Branding Archives - Page 22 of 42 - McLellan Marketing Group

Good is good enough?

November 12, 2007

Unless you are a very rare organization, someone else out there sells what you sell. Insurance, an education, a widget, wisdom & insights, a phone. There is no such thing as a totally unique product or service any more.

Let's assume your product is good. And so is your competition's. Taking your product to the next notch — very good should mean you could sell more, right?

Wrong. Unless you create a whole new product, a slight improvement isn't going to move market share. (It may make you more profitable though!) We are surrounded by me-too products and companies. Can you even think of a product or service that is unique?

Product performance marketing isn't enough anymore. So, now what?

If we can't sell based on our product and we don't want to sell on price, what's left? Your brand. The buying experience. That's the only place left for differentiation. You need to look for and recognize your exceptional difference. And, you need to make every contact with you be a memorable experience.

A marketer's job is to help the potential client make an emotional connection to your company, product or service. This requires a well-planned, consistent, repetitive branding strategy that is aimed at specific prospects.

How's your branding strategy? Is it working throughout your entire organization, not just in your ads or on your website? Is it something every employee can understand, explain and actually believe?

It’s too much you – why you shouldn’t be in your own commercials

November 9, 2007

A day or so ago, I donned a Kevlar suit and stated the truth.

99% of business owners should not star in their own marketing – especially TV and radio.

As I predicted, the article generated many phone calls and e-mails. Lots of people took it personally.

Exactly.

You see, when you start in your own commercial, your message, by default, is about you. How long you've been in business, how many XY or Z you sell a month, that your granddad started the business at the turn of the century, etc.

Here is a harsh but true fact. Your potential customers could care less. They care about themselves. And what they need and want.

When they see a TV commercial or print ad or website – they want to see themselves. They want to see their problems solved or even better, averted. They want to see how their lives could be better, easier, faster, more posh or sexier. They do not want to see your grandkids. No matter how cute they are.

I mentioned that you look a little uncomfortable and stiff in your spots. But it's more than that. It goes beyond that fact that while you're great at what you do, what you do isn't acting in front of a camera.

It is much more than the reality that spokespeople are prettier than most of us average joes or janes. It boils down to a fundamental reality. Your customers are only interested in you because you can do something for them. That's why they will give you their most precious resources – their time and attention.

Of course, there are exceptions to every rule. Sometimes, you and only you can star in your marketing. We'll delve into that one next.

Hey Good Lookin’ — should you really be in your own TV spot?

November 6, 2007

This might ruffle a lot of feathers, so let the comments fly. With very, very few exceptions (and I mean very, very) you should not be in your own TV spots. And in most cases, you shouldn't be in your own radio ads or voiceover work either.

I know…but you are different. People tell you how good you are.

They are lying.

They aren't being mean. They either have no clue how to evaluate if you are good or not, or they are being polite. Honestly, in most cases, they are being polite. Either way, you are not good.

You look uncomfortable. You sound uncomfortable. Frankly, you come off a little stiff and uptight.

If I have not brought a curse upon my house with the above statements, let me add this. Your kids and grandkids shouldn't be in your ads either. They may well be cute as a button but that doesn't mean it's a good choice.

I recognize how intoxicating the attention and comments are. "Hey, saw you on TV. You looked great!" But you are paying a pretty penny to garner a compliment or two, aren't you?

Let's try to be objective here. If you saw an ad where the spokesperson was awkward, uncomfortable, stiff or just looked amateurish, would that give you a sense of confidence about their product or service? You've got enough competition and obstacles when it comes to selling your wares.

Bottom line – don't let your ego or an overzealous sales rep tell you it's a good idea for you to star in your own commercials. Use professionals in your advertising. It's worth the investment.

Unless I know you. Then, you look great.

Does Disney really care if your kids are fat?

October 30, 2007

I don’t need to tell you how pro-Disney I am. I love the brand, I love the culture, I love the actual experience. It is where I go to re-charge and relax. It is, in my mind, my place.

So it pains me to call bull#&*@^ on Disney. But I’ve got to.

Thanks to a post on Marketing Profs Daily Fix (by Ted Mininni) and a follow up from Cam Beck at ChaosScenario, I learned about an article on CNN/Money.com.

It reported that Disney has pledged their efforts to fight childhood obesity by launching a new line of products called Disney Garden that will include Mickey-shaped snack trays with combinations of celery, peanut butter and raisins or apples, cheese and crackers and others. Other items include sugar snap peas, honey orange carrot coins, cheesy broccoli bites and miniature apples, peaches, pears, plums and oranges.

Disney was one of a dozen companies that made a pledge before an FTC hearing in July that put more pressure on the companies to help curb the growing child obesity problem through more responsible marketing.

So Disney must be committed to eradicating childhood obesity, right?

I don’t really think so. I’m sure they recognize its a problem. And they certainly don’t want to purposefully fatten up your kids.

But Disney Garden is brand extension, not social responsibility.

Let’s face it, Disney is all about being family friendly. They want to create brand loyalty among family decision-makers. Where better than the grocery store? And who better to cozy up to than Mom? What is one of the hottest topics among parents today? Childhood obesity.

Here’s the pesky part of this new breed of marketing. For it to be authentic and embraced by your consumers, there can’t be any "holes" in the story. You have to be able to prove that you are walking your talk.

