Brand Strategy articles from July 2005

Brand Strategy archives from July 2005

LEADER: Purple oceans.(Blue Ocean Strategy)
July 12, 2005... Every night somewhere around the globe, 10,000 people are taking a ring- side seat at Cirque du Soleil. Some people pay up to $150 (#82) each, making the French-Canadian entertainment company a million-dollar-a- night business. Chan Kim,...

Heinz acquisition.(Brief Article)
July 12, 2005... Heinz has acquired the HP and Lea & Perrins brands from the Danone Group for #470m; both brands are sold in 75 countries. Worldwide sales of the brands, which are primarily marketed in the UK, US and Canada, are about $300m (#165m). The...

Havas chief executive steps down.(Brief Article)
July 12, 2005... Havas chief executive Alain de Pouzilhac has stepped down after losing control to French industrialist Vincent Bollores, who now owns 22% of the French advertising group. It has been suggested that the stand-off may lead to interest from...

Nike results.(company sales and earnings)(Brief Article)
July 12, 2005... Nike's full-year results show a 28% profit rise to $1.2bn (#660m) up from $945.6m (#521m) in 2004. The sportswear company has also announced 15% profit growth to $349.5m (#193m) in the fourth quarter to May 2005, but its shares fell after a...

Morgan Stanley profits down.(Brief Article)
July 12, 2005... US bank Morgan Stanley's second-quarter profits dropped 24% to $928m (#511m), down 24% from last year and 34% from the first quarter. It is the bank's largest quarterly drop in four years. Copyright: Centaur Communications Ltd. and...

Wal-Mart expansion.(Brief Article)
July 12, 2005... Wal-Mart is considering expansion into Eastern Europe, including Poland, Hungary and Russia. The company wants to maintain its current rate of 31% sales growth from non-US businesses. It plans to expand through acquisition rather than new...

Informal bid.(Brief Article)
July 12, 2005... Chinese white goods manufacturer Haier has made an informal $1.28bn (#710m) bid for US home appliances group Maytag. Haier is China's biggest manufacturer of fridges, air-conditioners and washing machines. Maytag is the third largest appliances...

No-calorie cola.(Brief Article)
July 12, 2005... Coca-Cola Zero, a no-calorie cola, has launched in North America following months of speculation. The marketing campaign includes TV, radio, outdoor, cinema and digital programming. A branded rock and roll marathon and a charity auction of the...

Fiat-branded shoes.(Brief Article)
July 12, 2005... Fiat Auto and racing gear brand Sabelt have launched Fiat-branded shoes in Italy. The companies' F1 partnership dates back to the 1970s, but this is the first time Fiat has sold shoes. The E250 (#166) shoes for men and women are only being...

Nissan hybrid vehicle.(Brief Article)
July 12, 2005... Nissan is launching an environmentally-friendly hybrid vehicle in the US next year based on its Altima model. Toyota, which dominates the hybrid market, will supply the hybrid components of the car while Nissan develops the engine. About...

One-shot health drinks.(Brief Article)
July 12, 2005... Unilever has launched one-shot fruit and vegetable drinks, Vie Shots, across Europe. The drinks are the only non-dairy drinks in the one-shot health category. Vie Shots represent a #9.5m sales opportunity in the UK and #6m has been invested...

Man U credit card.(Brief Article)
July 12, 2005... Manchester United Football Club has launched an own-branded credit card in China. It is the first affinity card in China, where the club says it has 24 million fans. The launch coincides with the team's first promotional tour to Beijing. ...

Caffeinated beer.(Brief Article)
July 12, 2005... Anheuser-Busch is launching BE, a caffeinated beer, in the UK to compete with energy drinks such as Red Bull. The beer was recently introduced into the US market and may be expanded further. The company is supporting the launch with sampling,...

P and G marketing budget.(Brief Article)
July 12, 2005... Procter & Gamble has reportedly slashed its budget for TV commercials. Its spending will fall by 25% on cable networks and 5% on broadcast channels. P&G is believed to have spent about 80% of its marketing budget on TV last year. The FMCG...

New corporate identity for Credit Suisse.(Credit Suisse Group )(Brief Article)
July 12, 2005... Following the merger of its two Swiss banks in May, the Credit Suisse Group has revealed a single new corporate identity using a logo designed by Enterprise IG. The main banking business will now use the Credit Suisse name and the logo will be...

