tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44706103004009747222024-02-23T04:18:05.666-06:00My View From The ShoreA daily look at the world of marketing and new product development.Harvey Briggshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01509290141801264985noreply@blogger.comBlogger825125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4470610300400974722.post-1075872796471466972019-04-24T10:07:00.000-05:002019-04-24T17:23:04.397-05:00Be like Tony.I was cleaning out my desk this morning, sorting through the hundreds of business cards I've collected over the past year or so (yes, people do still hand them out and you should, too.) when I came across this one.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj10mMrphiZ8WEJs6ZMGxFonlxKCWDW7nptVYvqYxstL9EqM-LnfrFpQR2szRy0nzGf-y5oHNwxqgQ6yxtTiPSjDh67yxis12CxiXRGa0CobAfukX5OnRWvRmQ5OazBIEyvk0l0p0ydwfQ/s1600/IMG_1804.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj10mMrphiZ8WEJs6ZMGxFonlxKCWDW7nptVYvqYxstL9EqM-LnfrFpQR2szRy0nzGf-y5oHNwxqgQ6yxtTiPSjDh67yxis12CxiXRGa0CobAfukX5OnRWvRmQ5OazBIEyvk0l0p0ydwfQ/s400/IMG_1804.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Tony Swan, who passed away last year, was a writer, driver, racer, editor, bon vivant, and curmudgeon. I'd met him early in my career when I was an intern at <i>Car and Driver</i> magazine but came to know him a bit better over the past few years as a member of the Midwest Automotive Media Association. Some who read this blog may know that when I'm not helping companies with marketing, communications, and new product development, I write about cars for several websites including my own, <a href="http://www.ridesanddrives.com/" target="_blank">Rides & Drives</a>.<br />
<br />
Tony was famous for many things, one was his personal motto...<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b>"Drive fast. Take chances."</b></blockquote>
While Tony applied it to his time on the track and work at the word processor, it's easy to see how this simple phrase is crucial in business today.<br />
<br />
The "Take chances" half of the equation is a no brainer. Business is all about risk, taking it and managing it. Without taking chances, ignoring the doubters, pursuing a novel idea, there is no progress. At some level, every decision we make requires a leap of faith no matter how many consumers we talk to or how may prototypes we test. That's where the "Drive faster" part comes in.<br />
<br />
As the pace of change continues to accelerate, moving faster is a necessity. But it's not how just quickly you can get your product to market. Accelerating your <u>time to profitability</u> is crucial in a day where disrupters can enter the market from any direction and change the game seemingly overnight. That means a different way of innovating. Moving quickly with minimal investment, using MVPs to test the market, make adjustments, and move on.<br />
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This takes a clarity of vision, a commitment to strategy, decisive leadership, and an agile team. If you're mired by stages and gates, waiting for executive review committees, and fielding massive quantitative studies before making decisions, the market will pass you by.<br />
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It's time to run your business as Tony lived. Drive fast. Take chances.Harvey Briggshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01509290141801264985noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4470610300400974722.post-23582843698751286392019-03-27T08:02:00.001-05:002019-03-27T09:11:37.977-05:00Made You Look Marketing<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT2dWsJMmbTqz8e3XXq_7dms6yHbuK-6sAVO1Ecw3kYcepfRDSsreFCO6rrhOYxg_HH2fCX6vD8Sj89YCeAJXnOfkK4oO4mxc1yyUKQ8EiWirSfRROjFdBXpuBTgFv9hhQ7ADaKgL-tvo/s1600/2019-FullSize-LEGO-Silverado-02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1139" data-original-width="1600" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT2dWsJMmbTqz8e3XXq_7dms6yHbuK-6sAVO1Ecw3kYcepfRDSsreFCO6rrhOYxg_HH2fCX6vD8Sj89YCeAJXnOfkK4oO4mxc1yyUKQ8EiWirSfRROjFdBXpuBTgFv9hhQ7ADaKgL-tvo/s400/2019-FullSize-LEGO-Silverado-02.jpg" width="400" /></a>It's cheap. It's easy. It's virtually worthless. And it's happening far too often these days thanks in a large part to the proliferation of media and all the 24/7 platforms that unquenchable thirst for constant content.<br />
<br />
I call it "Made You Look Marketing." Or in other terms, executions in search of a strategy.<br />
<br />
The latest trend is auto manufacturers to get attention is to have someone make their cars out of Legos and seemingly everyone is doing it from <a href="https://media.chevrolet.com/media/us/en/chevrolet/home.detail.html/content/Pages/news/us/en/2019/jan/0119-lego.html" target="_blank">Chevrolet</a> to <a href="https://www.wired.com/story/lego-bugatti-chiron/" target="_blank">Bugatti</a> to <a href="https://www.autoblog.com/2019/03/26/lego-mclaren-senna-full-size/" target="_blank">McLaren</a>. For Chevy maybe it makes some sense because it's a tie-in to the Lego movie (we'll discuss the merits of that at a later date), but why are manufacturers of multimillion dollar cars <a href="https://www.thedrive.com/news/16962/the-mclaren-senna-is-sold-out" target="_blank">that are already sold out</a> doing it? And, how can a tactic that's right for a mainstream brand be appropriate for a niche manufacturer targeting the 1% of the 1% of the 1%?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDPmoGoct8_N_sOQRLMrWZd8wHQZv-igZbolGBBCmJFUC0aala1CQNpD5_Xfu683dPHEekE2u_bElie9fInu_yV51ndr30iCIZXH3yCS9rTaeWIegNFhzgu_qAOW7pmmt0b38slgZxrr8/s1600/lego_mclaren_senna_front.1pg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDPmoGoct8_N_sOQRLMrWZd8wHQZv-igZbolGBBCmJFUC0aala1CQNpD5_Xfu683dPHEekE2u_bElie9fInu_yV51ndr30iCIZXH3yCS9rTaeWIegNFhzgu_qAOW7pmmt0b38slgZxrr8/s400/lego_mclaren_senna_front.1pg.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
It's not just Lego cars either. So much is happening in marketing right now that is both derivative and ephemeral, with no grounding in marketing strategy and no lasting impact on brand image.<br />
<br />
This short-term thinking is leading marketers to follow the latest shiny new thing <a href="https://medium.com/swlh/stop-wasting-your-money-on-instagram-influencers-they-suck-87871eb9d915" target="_blank">regardless of its effectiveness</a>. In some cases, it's <a href="https://www.amazon.com/BadMen-Advertising-Minor-Annoyance-Menace/dp/0999230700/ref=asc_df_0999230700/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312060980065&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=12649703318364013483&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1028057&hvtargid=aud-643191255296:pla-416269204054&psc=1" target="_blank">undermining the integrity of our entire business</a>.<br />
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Marketing and branding is strategic and requires long-term vision from which short term tactics can be executed. The pressure to get clicks, views, likes, and follows as a proxy for awareness, preference, and sales has been going on for far too long. It's time for marketing leaders to thing about the future of their brands, not the next big thing in marketing.Harvey Briggshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01509290141801264985noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4470610300400974722.post-86486461107091985272014-10-17T14:19:00.001-05:002014-12-08T07:33:58.067-06:00Apple's social strategy is its products<div class="_5pbx userContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.38; overflow: hidden;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-y4xyNfeuPVTa6qiXFF4mlWoEkNT7PbXm_BD2J6G3LeEcBJfitgLF1IRTM_nmnNSZwBlLJQJuOupU8lXt2895ujKLZ9Xh051jV5Aymk-Q-oxTeqj2F9F8oLtGHekNx43IWh-T5aEJ0c0/s1600/ipada2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-y4xyNfeuPVTa6qiXFF4mlWoEkNT7PbXm_BD2J6G3LeEcBJfitgLF1IRTM_nmnNSZwBlLJQJuOupU8lXt2895ujKLZ9Xh051jV5Aymk-Q-oxTeqj2F9F8oLtGHekNx43IWh-T5aEJ0c0/s1600/ipada2.jpg" height="112" width="200" /></a></div>
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Recently, <span style="line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">Christopher Heine, digital editor of Adweek was quoted on Smartbrief as saying </span><span style="line-height: 1.38;">"It's really hard to figure out what Apple's social strategy is -- if it has one at all."</span></div>
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This comment stems from the fact that unlike most companies, Apple doesn't have a legion of ninjas, commandos, wizards and rockstars tweeting, posting and instagramming inane content for them all hours of the day and night. Instead they decided to drop a few hundred grand on a promoted tweet for the iPad Air.</div>
