Monday, December 22, 2008

Response to "Has Bling Lost its Lustre?"


Just wanted to point out something interesting about the risks that retailers run by discounting their wares in a time like this.

An obvious one is the slim margins that cut into profits when additional discounts are provided. An important indicator in retailing is same-store sales at stores that have been opened for over one year. Offering deals and discounts can drive sales, so your same-store sales number looks nice, but your profit number may not be so pretty. Of course, you also avoid other expensive problems like too much inventory left over after the holidays, so I think they know what they're doing.

Importantly also is the risk of diluting brand equity with too many discounts. Consumers are quick-learners and if they see that a certain retailer continually offers discounts, they will wait for those discounts. If they see big, flashy 40% off signs, they may not feel that those Ambercrombie jeans or lululemon yoga pants are worth $90+ anymore.


Well lululemon is attempting to avoid that by refusing to provide discounts.

Christine Day, the former Starbucks executive who became chief executive at Lululemon earlier this year, said the company won't follow the lead of rival retailers and rely on deep discounts to build sales. Heavy markdowns would hurt the brand's image, she said.

Instead, Lululemon is offering deals to its customers for yoga classes. It is also marking down some prices, which is pinching profit margins. But it will not run 60 to 80 per cent off sales to clear merchandise, she said.

Marina Strauss. "Lululemon shares drop 25% on lowered outlook." ReportonBusiness.com (December 11, 2008). http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20081211.wlulustaff11/BNStory/Business/ (accessed December 22, 2008).

I still refuse to buy their clothes, but that's a story for another day.

HP - What do you have to say?


http://h30393.www3.hp.com/printing/gwen.html

Excuse me, but how much did you love the HP campaign with Gwen Stefani and the guy from Burton snowboards? A lot? Me too.

More on this later.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Fmk2vwef18

Saturday, December 20, 2008

Has the bling lost its lustre?

Luxury is out. Parsimony is in. Is this the new statement of 2009? Well after reading this article in the Toronto star you may have to think twice when purchasing a luxury item.

"This is the definitely the worst we've seen the luxury market in decades," says Milton Pedraza, CEO of the New York-based Luxury Institute consulting firm.Forbes magazine says the number of Chinese billionaires has dropped by more than half, to 24 from 66, after the collapse of global stock markets this fall. And it figures that at least half the Russians on its rich list could be gone by next year."

If you can get the same item for half the price or even lower then what's the reason for purchasing luxury items at a time like this? I know my parents are trying to save money wherever they can. So companies with their high prices and well known brand names may suffer where other stores like WAL-MART may be gaining customers with their slogan "roll back prices". How will companies like Harry Rosen or Bulgari survive in this crisis?
Well, "luxury menswear retailer Harry Rosen placed full-page advertising in newspapers this month blaring "Harry's Economic Bailout Package For the Rest of Us," with discounts starting at 40 per cent off." Now how creative is that! Harry Rosen states, "In this kind of climate you have to do something out of the ordinary to stand out." I definitly think Harry Rosen will succeed in this recession by creating alternative methods on how to solve the problem. Also by analyzing your customers and just by making your products stand out.
I've been working at Danier Leather over the holidays and I would say that Danier Leather is a luxury item. However, sales are not decreasing, they are staying at a constant level compared to last year. Why would you think people would still be spending the same amount of money? Well, they have these sales where you can buy any two accessories and get one free or discounted coats that are half price. Leather is also ever gold where people will never get sick of.

So what do you think? Will luxury items continue to sell or will the consumers turn to the product without the brandname?

Thursday, December 18, 2008

Potent Quotables

Education's purpose is to replace an empty mind with an open one.
Malcolm Forbes

Monday, December 15, 2008

Where did the carriers go wrong?

When you first look at the pretty iPhone with its large screen and dice-rolling capabilities, you probably think that it "reshaped" the industry by forcing BlackBerry to come out with the touchscreen-featuring Storm.

I should mention at this point that I adore my BlackBerry Curve and do not forsee giving up my precious precious QWERTY keyboard anytime soon.

A recent article in BusinessWeek, however, highlight some more subversive ways in which Apple and the iPhone has changed the cellphone industry. Wireless industry. Mobile communications industry. Whatever its known as nowadays.

Wildstrom, Stephen, "How Apple's iPhone Reshaped the Industry," BusinessWeek. 11 December 2008, http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/08_51/b4113078121012.htm?campaign_id=rss_daily (accessed December 15, 2008).

