Brand Strategy articles from April 2006

Brand Strategy archives from April 2006

LEADER: Engaging ways.
April 10, 2006... It's 1924 and technology company Western Electric's Hawthorne Works in Illinois employs more than 40,000 workers. The corporation's plant is a mini-city with its own school, hospital, library and restaurants. It's also the ideal place for...

News Round up: Buzz-marketing network.
April 10, 2006... Procter & Gamble (P&G) has launched Vocalpoint, a US buzz-marketing network for mothers modelled on its Tremor teen programme. Vocalpoint aims to have 600,000 members by the end of this month, all of whom are screened for their propensity to...

News Round up: Proposed ban on celebrities to advertise fast food.
April 10, 2006... Ofcom, the regulator for the UK communications industry, has proposed a ban on the use of celebrities to advertise fast food during TV programmes designed to appeal to the under-10s. The rules, which could come into effect next year, would...

News Round up: Ofcom proposals.
April 10, 2006... Ofcom has also released other proposals on how high fat, salt or sugar (HFSS) products should be advertised to children. It is undergoing a consultation period with the food industry and other regulatory bodies to find a workable solution....

News Round up: Arla marketing drive.
April 10, 2006... Danish dairy brand Arla is launching a marketing drive in the Middle East in an attempt to repair the damage done by the controversial Mohammad cartoons that were published in a Danish newspaper last year. Since late January, consumers in the...

News Round up: Dr Pepper change in strategy.(advertising for beverage)(Brief article)
April 10, 2006... Cadbury Schweppes has shelved a rumoured $5m (#2.9m) 'mash-up' campaign for Dr Pepper due to a "change in strategy". The elaborate ads mixed music from Kiss, Will Smith and Cyndi Lauper. The company has now appointed Y&R to develop new...

News Round up: Chelsea Football Club partnership.(Anschutz Entertainment Group)(Brief article)
April 10, 2006... Chelsea Football Club has formed a partnership with Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG) in the US to promote the club in the American market. AEG operates four Major League Soccer (MLS) teams. The deal will see Chelsea build a relationship with...

News Round up: Apple v Apple.(Apple Computer Inc.)(Apple Corps Ltd.)(Brief article)
April 10, 2006... Apple Computer is facing The Beatles-owned Apple Corps in court over a trademark dispute. In 1991, the brands reached an alleged $26.5m (#15.3m) agreement which forbade the computer company from using the Apple trademark to promote music...

News Round up: Ford advertising.
April 10, 2006... The American Family Association (AFA) has called for a one-year boycott of Ford in an effort to stop the motor company from advertising in gay publications. Last year, Ford appeared to bow to AFA pressure and initially withdrew its Jaguar and...

News Round up: Harley-Davidson in China.(Brief article)
April 10, 2006... Motorcycle brand Harley-Davidson is to open its first dealership in China since the Second World War. It will open in Beijing this month and sell several motorcycle models, as well as collectible items and accessories. The brand is aiming for a...

News Round up: World Cup website.
April 10, 2006... Nike has teamed up with Google to create a website for the World Cup, Joga.com. It allows football fans to form 'global social networks' in an online space inhabited by Nike branding and players including Thierry Henry and Wayne Rooney. Fans...

News Round up: Carrefour plans.
April 10, 2006... French supermarket chain Carrefour is planning to launch an extra 1,000 stores worldwide this year after announcing that 2005 net income increased 1.2 per cent to E1.8bn (#1.24bn). Copyright: Centaur Communications Ltd. and licensors

News Round up: Inditex plans.
April 10, 2006... Spanish firm Inditex, which owns clothing brand Zara, has announced plans to create between 410 and 490 new stores around the world. Swedish brand Hennes & Mauritz (H&M) has also indicated that it will open 54 new H&M outlets in the second...

