BrandAid http://brandaidblog.com Tue, 20 Mar 2012 13:54:49 +0000 http://snappages.com en Lin needs a family and kids before Volvo... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2012/03/20/lin-needs-a-family-and-kids-before-volvo http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2012/03/20/lin-needs-a-family-and-kids-before-volvo Tue, 20 Mar 2012 13:54:49 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2012/03/20/lin-needs-a-family-and-kids-before-volvo








]]> Roll in the mud if you want to create brands http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2011/11/10/roll-in-the-mud-if-you-want-to-create-brands http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2011/11/10/roll-in-the-mud-if-you-want-to-create-brands Thu, 10 Nov 2011 14:48:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2011/11/10/roll-in-the-mud-if-you-want-to-create-brands


You will find that most new brands that get in the mind were created in the mud of the marketplace. The mud refers to the front lines.

One of the reasons most companies fail is that they ignore what is already in the mind of the consumer. You cannot create a brand if you don't know what is already inside the mind of your consumer (unless you are extremely lucky).

A few months back while I was visiting the local Costco I noticed a group of men in suits walking around the store. In this group was the Founder/CEO, James Sinegal. A man very much in touch with the front lines.

As companies grow they usually lose touch with the customer on the front lines.

If you're in retail, shop your store and others (more than once).

If you sell cars, go out and buy cars at different dealerships and yours.

If you build software try using the software like a customer.

All you need to do is observe, listen, experience, and be quiet. Don't ask the customer what they want because they usually don't know. You're not using focus groups; you want the real truth.

Over time the top loses touch with the mud of the marketplace because they don't want to get dirty. The real truth is usually out there and the top needs to get dirty to find it.

]]> Wendy's brings back the beef... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2011/10/03/wendys-brings-back-the-beef http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2011/10/03/wendys-brings-back-the-beef Mon, 03 Oct 2011 15:09:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2011/10/03/wendys-brings-back-the-beef






]]> Reinvention is for weak brands only... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2011/09/19/reinvention-is-for-weak-brands-only http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2011/09/19/reinvention-is-for-weak-brands-only Mon, 19 Sep 2011 06:50:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2011/09/19/reinvention-is-for-weak-brands-only
To which I add...No. [...]]]>
To which I add...No.



Why is it that when brands become successful they have this burning desire to change the very things that made them successful?

Wendy's is falling into the trap that better products win, a common trap for many businesses.

Products that win are the products that are perceived better by owing a position in the mind.

Brands that make small incremental changes over time are the ones that are successful. These natural changes keep the essence of the brand without hurting the current and hopefully strong position.

With all the radical changes at Wendy's no wonder sales are down. Why would Wendy's try and compete with Five Guys?

People go to Wendy's because the burgers are at a lower price point. My advice to Wendy's: "Old Fashioned Burgers at Old Fashioned Prices." Five Guys can't compete with that.

]]> Bose Television...am I hearing correctly? http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2011/08/16/bose-television-am-i-hearing-correctly http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2011/08/16/bose-television-am-i-hearing-correctly Tue, 16 Aug 2011 21:19:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2011/08/16/bose-television-am-i-hearing-correctly
For those of you that haven't head Bose has introduced a new television. It's called the Bose Videowave Entertainment System. Technically they are not calling it a television but it is. The idea is that instead of having a television and a home theater you would have it all in one simple device.



Now I am all for simple but I don't like the idea of converging the two separate categories. Why not have a Vizio television powered with Bose sound technology? That in my opinion would be a winning combination.

And now you have Vizio creating a tablet??

It seems like most electronics companies these days are trying to emulate Sony. But these days Sony is hardly making any money. What company would want the net profit of Sony?

Marketing effects take place over a long period of time. The evidence of line extension over the years and new companies creating new brands in new categories has cost Sony dearly.



Focus, focus, focus. It is so hard to do. With success comes many temptations. A company like Vizio has a great brand in "high definition" televisions. If they are so eager to go after new business they should create a new and separate brand name.

New categories need new brands.

]]> Branding begins with a problem http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2011/05/16/branding-begins-with-a-problem http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2011/05/16/branding-begins-with-a-problem Mon, 16 May 2011 07:00:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2011/05/16/branding-begins-with-a-problem
Brands that begin with problems in the mass market have a much better chance at success. [...]]]>
Brands that begin with problems in the mass market have a much better chance at success.



The problem doesn't have to big. Small problems can make a company very successful.

A few years back most people had a small problem -they were curious what their friends were doing that they hadn't seen in a while because as humans we often lack the ability to keep in touch (especially men). And they didn't want to pay for it (Classmates).

This wasn't a big problem. It happens to be a very simple problem and is very simple to solve: facebook.

Many entrepreneurs think that people will use their service it they make it fun and exciting. Not true for the mass market. To reach the mass market a business as a whole must solve a problem. The bigger the problem the faster it spreads and the more money you can make.

Groupon solves a problem....not for consumers but for businesses. How many businesses would say to themselves, "I would discount 40% if I had 200 people buy my product or service" or "I just wish I could get my name out there."

Groupon = problem solved.

Brands that solve a problem have a much better chance at succeeding. Before you build a business make sure it solves a problem.

]]> Hope in the Advertising Age fleeting... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2011/04/18/hope-in-the-advertising-age-fleeting http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2011/04/18/hope-in-the-advertising-age-fleeting Mon, 18 Apr 2011 02:21:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2011/04/18/hope-in-the-advertising-age-fleeting
In the perception model below most companies tries to fit advertising in [...]]]>
More money is WASTED on advertising every year than I think anything else in business. Companies spend millions trying to capture the attention of the consumer and are unable to penetrate the mind. The problem is that advertising is being done in the wrong Stage.

In the perception model below most companies tries to fit advertising in Stage 1-a big mistake. In the great sea of noise out there it is an easy place to waste money and many do.



Think about it. Why else would more companies fall into the crazy notion that sex sells? Or for that matter create some of the most outlandish and crude ads in a desperate attempt to capture ones attention. Do these ads sell? No.

They fail because the real place for advertising is Stage 4.

Stage 4 is where you will get the highest return on your investment. When a consumer is in Stage 4 they are ready to make decisions. In this Stage your brand has already been established in the mind by public relations and word of mouth.

The wonderful thing about Stage 4 is that you don't need coupons, discounts, or small bikinis to sell. All you need to do is to remind the consumer why you are different via the soft sell (with creativity and drama).

But ad agencies will ask, "Where is the creativity, isn't this boring?" Maybe. Consumers often don't need to be entertained but reminded.

When I sit and watch commercials these days I am mostly filled with disappointment. Rarely do I see a commercial that reinforces a strong position in the mind and when I do I will get excited.

Is GoDaddy really selling more domains by using sex? I don't think so.

Big advertising agencies should be worried. As more companies see little value of ads spent in Stage 1 most will venture off to "social media" so they can see a higher return.

Most companies don't spend ENOUGH on advertising. I want to see more. I am tired of the same car commercials that offer very little differentiation.

One can only hope.

]]> 5 simple steps for a visible CEO http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2011/04/06/5-simple-steps-for-a-visible-ceo http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2011/04/06/5-simple-steps-for-a-visible-ceo Wed, 06 Apr 2011 07:48:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2011/04/06/5-simple-steps-for-a-visible-ceo
Semantic and event memory are key in building a brand but what most people forget is person memory. Person memory is why having a visible CEO [...]]]>
Semantic and event memory are key in building a brand but what most people forget is person memory. Person memory is why having a visible CEO in the media is so important.

Look at some of the great brands and the visible CEO that go along with them...









There is so much competing stimuli in the environment that having a visible CEO can cut through the noise. Some keys for a visible CEO...

1) Be credible
Bringing in a CEO that has little experience in the industry is a mistake. This is one of the reasons that the entrepreneur themselves make great visible CEOs, they are already credible.

2) Have a memorable name
The better your name the better chance of sticking in the mind. If you have a name that is not memorable change it.

3) Be consistent
Stay with a similar look. Steve Jobs wearing a suit doesn't make sense. There is a reason he wears a black shirt and jeans all the time. Staying consistent in dress may not mean wearing the same shirt but jumping back and forth from casual to suits doesn't work.

4) Stay relevant
If you want your brand to stay relevant the CEO must be visible and key trade shows/conferences/etc. If you have little presence at industry trade shows the media will know this and wonder why you are not in attendance. PR is what CEOs need and attendance will boost the PR.

5) Avoid scandal
If you can't totally avoid it, put out the fire and go into hiding for a while. If you are in business long enough problems will come. When they do quickly put out the fire and go into hiding. Consumers and the media have a short-term memory and will soon forget many of your mistakes.

Having a visible and credible CEO can help the brand stick in the mind of the consumer or prospect. Let's face it; every brand needs an advantage to cut through the noise.

]]> Stop ringing the bell... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2011/03/04/stop-ringing-the-bell http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2011/03/04/stop-ringing-the-bell Fri, 04 Mar 2011 08:00:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2011/03/04/stop-ringing-the-bell


The problem with this commercial is that it is not believeable and actually draws more attention to the issue. The mind thinks "What is wrong with their beef that they need to run these commercials?"

The one page ad that Taco Bell ran along with a press release was enough. Now, all Taco Bell is doing is drawing more attention to the subject and making more people question their beef.

Companies should never fight a bad PR problem with advertising. The consumer has a short term memory and will forget about this issue soon enough but not as long as Taco Bell runs these commercials. Let the issue die and soon the consumer will easily forget.

]]> The Ultimate undercut... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2011/02/25/the-ultimate-undercut http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2011/02/25/the-ultimate-undercut Fri, 25 Feb 2011 14:09:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2011/02/25/the-ultimate-undercut


Ultimate Electronics' story proves that you can have a solid execution and still fail. I don't think their failure has as much to do with the economy but rather the Ultimate brand or lack there of.

In my opinion, this is a fate that would have eventually come knocking because they lacked a strong brand.

What did Ultimate Electronics stand for in the mind? Nothing

Most people in the mass market know that if they want the "ultimate electronics" they go to Best Buy.

A few years ago Ultimate started an advertising campaign stating their prices were the best...



What they were doing is what many retailers have done; price matching. This price matching "proved" that Ultimate had the best prices and yet they never were able to gain significant market share.

And unfortunately, the owner Mark Wattles was never was able to penetrate the mind. Having a visible CEO is a great strategy. More CEO's should be utilized in ads but Mark was not the right choice for Ultimate.

Brands that compete on price live in a cutthroat world and are a bad quarter or two from going out of business. Consumers don't JUST care about price even though focus groups may say otherwise.

Someone out there will usually be able to beat you on price eventually; brands that own a word in the mind are the ones that will be around for the long term. And competing on price alone is no way to build a brand.

]]> Simple sticks in the mind... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2011/02/03/simple-sticks-in-the-mind http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2011/02/03/simple-sticks-in-the-mind Thu, 03 Feb 2011 06:17:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2011/02/03/simple-sticks-in-the-mind


Bringing the camera home for the first time you showed your friends and family all the cool features and even spent some time looking at the instruction manual to see all the advanced features of the camera.

It was one of the most advanced cameras on the market. You admired the functionality and ingenuity of the camera.

And then reality hit. You never again looked at the manual and only used the simple functions of the camera. And when asked about the camera you would say, "I really need to study the camera and manual so I can do more with it."

That day never comes. Sure there will always be the people that use all the functions and enjoy all the benefits but not the mass market. And the mass market is where branding is found.

This is the reason simple, obvious, marketing strategies stick in the mind. Simple strategies stick in the mind while complicated ones do not.

Living in an over-communicated society where we are bombarded with advertising everywhere we go complicated doesn't have a chance.

When someone says that it can't be that simple, there has to be more to it--you know you are on to something.

Simplicity is essential if you ever expect to penetrate the mind.

]]> Newbrandsneed s p a c e to grow... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2011/01/28/newbrandsneed-s-p-a-c-e-to-grow http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2011/01/28/newbrandsneed-s-p-a-c-e-to-grow Fri, 28 Jan 2011 07:15:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2011/01/28/newbrandsneed-s-p-a-c-e-to-grow


For now they are leaving the logos of NBC with the peacock and Universal with its globe; a smart move. But why not create a new company name to go with the merger?





We all know what happened with the AOL Time Warner merger and this one could be looked at the same way. When you are creating a merger on this level and you have two strong brands with a long history it is important to create a NEW brand name.

The only thing that is being accomplished by combining the two names is watering down both brands. Instead of two strong brands you weaken each brand and each logo.



When a company is looking to rebrand or create a new brand they must first start with the consumer or prosepct and find out what is already in the mind. A company must find out what the consumer will let them do. NBCUniversal is a name and a logo that staretd with management and never made it to the consumer.

]]> Google Goopon... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2011/01/21/google-goopon http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2011/01/21/google-goopon Fri, 21 Jan 2011 07:46:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2011/01/21/google-goopon


Google is notorious for line extending their brand. When does Google _____________ work and when does it fail? Let's look at two recent examples.

Google Offers will fail because they are a late entry in an already crowded field. Groupon was able to get in the mind first and this makes all the difference. Groupon has already stuck in the mind which is why Google tried to pay such a hefty price. Launching Google Offers is unlikely to make a dent in Groupon or Living Social (both of which need to be careful of becoming fads. That is for another post).

A Google line extension "service" that I love but wish they would rebrand is Google Voice.

How is Google voice able to garner downloads, press, and rave from fans? Simple, Google Voice is the first in the mind for FREE calls and texts. Being first in the mind is what makes the difference. Should Google Voice be called something else? Absolutely.





Being first in the mind makes all the difference in marketing, it is probably the single marketing law that made Steve Jobs an icon. In today's social society it is easier to be first in the mind.

Google should have a Brand Defense Team that is able to identify threats and buy or launch a brand first in the mind while they still can. Things would have been different if Google had discovered Groupon and made a $50 million offer.

To really be first you must be first in the mind and that takes great branding.

]]> Logo evolution... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2011/01/06/logo-evolution http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2011/01/06/logo-evolution Thu, 06 Jan 2011 07:30:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2011/01/06/logo-evolution


Here is a quote from the AP story: "The brand is now evolving to a point where the coffee association is too confining and restrictive," said John Quelch, a marketing professor at Harvard Business School. "Starbucks is fundamentally selling an experience, but by no means is coffee the only part of the experience. It is important that they not have a logo that is too confining."

Often with Starbucks you will hear that it is all about the "experience." I don't buy into that nonsense. The "experience" that Starbucks is selling is a high-end coffee shop. If you want the best coffee you go to Starbucks.

Removing the "Coffee" from the logo would have been a good idea if in doing so you didn't lose the symmetry. For symmetry alone both words should be kept on the logo. Was McDonald's affected when they removed the word "hamburgers?" I don't think so.

When a brand is successful at creating a new category people tend to over-analyze the "why" and the "how" of their success. The old logo was confining and that is why it was so great. Starbucks was successful because they narrowed the focus. Expanding a brand will almost always increase sales in the short-run but it will damage the brand in the long-run.

The management team at Starbucks thinks about coffee all day so removing the words may not seem like a big deal. The average consumer only thinks of coffee in the morning and has hundreds of brands in the mind. The "average" consumer needs to be reminded of the words, including younger generations who are not as familiar with the brand.

Once Howard Shultz leaves Starbucks the brand will continue to expand and the experience will not be the same. The mind loves simplicity and Starbucks is in danger of losing their narrow focus. Starbucks should be telling their story of "why" the coffee is so expensive, I am ready to listen.

]]> Bankrupt Brands of 2010... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/12/31/bankrupt-brands-of-2010 http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/12/31/bankrupt-brands-of-2010 Fri, 31 Dec 2010 14:18:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/12/31/bankrupt-brands-of-2010
Each analyst has their own idea of why Hummer failed and while some may make [...]]]>
Each analyst has their own idea of why Hummer failed and while some may make good points, the real reason Hummer failed is because General Motors broke too many marketing laws while trying to grow sales.



Hummer use to be a brand that was focused. The AM General Corporation made one type of vehicle; the Hum-vee and sold to one customer; the U.S. Military. Eventually the brand was sold to GM and the marketing mistakes followed.



GM renamed the Hum-vee the Hummer H1. This model was basically a light version of the vehicle they sold to the military. Then GM introduced the Hummer H2 and Hummer H3.



GM was also ready to launch the H4 which was a Hummer truck but the marketing mistakes by this time had caught up with them.



The press had a field day attacking Hummer and their gas mileage even though the gas mileage was comparable to similar size SUVs. I liked the fact that they received negative press, the boycotting crowd was largely from the left and this only fueled the demand from the gun-toting right. Brands can’t appeal to everyone and the Hummer certainly was geared to the right.

The amount of press helped fuel the Hummer brand but the problem is that it increased demand and GM matched the demand with an aggressive production. This created a fad that quickly faded.