(ps hows my bibliographic form? better?)

I think the neat thing about this article is that it highlights how powerful a company can be in bending the marketplace to its will, and the type of struggles that are behind the scenes in interdependant industries like wireless communications.

"It's remarkable the impact [Apple] has had," says Jim Balsillie, co-CEO of BlackBerry maker Research In Motion (RIMM). "They exposed a lot of disintermediation risk in the industry." Balsillie says when RIM proposed application stores a couple of years ago, the carriers were hostile. But Apple's success is forcing the carriers to play. "Now everyone wants [an app store]," Balsillie says, and RIM will oblige next year, offering terms that will give carriers some of the action.

Even neater is the fact that Apple has created much/most/all of this power through marketing. They are able to control the marketplace because they have created a product that consumer want. Apple has obviously been able to tap into consumber desire here. They are also great hype-inducers, which adds considerably to their power as well.

Ahh marketing. So much more than finding customer needs and filling them. Finding vulnerabilities in the business strategies of your competitors and expoiting them. So much more enticing.

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

Cruising the Middle Road with Starbucks

An excerpt from an article in today's Financial Post called "Making Starbucks recession proof" by Steven Kates:

"In its positioning efforts, Starbucks needs to emphasize that it provides great-tasting coffee, reliability, speed, convenience, and cleanliness for the customers' dollars...it may have to relinquish some of the shared cultural associations of its past, including authenticity, or a connection to the European barista culture. Afterall, how authentic can mass-produced coffee really be? In this regard, Starbucks is very much like McDonald's, local coffee chains and independent coffeehouses."
Full Article: http://www.financialpost.com/story.html?id=1049967

As I sit and read this article in my local Williams Coffee Pub, I wonder what the implications of Starbucks' massive growth and subsequent contractions will be in the coming months, and how bright it really was to cling to its so-called "authentic" association for as long as it did.

My trips to Starbucks are normally for one reason and for one reason only: Chai Tea Lattes. I don't buy them because they are "authentic" or "European" (because they blatantly are not), but because they are so tasty. $5 medium tasty? Well, that becomes questionable as my bank account dwindles.

But that's neither here nor there. Where is Starbucks to go now? Their exuberantly priced coffee and Borg-like expansion onto the street corners of our cities the kiosks of our campuses got so out of hand that they became a novelty. And the scariest thing about novelties is that they wear off. So Starbucks in now closing stores and elbowing for space in the morning routine of increasingly price-sensitive customers with the likes of Tim Horton's and (Gasp!) McDonalds.

The author suggests that Starbucks should emphasize that although it is a very large corporation, it is a nice very large corporation. It needs to abandon that tricky word "authentic" for something different...but personally I think "good corporate citizen" is even less authentic than the word "authentic."

I am sitting at Williams right now because I was hungry and they serve sandwiches, I was thirsty (and in need of a caffeine fix) and they serve coffee, and I wanted to use my computer and they have wireless. I don't really know whether or not Williams is a good corporate citizen. They provide a straight-forward service for my straight-forward needs.

Or do they? Why didn't I just go home? I have sandwiches, coffee, and wireless there. Hmmm.

Where can Starbucks fit now that the niche they created for themselves is being filled by smaller, cooler, and more "authentic" coffee places? As their store counts decrease, which will be the first to go? Which will be the last?

Saturday, December 6, 2008

Shoppers Drug Mart - Luxe Express?

I was driving down King St. in Hamilton the other day and noticed that on the corner of King and Dundurn, the former Harvey's restaurant had been turned into a "Shoppers Express." I didn't go in, but when I hear the word "Express," I immediately think quick, convenient, and CHEAP.

Has anyone been into this or another Shoppers Express? What did you think?

Ok, so why is this even worth writing about? Well, I had also recently read an article in the November 29 edition of the Globe and Mail called "Looking good in a recession" by Marina Strauss. The article talked about which companies are thriving in this difficult retail environment and why. Shoppers, who has recently had huge success with their increased upscale offerings and higher margins, is nonetheless managing to grow their sales. Anyone who has been into one of the shiny new Shoppers stores has undoubtedly noticed the huge selection of premium frangrances in fancy white-washed display walls with clean looking sales girls wearing black pants and one of those little apron things. They took a big risk by moving to this part of the market, but the execution was excellent and they are grappling a piece of the market for themselves away from Wal-Mart. In fact, they have recently launched another format that pushes the fancy-shmancy envelope yet further.

