Brand Strategy articles from May 2004

Brand Strategy archives from May 2004

The marketing academy.(Leader)
May 1, 2004... The marketing community is often talking about the difficulties of recruiting new talent. Well how about focusing on the 95% of your department who already work there? You could drive significant improvements by getting a mass of people to work...

iPod sales increased by more than 900% compared to the same quarter in the previous year, according to Apple's financial results for Q2 2004, ending 27 March.(Finance)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... iPod sales increased by more than 900% compared to the same quarter in the previous year, according to Apple's financial results for Q2 2004, ending 27 March. The company posted a net profit of $46m (26m [pounds sterling]) up from $14m (7.9m...

Yahoo.(Finance)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... Yahoo has experienced its most successful quarter in the company's 10-year history according to its Q1 2004 financial results. Gross profit for the period was $476m (268m [pounds sterling]) compared to $240m (135m [pounds sterling]) for the...

Levi Strauss & Co.(Finance)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... Levi Strauss & Co's first quarter gross profit was $408m (230m [pounds sterling]), an increase of $48m (27m [pounds sterling]) on the same period a year ago. The results were driven by the growth of the Levi Strauss Signature brand and a robust...

Tesco.(Finance)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... Tesco's pre-tax profit increased by 17.6% to 1.6bn [pounds sterling] for the year ending 28 February 2004. The total international underlying operating profit increased by 44% to 306m [pounds sterling], driven by a 122m [pounds sterling] profit...

Starbucks Coffee Company and Jim Beam Brands Co. will launch a Starbucks-branded premium coffee liqueur product in the US later this year.(Launches and rebrands)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... Starbucks Coffee Company and Jim Beam Brands Co. will launch a Starbucks-branded premium coffee liqueur product in the US later this year. The product will be sold in licensed establishments such as restaurants, bars and retail, but not...

Coca-Cola is launching Coca-Cola C2, a lower calorie variant which has the same taste as regular Coca-Cola.(Launches and rebrands)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... Coca-Cola is launching Coca-Cola C2, a lower calorie variant which has the same taste as regular Coca-Cola. The drink, which contains half the sugar, carbohydrates and ca[odes of regular colas, but more than diet colas, will launch in Japan and...

Global management consultancy Cap Gemini Ernst & Young has changed its name to Capgemini, investing 60m [euro] (40m [pounds sterling]) in a rebranding campaign.(Launches and rebrands)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... Global management consultancy Cap Gemini Ernst & Young has changed its name to Capgemini, investing 60m [euro] (40m [pounds sterling]) in a rebranding campaign. Advertising will appear in US and European media, such as Sky News and Eurosport TV...

Diary.(Brief Article)(Calendar)
May 1, 2004... The Advertising Association Annual Lunch The Savoy, London 24 May 2004 Perhaps the last chance to hear from Niall Fitzgerald who will be giving the AA's keynote speech before he steps down as chairman of Unilever in September....

Following the sudden death of McDonald's chairman and CEO, Jim Cantalupo.(Appointments)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... Following the sudden death of McDonald's chairman and CEO, Jim Cantalupo, the company has announced that he will be succeeded by Charlie Bell, currently president and COO (pictured). Cantalupo was responsible for introducing a range of...

Coca-Cola.(Appointments)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... Coca-Cola's board of directors has appointed Donald R Knauss, president and COO of Coca-Cola North America, as executive vice president of the company. A replacement for Douglas Daft, chairman and CEO, set to leave the company at the end of the...

Burger King.(Appointments)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... Burger King has appointed KFC's former chief food innovation officer, Denny Post, as chief concept officer. She will oversee all product marketing and product development, reporting to executive VP and CMO, Russ Klein.

UK ISP, Freeserve, has rebranded to Wanadoo, the name of its parent company, to position itself as a major international brand.(Launches and rebrands)(internet service provider)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... UK ISP, Freeserve, has rebranded to Wanadoo, the name of its parent company, to position itself as a major international brand. The 20m [pounds sterling] name change campaign initially outlined that 'Freeserve is changing' in outdoor...

