Brand Strategy articles from November 2004

Brand Strategy archives from November 2004

Attention please.(Leader)
November 1, 2004... It is very difficult for brands to get attention. Or at least the sort of attention that marketers care about. There may be a glut of information about your brand but is it getting people's attention? Probably not. The problem is that...

Anheuser-Busch.(Launches and rebrands)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... Anheuser-Busch is launching B-to-the-E (BE), a Budweiser beer with caffeine, guarana and ginseng across the US. The canned drink is aimed at young adults with highly social and fast-paced lifestyles. BE will be priced slightly higher than...

Unilever Bestfoods has extended its Marmite spread product into a biscuit range, Marmite Biscuits.(Launches and rebrands)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... Unilever Bestfoods has extended its Marmite spread product into a biscuit range, Marmite Biscuits. The range has launched in the UK with plans to rolling out to more locations depending on the product's success. No advertising is backing the...

Starbucks Coffee Company has launched the Hear Music media bar in America allowing customers to create personalised CD compilations and burn full-length albums from a digital library of songs.(Launches and rebrands)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... Starbucks Coffee Company has launched the Hear Music media bar in America allowing customers to create personalised CD compilations and burn full-length albums from a digital library of songs. The service will be offered in 45 retail locations...

Renault will launch its Dacia Logan car in Europe and the Middle East by the end of next year.(Launches and rebrands)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... Renault will launch its Dacia Logan car in Europe and the Middle East by the end of next year. Launches of the Romanian budget car brand have begun in Central and Eastern Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. The Dacia Logan will launch in...

Ford's Mustang is being relaunched in the US through video gaming and product placement in TV shows like The OC.(Launches and rebrands)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... Ford's Mustang is being relaunched in the US through video gaming and product placement in TV shows like The OC. Steve McQueen will appear in the advertising which is themed 'The Legend Lives'. Ads, by JWT US will also appear on TV, print and...

McDonald's has announced a global partnership with pop group Destiny's Child; the band will be the new voice of the 'I'm lovin' it' campaign.(Marketing)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... McDonald's has announced a global partnership with pop group Destiny's Child; the band will be the new voice of the 'I'm lovin' it' campaign. McDonald's will sponsor the band's 2005 international tour, Destiny Fulfilled and Lovin' it. The pop...

Scottish Courage is introducing 'sensible drinking messages' on bottles and cans.(Marketing)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... Scottish Courage is introducing 'sensible drinking messages' on bottles and cans. The labels will appear first on Newcastle Brown bottles in time for Christmas, appearing next to the number of alcohol units contained in the drink.

Sony Walkman has launched an ad campaign throughout Western Europe promoting its range of hard-disk, MP3 and CD products.(Marketing)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... Sony Walkman has launched an ad campaign throughout Western Europe promoting its range of hard-disk, MP3 and CD products. The campaign, 'Feel the Music', by Fallon London features four artists who created works of art while listening to music...

Henley Centre Conference.(Diary)(Calendar)
November 1, 2004... Great Eastern Hotel, Liverpool Street, London. 23 November 2004 In an ever confusing world, the Henley Centre's fourth annual briefing aims to help marketers 'capitalise on complexity', understanding the risks and opportunities. The...

The Non-Traditional Marketing Forum.(Diary)(Calendar)
November 1, 2004... Jurys Great Russell Street, London. 9-to December 2004 How do you market to a jaded audience? Speakers from Volvo, Guinness, MTV, Mazda, Reebok and Yahoo take part in panel discussions and participate in workshops designed to promote...

Building Brand Power.(Diary)(Calendar)
November 1, 2004... Las Vegas, USA January 25-26 2005 As brands turn to experience marketing, speakers from brands such as Coca-Cola, 3M and Samsung use a mix of case studies and workshops to explain about high returns on investment and using employees as...

Yahoo!(Appointments)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... Yahoo! has appointed Pierre Chappaz as president of Yahoo! Europe leading Yahoo! and Kelkoo in product, marketing and technology initiatives. Chappaz founded the Kelkoo shopping search engine in 1999. This was acquired by Yahoo! in April 2004.

Volkswagen Group.(Appointments)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... The Volkswagen Group has given Dr Georg Flandofer control of sales and marketing as a member of the board of management, Volkswagen Brand. Flandofer is also responsible for groups sales for all brands in Germany. He was previously a member of...

BBC Worldwide.(Appointments)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... Alix Tidmarsh has been appointed as marketing director, BBC Worldwide. Tidmarsh previously headed the company's intellectual property management unit responsible for marketing factual programmes such as Walking with Dinosaurs and The Blue...

