Follow-up to the Gap logo fiasco

So, in a previous post I talked about my biggest issue with the new Gap logo: they should not have abandoned the old design completely. They should have improved it, but not abandoned it.

AdFreak put together a list of 30 recent redesigns, which is an interesting examination of this design issue.

To me, Burger King, Cisco, KFC and UPS got it right

AOL and Kraft... not so much.

Now here's a twist on the whole issue. The exception to prove the rule if you will. See what Sprint did? They completely abandoned their logo, but with good intention. They redesigned the logo in conjunction with a major rebranding effort, supported with extensive mass media. Remember the pin-drop ads? Me too. The logo was redesigned to support that re-branding. The lesson being: if you are overhauling your brand, you have permission to overhaul your logo in support of it.

But only if you have Sprint money to do so.

SuperBowl Advertising Award Winners

Well, it feels like Boxing Day all over again.

So much excitement was built up about this year's SuperBowl ads, and now that it's the day after, we are left to sort through all the gifts - to spend some serious time with the best ones and to re-wrap the crappy ones and send them back.

Here is my take. Enjoy! Comment. Share. Whatever!

1) Just Plain Hilarious Award:

- Best Buy "Ozzy vs. Bieber" (I mean c'mon, they got Bieber to admit that he looks like a girl!)

1.1) Just Plain Hilarious Runners Up:

- Doritos "Best Part" (he licked the dude's pants!)

- Snickers "Logging" (the actors are dinosaurs, but if you're old like me, you get it)

2) Awesome On So Many Levels Award:

- VW "The Force" (just watch and enjoy)

3) Marketing Fundamentals Award:

- eTrade "Cat" and "Tailor" (because they realize that with advertising, frequency and consistency is key)

4) More Damage Than Good Award:

- BMW "Defying Logic" (yup, this ad defies logic - BMW is successful because they AREN'T from USA... yet they go and do this?!?)

5) What the $&%# Award:

- GoDaddy.com "New .CO Girl" (...is Joan Rivers?!?!? Some things can't be unseen)

5.1) What the $&%# Runners Up:

- GM/Chevrolet "Status" (I get FaceBook, but does anyone REALLY want FaceBook updates from OnStar?... something about that just isn't right)

- Coca-Cola "Siege" (they usually get SuperBowl ads right, but I have to admit, I scratched my head on this one)

6) Taking the 'Sex Sells' Concept WAY Too Far Award:

- GoDaddy.com "The Contract" (I'm at the point where this offends me, so no, I won't go to your site to see more)

and the winner is......

7) The Best Overall SuperBowl Ad Award:

- Chrysler "Born of Fire"

I can't believe I gave Chrysler the highest honour, but I gotta hand it to them. They get TV ads. They understand that with this medium, you have to make a compelling brand promise, make it memorable, and glue it to your brand. I see too many ads that say something funny, but not compelling. I see too many ads that are so generic and bland that I have forgotten them before their 30 seconds are up. I see too many ads that are well done, but we forget who made them.

Chrysler got it all right.

They made a very strong statement, and they made it because they know that if they are to survive, they must appeal to the audience to whom the statement was directed. They made it memorable by conjuring up a new concept - that Detroit is back - and reinforcing it with a striking closing tag line: "Imported from Detroit". Finally, they imbedded the Chrysler brand in your memory by spending a good portion of their 2 minutes on the logo, including a fairly impressive, lengthy shot of a Chrysler grill.

It may not end up saving them, but given the challenges they face and the objectives they were surely given, this is the best possible execution. And it's better than the rest.

Soooooo....? Agree? Disagree?

The 6 "p"s of marketing - open for debate

OK - here's a topic that's surely up for debate: I believe there are 6 "p"s of marketing.

Those of us that studied marketing in university/college some ____ years ago learned the 4 "p"s of marketing: Product | Pricing | Promotions | Place.

The dominance of the internet in the marketing mix has expanded that list to 6, in my opinion. There are articles that talk about 4, 5, 6, 7 and even 8 "p"s, and the words that start with "p" aren't always the same. I've seen 'People' and 'Process' included in many lists, but I don't believe they contribute to the act of creating demand (the definition of marketing) as much as the other categories (open to debate!). I've also seen 'Physical Evidence', described (by valuebasedmanagement.net) as 'the ability and environment in which the service is delivered, both tangible goods that help to communicate and perform the service and intangible experience of existing customers and the ability of the business to relay that customer satisfaction to potential customers.' ... HUH?!?!?