"It's September and retailers are already feeling the pinch of sluggish consumer spending, but not here in a wealthy enclave in north Toronto. Shoppers Drug Mart Corp. is opening one of its biggest, glitziest new outlets and it doesn't look much like a drugstore, with its high ceilings, large windows and bright ambience." - from the Globe and Mail article

Ok so these musings lead to one question...why Shoppers Express? Am I correct in thinking that it is a low-price alternative? If I am wrong, what vulnerability for their plan have I exposed by even thinking that it was low-price? What is the significance of its location (Hamilton), compared to the other Shoppers store that is opening (The Beaches in Toronto)? And how about the timing? Will the format survive a launch into one of the most troublesome economic periods in our lifetime? Or maybe this is the best time to launch... hmmmmm.

The article in question is unfortunately not available online, but can be found in the back issues of the Globe in Innis library.

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Team Titan Representing!!!!!

So I realize this blog has been up for the past 2 and a half months and it's just NOW that I am writing....My apologies, my summer has literally been all over the place!

So my MARS apprentice adventure took place in my 3rd year which was the 3rd season (2007) with TEAM TITAN. It was nothing short of amazing. Really! I know it's easy to say but it really was quite a unique experience. It was my opportunity to use what I was taught in the classroom and translate them to the 'boardroom'. You never really know how much you actually know until your put it to good use. I won't sugarcoat it however, MARS Apprentice was incredibly daunting and a lot of hard work, but with the aid of my fellow team members, who pretty much became my roommates (since we spend every waking moment together), I made it through. Hard work always pays off though - I was lucky enough to be the recipient of Harveys Tuition Reimbursement Scholarship of $6000. I was very thankful (EXTREMELY) thankful for that, let me tell you! So overall, I give the program 2 very enthusiastic thumbs up and further praise Malik for this idea. P.S. Malik, YOUR THE MAN!!!!!


WHERE IS SHE NOW?!?!?!?!?

Well, I recently graduated from the DeGroote School of Business and I am in the same position as many of my fellow graduates: CONFUSED! Since school ended, I took a six week internship at MTV Canada with an attempt to kick my foot through the entertainment industry doors. Everyone in the business school knows I want to be in the entertainment industry, either using my degree or dancing ;) Let me tell you MTV was an experience and a half. But that is another story... nonetheless I certainly know that this is the industry I need to be in. Since MTV ended, I have been interviewing for several positions - entertainment marketing, communications type positions - just to get basic experience. WISH ME LUCK!!!


Good Luck to the 2009 participants and anyone involved with the competition. I will be up to watch the boardrooms when I can!!! :)

*Amena


Friday, June 20, 2008

Balance Act

I don't know if this observation has anything to do with the fact that I am a libra, or that I have been talking far too much to Kejina (a self proclaimed horoscope nut), or just because it is in fact true, but it's really funny how the universe really has a way of balancing itself out....

Last week I must admit was considerably slow for me around here, with everyone being away at meetings, and with not too many new assignments. I must admit, I was falling into a bit of a slump but this week really shot my motivation right back up. This week I was asked to sit in on a meeting by Vince Isber (Regional VP) and it was so nice to see that when the meeting progressed I started to recognize some of the numbers and results being presented by Vince... because I compiled them earlier this month! I sat there at the meeting and I couldn't help but feel a little bit of pride and satisfaction seeing something that I did prove to be useful and of interest to a boardroom (and if I may state, a very big boardroom) of important people. The week only got better with a fantastic work party. Our FP Manager Tom Hayhurst-France took the team to Barangas on the Beach, a fabulous restaurant right on the water for a delicious Greek meal and dessert as well as drinks. The day of R&R only got better when I realized that there was going to be some beach volleyball. I must admit, it was really nice to finally see everyone out of their bank attire and in casual mode. And of course, the week's fun events would not be complete without a lovely lunch with Professor Malik at my home away from home Starbucks (thanks again for the lunch sir).

I hope with this whole universe balance thing that my great work week won't be offset by a gloomy forecast next week... I guess you'll have to stay tuned to find out! :-P

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Take a Firkin Safari

Oh the irony! Asked to contribute to a blog to help market the program, when our team lost a challenge 3yrs ago for suggesting a blog as a good way to connect with customers online!

