with a new line called American Eagle. Shoppers automatically think of the retail clothing brand and begin to associate the lower-line, bargain shoe store with a more expensive and reputable brand image.

Competitive Intelligence

"A formalized, yet continuously evolving process by which the management team assesses the evolution of its industry and the capabilities and behavior of its current and potential competitors to assist in maintaining or developing a competitive advantage" (Prescott and Gibbons 1993).

CIP tries to ensure that the organization has accurate, current information about its competitors and a plan for using that information to its advantage (McGonagle & Vella, 1990).

CI uses public sources to get information- can be legally and ethically identified and accessed
Business espionage: develops the same information by illegal means like hacking

• External environmental factors affect organizational change and competitive advantage can only be assessed with respect to these factors
• Choose sources to obtain the data- restrictions often influence this decision and it is up to individuals
• The same standards held to the reliability and validity of scientific research apply to CI
• Competitors play “strategic games” to mislead CI
  

CI itself has become a business. Many internet sites are publishing CI on companies within different industries and sell them. They also offer tools to help analyze the CI data and send updates when reports are updated. I would question the validity of these companies and their data. Who’s to say they aren’t owned and operated by a firm that is posting fraudulent information? I think CI is more valuable when a company does it for themselves so that they can establish beforehand what they are looking for and how they will get it.