The line extension at Hummer caused the brands demise. If GM had kept the Hummer brand more focused it would still be around today.

]]> Mind Games at BMW http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/12/17/mind-games-at-bmw http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/12/17/mind-games-at-bmw Fri, 17 Dec 2010 07:56:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/12/17/mind-games-at-bmw


Has branding really come to this; flashing letters to somehow have a chance at entering the mind? The reason the commercial created a connection with viewers and BMW is that the visual they own in the mind is the winding road, which was shown over and over again in the commercial.



Getting in the mind is not a problem. If you have enough money you can make people aware of your brand. More money each year is wasted in advertisers trying to create brand awareness. The problem is not awareness; the problem is sticking in the mind for the right reasons at the time the consumer is deciding which brand to purchase.

If these companies truly desire to get in the mind of the consumer I would suggest a basic model of perception below.



The brands that can make it to Stage 4 are the real winners. These brands don't need the best sales force, the most money, or the best office. These brands own a category in the mind and can enjoy the feast.

]]> Convergence or Confusion???... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/12/09/convergence-or-confusion http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/12/09/convergence-or-confusion Thu, 09 Dec 2010 07:52:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/12/09/convergence-or-confusion


Let's be clear, as a gaming device the iPhone is not a convergence device because of the App market. The App market is a new category. This mobile software/internet concept is new to the gaming world.

If I were Nintendo or Sony I would modify their device by changing the gaming experience. They should open up a platform similar to the App store but focus on a mobile device specific to gaming. While the iPhone is better now (mainly becasue of software developers) these companies could create a more advanced gaming device.

Convergence is sure to confuse more people after reseach like this. Companies must diverge or die.

]]> Being better is usually not best... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/12/03/being-better-is-usually-not-best http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/12/03/being-better-is-usually-not-best Fri, 03 Dec 2010 07:42:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/12/03/being-better-is-usually-not-best


No matter how you look at it being better doesn't work. People don't remember better, they remember different. If you are dreaming of starting a new company and you want to make a better cola, a better search engine, a better social network, a better beer, a better church, a better school, a better anything--make sure that you are different.

People love to talk about things that are different; they rarely talk about things that are better.

Is there a better search engine on the market than Google? Probably.

Is there a better social network than Facebook? Yes, but does it matter? No. The category of "social network" is OWNED by Facebook. It would be a fool's errand to try and create a "better" social network than Facebook.

Being the best is a noble pursuit but being the best "perceived" brand is where you want to be and this is only done by occupyinig a space in the mind all your own.

]]> Facts versus perception... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/11/15/facts-versus-perception http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/11/15/facts-versus-perception Mon, 15 Nov 2010 09:13:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/11/15/facts-versus-perception
Ask most people and they will tell you that decisions are based upon facts. The best product, best service, or best person always wins. [...]]]>
Ask most people and they will tell you that decisions are based upon facts. The best product, best service, or best person always wins.



The thinking goes that if you create a better product the consumer is smart enough to see that and you will be successful. But what makes a product better and who is to judge the better product?

There are two thoughts on how decisions are made in the mind...

1) People research and explore the facts and then make a decision OR

2) They made a decision and then look for the "facts" to justify their opinion.

Research shows that in a job interview the employer makes their decision on whether to hire the person in the first 90 seconds.



Now, surely this is not a decision based on the facts. How much facts can an employer get in 90 seconds? Not a lot.

By the time you get to a job interview the candidate is simply affirming the position the employer has in their mind.

This is why one of the best ways to find a job is by referrals. Referrals usually come from experts and most people don't have time to review resumes and compare all the facts. It is much easier to trust the opinion of an expert.

Understand how a consumer thinks and your brand has a much better chance of sticking in the mind.

]]> The new mobile Microsoft.... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/11/04/the-new-mobile-microsoft http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/11/04/the-new-mobile-microsoft Thu, 04 Nov 2010 15:17:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/11/04/the-new-mobile-microsoft




The production quality is great but I am not sure what the commercial is trying to convey to the consumer. It lacks clarity and leaves the consumer confused.

Microsoft did a great job with the rebrand of their search engine to Bing but why not continue and create a new brand in the mobile category?

Where does the Microsoft brand fit in this new mobile world quickly approaching? Here are some suggestions on how to brand the mobile Microsoft.

1) FOCUS on a mobile web browser- After using the mobile Safari and Opera Mini I would love to see Microsoft market a new .mobi web browser crawling only .mobi sites. Create a new name--and make the browsing experience FAST.

2) If Steve Jobs can make the world love apps Microsoft should make the world love .mobi and the mobile web browsing experience. Microsoft has already lost the app war to Apple and Google which is why thy should focus on the mobilenet.

3) Drop the line extension name of Windows 7 Mobile and come up with a new name (this was done with Bing and Google did it with Android). New categories need new names.

4) Start you campaign with PR and lots of it. Big ad budgets don't build brands, great PR does. Generating PR shouldn't be a problem for Microsoft.

5) In the PR campaign Microsoft should dramatize the mobile experience similar to the history of the PC. Most PC's were loaded with software in the beginning and then gradually moved to the Internet. Convey the image that .mobi is a natural evolution of the mobile experience.

There are many reasons people don't like the app experience. I could name a few myself.

Does the culture at Microsoft allow them to make these changes and become a leader in the new mobile world? Probably not.

Microsoft lost out in the app market but this could be a good thing in the long run. If they can create a simple, marketable, new brand in mobile browsers they could be the big winners. Only time will tell.

]]> PR is the great brand builder... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/10/25/pr-is-the-great-brand-builder http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/10/25/pr-is-the-great-brand-builder Mon, 25 Oct 2010 05:11:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/10/25/pr-is-the-great-brand-builder


The mass market consumer thinks, "If this is such a big deal, why haven't I heard about it?" To prove my point below are powerful brands that were built with PR not advertising...













Why is PR so effective when launching a brand? PR is credible. Advertising rarely changes a person's perception of a product/service. Advertising is good for reinforcing a position already in the mind.

Two similar companies with similar technologies were launched, one launched with PR and the other with advertising. One brand is in trouble while the other is thriving. The two brands: Vonage and Skype.

Once PR has run its course it is time to advertise. The problem is that companies that were built with PR and word of mouth think they don't need to advertise. This is a big mistake.

My advice to Facebook, Google, Amazon.com, and Zappos, bring on the advertising. Twitter and Zynga, continue with PR.

]]> Political Positioning... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/10/13/political-positioning http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/10/13/political-positioning Wed, 13 Oct 2010 11:14:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/10/13/political-positioning


The ad is effective because it focuses on a perception that is already in the mind of the voter-that democrats raise taxes. Christine even created a new website...CoonstheTaxMan.com (link). One of the reasons that repositioning works during elections is that there are too many candidates running at the same time, you end up with information overload and little is remembered.

Repositioning also works because most people don't trust politicians and negative ads about other candidates usually agree with common held perceptions in the mind.

Will this ad be enough for Christine to battle back and win in a Blue State after being branded a "witch?" It is unlikely. But she is not going down without a fight.



]]> Radical changes in branding rarely works... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/10/08/radical-changes-in-branding-rarely-works http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/10/08/radical-changes-in-branding-rarely-works Fri, 08 Oct 2010 08:39:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/10/08/radical-changes-in-branding-rarely-works


I must say that I am shocked that The Gap would make such a drastic change to their logo. The problem facing most companies today is a strategic one, not execution.

See, most companies think it is all in the execution. "It doesn't matter what we name our company/product and logo's don't matter"- so the thinking goes. If logos didn't matter people wouldn't get so upset when a company makes a change. People love brands.

When your company penetrates the mind and sticks (like The Gap did), it is important NOT to change things in a way that cause you to lose your stickiness. A logo helps your brand stick in the mind. While making incremental changes to your logo is a good idea, radical change is likely to backfire.

What is The Gap? Most consumers don't remember why they use to shop at The Gap. The problem is that The Gap is stick in the mushy middle. There is Old Navy at the low-end and Abercrombie & Fitch at the high-end. Logos do matter because they can help your brand penetrate the mind.

My guess is that the company will change back to the old logo in the near future.

Here are some other companies that missed the mark and made a radical with their logo.....





Here are a few that made small updates to modernize thier logo- a great idea.







If your brand is well known making small changes to your logo over time is a good idea. If you have an unknown brand and a bad logo a drastic change is probably for the best. Sales are not down at The Gap because of their logo- not yet anyways.

]]> U.S. brands becoming commodities... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/09/27/u-s-brands-becoming-commodities http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/09/27/u-s-brands-becoming-commodities Mon, 27 Sep 2010 04:40:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/09/27/u-s-brands-becoming-commodities
Discounting is a [...]]]>
Discounting is a strategy that destroys brands and categories in the long run.



One category that seems in danger of becoming a commodity is ice cream. Walk the isle of Walmart or Target and most consumers simply look at the price and see which brand of ice cream is on sale. Since brands like Blue Bunny, Breyer's, Dreyer's, Good Humor, Healthy Choice, Archer Farms, and a host of others don't own a word in the mind of the consumer their brands have little value.....thus the need to discount.

Compare that to a company in the ice cream category that is doing exactly what needs to be done (minus discounting). Häagen-Dazs is reminding the consumer why their ice cream is worth the extra dollar. I love this commercial from Häagen-Dazs....



This is the direction I would love to see Starbucks heading when it comes to advertising. No matter the commodity there is always a place for brands. Consumers love brands which is why brands always sell more than the generic.

Remember the white generic cans of beer and soda that stores sold as their "generic" brand?



Now companies like Walmart and Target have their own brand for thier generic. Target uses Archer Farms and its Up & Up brand to sell generic items.



As a consumer choice is a good thing. But how many choices does the consumer really need? As I shop for ice cream, do I really need or want 15 brands offering 10-15 types of ice cream. When choice leads to confusion categories can become a commodity.

Yes, consumers want value but value is a perception created in the mind by great brands--not by discounting.

]]> iPad...the Kindle killer? Not without a fight... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/09/13/ipad-the-kindle-killer-not-without-a-fight http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/09/13/ipad-the-kindle-killer-not-without-a-fight Mon, 13 Sep 2010 07:42:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/09/13/ipad-the-kindle-killer-not-without-a-fight


While the Kindle is a great divergence device there are a few problems preventing the device as-is from making a mass market impact as the leader. Let's take a look at the price of a great marketing classic, Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind by Al Ries and Jack Trout.



Current Amazon.com paperback: $11.53.
Current Amazon.com Kindle Edition: $9.99

When considering the Kindle Edition the consumer thinks, "Why would a digital copy of a book cost only $1.54 less than a paperback?" The problem with the Kindle Edition price is Amazon's already low prices on regular books.

Amazon.com needs to position the Kindle beyond reading. For an e-reader to have mass market appeal it needs to not just be a reader but a library. If the Kindle was able to position itself as the "digital library" instead of a "digital reader" most consumers might rethink the $9.99 book price. A few suggestions that would allow the Kindle to be the leader in this growing and crowded market...

1) Position the Kindle as a "digital library." Show consumers how they can highlight, search, and retrieve books and information from their Kindle in an instant.

2) Slowly start charging more for "regular" books and drop the Kindle Edition prices to the $6-$10 range.

3) While the current commercial attacking the iPad might be effective for the small market of people comparing the devices, a much bigger piece of the market needs to see the benefits of having a digital library (Sitting on the beach with a Kindle is not effective advertising as most people still prefer a Corona).

4) Offer consumers who have purchased “regular” books from Amazon.com a discount to convert their library.

5) During the Christmas season the price of the device should be dropped to $99.

As Amazon.com positioned itself as the first “online bookstore” the Kindle needs to position itself as the “digital library” if they want to be able to hold off Apple and a host of others. Good luck.

]]> Brand Innovation... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/09/08/brand-innovation http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/09/08/brand-innovation Wed, 08 Sep 2010 11:32:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/09/08/brand-innovation


Too often brands innovate with line extensions which Google is getting quite good (bad) at....



Finally an innovation from Google that focuses on the word they own in the mind, "search." This innovation will surely make the user experience with Google much more enjoyable. Watching a company improve their focus is exciting. Innovation can help your company fight off new startups and increase your brands power in the mind of the consumer as long as it improves on the word you already own.

An innovation at your core doesn't need a new brand name but if you branch out away from your core with line extensions, you would be better served with new brands. The Internet world is still waiting for a P&G type company to come along. IAC is close but spun off its top brands; Expedia and LendingTree (which is now a brand mess) and their remaining portfolio of brands is fairly weak. Could Google learn from their branding mistakes in the past? We will have to wait and see.

]]> Problems with Price Matching... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/09/03/problems-with-price-matching http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/09/03/problems-with-price-matching Fri, 03 Sep 2010 15:11:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/09/03/problems-with-price-matching


I went into Discount Tire (the specialist) today looking for two new tires for my SUV. The prices of tires for an SUV are making me rethink my choice of transportation. The salesmen looked at my car and determined that I needed not two but four new tires. OK. He then added up the price with the instillation and care package and the total was $740. (If this is a discount I would hate to see the "real" price.) Having some experience in sales I said, "That's too much" (and didn't allow myself to say another word).



The salesman then went on to say that they "Price Match" and would beat any competitors price, including Walmart and Costco. I quickly thought, "Why don't they just offer me the best price now, do I really have to drive around and compare prices?"

Will some consumers' price match and save more money? Yes. Does it create customers who are never loyal to your brand and force you to drop your price to move merchandise? Yes. If you are a company that competes on price, offer your best price first and never negotiate or discount. A winning formula for creating a strong brand in the mind of the consumer.

I ended up going to Costco and the tires were $100 cheaper, so much for price matching.

]]> First to market or first in the mind... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/09/01/first-to-market-or-first-in-the-mind http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/09/01/first-to-market-or-first-in-the-mind Wed, 01 Sep 2010 14:13:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/09/01/first-to-market-or-first-in-the-mind


The Roku. A machine that offers all of the same features of the Apple TV and they have been out for quite some time. Why have most people never heard of the Roku? I don't know...bad name, lack of a category, no simple message...to name a few. They were never able to penetrate the mind.

Most people love Steve Jobs. He is a brilliant marketer and a cult hero. While Steve may be a smart marketing strategist he is a MASTER at one key marketing law...The Law of the Mind.





First in the marketplace means nothing unless you are able to be the first in the mind. Steve Jobs is amazing because he knows that by getting in the mind first, you win. What and who is Roku? Unfortunately for them a brand that will never be able to penetrate the mind in the mass market. Steve Jobs and Apple are never first to the market but often they are first in the mind. Many will argue that it is because Apple products are simply better. Tell that to Roku who built an amazing product. God Bless America.

]]> Diverge of die... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/08/30/diverge-of-die http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/08/30/diverge-of-die Mon, 30 Aug 2010 06:25:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/08/30/diverge-of-die


iWhat? is exactly what I was thinking. Years ago when HP came out with a simple, inexpensive, all in one revolutionary home business machine the world was captivated. And I was too and purchased one of the machines....



The HP machine came out and was going to prove that products do in fact converge. Was I happy with my purchase? At first, yes. After about the first week I went to use the fax machine and it didn't work. Ok. Next I wanted to scan a 5 page document. I then realized I needed to lift the cover and scan each page one at a time. My disappointment was growing. I then started to use the printer and realized that most of the pages I was printing didn't need to be in color. And of coarse when the cartridges’ are running low it wouldn't let you print the page anyway so instead of printing a slightly lighter page I had to go and buy more ink at a price tag of around $50.

After about 2 years of constant frustration (I can't believe I made it that long) I stopped using the machine. I never even used the fax portion since it never worked. Now, instead of using the generalist I use the specialist.

I use a stand alone laser printer (for printing of course)....



A stand alone fax machine....



And a seperate scanner......



Money, time, and energy can be saved if you believe in the law of divergence. It could have saved me years ago and yes, I should have known better. Now the law of divergence is well implanted in my memory.

]]> Too much tinkering... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/08/26/too-much-tinkering http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/08/26/too-much-tinkering Thu, 26 Aug 2010 09:08:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/08/26/too-much-tinkering


Originally founded as a pancake house they quickly expanded the menu and the number of restaurants when they become a publically-traded company in 1982 and by the late 1980's the "Pancake House" was dropped. About 15 years later the company filed for bankruptcy under Chapter 11. A few quick lessons that can be learned from Village Inn...

1) Never lose focus

2) It may take a while to see your successful or unsuccessful marketing strategy

3) Tinkering is for the unskilled

4) Beware of successful companies that file an IPO

5) Leave the initials (vi) to IBM, ABC, NBC, CBS, and GE.

6) If you want the best pancakes they are no longer at VI, they can only be found at The Original Pancake House.