Here's my list:

1. Product (How do you shape your offering to match consumer needs and build demand?)
2. Pricing (How does your pricing strategy support your positioning and generate demand?)
3. Place (Where do you need to be to reach your audience?)
4. Promotions (How do you tell people what you have to offer?)
5. (new) Positioning (What is your reputation? How do people describe your company? Why would anyone buy from you?)
6. (new) Conversations (Are you participating in the conversations that are taking place about you and your industry?)

OK, that last one doesn't start with "p", but I couldn't find an applicable and adequately descriptive word that did. The best I could come up with is "People Talking". Yep, I thought it was lame too. We've got 5 "p"s and a "c". Deal with it.

Social media, in case you were curious, fits clearly into the Conversations category. In fact, it was the catalyst in creating the category. Social media participation is just as important to the marketing mix as promotions or anything else. Deal with it. Embrace it.

LESSON FOR SMALL BUSINESS MARKETERS

As you create a marketing plan for your business, or as you make decisions to help build interest and demand, be sure to consider all 6 marketing categories. Promotions alone, which many businesses confuse for marketing, is insufficient for driving significant demand. You need to be creative and intentional in all 6 categories to be giving marketing the attention it deserves.

It also means you're that much more likely to build demand for your products and services, and what is there that's more important than that?

YOUR TURN

How is your list different, if at all?

What Rogers' $10-million fine teaches us about advertising

The competition bureau has ruled that Rogers Communications has misled consumers with advertising that claims their new Chatr service is more reliable than its competition's services. It was found that despite Rogers' claims in their advertising, there was no discernible difference in dropped calls between their service and the ones offered by new entrants. This was deemed to be misleading and unduly damaging to the competition, and could end up in a fine of $10-million or more (if the judge agrees to retribution for consumers).

Now, Rogers is certainly being held up as an example, and it's easier to pick on the big boys, but it does bring to light some important lessons that small businesses and marketers should remember as you advertise:

1. Don't make a claim you can't support. Simply saying that your product is "the best" without backing it up is lazy and, it would seem, potentially costly for you!
2. If your competition is making claims that you know they can't support, you have an avenue for challenging their claims.
3. If you do have data to support your claim, make sure it's good data. Rogers is fighting this ruling, but I wonder how valid their data is. Don't just go ask 3 of your friends if your pizza is the best pizza they've ever tasted then call it the "Best tasting pizza in _____" (makes you wonder how many dentists were actually surveyed to support the claim "4 out of 5 dentists recommend ____" - perhaps 5?).
4. Be specific with claims. Don't say you have the best pizza, say you have the best Hawaiian pizza East of Hawaii. Helps your product stick out in the consumers' minds.
5. If I read/see/hear one more company claim to have "the best quality, price and service", I'm going to... You can't be all 3!
   

The top 2 rules for advertising

Rule #1: Advertise where your customers shop

Rule #2: Make that ad stand out from all the other ads

Rolex puts both rules into play with this clever ad on pgatour.com










See what they did there? They advertised on pgatour.com, since (presumably) male golfers are their target audience. And to stand out from the other online ads on the site, they did three things. First, the hands of the watch move in real time (take my word for it). Second, the ad shows the time zone you're in and compares it to the time zone of the tournament you're watching. Third, their ad showed up when I clicked on tee times. Get it?

It's a very atypical ad, in a good way. Noticeable. Clever. Well done Rolex.


LESSONS FOR SMALL BUSINESSES:

Well, to reiterate:

1. Advertise where your customers shop
2. Advertise cleverly; creatively

Gap: "We have a new logo?"

This is part 2 of 2-part blog about Gap and their recent logo redesign. Part 1 focused on the design itself. This part focuses on the roll-out of their logo redesign.


"We have a new logo!"

"We have a new logo?"

How would you rather announce to the world that you have a new logo?

Gap appears to have taken the timid, experimental, almost apologetic approach to a logo redesign.

