1.

Kids get smartwatches instead of cellphones:

For many parents, Smartwatches have become a wise alternative to smartphones for some reasons. The
first of which is that smartwatches can fulfill the need for communication - calls and texts when parents
essentially need to keep in touch with their children. Another reason for this choice is that such a
measure will probably stop the need for the young from having a smartphone while the number of
juveniles having a smartphone at a younger age has been on the rise in recent years. In the meantime, a
portion of adults in the UK has adopted a solution which is giving their children a phone at a later age -
at least until eighth grade and, instead, giving them a smartwatch.
Nevertheless, this choice can pose a range of problems. Firstly, children can feel isolated due to the lack
of engagement in some online platforms with their peers, where they make plans and keep themselves
updated with what is going on on the internet. In addition, another drawback is that children cannot
quickly check the updates of school assignments until they get home and use their iPads.
Despite some possible disadvantages of offering children a smartwatch instead of a phone, some parents
still believe that the benefits can outweigh the inconveniences. They argue that during break time, they
want their children to interact with their peers rather than being engrossed in their smartphones as
children can learn more lessons from social interactions. Furthermore, children can be protected against
negative environments on the internet such as bullying, drama, and exclusion, and have additional years
to mentally prepare themselves for what will come with a phone. This intensifies the credibility of the
opinion that the smartwatch is a such wonderful alternative to smartphones during this time.
Regarding the responses of children when they are given a smartwatch instead of a smartphone, there
are different opinions about this choice of parents. On the one hand, many have convinced their parents
in order to get a phone for some reasons such as keeping up with friends or being mature enough to use
a phone. On the other hand, there are still children who perceive having phones at that age as not that
crucial because they still can 'survive' without them.
This article has brought about some valuable lessons for me. The most important one is that
smartphones have been having a lot of influence on daily life and they are becoming an indispensable
part of our lives. This is because when children are given smartwatches instead of phones, they struggle
with some social interactions such as keeping updated with information or keeping up with their peers,
which is quite inconvenient, and it proves that life would be more difficult without a phone. The second
most important thing is that there are some benefits of controlling your screen time - the amount of
time that you spend with your smartphones. For instance, parents opt for smartwatches because they
want their children to interact and communicate face-to-face with others to enhance their
communication skills, and they want to protect the young from negative things happening on the
internet. Therefore, you should also try to avoid being dependent on smartphones so that you can
develop other essential skills in your life. The third important thing is that smartwatches could be a good
alternative to smartphones despite some small downsides so parents should consider carefully the pros
and cons associated with this idea. This seems to be crucial because there are so many negative effects
that technological devices such as phones are having on the young generation, parents should take some
measures to deal with this problem by considering other possible things that can replace smartphones
while still ensures children's quality of life.
2. How P&G led also-ran to sweet smell of success
The article tells us about a unique product of P&G - Gain, which has almost failed in the laundry
detergent market when it is positioned to be a low-priced detergent. However, by applying a suitable and
wise repositioning strategy, P&G helped Gain to be a prominent brand with a firm position in the market.
What P&G has done is to focus more on fragrance, making Gain a heavily fragrant detergent. They begin
with advertising scent instead of cleaning performance. In addition, through research, the company
knows that scent appears to be an essential factor among Hispanic households. As a result of this, they
decide to target the Hispanic population and also differentiate Gain's brand from other competitors by
focusing on fragrant factor. Such radical changes have helped Gain gain a larger market share, making it
No.2 behind Tide in the market.
There are some reasons that led to the success of Gain. Firstly, P&G has seized an opportunity by being
the first to recognize the importance of fragrance and apply it to its strategy before anybody else does.
Secondly, the company applies a unique approach to marketing which is targeting a narrow audience.
Just 16% of users account for 88% of the sales volume of Gain, which is not similar to the previous
products of P&G. When introducing the new product line, the company attempts to create distinct
values for their products, which do not target the whole market but just a part of them. In addition, the
company's spending on advertising for Gain is just almost one-fifth of that of Tide. What's more,
although roughly half of Gain's sales come from Hispanic or African-American users, it does not overly
target them in the brand's marketing. Instead, P&G delivers advertisements through some media whose
viewers are mainly Hispanic and African-American people and selects fragrance names that can be easily
translated into Spanish. It also illustrates the image of fragrance on the bottle for non-speaking speakers
to understand.
Furthermore, some marketing approaches of Gain can also be considered to be original. For instance, its
adverts focus more on the good scent of the products instead of other features such as stain-fighting
prowess. Additionally, the curved lines of the bottle and its handle make people see a woman with her
hand on her hip. Moreover, it also tries to convey the view of insiders by quoting from users' letters,
taking the depiction of a woman dancing a tango through her kitchen while holding a basket full of
laundry in TV ads as an example. Gain also puts a lot of effort into giving away samples to attract new
immigrants. By conducting all these marketing approaches, Gain emphasizes the importance of
understanding customers and building relationships with them.
This article has brought about some valuable lessons for me. The most important one is trying to find out
the gap in the market and be the first to deliver desired values to customers. This seems to be the most
crucial factor because it helps your business have a unique positioning and strong brand identity, which
means customers associate your brand with solving their problems or fulfilling their desires, and you can
stand out among a great number of competitors. The second most important thing is that it is not always
good to target the whole market, sometimes targeting a narrow market is better. This is because when
you narrow your target audience, you can customize your messages specifically for that group, saving
resources, building a strong brand, and finding your competitive edge. It is a strategic choice that can
lead to long-term success. The third most important lesson is that repositioning is crucial in a dynamic
and competitive market. If your present positioning is not a good choice, you should find out the niche
market or other superior values that your brand can offer for customers and then make changes in some
aspects of your business if necessary. This can help businesses to adapt to changes in the external
environment and remain relevant.