]]> Calling on the Colonel... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/08/18/calling-on-the-colonel http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/08/18/calling-on-the-colonel Wed, 18 Aug 2010 09:53:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/08/18/calling-on-the-colonel




As sales are up in the chicken category sales are down at KFC. Why? KFC, I mean Kentucky Fried Chicken is a great brand. Conventional wisdom says sales are down for the following reasons......

1) The country is becoming healthier

2) Fried has a negative connotation

3) The grilled chicken isn't very good

4) The strategy was poorly executed

There is a myth in America that the consumer is becoming healthier, non-sense. More and more Americans are obese along with their children. During the past 20 years there has been a dramatic increase in obesity in the United States. In 2009, only Colorado and the District of Columbia had a prevalence of obesity less than 20%. Thirty-three states had a prevalence equal to or greater than 25%; nine of these states (Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and West Virginia) had a prevalence of obesity equal to or greater than 30%.

The animated map below shows the United States obesity prevalence from 1985 through 2009.



Secondly, people love the word "fried" Tell a friend you are going to fry chicken wings or onion rings and before you can finish your sentence they are over at your house salivating. While fried may have a negative connotation for the health concise consumer, how many times would the health conscious consumer eat at KFC in the first place, not often I bet.

The grilled chicken is pretty good and many have stated that they love it. The KFC UNTHINK strategy generated tons of press, had a huge advertising budget, and numerous positive reviews so it can't be the execution. Therefore is MUST be the strategy and the franchise owners have a right to be upset as they want to see a focused KFC. How can KFC stay focused...

1) Use the brand's full and proper name "Kentucky Fried Chicken"

2) Cut back all advertising for grilled chicken and focus on fried.

3) Eliminate the "Double Down". While having unhealthy fried chicken is one thing advertising a the Double Down which weighs in at 540 calories, 32 grams of fat and a whopping 1,380 milligrams of sodium. And the double down generated tons of bad PR for KFC.

4) Advertise the Family plan meals- The great visual for KFC is the "bucket" and it should be used in all forms of advertising.

5) Get rid of the meaningless slogan of "sogood" and bring back "It's finger lickin' good" This was a great slogan that helped put KFC on the map and reinforced the "fried chicken" category

6) Extend further into the "box" meals for lunches but keep them simple with less variety.

7) With advancements in Computer-generated imagery bring back the Colonel in the advertising.

Before buying a franchise make sure the brand is focued and has plans to continue in the same way otherwise you may be in a legal fight to keep the brand on the right track.

]]> Line extensions done wrong... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/08/11/line-extensions-done-wrong http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/08/11/line-extensions-done-wrong Wed, 11 Aug 2010 13:12:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/08/11/line-extensions-done-wrong


You know when it's real misses the mark as an advertising slogan. The salads may be great but the core consumer is interested in a burger.



Here is a list of Wendy's slogan's used in the U.S. over the years...

* 1969 – 1978: Quality Is Our Recipe (this slogan is still shown on the Wendy's logo today.)
* 1978 – 1979: Juicy hamburgers
* 1979 – 1980: Hot-N-Juicy
* 1980 – 1981: Wendy's Has the Taste You Crave
* 1981 – 1982: There Isn't No Reason to Go Anyplace Else
* 1982 – 1985: You're Wendy's Kind of People
* 1983 – 1984: Parts are parts
* 1984 – 1986: Where's the beef
* 1985 – 1988: Choose Fresh, choose Wendy's
* 1987 – 1993: Give a little nibble
* 1988 – 1992: The best burgers in the business.
* 1989 – 1998: The best burgers and a whole lot more
* 1997 – Present: You can eat great, even late
* 2001 – 2005: It's hamburger bliss.
* 2002 – 2005: It's better here
* 2003 – 2007: It's Always Great, Even Late.
* 2005 – 2007: Do what tastes right.
* 2005 – Present: It's good to be square.
* January 2007 – October 2007: That's right.
* January 2007 – October 2007: Uh Huh.
* 2007 – 2008: Hot Juicy Burgers
* January 2008 – October 2009: It's waaay better than fast food... It's Wendy's.
* January 2008 – October 2009: It's waaaaaaaaaay delicious. It's Wendy's.
* October 2009 – Present: You know when it's real.

Slogans that use the words "right" or "better" or "great" hardly ever work. Things are changing in the burger category in a big way. With the introduction of the upscale burger at chains like Five Guys, In-N-Out Burger, Smashburger, Fatburger, Good Times, and on and on. Competition is killer in the burger category which is why I suggest a new slogan for Wendy's. Originally a good idea would have been something along the lines of "not cutting any corners" and the visual of the square burger would have been a good idea but with the new competition I think they need a new slogan framing this upscale burger trend. My advice to Wendy's....

1) Advertise your burger which is why people visit Wendy's in the first place.

2) Reinforce the position of being the place for the "old fashioned" burger

3) As KFC did with Colonel Sanders bring back Dave in a classic characture. We all love Dave

4) Use the slogan "Old Fashioned Burgers, Old Fashioned Prices"

Wendy's needs to take a few lessons from Chick-fil-A if they want to frame their perception in the mind of the consumer. Best of luck!

]]> Extensions done right... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/08/02/extensions-done-right http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/08/02/extensions-done-right Mon, 02 Aug 2010 13:43:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/08/02/extensions-done-right


Chick-fil-A is home to more than just the chicken sandwich. They sell chicken strips, chicken nuggets, grilled chicken sandwiches, spicy chicken sandwiches, chicken biscuits, chicken salads, and more. So why is Chick-fil-A able to extend the brand while others fail? Let me offer a few principles behind successful line extension at Chick-fil-A.

1) Promote the category of "chicken"



The Chick-fil-A cows are a powerful visual image used to promote eating more "chikin"

2) Advertise your signature product not the extensions, in Chick-fil-A's case; the chicken sandwich.



Most of Chick-fil-A's advertising is focused on reinforcing the position of the best chicken sandwiches. Yes at times they do advertise promotional coupons and in-store advertising for new products by rarely do you see an advertising campaign like when KFC introduced their new grilled chicken.

3) Never undercut the original brand by creating a product in a competing category

Compare Chick-fil-A to McDonald's who undercut their burgers by introducing a chicken sandwich.



4) Make sure the extensions are done for your core customer which in Chick-fil-A's case is the family.



4) Before you extend your original brand make sure that your core product is firmly established in the mind of the consumer

Until it is, you're better off spending your resources cementing your brand in the mind and then focus your efforts on extending your product base.

]]> Not always obvious... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/08/02/not-always-obvious http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/08/02/not-always-obvious Mon, 02 Aug 2010 04:57:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/08/02/not-always-obvious


Of course...Southwest Airlines. The idea was simple, obvious, and made sense in the mind. Jason Fried of 37signals, a software company in Chicago, understands this concept. He recently stated in an interview that one of the reasons they are successful is simplicity. They think of an idea that solves a business problem and then they cut it in half. And then they cut it in half again.

If your business can make sense on a napkin it has a chance of making sense in the mind.

]]> A better beer is not the problem... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/07/30/a-better-beer-is-not-the-problem http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/07/30/a-better-beer-is-not-the-problem Fri, 30 Jul 2010 08:54:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/07/30/a-better-beer-is-not-the-problem


To highlight my point here are a few classic beer ads that are attempting to be better, or just different in a way that cannot stick in the mind.



Quality usually doesn’t stick in the mind. The consumer thinks that most companies make a quality beer otherwise they wouldn’t be in business.



How about the "wild" beer? Maybe for college kids but not mainstream America.



This beer might have been good but the name never gave it a shot.



When one sees this name fish always come to mind. It might be a great beer but the name doesn't do it justice.



Mello-ized? I am not sure what that means but it was never able to stick in the mind.



Finest, favorite...with a name like Blatz it can't be? A new name and the use of #1 would have been better.



The idea of "stout" has simply been unable to attach in the mind. Remember, when thinking how you can be different in the mind it must be able to stick or make sense in the mind of the consumer or they are likely to forget your brand.

]]> Cooking confusion... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/07/26/cooking-confusion http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/07/26/cooking-confusion Mon, 26 Jul 2010 05:56:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/07/26/cooking-confusion


The first problem is the name. Cooking Channel is a generic name that is unlikely to stick in the mind. I know what you are thinking, what about the generic name: Food Network? Yes, the name is generic but the brand came on the market when there was little competition and was first in the mind. The first company to get in the mind can make a few mistakes.

Second marketing problem is their slogan; Stay Hungry. Stay Hungry? Unfortunately the slogan means nothing in the mind and is simply an empty platitude along with most slogans these days.

This brings me to the third marketing problem with the new channel and the most important....

After I watched the commercial for the Cooking Channel I asked my wife (who loves the Food Network) "Isn't the Food Network a "cooking channel?" I mean, after all they have created famous celebrities out of their chefs who "cook."



The Food Network already has Paula Deen on her show....cooking.



You also have Giada De Laurentiis on the Food Network....cooking.



And there is also The Neely's, who, once again are on the show....cooking.



Now I know that the Food Network has other shows where there are no chef celebrities but in every show there is always one thing...cooking. One must think about categories when launching a new brand. The Food Network owns the category "cooking channel." Now Scripps wants to create a new channel with their category for the Food Network. Will this work? Not in my opinion.

It would be like if Starbucks decided to open a High-end coffee shop called the "High-End Coffee Shop." It just doesn't make sense in the mind of the consumer.

Will the Cooking Channel last in the long-term...no. The 18-25 demographic has a host of other shows they would rather watch.

It is always best to launch a second brand but the second brand must always go after a NEW category.

P.S. to the Food Network: I would like to see more episodes of the Private Chefs of Beverly Hills. A great show with a bright future.

]]> Living in an age of hype and line extension... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/07/22/living-in-an-age-of-hype-and-line-extension http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/07/22/living-in-an-age-of-hype-and-line-extension Thu, 22 Jul 2010 15:46:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/07/22/living-in-an-age-of-hype-and-line-extension


In the words of the great David Ogilvy, the King of Madison Avenue, "if it doesn't sell, it isn't creative." This Old Spice ad doesn't sell, literally. Sales of the Old Spice brand have dropped 7 percent. What's gone wrong at Old Spice? Two words: line extension.

Old Spice now has 78 different types of products: 36 antiperspirants, 14 deodorants, 18 types of body wash, 5 body sprays, and 5 fragrances. What is Old Spice these days? I have no idea and so do most consumers.

Here is a list of their antiperspirants:

Old Spice High Endurance Clear Gel Fresh
Old Spice High Endurance Clear Gel Pure Sport
Old Spice High Endurance Clear Gel Pacific Surge
Old Spice High Endurance Clear Gel Smooth Blast
Old Spice High Endurance Invisible Solid Arctic Force
Old Spice High Endurance Invisible Solid Fresh
Old Spice High Endurance Invisible Solid Original Scent
Old Spice High Endurance Invisible Solid Pacific Surge
Old Spice High Endurance Invisible Solid Pure Sport
Old Spice High Endurance Invisible Solid Game Day
Old Spice High Endurance Invisible Solid Smooth Blast
Old Spice High Endurance Aerosol Spray Fresh
Old Spice High Endurance Aerosol Spray Pure Sport
Old Spice Sweat Defense After Hours
Old Spice Sweat Defense Fresh
Old Spice Sweat Defense Pure Sport
Old Spice Sweat Defense Showtime
Old Spice Sweat Defense Swagger
Old Spice Cyprus Fresh Collection
Old Spice Denali Fresh Collection
Old Spice Fiji Fresh Connection
Old Spice Matterhorn Fresh Collection
Old Spice Ever Clear After Hours
Old Spice Ever Clear Pure Sport
Old Spice Ever Clear Showtime
Old Spice Ever Clear Swagger
Old Spice Pro Strength Fresh
Old Spice Pro Strength Pure Sport
Old Spice Pro Strength Swagger
Old Spice After Hours Red Zone Collection
Old Spice Aqua Reef Red Zone Collection
Old Spice Pure Sport Red Zone Collection
Old Spice Showtime Red Zone Collection
Old Spice Swagger Red Zone Collection
Old Spice After Hours Clear Gel Red Zone Collection
Old Spice Swagger Clear Gel Red Zone Collection

I didn’t know choosing a antiperspirant would be such a hard decision. I think I will stick with Sure.

Minds are simple and so should your product line.

Update: Brandweek (link) and others are reporting that sales have increased for the Old Spice Body Wash for men. With total views on the web exceeding 110 million this is not a big surprise. Extensive line extension along with a popular viral campaign will almost always boost sales in the short-term (along with coupons and discounts which Old Spice has offered very generously).

What did Gillette body wash do to get a +277% in sales? I have no idea. It would also be interesting to look at the net profit margin for Old Spice after the viral campaign. Truly great global brands are built with a focus on the long-term, line extensions are never good for a brand and that was my point. The Long-term is the only true test of a great brand and strategy.





]]> Foursquare vs. Gowalla... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/07/21/foursquare-vs-gowalla http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/07/21/foursquare-vs-gowalla Wed, 21 Jul 2010 10:13:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/07/21/foursquare-vs-gowalla


If you ask pure "product" people which service they like better and most will overwhelmingly say Gowalla. So why is Gowalla so far behind? Foursquare has two distinct advantages in cementing their brand in the mind first; the company name and the Founder Dennis Crowley.



Not only is Foursqaure a great brand name but their competition's name is Gowalla? The tagline is even worse, Go Out With Gowalla?? What is Foursquare's tagline? Right now it doesn't matter, they have Dennis Crowley. The media has attached on to him and Foursqaure has been winning the PR battle. Who is the Founder of Gowalla? Who knows?

Brand lesson: Company names matter and so does the Founder leading the ship.

]]> Brand LeBron... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/07/05/brand-lebron http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/07/05/brand-lebron Mon, 05 Jul 2010 08:01:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/07/05/brand-lebron


Not the Clippers- The Clippers brand has been a strong one but for all the wrong reasons, mainly losing.

Not Miami- The intriguing opportunity to play for Pat Riley is tempting but not for Dwayne Wade's team.

Not Chicago- The Bulls are still Brand Jordan and will be for some time. If he wants to make his own legacy he should stay away from Chicago. It also didn't help LeBron when he wore Jordan's number. Choosing number 6 is a smart move.

Not Cleveland- The city name "Cleveland" has such a negative perception. Maybe the city could change its name or at least the team could- the Ohio Cavaliers. Not much better. Names matter and Cleveland is a bad name.

Not New Jersey- If the team had already moved or was moving this year, maybe. But would Brand LeBron sign with a team from New Jersey? I don't think so.

So the best move for Brand LeBron is...



New York. There is no better place for LeBron James than New York. Quick, name the last superstar to play for the Knicks? I can't think of one and that is good news for LeBron. New York gives him the city and the stage to make more money that he would elsewhere but also gives him a destination and a city to claim.

If the Knicks sign Amare Stoudemire which is a smart move, the Knicks for LeBron makes even more sense. Amare is quiet, unassuming, and has no desire to be "the Man." This was evident in Phoenix where he many times disappeared down the stretch.

July 6 Update: Now that New York has signed Amare the last piece of the puzzle is LeBron.

For LeBron this would be perfect. Having Wade or Bosch would take the spotlight away from LeBron, something he doesn't want.

If he was to leave Cleveland, the fans would only understand leaving for the big market of New York. Jordan had Chicago, Bird had Boston, and now LeBron can rule New York and make his own legacy. Well, maybe. We will have to wait and see.

]]> The Queen is missing... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/07/02/the-queen-is-missing http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/07/02/the-queen-is-missing Fri, 02 Jul 2010 21:55:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/07/02/the-queen-is-missing


Does anyone really remember what a Dairy Queen use to look like? One of the reasons the company grew so quickly was the new category they created called “soft serve." What kid isn't going to prefer soft serve ice cream for their sensitive, young teeth?



Dairy Queen even had a great visual to go along with the category...a vanilla cone.



Fast foreword to today and what do you have. The stores no longer go by Dairy Queen and instead simply go by their nickname DQ.



And to make matters worse DQ has a whole array of burgers, fries, and chicken sandwiches. This is a newer version of their logo promoting food and ice cream.



Should McDonald's be called Mickey D's or Burger King- BK. I don't think so. It is so easy for big companies to violate basic marketing laws and not even give it a second thought. DQ is so big and occupies the "soft serve" category in the mind that they could make a hundred mistakes and still be the leader (maybe). One a company becomes the leader they forget what made them successful.

Dairy Queen wasn't a run away hit becaue of DQ, Grill and Chill, hamburgers, fries, or chicken sandwiches. What made Dairy Queen successful was they created a category called soft serve.

]]> Remember the passalong market... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/06/29/remember-the-passalong-market http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/06/29/remember-the-passalong-market Tue, 29 Jun 2010 07:08:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/06/29/remember-the-passalong-market
Passalong marketing communication focuses on a message designed for one-to-many, not one-to-one, like word of mouth. Crafting your message so it is easier to passalong is crucial in business today.



