Marketing Funatic

Shopper Marketing....on fire!

2010-11-10T06:22:00.001-08:00

Shopper marketing is on fire! Well not literally…but this MediaPost article sums up how cpg, food, and beverage companies continue to increase their spending in shopper marketing. The biggest changes lately have been the way companies interact with the consumers to change their shopping habits. One surprising statistic to note is that “62% of shoppers search for deals digitally before at least half of their shopping trips”. Wow, now that's powerful stuff!

Check out this MediaPost link for more info.

How Hollywood Markets

2010-05-17T05:58:00.000-07:00

Alfred Hitchcock revolutionized the idea of self-marketing himself in Hollywood by being one of the first to brand himself with his famous…walk-by-the-camera in the first scene in all of his movies. Everyone knew it was a Hitchcock movie once they saw his appearance in the film.

Today this trend has swayed towards music artists. With so many new artists popping up and becoming top billboard hits without fans knowing who all these new artists are, it can be hard to remember which artists have the big hits. Not anymore! When artists plug their name into songs like…
-Lady Gaga’s Bad Romance “Gaga…ooo…la la!”
-in Break Your Heart “…with Taio Cruz and Ludacris!”
-Jason Derulo’s In My Head where the first words sung are his name
…to name a few mentions…it’s much easier for radio stations and consumers to remember the artist’s name if its plugged into the middle of the song.

Truly a brilliant way to brand yourself in a clutter music market in Hollywood. Looking forward to seeing what the next big thing Hollywood does to keep consumers informed & engaged…

Car Commercials

2010-03-07T15:16:00.000-08:00

Car commercials...typically portrayed as being boring by nature with the flashy, fast car speeding around a racetrack or local car dealerships with small budgets to film without much thought going into the script. Although I can't say I'm a huge "car funatic", I was thoroughly impressed with Audi's latest commercial. It positions itself directly against its competitors by reminding people that these brands are what you're told to like...yet the Audi is different. There is a little boy who stares up at a red flashy car poster, a couple staring at their Lexus, a few businessmen outside their gray BMW's, and finally a shot of an Audi which wizzes by and grabs the attention of all these consumers.

All I can say is what a great way to position your brand, Audi. Stand up to your competitors and tell your consumers they don't have to like what they've been told they are supposed to like. Hoping to see some print or outdoor advertising to implement this campaign further.

Santa Claus, Heinz ketchup, Seth Godin, coconut water, Hershey Kisses

2010-02-02T16:49:00.001-08:00

So what do these have in common?
• Santa Claus
• Heinz ketchup
• Seth Godin
• coconut water
• Hershey Kisses

2 words. That's all you need to either interest people in your brand or quickly make them turn away. Think about it...every one of these brands, people, or brand categories intrigue you.
.Santa Claus...you know him as a jolly old self down in the North Pole who rides his sleigh and distributes gifts worldwide in a miraculous speed once a year.
.Heinz ketchup...the only brand out there which serves THE best ketchup condiment with not much competition in the category.
.Seth Godin...accomplished author, blogger and a well-known linchpin/marketing god in the business world.
.As for coconut water...this is one of the new and hot all-natural product categories to hit the market positioned as a "natural Gatorade" to serve you electrolytes naturally in the water of a coconut.
.Hershey kisses always bring a smile to your face and who can forget that chocolate-y goodness that melts in your mouth?

You never know what the next two worded brand will be out there…but keep a close watch.

Facebook disables the "Suicide Machine"

2010-01-06T06:31:00.001-08:00

Who ever thought up the idea to have an app called the Suicide Machine wasn't thinking so smoothly. Besides the name seeming very scary and threatening the use of it isn't really an app. This program was developed to "delete yourself" from all your social networking places to get you to live life normally before the world of social networking took over. Although it's a nice thought to get people off their computers, it is pretty extreme to get you to give up all your Facebook friends, LinkedIn connections, MySpace connections, and Twitter followers.

Can you IMAGINE life without social media? I sure can't and don't plan on using this app or program any time soon. (Facebook has banned it so you aren't able to test it out currently to get rid of your fb friends at this point.)

LA Times has more info @ latimes.com .

you're been MIA! where's the blog?

2009-12-17T19:51:00.001-08:00

First off...it has been TOO long since I've checked in to share the latest & greatest marketing and advertising news! I promise I will jump back into it to share my enthusiasm of marketing for all my readers and followers! Even more so as a pre-New Years Resolution :)

'Nuff said...let's get down to business...

Creativity...in barcodes?

