Brand Strategy articles from June 2008

Brand Strategy archives from June 2008

LEADER: Learning to be good.
June 9, 2008... Isn't it a bit worrying when we all have to plan to be good? When did things get so bad that you actually had to create a distinct strategy to do things right? I was sitting a couple of weeks ago at a very interesting seminar run by...

MARKETING: Dunkin' Donuts.
June 9, 2008... Dunkin' Donuts has pulled a US ad that showed TV chef Rachael Ray wearing a scarf similar to a traditional Arabic keffiyeh headscarf. The paisley fashion scarf has been mistakenly interpreted by some right- wing US commentators as a symbol of...

MARKETING: Starbucks.
June 9, 2008... Starbucks has redesigned its original logo to promote its Pike Place coffee blend. The company has reintroduced the marque showing a topless mermaid, but the new design covers the figure's breasts. The logo will only appear for a limited...

MARKETING: Honda.
June 9, 2008... Honda and British TV station Channel 4 have carried out what they claim is the first-ever 'live' modern ad in the UK. A team of skydivers jumped out of a plane and broadcast live their efforts to spell out the word 'Honda' in the...

MARKETING: Christian Dior.
June 9, 2008... Luxury business Christian Dior is distancing itself from comments made by actress and brand ambassador Sharon Stone about the recent earthquake in China. Stone suggested the natural disaster might be 'karma' for the nation's actions in Tibet....

MARKETING: Marks & Spencer.
June 9, 2008... Retailer Marks & Spencer has signed a deal with TV and film stylist Patricia Field, who put together the look for the Sex & the City TV series and film. Field will design a one-off range for the British brand. Sex store Ann Summers is using...

MARKETING: Diageo.
June 9, 2008... Diageo-owned drinks brands have announced they will be sponsoring the 2009 Lions tour in South Africa. Guinness and Bushmills will be supporting the ten-match rugby tour next summer. Both brands already have associations with the sport. ...

MARKETING: Eat Natural.
June 9, 2008... Cereal bar brand Eat Natural is attempting to engage consumers with a user-generated ad campaign. Fans are invited to design the brand's first-ever print campaign. Copyright: Centaur Communications Ltd. and licensors

MARKETING: Malibu.
June 9, 2008... Drinks brand Malibu has launched a global television advertising campaign with the strapline 'Get Your Island On' replacing its 'Malibu. Seriously easy going' tag, which ran for ten years. The campaign aims to reposition the product as an...

MARKETING: Eurostar.
June 9, 2008... Eurostar, the train service that links the UK to mainland Europe, has funded a new art-house film called Somers Town. Eurostar's London terminal at St Pancras borders the run-down Somers Town area, so the brand has been integrated into the...

MARKETING: Sears.
June 9, 2008... US retail giant Sears is introducing a line of clothing and accessories in partnership with hip-hop artist LL Cool J. The range will be offered in the juniors, kids and young men's departments and will initially be stocked in 450 Sears...

LAUNCHES/REBRANDS: Mars.
June 9, 2008... Mars has launched a customised version of its M&Ms confectionery brand - M&Ms Faces - in the US. Consumers can log onto a website and print faces onto their sweets, as well as their own messages. The concept began as a small research...

FINANCIAL: Gap Inc.
June 9, 2008... Gap Inc has seen earnings rise by 40% in its third quarter to $249m (#124.5m), despite sales dropping by around five per cent to $3.38bn (#1.69bn). The profits boost comes as the company reduced its marketing expenditure by 18% and scaled...

FINANCIAL: Burberry.
June 9, 2008... Burberry has reported a 25% increase in profits to #196m before tax in the year to 31 March 2008. Sales of bags and shoes were particularly strong, with a 39% increase in non-apparel items. Copyright: Centaur Communications Ltd. and...

FINANCIAL: Polo Ralph Lauren.
June 9, 2008... Polo Ralph Lauren has set itself the goal of doubling its European and Asian sales through new store openings and wholesale operations. The brand - which currently generates 65% of its sales in the US - reported net income up 41% to $103.5m...

FINANCIAL: Yell Group.
June 9, 2008... Yell Group says it has halved its dividend in a bid to protect itself against the current economic climate. The Yellow Pages publisher's share price fell as a result of its announcement. Copyright: Centaur Communications Ltd. and...

FINANCIAL: Yahoo!
June 9, 2008... Yahoo! has agreed a partnership deal with advertising and marketing firm WPP group. The initiative involves a collaboration between Yahoo! and WPP's GroupM and 24/7 Real Media. It will enable the agencies to buy advertising on Yahoo!'s media...

