Q&As

If there is a single inviolate rule in database marketing, this is it. It’s just amazing how often otherwise very smart marketers discover that they’ve put a campaign, a new product launch, sometimes even an entire database marketing program together without first determining with specificity how they’re going to measure it on the backend to figure out how much money they made or lose in the effort.

Marketers need to acquire new skills necessary, especially in the areas of analysis, measurement and search engine optimization, which are becoming more important than traditional marketing competencies, such as branding and product promotion, a recent study found.

For Sam Decker, the epiphany came when he was struggling with a volcano of slime. More specifically, it was a HotWheels Slimecano racing set, bought on Amazon.com as a Christmas present for his children, and it was a bear to put together on Christmas Eve. The pieces wouldn’t fit properly, and the river of slime refused to ooze. “I tried everything I could, both with and without the directions, and it just wouldn’t work,” Decker says. “Finally I slammed it back in the box and went to Amazon to write a bad review. And I found that there were already 77 negative reviews on that site, all giving it one star out of five. And Amazon was still selling it.”

Caribou Coffee is taking a competitive swipe at Starbucks, saying it will honor thousands of free-drink coupons the coffee rival sent via e-mail to employees last month, but later voided, citing abuse by consumers.

Would you like a pair of eyeglasses to go with those tires?

Non-cash incentives generally motivate employees better than cash, but programs should be tailored to suit the corporate culture, desired behavior and employees’ job level.

The Home Depot has launched its first consumer and business rewards credit cards—The Home Depot Rewards MasterCard and The Home Depot Business Rewards MasterCard lets consumers and business owners earn rewards for everyday purchases.

Subway Restaurants are rolling out a new rewards component to its Cash Card program that lets loyal consumers rack up points to redeem for free Subway menu items.

Levi’s brand is on the hunt for a few good faces to star in its spring 2007 advertising campaign, and is hitting college campuses as part of a nationwide search.

Over the summer, automakers tightened up their incentive purses used to drive consumers to their showrooms to make vehicle purchases.