Walmart Spiffs Up Store Brands
At a time when families need to make every penny count, Walmart has relaunched its Great Value brand in the U.S....
Think Before You Lower Prices: Survey
A Yankelovich consumer survey reveals that marketers thinking about lowering prices may be damned if they do and almost as damned if they don't. The poll...
Bic Gold Promos Celebrate Pen's 50th Anniversary
School Kids have Long Found ways to use Bic pens other than for their intended purpose of putting ink on paper from spitball launchers to drinking straws....
How to Evolve Like Barbie
A lot has changed since Barbie was introduced 50 years ago. To celebrate five decades and a billion units sold, Mattel is rolling out a commemorative doll and conducting an "All Things Barbie" promotional campaign to perk up sagging sales...
Luxury Brands Must Adopt Information-Based Marketing
Here's nine steps to get you back on track with your luxury brand marketing...
Expanding Your Brand Marketing With Athlete Endorsements
No matter what your core business, sports can be infused into your marketing plan effectively. Here's how you can ensure that same passion and enthusiasm of sports fans can be transferred to your business...
Marketing in the Meltdown: How Redefining Brand Equity Gives Us Direction
The role of the chief marketer is to focus on the strategic intent of the entire organization, not just on marketing. And in an uncertain economy that means adapting—and fast. Here's some thoughts on how to maintain your brand equity...
The Right Formula For Grabbing Market Share
: How do we grab market share in times like this? The answer is to stick with your game plan and make minor modifications based on the new mindset of today's consumer...
Getting Your Brand "Shovel Ready" for the American Recovery and Reinvestment Program
In preparation for this spending tsunami that will be brought on by the Obama administration's $815 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Program, thousands of businesses will jockey to position themselves for a piece of the infrastructure pie. The good news is that there is still time for marketers to go to work on their branding issues now...
Marketing Principles and Values Work in Good and Bad Times
Your company's growth isn't all about the economy. It's about the principles and values that successful companies have always used to run their business. Values and trust don't go out of style, and they help build a strong brand and reputation...
The Healing Process Needed for Gatorade
Being seen as dated or out of touch with consumers' current needs is the ultimate kiss of death. But so, too, may be a totally revamped look that has left consumers baffled. Hear that, Gatorade? It may be time for you to explain your re-branding efforts to a confused loyal core of consumers...
New Rules for Brand Management in Emerging Markets
Economic uncertainty is forcing many companies to re-examine (or second guess) their global marketing strategies. At the same time, the brand management rules in key emerging markets in APAC and MENA keep evolving and are being rewritten...
Consumer Loyalty, Isn't that the Goal?
Developing and nurturing loyalty should be the marketer's primary, day-to-day concern. Here's why doing so increases the likelihood their brand can withstand economic turmoil, competitive threats, and reasonable price increases...
Nine for '09: Loyalty & Engagement Trends
Here are nine major trends that will have a direct impact on the success—or failure—of brand marketing efforts in 2009...
Interesting Times Demand Durable Brands
Faced with a challenging economy and the near-total collapse of consumer confidence in institutions and companies, brands have to work harder to attract consumers amidst escalating costs for basic survival. What can, what should, companies do in such times?...
In-bound From Obama: 10 Ideas for 2009
You think your marketing mission is tough? Try being Barack Obama back in 2007. But as history tells us, he’s soon to be sworn in as our 44th president. Here’s what worked for Obama, and how it may relate to your own game plan....
A New Year's Resolution for Designers
Marketers typically invoke design too little and too late. Traditional brand design, like advertising, interactive, and retail, is generally left for the end of the project cycle...after a program has been vetted through your entire organization. Here’s how you can turn it around in 2009....
What Shoppers Want This Holiday Season
Consumers are focused on getting the biggest bang for their buck this holiday season. Which brands will find the perfect balance of entertainment and economic value? Here's a few key concepts that are good indicators of just what consumers will be interested in this year...
Hip Tips for Cheap Chic Marketers
As consumers continue to pull back on spending and opt for cheaper alternatives to high-end items, retailers are scrambling to reposition themselves as "cheap chic" in an attempt to prop up flagging sales. With competition in the space fierce, here's what you can do to make sure your upscale branding works...
America: A Brand In Crisis
What if the United States of America was a brand? As a marketer, what would you do to fix it? Here’s what one marketing executive would do to get Brand America back on track...
Branding the Next Generation Web
Marketers of course know they need to actively engage customers and prospects across traditional brand channels, while exploring new channels like mobile and social media. But how can they use these emerging technologies to shape their brand? ...
Location and Design Essential to Kohl's Expansion Success
Expansion into markets congested with competitors illustrates Kohl's commitment to growth. But it may also result in less than optimal ROI...
Brand President and (Sub-Brand) Vice President
On the basis of loyalty and engagement assessments, this week it appears that Barack Obama is going to be the newest White House resident. But we are also alert to the fact that, just like the consumer marketplace, how a brand is perceived can change quickly...
Feel for Your Customer—In a Recession, Try Empathetic Marketing Ideas
The recession is standing marketplaces on their ear. BrainReserve's recently completed Recession Survey of 1,011 Americans found that from Dec. 2007 to May 2008, 42% of consumers gave up...
Your Customers are Not in Total Control
While today's consumers may be more selective when considering which marketing messages they pay attention to, they are not completely autonomous when it comes to product desire. Here's how you can inspire consumers to interact with your brand...