Gillette India is working in partnership with 50 men's grooming salons in Delhi, to educate males on the range of Gillette products.(Marketing)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... Gillette India is working in partnership with 50 men's grooming salons in Delhi, to educate males on the range of Gillette products. The pilot scheme, which will run throughout 2004, aims to inform Indian men about shaving products within the...

BBC Worldwide will stop licensing children's properties to 'everyday treat foods such as cakes and confectionery'.(Marketing)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... BBC Worldwide will stop licensing children's properties to 'everyday treat foods such as cakes and confectionery'. The move applies to brands including Teletubbies and Tweenies, and is a reaction to the growing concern about children's diets....

Pfizer has launched a loyalty programme for US Viagra users offering patients a free Viagra prescription for every six prescriptions they fill.(Marketing)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... Pfizer has launched a loyalty programme for US Viagra users offering patients a free Viagra prescription for every six prescriptions they fill. The Value Card for Viagra was announced in celebration of the drug's sixth anniversary. Information...

Diageo has unveiled a new brand identity for Baileys, its fastest growing priority brand, which includes a new bottle and packaging.(Marketing)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... Diageo has unveiled a new brand identity for Baileys, its fastest growing priority brand, which includes a new bottle and packaging. The new look aims to reflect the informality of Baileys consumers and follows the launch of a global...

Audit Bureau of Circulations.(Numbers)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... Australian online advertising grew 51% to AU$137m (56.4m [pounds sterling]) in the second half of 2003, according to the Audit Bureau of Circulations, Australia. For the full year, the online advertising market grew 41% with a full year spend...

Split personalities reunited: Chris Grantham argues that the ever-changing consumer may be about to metamorphose once more.(Trendspotter)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... The boring uniformity of so many big national brands is driving the emergence of the Jekyll and Hyde consumer. This individual craves personalisation, variety and contrasting experiences and identities. More often than not the 'big' brands...

Terry's oranges were not the only fruit: Morag Cuddeford Jones discovers that Terry's Chocolate Orange hides an old fruit on the family tree.(That Was The Brand That Was)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... A stalwart stocking filler, the Terry's Chocolate Orange is as ubiquitous at Christmas as Cadbury's Creme Egg at Easter. Other flavoured chocolates don't come close to its 70-year brand heritage. Along with All Gold, it's a linchpin of Terry's...

The information marketplace: Allan Mitchell warns brand owners to consider the importance of quality information.
May 1, 2004... Brand owners are in danger of losing the plot. The world is changing faster than they are: they now have a strategic mountain to climb if they are to re-establish their central position in consumers' lives. A new battle for brand supremacy has...

Brand mot.(David Beckham's brand image)
May 1, 2004... "Goldenballs"--even David Beckham's nickname is minted. Captain of the England football team, star player of European premier league team Real Madrid, style icon, model father and husband of a pop star, Beckham seemed to live a charmed life....

Going, going, Google: the end as we know it: diversification may make economic sense but what are the repercussions? Joanna Doonar investigates whether Google's ambition to launch webmail could damage a much-loved brand.(News Analysis)
May 1, 2004... Google's announcement that it is expanding from a search engine into email has led to cries that the well-loved brand may soon be tarnished. Gmail, its new free webmall service, will offer consumers advanced searches and a huge volume of...

An antidote to CRM hype: Clive Humby argues that enlightened consumers are forcing a sea change in marketing measurement.(Opinion)(Customer relationship management)
May 1, 2004... Consumer marketing is at a cross roads. Do we continue down the old road of having a product and selling as many as we can? Or do we develop new approaches which engage with the customer in a more relevant manner? It's time to tear up the...

Talking the language of the board: Peter Stringham suggests possible solutions for the misunderstood marketer.(Opinion)
May 1, 2004... How often does your chairman talk about marketing? In a lot of companies, particularly those in the financial services, I don't think whoever is driving the organisation necessarily understands what marketing is. How often does the board...

