The late Milton Friedman, who shaped the University of Chicago's economics approach during his 30 years there. AP/Wide World photo
Inside academia for the past 25 years, Ronald Reagan’s Washington, and even Margaret Thatcher’s government, the Univ. of Chicago’s Dept. of Economics enjoyed rock star status, racking up Nobel Prizes like records gone platinum and producing a superstar, the one and only Milton Friedman, whose influence on economic policy has been unparalleled. With its free-market philosophy, the “Chicago School” has maintained its dominant image as a libertarian stronghold, providing the rationale for a very small governmental role in the economy.
Now, after the…
In the electronic information age, policing your brand will require frequent surveys of the Web in order to keep tabs on your brand’s presence in Cyberspace. Who knows what’s happening to it out there? Cybersquatters, typosquatters, spoof sites, gripe sites, feigned competitors, and blatant impostors are among only the illegal (or barely legal) brand diluters. The Semantic Web provides ample online fora where literally anyone, often anonymously, can offer commentary and insight about your product/service/company/organization in real time, directly affecting its image and reputation… your brand.
“Fan sites” have proven to be especially problematic. By its very definition, a fan site…
What’s the world coming to when a fig snack has an identity crisis? Is the Fig Newton a cookie, a fruit bar, or a mini fruit cake?
Nabisco has always seemed to do well with FN ad slogans, and yet upon closer inspection, they seem to have had multiple personality disorder.
Examples: In the 1980s: “A cookie is just a cookie, but a Newton is fruit and cake.” In 2006, the brand claimed that a Fig Newton contained more fruit than a Nutri-Grain bar. In 2007: “The cookie that thinks it is a fruit.” And yet, the packaging of Newtons state: “Fruit…
Did you know that brand leaders among marketing, ad and PR firms are more likely to price their services at a higher level than their competitors and more likely to actually get higher fees?
A report providing insights from 343 marketing, advertising and PR executives called “Fees and Pricing Benchmark Report: Marketing, Advertising, and PR Industry” finds that prices are rising, despite the economic downturn. Data suggests that most firms are not adversely affected by downturns:
* Two-thirds of firms have increased fees for services at least somewhat in the past two years.
* 76% expect to increase their fees at least somewhat…
United’s “It’s time to fly” tagline was first unveiled during Super Bowl XXXVIII (2004 – present), but the campaign was reintroduced last month using a very smart strategy: a global venue (appropriate for a commercial airline). United premiered 5 new TV animation commercials during the 2008 Summer Olympic Games. One of the animations features sea creatures in orchestration, called “Sea Orchestra.” Never have underwater creatures looked so elegant and amazing.
Christine Babick is a blogger at www.beneaththebrand.com. A marketing strategist and linguist, she specializes in marketing language, website text, “emo copy,” and cause and relationship marketing.
Besides having beautiful classical and jazz piano versions of United’s lovely theme song, Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue,” United has created several fantastic animated commercials that express their offerings in a touching way to their audience.
Highly conceptual but at the same time, earthy and relatable even in their fantasy, these animations represent what magic there is in flying (if you can maintain your suspension of disbelief long enough to forget the extra charges for each piece of non-carry-on luggage that airlines like to sport these days).
What’s right about these ads? United used a popular form of creative expression and married it to…
“It’s a branding opportunity that’s unparalleled.” Patrick G. Ryan, the CEO of the Chicago 2016 Olympic bid committee, holds monster hopes about marketing this big city. Why?
Chicago wants to be the site for the 2016 Games, so it wants to impress the IOC. It’s a huge sales job. And I ask: What’s not to love? Chicago is elegant and gorgeous.
The problem: The Chicago experience for most of these IOC members meant changing planes at O’Hare. What’s worse, they know only outdated stereotypes–of Chicago being this grimy, big industrial city that has gangsters like Al Capone. They have no idea Chicago…
Ever hear of Metcalfe’s Law? It says that networks expand exponentially. In the 1990s, this view was the reason for the high valuations of Web companies. Apply this to Twitter? NAH. Twitter is not a vast communications network of 2.3 million users squared.
In fact, your connections are not created equal. Linguists (of all people) found that your Twitter contacts have diminishing value. Hence, your spouse is your most important contact, followed by your best friend, your boss, etc…and some will never be used at all.
So what? This theory puts the brakes on how internal communications could propagate inside any social media network. The limits…
Any brand worth its salt can produce a great promo or ad whose impression lasts a few years in the minds of its consumers. But a more telling example of greatness are the few brands that achieve an impression over several generations. That’s a brand worth not only its salt, but also its bologna.
In 1904, the entrepreneur-immigrant who was also a prescient marketer, Oscar F. Mayer, began branding his company’s meats to capitalize on their popularity. His was one of the first companies to volunteer for testing product purity in the US.
The first Oscar Mayer Wienermobile was created in 1936.…
Here’s the final entry in this mini-series of myths about Baby Boomers.