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<span style="line-height: 1.38;">Rather than manufacturing news, here's Apple's social strategy: They manufacture remarkable products their owners love to talk about.</span></div>
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Just because a brand doesn't talk about itself on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram doesn't mean it doesn't get talked about on those platforms. And in the end, what is more valuable, Samsung telling everyone how cool they are, or Apple users telling everyone how cool their iPads, Macbooks and iPhones are?</div>
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Yeah, I thought so.</div>
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Harvey Briggshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01509290141801264985noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4470610300400974722.post-10888814607571180502014-03-04T06:52:00.001-06:002018-06-14T15:49:32.931-05:00The penalty of idiocy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigq0193sgHQu2aoUhULtYyOCt0BJq37X5Jf0nCkxKGH6DnIFbDtbtO93Ee7QiBiwgAhkAKKGhzZka8C_FxvK51YFlEE85ZSoAQfS-IkSxLnsoqeZcay3ZdiRSwky2QrAU_KqCi6pKJCFE/s1600/Screen+Shot+2014-03-04+at+6.37.26+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="103" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigq0193sgHQu2aoUhULtYyOCt0BJq37X5Jf0nCkxKGH6DnIFbDtbtO93Ee7QiBiwgAhkAKKGhzZka8C_FxvK51YFlEE85ZSoAQfS-IkSxLnsoqeZcay3ZdiRSwky2QrAU_KqCi6pKJCFE/s1600/Screen+Shot+2014-03-04+at+6.37.26+AM.png" width="200" /></a></div>
The Cadillac ELR is a fine car. Not great, but not bad at all. It's comfortable, well-appointed and drives nicely. If you're looking for a luxury electric, you should test drive it. But that's not the point of this post.<br />
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This post is about the god-awful spot that launched this pretty good car.<br />
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By now you've probably seen it. The all-too-proud American mocking others for their work ethic (or lack thereof). But in case you haven't, here it is.<br />
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<iframe width="400" height="225" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/xNzXze5Yza8" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe>
First of all, Cadillac is not expecting to sell too many ELRs, especially given that this electric sled will set you back $75K. So being polarizing isn't necessarily a bad thing. It's just as important for a brand to know what it <i>doesn't</i> stand for as what it does.<br />
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The ELR is a statement car, one that's supposed to halo the brand. Unfortunately with this spot they've made the statement that the Cadillac brand is all about "me." Egoistic, self centered, arrogant and unapologetic.<br />
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GM's PR team have argued that the spot is about success, but that's not the message one takes away from the wink and sneering use of French at the end.<br />
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I think somewhere in their misguided heads, the creative team at Cadillac's new agency, Rogue, thought they were updating this classic and brand-defining print ad from 1915 for a new generation.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIYfkv4Enc7iOGzJ-pDAzB-MCJTrMSxi6JT15YKyFueYj2G4Gsr4v5LE-DDELpud285p2zSacPBKoht94ev3rgD4oIUiDVXbNm45F-1a0mCabFYjnsApGPVtINKozbhl__cKRtB-g7Rhg/s1600/1915-01-02+Cadillac.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="516" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIYfkv4Enc7iOGzJ-pDAzB-MCJTrMSxi6JT15YKyFueYj2G4Gsr4v5LE-DDELpud285p2zSacPBKoht94ev3rgD4oIUiDVXbNm45F-1a0mCabFYjnsApGPVtINKozbhl__cKRtB-g7Rhg/s1600/1915-01-02+Cadillac.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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If that's the case they whiffed badly.<br />
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It's one thing to voice your objection to the critics. It's another altogether to poke fun at other people and cultures.<br />
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In doing so Cadillac has alienated the very people they are hoping will buy new ATSs, CTSs, SRXs and ELRs; BMW, Audi, Mercedes and Jaguar owners.<br />
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It's time for Cadillac to admit their mistake and pull this spot.<br />
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"N'est-ce pas."Harvey Briggshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01509290141801264985noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4470610300400974722.post-90723137803358290862014-02-28T08:34:00.002-06:002014-02-28T08:34:44.858-06:00What the uncommon have in common<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB3gosP8dwuQQfg_i1l_0JJk6nAuW13sVWQWz_GbtWP993wK7cOsOtjpbL8kwJ3g525ud63EVSHSn2Qxhw9smxaiYy6hdswxhHBfOUVBWh9WYmyWOlkrLsFF8U4iwPA1SBT1_UKbfylqA/s1600/Screen+Shot+2014-02-28+at+8.16.15+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB3gosP8dwuQQfg_i1l_0JJk6nAuW13sVWQWz_GbtWP993wK7cOsOtjpbL8kwJ3g525ud63EVSHSn2Qxhw9smxaiYy6hdswxhHBfOUVBWh9WYmyWOlkrLsFF8U4iwPA1SBT1_UKbfylqA/s1600/Screen+Shot+2014-02-28+at+8.16.15+AM.png" height="200" width="198" /></a></div>
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There are a lot of lists of the best restaurants in the country. The food magazines have them. Zagat has one. </div>
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<br /></div>
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And then there's<b><span style="color: #b45f06;"> <a href="http://officialblog.yelp.com/2014/02/yelp-data-reveals-top-100-places-to-eat-bookmark-these-babies-now.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #b45f06;">this list</span></a></span></b> from Yelp. </div>
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Created by mining the data from their site using a combination of ratings and number of reviews, this list features everything from hot dog shacks to Michelin Star restaurants. It's so diverse that at first it's hard to make heads or tails of this list. </div>
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But read a few of the reviews and you realize there are a few common threads in all of the eateries on the list. </div>
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They're all remarkable.</div>
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They each have a point of view.</div>
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Their points of view extend beyond the food into everything they do.</div>
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They don't compromise.</div>
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If you want to create a business and a brand that customers rate as the very best, you could do worse than emulate these restauranteurs.</div>
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I think I might need to do some field "research" to gain a deeper understanding of this topic.</div>
Harvey Briggshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01509290141801264985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4470610300400974722.post-31885577245189598012014-02-27T05:48:00.001-06:002014-02-27T06:11:42.071-06:00Jack and Frank<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwtw3t8EaA5VCdY-i8-vl4WoAN3eSnYBwLvbhLjTtNnRVC6jzR1eN9DsELruGX69MEQXGHVbAGJfClPcRyC4dyCso0WYbCJxyWk-a5IeGwzrDXuVqJ-0qc0fY_XCTR83ydzaWiqA6T7cM/s1600/frank_sinatra_11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwtw3t8EaA5VCdY-i8-vl4WoAN3eSnYBwLvbhLjTtNnRVC6jzR1eN9DsELruGX69MEQXGHVbAGJfClPcRyC4dyCso0WYbCJxyWk-a5IeGwzrDXuVqJ-0qc0fY_XCTR83ydzaWiqA6T7cM/s1600/frank_sinatra_11.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
Celebrity endorsements are often forced and feel disingenuous, like when Tiger Woods was a spokesperson for Buick. Did anyone believe he really drove one?<br />
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This, however, is the kind of endorsement, I can endorse.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="225" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/h8n1ClGfS20" width="400"></iframe><br />
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Frank Sinatra drank Jack Daniel's on stage. Every night.<br />
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He wasn't paid to do it. No marketing guru scripted his line "Nectar of the gods, baby." It was what Frank believed and how he lived. It's a very cool and authentic part of the brand's heritage, one that's still relevant today.<br />