HIT Entertainment.(Appointments)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... Peter Orton, chairman and founder of HIT Entertainment has become the company's interim chief executive following the sudden departure of Rob Lawes. Lawes's exit follows a 32% rail in the company's profits for the year ending 31 July 2004.

Adidas is running a TV ad across Europe featuring David Beckham as an animated character alongside Scooby Doo.(Marketing)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... Adidas is running a TV ad across Europe featuring David Beckham as an animated character alongside Scooby Doo. The ad, created by Cartoon Network, will appear on cable and satellite channels and is part of Adidas' 'Impossible is Nothing'...

Electronic Arts (EA) will develop games in China in order to cater to local Chinese video gaming tastes.(Finance)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... Electronic Arts (EA) will develop games in China in order to cater to local Chinese video gaming tastes. EA has said that China is a priority market and could be the next great global hub for game development. EA's China Development studio is...

Sainsbury's.(Finance)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... Sainsbury's has outlined plans for a sales-led profit recovery following a warning that it could be heading for its first loss. The company plans to restore its 'great quality food at fair prices' proposition in order to increase sales by 2.5bn...

Apple iPod.(Finance)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... Apple iPod shipments increased by 500% for the quarter ending 25 September 2004 compared to a year earlier. The company's profit was $106m (58m [pounds sterling]) compared to $44m (24m [pounds sterling]) the previous year. International sales...

Google.(Finance)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... Google has announced its first quarterly earnings since becoming a public company with net profits of $52m (28.5m [pounds sterling]) up from $20.4m (11.2m [pounds sterling]) a year earlier. Revenue has increased by 105% year on year to $805.9m....

The Athens 2004 Olympic Games was the most popular Olympic games ever with more than 3-9 billion people watching the event.(Numbers)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... The Athens 2004 Olympic Games was the most popular Olympic games ever with more than 3-9 billion people watching the event. Television airtime given to the games worldwide increased by 27% compared to Sydney 2000. Footage was broadcast in 220...

IPA's Bellwether report.(Numbers)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... UK marketing budgets have risen by 6.3% overall for the fourth consecutive quarter of growth, according to the IPA's Bellwether report. Total marketing spend in real terms was up by 14.7%. All core marketing disciplines benefited from the rise,...

The rules of reality: Andy Davidson learns that young people want a dose of reality from their brands.(Trendspotter)
November 1, 2004... Young consumers have a thirst for mediated reality. They see contrived marketing messages and ignore them because they feel these don't apply to them. Why buy into fictional situations when more exciting and relevant real-life soap operas are...

The eMate proves looks aren't everything: Ruth Mortimer questions why Apple's eMate mobile computer failed to impress consumers.(That Was The Brand That Was)(eMate 300)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... The eMate 300 was supposed to be a friend for the education market; a mobile computer specifically designed with that sector in mind. It was designed to provide affordable learning for students from any location for around $800 (450 [pounds...

Measures that matter to customers: Alan Mitchell suggests more companies use a 'kanban' signal to drive efficiency.
November 1, 2004... They say that what gets measured gets managed, so how many companies are managed by measures that really matter to customers? Take the call centre. Is the driving measure overall cost (a financial measure)? Number of calls answered per...

Brand mot.(Kodak)
November 1, 2004... With Kodak's traditional camera film sales falling by 16% per year, rather than the predicted 7% drop, the switch to digital cameras has been faster than expected. Often criticised for initially ignoring the digital revolution, Eastman Kodak...

New builds: something to write home about? Ruth Mortimer investigates how new build, branded homes are focusing on individuality and better design in a sector where brands seem unlikely to add value.(News Analysis)
November 1, 2004... As living costs rise around the globe, more people are turning to branded new build homes for convenience and good value. The Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE) published a report last month that claims that 22% of...

Convergence of culture: Professor Richard Scase discusses how current business models stifle creavity.(Opinion)
November 1, 2004... There isn't a problem with creativity worldwide, but there's a problem getting creativity converted into innovative products and services. The failure isn't due to an absence of ideas. It's because most organisations, particularly large ones,...

Never stop innovating: Brent Hoberman, CEO and co-founder of lastminute.com discusses organic growth and guerilla tactics on the internet.(Opinion)
November 1, 2004... We've been very lucky at lastminute.com that the initial idea that I came up with nine years ago, and launched six and a half years ago, is the same now as it was then. It's about great value solutions for customers at short notice. Every day I...