2009-11-16T15:13:00.000-08:00

Bet ya didn't think you could ever make a barcode...creative. Wrong! Check out this incredible barcode creative agency site that really will inspire! Bar Code Revolution, you rock!

Thanksgiving checklist...turkey, cranberry sauce...turkey SODA...what!

2009-11-10T16:26:00.000-08:00

Yes, you heard it right...Turkey soda may be this year's addition to the Thanksgiving meal in a couple weeks. Most people stick to the traditional fixings like - potatoes, turkey, cranberry sauce...yada yada....but this year there is a new item to add to your checklist.

Surprisingly, this is not the first year Jones Soda has created a crazy/innovative flavor of Turkey soda. The main difference this year is that it is vegan...meaning that Tofurkey brand and gravy flavorings went into the soda.

Is it a hit or a miss? We shall find out after Thanksgiving this year. Until then, drink up the Turkey soda!

Vending Machine: goodbye gumballs...hello face care?

2009-11-06T19:28:00.000-08:00

Long are the days when we used to say..."hey mom, can I have 25c for a gumball"? Now the question may be, "mom, can I borrow your credit card to purchase a Proactiv Solution to help my acne"? WOW...talk about innovation for a vending machine! I recently was at a mall in Connecticut and walked by my first Proactiv vending machine and was blown away that they were selling their products in this format.

I mean...we all remember when Jessica Simpson promoted this product and she seemed to be a good fit with her clear skin and all. (Although info-mercials work for some consumers, they definitely don't work for me as I was born a skeptic.) I set out to do more research on the website to see if there was any mention of these new vending machines and was disappointed. From researching prices of Proactiv it looks as though a typical kit costs approx $40 for a 3 piece system...which seems a bit pricey to me especially if you can't test out the product.

Personally, I hope Proactiv adds in low cost/free sampling packs to its vending machines so it allows consumers to test out the products & return with a purchase. Let's see it happen!

The Big Warm Up

2009-11-05T08:05:00.000-08:00

The Big Warm Up...and no we're not talking sports teams warming up before a game. Creativity Online has a Land's End video about this cause-marketing program.

Here are the facts:

Land's End partnered with the National Coalition of the Homeless
Together...they are launching the Big Warm Up
What is it?
"a national coat drive asking people to donate their gently used coats at Sears-based Land's End shops across the country"

What can you do to help? Watch the video...check out info on the Land's End website, & donate a coat or two to help warm someone else's winter season with your donation of a cozy coat.

Mystery Phone

2009-10-20T06:44:00.001-07:00

Everyone wants to know...when will Apple kill its exclusive iPhone/AT&T deal? It's still a debate...but for now hold tight & wait out until the rest of the year. Although, with the latest Verizon commercial for the iDon't aka the Droid...looks pretty neat but it's SO mysterious!

What exactly does it mean to "not have widgets" & "to not customize"? Is this something that the tech-savy consumer wants? Who exactly is the consumer for this product? We are all just as confused as the next person on this one...

In the meantime check out this AdAge article & droiddoes.com for more info until the November release!

Ann Taylor steps it UP!

2009-09-22T20:57:00.000-07:00

Ann Taylor is one of those classy, sophisticated stores for middle-aged career women & it seems to have been lost in the mix the past couple years. With nothing to really make it STAND OUT with designs and lines made...it's tough to stand out against rivals Banana Republic & Talbots & J Jill...who also have been hurting throughout the recession.

GOOD NEWS! Ann Taylor designs were recently seen strutting down the aisles of NY Fashion Week's runway. Here is a great quote from the Canadian Press article I found: "We've all been working really hard to reinvent the brand," Lisa Axelson, senior vice-president of design, said in an interview before the show. "We want to get the news out that Ann Taylor is changing. ... We're breaking the myth of what we used to be. A lot of the feedback we heard from market research was that the impression was that we were clothes my mom would wear. Now we're for the crazy, busy stylish working woman."

Read more @ the article in The Canadian Press & looking forward to seeing a more trendy/chic/stylish Ann Taylor soon!

goodbye vending machines...

2009-09-21T19:00:00.000-07:00

Who knew the day would come when vending machines would be considered "so old-school"? Check out this CO company which has designed a healthy, sleek replacement for the not-so-healthy vending machines. Boulder Natural Vending has implemented a Bamboo Box & Eco Fridge which customers can store healthy, local products which he sells to their schools.

Currently it's in an elementary school in the Boulder, CO area and is hoping for expansion into other schools in the CO region. Should be interesting to see where they plan to expand this company throughout CO and the US as well as selling to companies as well as schools. Hoping this reaches the East Coast soon & best luck for success in the CO market!

Consumers Trust LESS!