In a recent Advertising Age article, Gap's spokesperson: 1) confirmed that the new logo was NOT a joke (as many people believed), but more importantly 2) confirmed that they had planned all along to roll out the new logo by placing it on their North American web site... ONLY.

That's just the wrong way to roll out a logo redesign.

It's as though they're standing outside of the meeting room, sliding the idea under the door, then listening through a glass pressed up against the door to see how people will react.

Now they've gone so far as to: 1) admit it was experimental in nature ("to monitor responses") and 2) write a FaceBook post that solicits new logo ideas!

As though they burst in to the meeting room yelling "Psych! We weren't really going to do this!" when they really were.

Now it just so happens that the design is in fact poor, and that the response has been overwhelmingly negative, so they've paved the way for retracting their new logo experiment without too much invested. But they were setting themselves up for failure by the method of the roll out.

They didn't do anything other than post the new logo on the web site. Their corporate FaceBook page had the old logo. And the challenge page (where you select your country) on the web site even had the old logo!

Exceedingly poor execution of a strategically monumental undertaking, with an overwhelmingly negative impact on their brand reputation.

LESSON FOR BUSINESS OWNERS / EXECUTIVES:

• Create a detailed, coordinated, thorough (internal) roll-out plan (including FaceBook page updates!) for re-branding roll-outs
  
• Have a similarly coordinated internal communications plan
• Have a similarly coordinated media launch
• Announce your new logo with pride and conviction!

Gap goes too far with new logo

This is Part 1 of a 2-part blog about Gap and their recent logo redesign. Part 2 will refer to their execution of the logo refresh. This post discusses their new logo choice.

I am a strong believer in the power of branding and the importance of a branding "refresh". I think, though, that Gap may have missed the mark a bit.

I am mostly interested in your opinion! But first, here's mine:

The first step in a logo redesign, as a part of a branding refresh (logo design is but one of many elements of a branding initiative), is to consider the status of the logo and/or company. For most companies on the planet, a creative new logo with a fresh new look can set a company apart, draw new attention to the business, start conversations and cause refreshed interest in the brand.

There is a handful of companies, though, whose logo has reached iconic status. Nike. Apple. Pepsi. Microsoft.

It is my opinion that Gap is... or was... on this list.

Once you have this status with a logo concept, don't mess with it!

It is possible, and even advisable, to delicately modify or update a logo as part of a branding refresh. Apple removed the rainbow colours, but kept the shape intact. Pepsi overhauled their typeface, but maintained the red/blue sphere.

Gap went a bit too far. They maintained (although somewhat diminished) the blue square. But to me, the uniqueness of the typeface is what established their iconic status. They have abandoned that altogether. They even went with boring old Helvetica font!

Refreshing an iconic logo as part of a branding initiative - OK. Abandoning an iconic logo - not OK.

Imagine Nike abandoning the swoosh. Bad idea, right? Why, then, did Gap abandon the key elements of their iconic logo? To me, they went too far and have created a negative brand experience.

TAKEAWAY FOR YOU:

• When was the last time your business went through a branding initiative - an exercise in establishing (or modifying) your reputation in your market? Chances are you're overdue!
• Your logo is not your brand. Your brand is the series of thoughts, impressions and feelings that are associated with your company name and logo. Do you know what they are for your business?
• Execution of a branding initiative is perhaps the most important part - more on that in Part 2!

NOW TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK OF THE GAP LOGO!

Social Media "Experts" and pizza delivery drivers - the similarities

Social Media Expert. Sounds good, doesn't it?

If I had a nickel for every Social Media Expert I came across, this blog post would be about how close I came to an ace back on 16.

"Expert" is a term used very loosely, which intrigues me.

To me, an expert is someone with unique, specialized knowledge that is practically inaccessible to the average person.

Neurosurgeons. Laser Scientists. Nuclear Chemists. Those are experts.

Dominos Pizza, I noticed, is referring to themselves as "Pizza Delivery Experts". Really? Is it especially difficult to acquire the knowledge needed to put a pizza in a car and find an address?

