BBA 3201
Kentucky for Kentucky: A B2C Company
Columbia Southern University
BBA 3201 Principles of Marketing
Kentucky for Kentucky: A B2C Company
Business to Consumer, or B2C as it will be referred to from here on out, is the process of
selling products or services directly between a business and the consumers who will ultimately
end up using said products or services (Kenton, 2021). B2C businesses became widely popular
during the late 1990’s “dotcom boom”, as the internet helped alleviate the need for a
middleperson and are now among the most popular type of sales models with no indication of
that changing anytime soon (2021). In fact, B2C companies have become such a huge success
for companies, especially small local businesses, that they’ve begun to threaten traditional
storefront styled businesses (2021).
In this essay we will explore the B2C small business, Kentucky for Kentucky, and their
business model. We will also review the four bases of segmenting consumer markets, how
Kentucky for Kentucky segments their own markets, and how it influences their promotional
strategies.
Kentucky for Kentucky Introduced
Kentucky for Kentucky, a small local retail company nestled in the heart of Lexington,
Kentucky, has become one of the most popular apparel and product companies in the
Commonwealth over the last decade (VanMeter & Hiler, 2012). The company began in 2012, by
two previous marketing and advertising professionals, in hopes of rebranding Kentucky by
diminishing any negative stereotypes surrounding the state, increasing tourism, attracting new
, businesses, and setting the state apart from the rest of, well, the world (2012). How did the plan
to do this exactly? By creating unique apparel and products that highlighted the complex identity
of the state and all of the contributions it has offered the world (2012). They’ve managed to do
just that.
Kentucky for Kentucky’s Business Model
Kentucky for Kentucky’s business model is relatively simply, highlight the
Commonwealth of Kentucky by creating products that show all the unique things the state has to
offer. They started with a crowdfunded Super Bowl ad that would show everyone how amazing
Kentucky was, unfortunately they fell short of the goal amount. However, their efforts weren’t in
vain. Even though the ad wasn’t featured during the 2012 Super Bowl they still managed to
secure a large amount of media attention and which did ultimately increase Kentucky’s overall
tourism, bringing in people from as England and even Japan (Angel, 2013).
Kentucky is famous for a lot of things. Bourbon, horse racing, coal, and fried chicken, to
name just a few. Kentucky for Kentucky has created several unique products for their consumers
to enjoy that highlight Kentucky. There are almost too many products to name that the company
has created over the last decade. Here are just a few of the most popular.
In 2013, Kentucky for Kentucky began making “Scent of the Commonwealth” candles,
which features scents such as “Kentucky Fried Chicken”, “Double Down Fried Chicken”, and
“Kentucky Hot Brown”, to name a few. The candles are so popular that whenever the company
releases them, exclusively on their website, they sell out within one minute (Stampler, 2013).
In 2015, the company marketed and sold a real lump of Kentucky coal during Christmas
time for $7, claiming that it was $542 less than an iPhone 6 (Mosbergen, 2015). The product
became such a huge hit, with most of the sales bolstering from consumers in different states, that
they’ve continued to bring it back every year since (KyforKy).
Kentucky for Kentucky: A B2C Company
Columbia Southern University
BBA 3201 Principles of Marketing
Kentucky for Kentucky: A B2C Company
Business to Consumer, or B2C as it will be referred to from here on out, is the process of
selling products or services directly between a business and the consumers who will ultimately
end up using said products or services (Kenton, 2021). B2C businesses became widely popular
during the late 1990’s “dotcom boom”, as the internet helped alleviate the need for a
middleperson and are now among the most popular type of sales models with no indication of
that changing anytime soon (2021). In fact, B2C companies have become such a huge success
for companies, especially small local businesses, that they’ve begun to threaten traditional
storefront styled businesses (2021).
In this essay we will explore the B2C small business, Kentucky for Kentucky, and their
business model. We will also review the four bases of segmenting consumer markets, how
Kentucky for Kentucky segments their own markets, and how it influences their promotional
strategies.
Kentucky for Kentucky Introduced
Kentucky for Kentucky, a small local retail company nestled in the heart of Lexington,
Kentucky, has become one of the most popular apparel and product companies in the
Commonwealth over the last decade (VanMeter & Hiler, 2012). The company began in 2012, by
two previous marketing and advertising professionals, in hopes of rebranding Kentucky by
diminishing any negative stereotypes surrounding the state, increasing tourism, attracting new
, businesses, and setting the state apart from the rest of, well, the world (2012). How did the plan
to do this exactly? By creating unique apparel and products that highlighted the complex identity
of the state and all of the contributions it has offered the world (2012). They’ve managed to do
just that.
Kentucky for Kentucky’s Business Model
Kentucky for Kentucky’s business model is relatively simply, highlight the
Commonwealth of Kentucky by creating products that show all the unique things the state has to
offer. They started with a crowdfunded Super Bowl ad that would show everyone how amazing
Kentucky was, unfortunately they fell short of the goal amount. However, their efforts weren’t in
vain. Even though the ad wasn’t featured during the 2012 Super Bowl they still managed to
secure a large amount of media attention and which did ultimately increase Kentucky’s overall
tourism, bringing in people from as England and even Japan (Angel, 2013).
Kentucky is famous for a lot of things. Bourbon, horse racing, coal, and fried chicken, to
name just a few. Kentucky for Kentucky has created several unique products for their consumers
to enjoy that highlight Kentucky. There are almost too many products to name that the company
has created over the last decade. Here are just a few of the most popular.
In 2013, Kentucky for Kentucky began making “Scent of the Commonwealth” candles,
which features scents such as “Kentucky Fried Chicken”, “Double Down Fried Chicken”, and
“Kentucky Hot Brown”, to name a few. The candles are so popular that whenever the company
releases them, exclusively on their website, they sell out within one minute (Stampler, 2013).
In 2015, the company marketed and sold a real lump of Kentucky coal during Christmas
time for $7, claiming that it was $542 less than an iPhone 6 (Mosbergen, 2015). The product
became such a huge hit, with most of the sales bolstering from consumers in different states, that
they’ve continued to bring it back every year since (KyforKy).