2009-09-18T20:52:00.000-07:00

Wonder why? Hmm...shall we go back to the original Enron scandel? GM? Lehman Bros? Ring a bell? It should make you realize why many consumers have lost their trust in companies today. Check out a quick video & article titled The Great Trust Offensive in BusinessWeek.

The video describes how "consumers want to know what the company is doing..." Some ways McD's has risen in the most trusted list because of tying itself to causes like GreenPeace & by not fighting its image as having unhealthy foods by posting its calorie counts in each menu item in some locations.

However not everybody is happy with every company out there... It takes some skill to improve your overall image and not something that is an instant fix. Consumers are very savy and will find ways to switch brands/retailers/options for products & services if they hear or are dissatisfied. Should be interesting to see who can improve their image & gain back the consumer trust needed for their brand to succeed!

mom-made video + Sara Lee = Mama Saga

2009-09-15T18:54:00.000-07:00

Social media videos + product placement = brilliant! Take moms stressed out with their back-to-school kids...some product placement with Sara Lee deli meats...add a video camera on your laptop and tada!...you get MAMA SAGA!

Should be interesting to see how this connects with consumers...most likely moms with this interactive & humorous light-hearted take on the trials and tribulations of motherhood responsibilities.

Should be interesting to see if Sara Lee gets positive feedback on this program that also includes coupons available for "friending" them on Facebook & by following their Tweets!

The Way Old People Shop

2009-09-14T19:26:00.000-07:00

You've seen senior citizens shopping but have you ever experienced shopping through the eyes & motions as one of these "old people"? WSJ writes up an interesting piece about how Kimberly-Clark is moving forward in the "next frontier in retail".

Ever thought of doing & wearing this..."glasses that blurred his vision, slipping un-popped popcorn into his shoes and adjusting tape that bound his thumbs to his palms"? Todd Vang, a Walgreens VP, explains the different shopping experience he had when shopping like a senior citizen. Check out the limitations that are explained in this article & you'll be surprised about all the problems the 65+ crowd have with everyday shopping.

It will be neat to see what K-C & other companies do to help out this aging population...looking forward to seeing different merchandising strategies implemented in the future!

SONIC in New England...shocking!!

2009-09-09T21:21:00.000-07:00

For YEARS we have waited the arrival of SONIC in Mass and throughout New England! What is Sonic, you ask? Well if you have managed to live under a rock for the past few years, you must have been missing out on the nationwide tv ad campaign that has been driving us New England-ers nuts since there aren't any in this area of the US. Until NOW! Still not sure what it is...then here's Sonic's website.

Sonic lets costumers reminisce on the old fashioned drive-up burger joints...order, eat in the car & go! It's a ton of fun beacause of its quick, easy and affordable style of dining. Don't expect the fanciest feast here though since it is based off the idea of a burger joint but trust me, you won't be disappointed as they have a wide variety of wraps, burgers, salads, smoothies, slushies & more.

A vacation last year led me to my first Sonic in VA and it was incredible! The excitement was incredible leading up to the event & have been hoping ever since to see more break out into the New England area. Looks like the 2.5 years of advertising in this region has finally paid off! Boston Globe reports on how they had to turn away customers after they had waited over 2 hours in line. How crazy is that?

Of course there has got to be a way to tie all this back to marketing so one thing I'm wondering is if Sonic has a way to trace zip codes searched on its website to see the top hot spots in New England to consider opening up more locations. Might make for an interesting way to do marketing research...?

MEGA-Brand

2009-09-07T18:31:00.000-07:00

BrandWeek describes it...but really the question remains - what is a megabrand? Is it something that "relates to taking a power brand and extending its equity across related product categories to drive growth and efficiencies"? Or is it just a powerful company in general? There seems to be so many large brands out there acquiring different little brands...so I wonder if technically they count as well?

Nielsen also does a nice piece on "How Can a Mega Brand Equal a Mega Success?". The key points made to keep a mega brand a mega hit revolve around the following: cross-over consumption, good practice, sustainable competitive advantage, unique relevance, persuasive actions, credibility carries clout, invest for growth, & distinct direction.

Looking forward to watching to see which companies are considered or not considered mega brands in the near future depending on which successful growth tactics they take!

the Captain has been playing some tricks!

2009-09-01T20:37:00.001-07:00

"Calling All Captains!" How catchy is that phrase? More like sneaky if you ask me. Captain Morgan has started a new promo perfectly targeting its male 21-25 segment with free customizable voicemails to send to your male friends.

Brandweek explains more. But don't wait for your phone to ring first...be sure to prank your friends before it's too late & you get pranked first! Here's the site so be sure to test it out.

