Marketing Archives - Page 55 of 67 - McLellan Marketing Group

Extending your brand’s reach

February 26, 2007

Brand extensions are nothing new. The reality is, we see more bad ones than good. Want proof?

Cheetos flavored lip balm
Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover’s Soul dog food (bad idea and really long name!)
Starburst (yes the candy) shampoo, body gel and conditioner

There’s a great survey that is done every year by BrandWeek and TippingSprung (NYC branding agency) that highlights the best and the worst. A hat tip to Nancy Friedman’s post that reminded me of this annual brain food.

So what makes a smart brand extension?

Does it add value to the core brand?

Think of this a a math equation. Does A+B=C? If you take the core brand and add a new element, does it create something new that’s of value. One of the survey’s winners was the Red Cross who is now marketing emergency radios. You can see the logic and thought process that created the extension. Not only is the extension itself smart, but it reflects well and adds potency to the core brand.

The quizzical look factor.

You know that expression that a dog gets, when it cocks its head and looks confused? When you say, "hey, look Cheetos flavored lip balm" most people get that same expression. That’s a big clue that the extension is a disconnect. If the two elements are miles apart, it’s going to be tough to get the consumers to buy the connection.

Has anyone asked?

20 years ago, you couldn’t even find a Mickey and Minnie in wedding garb to use as a wedding cake topper. Today, Disney has a wedding pavilion on the grounds of Disney World and the bride can arrive in Cinderella’s coach, if she’d like. How did this come to be? Disney listened to its guests and their requests.

Just this week, in the Wall Street Journal, I read that Disney is now partnering with couture bridal designer Kirstie Kelly to create Disney princess inspired wedding gowns. Check out the Orlando Sentinel story here. (Download kellydisney.pdf )

How credible is it?

Here’s one where I disagree with the survey results. They lauded the Snoop Dog extension into pet products, like dog beds. I’m sorry but just because the man’s made up name includes the word dog does not make him a dog bed or doggie coat expert. Could he be a funny spokesperson for a dog bed manufacturer? You bet. But that’s different than the man opening a line of dog sweaters.

Brand extensions are tricky business. Bottom line — how does it strengthen your core? How does it introduce you to new customers who would find benefit in both the parent and the extension? How does it add value to your current customers?

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It’s not art, it’s a website

February 25, 2007

Fine artists sign their works. I get that. It’s art.

Apparently many web designers are aspiring Picassos. There’s a trend initiated by web design companies that I just don’t get. It’s the "signature line" that they believe they’re entitled to place at the bottom of their clients’ websites.

"Website designed by XYZ" is a prevalent footer on many commercially designed websites. I am here to tell you, as a client — just say no.

I have no idea how this trend started. Can you imagine seeing a TV spot and then, as part of the close hearing "this spot was created by Weiden + Kennedy?" Or seeing McLellan Marketing Group at the bottom of a print ad in one of our client’s trade pubs? Sounds ludicrous, doesn’t it?

And yet, clients across the land don’t blink an eye when the company they are paying decided to use that site as an advertisement for themselves!

I think the ONLY acceptable exception to this rule is if the web design company donates their services. Then, they deserve the credit line.

If you’re a client out there — check your site and if there’s a fine art signature at the bottom, e-mail your web company and ask them to remove it immediately.

If you’re a web company — why not differentiate yourself in the marketplace by acknowledging that you understand you’re creating a business tool for your clients and will treat it accordingly.

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You don’t know what you don’t know

February 24, 2007

One of the most dangerous habits a marketer can develop is thinking that they/their life experience is an accurate (and the only) filter. We’ve covered aspects of this topic before.

That’s a very narrow lens to use. But, with a slight twist, your single lens view finder could become a kaleidoscope with all the colors and images mixing up and showing you a completely different way of seeing the world.

