brandsizzle

“ronald mcdonald” and “hip” in the same sentence?

According to MSNBC, McDonald’s says Ronald McDonald is “hip”, and the company plans to feature a vintage statue of the clown in spots to appeal to young adults. Problem is, the Ronald McDonald brand is about kids, from Ronald McDonald Houses, cartoons, playground statues, etc. By some accounts he is a more beloved figure to children than Santa Claus.  Why would you want to mess with equity like that?  Another case of FGWMTS, as Ries & Trout used to say, “Forgetting What Made Them Successful, “ I’m afraid.  Besides, you can’t just change the essence of a brand overnight, and wanting it to be "hip," doesn't make it so. 

Does Reebok Cross the Line

Earlier today I posted a link on brandsizzle.com  for a story in the Boston Herald about Reebok. Seems the brand has achieved significant profit increases (20% in years 2003 and 2004 and 37% in the first nine months of 2005.)  The article attributes a big share of the credit for the increased profits to messaging directed to young teens that leverages gangsta hip hop as its theme:

One ad depicts the devil. Another has fingerprints on what appears to be a police booking form, as rapper 50 Cent advises buyers to “take advantage of today because tomorrow is not promised.”

“A controversial television ad last year had 50 Cent, a former drug dealer who has rapped about being shot nine times, counting aloud the bullets that were fired at him. The rapper laughs and then looks into the camera as a voiceover asks, “Who do you plan to massacre next?”

Critics, such as Liz Bishop-Goldsmith, president of Rosedale, N.Y.-based Mothers Against Guns feel the ads go too far:

“Promotion and marketing footwear, or any clothing, is not, and must not be a moneymaking tool referencing gun violence, drugs or gangs.”

It made me wonder; should anything be off limits in brand building?  Where is the line drawn and who should draw it? 

when is referring to a brand as a "brand" a bad idea?

When you’re heavy metal/grunge/hardcore/rock band KORN. A critical and commercial success since the late 90’s, let’s just say KORN isn’t shy about incorporating explicit lyrics in their music and no topic is off limits. But in a recent interview with Launch Radio Networks reported by Blabbermouth.net, KORN “front man,” Jonathan Davis, went too far, even for his fans.

He referred to KORN as a brand.

His transgression became the subject of dozens of blog posts, even earning a post on Blabbermouth.net entitled: “KORN Singer Says New Business Deals Good for ‘Brand’.” When fans criticized  his terminology on the band’s official message board,

Davis

responded, “So if I call KORN a brand, who the **** cares?” 

Okay, since when is it worse to use the word “brand than a four letter word?  When you’re talking about a brand that should never refer to itself as a brand. KORN is about anti-authority, at times painfully truthful, profanity-laced, groundbreaking music.  When

Davis

talked about the “brand,” he sounded more like a record company executive or a brand manager than the fans who identify with him. To them, rightly or wrongly, he was “selling out.”

So, what’s the learning here? First, make sure you understand the essence of your brand from the standpoint of your core customers. Then make sure everything you do and say reinforces it. 

would you buy lipstick from KISS rocker Gene Simmons?

Soon you’ll get your chance---KISS is launching a Fragrance and Beauty Brand for 18-24 year olds. Crazy?

Seems any new brand, particularly in the crowded cosmetics industry has it tough. But music preference among adolescents and young adults is one way they validate and express their identity. If the cosmetics and fragrance products are truly evocative of the KISS brand, they could provide the target audience with additional opportunities to express their identity and demonstrate their membership in their peer group. 

Website Archives - Week of February 13, 2006

february 17, 2006

“Go It Alone” Goes Online 
Bruce Judson’s book, “Go It Alone,” promises to share with you the secrets of building a successful business. It isn’t the first book to be posted online in an effort to generate interest.  But what’s different this time is the ads placed on every single page of the book.  Will it work?  Hard to say. The article below indicates that online books are not very popular, even with Generation @.  We’ll see. 
2006-02-16 Via MicroPersuasion

Digital Generation Prefers Non-Digital Books 
Every so often you hear the prediction that soon books will go the way of slide rulers and pencil sharpeners. But even among the generation currently growing up in the midst of technology, the real thing is preferred. That may be because most books are simply electronically reproduced pages with hyperlinks added.  There’s not enough incremental value to make the trade-off. 
2006-02-15 USA Today

The Real Battle in Sports is Between Sponsors
FIFA, The Olympics Committee and other sports organizers are turning to contract law to stop ambush marketers from horning in on official sponsors’ turf. “At the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, Nike handed out caps at transport hubs that spectators wore into the stadium—to the consternation of Reebok, a sponsor.”  And in some cases, the counterfeit sponsor can fool spectators into thinking they’re the real thing. 
2006-02-16 The Economist (requires subscription.) 