Though not to the same extent, I feel the same way about "Social Media Experts". It is not especially difficult to acquire the knowledge needed to participate in online conversations. The difference between simply doing it and doing it well is noticeable. But the point is, with a little effort and dedication, anyone can do it. Some will be better than others because they possess that charisma and appeal (yes, it's evident even online) that makes them popular and respected. Others will be successful because they engage in the online experience more frequently, and for longer periods of time. But all that being said, there's no reason to think that everyday people can't discover the keys to social networking prominence.

I call myself an Advisor. I have advice that I can offer to people and organizations less inclined to make the effort that I have made. If I do my job well, I will share with them all the techniques I have come to embrace in a manner that inspires them to participate in the movement.

My good friend @HiDavidHicks has a blog called hibasme, which is an acronym for How I Became A Social Media Enthusiast. I like that.

I also like that Subway Restaurants now refers to their minimum-wage, behind-the-counter staff as "Sandwich Artists" rather than "Sandwich Experts".

TAKEAWAY FOR YOU:

• You will come across many Social Media Experts. Some much better than others. The best you can do is determine for yourself what you want to take from them, then have them convince you they can do that.
• The next best thing you can do is try it for yourself. If you have the inclination and the (ever-elusive) time, set up some profiles/accounts/pages and play around. Listen. Engage. Take notice of what you like and apply that to your business.
• Finally, in your own company, be careful about labeling yourself as something that you aren't. Your customers will notice and you will lose valuable credibility and brand respect.

Always interested in opinion... especially from Experts!

Getting less than you paid for, courtesy Starbucks

I have written before about the damage that can be done to your brand reputation by failing to meet customer expectations. Well, Starbucks, your turn.

The other day I bought one of their fruit and yogurt parfaits. This is what it looked like, before I took a single bite. No, this is not Photoshopped - it IS more than half EMPTY.

And I paid $3.95 plus tax for about 5 spoonfuls of yogurt and fruit.

Now, I know that they are positioning themselves as a premium brand with quality products and, subsequently, higher prices. I get that. But this is a clear example of the brand's inability to keep the promise they made to the consumer (this isn't the only lame parfait I've had). I expect a quality product. They charge more for their coffee than Tim Hortons does because it's better. This should be a better parfait than Tim Hortons', but it ISN'T.

My belief (created by their branding efforts) that they offer a premium product has been contradicted by the quality of the product itself. That's Damaging Your Brand, 101.

Think of it this way: If every BMW you bought only went as fast as a Kia, would you believe that they are the "ultimate driving machine"? Would you pay three times the price? Didn't think so.

TAKEAWAY FOR YOU AND YOUR BUSINESS:

1. If you haven't already, make a clear brand promise to your customers.
2. Deliver on that promise with all that you do.
3. Listen to your customers and respond every time a customer's expectations have not been met.

Your turn: Any examples of the product not meeting the promise it set for itself?

Editor's note: Here's another bad example, this time courtesy Nutrition House.

When this happens, I'm ashamed to call myself a marketer

I choose to believe that most marketers are good.

Most believe in accurately, appropriately and professionally representing their brands in order to generate genuine demand based on valid product value.

Then this happens, and it tarnishes our reputation.

The decent among us step out of our comfort zone and curse them.

This company is assuming, or at least hoping, that consumers are stupid.

This is a scratch-and-win (looking) card which appeared in my mailbox today. You are meant to believe, like with any other scratch-and-win game, that if you uncover a certain result, you win the corresponding prize.

Not so in this case.

In this case, you are CERTAIN to uncover a "winning" pattern. Once you do, you "may" win one of the listed prizes. All you have to do, of course, is call the "prize hotline" to find out what you CAN win.

I'm sure this company (they never reveal themselves, interestingly) is hoping that people say "Sure! Let's call the number to see what I won!" Hoping that the customer does NOT read the fine print.

I read it.

First of all, the prizes listed are "available at the outset of the game; prizes diminish as prizes are awarded" - their way of saying 'we can decide who gets the best prizes'. How are prizes allocated you ask? Well, they are "determined by the company's master list" - their way of saying 'we can assign you whatever prize we wish'. Oh, and if the prize is "unavailable, sponsor may substitute" - their way of saying 'you may not even get one of the prizes you were expecting'. Then, in order to claim this mystery prize, you need to agree to a "product presentation". Ah, yes, of course I do.