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Jack Daniel's is smart to remind us of Ol' Blue Eyes' love of their liquid and leverage this association to enhance the timelessness of the brand.<br />
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It proves that sometimes you can move forward by looking back.<br />
<br />Harvey Briggshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01509290141801264985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4470610300400974722.post-23175442734544214422014-02-25T06:00:00.000-06:002014-11-24T21:07:34.821-06:00Walmart takes back America after wrecking it<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC2xJHZXdWlS9teATQEcRe3cIy1Q3wLjLNTwSz2eS-RBRP4iV_4qRnmLqwUi3PF_gIANPbYMA0e0NwJNepCYP4kfCSiQpM39QfsGebEcpX28wiM76flUwFx1TRpT5ZOuvpWkZHfHUDm5k/s1600/Screen+Shot+2014-02-25+at+5.50.34+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC2xJHZXdWlS9teATQEcRe3cIy1Q3wLjLNTwSz2eS-RBRP4iV_4qRnmLqwUi3PF_gIANPbYMA0e0NwJNepCYP4kfCSiQpM39QfsGebEcpX28wiM76flUwFx1TRpT5ZOuvpWkZHfHUDm5k/s1600/Screen+Shot+2014-02-25+at+5.50.34+AM.png" height="193" width="200" /></a>Walmart was founded by Sam Walton, a smart, hard-working former Ben Franklin store franchisee who knew that through superior logistics, he could drive cost out of the system and offer goods a lower prices, thus helping people buy more of what they need.<br />
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A World War II veteran, Mr. Walton also made a concerted effort to offer American-made products in his stores, identifying domestic manufacturers who could deliver goods at or below the price of products that were made in Japan, then the worlds low-cost production center.<br />
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Somewhere along the way, Walmart went from focusing on selling low-cost American-made goods to the lowest cost products it could find no matter where they were made. This led U.S. manufacturers to move production to lower cost labor markets like Mexico, China, Indonesia and South Korea, which in turn led to the collapse of entire manufacturing sectors in the U.S. like textiles and electronics. Walmart's policies have also been a major contributing factor to wage stagnation to the point where good factory jobs: once a ticket to the middle class, now barely pay a living wage.<br />
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I'm not saying this migration of labor and stagnation of wages wouldn't have happened without Walmart, but their policies and practices certainly were a contributing factor to the pace of change.<br />
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That's why I find this new "Investing in American Jobs" ad campaign a little disingenuous.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="225" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/0LYI--n-tjE?list=PLs6zAwIMDe3PixJhPPTT3Ks55ZoS-uxhN" width="400"></iframe><br />
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I also find it ironic – and a little tone deaf – that the sound track for this ad, was outsourced to the Canadian band, Rush.<br />
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Other than that, this is a fine ad.Harvey Briggshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01509290141801264985noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4470610300400974722.post-60034051203953143502014-02-24T06:41:00.000-06:002014-05-08T16:54:03.488-05:00Got milk? Not anymore.Okay, I don't want to come across as one of those old farts who decries every change, so I'll state for the record that I believe as good as it has been, after 20 years the "Got Milk" campaign has become stale and invisible.<br />
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It was definitely time for a new campaign – or at least a major overhaul based on a new strategy to help make milk more relevant among a population that has more beverage choices and more information about the choices they're making.<br />
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I'm not sure, however, this is the campaign that will make us all suddenly rush to the store and start buying gallon after gallon of the white stuff.<br />
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<br />
This campaign doesn't tell me anything new or make me feel anything I haven't already felt about the product. Protein, vitamin D, calcium; yep milk is full of good stuff. We know that.<br />
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Like the guy who replaces the John Elway or Peyton Manning, this campaign has a very high bar to live up to.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="300" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/OLSsswr6z9Y" width="400"></iframe><br />
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It doesn't.<br />
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If you want to replace a legend you have to be more than ordinary – and this campaign with its focus on functional benefits paired with trite imagery and a visual gimmick – is just that.Harvey Briggshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01509290141801264985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4470610300400974722.post-58517998483484028692013-12-13T07:36:00.001-06:002013-12-13T07:50:16.691-06:00A marketing miracleBy now, we've all seen this video of the amazing stunt marketing event from the Canadian Airline, WestJet.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="225" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/zIEIvi2MuEk" width="400"></iframe><br />
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Actually 19 million people have viewed it directly on Youtube, more on social media channels and millions upon millions have read about it thanks to all the press its garnered in just the week since it was posted.<br />
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How did they achieve such success?<br />
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Let's start with the concept. It's big. No, not just big, huge. I can barely get the shopping done for my family in the weeks leading up to Christmas. Buying Christmas gifts for 250 people in just a few hours is a massive undertaking.<br />
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It was executed perfectly.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpfEgr_mjKf8EfYuDOG0LPbVTt8vtl1FKKpBTPerqj5rfMJkWLaWF89uX7wRhFEa1xCBCQQpIR1LuOynYwkXCtyqIX_Uys2soC2cw4Ihm_D-fLxBcek8w8tFvpM_pclRa8qzaWDMsP5M0/s1600/westjet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="111" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpfEgr_mjKf8EfYuDOG0LPbVTt8vtl1FKKpBTPerqj5rfMJkWLaWF89uX7wRhFEa1xCBCQQpIR1LuOynYwkXCtyqIX_Uys2soC2cw4Ihm_D-fLxBcek8w8tFvpM_pclRa8qzaWDMsP5M0/s200/westjet.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
Starting with Santa on video gathering wishes, to the army of employees who were sent to do the shopping to the decorations around the baggage carousel, they nailed every detail. It was magical from start to finish.<br />
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This effort was clearly genuine, heartfelt and relevant, promoting the company's real differentiator, service.<br />
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The result is that for less than the cost of producing a national TV commercial, WestJet was able to create international fame. This is an incredible marketing achievement that is sure to be honored at Cannes and every other advertising festival next year.<br />
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The question is, how can they take the momentum from this event and use it to build their business in the coming year? Their brand now stands for 'miracles' and they have to deliver on that promise on a regular basis, maybe not with grand stunts like this, but little gestures that demonstrate how much they care about their passengers. Otherwise, this big event is just marketing and all the energy it created will be drained as quickly as the batteries in a child's toy on Christmas morning.<br />
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I'm assuming that a company smart enough to create and execute this event knows that. So I'm looking forward to seeing what they do next.Harvey Briggshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01509290141801264985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4470610300400974722.post-41344616943886401592013-11-20T04:20:00.003-06:002013-11-20T04:27:30.044-06:00Is your brand fireproof?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxXG2hejvrZM3qe_sVOee7JacTqFctfcLkz2m19vkQDx5msgaFKiSrt7-DbOul86rur2JPjAgkWixMBmQbyOkDrbEAzTGLLfJN2cwWSO_dUAzRFYx39SGWKFxwLhM4Tj_FVVwuM03BUgI/s1600/Tesla_fire.png_610x457.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxXG2hejvrZM3qe_sVOee7JacTqFctfcLkz2m19vkQDx5msgaFKiSrt7-DbOul86rur2JPjAgkWixMBmQbyOkDrbEAzTGLLfJN2cwWSO_dUAzRFYx39SGWKFxwLhM4Tj_FVVwuM03BUgI/s200/Tesla_fire.png_610x457.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