Social Media Revolution video

2009-08-31T19:14:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine forwarded this neat video called Social Media Revolution. Really neat to see how much work someone put into finding statistics of how social media has truly revolutionized the way things work/happen.

Did you know....

1 out of 8 couples married in the U.S. met through social media
34% of bloggers post opinions about products & brand

Seems like there are some interesting points about how social media will TAKE OVER! Can't wait to see what the future brings for these powerful marketing tools.

Dirty Diaper Wars!

2009-08-25T19:30:00.000-07:00

Let's get real...how exciting can diapers be to market? Actually, there's a lot more going on behind the scene & fierce competition with head-to-head rivals Pampers (by P&G) & Huggies (by Kimberly-Clark).

Pampers just promoted its new reality webisode series "A Parent is Born" in Brandweek. The website shows parents tips on what to expect with newborns & to see what a day in the life is like. Here's an interesting statistic about diapers - "though the majority of consumers are cutting back on name-brand purchases during the recession, diaper sales continue to hold up relatively well, with 95-98 percent of households buying the disposable variety". Bet you didn't realize that!

Moving on to Huggies & Pull-ups - The Kimberly-Clark subbrands. Pull-ups also takes the consumers to see the challenges and triumphs of potty-training in The Potty Project. Granted, the Pull-ups are for an older age group of kiddies but still very similar ideas in both companies' websites.

Both companies are working on grabbing the emotional feel to keep the consumer loyal to their product. Loyalty to name-brands will help Kimberly-Clark and P&G throughout this recession & wish them luck with all the potty-training/diaper webisodes they create! The interesting thing to watch is whether it translates into an increase in sales...now that would be interesting to see!

the "not so little" organic food companies

2009-08-20T19:07:00.000-07:00

Did YOU know that...
*Bear Naked is backed by Kellogg?
*Cascadian Farm is backed by General Mills?
*Kashi is backed by Kellogg?

The Chicago Tribune did a great piece on how many small organic food companies are and have been bought out by larger companies like Kellogg and General Mills. It makes you wonder...is that small brand you're buying really a small brand? Or, is it backed by a powerhouse brand? Tough to tell since a majority of the time, the larger brand is not mentioned on the packaging.

Abercrombie...finally cooling down its prices

2009-08-18T08:24:00.000-07:00

FINALLY A&F has decided to drastically lower its prices because of the recession. Great idea but hello where have you been the past year! Wall Street Journal Online really tears apart this brand with the numerical data to back up how badly this retailer is doing. For example, this past quarter A&F was "at a loss of $26.7 million".

If that wasn't bad enough....one year ago Abercrombie got in a bit of trouble for an ex-worker who was discriminated against because of her prosthetic arm.

A&F has always tried to be on the edge but don't you sometimes come to a point where you actually fall off the cliff?

Sears...on its way up in the world!

2009-08-13T21:59:00.001-07:00

Bad news...Sears has had a bad rap for a while in the retail world and is not doing well. Good news...through several different ways Sears is working on rebranding itself - having Disney's Selena Gomez promote a Sears Band Casting Call, including Cotton Inc. in the brand mix of clothing, & with a greater social media appearance on Facebook.

In hopes of re-branding itself, Brandweek describes Sears connection with Wizards of Waverly Place star, Selena Gomez and her role with the Sears Air Band Casting Call. Check out the website and see for yourself how interactive and fun it looks for a kid to apply to this exciting opportunity at the Sears Arrive Lounge.

Cotton Inc. has been working its way back to the marketplace like through the Disney movie, Confessions of a Shopaholic, in which many of the clothing worn was made of cotton. Many cotton items are on display at Sears nationwide and there are many promo events coming up to promote the benefits of wearing this breathable, natural fabric.

Promo Magazine describes Sears' next step to made it's Facebook page more interactive. The neatest thing about this app is that you are able to put together a virtual college dorm room, making it easy to visualize what products go well together before you head out to shop for them. Great idea to use social media in a more innovative way to engage the customer. From this, you can create a wish list & have friends and family members contribute by purchasing specific items. Next step might be to have a printout sheet pop out of the printer for specific items or an iPhone app to let you take your list with you to the store. (Especially considering that you will most likely need to purchase a lot of these college-items yourself.) Now THAT would be cool!

With all these great additions, will Sears make it and improve its status in the retail world or continue to sink a heavy ship?

