Brand Strategy articles from November 2006

Brand Strategy archives from November 2006

LEADER: Brands, lies and videotape.
November 6, 2006... I'm clearly in the wrong job. Around five years ago, my friends and I spent many happy hours taking small videos of ourselves in daily life and emailing them to each other for fun. We joked that we should set up a website to host the clips....

Marketing: Sony.(Brief article)
November 6, 2006... Sony has released its Bravia ad, reported to have cost #1m, after a teaser viral campaign lasting several months. The company leaked images and information onto the internet to build up interest in the brand. The ad - which shows exploding...

Marketing: WPP.
November 6, 2006... Ad agency WPP is making a six-part TV drama for US broadcaster ABC through its Group M division. While the agency is not relying on advertisers to help fund the series, called October Road, its involvement is believed to help it get better...

Marketing: Bitburger.(Bitburger Brauerei Thomas Simon GmbH)(Brief article)
November 6, 2006... German brewer Bitburger has failed in its legal bid to stop US rival Budweiser using the term 'Bud' in Germany. Europe's second-highest court threw out an appeal by Bitburger, which argued that 'Bud' is too close to its trademark 'Bit'. The...

Marketing: Marvel Comics.(Cadence Industries Corp. Marvel Comic Group)(Brief article)
November 6, 2006... Marvel Comics is attempting to appeal to women through a tie-up with CBS' soap opera Guiding Light. The publishing company ran inserts showing the New Avengers visiting Springfield, where the soap is based. Now the TV programme will run an...

Marketing: Starbucks.
November 6, 2006... Starbucks has announced a partnership with Apple to create its own branded store within iTunes. The move comes as part of Starbucks' strategy to associate itself heavily with music; it was previously considering launching a rival music service....

Marketing: Novotel.
November 6, 2006... Hotel group Novotel has launched a new brand identity, expressed in a pan-European advertising campaign. The chain's slogan 'Novotel, designed for natural living', aims to give the brand an emotional appeal instead of its former rational,...

Marketing: Toyota.(Toyota Motor Corp.)(Brief article)
November 6, 2006... Toyota is using a mix of recorded and live media to promote its sponsorship of TV show 24 in the US. It will show a trailer of the programme in Times Square, New York and passers-by will be given a specially branded radio to hear the audio. ...

Launches/rebrands: Diageo.(product introduction)(Brief article)
November 6, 2006... Drinks brand owner Diageo will trial new product Guinness Red in the UK this year. With a distinctive red-coloured body and a white head similar to original Guinness, the drink will be tested on the on-trade market first. There are currently...

Launches/rebrands: Sony Ericsson.
November 6, 2006... Sony Ericsson will open its first retail store this month at a site in central London. The phone brand wants to allow consumers to try out products and learn more about new features or applications first-hand. Carphone Warehouse will operate...

Financial: Sony.
November 6, 2006... Sony's quarterly profits have dropped by 94% to Y1.7bn (#7.6m) after the firm recalled millions of laptop batteries because of a potential fire risk. The firm - which made Y28.5bn (#127m) in the same period last year - has also delayed its...

Financial: Daimler-Chrysler.
November 6, 2006... Daimler-Chrysler has reported quarterly net profits down 37% to $678.5m (#362m) on the same period last year. Total sales at the company dropped by eight per cent. The company has already announced price cuts to try and boost sales. ...

Financial: General Motors.
November 6, 2006... General Motors has reduced its losses by more than 90% as part of a turnaround plan. The car giant's net loss was $115m (#61.3m) in the three months to September 2006. It claimed that it would have made a profit apart from a one-off series of...

Financial: Enron.
November 6, 2006... The former chief executive of Enron, Jeffrey K. Skilling, has been sentenced to more than 24 years in prison for his role in the energy brand's collapse in 2001. Skilling's charges included conspiracy, inside trading, making false statements...

Financial: United Biscuits.
November 6, 2006... United Biscuits has been sold to private equity groups Blackstone and PAI Partners for #1.6bn. The company - which owns Jaffa Cakes and Hula Hoops - sold off its Spanish and Portuguese operations earlier this year to Kraft. Copyright:...

Financial: Coca-Cola.
November 6, 2006... Coca-Cola's net income has increased by 14% to $1.46bn (#780m) in its third quarter. Revenues were up seven per cent to $6.45bn (#3.54bn) and the company's carbonated drink division registered its strongest growth for five years. Brazil,...

Financial: Apple Computer.
November 6, 2006... Apple Computer's profits rose 27% in its fourth quarter after sales of 1.6 million Macs. The company claimed 50% were bought by first-time customers. Ipod sales were up 35% to 8.7 million. Revenues reached $4.8bn (#2.5bn), an increase of 30%...

Financial: Amazon.
November 6, 2006... Online retailer Amazon has reported third-quarter profits of $19m (#10m) but its margins have shrunk. Operating profits dropped to just 1.7% of revenues, compared with three per cent in the same period of 2005. Copyright: Centaur...

