Marketing Mix

A company's marketing mix has five components, which are the following; advertising, sales promotions, personal selling, public relations, and direct marketing.

Advertising

Vera Bradley takes a very interesting approach to advertising. I feel that Vera Bradley is a product that is well recognized by people, they just may not know the name. For example I was talking to a friend yesterday and they asked me where something was and I said under my Vera bag and they said “oh so that are what these things are called”. So I feel the product is well known be sight, their name on the other hand may not be well known. You don`t really see commercials for Vera Bradley. Mostly you will see magazine ads or you will be in the mall and walk by a store that has that product and go in. When you go to look for Vera Bradley commercials, you will most likely only find fan made ones, such as this one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cFZojmKore0&feature=PlayList&p=493C10D53DEE0CBA&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=21
Rose parade is “is the "America's New Year Celebration", a festival of flowers, music and equestrians and a college football game on New Year's Day, produced by the non-profit Pasadena Tournament of Roses.” And in 2009 Vera Bradley was the first fashion line to have a float in the parade. This is a form of adverting. Getting your product seen may tons of people in a moment’s time.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3sa3iIwm6Cs&feature=related

Sales Promotion

Vera Bradley is an expensive product, but a product that is well worth the money. They do have frequent sales. And if you are a member of Vera Bradley the send you special offer, such as 20% off your next purchase, a coupon. They also let you get a sneak peek at their new colors, if you are a member. Also since they are always coming up with new colors, they retire older ones, and products in the retiring colors are always on sale.

Personal Selling

Original the only places you could get Vera Bradley was either on their website or in a store that carries there product. Not all stores where allowed to carry their products. You would usually see Vera Bradley in smaller bouquet type stores. But recently Vera Bradley has opened their own stores, dedicated solely to Vera products, all over the US. The sales associates that work there are very dedicated, having been to a Vera Bradley store myself recently, and are well-knowledge about their products and they help you in any way they can to get you the exact product you want from them. Because they know you are spending a good deal for their product and they want to make the purchase as enjoyable as possible so you will become a repeat customer. They call them their signature stores. http://www.verabradley.com/Site/StoreLocator/StoreLocator.aspx Here is where you can locate stores that are signature stores or stores that carry their products.

Public Relations

Vera Bradley as a very good reputation. They take their work serious and work hard. They product lines are geared more towards women, so they have had proceeds of peoples purchase go to the breast cancer fund to find a cure. They care what their name says to people and work hard at keeping it a name people regard well.

Direct Marketing

When you become a member of Vera Bradley, or when you have bought something from them in the past and given them your address, they send you month “booklets”. They are about 4 or 5 pages show off some of their products. Besides the booklets they send you emails as well. They send things to grab your attention. The emails are more personalized to you and the products that you are more likely to buy.