On June 2, 2011, a full three weeks after it was crash tested in a controlled environment by the NHTSA, a Chevy Volt caught fire because the battery was improperly handled after the crash. You'd have thought from the resulting media firestorm that every Volt ever sold up to that time had caught fire and that GM management had perpetrated a coverup larger and more nefarious than Area 51 and Watergate combined.<br />
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Yesterday, the NHTSA announced it will investigate the Tesla S after a third car caught fire immediately after a crash on the open road in just the past two months. And yet, criticism of Tesla is slow to come.<br />
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What's the difference?<br />
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The brand.<br />
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People have been burned (pun intended) so often by GM's engineering missteps over the years that they almost expect any new technology that comes from GM to be flawed. Thus a story about one car that was involved in an artificial crash simulation and caught fire only because government safety investigators didn't follow GM's published protocols for draining and discharging the battery after a crash, suddenly became "fires." It got so bad that to calm owners' fears GM had to offer up loaner cars while an investigation took place.<br />
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Tesla and Elon Musk, on the other hand, don't have GM's baggage, so the fires are minor issues. Teething pains for a fledgling company, if you will. The media and public don't assume negligence or incompetence, and even give Musk credit for requesting an investigation into the fire (though the NHTSA disputes that claim).<br />
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If you have a strong brand, a good reputation, it can protect you from the occasional stumble. But if you stumble too often for too long then that becomes your brand and what people expect from you.<br />
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That's why Tesla's brand is acting as a fire extinguisher, while GM's brand only fuels the flames.Harvey Briggshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01509290141801264985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4470610300400974722.post-44677728262751086252013-10-16T08:37:00.001-05:002014-11-17T18:15:24.127-06:00A campaign I hate (and love)<div>
Personally, I hate the new Dodge Durango campaign featuring Will Ferrell. It feels gimmicky, forced and just doesn't speak to me.</div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="225" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/pkC8iXR5SmU" width="400"></iframe></div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="225" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/VxWAFOVrYKA" width="400"></iframe></div>
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But I'm a also big fan of this campaign.</div>
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What? How can I hate it and be a fan?</div>
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In a word, positioning. </div>
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It's an old marketing term made famous by Jack Trout and Al Reis in the book <i>Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind</i>, and it's as relevant today as it was 32 years ago when the book was published in 1981.</div>
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This campaign is funny. It's disruptive. It's memorable. It's Will Ferrell at his finest. More importantly it actually positions the vehicle in the minds of potential buyers.</div>
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Dodge Durango is a mid-size SUV competing with Ford Explorer, Chevy Traverse, Toyota 4Runner and others of its ilk. A cursory review of the marketing for all these nameplates leads me to believe that none of these companies are doing a good job of creating a differentiated positioning for the products in this space. They're all go anywhere, do anything vehicles for you and your family. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhaEm4ptkDYa7gB3lhaQLBA57_sx1Wkzk_eADL1cbmfjxGRrmN9b4LHq-AbyxV39RL6pI35d1hnHkyXLwmRlpkDiHeDsuFgOVp1Mequ9hsRfdEB6em5qcdgzaWdaWUySVhA1UY7FgFR74/s1600/durango.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhaEm4ptkDYa7gB3lhaQLBA57_sx1Wkzk_eADL1cbmfjxGRrmN9b4LHq-AbyxV39RL6pI35d1hnHkyXLwmRlpkDiHeDsuFgOVp1Mequ9hsRfdEB6em5qcdgzaWdaWUySVhA1UY7FgFR74/s200/durango.jpeg" height="112" width="200" /></a></div>
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So I give Dodge credit for doing something different. I noticed. And I'm sure millions of others did also. The positioning take away is that the Durango is the bad boy of the category. The mid-size SUV that's powerful, rough around the edges and maybe a little bit more fun. </div>
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I like that this campaign (and the Dodge brand in general) is not trying to be all things to all people. And it's the positioning that gives it that edge. They know what they're about, who they're for, who they're not for and how they're going to be different. Assuming this product delivers on that expectation <i>and</i> an SUV with those characteristics is relevant to enough people, this campaign should be a success. </div>
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This positioning isn't for me. I prefer my rides a bit more sophisticated, but at least Dodge is not delivering ads that are bland – or worse yet invisible – which is the case with Honda, Nissan, Ford, Chevy and so many other car companies.</div>
Harvey Briggshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01509290141801264985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4470610300400974722.post-13193183467973732422013-10-10T07:09:00.000-05:002014-05-08T17:03:12.818-05:00Ordinary isn't extraordinaryYesterday evening, after a crowded but uneventful flight from Nashville to Newark, I grabbed my bag, got on the bus that took me from terminal A to terminal C and then hoofed it a few hundred feet to a very crowded gate 92.<br />
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No problem and nothing out of the ordinary.<br />
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Our plane was on time so I hung around the gate and waited for the boarding call which came just as expected. Since I was in zone 5, the last to board, I sat and waited while they pre-boarded, got all the first-class passengers settled in and started general boarding.<br />
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Our 737 was packed and fortunately I had been able to change from a middle seat to an aisle, but by the time they called my group, we were informed all the overheads were full and we'd have to check our bags. A hassle for sure, but not a big deal in the grand scheme of things. When I finally got on the flight I dropped into my seat to settle in for what promised to be an on-time departure.<br />
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All in all it was just a normal day of air travel. Nothing bad happened. Nothing special happened. But due to the crowds, lines, checked bags, bad airport food, etc., it was exhausting.<br />
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Then a tiny monitor in the seatback in front of me flickered on and this video began to play.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="225" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/-Blm35kaBso?list=PLqQvvBHonI8jN1jvkMlQj5aeQynvG0jmW" width="400"></iframe><br />
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What was this world they were depicting in this video? Where were these smiling, helpful people?<br />
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Now don't get me wrong, no one was unfriendly, a little curt at times perhaps. But nothing about the experience was exceptional. By showing me this video in the midst of an incredibly average and ordinary trip, United made that obvious.<br />
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Here's the issue. You can say you're exceptional. You can train your people like crazy. You can put all the incentives in place you want, but unless I experience it, it isn't happening. After being herded onto the plane with 200 other tired, cranky passengers I couldn't have been less receptive of this message.<br />