One of the best ways to aid the passalong message is by being remarkable and different. This is the main mantra of marketing expert Seth Godin. He books all center around the theme of being a lynchpin, purple cow, etc. But that is only half the story if you want to be passed along here are three tips...

1) Own a word/category in the mind of the consumer (the word must be simple)

2) Create a short and memorable brand name (it must sound right to be easily passed along).

3) Create a visual that can preempt your position in the mind.

These tasks are not easy and the strategy you choose will depend on your competition but in the end these tips can determine the difference between success and failure...just ask Friendster.

]]> Co-branding confusion... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/06/15/co-branding-confusion http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/06/15/co-branding-confusion Tue, 15 Jun 2010 06:51:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/06/15/co-branding-confusion


So, let me get this straight, we have a Droid phone which uses the Android operating system built by Motorola from Google for the Verizon network. A mouthful to say the least. The two co-brands that should be prominent are Verizon and Droid. Google means search in the mind of the consumer and should not be in the advertisement.

Verizon isn't the only company using advertising multiple brands in the smart phones category, everybody is doing it. We have the HTC Incredible with Android on Verizon and the T-Mobile My Touch 3G Slide. Is a consumer really going to repeat this when their friends ask them the kind of phone they use? Never.

It is smart for a phone manufacturer to pick one network, like Apple did with AT&T (although I wish they had chosen Verizon). When people ask me what kind of phone I have, I simply tell them the iPhone. Even though the name is generic (that is another post) it is one name.

Co-branding can work when done right but when you start adding 3 or 4 brands you end up confusing the consumer. In Marketing, minds are simple and the ads should be as straight forward as possible.

]]> Tell your story... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/06/14/tell-your-story http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/06/14/tell-your-story Mon, 14 Jun 2010 07:38:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/06/14/tell-your-story


The ad reminds me of Burger King and the "Have it Your Way" slogan they used for many years. Too much advertising money is wasted trying to CREATE a position in the mind when it should simply REINFORCE.

Consumers are bombarded with so many commercials today they if they see a new brand advertising they think to themselves, "Why haven't I head of them before." But if a brand is advertising a position it already they already own in the mind the consumer will usually agrees with the message. This doesn’t mean they will buy the product but not everyone has to buy your product.

If you own a coveted position in the mind like Starbucks which owns "high-end coffee" shouldn't Starbucks be telling us WHY their coffee is so expensive. Show the coffee farms in Costa Rica and Mexico, tell the story of how one coffee plant produces 1 pound of coffee per year, tell us about the Clover brewing machine, etc. Tell the consumers the coffee story.

If consumers saw Starbucks ads telling this story they would agree with the message because it is already in their mind. The ad would reinforce Starbucks’ position and make the brand even stronger.

Ads like these above do very little for the brand in the long run.

]]> BP a brand in crisis... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/06/09/bp-a-brand-in-crisis http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/06/09/bp-a-brand-in-crisis Wed, 09 Jun 2010 14:14:17 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/06/09/bp-a-brand-in-crisis


Is now the right time to run an advertisement? No. As well intentioned as this ad may be, it is just not the right time. All the money and efforts of BP should be used to stop the leak not run ads. Laura Ries had a great post concerning the BP brand.. http://ries.typepad.com/ries_blog/2010/05/bp-has-a-brand-problem.html

BP is definitely a brand in trouble. Only time will tell if they can make a comeback. If they do it will take a long time.

]]> Naming Luck... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/06/02/naming-luck http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/06/02/naming-luck Wed, 02 Jun 2010 06:10:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/06/02/naming-luck
Do you ever wonder how the great name Twitter came about? (Maybe not, I did)

The working name was just "Status" for a while. It [...]]]>
Do you ever wonder how the great name Twitter came about? (Maybe not, I did)

The working name was just "Status" for a while. It actually didn’t have a name. We were trying to name it, and mobile was a big aspect of the product early on ... We liked the SMS aspect, and how you could update from anywhere and receive from anywhere.

We wanted to capture that in the name—we wanted to capture that feeling: the physical sensation that you’re buzzing your friend’s pocket. It’s like buzzing all over the world. So we did a bunch of name-storming, and we came up with the word "twitch," because the phone kind of vibrates when it moves. But "twitch" is not a good product name because it doesn’t bring up the right imagery. So we looked in the dictionary for words around it, and we came across the word "twitter," and it was just perfect. The definition was "a short burst of inconsequential information," and "chirps from birds." And that’s exactly what the product was.

—Jack Dorsey



I just had to look up twitch in my Webster's Dictionary to so see how far they had to look to find Twitter. Twitch, twitch grass, and then twitter....yes that close.

With luck like that maybe Twitter was meant to be. A name like Twitter helped make the brand what it is today. Each day more companies are created but most won't be as lucky as Twitter. Actually most won't be around in a couple years.

Get out your dictionary!

]]> Bad names can and should be changed... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/05/21/bad-names-can-and-should-be-changed http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/05/21/bad-names-can-and-should-be-changed Fri, 21 May 2010 07:50:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/05/21/bad-names-can-and-should-be-changed
The name "Nets" was originally chosen to rhyme with the other New York sports [...]]]>
The name "Nets" was originally chosen to rhyme with the other New York sports teams the "Mets" and "Jets." The Nets are synonymous with losing and are in the same league as the Los Angeles Clippers. They are known in the city/area as the other basketball team.



Moving to Brooklyn is a great move for the franchise. Signing LeBron James would also help. Some have suggested the new name..."New York City Ballers". Not much better.



In sports if your team name is linked to losing it is time to change your name. The Clippers are known for having bad teams year after year and it is well overdue for a name change. Most people have no idea what a Clipper is anyway (fast sailing ship).

Don't fear changing your name, in fact, you should embrace it. But it would be a good idea before you change the name of your franchise to add some talent to go with it. You want your new name to be associated with winning. Changing your name and continuing to put a losing team on the court would do very little to change your maket perception.

A few basic rules when changing the name of your sports team.....

1) Don't let the fans decide (I'm sorry, the Thunder is a bad name)
2) Add talent with the name change (a new name and the same bad team doesn't work)
3) Choose one distinct color that goes with the new name (think Boston and green)
4) Have your own city (Brooklyn-yes, Los Angeles-no)
5) If your city/state has a bad name pick the best one (New Jersey-no, Brooklyn-yes)

The Nets need a name change, let's hope the new name is better than the last one.

]]> Generic logo to go with the generic name... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/05/19/generic-logo-to-go-with-the-generic-name http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/05/19/generic-logo-to-go-with-the-generic-name Wed, 19 May 2010 16:40:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/05/19/generic-logo-to-go-with-the-generic-name


According to a spokesperson for the company, the logo "has to live in all kinds of environments." The understated look may be intentionally generic, as she says they "want it to be a universal sign for good coffee someday."

Universal sign for coffee? Not a chance. When your company is looking to update your logo start with small changes. If you have a widely recognized brand the changes need to be small and incremental over a period of time. This new look for Seattle's Best probably fits their generic name.

Try again.

]]> Where are the shoes? http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/05/18/where-are-the-shoes http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/05/18/where-are-the-shoes Tue, 18 May 2010 13:20:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/05/18/where-are-the-shoes
Here is a new commercial from Adidas to be played during the World Cup next month. Adidas is a shoe company, so shouldn't they show the shoes???



To which I will add a great quote from the King of Madison Avenue...

In the modern world of business, it is useless to be a creative, original thinker unless you can also sell what you create. -David Ogilvy

Well said David.

]]> The True Mark of Leadership... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/05/11/the-true-mark-of-leadership http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/05/11/the-true-mark-of-leadership Tue, 11 May 2010 11:58:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/05/11/the-true-mark-of-leadership
Consumers love leadership because the thinking goes..."If it is the leader it must be the best." Which of coarse is not usually the case but perception is reality in marketing.



Here is an ad from the Wall St. Journal claiming leadership. This ad is effective at claiming leaderhsip because of the words "top-selling." Rupert Murdoch loves claiming leadership in his advertising which he has done with Fox News and other brands that are leaders in their category.

Companies work hard to become #1 then abandon the marketing strategy that can keep them #1. Leadership is great; if you are the leader, tell everyone about it.

]]> Snickers (advertising) Satisfies... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/05/11/snickers-advertising-satisfies http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/05/11/snickers-advertising-satisfies Tue, 11 May 2010 06:36:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/05/11/snickers-advertising-satisfies
This Snickers commercial is one of those great ads...



Even though we live in an over-communicated society there is still more opportunity out there than ever before. Creating a marketing message that is made for the mind increases your chance of success. Most Fortune 500 companies have huge gaps that are waiting to be filled; what's your difference?

]]> Patience is a virtue... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/05/06/patience-is-a-virtue http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/05/06/patience-is-a-virtue Thu, 06 May 2010 06:47:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/05/06/patience-is-a-virtue USA Today (link) stated that the new pizza recipe at Domino's did [...]]]> USA Today (link) stated that the new pizza recipe at Domino's did "wonders" for sales. From the article one would think, great, a rise in short-term sales, I'll take it. But wait there is more...



What is this going to look like in the long-run? Remember, the long-run is where brands are built.

An interesting response from Papa John's...

"Meanwhile, Papa John's, which likes to brag about being the pizza taste leader — and whose domestic same-store sales fell 0.4% in the first quarter — is unimpressed with Domino's gains. "It's not surprising that they drove trial on a new product," says spokesman Chris Sternberg."

Introducing a new product will drive sales (Chris is right on) but also remember the giant advertising budget spent on getting the word out, not to mention all the discounts. My prediction is that once the price of the pizza rises (which it must do in order to keep the same margins) most customers will return to their pizza of choice.

Domino's was great at offering a cheap pizza, fast. Could you imagine Domino's ever reversing course after this recent campaign? Not a chance. This could be a dangerous move in the long-run.

Brands are built with patience. Wonders in the short-run are usually disasters in the long-run.

]]> Los Suns, loco... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/05/05/los-suns-loco http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/05/05/los-suns-loco Wed, 05 May 2010 06:12:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/05/05/los-suns-loco


For the Suns brand this is a bad idea. Whether or not you agree with the law sports teams and current athletes should remain neutral in the political arena. By wearing the jersey the Suns risk alienating part of their fan base. It is important to remember that the customer is the local fan and 70% of Arizonan’s agreed with the passing of the law.

Steve Nash goes on to say, "I think the law is very misguided. I think it's, unfortunately, to the detriment of our society and our civil liberties. I think it's very important for us to stand up for things we believe in. As a team and as an organization, we have a lot of love and support for all of our fans. The league is very multicultural. We have players from all over the world, and our Latino community here is very strong and important to us."

Now, I am not saying I agree with the law but for an owner, team, GM, and players to come out so strongly against the law is a mistake. In the world today it seems like political views creep into every area of life. For the strength of your brand and the risk of alienating customers it is a good idea to keep political opinions to yourself. As for the game itself....GO SUNS!

]]> Problems at Porsche... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/04/27/problems-at-porsche http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/04/27/problems-at-porsche Tue, 27 Apr 2010 07:38:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/04/27/problems-at-porsche


As a company becomes successful they often start extending the brand which waters down the position in the mind. With the introduction of the Porsche Cayenne the slippery slope began...



A Porsche SUV? This started to confuse the mind of the consumer. The Cayenne (SUV) was the first BOLD move into line extension. The extensions didn't seem as bad to the public becasue every car company seems to be line extending into SUV's, one could let it slide, I did.

But now a "four-door" sports car from Porsche? This contradicts their position in the mind.

It reminds me when Volvo launched a convertible. The car defining safety offering a convertible (not safe) made no sense. This move from Porsche is right up there, a true sports car has two doors not four.



If your company owns a position/word in the mind and then launches a line or model that contradicts that word you are asking for trouble. The recalls of the Panamera are only the beginning of the problems at Porsche.

It seems that in today's market once a company becomes successful they tend to make mistake after mistake in marketing. After becoming successful truly great companies stay focused for the long-haul.

]]> "G" Whiz...... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/04/26/g-whiz http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/04/26/g-whiz Mon, 26 Apr 2010 07:54:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/04/26/g-whiz
Sales are slumping and Gatorade is looking for answers and they think they have found them... PepsiCo is calling its G Series approach "the biggest [...]]]>
Sales are slumping and Gatorade is looking for answers and they think they have found them... PepsiCo is calling its G Series approach "the biggest innovation news in its history." This is news to me and the rest of the world.

In my mind Gatorade means "sports drink" plain and simple.

"As the inventor of the category, it's our birthright to come along and say, this is what the category is going to be like for the future," said Sarah Robb O'Hagan, Gatorade's chief marketing officer.

She is right, Gatorade invented a category but Gatorade and no other company has a say in what the category will look like in the future. The future is decided by the consumer. Below is Gatorade's new product line...



First you have Gatorade Prime 01, for before the game. Then you have your choice during the game of G-Original, G2-Low Cal, G Powder, or G2 Powder. And after the game you can drink G Recover 03. And wait they are coming our with a G Series Pro because apparently the professionals need a different drink as well. I am confused, along with millions of customers.

This new drink series is after the 2009 Rebranding of Gatorade where...

-Original Gatorade was relabeled as Gatorade G.
-Gatorade Rain was relabeled as No Excuses.
-Gatorade AM was relabeled Shine On.
-Gatorade X-Factor was relabeled as Be Tough.
-Gatorade Fierce was relabeled Bring It.

Ms. Robb O'Hagan said the "G" campaign achieved its aim of reconnecting with teenagers, who saw the drink as something "my parents drink." This is where focus groups go wrong. With stars like Dwayne Wade, Kevin Durant, Derek Jeter, and Peyton Manning how can this be seen as their parents drink?

Back to the line extensions let's also not forget the Gatorade Tiger which was available in Red Drive (cherry), Cool Fusion (lemon lime), and Quiet Storm (grape).

Remember the simple days (I sure do) when Gatorade use to come in two flavors, lemon line and orange. Look back at this old advertisement for Gatorade featuring Michael Jordan...



"Gatorade is still down but it's not down as much as it has been previously," Chief Financial Officer Hugh Johnston said in an interview. "I really do feel good about the fact that we're getting the Gatorade business back on track."

Feelings can be deceiving and they certainly appear to be at Gatorade. Line extension can destroy your brand fast especially when you spend millions in advertising. All it does is confuse the consumer, who likes things to remain simple.

In a complicated world the mind likes to decode and simplify things. This new launch by Gatorade just makes things more confusing.

Credit: WSJ

]]> Branded in the mind (or somewhere else).... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/04/22/branded-in-the-mind-or-somewhere-else http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/04/22/branded-in-the-mind-or-somewhere-else Thu, 22 Apr 2010 14:45:51 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/04/22/branded-in-the-mind-or-somewhere-else






The Popeye's logo on the stomach takes the cake. A Heinz ketchup bottle. Really??






Only brands made for the mind make it to the body. Where does your brand fit?


]]> Beware of the future... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/04/21/beware-of-the-future http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/04/21/beware-of-the-future Wed, 21 Apr 2010 08:15:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/04/21/beware-of-the-future


A few steps ahead is all you may get if you're lucky. Trying to peer into the distant future us a fool's errand, Google didn't invent YouTube, Facebook, MySpace, or Twitter. Remember, Steve Jobs didn't invent the first high-capacity MP3 player or tablet PC.

Apple and Steve Jobs have been much better at staying two-steps ahead. Google is reaching too far out there and when you reach that far into the future it is impossible to predict with any certainty.

Predicting the exact forecast to the degree in two days is hard enough. Predicting the forecast in 3 months to the exact degree with any certainty is next to impossible.

Marketing is war and once a company is on top they will do almost anything to stay there.

]]> The power of Groups (and names)... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/04/19/the-power-of-groups-and-names http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/04/19/the-power-of-groups-and-names Mon, 19 Apr 2010 08:26:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/04/19/the-power-of-groups-and-names
Chicago based Groupon has raised $135 million in a [...]]]>
Chicago based Groupon has raised $135 million in a fourth round of financing. The valuation is in the $1.35 billion range from multiple sources close to the company. All this for a company launched in November of 2008! Yes, just 18 months ago.



The success of Groupon should convince other companies that a new brand name in a new medium always works better than trying to carry over the existing brand name.

Conventional wisdom thinks QVC should be the big winner online. They have the established connections, brand, money, and power to dominate online. Not exactly.

When you break down the business model for Groupon, it's basically an online QVC. So why did other companies miss the boat? First, other companies tried to carry over their brand names from television.

You have QVC.com and HSN.com, both companies have bad names (initials) and ones that are cemented in the television world and therefore have had little success online.

The brand name "Groupon" is brilliant. The name is in the same league as Google, Facebook and YouTube. The name preempts the position in the mind for "group" and "coupon." Any time your brand name can preempt a position in the mind you have a huge advantage.