Financial: Google.
November 6, 2006... Google has almost doubled its third-quarter profits. Its net income was $733m (#390m) - 92% up on the same time period last year. Revenues rose 70% to $2.7bn (#1.4bn). The figures come shortly after Google bought video site YouTube for...

Numbers: Hewlett-Packard.(Brief article)
November 6, 2006... Hewlett-Packard has overtaken Dell to become the world's largest computer company, according to research firm Gartner. HP had 16.3% of the global market in the third quarter of 2006, compared with rival Dell's 16.1%. Both businesses are...

APPOINTMENTS: Coca-Cola.
November 6, 2006... Jonathan Mildenhall joins The Coca-Cola Company as vice-president of marketing communications. Formerly strategic director of ad agency Mother, he reports to chief creative officer, Esther Lee. As part of the company's creative excellence...

APPOINTMENTS: Wrigley.(William Perez appointed at Wrigley Canada)(Brief article)
November 6, 2006... Confectionery brand Wrigley has appointed former Nike president and chief executive, William Perez, as its new chief executive. It is the first time that someone from outside the Wrigley family has been appointed to lead the company. Bill...

APPOINTMENTS: Motorola.
November 6, 2006... Motorola has appointed Kenneth 'Casey' Keller as chief marketing officer, replacing Geoffrey Frost who died last year. Keller was most recently chairman and CEO of Heinz Italy, having also spent 10 years at Procter & Gamble. Copyright:...

APPOINTMENTS: British Airways.
November 6, 2006... Following an investigation by the Office of Fair Trading and the US Department of Justice into fuel surcharges, British Airways' commercial director, Martin George, has resigned after 19 years with the company. BA's director of planning,...

Trendspotter: Stand and deliver.(vending machines)(Brief article)
November 6, 2006... Reinier Evers reveals the latest in instant gratification The humble vending machine looks set to revolutionise the range of products and services available on the go. No longer limited to cans of fizzy drink and limp sandwiches, now almost...

Brand Stunt of the Month: Calling all bag ladies.(Nautica India creates world's largest shopping bag)(Brief article)
November 6, 2006... Claudine Baker finds bags of potential in Nautica's seasonal stunt Here's one shopping bag you won't be able to sling over your shoulder: global lifestyle brand Nautica has designed and manufactured what it hopes will break the record...

OPINION: Redefining a classic brand.
November 6, 2006... Belinda Earl, chief executive of Jaeger says that you have to give classic brands a modern twist. She explains how she has put this into practice It's important to move brands forward, even when they are very established and classic. We...

OPINION: Innovation sans frontieres.(Company overview)
November 6, 2006... Mehmood Khan, global leader of innovation at Unilever explains why successful innovation requires a global mindset to foster creativity The world is flat. Today, trends move at an unprecedented pace and new markets are opening up all the...

BRAND THERAPY - SPORTINGBET: All bets are off.
November 6, 2006... Online gambling brand Sportingbet hit the headlines in September this year when its chairman Peter Dicks was arrested in a targeted move by US officials to discourage internet gambling. Following the introduction of US legislation last...

EDUCATIONAL BRANDS: Too cool for school.
November 6, 2006... As political and welfare groups call for a clampdown in marketing to children, Claudine Baker investigates the brands which seek to use more holistic or educational methods to get kid appeal Dance classes, music lessons, lacrosse,...

PROFILE - CRAIG MERRIGAN: The quiet philosopher.(interview)(Interview)
November 6, 2006... Ruth Mortimer interviews Lenovo's Craig Merrigan, who boldly goes where others have not yet been in the global market and who is poised and ready to move the brand into a new realm It's hard to pin down Craig Merrigan, vice president of...

PROFILE - CRAIG MERRIGAN: The thinking man's brand.(dialogue with Craig Merrigan )(Interview)
November 6, 2006... Craig Merrigan tells Ruth Mortimer that the brand is global rather than Chinese and it's keen to take on its competitors in every country despite cultural andpolitical issues RM: How would you describe Lenovo's brand? CM: We're...

CASE STUDY - UPS: Brand deliverance.(United Parcel Service of America Inc.)(Company overview)(Case study)
November 6, 2006... From delivering telegrams almost a century ago to taking on ecommerce and globalisation, the 'big brown' brand has updated and expanded without compromising its values, Maeve Hosea reports Brown isn't the sexiest colour to have as your...

BRAND REVIVAL: Orphans and ghosts.(brand resurrection business)
November 6, 2006... While many products reach the natural end of their lives and fade quietly into obscurity, some refuse to lay down and die. Morag Cuddeford Jones investigates the brand resurrection business Orphans seem to be making headlines recently....

BRAND REVIVAL - Case study: Complan.
November 6, 2006... Heinz is known for its wide range of food products. From pureed carrots to baked beans on toast - latest marketing strapline: 'the superbean' - the company has basic nutrition covered. It seemed a natural extension, in 1994, to buy the...

GAMING: All the world's a stage.
November 6, 2006... Tom Farrand looks at how South Korea's gaming industry presents a brave new world for marketers and fans. Brands can't afford not to have a gameplan The most popular fan website in South Korea praises a 26-year-old called Lim Yo Hwan. He...