So let me tell you a little bit about my experience with The MARS Apprentice. I was involved the first year it began (thanks Robyn and Mandeep!) and had the defining experience of my McMaster career. The level of intensity was so high that it pushed our team of 5 to connect in a way I had never known at that point. "Team-building" as a term doesn't come close to describing it... and the results were fantastic.

In a personal sense, the program gave me a *lot* to be thankful for. Coming from a Finance background and trying to make the jump into Marketing, I was having difficulty getting interviews for marketing positions. And when I did get an interview the question always was "Why are you here when you just finished a 16mo finance internship?" Simply by completing the program I added an enormous talking point to my resume... and the internship I won at JAN Kelley was instrumental in building my foundation in marketing practices. I learnt so much through the Apprentice program that allows me to excel in my marketing role today.

Several years later, I'm the Email Marketing Specialist at Canadian Tire Online working with the 3rd most highly visited retail website in Canada and managing a marketing database of nearly a million Canadians. I've had the opportunity to work with some of the best-in-class online vendors for email, analytics, search, and creative... and am project managing programs that will take online loyalty in Canada to new heights. And I owe the smile on my face every day to Mr. Mandeep Malik, and the Orbits Corp team.

If you want to work in marketing and you want a chance to show you have what it takes, apply now.

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

on behalf of Gravity Corporation...

When MARS Apprentice was first introduced, back the the day...2004? i think. it's been too long to remember, but I definitely knew I wanted to be a part of it. Being sort of a reality TV junkie (i'm not gonna lie), I loved the show, and thought it would be a great opportunity to put my skills to the test and get some exposure to the companies participating. I was one of 10 contestants, and the only 4th year student to participate. I can honestly say that it was really difficult to manage during my final undergrad year, but it was all worth it in the end!

Gravity Corporation was our team name, and we worked on challenges for 4 companies: JK Marketing, Hamilton Ti-Cats, Frito Lay and Maple Leaf Foods. I still remember the "tiger tail drop" presentation in the lobby of Degroote, it was so much fun!

What did I get out of MARS Apprentice? I learned how to effectively work with others (sometimes day in a day out), learned how to become a better leader (project manager!) and strengthened my time-management and communication skills. I have also become a better presenter and can make a mean Powerpoint presentation! But the best part for me, was that it made me realized how much I enjoyed Marketing. I truely developed a passion for it and knew that it was something I wanted to pursue in my career.

On that note, after graudation, I worked for a non-profit marketing company promoting Arts and Culture events. After that, I moved on to work for Enterprise-Rent-A-Car and became a Branch Manager in a speedy 14 months! Currently I'm still working part time for Enterprise, but am starting my MBA studies full-time at the Schulich School of Business in September. I'm super excited to go back to school and can't wait for what the future holds for me...

Good luck to all of you! Do what you love and love what you do! :D
Jackie Lim

Monday, June 9, 2008

Feeling Like...

The Grandmother of MARS Apprentice.

I was part of the inaugural year of Apprentice and still feel completely honoured to have been a part of it. Professor Malik aka M&M came to me with this great idea for the TV show spin off. My immediate thoughts were 1. When does he have time to come up with these random programs ideas? 2. Why is he telling me? and 3. Is this going to be a lot of work? :)

Looking back I'm blessed that he picked me to help bring the program to life. And help was just a small part of it. The idea came from his brain and my OCD skills brought it to life. The idea of launching a pilot Marketing program for a business school that specializes in churning out accountants was a great idea. The execution at times was difficult but definitely paid off for my career and learning skill set. I loved taking Marketing classes during my time at DeGroote but had no idea that launching this program was so specific to my development in Marketing & Advertising.

Trying to figure out how to pitch the program, drafting letters to companies, trying to recruit students to a program with no history, interviewing students and executing the events from boardrooms to challenges was probably the most difficult task I took on in my final year of school. I had no idea what I was doing but M&M figured out that I had to hit the ground running. Current Apprentices keep talking about being self starters in their positions and this program definitely taught me all that good stuff that you can quote in an interview. Initiative, Autonomy, Fast Learning Curve, Problem Solver, etc. I had no idea what I was learning was so integral to my career. Guess that just goes to show that undergrads think they might know what's going on but it slowly and continually falls into place. Especially when you hit the beast called the "work world". All in all I appreciate the classes I took at DeGroote and the way I learned to study and apply myself however being a part of MARS Apprentice probably gave me more learnings and skills to bring to the table when searching for my first job out of school. I am a complete believer in the program and think it's probably one of the best things you can do for yourself if you are looking to get into a MARS profession.