Let me give you an example. I read an article about a new product/trend that is beginning to bubble up across the globe — women only cab or car services. When I first read it, I thought — wow, are we talking segmentation too far? But as I kept reading, my middle-class white man perspective melted away. I’m embarrassed to admit it, but it never occurred to me that women would be attacked after getting into a cab. But, according to what I read, it happens. In London alone, an average of 10 women a month are attacked.

Here’s how the Pink Ladies, a women-only cab service in the UK is solving that problem for women.

"Booking is done over the phone, and a text message is sent to the customer to let her know the vehicle is approaching, which means she doesn’t have to wait outside. Drivers are trained in self-defense and will wait outside a customer’s home after a drop-off to ensure she gets in safely."

Bravo to someone who turned the kaleidoscope to see the picture in a new way and develop a profitable and customer centric new solution.

Here’s my question to you marketers — how do you make sure you’re looking through a kaleidoscope and not a single lens view finder?

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A marketing tip from my Italian grandma: Sampling starts something contagious

February 23, 2007

No doubt you look at my last name and say Italian? But rest assured, on my mom’s side I’m your amico! Like all Italians, I had an Italian grandma. And like all Italian grandmas, she had an opinion about everything and wasn’t afraid to share it or the life lessons she had collected along her colorful life. What she didn’t realize is that she also taught me some great marketing tips that in her honor, I’d like to share with you.

One of my grandma’s claims to fame were her pizzalles. If you’ve never had one…wow, are you missing out. They’re a traditional Italian waffle cookie and can be hard and crisp or soft and chewy depending on the ingredients and method of preparation.

They require a special pizzalle iron (like a waffle iron) and were always a big treat in my family. My grandma lived a plane ride away and I vividly remember being a kid, waiting for her at the gate (way before 9/11). She was old and didn’t move all that quickly, so it wasn’t a surprise to see streams of other people getting off the plane first.

But what was a surprise is that many of them were coming off the plane, munching on a pizzalle. As my grandma slowly appeared out of the jetway… the other passengers, with big powdered sugar-faced grins, were waving at her and telling her to enjoy her visit as though they were old friends. On my grandma’s arm was a big metal tin, like a picnic basket.

Well, you can deduce the rest of the story. The batch of pizzalles she had made and brought for us were gone, but lots of people on flight 427 had a great treat!

It started simply enough. She had a high quality and unique product. No doubt, she mentioned the tin and its contents to her seat mate and offered a sample. Pretty soon, there were samples flying everywhere. I guarantee you that my grandma and her tin of pizzalles were the talk of many a passenger’s ride home that day or call home that night. Had she been in the business of online pizzalle sales, she’d have scored big that week!

At McLellan Marketing Group, we are firm believers in sampling. Since 1999, we’ve produced a short e-newsletter called, as you might have guessed, the Marketing Minute. Every week, a few thousand people get to sample our marketing and branding expertise. This blog is big old tin of how we think.

Sampling creates word of mouth buzz. Sampling creates familiarity and a sense of already knowing you. Sampling creates demand and sales. Sampling creates the confidence to buy.

What’s in your pizzalle tin? And where are you sharing its contents?

(photo — one of my favorite possessions. The infamous pizzalle tin)

Several people have asked for my grandma’s pizzalles recipe — I’m very happy to share it!

Here’s the entire Marketing Tips from My Italian Grandma series, for your enjoyment:

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JetBlue goes bold and delivers on their brand

February 20, 2007

We’ve all seen the news stories, outlining JetBlue’s woes in the NE part of the US this past week. I don’t know about you, but I just chalked it up to the airlines industry and their seemingly endless distain for their customers.

So I have to say, JetBlue’s Founder and CEO David Neeleman’s announcement of their new Customer Bill of Rights surprised me. Why? Because it actually has teeth. Real consequences for real customer problems.

Listen to how Neeleman’s set the stage for the release of the Bill of Rights.

The actual Bill of Rights is lengthy (Download Bill_Of_Rights.pdf) but here are some of my favorite guarantees:

If your flight is delayed (prior to scheduled departure) longer than 4 hours gets you a voucher in the amount of your ticket.
If you get bumped from a flight because they overbooked it — you get $1,000. Cash.