EXPERIENTIAL MARKETING: Aligning brand and experience.
November 6, 2006... Chris Cleaver suggests ways in which brand managers can make the intended dream a reality - and give customers an experience they won't forget Think of any brand you like - a brand you use frequently or only occasionally - that you feel...

BOOK REVIEW: The truth is out there.(Book review)
November 6, 2006... Peter Shaw, founder of agency Brand Catalyst and former strategist at Research International, Saatchi & Saatchi and Corporate Edge, discovers a statistical approach to building and assessing brand values - for the more deductive among us ...

BOOK REVIEW: Three from me - Peter Shaw also recommends.(Book review)
November 6, 2006... Backroom Boys By Francis Spufford Faber and Faber, 2004, price #8.99 Six brilliantly told stories of major twentieth century innovations. The stories focus on how great innovation depends as much on the sweat and commitment of...

BOOK REVIEW: From the bookshelf of... David Williams.(Book review)
November 6, 2006... David Williams, chief executive of H2X How Customers Think: Essential insights into the Mind of the Market By Gerald Zaltman As a designer of customer experiences, connecting with consumers in a truly engaging way is fundamental...

INDIAN RETAIL: The Indian retail bazaar.(supermarkets)(Industry overview)
November 6, 2006... Riding on the Indian festival bandwagon, the Big Bazaar hypermart recently offered a 'buy one, get one free' discount opportunity in its 29 stores around the country. The result: record-breaking sales with customers thronging outside the...

INDIAN RETAIL - Case study: Mango - a foreign brand in India.(Brief article)
November 6, 2006... Foreign clothing brands made their initial forays into the Indian market through their Indian franchises. Spanish business, Mango, was one of the first labels to enter the Indian market. Facilitated by Major Brands (I) Pvt. Ltd, it has stuck to...

INDIAN RETAIL - Case study: Hidesign - an Indian brand abroad.(Brief article)
November 6, 2006... After tasting success in the Indian market with its leather bags and accessories collection, Hidesign, the Pondicherry-based Indian brand, has begun charting its course internationally. It appears to be doing well. The president of Hidesign,...

TECHNOLOGY: Has the e-business grown up?
November 6, 2006... It may be the hot topic on every marketer's lips but the internet is still a young industry. Although its origins go back to the 1960s, consumer and commercial use of the world wide web really only began in the mid-1990s. But even in...

Brand Stats: November 2006.(cold and flu remedies )(Brief article)
November 6, 2006... Market focus Cold & flu remedies Cold and flu remedies achieve roughly the same penetration across the four European countries (around 60%) despite the fact that Germans are significantly more likely to claim that they suffer from such...

REPUTATIONAL RISK: Protecting your profile in a code red situation.
November 6, 2006... A company's brand can make or break the business. But are organisations really in control of reputational risk? Brand Strategy assembles leading experts to examine the question Brand Strategy: How do you see reputational risk? Eddie...

RISK MANAGEMENT: Trouble in China.
November 6, 2006... China's booming economy means change is rapid and the risk potential is high. Yintong Betser and Dr Peter Fraser discuss the issues surrounding risk and crisis management in such a market Risk is an important global issue for managers and...

RISK MANAGEMENT: Ringing in the changes.
November 6, 2006... Ruth Mortimer puts Phil Chapman, marketing director at T-Mobile UK and a former Unilever executive, in the spotlight and asks how brands can learn to manage risk effectively Ruth Mortimer: As marketing director at T-Mobile and a former...

ASSESSING RISK: Holistic healing in crises management.
November 6, 2006... Professor Denis Smith explains why creating a holistic approach to crisis management is so vital. Ruth Mortimer looks at three crisis management case studies of the last three years Organisations need to take a holistic approach to risk and...

ASSESSING RISK - Case study 1: Mars Australia.(Brief article)
November 6, 2006... The traditional brand slogan has always been that Mars helps you work, rest and play. But there was little rest or play for Mars Australia in July 2005 when the brand fell victim to an anonymous extortion attempt. The perpetrator claimed...

ASSESSING RISK - Case study 2: Dasani.(Dasani bottled water by Coca Cola)(Brief article)
November 6, 2006... Bottled water in the UK might sound like selling snow to the Eskimos when the country has such a good quality supply of tap water. But the British bottled water market is worth #1.5bn and it is growing faster than carbonated drinks so it is...

ASSESSING RISK - Case Study 3: Bank of America.(Brief article)
November 6, 2006... Sometimes the classic David and Goliath story can be too much for the blogosphere to resist. This was the case when a San Franciscan had a run-in with the Bank of America (BoA) earlier this year. Matthew Shinnick had sold some bikes...

MANAGING REPUTATIONAL RISK: Walking the line.
November 6, 2006... Andrew Pharoah insists that managing reputational risk is not complicated but it is paramount that a company understands its reputation and is open to discussion internally and externally For corporate chiefs, it seems that every year is...