Fertile ground lets Weed grow well: Morag Cuddeford Jones talks to Lever Faberge chairman Keith Weed and finds his unexpected enthusiasm for shampoo has made him one of the UK's most respected business leaders.(Profile)
May 1, 2004... Keith Weed is in the pink. The chairman of the UK's largest consumer packaged goods company has just overseen the internal launch of Lever Faberg's range of pink-themed household cleaning products and he's unnervingly excited about...

Concern for creature comforts: Keith Weed tells Morag Cuddeford Jones how a creative approach to consumer insight and employee engagement keeps Lever Faberge ahead of the competition.(Q&A)
May 1, 2004... MCJ: You claim that sustainable business growth is only possible through a fully consumer-centric policy. Can you explain what this means? KW: This is why I love consumer goods. It's about making people's lives better. You only have to go...

Barbie's midlife crisis: Joanna Doonar looks at Barbie's long-running career as the number one doll for girls and questions whether the break-up campaign and constant reinvention is enough to keep the Bratz at bay.(Barbie)
May 1, 2004... The break up of one of the world's top celebrity couples earlier this year generated 1,223 media stories in the US in publications such as Business Week and Time and reached over 69 million Britons, featuring in nearly every national newspaper....

The force of a Jedi Council: a small number of enlightened companies are realising that improving marketing capability will have an impact on the bottom line. Elen Lewis investigates the programmes in place.(Marketing Capability)(Cover Story)
May 1, 2004... A powerful one the force of marketing is. Although Yoda-speak is not widely encouraged within marketing departments--you may be intrigued to hear that Procter & Gamble has a Jedi Council. Luckily, not all P&G marketers are expected to display...

The Marketing Academy: Elen Lewis speaks to Thom Braun, director of Unilever's global Marketing Academy which launched five years ago and is now intrinsically tied into real business objectives.(Case study: Unilever)
May 1, 2004... Although many companies have only recently woken up to the business potential of running rigorous marketing capability programmes, Unilever is ahead of the game. The FMCG company, along with its rival Procter & Gamble has long been regarded as...

Getting Uggly: as a US company attempts to trademark Ugg as a brand, other manufacturers contest the name is already generic. Paul Randle finds out who is right.(Brand Papers)
May 1, 2004... As all brand owners know, famous marks are as valuable as they are difficult to create. But even famous names can be difficult to protect. A recent dispute over the Ugg brand of sheepskin boots--currently enjoying widespread celebrity...

Seen and herd: Mark Earls argues that focusing on the consumer's ego as a me, me, me entity may be misdirected. Are there benefits from targeting primeval herd instincts?(Brand Papers, marketing)
May 1, 2004... Marketing is not as Jon Steel, director of account planning at US based ad agency Goodby, Silverstein & Partners, puts it "a set of eternal rules, like those of mathematics", but the product of a postwar US. It should be no surprise that...

Once upon a time: Giles Lury argues that storytelling is an effective, under-resourced tool which will build customer loyalty and help your brand live happily ever after.(Brand Papers)
May 1, 2004... The power of a good story has long been recognised. Scherezade managed to keep herself alive for 1,001 nights by leaving stories unfinished overnight, keeping the Sultan in suspense. Troubadours and minstrels earned their living telling...

Chinese whispers: Chen Jin describes two separate approaches to innovation by Chinese companies Haier and Huawei Technologies.(Brand Papers)
May 1, 2004... The Western world is fascinated by China because of its huge global potential. China's entry into the WTO will see the market become more open. In the meantime, for the sake of competition at home and abroad, some Chinese companies are tapping...

Selling technology: Bruce Davies argues that companies must enable consumers to use their brands as they wish since it's about building kinships rather than the technology.(Brand Papers)
May 1, 2004... Why do we love mobile phones, ipods, music downloads, texting and budget flights and yet fear or even rebel against icons of the consumer dream such as fast food, third generation mobile or chatrooms? To put it another way, what is the...