Cause-marketing becoming more "sexy" less "caring"

2009-08-11T17:06:00.000-07:00

I like Will Ferrell as much as the next person...but seriously? Cone Inc. of Boston (an agency that specializes in cause-marketing) describes the buzz-kill of so many cause-related campaigns. One of these trends is described as cause-lite in which "recession-weary consumers are becoming somewhat less receptive to activist messages, no matter how good the cause". With orgs like College for Cancer (the one Will Ferrell represents on the sunscreen bottle to the left), Twitter for Sh-tters, & Wherever the Need makes consumers even less likely to feel the need to buy a cause-product or a product that endorses an unrecognizable cause. Not to say that any of these causes are worthless...just pointing out that they aren't quite as recognizable as say...American Cancer Society or Susan G. Komen.

Mediaspot highlights a positive note of how recognizable causes are standing out through creative ads. Check out the 3 ads available on YouTube for the Blood Center of Central Texas - elevator, shopping cart, & burger to see my point. The outside-the-box stuff is actually working too! There's been an increase in 20% more blood since the campaign started...so get out there and "Redeem Yourself"!

With new beverages come more sales?

2009-08-10T20:34:00.000-07:00

With SO many new beverages out there on the market today, who knows what will be the next big hit? Celestial Seasonings has new flavors, Beverage World discusses new industry trends & Coke tests a new dispenser which serves over 100 drinks in one place!

Drinks Business Review discusses Celestial Seasonings newest addition to the herbal tea company, Sleepytime Vanilla. Also, they have recently developed a green tea with mature tea leaves creating less bitterness than typical green teas. As a brand of The Hain Celestial Group, this tea company is celebrating its 40th birthday in style with new flavors and new tea innovations to keep this brand up to date.

Beverage World discusses the latest fascinating breakout flavors to hit the U.S. market. Watch out acai & pomegranate....here comes - mangosteen, yumberry, cherimoya, black currant, cupuacu, shiso, yuzu & rooibos. Also present in the mix of beverage trends is blood orange which was prevalent in many products in this summer's Fancy Food Show in NYC. Can't wait to learn how to pronounce & taste these new superfruit flavors!

Last but not least...check out this crazy/cool dispenser which Coca-Cola has begun testing in 10 Jack-In-The-Box restaurants in San Diego. How neat is it to be able to select one of over 100 options because of the “PurePour” technology? Hope this makes its way to the East Coast so the rest of us can try this out!

Finland's fashion...back to basics this Fall

2009-08-07T19:16:00.000-07:00

Discovered an interesting blurp about how Finnish Fall fashions will be more conservative due to the recession. Helsinki Times explains how "sobriety & sustainability" will be two key themes to watch for. Predictions include return to classic cuts, couture will be harder to find, and a combination of grays, blacks, and violets will appear more often (these colors are indicators of wealth). It's interesting to see how fashion abroad has and will be affected especially since typically trends start in Europe & eventually make their way to the U.S. It will be interesting to see how this affects the US now and in the future.

Let's RE-BRAND our company! (copycat copycat copycat...who isn't following this strategy today?)

2009-08-06T17:56:00.000-07:00

So if we RE-BRAND our company/product/line...we will increase sales & redefine ourselves in the marketplace today. This is a nice thought if you're the only one out there doing this & you will most
likely stand out in the marketplace.

But, with SO many brands doing this today, things are getting a bit confusing out there! 2 previous postings were devoted to G (used to be called Gatorade) which have confused consumers out there in the grocery shopping world.

Other examples include:

Radioshack is now The Shack
Starbucks is rebranding its Seattle locations to give a localized feel by un-Starbucks-ing the store (removing the logo, changing the overall feel of the store)
Wal-Mart Save money. Live better. - new tagline, updated its logo with a sunburst & is hoping to attract upper income consumers
Stop & Shop's new logo (no more stoplight..now a bunch of bowls replace it)
Kraft Foods make today delicious (new logo & tagline to make the everyday brand more of a luxury/modern feel)
Nickelodeon's new logo...BORING if you ask me!

So...what's all this mean? Some brands will be successful with the rebranding strategy & some will not. After getting hyped up & excited to have a new experience at a nearby Wal-Mart because of the print & tv ads I've seen....I was hugely disappointing by the lack of changes onsite in the store. Why bother rebranding a store if it still looks the same inside? Wal-Mart is still Wal-Mart & the prices are great and affordable but it's not a Target. People don't look forward to the shopping experience...they look forward to saving money (so at least they are correct with the new slogan they've put forth...just not with the target market they're "attempting" to reach).