For those companies giddy about the future of mobile, be careful. Conventional wisdom says you should simply carry over your Internet brand name to the mobile device. But "mobile" is a new medium where new brands and categories will emerge. HSN and QVC have been blindsided by Groupon; to avoid getting blindsided make sure your company has a new brand in mobile.

]]> The Generic Name... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/04/16/the-generic-name http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/04/16/the-generic-name Fri, 16 Apr 2010 07:21:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/04/16/the-generic-name


For example the generic name freecreditreport.com. The company seemed to be running television ads day and night featuring a young man singing about how bad his life was because he didn't use the website. Lately, the commercials are few and far between and a new player has emerged...



FreeScore.com and pitchman Ben Stein have arrived on the scene and are gaining market share. The problem is FreeScore.com is a generic name. When you have multiple companies that seem to be offering the same type of product and both have generic brand names the consumer thinks "They all must be the same." When this is the case, usually the company offering the better discount or whoever outspends the other in advertising wins. This is not a place where brands want to be.

Using a category as a brand name doesn't work in the long-run. What would be a better name for a search engine...GreatSearch.com or Google? I think the answer is clear. Leave the generic name for the category and create a unique, memorable brand name for the company.

]]> When Candor works.... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/04/15/when-candor-works http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/04/15/when-candor-works Thu, 15 Apr 2010 09:33:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/04/15/when-candor-works
In the advertisement Ping is stating that their golf club is so ugly that it must perform [...]]]>
In the advertisement Ping is stating that their golf club is so ugly that it must perform beautifully.



So, you may be thinking what is wrong with that? There are a few things to consider when attempting using candor. For the Law of Candor to work it must be a thought that is already in the mind of the consumer.

The example that many use to show the Law of Candor is Listerine, "The taste you hate twice a day." OK. That makes sense in the mind. Listerine mouthwash has a terrible taste therefore it must be good for me, so one thinks in the mind. Now let’s look at Ping and candor.

Do people really think Ping golf clubs are ugly? I surely don’t think so. Why would a company want to tell the consumer that they sell ugly golf clubs? A golfer wants his clubs to look beautiful not ugly.

It doesn't make sense in the mind because #1-the golf club is not ugly, I actually think it looks quite nice, #2- Ping golf clubs have no history of being ugly, and #3 no consumer wants to carry ugly golf clubs in their bag.

For the Law of Candor to work the thought must already be in the consumers mind and most consumers don't think Ping golf clubs are ugly.

]]> Brand Utopia..... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/04/13/brand-utopia http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/04/13/brand-utopia Tue, 13 Apr 2010 09:10:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/04/13/brand-utopia
All the talk about brands leaves people confused.

There is all this talk about brands but very few people today talk about categories. When you mention categories to a marketing professional they look confused. If a marketing or branding consultant is confused about categories, find yourself a new consultant.

Minds are not filled with brands alone. Minds are filled with a category that has a brand attached. There is a big difference.



When a consumer is making a purchasing decision they think of the category first NOT the brand.

The key in marketing is to get the consumers mind to attach your brand to a specific category. Companies that do this have won the battle.

When your brand and category are synonymous you have won, this is extremely rare. I will add a brand word to the mix, one that all brands should be striving for: Brand Utopia. Brand Utopia is when a brand and category can be interchanged in the “mass market” consumer mind and nothing needs to be explained.



A few examples of Brand Utopia....

Google = Search-----Did you Google yourself?

Kleenex = Tissue-----Can you grab me a Kleenex?

Red Bull = Energy Drink-----Can you hand me a Red Bull?

Xerox = Copy-----Please go Xerox this for me?

Most brands have little chance of reaching Brand Utopia but when they do it is a beautiful thing.

]]> Halo vs. Horns.. http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/04/12/halo-vs-horns http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/04/12/halo-vs-horns Mon, 12 Apr 2010 23:59:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/04/12/halo-vs-horns
Let's say your iPhone breaks. If you have a favorable impression (Halo) of [...]]]>
Let's say your iPhone breaks. If you have a favorable impression (Halo) of Apple which most consumers do, you may say to yourself, "This just happens sometimes, I got unlucky."

Now change your perspective, if you have an unfavorable impression (Horns) of Apple and it breaks how do you react, "Typical Apple product, they cannot be relied upon, cheap phone."



When companies try and own a trait in the mind of the consumer whether it is reliable, safe, fun, etc. many consumers will give them other traits similar to the one they own.

Think Toyota; a company that owns the word "reliable" even amidst the latest news. When someone is describing why they bought their new Toyota they may also use the words- safe, quality, and dependable; even though the words are owned by others in the mind.

The reverse is also true, let's say you bought a Chevy and it needs major repairs within 3 months. You think in your mind, "What a cheap, unreliable car made by a bad company, I should have known better." Both cars may have the same quality but your perception of the companies is quite different.

In marketing perception is reality. First make sure you own a positive word in the mind, once you do that the consumer may give you traits you don't deserve.

]]> Phil beats Tiger... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/04/12/phil-beats-tiger http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/04/12/phil-beats-tiger Mon, 12 Apr 2010 22:57:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/04/12/phil-beats-tiger


]]> Brand Tiger... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/04/07/brand-tiger http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/04/07/brand-tiger Wed, 07 Apr 2010 19:46:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/04/07/brand-tiger


I love watching Tiger play golf but from a branding perspective this is too soon to be advertising after the colossal fall from grace. Using his dad's voice comes off insincere and portrays that Tiger is only focused on his image and money.

When a brand has suffered the way Tiger has he needs to come back slowly. This is a week when Tiger should be focused on one thing...WINNING. The only thing this advertisement will do is distract Tiger and others from golf and add to the spectacle at Augusta.

This ad was way too soon. I can't believe Nike would release this ad now, big branding mistake.

]]> Before the Juice... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/04/07/before-the-juice http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/04/07/before-the-juice Wed, 07 Apr 2010 05:43:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/04/07/before-the-juice


Before Jose Canseco, no other player in the history of baseball had hit 40 homeruns and stolen 40 bases in a single season. In 1988 Canseco stole 40 bases and hit 42 homeruns; the first player in the 40/40 club. This was a big deal for baseball, a sport that relies so heavily on stats. Who else is in the 40/40 club?

There are a few others in the club but Jose was first and all the others are forgotten.....



Mark McGwire was the other first; the first to break Roger Maris' single season homerun record. He was also the first to hit 70 homeruns in a single season. If that would have been the end of Mark’s story we would be seeing him in the Hall of Fame.



Unfortunately they both cheated and will be remembered for other things.

The mind loves firsts. If your business can be the first ___________, you have a great chance of being remembered.

If you are not the first________, find something you can be first in.

]]> The Unpredictable iPad... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/04/01/the-unpredictable-ipad http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/04/01/the-unpredictable-ipad Thu, 01 Apr 2010 07:30:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/04/01/the-unpredictable-ipad


One product from Apple that wasn't over-hyped was the iPod. iPod sales took off slowly and was a huge success. One must be leery of products that are over-hyped in the media because so many fail to deliver.

Maybe the tech world is using Steve Jobs and the hype of the iPad to usher in the mobile internet? Could the iPad be the wave that carries the masses into the mobile arena? We will have to wait and see. There is no doubt that the mobile net is upon is. I just think the future lies less in apps and more in mobile sites e.g. .mobi.

]]> How to Penetrate the Mind... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/03/30/how-to-penetrate-the-mind http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/03/30/how-to-penetrate-the-mind Tue, 30 Mar 2010 07:32:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/03/30/how-to-penetrate-the-mind
One way to understand how and why the mind works the [...]]]>
One way to understand how and why the mind works the way it does is through an information-processing model for perception. In marketing, perception is reality.



Selective Attention

In today's society we have more choices than ever before. There are 30 different types of toothpaste, 25 types of laundry detergent, etc. You get the point. All you have to do is walk the aisle of a supermarket and realize all the choices we have as consumers.

As humans we do not have the mental capacity to handle all this information. The market is suffering from information overload. Research has shown that people pay attention to salient stimuli. Something is salient when it stands out from its context. In other words; it is when something is different. Not just a little bit different, but different enough to be remembered.

Simplification

Information that we observe and comprehend around us is not stored in its original form. As consumers we interpret brands and assign them into categories based on the attributes of the brand. Minds are simple. If your business product or service needs to be explained thoroughly or is confusing, forget it. Stick with simplicity; it is the only way to get in the mind.

Memory

This is where categories are stored in a person’s long-term memory. Most brands can create enough buzz and hype to be remembered for the short-term but only a great strategy will be remembered in the long-run. Aspects that can help your brand be remembered for the long-term include; word/category, name, verbal message, visual message, and color.

Action

This is where the consumer will act to buy your product or service. The consumer in this stage will pull from their memory and make a decision. The stickier your brand and message the more likely the consumer will act when purchasing.

This model can explain how a brand penetrates the mind and that marketing strategy is essential in getting the consumer to remember your brand. Remember in marketing, perception is reality.

]]> Money in the trash... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/03/29/money-in-the-trash http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/03/29/money-in-the-trash Mon, 29 Mar 2010 05:00:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/03/29/money-in-the-trash


State Farm might as well be throwing money away. State Farm is the leader in the industry, so why all the discounts? Is it because everybody else is doing it? This makes no sense from a marketing perspective.

Last time I checked State Farm has an 18% market share, almost double the number 2 company. So why create a discount site/landing page- http://www.discountdoublecheck.com ?



State Farm needs to remind the consumer that they are #1. They had a short advertising stint reminding people of the fact but that was it. The great thing about leadership in a category is people will assume that you must be the best even if you may not be. So what should State Farm be doing?

Their advertising should remind people the benefits of using State Farm as their insurance carrier. The insurance companies are turning the business into a commodity where people only care about price. My advice to the leader...

1) Drop the mutual funds and State Farm Bank, focus on insurance

2) Stop discounting and advertising discounting

3) Remind the consumer you are #1

4) Tell them WHY you are #1; if you can't answer that question you might have major troubles.

Leadership is never appreciated by the leaders.

]]> New Brands in mobile... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/03/25/new-brands-in-mobile http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/03/25/new-brands-in-mobile Thu, 25 Mar 2010 07:41:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/03/25/new-brands-in-mobile
I know what you are thinking, this post could have been written five years ago, where is the relevance? Let me explain.



Companies like Dex are still trying to make their brand work on the Internet with little success. Dex looks very similar to the modern day Yelp except one thing, Dex had an 8 year head start! Why was Yelp able to come in and dominate a market so fast? The answer is a new brand.





Both of the sites were very similar. But Yelp was a new brand and that made all the difference. Laura Ries has a great post on Google and China (Link). And she is right on. But if I were Google I would be more concerned with mobile search than China. If Google is not careful they can fall into the same trap that Dex and others fell into with the Internet.



Although Google has a lead right now I would be very surprised if it lasted. The market is ripe for a Yelp type company that uses the same technology, slightly different, with a new brand name.

Can you imagine the amount of press a new mobile search company taking on Google will receive? This will only further propel the new brand into the mind of the consumer.

My advice; mobile search is a new category in a new medium and Google should create a new brand. Google needs to find a word that can capture the mobile audience. Dex and others never learned to create new brands in new mediums, will Google?

]]> Steve Jobs is right... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/03/23/steve-jobs-is-right http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/03/23/steve-jobs-is-right Tue, 23 Mar 2010 07:10:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/03/23/steve-jobs-is-right
Following is a passage from the Stanford commencement given by Steve Jobs a few years back about finding what you love to [...]]]>
Following is a passage from the Stanford commencement given by Steve Jobs a few years back about finding what you love to do. His advice can still ring true today...



"Your work is going to fill a large part of your life and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work and the only way to do great work is to love what you do.

If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking and DON’T settle. As with all matters of the heart you’ll know when you find it and like any great relationship it just gets better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking, don’t settle" - Steve Jobs

If employers are looking for the best person for the job shouldn't they be looking for people who love what they do? Or should they look for someone who has 5 years of experience in something they don't love?

This is where businesses on the Internet have missed a big opportunity. Most job sites list jobs and job hunters submit a resume. If your resume has good keywords and looks pretty you have a better chance.

When creating a job site the questions that should be asked is how is each person unique (personality and strengths) and what do you love to do (passion). Only by looking at these questions can someone better discover what they love doing and employers can find the right employee.



Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh knows how to find passion. At the end of the first week, every trainee is given the option of being paid $2,000 plus training expenses--if they quit. This usually weeds out most people who were on the fence in the first place.

Jobs should find you based on who you are and what you love. Most people hate looking for jobs and many give up after a few months. Passionate people are struggling everyday because they don't have the opportunity to do what they love while others are in jobs they hate. The system is broken.

Experience does matter but in the business world it can come in many different forms. I subscribe to the thinking of Malcolm Gladwell and others with the 10,000 hours of experience to become an expert but with a job it is different. It is much harder to find out which employees love their job or just love the paycheck and bonuses.

Employees can be deceiving and everyone loves a paycheck. If the boss came up to most employees and said "Do you love your job?" Most would say, "Absolutely!" Most would be lying.

The goal is to find the employees that wake up every day and can't wait to get to work.

The best way to find out a persons gifts, abilities, and passions is through two tests; the Myers Briggs Type Indicator and Clifton Strengths Finder.

The MBTI will offer a sense of a person’s personality and how they relate with others and how they see the world while the Clifton’s Strengths Finder will highlight the strengths’ within a personality. No two tests are better at finding your uniqueness.

Each person is a blessing from God....each person is Gifted. Being Gifted is where passion meets employment, not trying to fit your round peg into an employers square hole.



Most job sites on the Internet are missing key elements in helping people find work. A job site should start with how a person is wired and what makes them unique. A job site should start with...passion and maybe someday it will.

]]> Unilever needs to Axe AXE... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/03/20/unilever-needs-to-axe-axe http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/03/20/unilever-needs-to-axe-axe Sat, 20 Mar 2010 06:09:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/03/20/unilever-needs-to-axe-axe


One of the brands they own is AXE. A brand that sells sex to young kids. I always thought this brand didn't make sense for a company like Unilever. Here is a very G rated ad for AXE...



AXE started as a body spray and has been expanding into deodorant, body wash, and multiple shampoos. The Law of Line Extension is the first law they are starting to break.



AXE is extending the initial brand of body spray way too far. For a company that sells to moms this is a brand they should never have bought. Line extension will boost short-term sales which would make selling AXE a good thing right now.

The most recent ads they have run is a boy bent over with a girl behind him (very distasteful). Totally over the line and moms should be upset. Most people say sex sells, I disagree. If sex is what your selling, sex sells. AXE is selling sex but you have a line and I think they crossed it.

Unilever is a company that makes most of its money from moms. Most moms will not appreciate the ads and in today's age it is much easier to look up company information on the internet and put 2 and 2 together.

My advice to Unilever: Sell AXE while the brand is hot riding short-term sales from extension and before you upset the base buyer for your products.

]]> What is your Name IQ? http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/03/17/what-is-your-name-iq http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/03/17/what-is-your-name-iq Wed, 17 Mar 2010 14:42:43 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/03/17/what-is-your-name-iq


The answer to the question usually is "no, change your name." Most companies fall in the 68% middle region and have neither a good name nor a really bad name. Falling into this region is why most companies think names don't matter because most have names that don't matter.

If you choose a name that is short, memorable, and preempts your new unique and profitable position in the mind you can get in the .1% range e.g. Google and Amazon.

Why would a company like Friendster, who had more than a two year head start lose to Facebook? Could the race have been won by a name? Maybe.

The Friendster name falls in the range 70-85 while the Facebook name falls in the 130+ range. Now, I would be naive to mention that there were other factors that aided Facebook. They were exclusive to college students and only Ivy League students at that and the site was very simple and easy to use.

Names do matter. If you have a bad name, change it. Make sure your name IQ is over 130 if you want to be remembered in the mind of the consumer.

]]> Names do matter... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/03/15/names-do-matter http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/03/15/names-do-matter Mon, 15 Mar 2010 07:41:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/03/15/names-do-matter
The introduction to this episode featured an amazing country. I was in awe of the mountains, rivers, and hillsides of this beautiful [...]]]>
The introduction to this episode featured an amazing country. I was in awe of the mountains, rivers, and hillsides of this beautiful land. I had to see where they were....







The show returned from commercial break and disclosed that the buyers were from a suburb of London, England and they were looking for vacation home in Slovenia. Slovenia? Immediately my mind thought Slovenia, what a terrible name for a country. Even the couple's friend said Slovenia, do you not like us anymore? It was quite funny.

Slovenia is a country in Central Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy on the west, the Adriatic Sea on the southwest, Croatia on the south and east, Hungary on the northeast, and Austria on the north. The country declared independence from Yugoslavia in 1991.



Declaring their independence the country had an opportunity to create a unique and memorable name, one that would stick in the mind. They chose Slovenia. The tourist's office in Slovenia plays off the word love in the name. But I can tell you there is no love in a name like Slovenia.