Batchelor's full of zest for Orange: Elen Lewis meets the vice president worldwide brand at Orange, Alex Batchelor, and discovers that his enthusiasm for mobile telephony is bearing fruit for the company.(Profile: Alex Batchelor)
November 1, 2004... There are three of us in this interview-myself, Alex Batchelor, vice president worldwide brand of Orange and his phone. Batchelor loves talking about his phone--in fact, he tells me, he's got 11 different ones on his desk. Then he shows me his...

Batchelor on being close to the consumer: Alex Batchelor tells Ellen Lewis how Orange is understanding and communicating with its customers in increasing effective ways.(Q&A)(Interview)
November 1, 2004... EL: When you joined in January 2002, Orange was a successful challenger brand--was your task to transform it into a global brand? AB: The analogy for me would be--when I arrived I thought my job was like managing a hotel--but after a while...

Chelsea shrugs off its blues: Chelsea is embarking on a new era of wealth and success. Ruth Mortimer assesses the brand's programme of media and international expansion, where goals must be met both on and off the pitch.(Chelsea FC)(Paul Smith, Business Director of Chelsea Football Club)
November 1, 2004... They're called the Blues but that is where the misery stops for football club Chelsea. The club's fortunes have turned around since it was bought by Russian billionaire Roman Abramovitch for 60m [pounds sterling] in 2003. But the owner's...

Online ads coming of age: Joanna Doonar discusses the evolution of online marketing with members of the branding community and studies four companies that are developing their brands' online presence.(Online Marketing)(Cover Story)
November 1, 2004... Burger King dresses a man up as a chicken, Pot Noodle uses porn as its inspiration and Volvo tells spooky stories. It may seem difficult to spot the connection but these companies have something in common--they all integrate the internet into...

Potnoodle.co.uk.(Case Study)
November 1, 2004... Agency: Glue London Unilever's Pot Noodle, an instant snack brand worth 100m [pounds sterling], was bought by Unilever Bestfoods in 1995 and since then has embarked on several controversial, and at times alienating, advertising campaigns...

Volvocars.com.(Case Study)
November 1, 2004... Agency: Fuel Europe Volvo may be following BMW down the road of online films but this route is also modernising consumer attitudes. In January 2003 Volvo began a new type of brand campaign, showing consumers mini documentaries via TV,...

Ibm.com.(Case Study)
November 1, 2004... Agency: Ogilvy Interactive IBM launched On Demand, its data centre management service to businesses in 17 markets worldwide in May 2004 using TV, print, outdoor and web. Although the strategy was driven centrally it was executed and...

Eu.levi.com.(Case Study)
November 1, 2004... Agency: Lateral Levi's Europe's online activity began in 1995 but in 2003. www.eu.levi.com, a new pan-European website was launched, available in five languages and including local content. The website's part of an online marketing...

Above and beyond: Miriam Jordan Keane and Zitah McMillan explain why mass and luxury brands must adapt themselves as premium brands become the norm.(Brand Papers)
November 1, 2004... Luxury, once the preserve of the privileged few, is now available to all. Middle-market consumers are trading up. Spending on luxuries in the UK has increased by 50% over the last decade, compared to a rise of 7% on basics, according to Future...

In the minority: as CSR becomes increasingly important to brands, Karen Tipping considers the benefits of minority sports sponsorships over big budget deals.(Brand Papers)(corporate social responsibility)
November 1, 2004... The relationship between big business and high profile sport has been long and lucrative. The UK sponsorship market was worth around 480m [pounds sterling] in recorded deals last year alone. The financial return on high profile sponsorships...

Organic growth: don't promise what you can't deliver. Charlie Dawson outlines two of the barriers stopping companies achieving organic growth.(Brand Papers)
November 1, 2004... Achieving long-term organic growth means doing more than buying of merging with another company of cutting costs to increase profit. It's persuading more customers to buy your offer, and attracting them back. Achieving this sustainably and...

Pirates of the Caribbean: Yonca Brunini, marketing director of Yahoo UK and Ireland is inspired by the examples of great marketing in Adam Morgan's The Pirate Inside and reflects that there is a lot to learn from those brand buccaneers.(Books)(Book Review)
November 1, 2004... The Pirate Inside by Adam Morgan, published by John Wiley, price 19.99 [pounds sterling] Once I had come to terms with the fact that The Pirate Inside: Building a challenger brand culture within yourself and your organisations would not...

Cognitive Dissonance by Leon Festinger.(Charles Vallance, founding partner VCCP)(Book Review)
November 1, 2004... ... Charles Vallance, founding partner VCCP Cognitive Dissonance by Leon Festinger. This book explains the limits of what can and can't be communicated. Festinger delineates the workings of the human mind with total cogency: how we manage...