Sony Ericsson signs up Helena Christensen.(Product Introduction)(Brief Article)
July 12, 2005... Sony Ericsson has signed up supermodel and photographer Helena Christensen for the launch of its 2 megapixel K750i camera phone, in a partnership with Vodafone. The phone is being positioned as 2005's leading imaging phone. Photos taken by...

Basketball global partnership.(EA Sports Partnering with National Basketball Association)(Brief Article)
July 12, 2005... EA Sports is partnering with the National Basketball Association (NBA) and Euroleague Basketball in an event, NBA Europe Live. The two-year global partnership will bring American teams to five European countries in 2006-7. The US and...

Appointments: Kraft.(Kraft Foods Inc. Promoted Paula Sneed)(Brief Article)
July 12, 2005... Kraft has promoted Paula Sneed to the new role of executive VP of global marketing resources and initiatives, where she will oversee Kraft's marketing around the world. She takes over from Betsy Holden, president of global marketing and...

Appointments: Volvo.(Frederik Arp )(Brief Article)
July 12, 2005... Frederik Arp has been appointed as Volvo group chief executive. He takes over from Hans-Olov Olson, who will take up the position of chairman at the firm. Arp previously headed up international engineering company Trelleborg. Copyright:...

Appointments: Diesel.(Brief Article)
July 12, 2005... Dan Barton has moved from his role as Diesel's marketing director in the UK to become director of marketing and communications in the US. The new post will cover a wider territory but less sub-brands. Barton formerly worked for clothing...

Appointments: B&Q.(Brief Article)
July 12, 2005... Retailer B&Q has hired Ian Cheshire as chief executive, replacing Rob Cissell, who moves to a commercial role at B&Q. Cheshire formerly headed international development at parent company Kingfisher. Copyright: Centaur Communications Ltd....

TRENDSPOTTER: Wealthy and wise.
July 12, 2005... 'Thrift Smarties' are more concerned with finding a bargain than splashing the cash, says Brian Perkins The motto of American magazine Real Simple is 'spend smart, live rich'. This publication demonstrates how to make a wallet from duct...

BRAND STUNT OF THE MONTH: Ben & Jerry's chills out in Clapham.(Brief Article)
July 12, 2005... Ruth Mortimer reports on Ben & Jerry's plan to bring its summer festival to London Ice cream brand Ben & Jerry's has got its summer promotion licked. Literally. The company has created an ice cream, music and entertainment festival,...

BRAND MOT: L'oreal.(Cosmetics and Toiletries)
July 12, 2005... L'Oreal's sales in Western Europe fell by 3.1% to E1.8bn (#1.2bn) for the three months ended 31 March. This followed sluggish consumer spending, especially in France and Germany. The cosmetics and toiletries company, which owns Biotherm,...

FOCUS - SWITZERLAND: Low-cost airlines for frill-seeking travellers.(Flybaboo)
July 12, 2005... Low-cost flights traditionally mean n0 frills. Ruth Mortimer investigates a new breed of 'boutique' style airlines that manage to combine budget prices with a touch of luxury The singer John Lennon once memorably told those in "the cheap...

OPINION: The numbers journey.
July 12, 2005... Jennifer Dauer, chief marketing officer at P&G Europe, outlines her company's strides to crack return on investment Procter & Gamble spends about $15bn (#8.2bn) annually on marketing, which is a combination of trade spending and spending...

OPINION: A little more conversation.
July 12, 2005... Russ Klein reveals how brands can become 'social currency' through bold viral marketing Burger King may be a food company, but it's also focused on becoming a conversation piece in pop culture. Why? First, because we're a social brand,...

PROFILE: Martin Glenn's new world order.
July 12, 2005... Elen Lewis meets Pepsico boss Martin Glenn to talk about crisps, how he has stood up to the food industry critics and why British consumers keep him awake at night As the public face of the British food and snacks industry, Martin Glenn,...

Q&A: Taking the Pepsico challenge.(Interview)
July 12, 2005... Martin Glenn tells Elen Lewis about the challenges facing the food industry in the face of the current debate on obesity and why Gary Lineker is such a great brand ambassador EL: Do you envisage a future when the snacks industry, like the...