Even the best marketing strategies will have trouble sticking in the mind with a bad name. What you name your company/business/product can pay huge dividends if you choose wisely.

In choosing that one name that will preempt your position in the mind you will have hit a home run and have a chance at making it big. Just tell, Google, Twitter, Facebook, and Amazon that names don't matter.

]]> Power of the People... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/03/08/power-of-the-people http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/03/08/power-of-the-people Mon, 08 Mar 2010 07:22:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/03/08/power-of-the-people Brand Tags. [...]]]> Brand Tags.



The homepage shows a logo of a popular brand and asks you to enter only one word or phrase that first pops in your head. Now, I must say that you need to be able to discern what is meaningless and what is valuable.

For the brand Google the words great, evil, happy, help, and more were seen (clearly meaningless).



But some of the words that were the biggest (entered the most by people) were "search engine." Everyone knows that Google stands for internet search in the mind. No big surprise.



But it is also important to note that one of the words most popular with Google was "everything." Not a good word to own in the mind. A company that tires to be everything to everyone ends up standing for very little in the mind. The site can be helpful to gauge the market and find out how people perceive your brand.

Owning a word in the mind is the most important thing in marketing, just make sure a word you want to own is available first.

]]> Being different not always a slam dunk... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/03/02/being-different-not-always-a-slam-dunk http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/03/02/being-different-not-always-a-slam-dunk Tue, 02 Mar 2010 09:46:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/03/02/being-different-not-always-a-slam-dunk


Marketing is about being different. LeBron is the type of player that needed his own number. Many greats have worn number 6 including Bill Russell and Julius Erving. In this generation the number 6 has fallen by the way side and represents no superstar...until now.

Great choice LeBron, it should have been number 6 from the start. Remember, in marketing, if you have a bad name or number....change it.

]]> The Road to Hi-Health... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/03/01/the-road-to-hi-health http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/03/01/the-road-to-hi-health Mon, 01 Mar 2010 10:11:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/03/01/the-road-to-hi-health Hi-Health is a retail and Internet seller of nutritional supplements based in Arizona. Recently, the retail industry has been hit hard and so has Hi-Health. They have also been facing ever increasing competition from strong companies poised to take away Hi-Health's market share in Arizona, [...]]]> Hi-Health is a retail and Internet seller of nutritional supplements based in Arizona. Recently, the retail industry has been hit hard and so has Hi-Health. They have also been facing ever increasing competition from strong companies poised to take away Hi-Health's market share in Arizona, especially The Vitamin Shoppe.



Hi-Health was the first nutritional supplements company in Arizona and has grown steadily throughput the years and they have over 50 stores located throughout the valley. But competition is fierce and they are starting to feel the heat.

First let's look at the competition. Hi-Health has two big competitors; GNC and The Vitamin Shoppe. GNC is the behemoth of the group with over 6,000 locations worldwide; 1,300 of those being franchises. GNC had an early growth strategy of locating in malls and has recently adopted the strategy of locating within Rite Aid Pharmacies. Fast, cheap locations helps a company cement their brand in the mind.

Because of this strategy GNC was first in the mind of the consumer and has the global lead in nutrition. GNC also has online presence is run by drugstore.com since 1999.



The other big player is The Vitamin Shoppe which has over 400 locations in the U.S. In my opinion, they are the up and comer of the bunch. They recently went public and have the money and the strategy to pull it off and become a global player.





Along with The Vitamin Shoppe, Hi-Health has increased competition from retailers like Wal-Mart and Target and as nutritional supplements become more mainstream these retailers will carve a larger chuck on their shelf space for the products.

GNC really started to carve their niche with body builders. They were the "early adopters" in the category and that is one reason I like The Vitamin Shoppe. They have a focus that is more towards the "mom" as opposed to GNC "home of the bodybuilder."

So where does this leave Hi-Health? Stuck in the mushy middle.

If I were the Director of Marketing for Hi-Health I would offer the following recommendations to focus their business and develop it for years to come...

1) Either sell online or in retail stores, don't do both. I would stop selling products on the Internet and focus on retail stores. If the Internet sales are more than 20% of total sales Hi-Health should rebrand the online segment, if not, they should close their online store.

2) Reduce the size of the stores to 1,500 square feet or enlarge the size to over 4,000 square feet free standing buildings. Currently their stores are in the mushy middle. They would be better off having smaller stores like Starbucks and Subway or larger stores like Taco Bell and Chick-fil-A.

3) Either franchise to expand the brand and share the wealth or franchise for capital growth. It is unlikely Hi-Health will go public. In areas where the nutrition market is underserviced they should franchise.

4) Buy smaller local nutritional stores in areas potential for further expansion.

5) If Hi-Health is in fact #1 in Arizona in health and vitamin supplements they should let everyone know. (They are certainly bigger than The Vitamin Shoppe and should tell Arizonans about it)

6) Cater to the mom. GNC caters to the male and Hi-Health should be the opposite and go after the mom. This requires a more narrow focus on vitamins and family health not muscle building.

Execution is not the problem facing companies today. The problem is finding a focused strategy.

]]> Naming Landfill... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/02/26/naming-landfill http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/02/26/naming-landfill Fri, 26 Feb 2010 08:47:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/02/26/naming-landfill


The tournament is home to it's signature 16th hole that is totally enclosed with stadium style bleachers, the first of it's kind on the PGA Tour. A hole that if you don't hit it close (within) 20 ft you will hear the boos from the crowd.



Yes, WM will get their brand and logo all across the networks televising the tournament but is WM the best sponsor for a world class golf tournament. I am sure the tournament was happy to get a any sponsor considering these economic times but I still think WM is the wrong move in the long run.

With the beer flowing like milk and honey at the tournament they would have been better off with a name like the Corona Open or as Arizona tries to capture green technologies and is known as the valley of the sun how about the First Solar Open.

Just a thought. Go Phil.

]]> Limited Supply... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/02/22/limited-supply http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/02/22/limited-supply Mon, 22 Feb 2010 11:47:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/02/22/limited-supply


But a brochure? Sometimes I wonder what goes on in the advertisers head. Do they really think the listener is so stupid to believe that they have a limited supply....of brochures? Am I really going to call and hear this message....sorry sir we are all out of the brochures you are requesting. They went fast and we only had a limited supply.

Next time you advertise with the word "limited" make sure it is really limited. A brochure is not.

]]> The _______ Group... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/02/22/the-_______-group http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/02/22/the-_______-group Mon, 22 Feb 2010 07:51:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/02/22/the-_______-group












There are a few reasons using the and group don't make sense. Most great brand names are 3 syllables or less. When a company name uses the and group they are already using two valuable syllables before they even name the company. Brands that have 3 or less syllables are easier to remember and most companies want to be remembered.

Secondly using The _________ Group is not unique. There are thousands of companies using the or group or both and most are never remembered. The point in branding is to stick in the mind of the consumer. It rarely happens using a generic name with the and group.

]]> Save your money... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/02/16/save-your-money http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/02/16/save-your-money Tue, 16 Feb 2010 08:05:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/02/16/save-your-money


Taking on a man who was just the Republican nominee for president is a fools errand. With that said the strategy taken by the Hayworth campaign has too many holes.

When you are a number two brand or politician your strategy depends on the leader. John McCain is known as the "Maverick." Maverick's are known for taking an independent stand apart from his or her colleagues. So what word does Hayworth try and own in the mind? Consistent.



Consistent?? John McCain is Mr. Consistent. McCain's Senate career began in 1987 (he defeated my sister-in-law's uncle Richard Kimball). He has also been known as a Maverick for quite some time. A bad choice of a word for Hayworth.

On the other hand Mavericks are also known as nonconformist, independent, rebellious, and loners. Something Hayworth could use against McCain.

J.D. Hayworth even has Sheriff Joe (America's "Toughest" Sheriff) on his side. Let's look at some of the laws Hayworth is breaking that are sure to end his campaign...



1) The Law of Focus: the most powerful concept in marketing is owning a word in the prospect's mind. McCain owns the word "maverick" but what word does J.D. own? I don't know??

2) The Law of the Opposite- If you areshooting for second place, your strategy is determined by the leader. J.D.'s strategy should focus on a word opposite from John McCain. He needs to look at a weakness of being a "maverick" and capitalize on it. Consistent is not the right word.

3) The Law of Singularity- In each situation, only one move will produce substantial results. There is one word that will produce the best results in this situation. That word is not consistent.

4) The Law of Resources- Without adequate funding, an idea won't get off the ground. Hayworth keeps telling people his campaign is "grass roots" which are the same words the Obama campaign used in his bid for the presidency. The only difference is Obama had money and lots of it. J.D. Haywoth has around $100,000 compared to John McCain with over $5 million.

Even if J.D. Hayworth chose the right word it is unlikely that he would have the money needed to cement the word in the mind of the voter. Also, Sarah Palin is coming to Phoenix to campaign for McCain a huge blow to J.D. Hayworth and his campaign.

J.D. Hayworth may be more conservative than John McCain but he needs to get in the mind and stay there. His current campaign of "consistent conservative" will fail to penetrate the minds of voters.

UPDATE: 8/24/2010 -John McCain spend over $20 million during his campaign (law of resources) and easily won the Republican nomination. J.D. ended up owing a word in the mind of the voter.. "huckster"



]]> Follow the Leader (maybe not)... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/02/09/follow-the-leader-maybe-not http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/02/09/follow-the-leader-maybe-not Tue, 09 Feb 2010 13:57:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/02/09/follow-the-leader-maybe-not


I think this ranking deceives most marketing professionals. The attitude in business is: follow a leader and emulate their behavior and success will come your way. The line extension at Coke has been copied by almost every other brand.

One of the reasons they are on top of the list is patience. It takes patience to build a brand. When others throw in the towel, great brands hang in there. After all, Coke has been around over a hundred years.

But let's take a trip down memory lane and see what "could" have been for the brand Tab (a coke brand that might have been more successful and maybe higher on Interbrand's list if they had patience).

Below is one of the first ads for the Tab drink. The title suggested, "How can just 1 calorie taste so good?" Establishing a new brand (Tab) in a new category (low-calorie cola) takes time.



Here is a vintage commercial for Tab at the beach, emphasizing the low-calorie cola.



In the 70's and 80's consumers were not concerned with personal fitness. The television, Internet, and video games had little effect or none at all on ones physical health. Fast forward twenty years and we live in a different culture. Now childhood obesity is the new campaign for the first lady Michele Obama.

Coke actually gave Tab a shot, almost 20 years until they introduced Diet Coke. Why introduce Diet Coke after all these years? Not enough patience. The market was getting ready to reward their patience.

It reminds me of Seth Godin's book, The Dip. Coke was just about to get through the Dip and was in perfect position to embrace the fitness revolution and what did they do? They killed Tab by introducing Diet Coke. Attacking their own brand and ruining any chance Tab had at success.

Line extension provides quick sales but then the honeymoon fades and you have to extend even more. Which is what Coke did with the introduction of Diet Caffeine Free Coke, Caffeine Free Coke, Cherry Coke, Diet Cherry Coke, etc.

Even after the introduction of Diet Coke the company line extended with Tab.....



Think what would have happened if Coke had kept Tab (focused with no line extensions) on the market and never introduced Diet Coke? Most companies would have emulated the leader and they would introduce new brands in new categories.

In the same way people emulated Coke then now emulate Google. Google had the opportunity to change the way we look at brands. Instead they introduced Google Video, Google Docs, Google Voice, Google Maps, Google Earth, etc. all with little fanfare.

Now Tab is heading to the grave as Coke has decided to end the Tab brand. It makes sense now as Tab energy means nothing in the mind. Most companies don't have the patience to wait 5 years, 10, or 20 to have their breakthrough. Microsoft did, but most others don't.

In the business of branding patience pays.



]]> Super Google... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/02/08/super-google http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/02/08/super-google Mon, 08 Feb 2010 08:45:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/02/08/super-google
In my opinion the big winner last night was Google. Yes, I said it, Google. For all the times I have been critical of Google I was very surprised and excited to [...]]]>
In my opinion the big winner last night was Google. Yes, I said it, Google. For all the times I have been critical of Google I was very surprised and excited to see them get this right...



The ad works because it drives home the focus of Google, which is search. Some may call the ad boring but it doesn't matter, the ad sold. And in an advertising age where most ads don't sell it was quite refreshing.

Well done Google. Now if they would only create new brands in new categories. One can only hope.



]]> Silicon Valley: Great Products, Weak Brands... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/02/02/silicon-valley-great-products-weak-brands http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/02/02/silicon-valley-great-products-weak-brands Tue, 02 Feb 2010 10:11:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/02/02/silicon-valley-great-products-weak-brands
Here are a few that have made news lately in Silicon Valley.... [...]]]>
Here are a few that have made news lately in Silicon Valley....











These companies are creating some amazing products.services that may change the business landscape. The problem is that none of the company names above will stick in the mind of the consumer.

Too often in Silicon Valley names of the company are not taken seriously. The greatest marketing strategists in the world (Al Ries & Jack Trout) have stated over and over that one of the most important marketing decisions you can make is what to name your product/service.

Most names in Silicon Valley are generic (this next), hard to pronounce/spell (Fryanz) or simply a crazy made up word (Makara).

The technology behind these companies may change the world but if the brand is not made to penetrate the mind of the consumer these brands like many before will fail.

]]> Size matters... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/01/27/size-matters http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/01/27/size-matters Wed, 27 Jan 2010 15:10:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/01/27/size-matters


Look at some of the top retail brands in the world and the size of their stores...Target (200,000 sq ft.), Costco (150,000 sq.ft.), Subway (1300 sq.ft.), or Starbucks (1500 sq.ft.).

A key strategy is the size of the store. The famous saying "go big or go home", I would modify and say "go big or go small." This same strategy should be used for computers.

And this is where I feel the iPad has made a mistake. A mistake that can be corrected over time. The device is too large to ever be an impact mobile device.

I would scale down the size to be slightly larger than the iPhone but only slightly. The current iPad is a device that is stuck in the middle. It is smaller than a notebook or PC but larger than an palm like mobile device.

This problem can be corrected over time with a smaller size and more features that make it a true mobile device.

With the world moving to HTML5 the future in my opinion is more about the mobile internet and less about applications. Apple's mobile dominance may soon be coming to an end.

]]> Late Night Wars... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/01/25/late-night-wars http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/01/25/late-night-wars Mon, 25 Jan 2010 14:30:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/01/25/late-night-wars


Yes, yes, and yes.

The Law of Unpredictability states that it is unless you write your competitor's plans, you can't predict the future. I don't think anyone could have predicted the late night mess going on right now.

The future of late night television is going to be a battle that will be hard to predict. But if Fox can land Conan they can get into the battle and once Letterman retires or is too old to matter, Conan can swoop right in there and be a strong #2.

News Corp. was patient with Fox News and can afford to be patient with Conan as the other hosts get older.



Conan was great before the Tonight Show because he is a funny guy. More than being funny he is extremely witty. Out of the three hosts he would probably win in a night club comedy hour. But the show is more than delivering jokes.

With Leno still in the picture at ten o'clock, he was the third horse in a two horse race.

The Law of Duality states that in the long run, every market becomes a two horse race. The race has been between Leno and Letterman. Leno has been the king of late night. Letterman has had a great #2 strategy; to be the opposite of the leader.

Leno is on the west coast, Letterman is on the east coast. Leno leans a little to the right (by Hollywood standards) while Letterman is a very outspoken Liberal. Paul Shaffer sits to Letterman's right while Kevin Eubanks sits to Leno's left (OK, this is a stretch, but you get my point).



In regards to their age; Letterman (62), Leno (59) and Conan (46), Conan has a huge advantage. If Conan does sign with Fox and heads back to New York I think the odd man out could be Letterman (over time).



Leno would still be the king of late night and Conan could adopt the strategy of Letterman and be the opposite of Jay. He would be in New York, his audience is younger.

Conan in New York with Fox could mean bad news for Letterman. Conan is more like Letterman and will definitely take away viewers.

Fox should do everything they can to sign Conan for the long term. After all Leno and Letterman won't be on the air forever and when they retire Conan will be right there.

]]> Monster mistakes... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/01/25/monster-mistakes http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/01/25/monster-mistakes Mon, 25 Jan 2010 07:59:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/01/25/monster-mistakes


Below is last years Super Bowl ad which was very effective in conveying the message of job change.



And now below their new commercial has a creepy monster sneaking up on kids. The new slogan is...Get a Monster Advantage.

I also must add that my 3 year old would be scared of this commercial at 2 in the afternoon but that is another story (she was sleeping). Check out the new commercial below....



Is the commercial creative? Yes. Is the production level brilliant? Yes. Does the commercial make me want to use Monster.com? No.

The first commercial did a much better job at selling the product; a job search site. Advertisements should always sell. Why did Monster.com change the theme from past commercial? Past commercials from Monster.com have been quite effective but this one falls flat.

