However, because of saturation of the market, more and more apps are buried in mountains of apps without ever seeing the light of day.  The following PowerPoint presentation is a general iPhone/iTouch app market research aimed at providing some helpful insights into the iPhone app market; it is by no means comprehensive but I do hope it will help those who are thinking of developing and selling apps of their own.  Enjoy!

Everything on the web these days are there to get your attention: follow me, comment here, vote there, hear me sing, read my controversial idea, look at this, et cetera.

Wanting to get noticed is fine (businesses depend on it) as long as “you have a goal that is reached in exchange for all this effort.” (Seth Godin)

I remember in one episode of I Love Lucy where Ricky told Lucy that “all publicity is good publicity.”  At that time, I thought Ricky is right, I mean getting your name out there and be noticed is better than being unknown.

Now I feel differently.

The same is true in marketing.  Some people feel just getting your name out there no matter to what audience is good for the brand and good for business.  There are many things that are far better than being noticed:

• Trusted
• Engaged with
• Purchased from
• Discussed
• Echoed
• Teaching us
• Leading

After living in China for 3 years, I have become more and more cynical towards China’s businesses.

Chinese Business Mentality

China has two types of businesses: monopolies and non-monopolies.

Monopolies

Examples of monopolies are China Mobile, China Life Insurance, Petro China, CCTV, basically any company with China or Sino in their name is state owned and monopolistic.  These companies are not worried about making a sale because customers have to choose them in order to use their cell phone, get gas, watch TV, or get insurance.  The characteristics of these monopolies are bad internal organization (wasteful and proud of it) and bad service (we don’t give a damn and proud of it.)  These organizations are on the Fortune 500 list not because they are excellent companies but because they make tons of money by being monopolistic.  That’s why the Chinese governments have limitations on foreign companies’ business in China because if those companies have full access to China’s market, those state-owned companies cannot compete.  With the government backing them, these monopolies treat customers like dirt, as if they are doing the customers a favor.

Non-monopolies

These companies either lack money (like small businesses) or have loads of money but not as rich as the monopolies.   These two types of businesses gain their profits by working hard (a small minority), or cutting corners.  Making a profit is every company’s priority, but to some, greed overcomes and results in doing unethical things.

Cutting corners

I don’t need to say too much about how Chinese companies are cutting corners.  Real-estate developers cut corners when deciding on what materials to buy to build their building; milk producers cut corners by putting poison in the milk; food companies put poisons in their food and sell them to consumers, the list goes on and on.  Businesses cut corners to save money and saving money translates to make money.  Look at Mengniu, one of China’s largest milk producers.  Mengniu and Yili almost have a monopoly in Northern China, but they still cut corners to make a profit.  Even after businesses in China bailed Mengniu (a public traded company) out to prevent a hostile take over, it still can’t produce clean milk.  Why? I think it’s because of unethical leaders and greed.

All businesses exhibit these problems

Yes, all businesses have these problems, even in the United States (Enron, Worldcom) and Europe, but it seems to me China exhibits these problems more abundantly.  So why?  China constantly talks about “the rule of law” but that’s not the case.  For example, Sanlu, the milk producer infamous for producing baby powders contaminated with melamine, the rule of law didn’t stop them from producing poisonous milk for 6 months; the New Zealand government had to tell the Chinese government about Sanlu’s wrong doing, after which, the Chinese government took its time (after the Olympic is over of course) to act.  Bad seeds are everywhere, but some government can clear those bad seeds while others can’t.

In conclusion

Not all businesses practices in China are unethical, but there are a lot of unethical business practices in China.  Those known gets reprimanded by the government while those hidden are still reaping the benefits from the government.  In my opinion, most businesses in China still do not know how to establish a long-term and mutually beneficial relationship with their customers.  Perhaps this is because the current Chinese market (with Chinese characteristics) does not allow them to do so, or because making money fast is their only priority.  However, this is for sure, in the future, these multibillion companies will crumble if they still take for granted their customers because they believe the government or cutting corners is all that matters.

Chinese brands go global
Chinese brands are eager to stake their claim on international turf. Haier and Lenovo will continue to strengthen their global presence through effective marketing. Newcomers will follow Chery and Geely Auto in using Russia and the Middle East as a launchpad for overseas expansion. Expect Chinese brands to debut at international car shows, trade fairs, and fashion weeks.

From imitation to innovation
The most significant leap forward will be the transition from imitation to innovation as Chinese brands focus on research and development. Huawei Technologies devotes more than 10 percent of its revenue to R&D, twice the international norm. Haier is establishing innovation teams in Japan and the United States to create upmarket products.

Choosing Chinese
With growing confidence in their nation, affluent Chinese will take pride in smoking Chunghwa cigarettes, drinking Tsingtao beer, wearing Li Ning athletic apparel, and equipping their homes with TCL and Midea appliances. Choosing Chinese will be regarded as an expression of good taste and self-esteem. Reputable local brands will build distinctiveness in their own backyards and challenge the more expensive global brands in the Chinese market.

They will be described below high-level.

Responsibility of the Marketer

Marketers must accept responsibility for the consequences of their activities and make every effort to ensure that their decisions, recommendations and actions function to identify, serve and satisfy all relevant publics: customers, organizations and society.

Marketers’ Professional Conduct must be guided by:

1. The basic rule of professional ethics: not knowingly to do harm;
2. The adherence to all applicable laws and regulations;
3. The accurate representation of their education, training and experience; and
4. The active support, practice and promotion of this Code of Ethics.