NUMBERS: Marks & Spencer.
June 9, 2008... Marks & Spencer and Lidl have emerged as the UK supermarket brands that use the lowest percentage of recyclable packaging - just 62%, according to a report into the sector by the Local Government Association. Sainsbury's had the highest...

APPOINTMENTS: Hyundai.
June 9, 2008... Andrew Cullis has been appointed by Hyundai to the position of UK marketing director. The 38-year-old comes from rival car marque Citroen, where he was head of product and brand strategy. At Hyundai, he will be responsible for expanding the...

APPOINTMENTS: Starwood Hotels & Resorts.
June 9, 2008... Phil McAveety has been appointed chief brand officer for Starwood Hotels & Resorts. He has previously held positions with a variety of brands, including vice president of marketing for Nike Europe, Middle East and Asia. He will report to his...

APPOINTMENTS: Vodafone.
June 9, 2008... Vittorio Calao has been promoted to chief executive of telecoms company Vodafone following the surprise announcement of Arun Sarin's retirement. Sarin is stepping down after five years at the helm. Calao will take up the post in July,...

APPOINTMENTS: TheTrainline.
June 9, 2008... Iain Hildreth has taken up the post of marketing director at rail ticket retailer TheTrainline. He has 15 years' marketing experience, including stints at Shell, Barclays and eBay. Hildreth will have responsibility for all online and offline...

TRENDSPOTTER: A home in a box.
June 9, 2008... Could Argos' log cabin help to beat the credit crisis? Jo Roberts reports Stepping onto the first rung of the housing ladder seems to be getting trickier by the day as lenders rein in the 100% mortgages that were offered in plentiful...

BRAND STUNT OF THE MONTH: Clean pair of wheels.
June 9, 2008... Stunt bikers give Nissan's Qashqai appeal to young buyers, writes Jo Roberts London's South Bank area was awash with young sports fans as daredevils showed off their skills to crowds last month in a mountain-bike freeriders' contest....

OPINION: Turning customers into enthusiasts.(Simon Morris of LOVEFiLM)
June 9, 2008... Simon Morris, marketing director at LOVEFiLM, says having a conversation with your target consumer is the way to make a strong brand connection Engaging our customers in conversation, rather than talking at them, creates a personable...

OPINION: Premium product goes with the grain.
June 9, 2008... As global food prices spiral, Jon Calland, external affairs director at rice brand Tilda, explains how he is branding his product in a difficult climate Some people consider rice to be a commodity. For us, the single, specific type of...

BEIJING OLYMPICS: A sporting chance?
June 9, 2008... Beijing, host of the 2008 Olympics, is promoting the event with the slogan 'One World, One Dream'. But while sponsors hope to reap rewards from the Olympian values of harmony, progress and respect, the reality may be less positive. The...

MUSIC FESTIVALS: In on the act.
June 9, 2008... As more brands than ever appear at festivals, are consumers being turned off by corporate interference in music? How can brands avoid becoming irrelevant, asks Ruth Mortimer At one music festival in London this summer, you will see...

MUSIC FESTIVALS: Brand activity at this summer's festivals.
June 9, 2008... Glastonbury: Orange has the Chill 'n' Charge Tent with 600 mobile charging points, as well as interactive maps appearing on phones. There are also broadband points. The brand is running an online competition to give away tickets for the...

PROFILE - CHRISTIAN KEMP-GRIFFIN: Style conscious.(Edun)
June 9, 2008... Christian Kemp-Griffin, chief executive of clothing brand EDUN, tells Maeve Hosea how he is using his fashion experience to raise awareness of trade initiatives fighting poverty in Africa Christian Kemp-Griffin, chief executive of fashion...

PROFILE - CHRISTIAN KEMP-GRIFFIN: Fashion without the fickleness.(Interview)
June 9, 2008... Christian Kemp-Griffin reveals to Maeve Hosea why working for EDUN is the ideal way to make use of his skills and how he aims to spread the message about ethical fashion MH: What attracted you to EDUN? CKG: I wanted to run a company...

CASE STUDY - STARWOOD HOTELS & RESORTS: Special guests.(Company overview)
June 9, 2008... A hotel stay is no longer just about getting a room. Starwood Hotels & Resorts aims to be at the vanguard of transforming hospitality into a lifestyle proposition. Maeve Hosea reports On a sunny morning in London's financial district, an...