I want my half and half sugarfree hazelnut nonfat dry cappuccino
Funny thing, lots of times customers have a keener sense of the brand essence than the brand owner does.  Case in point: Starbucks recently dropped their Chantico chocolate drink.  Why?  Because one of the equities of the Starbuck’s brand is about being able to customize your drink.  When you’re used to getting a custom-prepared half and half sugarfree hazelnut nonfat dry cappuccino who wants to settle for one size fits all?   
2006-02-10 MSNBC

Can Special Ringtones Make You Sexy?
Pherotones says so. "Experience the ring tone secret I discovered in Denmark that's too hot for mainstream science," the copy says, depicting an attractive female scientist in a white lab coat. Supposedly the special, scientifically developed ring tones are irresistible to the opposite sex. But visit the Pherotones website and you’ll find it’s really a clever campaign for Oasys Mobile, cellphone content provider of games, cellphone wallpaper and downloadable ringtones and so-called “exclusive distributor” of Pherotones. 
2006-02-16 New York Times

The Beer Business Must Be Good 
Times Square has a new look: Two 30-by-90-foot Corona signs now flank the Coca-Cola sign on the “south-facing Two Times Square -- generally regarded as the most photographed address in the area.” The brand reportedly wants to reinforce their image as an international beer and with 40 million visitors each year from all over the world, Times Square seemed like a deal for $350,000 a month. 
2006-02-16 AdAge

Be One with the Chocolate
Ethel's Chocolate Lounges, a chain launched in Chicago by chocolatier Mars Inc., provide a break from bars and coffee shops. Customers can relax on comfy sofas and chairs, and indulge themselves with gourmet chocolate and chitchat. Yummy.   2006-02-16 MSNBC

For Boomers Who Want a ‘Working Retirement’, Plenty of Opportunities
There’s been a lot of buzz about the coming labor shortage – millions of boomers will begin to retire within the next several years, leaving some companies unprepared to deal with the sudden dearth of labor and talent.  Other companies are looking at ergonomics, flexible work schedules, telecommuting and other options to make boomers’ “working retirement” as attractive as possible.  2006-02-16    
The Economist (Requires a subscription)

february 16, 2006

Despite the Hoopla, Super Bowl Advertising was a Tough Sell
The much vaunted Super Bowl advertising extravaganza has actually become a tough sell, with $2.5 million spots actually selling at 40% discounts.
2006-02-14 AdAge

"Ad Bunching" Strategy Fights Media Clutter
It’s common practice for brands to purchase sections in magazines to increase the impact of their message. Now, some advertisers are employing a similar strategy on television, running multiple, contiguous spots during commercial breaks. 
2006-02-15 Wall Street Journal

100 Year Old Kellogg’s got its Start in a Sanitarium
Okay, here’s a bit of trivia. The world’s largest maker of ready-to-eat cereals started off at Battle Creek Sanitarium in Michigan.  Dr. John Kellogg, chief physician for the facility, and his brother accidentally invented flaked cereal as they attempted to develop a replacement for bland bread served to the patients.  Happy 100^th birthday! 
2006-02-12 Yahoo Ad News

It’s a Bird! It's a Plane! It's a Flying Luxury Hotel? 
The Aeroliner will be two football fields long and contain luxury staterooms, restaurants, and even a casino, but it requires less net space on the ground than any plane because it doesn't need a runway. The airship takes off and lands like a helicopter: straight up and down. California firm Aeros Corporation expects to have the prototype completed by 2010. 
2006-02-15 Popular Science via AgendaInc.

Don't Forget to Drink Your Vitamins
Dallas brewer "Stampede” has introduced a vitamin-enhanced beer. The brewer says it tastes just like regular beer with a "kick." 
2006-02-12 Local6.com via AgendaInc.