CANON: The emotional touch.
July 12, 2005... Canon has restructured its operations and is aiming to shake-off its rather staid image with a focus on the more emotional aspects of its products. Joanna Doonar investigates Canon was like a serious but competent middle-aged man before...

CUSTOMER INNOVATION: Inspirational consumers.
July 12, 2005... Businesses and brands are turning to their customers and other external sources for new product ideas, suggestions and advice. Ruth Mortimer examines this growing trend Procter & Gamble's top-selling toothbrush started its life as a...

CAST STUDY - BMW: You're in the driving seat.
July 12, 2005... BMW is all about driving innovation. But the brand is also motoring forward because of its customers. It has been using consumers to help design, create and develop its new products. This goes further than simply asking for their opinions about...

BRAND PAPERS: The Promised Land.
July 12, 2005... Mark Dickens delves into the retail landscape in Israel and discovers that power lies with the supplier brands rather than the retailers Since the dawn of civilisation, the Middle East has been the world's epicentre. It is the birthplace...

BRAND PAPERS: Last orders.
July 12, 2005... Colin Brough analyses how drink brands can continue to reach consumers creatively without aggravating the government Responsible advertising remains a dominant issue for food and alcohol marketers. Both industries have been warned by the...

BRAND PAPERS: Rant and rave.
July 12, 2005... Paul Edwards explains how British people are becoming more petulant and are prepared to punish brands if frustrated Petulance, a form of impatience, is something the Brits have often associated with continental Europe. Latino passions and...

BRAND PAPERS: All sides of the story.
July 12, 2005... Lucy Jameson looks at a new form of research which studies the consumer in a confessional environment, rather than in structured focus groups We live in a country where people are spoilt for choice and bombarded by a cacophony of brands,...

BRAND PAPERS: Unlocking value.
July 12, 2005... Tim Kitchin and Tim Wilson explain why supply chains are increasingly important and create emotional and ethical value for your brands Value chains are replacing brands as the most powerful weapon in the marketing arsenal. When companies...

BOOKS: Marketing's Da Vinci Code?(Brands Laid Bare)(Book Review)
July 12, 2005... Lucy Richardson, managing director of Added Value, was educated rather than inspired by Brands Laid Bare and believes it has been written with the market researcher in mind, rather than the brand manager Brands Laid Bare by Kevin Ford,...

From the bookshelf of Laurence Green, managing partner, Fallon.(Brief Article)(Book Review)
July 12, 2005... In Praise of Slow By Carl Honore Blink, The Wisdom of Crowds, Everything Bad Is Good For You, Why Things Fail. I've read them all. The reviews, that is, or the first few pages. I could claim to be thin-slicing, just as Gladwell...

BOOKS: Battle of the supermarkets.(Trolley Wars)(Book Review)
July 12, 2005... Andrea Cockram, retail analyst at Verdict, enjoys the wealth of detail and intimate anecdotes in Trolley Wars, believing that irrespective of the new economics of a mature retail market, lessons can be drawn from the past Trolley Wars...

RESEARCH: Obesity through the eyes of the obese.
July 12, 2005... Obesity is a subject that is never far from the media eye. We are regularly told that more people, regardless of age, are getting bigger and being told they are obese in terms of their body mass index. My initial objective was to research...

RESEARCH: OBESITY STATISTICS.(Brief Article)
July 12, 2005... Globally, there are more than one billion overweight adults; at least 300 million of them obese. Obesity rates have risen three-fold or more since 1980 in some areas of North America, the UK, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, the Pacific...

RESEARCH: Thailand: a vibrant market.
July 12, 2005... Thailand's popular image paints it as the quintessentially exotic Asian country - a land of silks and spices, ornate temples and golden beaches, with friendly, beautiful people. But modern Thailand aspires to be much more. It is one of...

RESEARCH: NEW DIRECTIONS IN BRAND-BUILDING.(methods of brand building)
July 12, 2005... Marketers are concentrating on building short-term sales rather than long-term brand equity, according to research from Millward Brown. They are favouring tools such as the internet, direct mail and promotions, which help boost sales quickly...

BRAND STATS: Market focus Ice cream.(Brief Article)
July 12, 2005... Britain's regular ice cream tub eaters are twice as likely to be over the age of 65 as they are in Germany, where consumers are much younger. In Germany and Spain, those eating ice cream frequently are more upmarket than consumers in France...