Coming of age: Ed Williams, head of corporate social responsibility at Marks & Spencer says Corporate Social Opportunity is a no-nonsense, easy read for anyone looking to implement CSR at their company.(Books)(Book Review)
November 1, 2004... Corporate Social Opportunity by David Grayson and Adrian Hodges, published by Greenleaf, 19.95 [pounds sterling] Corporate Social Opportunity, Seven Steps to make Corporate Social Responsibility is a welcome new addition to the literature...

Nurturing brand advocates.(Research)
November 1, 2004... Advocacy is marketing's new buzz word. Marketers at cosmetics brand Estee Lauder know that their customers are not only single-minded when it comes to choosing cosmetics, but they are also brand ambassadors, otherwise known as 'advocates'. They...

The global fast-food market.(Research)
November 1, 2004... Increased concerns over obesity and intense competition failed to prevent the global fast-food market from delivering a sound performance over the period 1999-2003. The sector achieved almost 20% growth, outpacing full-service restaurants,...

Corporate reputation.(Research)
November 1, 2004... They say that reputations take years to build and seconds to destroy. But executives are also spending time considering their brand values on a daily basis, according to the Corporate Reputation Watch 2004 survey from Hill & Knowlton. ...

Brand stats.
November 1, 2004... Market focus Instant coffee Consumption of instant coffee varies significantly around Europe with 77% of adults drinking it in Britain and only 26% in Germany. Among the 23% of non-drinkers of instant coffee in Britain, roughly one in...

All the world's a stage.(Foreword)
November 1, 2004... A financial services branch that's more a cafe than a bank. A toy manufacturer that charges customers to spend time in its shop. A department store that stages annual themed festivals and a car that's become a film maker. These brands have...

Experiential marketing moves centre stage: a senior panel of experts talk to Brand Strategy about why brand experiences should be a weapon in every marketer's armoury.(Forum)(Panel Discussion)
November 1, 2004... Elen Lewis: What are the precise business benefits of brand experience? Aine Friel: The key issue is determining what the brand experience is doing in terms of driving profit. Until we start measuring the impact brand experience has on...

Experience is marketing: Joe Pine and James Gilmore urge marketers to stop using conventional forms of advertising and to engage customers by staging brand experiences instead.(Brand Experience)
November 1, 2004... Imagine a bank branch like no other. Non-customers, even people who've never even heard of the bank, walk by and decide the place looks so inviting they can't help but drop in. When they do, they're offered some coffee to go, or if they'd...

Knowing the unknown: content is a communications tool that allows brands to speak directly to consumers, Mark Boyd outlines 10 things he has learnt about the media and branded content.(Branded Content)
November 1, 2004... 1. Don't believe the hype Content is the new black, though I think I heard that green was the new black last year. If you believe some reports, it is the panacea to all our problems, the holy grail of marketing and we should give up all...

Customers at the wheel: automobile brands such as Land Rover are pushing the boundaries of experiential marketing to bring their brands to life. Ruth Mortimer finds out what is driving them forward.(Land Rover Case Study)
November 1, 2004... The name says it all--adventure, excitement, travel across continents. Land Rover has been associated with roaming free for 56 years since its conception. But at the turn of the millennium, the automotive brand started asking itself how it...

BMW caught on camera: Ruth Mortimer tracks BMW's move from push to pull marketing through the BMW Films campaign where the car's role is supported by a host of Hollywood actors.(BMW Case Study)
November 1, 2004... Sexy automobiles and films have always gone together. James Bond still whizzes around in his Aston Martin and Michael J Fox went back to the future in his futuristic-looking DeLorean. So it is no surprise that when car brand BMW wanted to build...

Let's talk about Touareg: Emma Gwyther outlines how Volkswagen has used brand experiences to launch its first SUV into a cluttered market. The brand experience is where the rubber meets the road.(VW Touareg Case Study)
November 1, 2004... The Touareg is Volkswagen's first foray into the full size 4X4 sector, a car designed to challenge well-established competitors like the Range Rover and BMW X5. It's a competitive market--SUVs are becoming increasingly popular among customers...

Measuring brand experience: Tony Sefton offers scientific pointers to help brand guardians measure the effectiveness of their experiences. Firstly remember, food and toilet facilities must always be up to scratch.(Research: brand experience)
November 1, 2004... When considering a visitor attraction that promotes a brand, measuring whether you have got it right is fundamental and needs to go beyond believing your own corporate rhetoric. One simple way is to compare with other attractions in the...

Brand experience data.
November 1, 2004... Experiential marketing and gender MEN WOMEN Live event 29% 43% TV advert 34% 20% Direct mail 28% 38% Women say experiential marketing would cause them to purchase a product...