Tenth in the top ten myths: Boomers are retiring early
Much of the attention given to Boomers’ turning 62 this year is being eligible to take Social Security benefits early.
In reality, few plan to stop working entirely when they reach retirement age — only 11 percent.
Of those Boomers who know what they plan to do when they reach retirement age (some two-thirds), 72 percent plan to keep working, either part- (65 percent) or full-time (7 percent).
Whew. It makes me tired just thinking of all those years of working ahead of…
Preconceived notions about Baby Boomers are out there, but here at Beneath the Brand, you get to know the real Boomer through the Quarterly Boomer Report from AARP Services and Focalyst.
Ninth in the top ten myths: Boomers are downsizing their homes
Do you have an image of older consumers as “winding down” and simplifying their lives and homes as years progress?
I admit I did. However, it isn’t so.
Just 6 percent of Boomers plan to live in a smaller residence five years from now.
Moreover, 76 percent plan to live in either a same-sized (their current home or a new home of the…
Eighth in the top ten myths: Most Boomers are married empty nesters
• Most are not Empty Nesters.
• Only about one in four Boomers fit the profile of married with adult children who have left home.
• 37 percent of Boomers still have children under 18 in the home.
• One-third of Boomers are single.
Christine Babick is a blogger at www.beneaththebrand.com. A marketing strategist and linguist, she specializes in marketing language, website text, “emo copy,” and cause and relationship marketing.
Seventh in the top ten myths: You can capture Boomers with mainstream advertising
Boomers pay attention to advertising, but they do not always like what they see.
Here, the key for the marketer is to find out exactly what is considered offensive to those 67 percent!
Source
Christine Babick is a blogger at www.beneaththebrand.com. A marketing strategist and linguist, she specializes in marketing language, website text, “emo copy,” and cause…
Sixth in the top ten myths: Boomers are brand loyal and will not switch
I have to say I fell prey to this myth. I thought the “stick-with-it-ness” of the tried-and-true brand/consumer marriage was held in high regard by Boomers.
I should have known there was hole in the story I…
Fifth in the top ten myths: Boomers are all wealthy
Collectively Boomers are the wealthiest generation in history, but only 9 percent are truly affluent (defined as having pre-tax incomes of $150,000 or more if working, or $100,000 or more if retired).
In fact, one quarter of Boomers have no savings or investments at all.
What does this mean in terms of preference for certain brands? Is this niche unlikely to choose luxury items?
Source
Christine Babick is a blogger at www.beneaththebrand.com. A marketing strategist and linguist, she specializes in marketing language, website text, “emo copy,” and cause and relationship marketing.
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A report that came out in April can help us to separate fact from fiction when it comes to Boomers.Third Quarterly Boomer Report from AARP Services and Focalyst, titled “How Well Do You Know Boomers? Counting Down the Top 10 Boomer Myths.”
Fourth in the top ten myths: Boomers are winding down with age
They are quite active. The typical Boomer regularly participates in an average of 10 activities — and participation extends beyond going to church or gardening. They travel (60 million took at least one trip last year), attend live sporting events (22 million) and bicycle (11 million), among other…
AARP Services and Focalyst have tackled a few myths about the Baby Boomer generation in the third Quarterly Boomer Report released in April of this year.
Second in the top ten myths: Boomers are the “me generation”
Boomers have typically been portrayed as the self-centered “Me Generation,” but their actions in later adulthood suggest the description “We Generation” is more accurate.
Here are the facts:
Third in the top ten myths:…
Preconceived notions exist for just about everything under the big blue sky. Part of being a savvy–and therefore, successful–marketer is knowing that myths exist and that you have to cut through the myths to get to the reality.
Today I’ll begin a series of entries that cuts through the chaff about Baby Boomers and get to what makes this generation’s beat go on.
We have a top ten, and I’ll start with the first: Boomers are all the same.
That’s right–all 77 million of us. But according to Jack Lett, executive director of Focalyst, we are not. “Within this generation are diverse segments…
Isn’t it nice when two big brands come together for a good cause? But it’s even better when it’s fun and has to do with young filmmakers, videos, Cannes, and a little competitive international spirit thrown in outside of the five Olympic rings.
It’s a can’t-lose proposition. That’s what Nokia and MTV are doing…working together on a documentary featuring the 2008 Cannes Young Lions Film Competition.
Who are these Young Lions? If you go to YouTube, you can see the teams from 26 different countries. Each team has this challenge: Produce a 60-second viral video showing kids having fun while having a…
A few months ago, WIRED magazine sounded off like they’ve got a pair. The topic? Green.
I don’t think there is one person on this earth aside from a few Zulu tribes, some members of China’s business community, and those who are already dead who doesn’t talk about “green.”
But this WIRED article is very different from what we’re used to hearing. The article challenged paradigms. Listed among the “heresies”:
Before we environmentalists mentally burn the WIRED staff at the stake…
