Brand Strategy articles from November 2008

Brand Strategy archives from November 2008

COMMENT: In the comfort zone.(Brief article)
November 10, 2008... In times of severe financial and cultural turmoil, people look for comfort and trust. This is why sales of Birds Eye potato waffles have soared by 67% in the past year, while fish fingers are up 29%. It is also why the classic children's TV...

LAUNCHES: GIANT SHOPPING CENTRE OPENS.
November 10, 2008... The biggest shopping centre in the European Union has opened in London. Westfield is hoping to defy the credit crunch with 265 shops including luxury brands such as Louis Vuitton and Prada. The development has cost #1.7bn and is aiming for...

LAUNCHES: MOTOROLA GOES FOR LUXURY.
November 10, 2008... Motorola has launched its most expensive mobile phone, the Aura, to compete with premium brands such as Vertu and Mobiado. Costing $2,000 (#1,174), it features a screen made of 62-carat sapphire crystal. Copyright: Centaur Communications...

LAUNCHES: MAFIA SHOW EXTENDED TO WINE.
November 10, 2008... US broadcaster HBO is extending its mob drama The Sopranos, which ended in 2007, into a range of Italian wines for the US market. The line is the result of a licensing deal between HBO and Vesuvio Import Co, which is named after a restaurant...

LAUNCHES: Nokia rolls out music service.
November 10, 2008... Nokia has launched its long-awaited Comes with Music service in a bid to become a content provider. Customers who buy a Nokia handset with the system installed will be able to access unlimited music. After a year, the tracks will be...

MARKETING: Adidas.
November 10, 2008... Adidas has launched a new marketing campaign featuring four online films to promote its Team Signature footwear and clothing. The initiative stars 12 unknown ball players from the US and China, alongside NBA stars such as Kevin Garnett and...

MARKETING: Cadbury.
November 10, 2008... Cadbury has become a tier-two sponsor of the London 2012 Olympic Games. The confectioner, believed to have paid between #20m and #40m for the role, will focus on youth sport schemes and has ruled out chocolate giveaways or vouchers to avoid...

MARKETING: Hard Rock International.
November 10, 2008... Restaurant and hotel brand Hard Rock International has signed up British soul singer Joss Stone to front a campaign about global hunger issues. The initiative, called 'Imagine There's No Hunger' aims to raise awareness of WHY, a non-profit...

MARKETING: Sony BMG.
November 10, 2008... Sony BMG has signed up film-makers including Stephen Kijack and Marcos Prado to produce 12 online short films to promote singer Dido's new album, Safe Trip Home. Each film for the global campaign follows a 'trip home' to the artist's music....

MARKETING: Nintendo.
November 10, 2008... Nintendo has signed up celebrities including band Girls Aloud and actress Julie Walters to front a TV campaign for its gaming products, including the Wii console and the DS handheld device. The company has formerly used Hollywood star Nicole...

Pepsi serves up a smile.
November 10, 2008... Pepsi has unveiled its new logo, which apparently took New York agency Arnell Group five months to design. But it's not just the look of the fizzy drink brand that has been revamped; it is also looking at how it 'connects' with consumers....

FINANCIAL: BP and Shell.
November 10, 2008... BP and Shell have reported quarterly profits up 148% and 71% respectively on the back of record oil prices. BP recorded profits of $10bn (#6.4bn) between July and September, while Shell made $10.9bn (#6.6bn). Copyright: Centaur...

FINANCIAL: Sony.
November 10, 2008... Sony's second-quarter profits have dropped by 72% from the previous year, with a surging yen wiping out the benefits of solid flat-panel TV and PlayStation 3 game machine sales. It declared a net profit of 20.8 billion yen (#120m) for the...

FINANCIAL: McDonald's.
November 10, 2008... McDonald's is rolling out what it calls the 'biggest packaging initiative' in its history to focus on freshness and quality. The chain saw third-quarter profits rise by 11% to $1.19bn (#717m) on the back of new store designs and successful...

FINANCIAL: Yahoo!
November 10, 2008... Yahoo! is to cut its workforce by 10% in the face of a poor economic climate and advertising demand following "disappointing" third quarter results. Its international operating income was down seven per cent to $119 million (#72m). ...

FINANCIAL: Estee Lauder.
November 10, 2008... Estee Lauder has announced a profits rise for its first quarter to $51.1m (#30.8m) compared with $39.1m (#23.5m) a year earlier. Despite this, the company, which owns the MAC and Clinique brands, has cut its forecasts due to tough economic...

TRENDSPOTTER: Let's disconnect.
November 10, 2008... Manni Walton Not long ago, we were all praising technology for giving us the flexibility to balance work and life more efficiently. But as Blackberry devices, mobile phones and laptops have become ubiquitous, it has become increasingly...

BRAND BUZZ BAROMETER: The penne is mightier.
November 10, 2008... Jo Roberts In a bid to take the restaurant brand upmarket, Pizza Hut has temporarily changed the name of some of its branches to Pasta Hut. This marketing stunt has enabled the fast-food chain to proclaim that it has introduced eight pasta...

OPINION: Cool beer, warm heritage.
November 10, 2008... Will Ghali Marketing director Cobra Cobra won't abandon its heritage as it moves beyond the Indian restaurant market How can you move a company that is entrenched in one particular area into another? Our beer brand was born into...

OPINION: The world is your colleague.(Viewpoint essay)
November 10, 2008... Reid Hoffman Founder LinkedIn The future of business is in building relationships outside your workplace What defines a strong senior professional in the modern age? The working relationships they have with the people around them. In...

OPINION: Modern romance.
November 10, 2008... Jason Stockwood International managing director Match.com Building a strong brand can help to change ingrained category assumptions Most brands start advertising to tell people about their own service. Our main challenge as an online...