Friday, May 30, 2008

busy, busy, busy

This past week has been absolutely hectic, I haven't sat in my own office for more than an hour all week!

The week didn't get off to a great start, though by the end everything picked up. I've been filling in for the HR manager Eileen, as I specified before. She's been off all week so I've been dealing with all the hectic stuff that occurs when people don't show up for shifts, when two people show up for the same shift, and when people decide to quit. Eventful to say the least.

In the middle of the week I got a very interesting assignment from Tom, the FP Manager. Tom wanted me to look into why some areas of Canada are more profitable than others for RBC- specifically for financial planning. It was a really exciting assignment as it built upon all those marketing reports we've been doing for YEARS at school. Let me tell you, all those formatting rules really paid off as I felt this was the perfect time to prove to my boss what I am capable of doing- thanks to professors like Prof. Cossa and Prof. Malik!

Also, we've been preparing for the big golf tournament on Monday, so I've been running around getting supplies for all the raffles going on. For those who don't know me- I LOVE party planning, so this was exciting.

Another exciting development in my job this week was that our regional VP Vince Isber has decided to meet with me one on one every Tuesday to discuss as well as get my thoughts on the performance of the regional branches, and what I feel is being done or what can be done to fully optimize performance. I feel very honoured as well as nervous to say the least that Vince would like to hear my input on this- it's such a great way to apply all the knowledge I've acquired here so far!

My big lesson this week has been very encouraging to my development here. I'll be quite honest... (because I feel there is no shame in admitting my mistakes so that I and you guys can learn from them) that this week was the first time I actually made mistakes on the job... and let me tell you for such small mistakes I felt horrible. However, what I soon realized was that this is a learning experience and everyone here at RBC embraces that. As opposed to being scolded, I was encouraged. To drive this point home I'd like to share this thought. I was just in the lunch room talking to the new Branch Manager in training. As most people know, becoming a branch manager is a huge accomplishment and in many cases takes years to get to. This guy is 26. Yes only 6 years older than me, and RBC has decided to put their trust in him and let him have this opportunity to prove himself. This has really proved to me that RBC embraces a youthful and innovative outlook- and what better way for me to prove that I've got it takes than to not shy away from getting out there and learning from my experiences whether good or bad.

Tony Matta

"the difference between ordinary and extraordinary is the little EXTRA"
"reason leads to conclusion, but passion leads to action. This is YOUR business, run it like one! Get ownership behind the results and drive to succeed"
"be a solutions expert"

-Tony Matta

interesting statements i have heard and read, wanted to share them...

Saturday, May 24, 2008

Projects

hey guys,

so i'll give you a brief overview of the different projects i have been working on. i really took interest in working in a cross-functional environment so i get to interact with different departments. So here is a list of the projects im currently working on:

1) find alternate channels for products facing obsolescence (this is almost a $2 million project)
2) design a new orientation program applicable to all new hires (a set process)
3) investigate the current relationship between sales/marketing and how to improve them
4) different taste tests (of sodium reduced products)

thats just a brief overview. each day is different and i'm having a lot of fun. tony matta is great, he is off right now as he is getting married. i will post soon and please let me know if there are any questions.

Friday, May 23, 2008

I feel there is so much to write since I haven't written in a few days.

This week has been very different to say the least. To elaborate, Tom's associate Lucy who usually plans out my day has been away on vacation this week, so this week has allowed me to plan out my own days, create my own assignments, and prove that I am a self starter.

For the past few days I have been filling in for the HR Manager and will continue to do it all next week. It's interesting because I get to interract with the part/full time staff at the branches which I don't often get to do here at head office. Pretty much this job entails me to assign and schedule shifts within the branches.

One of the ongoing project I've been doing is related to the sale platform. I help the Regional Sales Advisor Annie Laurin track the sales calls that the Account Managers and Senior Account Managers make. After the information has been collected it helps Annie see how effective the branches are at communicating with their customers.

This week has also had a few exciting moments. I got to meet the new VP of Commercial Markets for Southwest Ontario who will be working out of our office because the current VP got a new job as the Head of Finance for RBC! Furthermore, we're in the midst of planning a golf tournament for the beginning of June.