Internet’s Up!
The number of people who surf the Internet for fun has grown from 25 million per day in 2004 to 40 million per day in 2005.  While young males are still the most likely to be recreational Internet surfers, idle browsing encompasses a wide range of educational, economic and ethnic users. 
2006-02-15 Pew Internet & American Life Project

Housework Positively Correlated to Couples’ Happiness
Men are astounded at how long women can go without sex and women are astounded at how long men can go without doing housework. Men who help out with the housework find their wives are more likely to be in the mood. Despite the Mars versus Venus conflicts between men and women, 93% of men say they would marry their wives over again and 90% say they have been changed positively by them. 
2006-02-12 Newsweek

february 15, 2006

So You Want to Be in Banking
In another example of the democratization of commerce that’s been facilitated by the Internet, Prosper.com provides people the opportunity to borrow or lend money (up to $25,000) for better rates than traditional lending institutions. 
2006-02-15 International Herald Tribune

You Can’t Run, You Can’t Hide from Email
98% of the people in the world have never sent an email from a cell phone. But that is changing; 75% of businesses surveyed by Forrester plan significant increases in technology within the next two years to aid productivity, providing more employees beyond management with technology tools for communications and working remotely. 
2006-02-14 International Herald Tribune

Who Do You Plan to Massacre Next? 
Reebok started out by selling aerobics shoes to women. Now the sneaker brand targets teenage males and inflames critics with controversial ads, one featuring rapper 50 Cent joking about being shot nine times and asking, “Who do you plan to massacre next?” Profits for the brand rose 20% in 2003 and 2004 and more than 37% in the first nine months of 2005. 
2006-02-15 Boston Herald

Wal-Mart Reportedly Searching for the Big Idea
In the wake of a disappointing holiday selling season, Wal-Mart is on the hot seat to develop marketing strategies that will drive top and bottom line growth for the company. Recent initiatives, such as adding more upscale fashion apparel and updating its online presence, have not produced significant results. 
2006-01-30 Delaney Report

Brewers Tempt Wandering Taste Buds with the Ultimate Beer 
Samuel Adams Utopia Beer is described by devotees as “intense,” “serious,” “complex,” and “the strongest beer on the planet.” At $100 a bottle it’s also probably the most expensive. But it might also tempt drinkers who’ve deserted beer for wine and spirits.  2006-02-14 CNN.com

Another Casualty of Globalization – Brainpower 
The world has become a global marketplace for talent as well as goods and services, and some countries are experiencing “brain drain.” East Europeans are moving west, highly skilled Asians are finding jobs in the U.S., and citizens of many countries are finding attractive earning opportunities in the Middle East and the Pacific Rim.  2006-02-15 International Herald Tribune

Whoever Said Money Can’t Buy Happiness Was Wrong
Pew Research conducted a survey in fall 2005 to find out just how happy Americans are. Among their findings: married people are happier than unmarrieds, people who worship frequently are happier than those who don't, Republicans are happier than Democrats and whites and Hispanics are happier than blacks. 
2006-02-13 Pew Research Center 

february 14, 2006

KISS (as in Gene Simmons) to Launch Fragrance Brand   
Yup, you heard right. The iconic rock band KISS wants to extend its brand among 18-24 year old women by launching a beauty and fragrance collection that will be “sleek,”, “powerful,” “elegant,” and “sensual.” KISS band members will not appear in the creative or packaging (which is good because THAT would be weird), but the KISS logo and make-up icons will.” Distribution will be through department stores including Federated, Dillard's, Belk and Nordstrom.
2006-02-13 BrandWeek 

Cooking Light Launches Unique Brand Activation
Cooking Light plans to bring their brand to life by opening Cooking Light @ Foodlife, an innovative 18-foot-long kiosk in Chicago’s Water Tower Place that will sell food like balsamic-braised short ribs, barbecue roasted salmon and lasagna. Talk about building a great brand experience---what a great draw for all those ‘recreational’ gourmets out there. 
2006-02-14 AdAge

Big Business in Branded “Status Waters”
Enhanced waters with exotic flavors and trendy names abound for consumers who wouldn’t be caught dead carrying a bottle of supermarket-branded water. We all have our priorities. 
2006-02-12 the Journal Gazette

Urbanville: New Hangout for Teens in the Know
Virtual city Urbanville, is populated by 30,000 Urbaniacs, “bell-bottomed, hip-hop listening superheroes.”  Launched last year by two neighbors who have been growing Urbanville in their ‘spare’ time, half of the visitors to the site are between the ages of 13-18. Last month Urbanville, which is described as combining the “social communities of sites such as MySpace or Friendster with the interactive amusement of big online gaming portals such as Pogo.com and GameSpot,” saw its monthly visitors rise to 3 million---and all without marketing.
2006-2-13 LA Times via AgendaInc.