Honesty and Fairness

Marketers shall uphold and advance the integrity, honor and dignity of the marketing profession by:

1. Being honest in serving consumers, clients, employees, suppliers, distributors and the public;
2. Not knowingly participating in conflict of interest without prior notice to all parties involved; and
3. Establishing equitable fee schedules including the payment or receipt of usual, customary and/or legal compensation for marketing exchanges.

Rights and Duties of Parties in the Marketing Exchange Process

Participants in the marketing exchange process should be able to expect that

1. Products and services offered are safe and fit for their intended uses;
2. Communications about offered products and services are not deceptive;
3. All parties intend to discharge their obligations, financial and otherwise, in good faith; and
4. Appropriate internal methods exist for equitable adjustment and/or redress of grievances concerning purchases.

It is understood that the above would include, but is not limited to, the following responsibilities of the marketer:

In the area of product development and management:

• disclosure of all substantial risks associated with product or service usage;
• identification of any product component substitution that might materially change the product or impact on the buyer’s purchase decision;
• identification of extra cost-added features.

In the area of promotions:

• avoidance of false and misleading advertising;
• rejection of high-pressure manipulations, or misleading sales tactics;
• avoidance of sales promotions that use deception or manipulations.

In the area of distribution:

• not manipulating the availability of a product for the purpose of exploitation;
• not using coercion in the marketing channel;
• not exerting undue influence over the reseller’s choice to handle a product.

In the area of pricing:

• not engaging in price fixing;
• not practicing predatory pricing;
• disclosing the full price associated with any purchase.

In the area of marketing research:

• prohibiting selling or fundraising under the guise of conducting research;
• maintaining research integrity by avoiding misrepresentation and omission of pertinent research data;
• treating outside client and suppliers fairly.

Organizational Relationships

Marketers should be aware of how their behavior may influence or impact the behavior of others in organizational relationships. They should not demand, encourage or apply coercion to obtain unethical behavior in their relationships with others, such as employees, suppliers, or customers.

1. Apply confidentiality and anonymity in professional relationships with regard to privileged information;
2. Meet their obligations and responsibilities in contracts and mutual agreements in a timely manner;
3. Avoid taking the work of others, in whole, or in part, and representing this work as their own or directly benefiting from it without compensation or consent of the originator or owners; and
4 Avoid manipulation to take advantage of situations to maximize personal welfare in a way that unfairly deprives or damages the organization of others.

Any AMA member found to be in violation of any provision of this Code of Ethics may have his or her Association membership suspended or revoked.

Preamble

The Internet, including online computer communications, has become increasingly important to marketers’ activities, as they provide exchanges and access to markets worldwide. The ability to interact with stakeholders has created new marketing opportunities and risks that are not currently specifically addressed in the American Marketing Association Code of Ethics. The American Marketing Association Code of Ethics for Internet marketing provides additional guidance and direction for ethical responsibility in this dynamic area of marketing. The American Marketing Association is committed to ethical professional conduct and has adopted these principles for using the Internet, including on-line marketing activities utilizing network computers.

General Responsibilities

Internet marketers must assess the risks and take responsibility for the consequences of their activities. Internet marketers’ professional conduct must be guided by:

1. Support of professional ethics to avoid harm by protecting the rights of privacy, ownership and access.
2. Adherence to all applicable laws and regulations with no use of Internet marketing that would be illegal, if conducted by mail, telephone, fax or other media.
3. Awareness of changes in regulations related to Internet marketing.
4. Effective communication to organizational members on risks and policies related to Internet marketing, when appropriate.
5. Organizational commitment to ethical Internet practices communicated to employees, customers and relevant stakeholders.

Privacy

Information collected from customers should be confidential and used only for expressed purposes. All data, especially confidential customer data, should be safeguarded against unauthorized access. The expressed wishes of others should be respected with regard to the receipt of unsolicited e-mail messages.

Ownership

Information obtained from the Internet sources should be properly authorized and documented. Information ownership should be safeguarded and respected. Marketers should respect the integrity and ownership of computer and network systems.

Access

Marketers should treat access to accounts, passwords, and other information as confidential, and only examine or disclose content when authorized by a responsible party. The integrity of others’ information systems should be respected with regard to placement of information, advertising or messages.

Relevant messages that speak to the head and the heart connect with the target audience on a personal level. The message strategies that really ignite consumer responses, however, contain the big O—the originality dimension in Reinhard’s ROI formula. The originality factor first springs to life in the “big idea.” How this creative concept is developed and executed determines to a great extent how effective the ultimate brand messages stemming from the message strategies will be in having an impact.

Linda Kaplan Thaler, head of the Kaplan Thaler Group, explains, “Advertising awards are nice, but the real victory is making a dent in the culture-part of what we call our Big Bang philosophy. It’s why our AFLAC duck is an answer in the Times crossword puzzle, there’s a greeting card about our Herbal Essences organic experiences, and Saturday Night Live does send-ups of both of them.”

Companies sometimes believe that if they don’t say anything or don’t respond to a customer, they have avoided sending a brand message. Wrong! A company CEO who responds to a question from the media with “No comment,” actually communicates a great deal. What most people “hear” is that the CEO is scared to give the right answer or doesn’t know the answer, both of which are bad messages to send. A company that chooses not to respond to a customer’s complaint communicates loudly and clearly that it doesn’t care about its customers and is not willing to stand behind its products.

Every thing and every person and every message that touches a customer communicates something positive or negative about the organization. The appearance of a service employee, whether neat or sloppy, says something about the company’s pride in its work. The design of a product and package says modern, juvenile, feminine, old-fashioned, expensive, dull, or something else. The tone of voice on the phone or the attitude of a clerk or customer-service representative all speak to the personality and friendliness of the organization.

A company and a brand cannot not communicate. The challenge, then, is how to manage brand communication in order to accomplish business and marketing objectives cost-effectively