News Round up: Hermes profit.(Hermes International S.A.)(Brief article)
April 10, 2006... French luxury goods brand Hermes International has revealed a 15% rise in net profit to E247m (#170m). The company makes around 30% of its sales in Japan, where a revival in the economy has spurred demand. Profit growth is still lagging...

News Round up: Body Shop takeover.
April 10, 2006... Body Shop International has agreed to a #652m takeover by L'Oreal. The French cosmetics giant has promised to leave the ethical cosmetics brand and its business intact and help it grow internationally. The Body Shop founder Dame Anita...

News Round up: Pernod Ricard profit.(Brief article)
April 10, 2006... The world's second-largest spirits and wine group Pernod Ricard says half-year net profit was up 51% on the same period last year to E488m (#337m). US sales doubled and growth in Asia pushed total sales up by 69% to E3.27bn (#2.26bn). Pernod...

News Round up: Nike earnings.
April 10, 2006... Nike has reported better-than-expected third-quarter earnings as a gain in US sales helped offset declines in Europe and Japan. Net income at the world's largest athletic-shoe company rose 19% to $326m (#186m) and total sales increased nine...

News Round up: Adidas loss.
April 10, 2006... Adidas made a fourth-quarter net loss of E4m (#2.8m) from a E20m (#14m) profit in 2004, mainly due to costs of integrating US brand Reebok, which it bought last year. The Reebok brand has also suffered falling sales over this period. ...

News Round up: Hutchison Whampoa profit.
April 10, 2006... Hutchison Whampoa - owner of mobile phone operator 3 - has reported an 11% rise in 2005 profit to HK$14bn (#1bn) on narrowing losses at its 3G business. The Hong Kong-based company says 3 now has 11 million subscribers - up 66% from a year...

News Round up: Kingfisher loss.(company sales report)(Brief article)
April 10, 2006... Kingfisher, owner of global do-it-yourself brand B&Q, has posted a second-half loss due to costs from closing stores and cutting jobs at the chain in the UK. Net loss was #26m, compared with a profit of #252m a year earlier. B&Q's sales have...

News Round up: Google predictions.(eMarketer )(Brief article)
April 10, 2006... A new report predicts that Google's global revenue will hit $10bn (#5.7bn) by 2007. Research from eMarketer claims the growth will result from more searchers and the fact that the Google brand draws more searches. There are expected to be 144...

APPOINTMENTS: Sheraton Hotels and Resorts.(Chad Waetzig)(Brief article)
April 10, 2006... Chad Waetzig has been named senior vice president marketing for Sheraton Hotels & Resorts. He will be responsible for the hotel chain's worldwide marketing efforts, including Sheraton's new brand positioning, under the strapline 'warm,...

APPOINTMENTS: ATP.
April 10, 2006... ATP, the worldwide governing body for the men's professional tennis circuit, has named Phil Anderton as its global chief marketing officer. Anderton, the former chief executive of Scottish football club, Hearts, will lead ATP's international...

APPOINTMENTS: Samsung UK.
April 10, 2006... Dr Anthony Marsella has been appointed chief marketing officer at Samsung UK. Marsella joins after 10 years with IBM, where he was responsible for marketing the company's business consulting division. Copyright: Centaur Communications Ltd....

APPOINTMENTS: Nissan Canada.
April 10, 2006... Simon Thomas, Nissan GB's current sales director, has been made vice president, sales and marketing for Nissan Canada. He will be responsible for both the Nissan and Infiniti brands from 1 April. Thomas was at Nissan GB for 14 years. ...

Trendspotter: Quietly speaking.(influence of marketing)(Brief article)
April 10, 2006... Some brands say silence is golden. Dan Holliday and Howard Beale report The intensity of ads, marketing and branded ambient noise is unprecedented. It's estimated that the average Tokyo resident under 30 years old is aware of ad...

Brand Stunt of the Month: Teeing off in space.(Element 21 Golf)(Brief article)
April 10, 2006... Russian cosmonauts to attempt record golf drive. Claudine Baker reports Canadian company Element 21 Golf is hoping to draw attention to its hi- tech scandium alloy golf clubs when one of them is used to hit a ball into space. The...