If you are faced with the choice to be creative or sell, always be selling. Here are a couple of good quotes from David Ogilvy.

"Ninety-nine percent of advertising doesn't sell much of anything."

"A good advertisement is one which sells the product without drawing attention to itself."

Well said from the King of Madison Avenue.

]]> With money comes mistakes... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/01/22/with-money-comes-mistakes http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/01/22/with-money-comes-mistakes Fri, 22 Jan 2010 08:58:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/01/22/with-money-comes-mistakes


A company that has a ton of money is P&G. P&G is home to some of the most respected brands in the world. They can afford t make mistakes but seldom do.

Here is a recent quote concerning the opening of a new Mr. Clean Car Wash...

"We need to look for new opportunities to allow us to grow," says Bruce Brown, P&G's chief technology officer. "That isn't limited to things within our current business model."



In the name of growth they are creating a Mr Clean Car Wash. A major mistake in line extension and one that P&G usually doesn't make. Not only are they creating line extended stores but they are offering franchises; a new business model for P&G.

Eventually every products growth rate slows down. When that happens, what is a marketing manager to do? Expand, extend, grow, diversify. This is usually what they try and do but it rarely works in the long run.

My concern is that other smart executives will see what P&G is doing with Mr. Clean and will emulate their strategy, a big mistake in my opinion.

How many great potential businesses have failed for lack of resources? A lot.

How many businesses will copy P&G's model for growth? Unfortunately too many.

]]> Great one liners... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/01/19/great-one-liners http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/01/19/great-one-liners Tue, 19 Jan 2010 08:30:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/01/19/great-one-liners


And who can forget the great political slogan created by James Carville, "It's the economy, stupid."



And now we have Scott Brown who is in a close race for Ted Kennedy's old senate seat. Forget the fact that he looks more like a Kennedy than Martha Coakley does. His one liner was great and was carried throughout the media... "it's not the Kennedys' seat and it's not the Democrats' seat, it's the people's seat."



Although the line could have been delivered more effectively his message is being carried throughout the media and may carry Brown all the way to the U.S. Senate. We will know shortly.

UPDATE: Scott Brown pulled off a stunning victory. I thought this cartoon captured the message:



]]> Be first or go home... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/01/12/be-first-or-go-home http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/01/12/be-first-or-go-home Tue, 12 Jan 2010 19:34:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/01/12/be-first-or-go-home
If Google has the best search [...]]]>
If Google has the best search engine and the best search engine wins then shouldn't Google be #1 in China?



Well, there not. The search engine giant in China is Baidu. They have the dominant market share in China with over 70%. So what do the Chinese know that we don't or vice versa?



Being first in the mind does matter and ultimately determines your long term strategy. Yes, there are other reasons Google is contemplating leaving the market but I think the main reason is they are #2 and losing.

If Google had a market share that was double what they currently have I highly doubt they would be contemplating leaving the market. China has made it difficult for established U.S. brands to enter their market and China easily allows companies to copy U.S. businesses. These companies create local Chinese brands and establish themselves first in the mind of the consumer.

This strategy gives the Chinese companies a huge advantage. A smart move for the Chinese and ultimately hurts U.S. companies.

Hey at least Google was first in the mind in the U.S. and many other countries as well. Being first in the mind matters and more companies should quickly expand around the globe to cement their brand in the mind of the local consumer.

]]> Everyone wants to be better... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/01/11/everyone-wants-to-be-better http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/01/11/everyone-wants-to-be-better Mon, 11 Jan 2010 13:29:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/01/11/everyone-wants-to-be-better








These beer companies tried to be better and failed to be remembered.





Marketing is not a battle of products but a battle of perception. The better PERCEIVED products are the ones that are remembered. But how do these better products succeed? By being different. Find you difference and you have a better shot at being remembered.

]]> Acquire Market Share... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/01/11/acquire-market-share http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/01/11/acquire-market-share Mon, 11 Jan 2010 10:22:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/01/11/acquire-market-share


What Mint.com did online Quicken did for software category. Quicken is known as money management for "software". This is key. Companies need to create NEW brands for their products when it relates to a new medium. Would a better brand have been Quicken.com or Mint.com. I think that question has been answered.



Creating second and third brands is the best way to ensure the long term success of your brand. Intuit made a smart move buying Mint.com and bringing on the founder. They could have looked brilliant if they had created the new brand and saved themselves $170 million.

Create second and third brands and save your company millions.

]]> H&M Slashing... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/01/07/hm-slashing http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/01/07/hm-slashing Thu, 07 Jan 2010 15:46:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/01/07/hm-slashing


Selling excess inventory to Marshall's, TJMaxx, or any other discount retailer is a big mistake. I remember growing up and was excited to buy a Polo shirt from Marshall's or Ross but it made me never want to buy one at regular price in the mall. If I could get the same shirt for half the price why would I ever pay the full price?

Never, ever discount your clothes. Never sell your clothes at other chains to try and make a few bucks off your excess inventory. Giving the clothes to charity is a great idea but remember to cut the tags off the clothes but don't cut the clothes.

]]> A page from the book of Microsoft... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/01/06/a-page-from-the-book-of-microsoft http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/01/06/a-page-from-the-book-of-microsoft Wed, 06 Jan 2010 08:23:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/01/06/a-page-from-the-book-of-microsoft


To implement the Microsoft strategy Gates partnered with manufacturers to bundle their software and make the computer a much more useful tool. Here is an old ad for an IBM computer...



Google has partnered with HTC and created the Nexus One phone only available through Google's own website http://www.google.com/phone.



The big difference from the 80's and today is the Internet. When Bill Gates was pumping the computers with software the Internet was not even a blip in the "average" consumers mind. Today the mobile web and apps are upon us almost simultaneously. This makes a big difference.



Google wants to steal some of the app market money and control from Apple and they will. I think the app market (which is application SOFTWARE) will be short lived. The future in my opinion will be the mobile web. As .COM was to the Internet the .MOBI will be to the mobile net.



Soon every mobile phone will be easy to use, fast, and affordable. Competition will end the iPhone leadership and will reduce their market share and the Apple app market. Will the iPhone continue to dominate? No. Remember the 2009 Apple PC market share was only 8%.



The Law of Unpredictability states that unless you write your competitor's plans, you can't predict the future. Most companies are so focused on apps they may be missing other opportunities.

Tell anyone in technology that the app market will be short lived and they will say you're crazy. Remember great marketing strategy usually goes against conventional wisdom.

]]> A Mind is (almost) impossible to change... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/01/04/a-mind-is-almost-impossible-to-change http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/01/04/a-mind-is-almost-impossible-to-change Mon, 04 Jan 2010 08:21:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/01/04/a-mind-is-almost-impossible-to-change




Consider this AT&T commercial with Luke Wilson. Yes, we are all getting tired of AT&T's commercials but the big mistake is that AT&T is trying to change the mind of the consumer.



Everyone already knows that Verizon has the best network. Ask anyone with AT&T and they can tell you the one thing that they hate about AT&T is the "network" (yes I have AT&T and can relate to their weak map).

The Verizon commercials make me laugh and the AT&T commercials annoy me. Why is that? I can relate. Verizon is pointing out something I already know while I wonder how AT&T can make their claims.

This is case in point of not knowing what is already in the mind of the consumer or the arrogance to ignore it. Before you launch an ad campaign or a new business make sure you know what is already in the mind of the consumer. It can save you millions.

]]> Changing just to change.. http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/01/01/changing-just-to-change http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/01/01/changing-just-to-change Fri, 01 Jan 2010 09:27:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2010/01/01/changing-just-to-change


They are known for the gold airplane and suitcase and the use of .com in their name. Times are tough in this economy and the travel business is down. So should a well known brand change their logo and slogan because they are in a downturn in a natural business cycle? No.



And this is what the executives at Expedia have come up with; they have dropped the .com and the gold from the logo and they are using the name Expedia with the slogan "Where you book matters." So what is Expedia known for in the travel business? If you look on their own website you can extract the strategy they should be using....



"Expedia.com® is the world’s leading online travel provider, helping millions of travelers per month easily plan and book travel." Expedia.com should be using the slogan" World's #1 Travel Site."

Which slogan sounds more powerful? "Where you book matters" or "World's #1 Travel Site"

I think the answer is obvious. Leadership is a strategy that more companies should be using. Staying focused in a tough economy can be difficult but it is absolutely essential for the long term success of your brand.

]]> Give your ad agency control but not too much http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/12/31/give-your-ad-agency-control-but-not-too-much http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/12/31/give-your-ad-agency-control-but-not-too-much Thu, 31 Dec 2009 07:50:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/12/31/give-your-ad-agency-control-but-not-too-much


I only wish this would have been a commercial for the car battery with the best brand name; DieHard.



Even if your marketing strategy may seem boring there are still creative ways to convey your message. It is important to let your ad agency know your specific point of difference (most ad agencies are given too much creative freedom) but allow them to use their creativity to convey that message to the consumer.

]]> Let Saab die... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/12/21/let-saab-die http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/12/21/let-saab-die Mon, 21 Dec 2009 11:27:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/12/21/let-saab-die


Owning a word in the mind is the key in marketing and does anybody know what word Saab owns? I don't. Look at some of the recent slogans from Saab...



None of these slogans help Saab own a word in the mind. Born from jets. I have no idea what Born from Jets means to a car consumer. Buying the Hummer brand was a smart move but I would let the Saab brand die. Maybe Saab should stick with Jets...



Just because the brand recognition is strong doesn't mean it is a great brand. Great brands stand for something in the mind. It doesn't make sense to have recognition of a brand name and then not really know the difference in the brand. Some brands are best left to die off which is what should happen to the Saab brand.

]]> When to rebrand... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/12/17/when-to-rebrand http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/12/17/when-to-rebrand Thu, 17 Dec 2009 11:06:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/12/17/when-to-rebrand


When facing the decision to rebrand it is important to ask yourself the following questions...

1) What does our brand mean in the mind of the consumer?
2) Can we dampen the demand for our product and create a trend?
3) Is our product brand name tied to our company brand name?
4) Should we create a new brand for the new emerging categories?
5) Do we have the patience to develop the new brand?

A rebranding effort is more than just updating your logo. It involves creating a new direction for the company over the next 10+ years. The cheapest way to build your future is to create it, the more expensive way to control your future is to buy it.

Did AOL really need Bebo for $850 million? No, but when faced with a brand on the decline you will do anything to save it.

]]> Movie titles to remember... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/12/16/movie-titles-to-remember http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/12/16/movie-titles-to-remember Wed, 16 Dec 2009 08:59:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/12/16/movie-titles-to-remember










The shorter the name the more it will be remembered. Even though the following movie has a really long title the brand/books are so well known it has little effect. The long title is..The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Most people will refer to the movie as Narnia.



Don't fall into the generic trap when naming your movie. Here are a few recent movies that have fallen into the generic name trap and will not be remembered or make a lot of money...









When naming a move it is best to have a short name. Stay away from the generic title. Even if your movie has big stars, ie Robert De Niro and Drew Barrymore in Everybody's Fine. A generic title will quickly get your movie to a DVD.

But isn't Titanic a generic name? No. A generic name for the movie Titanic would have been Boat Crash or Iceberg at Sea. There is a big difference.

]]> Just Ship it! http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/12/15/just-ship-it http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/12/15/just-ship-it Tue, 15 Dec 2009 11:02:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/12/15/just-ship-it




Both devices are very similar and the reviews have been just as close. But getting in the mind first was a big advantage for the kindle. It would have been even a larger lead had they named the product the Kindle and not the AmazonKindle. Everyone refers to the product as Kindle anyway.



And now the third horse in the race to get in the mind is the reader by Sony. This reader has very little chance making any dent in the market. Sony is a brand that once stood for superiority in electronics but as products diverge Sony is placing their name on everything, a big mistake.



Who will win the battle for the portable reader: 1) Kindle 2) Nook and 3) Sony. They will finish the race how they started. If you have a product or service that is new and different, remember: just ship it!

]]> Lowest Price Guaranteed... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/12/14/lowest-price-guaranteed http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/12/14/lowest-price-guaranteed Mon, 14 Dec 2009 10:39:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/12/14/lowest-price-guaranteed


It seems that every retailer is offering a price match guarantee. Wal-Mart, Target, and Best Buy are a few doing this practice.



How do retailers compete and survive in these difficult times? They should be dropping prices temporarily (which many have done) but the main thing they should be doing is reinforcing to the customer why they are different. Not that they are cheaper but their difference. Having a sale all the time says your regular prices are too high.

Starbucks should be telling their coffee story from plant to cup. Best Buy should be focused more on helping customers make the smart decision when buying electronics. Do you think Wal-Mart associates are going to know which $1000 T.V. you should buy? I doubt it.

The pruning in retail is necessary for the long term success of the industry.

]]> Be the (perceived) Best... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/12/11/be-the-perceived-best http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/12/11/be-the-perceived-best Fri, 11 Dec 2009 09:32:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/12/11/be-the-perceived-best


Not exactly. Many of the top selling brands are not the "best" brands as compared in Consumer Reports. The great thing about being the best selling or largest in your category is that if you are consumers will assume you are the best even if your not.

The consumer is flooded with so many brands and choices it is overwhelming. To simplify things the consumer will make assumptions on information they receive. Saying you are the #1 _______ or the largest selling ________, gives your brand credentials.

Consumers will think if they are the best selling they must be the best. Top brands should spend less time extending the brand and more time fighting off true up and comers that are stealing market share away.

May the best perceived brands win.

]]> Failing Focus http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/12/09/failing-focus http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/12/09/failing-focus Wed, 09 Dec 2009 07:07:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/12/09/failing-focus


Not every strategic decision will be a winner. In fact many marketing decisions you make will fail. If Gatorade knew a Tiger Focus branded Gatorade would fail they never would have launched. But I do give Gatorade credit for cutting the cord before it is too late.

I am sure the executives at Gatorade have been thinking of ways to get the world's best golfer to use their product for some time. They introduce new flavors specifically for Tiger Focus. The problem: golf really isn't a sport where athletes burn calories and need to be replenished with electrolytes.

Most golfers are on the course drinking water, coke, or beer. Gatorade and golf/Tiger Woods never made sense. In light of the news their decision to move on looks even better.

In the long run it is easier to swallow your pride and move on, good move Gatorade.

]]> Words can bring a brand down... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/12/08/words-can-bring-a-brand-down http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/12/08/words-can-bring-a-brand-down Tue, 08 Dec 2009 11:13:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/12/08/words-can-bring-a-brand-down


President Obama said today that the nation must continue to "spend our way out of this recession" until more Americans are back at work. Most Americans and all economic professors know that you can't spend your way out of a recession.

Who would Obama let choose these words which will be carried throughout the media? Even if Obama deep down feels this way it is a big mistake to say it.

When Obama ran his campaign he was so careful in every word he said. Now as President he either doesn't care about the slip-ups (which can come off as arrogant) or he is too busy to notice.

Most people agreed with the message of "change" as compared to George W. Bush. They thought President Bush was dumb, incompetent, reckless, a cowboy, and uneducated. Because of that perception the message of "change" made sense in the context.

The Law of Success which states that success often leads to arrogance, and arrogance to failure. Even though he is under intense pressure he needs to be more careful in his choice of words.

]]> Spend wisely... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/12/08/spend-wisely http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/12/08/spend-wisely Tue, 08 Dec 2009 08:32:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/12/08/spend-wisely
Advertising is a form of communication used to influence individuals to purchase products or services or support political candidates or ideas. Advertising often attempts to [...]]]>
Advertising is a form of communication used to influence individuals to purchase products or services or support political candidates or ideas. Advertising often attempts to persuade potential customers to purchase or to consume a particular brand of product or service.



Every year Interbrand creates a report listing the best global brands. How do they calculate the best global brands? A key component they use in their calculations is revenue. In other words how much money do you make selling your product/service.



When I think of commercials that were creative I think of this Winner Take Steve commercial done by Wexley. The commercial created buzz and was quite unique. But the interesting thing is that it was a commercial for Nike but yet never mentioned Nike. What a waste of money!

It today's over communicated society commercials need to reinforce the position your brand occupies in the mind. If the way to becoming a brand leader is revenue the only way to advertise is to communicate your difference in the ad itself and this includes your brand name.

If you are going to throw your money away you might as well give it to charity.

]]> Be a first minder... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/12/07/be-a-first-minder http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/12/07/be-a-first-minder Mon, 07 Dec 2009 08:41:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/12/07/be-a-first-minder


The Law of the Mind states that it is better to first than it is to be better. Friendster was the first social network in the market but Facebook was first in the mind. So what were the key differences that allowed Facebook to stick in the mind.



Facebook was exclusive to college students. This made the site cool, hip, and the opposite of MySpace. They also chose an extremely sticky name. The site was first called thefacebook.com but once they generated traffic they quickly paid a six figure sum for Facebook.com, an extremely smart move.