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My guess is that if the people who placed this video were a little more empathetic and understanding of what we'd just been through they wouldn't have shown it right at that moment.Harvey Briggshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01509290141801264985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4470610300400974722.post-20041273059123344522013-10-08T03:47:00.000-05:002013-10-08T03:48:48.924-05:00The future is hereSamsung has hit its stride.<br />
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This spot for the new Galaxy Gear wrist computer hits just the right balance between intrigue and information, tone and truth. It works hard without trying too hard. Maybe that's why it was one of the few spots that aired over the weekend where people in the room I was in stopped talking about the game for 60 seconds and actually watched an ad.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="225" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/f2AjPfHTIS4" width="400"></iframe><br />
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One thing I like about this spot is that it seems Samsung have finally gotten over their Apple envy and are ready to promote their own products without bashing those of a worthy adversary. Maybe that's just because there is not equivalent Apple product or maybe, just maybe they're ready to sell their devices on their merit.<br />
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Either way, thanks to <a href="http://www.72andsunny.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #b45f06;">72andSunny</span></a> for concepting and producing a great spot and sparing me from another lousy car, truck or beer ad during the game. Now let's just hope the product actually lives up to the promise of those Hollywood gadgets that inspired it.Harvey Briggshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01509290141801264985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4470610300400974722.post-89341322000331434932013-10-03T07:26:00.005-05:002020-06-09T09:00:35.308-05:00Everyone has a brandI spend a lot of my time talking about branding and its impact on a business. Invariably, someone will say, "My business is too small. I don't have a brand." To which I reply:<br />
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If you're in business, you're branding.</div>
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When you pick a name for your company, you're branding.</div>
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When you hire your first employee, you're branding.</div>
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When you answer the phone, you're branding.</div>
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When you design your product, you're branding.</div>
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When you choose your location, you're branding.</div>
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When you pick your office furniture, you're branding.</div>
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Branding isn't just your marketing communications. It's everything you do, because everything you do communicates something about your brand.</div>
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That's why it's important to make sure you understand your mission, vision, promise and values so you can deliver on them consistently every time in every interaction to any audience. A strong brand directs more than marketing. It directs your business.</div>
Harvey Briggshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01509290141801264985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4470610300400974722.post-27157272213146597772013-10-01T07:16:00.002-05:002013-10-01T12:48:04.098-05:00What's in a brand name?This is a caterpillar.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPzAPmpwA-41YKkoC68ruezfvj_maYbbaQTwX59jJAI6Tyq2vIWKMM3r7cvXzoK-x_yJ5a_-zMXJN3gfeaFiEz141iNqEpHqu4xslrVgNM2fv-UNWsYozkJWgOyA8Wivah5l93UlY4MHg/s1600/caterpillar1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPzAPmpwA-41YKkoC68ruezfvj_maYbbaQTwX59jJAI6Tyq2vIWKMM3r7cvXzoK-x_yJ5a_-zMXJN3gfeaFiEz141iNqEpHqu4xslrVgNM2fv-UNWsYozkJWgOyA8Wivah5l93UlY4MHg/s320/caterpillar1.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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So is this.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyrSph3BarEIMWYUsZ-v0VVaYM-tC137WjhEVMHnM6ikTdHkpnw1gW10xvxkXPrAoS-eoapI6zKNJFPe0QuELkikQxuEbXSLfoMoBOeCVw7pcDNo1IibHOG5wpIf4AwcPlJYEZz-9jNvs/s1600/caterpillar2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyrSph3BarEIMWYUsZ-v0VVaYM-tC137WjhEVMHnM6ikTdHkpnw1gW10xvxkXPrAoS-eoapI6zKNJFPe0QuELkikQxuEbXSLfoMoBOeCVw7pcDNo1IibHOG5wpIf4AwcPlJYEZz-9jNvs/s320/caterpillar2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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This is an apple.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZtMsjU7HaUuzbu1Z94M59HZyNjhuavtHBoyHwkpnhs5hPgIW1KkZjHsJV_iDPDfL-zxmC-fXNeFn1GZsMt-fWfWX_OyO8x1iyd8jb32IEdH00tz-mS1pGa8uFZOj8a3ikEYiBoG1iS94/s1600/apple1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZtMsjU7HaUuzbu1Z94M59HZyNjhuavtHBoyHwkpnhs5hPgIW1KkZjHsJV_iDPDfL-zxmC-fXNeFn1GZsMt-fWfWX_OyO8x1iyd8jb32IEdH00tz-mS1pGa8uFZOj8a3ikEYiBoG1iS94/s320/apple1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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So is this.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpUQ6UDv83X-VedXZRmqweU2HqT0ffeTzFNrmcPR9AO7RvS_2PorPPIvEvcKr1IryvAUUg0ivrNsfxjOHLdHbpDa5uijhPRVK8QiaB05n-PHkgILGZ0j1O93OARE2FxuE-3sxmeAz8n5E/s1600/Apple3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="370" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpUQ6UDv83X-VedXZRmqweU2HqT0ffeTzFNrmcPR9AO7RvS_2PorPPIvEvcKr1IryvAUUg0ivrNsfxjOHLdHbpDa5uijhPRVK8QiaB05n-PHkgILGZ0j1O93OARE2FxuE-3sxmeAz8n5E/s320/Apple3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Brand names become brand names when they are given context in the form of products, features, benefits and values. Until then, they are just words.<br />
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That's why a lot of product names never become brands. Companies don't take the time or make the investments to transform them from words into brands.<br />
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Successful companies create powerful brands by focusing on a name and working hard to promote that. Apple is the brand that drives sales of it's products. iPhone, iPad, iMac are just product descriptors, not brands.<br />
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Even P&G has simplified its "house of brands" strategy and focused on a smaller, more powerful portfolio of product line brands like Tide, Crest and Fabreze. The corporate brand does very little to sell those products.<br />
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Understanding which name drives your brand is critical to understanding where to invest and when you might need a new brand to launch a new product or service.<br />
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Because when it comes to brands, the name's the thing.Harvey Briggshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01509290141801264985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4470610300400974722.post-35299698060619914662013-09-27T06:45:00.001-05:002013-09-27T06:45:08.362-05:00Moving forward<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX2Fmt4mzmKZgHv2zlJxcLPJG_LACLpyn6KAc93HOKOEi37dhnyuD_JjWkXdqp4rkXYAFTOJOT2hdozVNwImtrHR-WyGrJ3bhEMMvzzcYV0Z5VvoTDjTko4LrRRe2tO2wm2pRizZB3llI/s1600/sshot504f0901876e4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="138" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX2Fmt4mzmKZgHv2zlJxcLPJG_LACLpyn6KAc93HOKOEi37dhnyuD_JjWkXdqp4rkXYAFTOJOT2hdozVNwImtrHR-WyGrJ3bhEMMvzzcYV0Z5VvoTDjTko4LrRRe2tO2wm2pRizZB3llI/s200/sshot504f0901876e4.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
As you may have noticed, I haven't been blogging for nearly two weeks.<br />
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This break was unplanned, and not the result of anything other than the fact that I really needed a break.<br />
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I will be back next week, but not every day.<br />
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Going forward I will blog on Tuesdays and Thursdays with the occasional extra post thrown in when something just can't wait. I will continue to share my thoughts on all the smart and stupid things that companies do around marketing, branding and new products.<br />
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Thanks for your patience and your patronage.<br />
<br />
