Branding your business used to be about the colors you chose to use on your company brochure and the logo that you used on everything from your business card to your letterhead. In these modern times, your branding has to extend to 21st century marketing collateral like all of the amazing resources you (and everyone else) have access to on the Internet.3 modern branding exercises
1. Be Google friendly. Probably the most popular search engine in the world is Google. Who hasn’t sat down at their computer and Googled themselves and everyone else they know? The same premise holds true for…
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…
We read a lot about brand management, brand equity, and brand protection. But what about policing your brand? There are laws to protect copyright, trademark, and intellectual property. But first you have to be aware of infringements as early as they are detectable. Managing and protecting your brand requires diligence in policing it as often and as thoroughly as is possible–especially in the electronic information age.
One such element to guard your brand against are known as “typosquatters.” A typosquatting Web site has a Web address almost identical to that of your company’s Web site (e.g., espnn.com, gooogle.com, beneathtebraand.com, etc.), and…
A brand is the identity of a company. Before a company can even begin to figure out a brand, it has to decide what message it wants to convey. A brand will communicate to consumers, and they will come to identify with that brand.
Wal-Mart’s brand is all about economy. Their message is “Come to us for inexpensive products.” They promote that message in everything they do.
A company’ brand may begin as something, but later evolve based on consumer perceptions. This is why many larger companies re-evaluate their brand every so often. Mazda asked customers what they thought of when they…
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…
Psssst. I’m going to tell you a secret.
Remember Value Jet? A few years back (a few meaning “TWELVE”), they had some safety issues. A plane crashed. Ugly stuff. Media had a field day.
They were eventually cleared by the FAA to resume flying, but their brand was ruined. Destroyed. Nobody wanted to fly with them, no matter how low their prices. So, they went undercover.
In 1997, they merged with AirTran. It was more of a buy-out, but they ditched the Value Jet name, because AirTran, although not a powerhouse brand, at least was not tainted by a sordid past.
Today, they are…
As far as establishing a brand for the country, it is easier said than done. For how can you effectively brand a country with all potential links and issues that may be associated with it.
China for example has inherited the recall and scam brand due to its flops and threat towards proper consumer trading that has also become a health issue. Apparently some countries are trying to learn from this debacle and find another way to brand their own country.
Israel for one is looking at a whole new brand approach. Hard as it may, image is everything from a single person all…
Levi’s has already been an established brand in the world of fashionable jeans and pants. In fact, its button-fly jeans has already made its mark as perhaps the leverage it needs from the other jean manufacturers in the world. And to further strengthen that hold, they have added the advanced marketing tool known as viral marketing to further bolster their brand.
At Unbuttonyourbeast.com, visitors can choose from nine different animated characters with names like Trout Troutman, Paul the Pincher and Sock Nasty, then customize the beast’s message by calling a toll-free number. The effort, unsurprisingly, is geared to young men just…
“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…
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.…
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…
Do you share the perception of many that Americans over 50 only dabble on the Internet? Ditch the belief. USC says their research proves otherwise.
In fact, online behavior of older Americans is mirroring younger users’—even teens.’
Older Americans have not only embraced Web 2.0, but now often use social media as much or more than their younger, more tech-savvy counterparts. In specific areas, there is often little difference in online use between older users and some of the youngest users.
• Older people are increasingly spending time in online communities.
• Users 50+ go online more frequently to check news than the under-20…
PBS has a new spot called “School Bus.” Part of their award-winning “Be More” brand campaign, “School Bus” is a very short story about a young boy’s extraordinary journey.
In only 70 seconds, the boy’s journey takes him first to the southernmost part of the earth, then to an moment in history, then to the Broadway stage, and finally into the solar system.
The purpose of the spot? It’s an invitation to experience PBS content.
“Be more” is supposed to illustrate how PBS helps you to explore new ideas and new worlds, and broaden personal horizons….all this fueled by compelling content offered exclusively…
Usually you hear about new or recently developed social applications being all the rage and surrounded by lots of buzz, and then the brand trickles down to the average Joe and Jane as indispensible at some point.
However, Twitter is not enjoying this kind of success.
The site frequently has been riddled with technical problems, which has third-party developers abandoning ship. The developer community is predicting that once developers go, users won’t be far behind.
This may not shake and break the brand of a social app that is indispensible, but Twitter seems superfluous–you can do the same things it does for you…
What is this brand?
…………………
The one and only Che Guevara, who would have celebrated his 80th birthday on June 14. Hidden for years within the confines of Cuban photographer Alberto Korda’s studio in Havana, Che Guevara’s famous image portrait was used to transform Che into an icon of daring and rebellion.
It makes a little sense that Cuba’s government has used the image to promote its revolution and to rake in tourist dollars through…
This line is in the Requirements section for a marketing communications job at Facebook. They’re also looking for more designers and a user interface engineer.
Why?
They’re introducing a new design and have been allowing members to preview the new features and functionality by navigating between the new and current versions of the site. 100,000 members already offered feedback, and access to the new design will gradually become available to all of its users.
The changes?
• An expanded “Wall” section to integrate feeds about friends, with ability to leave comments
• Third-party apps are simpler
You can:
• Test an app before deciding to add it…
Question: What do “Supernova,” “Doodles,” and “Jawbreakers” have in common?
Answer: They’re all branding design trends.
So says brand expert Bill Gardner, president of Gardner Design, one of the nation’s top branding firms, with clients that include Fortune 500s such as Chrysler, Hallmark, Cessna Aircraft, and Kroger.
Gardner released his sixth annual report of logo trends in GD USA, a national design magazine. The report discusses 15 trends found all over the world and provides insights on how they may influence customers.
One trend, “Facets,” is composed of logos that remind the viewer of highly polished gems. Another is called “Animotion.” These moving logos are…
CBS just crossed over into the brand extension zone. Or rather, they are making it easier for consumers to re-enter The Twilight Zone. In June, CBS Consumer Products unveiled “Television City.”
An executive at CBS said: “Television City will become the umbrella title for all our classic TV shows…will offer marketers…the ability to engage millions of consumers.”
With distinctive packaging and signage programs, this initiative offers classic TV series to both consumers and retailers:
The Twilight Zone, Cheers, Mighty Mouse, Beverly Hillbillies, The Little Rascals, Dynasty, The Love Boat, Taxi, and Rawhide.
Expect to see the first products under the “Television City” banner in 2009.
Source:…
This year, Heinz claimed the No. 1 equity score in Harris Interactive’s EquiTrend brand-equity study. It has ranked consistently among top brands.
EquiTrend is a study that measures more than 1,000 brands across 39 categories based on six base measures: familiarity, quality, purchase consideration, brand expectations, distinctiveness, and trust.
Total number of brands rated was 1,170.
The study was conducted among 20,289 US consumers age 15+. Each respondent was asked to rate a total of 60 randomly selected brands. Each brand received approximately 1,000 ratings.
This year’s study included specific questions that help quantify the level of WOM marketing within a category. In order…