OK, so now on to the odds of winning: 1 in 800,000 for the grand prize (but don't forget, it has probably been preferentially "awarded" to someone else, or the prize may have been magically substituted for something else); 875 in 1000 (that means almost 9 out of 10) for the hotel stay. Ah, that's where they get you. You are almost certainly awarded the hotel stay "prize". They lure you with the thought of a free vacation, then force you to endure their "presentation" - the ensuing barrage of pressure sales tactics for whatever it is they're pushing (which is never mentioned, by the way).

Makes me want to puke.

Who is oblivious enough to fall for this?

More importantly (to me), how do the marketers that conjured up this scam sleep at night?

They have no integrity. No morality. No professionalism. No dignity.

Sadly, they can call themselves marketers, as I do.

I am ashamed to be associated with them by any description.


So endeth my rant for the day.

Hey, CEO, nothing you do matters!

C-Suite Executives, Brand Managers, Marketing Directors and Ad Agencies spend hundreds of hours and hundreds of thousands of dollars trying to be clever enough to convince their audience to be interested in their product over someone else's.

Guess what CEO, nothing you do matters.

That's right. All the best ideas you and your marketing people have are no match for the effectiveness (or ineffectiveness) of the grumpy, underpaid, unappreciated staff standing behind the cash register.

Case in point #1.

I was in Fabricland today (yes, I am that confident in my masculinity) and the woman in line ahead of me was turned away, yes turned away, by the cashier.

The conversation went something like this:

Customer: "So, I'm interested in the points program you have for regular customers."
Cashier: "That program expires at the end of August, and you'll have to pay again at that point."
Customer: "So, you're saying I shouldn't bother."
Cashier: "I wouldn't bother."

Here's another way of interpreting that conversation:

Customer: "I'd like to buy what you're selling."
Cashier: "Don't bother."

And the cashier looked a LOT like this person.

I can see them now - all the corporate executives, marketing people and agencies sitting around a table trying to design a loyalty program that is more attractive that the competition's; that will inspire customers to return; that will sell more products. They come up with a program that is so good, people come in the store asking for it.... only to be... yes... turned away.

All the brightest talent working on their best ideas, completely undone by the crotchety, hourly staffer counting the minutes until she can go home.

You've heard it before but you need to hear it again: your front-line staff are the face of your company. They create your brand. They sell your products. They cross-sell. They leave an impression.

Invest in them.

At least give them some scripting about how to address the new loyalty program with customers!

Case in point #2.

Me (at the gas station): "Why would I pay for the deluxe wash instead of the regular wash?"
Cashier: "I'm not sure."
Me: "OK, then I guess I won't bother."

Read my earlier post for the details on this one.


TAKEAWAY FOR YOU

1. Spend some time mystery shopping your own stores. You'll be amazed!
   
2. Spend the 14 minutes it takes to write up some proper training / scripting guides for the front-line staff.
3. Hire better. It's 2010 - lots of people looking for work!
   

Surely you have some examples of really crappy front-line service. Post a comment with your experiences!

First rule of marketing: advertise where your customers shop

I talk a lot about companies that waste money on advertising in markets where only a small portion of the audience is in their target market or worse, to people that aren't in their target market at all.

Here's a previous post about a company that got this HORRIBLY wrong (Lab Safety Supply), very expensively.

Today's post is about a company that got it BANG ON (Pfaff Porsche).

I can hear the decision process perfectly. "Where would our potential car buyers shop? Well, some of them would be on AutoTrader, and they likely did a search for 'Porsche'".

Ah, music to my ears! Much like the sound of their engines.... not like I'd know!

TAKEAWAY FOR YOU:

It's a simple question. The answers you come up with form the foundation of your marketing plan.

National Car Rental - Zero to Hero in 14 seconds!

So, I received a letter in the mail today from National Car Rental, who wanted to charge me $1.00 (plus a $10.00 "Administration Fee", of course) because, apparently, I missed a toll at the Orlando airport. Of course, "in accordance with the terms of your rental agreement, you are responsible for all violations and toll fees".

First of all, I wasn't even at the Orlando airport on the date of the infraction.

Second of all, IT'S $1.00!!

Third of all, don't get me started about this $10.00 administration fee.