Pyrex's ambitions: Ray Gunderson explains how a 90-year old cookware brand, a favourite of grandmothers, reinvigorated itself to appeal to aspiring foodies across Europe.(Brand Papers)(Newell Rubbermaid Inc.)
May 1, 2004... The Pyrex brand has been around for 90 years and become synonymous with functional, durable glass cookware--most consumers will remember seeing their mother or grandmother using Pyrex. The brand is owned by Newell Rubbermaid, a Fortune 500...

Brand extensions: Martin Hayward, former chairman of The Henley Centre reads Brand Stretch: Why one in two extensions fail and how to beat the odds and surmises that although its conclusions are logical, it lacks cultural guidelines.(Book Review)
May 1, 2004... Brand Stretch is by David Taylor and is published by John Wiley, price 19.99 [pounds sterling] Stretching brands is not a new idea. One of the greatest examples being the Co-op, who long ago identified the opportunity to deliver the milk...

The Philosophy of Branding: Great philosophers think brands.(Book Review)
May 1, 2004... The Philosophy of Branding: Great philosophers think brands by Thom Braun, published by Kogan Page The Philosophy of Branding is an innovative business book introducing what the great philosophers would have thought about brands. It's an...

The future beyond brands: David Bain, planning director of ad agency FCB London is not enamoured by Lovemarks and suggests it amplifies the ad industry's failings.(Book Review)
May 1, 2004... Lovemarks: The Future Beyond Brands by Kevin Roberts CEO Saatchi & Saatchi I had never really defined the precise differences between embarrassment, shame and guilt till I read Kevin Roberts, worldwide CEO of Saatchi & Saatchi's new book...

The Origin of Brands.(Book Review)
May 1, 2004... The Origin of Brands by Al and Laura Ries, published by HarperBusiness The indominatable father and daughter duo follow up The Fall of Advertising... with a book on brand extension and innovation. Packed full of case studies Including...

Consumers in an age of anxiety.(Research)
May 1, 2004... In the US 55% of people feel they personally will be a victim of a terrorist act. One in 10 of us suffers from severe anxiety disorders and clinical depression. At a time when materially "we've never had it so good", we all feel more anxious...

Perceptions of ethnic minority groups in advertising.(Research)
May 1, 2004... Ethnic minorities believe commercial advertisers frequently portray them in a stereotypical or caricatured fashion, according to research by the COI, the government communications department. These people want to see a wider range of realistic...

How convenience has changed the nation.(Research, convenience products and services)
May 1, 2004... The British are not as pushed for time as everyone believes, according to Mintel's report on British lifestyles, Cash rich, time for...?. For at least a decade, the 'cash-rich, time-poor' consumer, who works long hours and seeks out...

The global mobile phone market.(Research)
May 1, 2004... Europe has 400 million mobile phone users making it the second largest GSM market in the world after Asia. Having experienced strong growth however, the mobile market is close to saturation with eight out of 10 Europeans now owning a mobile....

Chewing the fat.(Research, overweight and obese)
May 1, 2004... Eric Schlosser's book Fast Food Nation, firmly laid the blame for the deterioration in food standards and quality, linked with an increasingly overweight and unhealthy nation, at the feet of huge multinationals such as McDonald's and the like...

Big spenders: Telecoms.(Brand Stats)(Brief Article)(Illustration)
May 1, 2004... UK top advertisers, March 2004 New position (previous month) Brand Spend 1 (21) Vodafone 3,513,590 [pounds sterling] 2 (1) DFS Furniture 3,387,804 [pounds...

FMCG bestsellers: beer.(Brand Stats)(Brief Article)(Illustration)
May 1, 2004... FMCG bestsellers: Beer Rank Brand Company 1 Stella Artois Interbrew 2 Grolsch Coors Brewers 3 Carling Coors Brewers 4 Fosters Lager...

Market focus: chocolate.(Brand Stats)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... Attitudes to chocolate differ across Western Europe but the British seem to have the sweetest tooth of all, according to TGI data. A total of 92% of British adults admit they eat chocolate confectionery. This is followed by 87% of adults in...