All of that is really great, but what I love most about what they did was issue an apology. It starts like this:

Dear JetBlue Customers,

We are sorry and embarrassed. But most of all, we are deeply sorry.

Really, when someone messes up, isn’t that what you need and want to hear? The combination of the sincere apology, the explanation of how it will be different and the guarantee of how it will be handled in the future is a pretty potent punch. I have to say — bravo JetBlue.

By the way, this is all retroactive. It’s going to cost JetBlue about $30 million just to compensate those who got caught up in last week’s mess.

So what do you think will happen next? Will the other airlines react at all? Will JetBlue re-gain the confidence of their customers?

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Tell your story

February 20, 2007

You might remember a post in mid-December talking about how McLellan Marketing Group and some MMG friends (see here for the complete list) were banding together to adopt a charity for an entire year. We’re promising over $75,000 worth of services and goods.

Let me bring you up to date.

We received over 50 applications
It took a couple weeks to wade through them all
It was incredibly difficult to choose. Without exception — each charity is doing amazing work and changing their corner of the world.

So in the end, how did we choose the 2007 recipient of the Charity of Choice grant? All the applicants gave us the information we asked for. They provided financials, letters of reference, board lists, possible conflicts. But the winner did something beyond that.

They told us stories. They allowed us to "meet" the kids that they served. They brought the facts and figures to life. We could envision how this charity changed lives. And how we could be a part of that.

There’s a lesson in their wisdom for all of us. Don’t get so bogged down in the facts that you forget to tell the story. That’s where the sale will be made.

We’ll be using YESS and our work together as a living marketing lab here on Drew’s Marketing Minute so stay tuned. And don’t be surprised if I ask for your opinion now and then. I’d be stupid not to take advantage of your brains!

Read more about the selection Download yess1.pdf

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:60 ticks marketing tip: Left is perfectly right

February 18, 2007

Grab it fast…it’s gone in about a minute. A :60 ticks marketing tip is 150 words or less…so read it in a minute and implement it in the next!

There is a myth that goes like this…print ads located on the left hand page or in the back of a magazine or newspaper will get substantially lower readership.

Like most myths, there’s not much truth to it. A recent study shows that there is less than a 2.1% difference in average reader interest for left versus right pages. As for front versus back of the book, the difference is only 3.2%.

Not surprising, the #1 factor in influencing readership is creativity. How interesting and useful is the ad? In the end, it’s about what you have to say and how you say it.

So, next time you are placing an ad, worry less about where you put it and more about what you put into it.

That’s it…go put it into action!

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The secret is out — blogging conference in Chicago!

February 18, 2007

We’re having a Successful-Blog conference in Chicago and you are cordially invited.

This conference has been designed especially for relationship bloggers. The way this came together is quite unusual. Some might even call it remarkable Four separate groups of people, independent of each other, had the idea of having a Chicago event that drew from the community of Successful-Blog. We got the four groups together and made it happen!

Interactive presentations on publishing, design and branding, tools, analytics, social networking, marketing, and coaching — all from the perspectives of the relationship blogger and the audience.

You can register for the conference here. And better hurry — we’ve only got 250 slots!

Speakers include:

Phil Gerbyshak, Make It Great!

Liz Strauss, Successful Blog

David Armano, Logic + Emotion

Terry Starbucker, Ramblings from a Glass Half-Full

Rodney Rumford, Podblaze

BenYoskovitz, Instigator Blog

Drew McLellan, Drew’s Marketing Minute

Chris Cree, Success CREEations

Scott Rafer, MyBlogLog

Janice Myint, Technorati

Wendy Piersall, emomsathome

The conference will kick off with Christine Kane’s special brand of music.

Come join in the conversation! I can’t wait to meet you!