See you next week.Harvey Briggshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01509290141801264985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4470610300400974722.post-50025249485380519872013-09-16T08:00:00.002-05:002013-09-16T08:00:46.892-05:00Who are you for?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKUtQ7JFc7BgrWzAdVjn-nMhFtNFonPdCTUESsru-UkUCQCoppbUVG1VBeicZWRaMZUDasoWxO5LI1Sa7DbYNH43YLzm9RJoAe8CUyQhAHWgN8J-hXMJOfjMSYUZz5blslXg02CSbBZZ8/s1600/Lennon&mccartney.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKUtQ7JFc7BgrWzAdVjn-nMhFtNFonPdCTUESsru-UkUCQCoppbUVG1VBeicZWRaMZUDasoWxO5LI1Sa7DbYNH43YLzm9RJoAe8CUyQhAHWgN8J-hXMJOfjMSYUZz5blslXg02CSbBZZ8/s200/Lennon&mccartney.png" width="200" /></a></div>
Back in 1969 John Lennon and Paul McCartney penned the lyric, "And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make."<br />
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I doubt they were thinking about branding when they they sang it on Abbey Road, but great companies understand the reciprocal nature of their relationships with their customers.<br />
<br />
If you want to create advocates for your brands, you have to advocate for them first. So the question you must ask is, "Who are you for?"<br />
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Now let me be clear, that is not "Who would you like to sell to?"<br />
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That's "Who are you supporting, rooting for, fighting for?"<br />
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P & G doesn't just make diapers, wipes, toothpaste, soap, beauty products and detergents. They are <i>for</i> moms.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="225" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/Gp9YswKmGJc" width="400"></iframe><br />
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Harley Davidson doesn't just make motorcycles. They are there <i>for</i> riders.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="225" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/_L8Ct7A8Gq4?list=PLwc1jOvPei-S4sLSWok9NEI08ViZ8ie2c" width="400"></iframe><br />
<br />
Organic Valley doesn't just sell food. They are <i>for</i> farmers.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtxUkw2mD-KgeSilgoMGlPhAsQJgIOQU4KUHUHN9f1DH7vz7olwQPBlGcD42IZ5bNaF4nXKHm5HJjQ0N5zfObfwzkwsBsHw3nNd6FlICMC6EZQfOJYoypmPc6b4DFijdkaGhWJeRNyDl8/s1600/screen-capture-1.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtxUkw2mD-KgeSilgoMGlPhAsQJgIOQU4KUHUHN9f1DH7vz7olwQPBlGcD42IZ5bNaF4nXKHm5HJjQ0N5zfObfwzkwsBsHw3nNd6FlICMC6EZQfOJYoypmPc6b4DFijdkaGhWJeRNyDl8/s1600/screen-capture-1.png" /></a></div>
<br />
Want to create passionate, loyal fans who are willing to pay more and advocate for your brand?<br />
<br />
Then ask yourself one question, "Who are you for?"Harvey Briggshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01509290141801264985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4470610300400974722.post-31325397316147227542013-09-13T07:47:00.003-05:002013-09-13T07:52:26.156-05:00How ESPN anchors its network<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaja4x8QOED0uhGA2sv7iPyRUTSojbCGyn4nTd47c_LPmGq3bwwaPt_w9dCHmPB7nt3WXDpcILgobb991N9Y4DrW8ndcv7C_auJpSdIvmNB-DLsWUbKfs7HmyvNeAGieezG1dkSC3QAA0/s1600/fox-sports-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="112" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaja4x8QOED0uhGA2sv7iPyRUTSojbCGyn4nTd47c_LPmGq3bwwaPt_w9dCHmPB7nt3WXDpcILgobb991N9Y4DrW8ndcv7C_auJpSdIvmNB-DLsWUbKfs7HmyvNeAGieezG1dkSC3QAA0/s200/fox-sports-1.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
ESPN is clearly holding its own in the new battle over 24-hour sports television. They have the NFL, MLB, NBA and other important live sports properties. But they have something else. An incredibly strong brand in SportsCenter, their nightly wrap up show that has been a staple of the network almost since its inception.<br />
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<div>
Why is SportsCenter so strong?</div>
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<br /></div>
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Not because they show scores and highlights, you can get most of those on your local news sports segment. Not because of all the high-tech wizardry they use on their set. Not even because it's on one of ESPN's networks almost every hour of the day.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
What makes SportsCenter so strong is its cast of anchors and the personalities each member has created for him or herself. If you watch the show regularly you know who likes which sports, their catchphrases and the idiosyncrasies that make their presentation of sports news interesting.<br />
<br />
But one way the network helps bring those personalities to life and demonstrate how inside sports ESPN is, is the <i>This is SportCenter </i>campaign, of which this is just the latest excellent execution.</div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="225" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/XOjpmsmJUqI" width="400"></iframe></div>
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<div>
If Fox, NBC or CBS ever get into the conversation of 24-hour sports broadcasting, it will be because they don't just deliver sports news and but because of the strong brands of the people who deliver that news.<br />
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That's the only way to truly differentiate their networks in the long run.</div>
Harvey Briggshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01509290141801264985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4470610300400974722.post-5434675277802461122013-09-12T07:43:00.001-05:002013-09-12T07:49:00.347-05:00A moment of silence<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs8gOftskokhsS02qWGFohvrG4QGcGtOzEj9bFpKvzPjOI8W8y9aqFELv7IzBQqQ1j3_DUHPCUDFkVgAkWq6Gz9OO4heLrzPoG2gCjvtS1-FdGJzYjnjfsRP9ymSNrD3WwZd_7twqWV54/s1600/tumbledown-jpg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="111" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs8gOftskokhsS02qWGFohvrG4QGcGtOzEj9bFpKvzPjOI8W8y9aqFELv7IzBQqQ1j3_DUHPCUDFkVgAkWq6Gz9OO4heLrzPoG2gCjvtS1-FdGJzYjnjfsRP9ymSNrD3WwZd_7twqWV54/s200/tumbledown-jpg.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
Twelve years is a long time. But when you're dealing with an event where thousands lost their lives and was the impetus for a war that cost thousands more, it might as well be twelve seconds.<br />
<br />
Like the attack on Pearl Harbor or the Battle of Gettysburg, the Twin Towers falling is a permanent marker in the history of our nation. The last thing anyone needs is an advertiser telling us to "never forget."<br />
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As if we ever could.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZZunu4QcMqvpshdOn71v-O7PEItktPLksUdUU2zVDyMnEpl7nOwV7n2FyfZIEypV0d5-dKkzA9Wjdb8D6w3-30UxqjzxItJJt83sY02c8ClPHq0wQpmrqv7eu5wtRLWd-2n9skCpElfU/s1600/o-ATT-911-TWEET-570.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZZunu4QcMqvpshdOn71v-O7PEItktPLksUdUU2zVDyMnEpl7nOwV7n2FyfZIEypV0d5-dKkzA9Wjdb8D6w3-30UxqjzxItJJt83sY02c8ClPHq0wQpmrqv7eu5wtRLWd-2n9skCpElfU/s200/o-ATT-911-TWEET-570.jpg" width="188" /></a></div>
364 days a year the mantra "Do good and take credit" make sense in PR. Help out veterans, donate to first responders groups, give to the food bank, build affordable housing, then promote your largesse to build goodwill.<br />
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On 9/11 do something because it's the right thing to do and if people find out, they'll give you credit. Self serving promotion on this day that has so many emotions attached to it by everyone in the nation has very little upside and a whole lot of downside as AT&T and Tumbledown Trails found out.<br />
<br />
Frankly, even though this "tribute" is beautifully shot, edited and scored, it's still an ad for beer no matter how loudly the folks at Budweiser say it's not.<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="225" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/Px5YcOeQB4I" width="400"></iframe><br />
<br />
Next year please, if you must commemorate 9/11, do so like most Americans, in a moment of self-reflective silence.<br />
