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Category Archives: Branding
Is the Netflix brand strong enough?
On July 12, 2011, Netflix announced a significant change in their services; a change that caught many of their loyal customers by surprise. Effective September 1, 2011, existing customers who helped build the Netflix brand will now be faced with an interesting decision. Keep their existing plan at a much higher cost or choose a [...]
Hearing the Brand
“It’s 10 PM; do you know where your children are?” If you grew up in the 60s, 70s or even 80s, you most likely recognize this phrase. Why do we remember something so vividly that happened so long ago? In some cases, we only need parts of a phrase and our memories complete the thought. [...]
The Personal Side of Persona Marketing
What do Universal Studios, Zippo lighters and Delta Airlines have in common? The answer: all use personas in their marketing. Delta recently created personas to help flight attendants meet customer needs. Zippo used personas to shape its first brand extension in 70 years. And Universal’s personas helped online ticket sales jump by 80 percent. What [...]
Tags: persona marketing 1 Comment
The NFL – A brand at a crossroads
Recently, the NFL’s bone rattling tackling has been getting a lot of attention. The league has been handing out fines and suspensions for “overly aggressive” hits, and the sports media have been dedicating significant air time to the subject. So what does this have to do with marketing? Everything. The NFL appears to be struggling [...]
Tags: Brand, Branding No Comments »
What have you done for me lately?
Can the strength of your brand come from the longevity of your business? No one would argue that surviving business challenges for twenty, fifty, or even a hundred years is admirable. It certainly shows the ability to make sound business decisions and the agility to evolve with the changing needs of the market. It’s not, [...]
Gap’s Short-Lived Logo Revamp
You may have seen the latest branding faux pas in the headlines the past several days. You know. The clothier who pulled a Tropicana – now a buzz phrase for brand design flops. Since Gap revealed its new logo on October 4, the new mark designed by Trey Laird and his team at Laird and Partners has created quite a stir among brand loyalists and designers.
Tags: Branding, creative thinking, Design, identity, strategic 6 Comments
Authenticity – It matters now more than ever
Authenticity isn’t a new term in marketing. Communicating authentically with your audience has always been important. Customers are savvy people, and sooner or later they uncover when companies are pretending to be something they aren’t. With the explosion of social media, authenticity has become even more crucial. The perceived personal connection established through social media [...]
Tags: Social Media No Comments »
The Little Things
When I walk through stores, eat at restaurants, or shop online, I notice the little things which influence me positively or negatively. Businesses make substantial investments to build their brands, but far too often the brand message doesn’t make it to the front line.
The Buzz About Buzz Marketing
At the end of a recent seminar, I was asked to define “buzz marketing.” I believe my response was something to the effect, “It’s viral marketing. It’s getting people to talk about your product or service. Buzz marketing is creating buzz.” I thought my definition helped to answer the question at the time, but when [...]
How Marketing Can Save the Twinkie