MARKETING THEORY: Treasure seekers.
June 9, 2008... Everyone wants a magic formula to turn their marketing into gold. But is the understanding of what makes a trend happen an art or a science? Ruth Mortimer reports on opposing theories Every brand on the global stage is searching for a...

CULTURAL BRANDING: The power of cultural cool.
June 9, 2008... How are luxury brands injecting cultural cool into their marketing to ensure their products resonate in diverse markets? Melanie Skotadis and Izzy Pugh report The seductive power of luxury brands is demonstrated everywhere around the...

GREEN'S FUTURE: Is green the new beige?
June 9, 2008... Leonie Smith asks: how well do consumers absorb green messages from brands - and will they continue to care if a recession hits their finances? Green is clearly no longer just a colour. It is the latest corporate bandwagon. So what drives...

SENSORY MARKETING: You know it makes sense.
June 9, 2008... Appealing to the eyes and ears of consumers is no longer enough. Think about how your brand could harness all the senses to win loyalty, says Mark Kennedy At first glance, it sounds obvious to say that successful brands are good at...

BOOK REVIEW: Heard this one before.(Book review)
June 9, 2008... Herd - How to Change Mass Behaviour by Harnessing our True Nature By Mark Earls John Wiley & Sons 2007, #24.99 Justin Kirby, chief executive of marketing consultancy DMC, finds Mark Earls's Herd entertaining but lacking in hard...

THREE FROM ME: Justin Kirby recommends.(Brief article)(Book review)
June 9, 2008... Pattern Recognition By William Gibson Penguin Putnam (2003) Set in a contemporary world, this novel is food for thought for any marketer trying to figure out the social implications of technological discontinuity. It's also a great...

From the bookshelf of Jonathan Salem Baskin.(The Victorian Internet )(Brief article)(Book review)
June 9, 2008... Jonathan Salem Baskin, brand consultant, author and blogger The Victorian Internet By Tom Standage I gave copies of this book to my team as holiday presents late last century. Everyone looked at me cross-eyed. "We've been here before,"...

DIGITAL ADVERTISING: On the brink of ad revolution.
June 9, 2008... The next five years will hold more change for the advertising industry than the past 50, according to a study from IBM. It reveals that in the words of the managing director of a European advertiser: "We will see neutral evaluation of all...

Brand Stats: June.
June 9, 2008... Market focus Yogurt and fromage frais Out of Britain, Germany, Spain and France, the latter has the highest proportion of yogurt or fromage-frais consumers - more than 90% of adults (aged 15+). Britain has the lowest proportion at 70%....

SPORT ROUNDTABLE: Part of the team.(Discussion)
June 9, 2008... The value sport places on achieving personal excellence is a great fit for many brands - but our panel of experts warns that link-ups must show a true affinity between the marque and the sport or players Brand Strategy: What are the values...

PROFILE - KENNY LOGAN: Logan runs with the ball.
June 9, 2008... Kenny Logan knows the power of branding. He has nurtured his career from pro rugby player to sports marketing guru, enhanced by his new status as a TV celebrity. Jo Roberts talks to him Surfing the internet for information and pictures on...

PROFILE - KENNY LOGAN: Keeping the clean cut image.
June 9, 2008... Kenny Logan tells Jo Roberts about how he sees the future of rugby sponsorship and the importance of avoiding the pitfalls that have adversely affected Premiership football JR: What values are there in rugby that brands can attach...

SPORTS BRANDING: Get ready for Arsenal Shanghai.
June 9, 2008... Strong team brands are ideally placed to develop into global platforms, crossing borders not just of countries but the sports they play, argues Ian Stephens Picture the scene: As the teams retake the field for the final exchanges of the...

CSR AND SPORT: Rewards of being a good sport.
June 9, 2008... Sport is a good way for brands to make a contribution to society, from the Special Olympics to promoting fitness through schools, writes Ron Cregan In business as in life, there are givers and there are takers. In all successful...

CELEBRITY ENDORSEMENT: The big match.
June 9, 2008... 'Colman's Mustard Heads the Field'. A poster featuring bearded England cricketing legend WG Grace that appeared around the end of the 19th century might not have seemed like a groundbreaking moment in Victorian advertising. But Grace's...

OPINION: Winning mixture of sport and technology.
June 9, 2008... Brian Bell, head of Lenovo's marketing team for the UK and Ireland, tells how technology-focused sports promotions have raised brand awareness Sport can unify a nation, bringing people together from all walks of life to watch a team or...