Most Single Americans Not Looking for a Romantic Partner 
Sorry to ruin your day, Cupid. But if you’re one of the happily single people who mystifies their married friends because you’re not desperate to find a romantic partner - take heart; you’re not alone. A national survey conducted by the Pew Internet & American Life Project on Romance in America found that 55% of single Americans, almost 48 million, are not looking for a romantic partner, thank you very much. Of those who are dating or in committed relationships, 38% met their romantic partner at work, and 34% through family and friends. Three percent met through the Internet, while just 1% met through a blind date or dating service. 
2006-02-14  Pew Internet & American Life Project

Generational Mash-Up in the Workplace
Sometimes contentious encounters between Millennials and Generation Xers, Boomers and Matures in the workplace provides insight into generational differences. It’s a nice fantasy, but if you were denied a raise or favorable review by your boss, you probably wouldn’t sic your parents on your boss. 

Not so for Millennials who are sometimes described as the “why” generation. These indulged children of boomers are used to getting want they want even if they have to call on Mom and Dad to help them get it. Adding to the generational friction are millennial attitudes about self-actualization and the fact that their brains that have developed differently due to lifelong use of technology. 
2006-01 Fast Company

february 13, 2006

Former Coca-Cola Chief Says Most Companies Don’t Understand what they Sell
In an interview with Advertising Age at the Madison and Vine Conference, former Coca-Cola Company COO and President, now Starwood CEO, Steve Heyer asserted that companies shouldn't attempt branded entertainment until they understand what their brand is and who their customers are. Heyer envisions Starwood brands as “audiences” for whom the company builds experiences.
2006-02-09    AdAge

“It All Begins With A Cup Of Coffee” 
At Starbucks’ annual meeting, shareholders were treated to performances from Tony Bennett and others. Why?  Chairman Howard Shultz wanted to reinforce that although it begins with a cup of coffee, that Starbucks is “in the experience business.” Previous annual meetings have featured Herbie Hancock; the year before that, Emmylou Harris. The company can afford it; Starbucks is the most frequented retailer in the world with 11,000 units, 40 million customers per week, and a 6,400% increase in shares since 1992. 
2006-02-09 AdAge

As MTV Approaches 25 the Brand Reinvents Itself for a New World of Media and a New Generation 
Considered bold and experimental when it launched in August, 1981, MTV not only faces new threats from iPods, broadband, but must learn how to connect with a new, young online generation.  And, as if that’s not enough, they also have to worry about competition from heavy duty competitors like Murdoch who outbid MTV’s parent Viacom for Myspace.com. Now MTV is buckling down and preparing their “Digital Marshall Plan” signaling a renewed focus on delivering across new broadband channels, over cell phones, and via video games.” But the biggest challenge may be figuring out how to capture the hearts of newer younger consumers for whom familiarity breeds contempt and disinterest. 
2006-02-13  BusinessWeek (may require Subscription)

Adidas to Relaunch Reebok as a ‘Performance’ Brand   
Adidas, the German company that recently purchased Reebok, plans to operate Adidas and Reebok as separate brands. The company also plans to leverage Reebok’s appeal to “fashion conscious urban consumers” and reposition it as a “performance brand.”  The company says competition between Adidas and Nike will be healthy for both brands. 
2006-02-12 MSNBC

Cirque du Soleil Extends Brand into Fashion and Beauty 
The company plans to launch a women’s clothing line this summer, to be quickly followed by men’s and children’s wear. A fragrance project is in the works along with cosmetics, and Cirque would like to build its own restaurants and spas and maybe add a line of bedding.  Why does the company believe this makes sense for the brand?  Cirque du Soleil says the commonality is transforming yourself through magic. 
2006-02-01 Toronto Fashion Monitor via AgendaInc