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Thinly veiled attempts to connect with consumers through their grief is just a little more than I can take.Harvey Briggshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01509290141801264985noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4470610300400974722.post-83980735173017545312013-09-06T07:34:00.000-05:002013-09-06T11:03:41.454-05:00CEO No!I wasn't going to comment on the new Yahoo! logo until I read this headline in Ad Age.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc2PbdmGy2cUlU_kKzBAPlfBjQRyQ9u33vNx2h8YQ_MIBzLFYGQkdL8t5ruOFuWpLB9ZU6XdIghXluBrQUc2uWuP2y-8ncCem4QUTLnB_-GDwNaJ0qluCamG0SmVzTtWyioXyRumHImk4/s1600/screen-capture.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="130" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc2PbdmGy2cUlU_kKzBAPlfBjQRyQ9u33vNx2h8YQ_MIBzLFYGQkdL8t5ruOFuWpLB9ZU6XdIghXluBrQUc2uWuP2y-8ncCem4QUTLnB_-GDwNaJ0qluCamG0SmVzTtWyioXyRumHImk4/s400/screen-capture.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Wow, she worked a whole weekend on it!<br />
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No wonder it looks like it came right out of the 1980s.<br />
<br />
Ms. Mayer, you are the CEO of a company that some say is worth $25 billion. Do you really think the best use of your time is playing with Illustrator? Every designer in America had to cringe when they read this quote:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"On a personal level, I love brands, logos, color, design, and, most of all, Adobe Illustrator. I think it's one of the most incredible software packages ever made. I'm not a pro, but I know enough to be dangerous :) So, one weekend this summer, I rolled up my sleeves and dove into the trenches with our logo design team."</blockquote>
Well, at least she was right about one thing. Based on the result of this project, she is dangerous.<br />
<br />
What is it with CEOs and their belief that there is no subject they are not expert in? Are they given a subliminal messaging tape in business school to play while they sleep that says, "You know everything about everything" on an infinite loop?<br />
<br />
Here's a tip for CEOs everywhere.<br />
<br />
Unless you went to RISD, CCS, Pratt or Art Center, leave the design work to the professionals.<br />
<br />
I'm not saying you can't have an opinion, but believe it or not great designers aren't a dime a dozen. Designing a logo isn't as easy as powering up a Mac and opening Illustrator, even though the best designers often make it look that way.<br />
<br />
Design matters as much as anything in business. Would you "roll up your sleeves" with your lawyers and help them file your patent applications? Would you dive into the trenches with your software engineers and help them write code?<br />
<br />
If the answer is yes, you're going to have a hell of a time getting good people to work for you.<br />
<br />
Do your job and let other people do theirs. You'll be surprised at how much better that works for everyone.Harvey Briggshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01509290141801264985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4470610300400974722.post-29167043519473522472013-09-05T07:42:00.000-05:002015-11-25T06:24:09.883-06:00Ignore your brand at your own peril<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKFYSPTmR5Q1vz14ZXzYkY3OX1zc89eWhizmwty89ZoSZJOc1ivsi5nC8EhdhBfCPpeUsKFxR9bX5A5Lg89_6fBIeMwvInUK5sxPM6QmIO4iAucG3tWcUewDrEWNTOxbMItUuxeCyWdrY/s1600/2014-hyundai-equus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKFYSPTmR5Q1vz14ZXzYkY3OX1zc89eWhizmwty89ZoSZJOc1ivsi5nC8EhdhBfCPpeUsKFxR9bX5A5Lg89_6fBIeMwvInUK5sxPM6QmIO4iAucG3tWcUewDrEWNTOxbMItUuxeCyWdrY/s200/2014-hyundai-equus.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
Hyundai has hit a speed bump on its way to what it had hoped would be a sales leadership position in the United States auto market.<br />
<br />
While Hyudai's sales were up 8.2% over the previous year last month, that lags the overall growth in the U.S. market, which expanded by more than 17%.<br />
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What's behind this slow down?<br />
<br />
In my mind, a misguided strategy. Funny thing is, it's the same strategy that has hampered VWs growth for decades.<br />
<br />
Like VW, Hyundai came into the U.S. market as a classic disruptor, with low-cost materials, basic design and just enough features to be attractive. But their cars were inexpensive, so they sold to those who wanted a new car and could afford nothing else. It was a strategy that helped them grab sales from Toyota, Chevrolet, Honda, Ford and other mainstream brands.<br />
<br />
But then they altered their focus slightly, still offering a low price, but attempting to improve the perceived quality of their products by upgrading the materials and their styling. They also helped mitigate the perception of poor quality by offering a ten year 100,000 mile warranty. In addition when the economy went soft, they created their Assurance Program which allowed new buyers to return their cars with no hit to their credit if they lost their job. As they did this sales accelerated and the Elantra and Sonata both climbed the sales charts.<br />
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Not satisfied, however, to enjoy growing success at the lower end of the market where margins are thin, Hyundai decided they had the brand power to take on more entrenched and esteemed competition at the high end of the market in the states.<br />
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So just a two years after running commercials that were designed to teach people how to pronounce their brand name...<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="225" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/puG0WOgAUfs" width="400"></iframe><br />
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Hyundai introduced the $60,000 Equus in the U.S. adding Lexus, Audi, BMW and Mercedes to their competitive set.<br />
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VW made the same mistake in the early 2000s when they tried to move upscale by launching the Phaeton.<br />
<br />
While the cars themselves might be fine, with luxurious appointments, acceptable power and everything else the leaders in this category offer, neither the VW nor Hyundai brand are able to support a credible competitor to Audi, Mercedes, Lexus and BMW.<br />
<br />
If they really wanted to launch and upscale product, they only had to look at Toyota for a roadmap. Lexus was launched in the late 1980s because Toyota had taken a large chunk of the mainstream market and wanted to migrate into the luxury segment. They knew, however, Toyota wouldn't be relevant at the top end of the world's most important automotive market, so Lexus was born.<br />
<br />
They didn't just build a new car, however. They built a whole new brand. With separate dealerships. Separate experiences. Separate promises. That's why they succeeded where VW and Hyundai seem to be falling short.<br />
<br />
Hyundai can't compete at both ends of the market with one brand. Luxury buyers don't want the same badge on their car as one advertised by local dealers to the credit challenged. Nor do they want to be seen in the same dealership as consumers who aren't sure if they can even afford a new car.<br />
<br />
The powers that be in Seoul need to let Hyundai be Hyundai. And, if they really must compete at the high end of the market, spend the money to create a new brand.Harvey Briggshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01509290141801264985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4470610300400974722.post-73931888922460664412013-09-03T07:36:00.000-05:002013-09-03T07:36:26.124-05:00A teaching momentI can only imagine how unhappy executives at Mercedes Benz were when they first saw this spec ad made by German film school students.<div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="225" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/289UKsaf1uo" width="400"></iframe></div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
While this ad is clearly disruptive, memorable and demonstrates a new product feature, it is yet another reason why creative directors are critically important in today's youth obsessed advertising culture.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyU_0YS4cXSr5nTGKi6fIA9FbkDnLWY5vOV3gVYAQfTJUfW7OdeL6X29c3eCMnSn48SQd4ERm8pyk-v74w2irjzmEwfJ1Yo37mVIi9wGUv9WhwDsqUN4_GGFE9h8er8UMtOibMiDp2g4k/s1600/MB_hitler66.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="153" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyU_0YS4cXSr5nTGKi6fIA9FbkDnLWY5vOV3gVYAQfTJUfW7OdeL6X29c3eCMnSn48SQd4ERm8pyk-v74w2irjzmEwfJ1Yo37mVIi9wGUv9WhwDsqUN4_GGFE9h8er8UMtOibMiDp2g4k/s200/MB_hitler66.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div>
A good creative director has enough experience to understand there's a line between funny and offensive. A good creative director might also have a sense of history and know that there's a direct link between the Mercedes Benz, Hitler and the Third Reich – an association I'm sure the brand is loathe to remind people of. One can only hope that if the team worked in an actual agency a good CD would have reminded them of that fact and sent them back to the drawing board as their teachers should have.</div>