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A marketing tip from my Italian grandma: Treat them like family

February 16, 2007

No doubt you look at my last name and say Italian? But rest assured, on my mom’s side I’m your amico! Like all Italians, I had an Italian grandma. And like all Italian grandmas, she had an opinion about everything and wasn’t afraid to share it or the life lessons she had collected along her colorful life.

What she didn’t realize is that she also taught me some great marketing tips that in her honor, I’d like to share with you.

When you walk into an Italian house — you are family. Like it or not, you’re going to get a hug at the very least and probably a kiss or two. You feel as though they’ve been waiting for you. Welcomed and loved.

(In fact, in this picture the only two grumpy people are my parents. It must have been at the tail end of my grandma’s visit! The rest — friends are glad to be in the midst of Italian-spiced family love.)

The same idea should be applied to our businesses. I’ve mentioned before that if you don’t genuinely love (or can’t find some aspect of them to love) a client, you owe it to them to fire them.

CK mentioned in a recent post that consumers don’t always need/want spectacular. Sometimes they just want to be a part of normal. I don’t think CK was implying that normal means — like a customer. I think people want something a little more than that from us. They want to matter. Like family. They want to be noticed and valued. Again, like family.

Do you honestly believe that your customers feel embraced when they walk in your store? Or you answer your phone? Or they get an e-mail from you?

Do you welcome them with open arms, even when their arms are filled with problems or rush orders? Do they always walk away feeling appreciated? Do they know that they can count on you?

Remember, that being a part of the family doesn’t just mean hugs and kisses. It also means getting the inside dirt, being asked to pitch in, knowing some family secrets, and being given special privileges.

Are you offering those "family" benefits to your best customers?

If not…you need to give them a little Italian family love. Try this on them: "Benvenuto alla mia famiglia!"

Here’s the entire Marketing Tips from My Italian Grandma series, for your enjoyment:

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How to choose an agency: Do your homework (part 2)

February 16, 2007

You’re hiring an agency because you want results.

This is not about making your ads look prettier. This is about doing more business, smarter.

So, how do you choose the right partner? Eenie Meanie Mienie Moe?

Well, if you read my earlier post you know I don’t think it should be an RFP. But on the other extreme, it shouldn’t be just because your cousin works there either.

Following a simple process (simple to understand, but will take discipline and time to execute) will protect you from making an expensive mistake.

The phases of the process are:

Know what you want (ask yourself questions)
Do your homework (ask the prospective agencies questions)
The meet and greet (get together and ask questions)

Now that you have a better idea of what you want and have figured out who to approach, it’s time to think about what to ask. This is where most potential clients just spit out a generic RFP that won’t really tell them what they need to know. Let’s not do that, eh?

Instead, let’s look at two different lists here. What not to ask for and what to ask.

Don’t ask for:

Spec creative — why would you want creative based on no input, knowledge or insight?
A marketing plan — again, same concept. No agency can give you good counsel based on some facts typed into a document.
A media recommendation — see above.
Samples of marketing or media plans. Those are confidential. If you don’t follow my advice and do ask — beware of any agency that sends one. Next time, it might be yours!

Okay, so here’s what you should ask about:

Stats. Size, composition of staff, areas of expertise, etc.
Any possible conflicts with your business/industry
Process — how they approach a challenge or how they move from idea generation to execution sorts of processes.
Case studies — with client contact info for references.
Personality questions — have some fun. Explore. If you choose them, you are going to be spending a lot of time together. Are they a good fit?

Get the information you need and give them a chance to let their personality show through, but don’t ask them to jump through a million hoops. Not yet. Demonstrating that you’re respectful of their time will go a long way. Remember, the smart agencies are sizing you up as well. They’re trying to see how you’d fit together and what kind of client you’ll be.

Once you complete your questionnaire (don’t call it an RFP — some agencies will just toss it.) send it to the list of agencies you identified. Give them a reasonable (3+ weeks deadline) and enjoy reading the replies.

Next up — what to do when you’ve narrowed it down to 2-3 agencies.

The rest of the How to Choose An Agency Series:

Flickr photo courtesy of PeeJ0e

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