So now I'm steamed. I'm thinking about all the arguments I will make, how angrily I will speak with them, how I will destroy their reputation on my wildly influential marketing blog! But first, a call to their appeals department. Mostly because I don't remember running any toll gates, but also because I'm going to tear a strip out of them!

Well, the most unexpected series of events transpired next. For one, they answered the phone right away - no tedious recorded-voice menu labyrinth. But even more impressively, the person I spoke to on the phone - presumably someone fairly junior among the National ranks - immediately reversed the charge. It took maybe 14 seconds. I'm not saying anyone can just call up and get their charges reversed, I'm just saying that in this case, she quickly realized that the best outcome for everyone was to just get rid of it. And she had the authority to do so.

Wow.

Well done National. You probably should never have sent the notice in the first place, but you stepped up and did the right thing.


TAKEAWAY FOR YOU:

1) Try to imagine how your policies and customer service processes affects your reputation.

I'm sure National's policy and process is to automatically send notices to all customers that incur external charges. Makes sense, but doesn't help their reputation in a case like this. How hard would it have been to include a sub-process that eliminates all notices of, say, $5.00 or less. Just pay it. They save all kinds of administrative time and money and avoid any possible brand damage.

2) Try to give authority to the lowest level possible.

I know it's hard to delegate responsibility and authority without jeopardizing control and compliance, but imagine how I would have felt if some bureaucratic appeals process was necessary to get my $1.00 back.

In short, keep your customers happy, not your COO.



YOUR TURN:

Comment with some of your customer service nightmares / success stories.

It has started: the death of web sites as we know them!

Check out this online ad for Heineken Light

















Notice anything odd?

1) Prominence of Facebook link
2) ABSENCE of any Heineken brand web address

Not even the slightest reference to www.heineken.com.

This is not the only example I've seen lately. Many brands are using Facebook as their landing page for ad campaigns. And it's not limited to online campaigns - I'm noticing this development on TV too.

Wow.

The power of Facebook.


TAKEAWAY FOR YOU:

Get a Facebook page... NOW! If you have one already, use it more!

Irresponsible advertising - Ford's turn

In recent posts I've called out BMW for irresponsible advertising (talk about one car, show a picture of another, and pass them off as the same car) and Ford for competing with itself.

Well, time to talk about Ford's irresponsible advertising.

In this ad, their headline is: "Ford sweeps North American Car and Truck of the Year Awards"

So, how would you interpret that? To use the word "sweeps" implies that several awards were won, across several categories, and from several reviewers.

But no.

They had one car that won one award in one category, and one truck that won one award in another category. That's HARDLY "sweeping" the awards, as the headline claims. Plus, you can't tell who awarded these titles.

They're clearly trying to create an impression that they win all kinds of awards for their cars by stretching the truth and using carefully selected words to deceive the audience.

Sadly, it's probably working (because the ad itself is so boring that it's unlikely that anyone, other than me, will read the copy).

Doesn't mean it's not irresponsible.


TAKEAWAY FOR YOU:

• Don't try to be something you're not. Let your product/service do the talking.
• Maintain your integrity.
• Maintain your ability to look yourself in the mirror.

Your brand reputation will thank you.

Uh oh. Someone at CIBC's in trouble about this direct mail...

Today I received a direct mail piece "inviting me to apply for a CIBC Aerogold VISA Infinite card".

Um, I already have one!

So, the obvious problem is that they completely wasted their money sending these mailers to existing cardholders. That's basically step number one when it comes to direct mail aimed at acquiring new customers: make sure you don't send it to existing customers! Direct mail 101 people. Huge oversight.

Here's the less obvious, but equally damaging problem: the impression I now have about CIBC. I've written a number of posts recently about the importance of strengthening your brand with your actions, not weakening it. This is, sadly, a clear example of how quickly you can damage your reputation. Many of the cardholders that received this in the mail will just quickly discard it and forget it, but many still will take note of the oversight and think poorly of the company that sent it.

This mismanagement of the corporate brand has less tangible, but significantly damaging implications. The next time I need to get a credit card, what recollections will I have about my experience with CIBC? Will it persuade me to consider a competitor's card? Don't know for sure, but we do know that significant damage has been done.