MGA Entertainment: Opinion Putting entertainment into toy making.
April 10, 2006... Isaac Larian, president of MGA Entertainment, creator of the Bratz brand, says the toy industry should be about entertainment rather than products I want to write a farewell note to my old friend: the toy business. It certainly gave me a...

Opinion - Skype: Calling up a new way of communicating.(company forecasts)
April 10, 2006... Saul Klein, vice president of marketing at Skype, says word-of-mouth and creating communities are the best ways to build brands in the digital age Communication is a straightforward human activity. It's a natural drive for people to...

BRAND THERAPY - MAX FACTOR: Cosmetic surgery?(Company overview)
April 10, 2006... Cosmetics brand Max Factor has cut its distribution in the US from 26,000 to 10,000 stores, more than a quarter of which are Wal-Mart locations. Does this mean bad news for the iconic brand, founded in 1909 by a former Russian ballet make-up...

GLOBAL TRENDS WATCH - INNOVATIVE ADVERTISING: New ways to sell.
April 10, 2006... They may have started out as small-scale stunts, but some more unusual marketing techniques are catching the eye of mainstream advertisers. Claudine Baker looks at the latest trends In a recent episode of TV cartoon The Simpsons, gullible...

PROFILE - GIOVANNA FURLANETTO: Living a life of luxury.
April 10, 2006... Italian luxury goods brand Furla may be an international sensation, but the company has retained the ethics of a small, family-run business. Ruth Mortimer meets president Giovanna Furlanetto Giovanna Furlanetto is Italian to the core. As...

Q&A - GIOVANNA FURLANETTO: Affordable luxury the world over.(Interview)(Discussion)
April 10, 2006... Giovanna Furlanetto talks to Ruth Mortimer about the international appeal of the Furla brand, new marketing strategies and the importance of keeping production in Italy RM: How would you describe the Furla brand? GF: I feel Furla now...

CASE STUDY - ALJAZEERA INTERNATIONAL: News for the world.(Aljazeera forecasts)
April 10, 2006... The Arabic news service Aljazeera is gearing up for the launch of an English-language channel. Kate Walsh looks at the challenges the brand faces in its bid for a slice of the global news market In early March this year, the Arabic news...

SUPPLY AND DEMAND: Can't get no satisfaction.
April 10, 2006... What happens when the carefully crafted strategies convincing people to buy a certain product work too well? Morag Cuddeford Jones examines the fallout when brands fail to satisfy demand Imagine this: the buzz surrounding your new product...

SUPPLY AND DEMAND - Case study: Cabbage Patch Kids.(industry forecasts)
April 10, 2006... When the Cabbage Patch Doll was first shown at a US toy fair in February 1983, it generated an overnight following that had rarely been seen before. The company began shipping an estimated one million units to US and UK consumers in June of...

SUPPLY AND DEMAND - Case study: Tamiflu.(production data of Tamiflu medicine)
April 10, 2006... The influenza virus kills 500,000 worldwide every year. Last year in the US, nearly 40,000 people died of the disease, exceeding epidemic status. Flu is considered such a serious threat to health that most countries routinely vaccinate the...

BRAND PAPERS - DUAL BRAND OWNERSHIP: Brands to the power of two.(case studies on brand identity)
April 10, 2006... Christian Dorffer and David Aaker discuss the challenges, benefits and trials of the increasingly common dual brand ownership issue Many highly successful companies are faced with a serious dilemma from time to time. To succeed globally,...

BOOK REVIEW: Genius at work?(Book review)
April 10, 2006... Marketing Genius By Peter Fisk Published by Capstone Publishing priced #14.99 Marketing Genius. It's a simple, bold title that promises much to the reader. And any book that promises to share what it takes to be a marketing genius is...

