2015 Year in Review
By Lauren Howl
Top 3 Marketed Companies of 2015
1. Nike- With countless sponsorship deals with the nation's top athletes including the World Cup champion U.S. women's national soccer team, Nike is constantly rising in popularity and demand as America's favorite athletic apparel company.
2. Starbucks- As the saying goes: all press is good press. America's favorite coffee company received lots of publicity with the "red cup debate", the majority of Americans concluding that colored cups should not be a point of contention for Christians.
(Source: http://www.cnbc.com/2015/11/09/starbucks-holiday-red-cup-brews-controversy-on-social-media.html)
3. ESPN- 2015 was full of unexpected upsets, underdog teams rising from below, and insanely popular touchdown dances. ESPN sat back and watched as their brand was advertised all over social media through videos and GIFs of sports fails, interviews, and celebrations without them spending a cent on advertising.
Products of 2015: Best and Worst
Best
Alex and Ani- these stackable bangle-style charm bracelets are all the rage with simple designs and metal finishes. The company produced very limited advertisements, sticking to traditional methods such as billboards. I believe this added to the appeal of the brand because it gave the illusion of a more classy product that doesn't need mainstream advertisement to be successful.
(Source: http://www.racked.com/2014/2/25/7616841/how-alex-and-ani-and-ani-prevailed-without-the-fashion-world)
LL Bean duck boots- with solid rubber soles and leather shaft, these timeless boots became extremely popular in the fall among all ages. This brand also did not do much with advertising, simply letting word of mouth and talkative consumers boost them up to popularity.
(Source: http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/506698?page=mens-bean-boots)
Worst
Hoverboards- dangerously futuristic, two-wheeled hoverboards sent hundreds to the hospital over the year and proved to be more of a joke than an innovative method of transportation.
Lokai Bracelets- these bracelets made of plastic beads claim to have water from mount Everest in one end and mud from the dead sea on the other end. This scheme to get people's money worked, however, and thousands of girls were sporting these all around the nation this year.
Top Two Movies of 2015
1. Star Wars- a new production of an old classic. Used loyalty of old fan base to attract new movie goers; word of mouth did the marketing work.
2. The Martian- Fantastic special effects and Matt Damon attracted many to see this sci-fi about getting stranded on Mars. TV advertisements and sneak peak trailers as advertisements on YouTube and many other sites helped to boost its success at the box-office
Top Two Musical Artists of 2015
1. Adele: "25"
Adele reappeared to the world after a few years completely off the scene and stunned everyone with a beautiful album featuring "Hello" breaking records across the globe. Adele did not market her music abundantly; instead opting for a low-key and classy release which is one of the reasons why she stands out.
2. Justin Bieber: "Purpose"
Justin Bieber reinvented his style, resulted in much wider fan base and multiple chart toppers from this album. Justin did most of his marketing through social media, with his 52.7 million follower Instagram account, having a host of celebrities hold handwritten signs counting down the days to his album release.
Billboard Hot 100 Top 10 Singles of 2015
1. Trap Queen- Fetty Wap
2. The Hills- The Weeknd
3. What Do You Mean- Justin Bieber
4. Hotline Bling- Drake
5. Sugar- Maroon 5
New Years Resolutions
Personal: Workout at least 4 times a week and try one new sport out.
Family and Friends: Spend more time doing things with my family before I move out.
School: Get a 4 or 5 on the AP Statistics exam so I don't have to take statistics in college.