To end with some food for thought...interesting mini article with logos/info about other companies rebranding themselves lately & some which are fictional. Can you tell the difference on CNET?

let consumers vote on the latest Vera Bradley prints

2009-08-04T11:50:00.001-07:00

If Vera Bradley Corporate can't decide, why not have the actual consumers vote on
their favorite patterns coming out this Winter 2009 & Spring 2010. By using Facebook, Vera Bradley's page, now wants customer feedback on the upcoming prints (typically not displayed or known about until a month or so before it's release into Vera stores & other retailers).

The neat thing about Vera is that its prints attract a wide range of female age groups from the Tweens (who enjoy the new Frill line - a patent leather texture for 3 prints Blue Rhapsody, Carnaby, & Pirouette in exclusive, cute designs for this age group), the high school/college girls (with special products like the lanyards, id cases, school supplies, clutches, belts, purses & travel bags), the young-middle aged professional/moms who are mid-20's to early 40's (who like the suitcases, diaper bags, sunglasses, & large purses), and the 40+ group (who enjoy the classic simple prints, & the eye glass cases - really who have a need for the practical side of Vera). And should I mention the menswear line which includes ties and cufflinks?

This is an interesting strategy to get a wide variety of customers involved in the decision making & it's cheap feedback on what their thoughts are about the new designs. (Cheap meaning free of course!) I wonder if the feedback will help them reconsider the designs & reassure them that they are right on track for what the customers want? We shall see come Winter '09 if this has helped or hurt their strategy!

McCafes....helping or hurting the golden arches?

2009-08-03T19:28:00.000-07:00

The question that everyone has been asking - now has an answer...or does it?

BrandWeek wrote an interesting piece on how the McCafe subbrand is helping McDonald's earnings. Their CEO believes McD's success is because of an even mix of promoting the Big Mac & new McCafes and fancy coffee offerings. Second quarter sales are up and this is why! Check out their website and see how interactive it is for yourself.

Still not buying it? Not sure if the rest of us are either... Will McCafes be the next "it" cafe over Starbucks & Dunkins or will it lead to a big fat flop? What if people who go to cafes enjoy quality lattes or as Starbucks has begun doing...localizing the cafes in the cities they reside in?

Could it be Starbucks & Dunkins high-er prices that make McCafe more appealing in this recession? Nobody knows for sure but possibly a combo of all things considered will help or hurt this subbrand. Time will tell but we'll all be watching to see how the test markets work out until they move a few McCafes out East for the rest of us to taste for ourselves....

High School Musical...even on M&Ms

2009-07-31T20:19:00.001-07:00

Who knew that HSM aka High School Musical would manage to make its appearance on M&Ms? (Not sure how delicious main characters Troy Bolton & Gabriella Montez might taste though.) Here's the site to purchase them online - M&Ms. What a killer money-making empire of a Disney theme if there ever was one for kids. Everything from backpacks, clothing, accessories, school supplies, cds, Halloween costumes, dvds, iPod covers, computer games, karyoke versions, stuffed animals, cameras, stickers, placemats, books, mousepads, clocks, posters, ceiling fans (yes, because every kid needs that)...I mean you could go wild like a true Wildcat with all the crazy HSM apparel!

But M&Ms...now that is something interesting seeing as kids tend to like no LOVE chocolate...parents can't resist going home with a sad kid so they'd rather buy the candy to make the kiddies happy. Sadly, it appears that these M&Ms are only available through purchasing on the Mars Inc. site. Although there are a lot of great things about chocolate + HSM - both being GREAT selling points as 2 of life's little luxuries that you can't live without - the negative thing is that they're selling this online. Too bad Mars didn't decide to sell them at the Disney Store because the in-store purchase is what will really make these sell fast! Unless they're already one step ahead of us and have placed them strategically for the impulse buyer checking out with the screaming kid. That would be a stellar move on M&Ms behalf...

today...advertising. Tomorrow...try-vertising!

2009-07-30T17:49:00.000-07:00

Try-vertising...now that's a word I have never heard of before. Think of the whole idea of the scratch n sniff but updated. Sunny D has created a pretty unique tasting for its new Smoothies line of beverages made by First Flavor (patented Peel 'n Taste flavor strips) - see more in this article by MediaPost Publications.

The background on other companies that have used this are many alcholoic beverages like....Finlandia's tangerine vodka, Skyy's passion fruit vodka, & Captain Morgan's Parrot Bay key lime rum. As for non-alcoholic bevs, Welch's used it for a print promo (a lick taster in magazines) & Cambell Soup's V-Fusion. However, what makes this the best is that Sunny D is the first company to use this at the grocery store to catch the consumer at their decision making point of purchase.