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I'm not even sure the students' basic premise makes any sense. Tobias Hunter, Jan Mettler, Lydia Lohse and Gun Aydemir, the creators of this ad were quoted as saying "We wanted to pose the question of what might happen if technology had a soul."</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
The ability to peer into the future and decide who lives and dies hardly qualifies as soul. <br /></div>
<div>
What this spot has me wondering is if those students have a soul between them. Otherwise how could they use the fact that millions of people suffered and died at the hands of Hitler and his disciples to sell a car brand that helped him even peripherally in this effort?</div>
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<div>
Hopefully they've learned through this little media brouhaha what they weren't taught in ad school.</div>
Harvey Briggshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01509290141801264985noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4470610300400974722.post-77701042323480775372013-08-27T07:34:00.001-05:002013-08-27T08:48:48.723-05:00Dear Charter:We've been together for more than seven years now and for the most part I have been very happy. My cable, internet and phone all work as expected a majority of the time and even when I've had problems your customer service people have been surprisingly friendly and helpful.<br />
<br />
Yet every week or so I get a little note from you in my email that's clearly intended for someone else.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6YQZuRD4jdAE_6KPUBqzwjGDCiZBSwo2w4rpQr6jOn1-bK08bXoOA8tk6qE-eM3QLF7AzpgINeWHsNV1Nhh7mHOtFlFj3eaTZhIPFxm0FMZJnOSFM3hDBcbrKbUBD-NT77Px7xR41iTc/s1600/charterad.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6YQZuRD4jdAE_6KPUBqzwjGDCiZBSwo2w4rpQr6jOn1-bK08bXoOA8tk6qE-eM3QLF7AzpgINeWHsNV1Nhh7mHOtFlFj3eaTZhIPFxm0FMZJnOSFM3hDBcbrKbUBD-NT77Px7xR41iTc/s1600/charterad.png" /></a></div>
<br />
How dare you.<br />
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Aside from the really lousy copywriting – "what you're majorly into" is just wrong on so many levels – this email only reminds me how little you actually care about our "relationship."<br />
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For seven years I've spent countless hours and thousands of dollars to keep us together. I can't quit you. I must have your precious high-speed internet. Sure I could stop there but then I wouldn't be able to waste all that time watching bad reality shows, irrelevant sporting events and rigged cooking competitions in stunning high definition that come to me courtesy of your coaxial cable.<br />
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But, according to this email you're just not that into me anymore. Your love light has turned to new customers who must be better than me since you're willing to let them have you for nearly half of what I'm paying.<br />
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Have you ever thought just once about how that makes me feel? Sure, everybody loves the new kid in town, but what about those of us who have stood by your side through the service outages, billing errors and four hour installation windows?<br />
<br />
What do I have to do to get your attention? How can we rekindle our relationship? Here are a couple of thoughts.<br />
<br />
First, just show a little compassion and stop making your ogling of other customers so obvious. Could you please make sure I don't see the messages you send intended for others who catch your eye?<br />
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Second, you know what I watch. You know what I like. How hard would it be to give me a little something-something every once in a while? I wouldn't mind a free on-demand movie or access to the occasional Red Wings game. Use that big data of yours and surprise me.<br />
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I'm not asking for much. Just the attention I deserve.Harvey Briggshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01509290141801264985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4470610300400974722.post-20465678358992217002013-08-23T07:31:00.002-05:002013-08-23T07:31:40.649-05:00It's not me, it's youWhat Nike understands so well that few other brands understand is that it's not about them.<br />
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It's about you.<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="225" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/aPkyPdubqDs" width="400"></iframe><br />
<br />
Their brand and this campaign is relevant after 25 years because it's not about their patented design, their special materials or even the sports stars that endorse their products. It's about that little voice inside of all of us that says, "Get up. Get going. Go further. Go faster." It's about our desire to reach that next level, whatever that level is for us as individuals, while acknowledging the possibility that our potential is beyond what we can even imagine today.<br />
<br />
They found that truth about the connection between their products and their users and it became the core of their brand.<br />
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What's the truth about your customers? What do they want not from you, but from life? What makes them tick? How does your product help them achieve that? Answer those questions and you'll be on your way to creating a lasting brand.<br />
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<br />Harvey Briggshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01509290141801264985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4470610300400974722.post-76879006921414647392013-08-22T07:38:00.001-05:002013-08-22T08:07:03.516-05:00A writer's writer<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzcA8zqbRHV4yoS_kUS4wtFajCd0UyJjdnYTS70H1g78z_TXI3gkjcqQEFECqfHiYTFYh3Y6794WJxbJ_GN7LNny-BDZFwi95toZCzHWqEUm2JlvKFP2BfYw01gYP1SZZRbTKNRT4ZqG0/s1600/elmore-leonard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzcA8zqbRHV4yoS_kUS4wtFajCd0UyJjdnYTS70H1g78z_TXI3gkjcqQEFECqfHiYTFYh3Y6794WJxbJ_GN7LNny-BDZFwi95toZCzHWqEUm2JlvKFP2BfYw01gYP1SZZRbTKNRT4ZqG0/s200/elmore-leonard.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
My connection to Elmore Leonard, though tenuous, goes way back to the late '60s.<br />
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He lived near us in Birmingham, Michigan when I was seven or eight.<br />
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Later when I was working at Campbell-Ewald advertising, I learned he had been a copywriter there as well. Rumor has it, he penned his first novel behind a closed office door while he was supposed to be writing copy for Chevrolet.<br />
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I only really knew him through his writing.<br />
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His work is clean, compact, and seemingly effortless. For those reasons, some don't consider him to be a great writer. I consider him to be great precisely for those reasons.<br />
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He knew how to grab attention, create characters, write dialogue and craft stories that sucked you in, all without drawing attention to himself.<br />
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He told the story, never getting in the way of it.<br />
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As someone who writes for a living – albeit at a very different level – I can only admire his work and hope to learn from its craftsmanship.<br />
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Over the past two days, I have seen many celebrations of Leonard's work, but this does it best for me. It's a <a href="http://thestacks.deadspin.com/elmore-leonard-wrote-great-opening-lines-here-are-all-1178066970" target="_blank"><span style="color: #b45f06;">compilation of all the opening lines</span></a> he's ever written in published novels and short stories.<br />
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What can we learn from these? The importance and power of a strong opening.<br />
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They're so good, I need to reread those I've read already and get my hands the ones I haven't.<br />
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It's a good thing I have a lot of travel time coming up.<br />
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Harvey Briggshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01509290141801264985noreply@blogger.com0