BOOK REVIEW: Three from me Mike Branson also recommends.(Whatever You Think: Think the Opposite)(The Brand Gap)(The Culting of Brands )(Book review)(Brief review)
April 10, 2006... Whatever you Think, Think the Opposite By Paul Arden Penguin Books (2006) This isn't just another sensible business book with good practice techniques. It tries to spur readers into thinking illogically with the aim of making them...

BOOK REVIEW: From the book shelf of Satkar Gidda.(The Golden Ratio: The Story of Phi)(Brief article)(Book review)
April 10, 2006... Satkar Gidda, sales and marketing director, SiebertHead The Golden Ratio - The Story of Phi Mario Livio It has to be a great book that can inspire an even greater book. The Golden Ratio - The Story of Phi is one of the best books...

RESEARCH - LEADERSHIP: Leading from the top.
April 10, 2006... You cannot underestimate the value of a charismatic leader. It can be a prime minister or president, the chief executive of a major corporation or even a company's own iconic brand depiction. A figurehead must attract an audience and inspire...

RESEARCH - CORPORATE BRANDING: The colour of money.(case studies on Globalization)
April 10, 2006... There can be little doubt that globalisation is having an impact around the world. Brands, products and attitudes are increasingly international in their scope, influences and interests. It can be difficult to successfully navigate this...

RESEARCH: Brand Stats: April.(surveys on usage of jean clothing)(Brief article)
April 10, 2006... Market focus Jeans The majority of people in Europe's four main economies bought at least one pair of jeans in the 12 months ended September 2005. The latest data shows that, in market penetration terms, jeans achieved a high of 61%...

ROUND TABLE - SEARCH MARKETING: Searching for a new direction.
April 10, 2006... Search marketing is rapidly becoming an essential part of digital strategy. Brand Strategy discusses the techniques and challenges with a cross-section of clued-up brands Brand Strategy: Search marketing is constantly in the news. Which...

CASE STUDY - Ask.com: Adapting a digital brand to user needs.
April 10, 2006... Online search engine Ask needed to adapt its brand to suit today's internet audience and rival its larger competitors. Rachel Johnson describes the process and challenges that lie ahead Market changes and developments mean that brands -...

CASE STUDY - 3 MOBILE CONTENT: Call up and SeeMe some time.(surveys)
April 10, 2006... Almost everyone owns a mobile phone these days, so it's no surprise that users are getting in on the act of creating mobile content. Graeme Oxby explains mobile operator 3's SeeMeTV service User-generated content is proving to be one of...

PODCASTING: Play, watch and listen as you go.
April 10, 2006... Will 2006 be the year of the commercial podcast? Guy Phillipson explains how the medium is shaking up traditional marketing and media methods around the world The publisher Rupert Murdoch recently warned his peers that they must get to...

PODCASTING: Five simple guidelines for podcast advertisers.
April 10, 2006... * Make your ad suitable for the mode of delivery. It may be tempting to reuse radio ads, but podcasting is a new medium with new rules, and it's essential that podcast ads integrate seamlessly with the content. For example, sponsored content...

PODCASTING: Podcasting facts.(surveys on audio equipment)(Brief article)
April 10, 2006... * 11% of American adults own an iPod or other MP3 player. This amounts to 22 million people. Some 29% of these people have downloaded podcasts. * Men are more likely to have MP3 players than women. Thirteen per cent of men have players...

RESEARCH - GLOBAL DIGITAL TRENDS: It's a digital world.
April 10, 2006... Digital technology is fast-moving and marketers need to keep their eyes on the key trends. Paul O'Donnell looks at upcoming developments across four major regions It is always important for marketers to have an overview of global digital...

RESEARCH - ONLINE ADVERTISING: Internet ad breaks.
April 10, 2006... Online advertising works especially well for the entertainment and alcohol sectors. Christina Goodman explains the reasons for this success and why creative content is so important Online advertising has emerged as a powerful way to reach...