How to give yourself a BAD reputation

I talk a lot about the importance of effective brand management to my clients, because it's arguably the most important element of your corporate marketing.

Your brand is the collection of words, thoughts and impressions that pop into the consumers' mind when they hear your name. Everything you say or do reflects either positively or negatively on your brand. You could have the best advertising in the world but if your brand image is poor, you won't be successful.

Case in point: McDowell Ovens.

They make bread crumbs. At Sobey's at least, they have great shelf space which, for packaged goods companies, is one of the most important marketing strategies.

But look closely at the package: "For all your bread crumb uses."

Wow - what a revelation! Here I thought I should use bread crumbs for non-bread crumb uses! (that's sarcasm, in case you didn't catch it)

Packaging (and specifically, what you put on the package) is also a key marketing strategy for packaged goods companies. They had an opportunity to write anything they wanted on their package, and they chose that ineffectual statement. This packaging decision damages their brand. All the good they did for their brand by obtaining key shelf space is undone by their packaging laziness.

I bought a competitive brand.

THE TAKEAWAY FOR YOU:

The lesson for ALL businesses (packaged goods or otherwise): please, please, please look at ALL you do (from packaging to answering the phones) and consider whether you are enhancing or damaging your brand reputation.

HAVE YOUR SAY:

Any other examples of exceptionally poor or exceptionally effective packaging?

Here We Go - 2010's Best SuperBowl Ads (and worst!)

Here are my choices for the best SuperBowl Ads in 7 different categories, including "Best All Around Ad" (at the end)... ENJOY! COMMENT!

1) Most Humourous

Winner:
~ Career Builder - "Worst Seat" (the look on her face is priceless!)

Honourable Mention:
~ KGB - "Sumo"
~ Bud Light - "Book Club"


2) Most Effective (at getting the message across):

Winner:
~ Google - "Parisian Love"

Honourable Mention:
~ Coca Cola - "Hard Times"
~ Audi - "Green Car"


3) Worst:

Winner... er.. Loser:
~ Boost Mobile - "Boost Mobile Shuffle"

(Dis)Honourable Mention:
~ Dr. Pepper - "Little Kiss"
~ Miller High Life - "Little Guys"


4) Blatant Teaser to Drive Web Traffic:
~ GoDaddy.com - "News"


5) So Much Promise, But Failed to Meet Expectations:
~ eTrade - "Girlfriend" and "First Class"


6) That the...?!?
~ Taco Bell - "Poem" and "It Rocks"


And the winner is.......


7) BEST ALL AROUND AD

Winner:
~ NFL - "Best Fans"

Runner Up:
~ FloTV - "Moments"



So, what do you think?!?!?

Everything you do either damages or enhances your brand

I speak about that often - that everything you do (from answering the phones to advertising on TV) will either damage or enhance the brand reputation you have established.

What does this guy's picture say about his brand reputation?

So, what do you think? What words pop to mind when you see this picture?

Your brand is exactly that: the words that pop into the consumers' mind when they make a connection with you.

Make sure you're actively managing those connections. Each and every one.

Avatar as an examination of marketing

According to BoxOfficeMojo, Avatar has grossed more than $1.4 BILLION, and counting! There is no definitive answer at the time of writing this, but production costs for the movie appear to be close to $300 million, and marketing costs close to $200 million.

So, here's a question (for which there is probably no answer):

How much would the movie gross if they had spent less on marketing? Or more on marketing? How much would the movie gross if they had spent less on production (presumably weakening the quality of the product)?

This is a very common question - one that we grapple with all the time. Will more marketing lead to enough sales to earn our money back? Is the product good enough on its own to be successful without extensive marketing?

And here's another thing business owners and marketers need to keep in mind: It's possible that the movie would have grossed, say, $1.25 billion with no marketing, putting them $50 million ahead of where they are now (saving $200 million on marketing but earning $150 million less). Would that mean the marketing was a waste? It's tempting to say yes, but think of all the awareness for the movie and for James Cameron and for Fox that was generated!


All marketing has benefits beyond its direct impact on sales.


Remember that as you consider investing in marketing.


Your turn: What's your guess about the box office sales with more (or less) spending on the product or on the marketing?