In this case, here are some of the holes I might reluctantly poke into Disney’s pledge against obesity (childhood or otherwise):

Disney has granted the exclusive privilege of a presence inside their parks to McDonalds and their french fry wagons. So much for their break from Mickey D’s. The only thing those wagons sell — fries, sodas and bottled water.

Disney owned ABC Network still accepts and runs plenty of commercials for Doritos, sugar-laden cereal and other junk foods. And they run plenty of them during Saturday morning cartoons and Hannah Montana reruns.

I just visited Disney’s website for Kids Island and watched a cool web ad for Cheetos.

Now don’t get me wrong. I don’t think Disney is out to fatten up our kids. And I know they are doing some things to offer healthy alternatives, like offering carrots instead of fries. But to lay claim to a position as the industry leader out fighting obesity seems a stretch.

Today’s marketing needs to be very wary of hype. And this feels a wee bit hyped to me. What do you think?

Is there an ROI for being customer focused?

October 30, 2007

Thanks to a post on The Engaging Brand I read about study done by Peer Insight.

They did a three year study of 40 Fortune 500 companies – and the results clearly make a case for the ROI a company can realize by focusing on being purposeful about the customer experience.

The study showed that companies that focused upon customer experience design outperformed the S&P 500 by a 10-1 margin. While I think that’s a very nice argument for crafting the customer experience, I think it is only one way to measure the value.

Here are some other valuations you need to consider:

~ Employee retention. (Use this calculator if you have a strong stomach.)
~ Customer retention. Multiply your new customer acquisition costs times 5.
~ Loss of word of mouth. The best marketing tool around. And you don’t have any.
~ Fewer surprises. When you’ve planned the customer experience, you can anticipate problems before they sneak up on you.

And that’s probably just the tip of the iceberg. What other benefits/ROI are there for purposefully designing the customer experience?

Age of Conversation: Three months later

October 29, 2007

A little over 3 months ago, we launched Age of Conversation with our fingers crossed. We came screaming out of the gate.

103 authors, most of whom have never looked each other in the eyes. From 10 different countries. Working together for a common vision — to publish a book they could be proud of and raise money for the world’s children.

So, how are we doing so far?

In the 90+ days since our launch, together we have raised $10,380.81! (That’s 1,351 books)

That’s the good news. The bad news is that 98% of those sales took place in the first 60 days.

It’s time to prove that we know how to market. The holidays are coming and Age of Conversation would make a great gift for clients, business partners, family or friends.

We’ve got a couple ideas up our sleeve but would love to get some from you too. How can we get AoC back on the radar screen and on everyone’s wish list this holiday season?

Could we raise another $10,000 in the next 90 days?

Mother Nature = Art Director?

October 27, 2007

Here in the Midwest the most vivid colors of the turning trees are coming into their full glory as we enjoy fall’s crisp air.

Mother Nature has a way of creating some amazing color palettes that we should study, consider and make our own as we create visual identities, ad campaigns or collateral material for clients.

Over at COLOURlovers.com, you can explore all kinds of color combinations and trends. Check out their post on autumn colors, including more than 50 different fall color palettes to inspire you.

You can also submit your own color palettes for readers to critique and vote on.

Thanks to my friends at AOR for pointing me to the post.

Evidence that we need to pay attention to our brand

October 25, 2007

When was the last time you saw a grocery aisle stocked with generic products?

You remember the generic promise:

Made by the same manufacturers as the brand name products
In blind taste tests, no one could tell the difference
Cheaper

Sounds like a slam dunk, doesn’t it? And yet, generic products have vanished off the shelf.

Consumers are drawn to the safe and familiar, for the most part. They want reliability and comfort in their decision.

They want you to create a brand they can trust and rely on. Are you?

If you were Apple, how would you respond to iCrime news?

October 22, 2007

I was watching the local news the other day when a sound byte caught my attention. "iPods linked to crime wave." So being a man of the new millennium, I DVR’d it.

Here’s the scoop.

Violent crime in the US increased in 2005 and 2006 for the first time in 14 years. Homicides and robberies are up, while other violent crimes are down.

"At the same time that violent crime rates began to rise, America’s streets filled with millions of people visibly wearing, and being distracted by, expensive electronic gear," explained the authors of the Is there an iCrime wave? report.

According to the report, there are four reasons why iPods are playing a key role in the iCrime wave:

iPods contain almost no easily accessible anti-theft protection
Unlike mobile phones, there is no subscription associated with iPods
iPods are high-status items and may be stolen for their status or to be resold
Since iPods plug into both ears (unlike a cell phone’s one ear occupation) iPod users may be less aware of their surroundings than users of other consumer products

Here’s my question for us in the marketing world: If you were the CMO of Apple and heard about this report/news story — what would you do or not do?

Grow or die. How’s that for simple?

October 21, 2007

A business cannot remain stagnant for long. You either grow or you wither up and die. Now remember that grow doesn’t necessarily mean you get bigger. Maybe you just get more efficient and more profitable. But somewhere, there needs to be growth.

Bob Bloom (former US Chairman and CEO of Publicis Worldwide) has created a free e-book called Bloom on Growth. In the e-book, he’s pulled some money quotes out of his new book, The Inside Advantage, which will be available in early November.

Here’s my favorite. Probably because I’ve been preaching this for eons.

“You can deliberately influence your customer’s entire experience with your firm or you can simply let it happen.”

We all know this is true. We feel it when we walk into an Apple Store or fly Southwest. So why do you think most businesses do not do this for their own business?

Is it too hard?
Too expensive?
Too time consuming?
Do they not know how?

What do you think?

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