OPINION: Global hold on hearts.
November 10, 2008... Angus Kinnear Head of marketing Arsenal Football Club Marketing a locally focused brand outside its domestic territory raises challenges Football has a long and venerable heritage, particularly in the UK. The Premiership attracts...

BRAND THERAPY: Miss Sixty.
November 10, 2008... The European retailer has gone into administration in the UK. Melinda Varley asks why THE PROBLEM The high street is bearing the brunt of the recent economic crisis as many retailers report falling sales and profit slumps. Miss Sixty...

NEW AGENCY MODELS: Beyond the ad campaign.
November 10, 2008... Advertising agencies have found a new way to generate revenue. They are creating their own brand generation units and developing new products. Melinda Varley reports There is a new sales pitch in the advertising agency world. With...

PROFILE: Dermot Boden.
November 10, 2008... Dermot Boden, chief marketing officer at South Korean electronics giant LG, claims circumnavigating the globe in pursuit of international business is what turns him on. As we speak, he is gearing up to travel again between Europe and the Far...

PROFILE: Dermot Boden - Questions & Answers.
November 10, 2008... Dermot Boden tells Maeve Hosea why he is aiming upmarket even as a recession looms on the global horizon MH: What's new at LG? DB: We announced a new brand identity in January 2008. This is summed up as a combination of smart...

RECESSION RETAILING: The Six Secret Strategies of Shopkeepers.
November 10, 2008... Spending has fallen as consumers abstain from luxuries and count the pennies. But retailers have developed effective strategies to keep up sales despite the economic gloom. Maeve Hosea reports "Danger and opportunity - the Chinese meaning...

RECESSION RETAILING: 'Start-up' strategy in practice: Skinny Cow.
November 10, 2008... When people are poor and there seems to be nothing on the news but economic misery, the small things in life start to make a difference. Skinny Cow, the low-fat ice-cream brand, is one company hoping that using innovation to indulge...

RECESSION RETAILING: 'Switch' strategy in practice: Skoda.
November 10, 2008... In a tough economic climate, consumers are less willing to spend on expensive items, such as cars and homes. But Volkswagen-built marque Skoda is hoping that the strategy for retailing its new model, the Superb, will convince consumers to drive...

CASE STUDY - ALWAYS: Always on your mind.
November 10, 2008... How do you market a product that no-one wants to talk, hear or think about? Procter & Gamble's Always brand aims to change perceptions not only about its range but the whole feminine hygiene sector Some women talk about 'the curse', a...

CASE STUDY - NBA: Europe in the basket.
November 10, 2008... The American NBA is on a mission to build basketball outside its homeland, using high profile tours to establish the sport in European hearts and minds. Jo Roberts reports The National Basketball Association (NBA) isn't just dribbling its...

NON-CONSUMERISM: Less becomes more.
November 10, 2008... Stuart Mackay Owner Ergo brand consultancy The era of conspicuous consumerism is coming to an end as consumers embrace a more conscientious and abstemious lifestyle - but it isn't all bad news for brands Disney's summer blockbuster...

IMAGE INTEGRITY: Your roots are showing.
November 10, 2008... William McEwen Global practice leader, brand management, Gallup It's not enough to tell people you've changed. Brands such as KFC, Wal- Mart and Abu Dhabi may encounter a credibility gap between what they say and what they do Markets...

LUXURY GOODS: The price of luxury.
November 10, 2008... Javier Christie Senior consultant Simon-Kucher & Partners In a depressed global economy where even wealthy consumers are watching their spending, how can luxury brands ensure they keep their customers? The effect of an economic...

OLYMPIC BRAND: True measure of Olympic fitness.
November 10, 2008... Bob Heussner Senior vice president and head of games marketing Octagon The Olympics must meet the challenge of making a real difference at grassroots level A health check of the Olympic brand would show that it is mature yet...

OLYMPIC BRAND: Setting the agenda for 2012.
November 10, 2008... London 2012 is four years away, but many of the most important decisions about the Olympic Games are being taken now. Brand Strategy teamed up with agency Octagon to host a roundtable debate with some of the governmental bodies, high-profile...

BANKING: Battle plan for banks.
November 10, 2008... In our first exclusive analysis from TNS, Sharon Rees explores the banking sector Building up a consumer finance business is challenging at the best of times, but the current economic climate could hardly be a worse environment. The...

CREDIT CRUNCH BEHAVIOUR: YouGov Tried and trusted values.
November 10, 2008... Credit crunch fears are changing the way consumers shop There is no shortage of hype, accepted wisdom and plain crazy reporting about the credit crunch. For example, there have been reported increases in both chocolate and turnip sales....

DEBATE: Virtual world branding.
November 10, 2008... How important is it for brands to establish a presence in virtual worlds such as Second Life? Our panel of experts discusses whether the future of branding is pixellated Michael Smith: The big opportunities are in the kids' space because...

ADVERGAMING: Will AdverGaming be the next big thing?
November 10, 2008... Despite the economic downturn, gaming is still seen as a potentially lucrative advertising medium, with Sony's Kaz Hirai claiming the sector will be 'resilient towards economic pain'. Three experts give their divergent opinions on the...

CASE STUDY - DISNEY: Disney Conquers Digital With Pirates And Pixels.(Case study)
November 10, 2008... Disney has been quick to see the global advantages of expanding some of its most successful properties into the online arena, with virtual- world versions of Pirates of the Caribbean and Tinkerbell. Jo Roberts reports Disney's magic...

MOBILE GAMING: GAME on FOR MOBILES.
November 10, 2008... As handsets become more sophisticated, mobile gaming is set to become an explosive global growth area with enormous potential as a way to build brand relationships. Jo Roberts reports Mobile phones are a global obsession. When Apple...