The thing to watch is if other foods besides drinks will catch on to this idea which differentiates products in the supermarket aisle. Afraid to try a new product? Don't be if you can taste it first. This idea is just GENIUS & hope to try it once I locate a Food Lion in my area.

and the opposite of Red Bull is....SLOW COW!

2009-07-28T20:53:00.000-07:00

Who knew the day would come when Red Bull would go head-to-head with a rival so extreme, so different, so opposite....Huh?

Somehow I recently stumbled on this new product called Slow Cow which instead of rev-ing you up....it revs you down to make you relax. Pretty much this is the new anti-energy drink created to make you chill out. Check out their website to learn how this Canadian drink can give you the feeling of...a one week vacation, an acupuncture session, or a relaxation session. Who knew that you could get ALL that from ONE drink?

I'm interested to see where this gets distributed...who their target market is (stressed out Canadians I suppose?) & if it makes it to the US.

BIG time mistake G!

2009-07-23T07:38:00.000-07:00

Felt it to be VERY necessary to follow up on my July 9th post about G/Gatorade as I stumbled on a WSJ article which describes how Gatorade did a BIG mistake in renaming its Gatorade as G. This not-so-small tradeoff of rebranding has now turned into one of THE biggest marketing mistakes in the recession. Pepsi has been hit harder than Coke - Pepsi with an overall 6% drop in sales, Coke with an overall 1% drop in sales in second quarter sales.

Must mean that Coke is doing something right & that consumers have been very confused about the G & G2 products on shelves.

Easy fix? Call me old fashioned but save the billion dollar brand & go back to its roots of the big lightning bolt & GATORADE on the bottle.

low-cal...no melt....chocolate!

2009-07-22T20:27:00.000-07:00

WOW! What else could you want from chocolate? It already is good enough but now there's a low-cal, no melt one...all I can say is bring it to the US! TIME investigates Swiss chocolatier Barry Callebaut & how they aren't letting this special secret out anytime soon. Apparently it has something to do with the enzymes in your saliva - meaning that it's the only time it will melt. For chocolate lovers out there curious to taste this be ready for a different texture - more of a crunchier one rather than creamy.

For now...we will have to wait 2 years for this product to appear in the masses but keep your fingers crossed that it will make its way to the states because what could be better than a healthier chocolate?

shopping through facebook?

2009-07-21T18:22:00.000-07:00

Who knew the day would come when you could shop through Facebook? Czech electronics retailer Datart AS has begun a deal with Facebook to allow its customers to access its apparel online through this social networking site. A quickie article from Total Telecom explains more.

whole grains in a drink?

2009-07-17T17:42:00.000-07:00

A bit skeptical about this new food find... Whole grains in a smoothie? Odwalla has come out with a new line called Wholly Grain in a Tropical Medley flavor. Check out the info on QSR or BevNet.

Am interested to know how a grain-y smoothie can taste if it has a granular taste or if it still keeps the smoothie taste that's necessary for its success? The plus of this new line extension is that it appeals to celiacs as the grain in it is brown rice, naturally gluten-free. Interesting way to make an already healthy smoothie more healthy...only thing I wonder is if its taste and sales will live up to the cute packaging and catchy name?

the difference btw a Starbucks & a local Starbucks

2009-07-16T12:29:00.000-07:00

Happy to find Starbucks is refurbishing its locations with a more local feel...about time to "go local" while "going global". Although they've most likely changed the menus to appeal to local tastes...Starbucks hasn't ever created a local appeal until now.

Starbucks is testing out names for its stores to create this local appeal to improve its sales. Found an article in The Seattle Times and found it very pertinent to what many retailers are failing to provide to its consumers. From recent trends I've found, the big fancy stores are out and helping out the local farmer's market are in. Although Starbucks may never be considered the "local coffee shop around the corner", they sure are proposing an interesting idea to fit in neighborhoods a bit better. Three of its stores in Seattle will now be named after the neighborhoods they are located in - for example, 15th Avenue Coffee and Tea, after the address it resides in. Although I am not familiar with Seattle, I find it an interesting way for Starbucks to engage in its headquarter city.

Not sure if it's a LT goal to do this to every Starbucks but possibly an idea to spread to certain locations. Interesting idea & hope one is remodeled to the East Coast so we can check it out!

while some people say just DANCE!...this site says JUST DRINKS

2009-07-15T10:57:00.000-07:00

Just Drinks is a site dedicated to the drinks industry. I stumbled on it when checking out an article about Sunkist's latest promo. Sunkist's Take A Stand program was designed to encourage kids to raise money for their community through lemonade stand sales. The best thing about it is this isn't just an IDEA...Sunkist has helped kids raise over $3million for local charities since starting in 2004.