Anyways, I'm off to finish some of these sales figures. Everyone have a good weekend!

-Natalie

Sunday, May 18, 2008

MARS Apprentice is likely to have been a life changing experience for those who participated. Over the past six months you developed affiliations, learnt from each other, learnt from your mistakes and developed a future focus that is going to determine your careers. Remember though, you might not be able to foresee your future but you can ENABLE it.

Now is the time to continue sharing your highs and lows, your successes and your heartbreaks, your wins and your losses. This will ENABLE you to learn from each other and live the experience in a fish bowl. As the world watches you, and learns about you by reading your stories, all will follow your travels, contribute to your growth, and your overall development as a business professional and a human being. BE HONEST ABOUT YOUR MISTAKES, BE TRUTHFUL ABOUT YOUR FAILINGS AND ENTHUSIASTICALLY SHARE YOUR TRIUMPHS. Speak the experience best you can and allow others to learn from it.

Beginnings

Hey Everyone!

So I've just finished my first three weeks of work and it feels like a blur... so much has happened!

I have to admit that the night before my first day I was so nervous I could barely sleep, but I am very happy to say that things at RBC have turned out better than I could have ever imagined.

As a little bit of background, RBC is the largest bank in Canada (based on assets) and has recently been listed as #55 on the Forbes 100 most Powerful companies in the world list.
I report to the Regional VP: Vince Isber as well as the Manager of Financial Planning: Tom Hayhurst-France. I guess you can now guess why I was so nervous and intimidated to start m
y first day.

My first day got off to a great start when I was surprised to find out that I get my own office! Right away I was introduced to everybody on the floor and quickly set off to work. Aside from the orientation, I have since been doing a wide array of tasks ranging from marketing to HR (which I will get to in greater detail in my upcoming posts.)

My main message that I want to elaborate on in this first post is that everyone here at RBC have made me feel welcome as well as useful. Everyday I have learned something new, and unlike with school, I am actually getting paid to learn!


Saturday, May 17, 2008

my 1st week at JKM

hello all!

i will be spending my 16 weeks at Jan Kelley Marketing, a marketing agency in Burlington. way too much has happened in my first 2 weeks to discuss in one blog post, so i'll start with my first week and how i was introduced to the company.

JKM has an "On Board" program that they have all new employees complete. it involves going to each area of the agency (creative, production, media, internal services and marcom [marketing communications]) and meeting with ambassadors. during these meetings i had the opportunity to better understand how an agency works and learn about ongoing projects. everyone was very friendly and welcoming. the environment at JKM is relaxed but fast-paced and i feel like i'm fitting in well.

i work in the marcom strategy group. this is the area of the agency that deals directly with clients. my first day i attended a client meeting with Genuine Health. it was quite exciting for me as this was the client we worked on for the MARS challenge. this meeting really gave me insight on how things worked and the processes that take place when developing marketing strategies.

i have really enjoyed my first two weeks working at JKM and have already realized the importance of being proactive and proving yourself. i'll be entering my third week and am very excited to learn more and work with more clients.

more details to come!

for more info about JKM, check out their site

- kj

Introduction

hey everyone,

this is my first blog entry, so i'm not used to this kind of thing. my first week of working with frito lay has just come to an end, and i'll give u a brief summary of my role and examples of what a day in a marketing job looks. the first day i got there, i was slightly intimidated (if you know me, that means a lot). i soon realized to be successful in the fast-paced environment, all of the work must be self-initiated. basically taking initiative and being independent. there will be 3 phases to my internship. 6 weeks in marketing, 6 weeks in consumer insights, and 6 weeks with the ontario sales team. there are two main projects i have currently been assigned. i will post information about them soon. frito lay is an awesome company to work for and they made my entry smooth and comfortable. i fit in with the corporate culture well, and i feel i have been socialized in there environment. the ppl r great, and i'm having a lot of fun! let me know if you have any questions.

Welcome to The MARS Apprentice Experience

Hey there!
Thanks for coming by. Our lucky winners of internships are here to share their stories from the summer and beyond. Here's who we got:

Madhav Mehta - Frito Lay Canada
Natalie Starszyk - RBC Financial Group
Kejina Robinson - JAN KELLEY Marketing

They are eager to give you a glimpse of the rewards of MARS Apprentice. For more information visit mars.mcmaster.ca for the official MARS Apprentice website.