Pros on this promo:

an interactive site to help kids come up with ideas/recipes to check out for Take a Stand
info for parents to read up on how to find a local 501(c)(3) charity
good press for Sunkist

Cons on this promo:

how exactly can Sunkist keep track of who's selling lemonade under their name
how to know if participants are donating 100% of $$ to their local charities

So the thing I'm curious to know is...although Sunkist encourages kids to help out their community (clearly a GOOD thing), how is that engaging the target market of healthy grocery shoppers say between 25-45 since my guess is the kids aren't the ones making the household grocery lists & shopping for those food items...?

healthy icecream...isn't that an oxymoron?

2009-07-14T08:10:00.000-07:00

Healthy Icecream...two words that should NEVER, I repeat NEVER ever be in the same sentence. Isn't the point of icecream to be enjoyed as a nostalgic treat of cold, sweet, creamy goodness from your childhood? Apparently 3 brands - Klondike, Breyers, & Popsickle are coming out with healthier versions this summer with the healthy hype trends consumers are starting to stick to. (No offense, but if you plan on eating lots of icecream, it may not matter whether it's a healthy version or not because it's still junk food.)

Check out this quickie article found in Drug Store News.

do A-list celebs always create A-list lines?

2009-07-13T11:11:00.000-07:00

Recently was browsing recent retail trends and found some interesting thoughts in the Tribune Review

Throughout the article many successful celebs with their retail lines are described. Then the reasoning behind the successes of these brands is explained because of the marketing that takes place to promote the clothes - for example, in magazines like Allure. What most consumers don't think about is how well celebs "know" their brands. Sure, you can endorse a brand but how well you know the fabrics/essence of the scents/tastes of the food lines are what make your product sell.

"Talent and popularity don't necessarily translate to retail A-list status" says
Burt P. Flickinger III, managing director of the consulting firm Strategic Resource Group in New York. Makes you wonder the next time you consider that glamorous perfume or even paying up for Rachel Ray's gourmet dog food…how well does that celeb know his/her line?

the power of the letter G

2009-07-09T13:55:00.000-07:00

G. It used to be only a letter in the alphabet but recently through a rebranding strategy by Gatorade, G and G2 are the new Gatorade & Gatorade 2.

G is continuing its LT relationship with Michael Jordan by placing his photo on limited edition bottles this summer which many fans will probably collect - see Promo Magazine. Should be exciting to taste-test these three new flavors - which coincide with accomplishments MJ had during his career.

Now on to the G2 brand.... The G2 print and tv ads are pretty catchy - check out the Serena Cuevas & Serena Williams ad on YouTube - which compares the struggles & accomplishments of the dancer Serena & the tennis player Serena. It reaches a different target market than G as it markets to athletes who are more calorie-conscious but want the electrolytes and vitamins in a sports drink.

Although G and G2 have spent a lot on rebranding the already strong Gatorade brand, one hopes that the G and G2 bottles will not be mistaken in the grocery store for a new brand. Seems like a small tradeoff for an exciting new take on an already strong brand!

how contradictory are Starbursts?

2009-07-08T12:09:00.000-07:00

Although most people see Starbursts as just a bit of juicy flavor to nix that sweet tooth, this candy company would like you to remember that they are a...contradiction! Hmm...seem a bit odd? Well, their new ad campaign - see BrandWeek - embraces their contradictory-ness by reminding people "it's a pack of contradictions". When you think about it, Starbursts are an odd candy because it's hard on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside so it's not a hard candy, not a gum…what category would you call it? Interesting idea which sparked from customer feedback and interesting ads to come with a Scotch-Korean & an albino lifeguard... well you'll have to read more to learn more about it. Hopefully the contradictions won't confuse the customers more but will increase sales with another bit of life's small luxury item at the checkout line.

the idea of the single serve...

2009-07-07T08:40:00.000-07:00

I was poking around AdAge and came across an interesting point that maybe bigger isn't better. Kind of shocking, huh? Check out this link to watch a quick, but informative video by Martin Lindstrom about how 30-50% of products in the Philippines are sold in single serve packages because they're more affordable but also yield higher returns for companies - http://adage.com/brightcove/lineup.php?lineup=1182767334.

Some things to note in relation to the US & our recession are:

1.Get a clear understanding of the customer - products that were popular one year ago turn out unpopular right now & in the future

ie…buying bulk!

2. Avoid fear of the economical crisis.

ie…the Hyundai insurance policy saves you if you loose your job - you can keep your car

3.Come closer to the customer with better serving & close dialogue

Ie…ask why they change their behavior

Makes you wonder if this trend will be popping up more in the US in the near future...?