The name is two syllables which is great but so was Friendster. A key difference in the name was how the name sounded. What sounds better Facebook or Friendster? I think the answer is clear. Facebook was a name that described the site and the benefits of using it.

If Friendster had chosen a better name for their site and started with college students I don't think the world may know Mark Zuckerberg. We will never know.

Choosing a name for your start-up is one of the most important decisions you will make. The best marketing strategist Al Ries thinks so and so should you.

]]> Comcast and NBC? http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/12/03/comcast-and-nbc http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/12/03/comcast-and-nbc Thu, 03 Dec 2009 10:13:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/12/03/comcast-and-nbc


Unlikely. Anytime you can make an acquisition and increase your market share it is a good thing. Look what the AOL Time Warner merger did for those companies? Billions in losses. Is this a page in the same book. Comcast should be buying up smaller local and regional companies like Cox Communications and others.



NBC is a dying bird. Consumers are flooded with choices on cable television like Fox, CNN, Food Network, TLC, and a host of others. NBC Universal may have Bravo, E Network, USA, but they are weak in comparison to other cable brands. Are they relying on Exercise TV and ScyFy to bring in the big bucks. Soon sports will go way to the NFL Network and others will follow and NBC will be left in the dust.

With most mergers only time will tell but I don't see this making sense for either company.

]]> Brand Tiger... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/12/02/brand-tiger http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/12/02/brand-tiger Wed, 02 Dec 2009 14:36:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/12/02/brand-tiger


The Tiger Brand was almost like Superman. He was heavily involved in charitable works and aligned himself with some of the best brands in the world; Nike, Tag, and Gillette.



What is happening now with Tiger has happened to many brands that think they are invincible and that nothing can do wrong. It is the Law of Unpredictability. Life happens and it is impossible to predict the future. It seems Tiger Woods has run into some kryptonite.

Another brand that ran into kryptonite was jetBlue. Everyone remembers the fiasco and PR nightmare that led to the CEOs resignation.



Your Brand may be on top of the world one day and the next fighting a PR nightmare. The best advice for a brand facing a PR nightmare is to come out and tell the truth, take steps to correct the problem and then go into hiding.

Tiger is doing the right thing by going into hiding even missing his own golf tournament. But he needs to come out and tell the whole truth and end the speculation that will continue if he does not tell the story.

Brand Tiger can be turned around as all Americans love a comeback but first he needs to fix the problem. Always remember that no brand can predict the future with 100% certainty.

]]> Sticking with less than 3... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/12/01/sticking-with-less-than-3 http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/12/01/sticking-with-less-than-3 Tue, 01 Dec 2009 08:08:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/12/01/sticking-with-less-than-3


Choosing a brand name that is more than 3 syllables can be the kiss of death. If a brand name is more than 3 syllables almost always the consumer will give you a nickname.

Federal Express (FedEx)
Coca-cola (Coke)
Hewlett Packard (HP)
Eastman Kodak (Kodak)

It also works with names of people. When someone asks which late show do you like you don't respond with...The David Letterman Show, you say Letterman or Leno or Conan. This is just the way the brain works. Living in Arizona I have seen too many businesses with the word Arizona in their name.

ARIZONA AASTRO ASSOCIATES,
ARIZONA ABLE MOVERS
ARIZONA ABSOLUTE PAINTING
ARIZONA ABSTRACTORS DOCUMENT RESEARCH
ARIZONA ABSTRACT & RESEARCH COMPANY
ARIZONA ACADEMIC DECATHLON ASSOCIATION
ARIZONA ACADEMIES FOR ARTS & SCIENCES
ARIZONA ACADEMY FOR ADVANCEMENT
ARIZONA ACADEMY
ARIZONA ACADEMY OF BEAUTY
ARIZONA ACADEMY OF BEAUTY NORTH
ARIZONA ACADEMY OF CHARM, COMPANY
ARIZONA ACADEMY OF COSMETIC DENTISTRY
ARIZONA ACADEMY OF DEFENSIVE DRIVING
ARIZONA ACADEMY OF DENTAL ASSISTING
ARIZONA ACADEMY OF DOG TRAINING
ARIZONA ACADEMY OF ELECTRICAL TECHNOLOGY
ARIZONA ACADEMY OF FAMILY PHYSICIANS
ARIZONA ACADEMY OF FAMILY PHYSICIANS FOUNDATION
ARIZONA ACADEMY OF GENERAL DENTISTRY
ARIZONA ACADEMY OF HEALTH AND PERFORMANCE
ARIZONA ACADEMY OF HIGHLAND DANCE
ARIZONA ACADEMY OF LEADERSHIP
ARIZONA ACADEMY OF MUSIC AND DANCE
ARIZONA ACADEMY OF OSTEOPATHY

The brand name that comes to mind when I think of Arizona is Arizona Iced Tea.



And even with the moderate success of Arizona Iced Tea it is still a weak and generic brand name. Stick with 3 syllables or less when naming your company and your chances of success are much greater.

]]> Brand Luck... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/11/30/brand-luck http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/11/30/brand-luck Mon, 30 Nov 2009 08:48:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/11/30/brand-luck
Ecclesiastes Chapter 9 verse 11

I have seen something else under the sun:
The race is not to the swift
or the battle to the strong,
nor does food come to the wise
or wealth to the brilliant
or favor to the learned;
but time and chance happen to them all.

In business timing is critical. Founders and CEOs of hugely successful companies become idols people worship. Is their product a result of having the right timing?

There are smart people whose ideas came about at a time when the world was just not ready. But these people tend to be forgotten and we worship the lucky few.

When launching your brand timing is critical.

If Google has been released two or three years later the world would have already had their search engine. If Facebook had waited a couple of years before launching people would already have had a social network. Be sure the market is ready for your idea; timing is everything.

]]> Microwave vs. Crockpot... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/11/25/microwave-vs-crockpot http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/11/25/microwave-vs-crockpot Wed, 25 Nov 2009 07:12:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/11/25/microwave-vs-crockpot


The Law of Perspective states that marketing effects take place over an extended period of time. Management needs to think of their marketing strategy like a crockpot.



An increase in sales is great but what would you rather have short-term sales or long-term market share? Most of the time you have to sacrifice sales in the short-term to increase the market share and the overall success of the brand. Companies take time to get off the ground, stay focused and you can savor the meal at the end of the day.

]]> Losing focus at ESPN... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/11/23/losing-focus-at-espn http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/11/23/losing-focus-at-espn Mon, 23 Nov 2009 07:58:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/11/23/losing-focus-at-espn


Success soon followed and the cable network started to expand...



They soon added the following channels...ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN America, ESPN Classic, ESPN Deportes, ESPNews, ESPN Plus, ESPN on ABC, ESPN (UK). Soon after, cable channels weren't enough they needed a magazine...



Now they want even more. The original ESPN.com site wasn't enough and now ESPN has added the following...







When competition is relatively weak in your category and you have a strong foothold you tend to think you are invincible. But sooner or later your strategic marketing mistakes and line extension will catch up with you.

The same is happening at Google. Bing is starting to chip away at Google's market share because Google has extended their brand to so many things. The Law of Line Extension slowly erodes your brand.

The more powerful your brand and less competitors it will take even longer to dethrone your brand. But in the end, if nothing is done to correct your "Brand Goliath" you will be taken down by the next David.

]]> Sale vs. Rollback..... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/11/19/sale-vs-rollback http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/11/19/sale-vs-rollback Thu, 19 Nov 2009 07:59:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/11/19/sale-vs-rollback
When I think about rollback it makes me think, "maybe they have become more efficient, cut a better deal with the manufacturer." It doesn't make me think the regular price is too high.

Contrast the word rollback to sale used at other stores.



Kohl's is always having a sale. Do they really think consumers are that naive when they say, "This Wednesday ONLY save an additional 20%"? The Kohl's sale may be great until next week when they have a similar sale. Kohl's having sales every week tells me one thing...the regular prices are too high.



Instead Kohl's should reduce the regular prices and when they do choose to have an end of the year sale or inventory clearance they should adopt a word similar to rollback at Walmart.

This would relive the pressure on Kohl's to constantly advertise their sales and instead would leave money to reinforce the brand of Kohl's.

Think how much money Kohl's could save if they didn't have to run sales ads all the time. Once a company begins discounting it's like a drug, people will only shop when there are sales.

]]> Out of Bagels... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/11/18/out-of-bagels http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/11/18/out-of-bagels Wed, 18 Nov 2009 07:44:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/11/18/out-of-bagels


Just like the logo I was looking for my blueberry bagel but couldn't find it. My second choice was cranberry. Guess what? They were all out of those as well. I simply wanted a bagel, is that too much to ask from a bagel shop?



Einstein Bros. recently updated their menu and added grilled sandwiches, signature sandwiches, wraps, salads, soups, and meals for my dog. But I simply wanted a blueberry bagel. Now I could have ordered a jalapeño bagel (which they had quite a few of) but that just didn't sound good.



In tough times retailers are adding items to their menu when they should be eliminating. Einstein Bros. should be focused on bagels. The problem with having 30-40 items on your menu is you tend to run out of the popular items...blueberry bagels. My suggestion to Einstein Bros. would be the following...

1) Eliminate all items from the menu that is not a bagel or coffee.

2) Focus on the top 7-10 bagels (by doing this you reduce the chances or running out of the most popular)

3) Reduce the price of a bagel and cream cheese (more people will visit the store more often and you will make more money :).

4) Increase speed (more people will visit the store if the line moves quickly)

Sometimes less really is more. Hopefully next time I visit they will have my blueberry bagel.

]]> Ad Age Marketer of the year...Hyundai?? http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/11/17/ad-age-marketer-of-the-yearhyundai http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/11/17/ad-age-marketer-of-the-yearhyundai Tue, 17 Nov 2009 19:41:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/11/17/ad-age-marketer-of-the-yearhyundai


I wonder if the readers of Ad Age ever read the articles by Al Ries (the world's foremost marketer). Surely he would agree with me on this one. Here is a quote from the article..." In April, the marketer dropped Goodby and moved its national creative account, including digital, without a review, to Innocean Worldwide Americas, a subsidiary of Korean parent's Hyundai Motor Group. Innocean also provides media oversight, promotion and events planning for both Hyundai and affiliate Kia Motors America. Jim Sanfilippo, exec VP and CEO of Innocean's Irvine, Calif., office, said Goodby was "a tough act to follow." After reviewing all the metrics, which Innocean had as media coordinator, Innocean opted to stick with the "Think About It" theme."

"We love the brand voice that Joel [Ewanick] has achieved, and that's rare in automotive these days," said Mr. Sanfilippo. Hyundai is "no longer an alternative, we're a rival."

Think About It?? The brand of Hyundai is cheap and the bad economy is to thank for the increase in sales not Think About It.

]]> A better ball... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/11/16/a-better-ball http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/11/16/a-better-ball Mon, 16 Nov 2009 07:56:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/11/16/a-better-ball


Now they are after the entire market of players with the same brand. A classic mistake in line extension. Another company heading along the same path is Scratch Golf. Initially they made beautiful custom wedges, now they are getting into irons and then I am sure drivers, then golf balls. The Law of Line Extension is the most violated law in marketing. The law is fueled by greed and ego. Scratch Golf has a pint size share of wedges so why go after irons? It makes no sense.





]]> i live. i ride. i am....confused. http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/11/13/i-live-i-ride-i-amconfused http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/11/13/i-live-i-ride-i-amconfused Fri, 13 Nov 2009 06:55:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/11/13/i-live-i-ride-i-amconfused


Jeep must have had numerous meetings and opinions from senior management before choosing this slogan. I can picture it now...the top executives sitting at the conference table and one of them says, "I've got it, the perfect slogan...I live. I ride. I am, Jeep" And they all cheer and give high fives around the room.



Will this slogan have any impact on the Jeep brand? Not a positive one. Why? The slogan is meaningless. It is a platitude that does nothing to differentiate the Jeep brand. Jeep pioneered the "off-road" vehicle category.



Jeep currently has the following models...Jeep Commander, Jeep Compass, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Jeep Liberty, Jeep Patriot, Jeep Wrangler, and my favorite...the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited. What should Jeep do?

Eliminate all these unnecessary models and focus on the popular Wrangler.

Jeep should narrow the focus and get back to basics which is exactly what Dodge had done with it's trucks. They have dropped the Dodge name and the trucks are being advertised as Ram. Is this too little too late? Maybe...only time will tell.



]]> Oprah vs. Ellen... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/11/10/oprah-vs-ellen http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/11/10/oprah-vs-ellen Tue, 10 Nov 2009 07:09:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/11/10/oprah-vs-ellen


The Law of the Opposite states that if you're shooting for second place, your strategy is determined by the leader. Ellen and Oprah are both after the stay at home mom. Most of Oprah's shows are serious, educational, and informative. So what has Ellen done to be a strong number 2?





Her shows are the complete opposite. Her show is fun, spontaneous, and light hearted. She begins her show by dancing.

If you are looking to be a strong number 2 in anything look to the leader and be the opposite.

]]> Coffee with your Sub? http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/11/09/coffee-with-your-sub http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/11/09/coffee-with-your-sub Mon, 09 Nov 2009 08:19:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/11/09/coffee-with-your-sub


Does anyone want a cup of coffee with their sub? I sure don't. I know what you're saying... "they will sell breakfast sandwiches." One thing hurting Subway and breakfast is the fact that they don't have drive-thrus. Even restaurants with drive-thrus struggle for breakfast so why would Subway think they can do it..the Law of Success. Fred Deluca and Subway have done countless things right when it comes to marketing but this is not one of them.

]]> Best for mobile, worst for phone... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/11/06/best-for-mobile-worst-for-phone http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/11/06/best-for-mobile-worst-for-phone Fri, 06 Nov 2009 07:21:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/11/06/best-for-mobile-worst-for-phone article from a prominent blogger stating that the iPhone is the world's worst phone but the best handheld computer.



I predict in the future the iPhone will change its name and no longer have a phone feature. The i____ will be known as a mobile device and convergence will die with the iPhone. There may be applications that receive forwarded messages from your cell phone but you won't make calls using the device.

Think about it, most people will want to browse the mobile net while talking on the phone.
Most users hate the phone on the iPhone, ironic isn't it?

The future of the mobile internet is beginning and we will likely carry around a separate device to make phone calls.

]]> No Names... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/11/05/no-names http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/11/05/no-names Thu, 05 Nov 2009 07:58:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/11/05/no-names
Options when naming your company from the past....

Should we name our company X or [...]]]>
Options when naming your company from the past....

Should we name our company X or Y....

Google or GreatSearch.com
Facebook or SocialNetwork.com
Walmart or Brands4Less
Costco or Wholesale Warehouse
Mint.com or MoneyManagement.com
LendingTree or OnlineLoans.com

You get the point. Generics never stick in the mind and do nothing to create a brand or category.





Where do you buy books online? Cheapbooks.com or amazon.com

]]> Before the Jet... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/11/03/before-the-jet http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/11/03/before-the-jet Tue, 03 Nov 2009 09:17:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/11/03/before-the-jet


Look at what companies did before they bought the private jets not after. Let's look at the example of LendingTree. Here is a snapshot of their website before and during their success...



The premise of the site was simple, by filling out an online application form banks will send you a quote for your business. The idea is that banks competing for your business will offer you the best rates. They were the first company to create the category for "online loans."

This was the success before the jets, a focused company. Then the fleet of jets arrived and let's look at what they have done since.









Now you have the all new LendingTree, DegreeTree, InsuranceTree, and Tree.com. See conventional wisdom thinking says we have had great success with LendingTree let's create extensions of the tree and get a bigger piece of the pie.

But history goes against conventional wisdom.Look back just 10 years with the yellow page companies. They thought with the Internet we can just extend our brand because people trust the yellow pages. What was a bigger success YellowPages.com, Dexknows.com or Google? I think we all know how that turned out.

To become successful in business look at what companies did before the jets.

]]> Failing Franchises... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/11/02/failing-franchises http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/11/02/failing-franchises Mon, 02 Nov 2009 07:45:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/11/02/failing-franchises


Here is a list of the top failing franchises of last year. Do any of these franchises own a word in the mind?

1. Noble Roman's Pizza
2. PJ's Coffee and Tea Café
3. Super Suppers
4. Figaro's Italian Pizza
5. New York NY Fresh Deli
6. Amazon Café
7. Simple Simon's Pizza
8. Snip-Its
9. U Build It
10. Bellacino's Pizza
11. Blockbuster Video
12. Pizza Factory
13. Pro Golf
14. Conoco Service Station
15. Keva Juice

Blockbuster is the only franchise that owns a word in the mind, "video rentals." Unfortunately the business model for retail video rentals is dying. All of the other brands on this list and none own a word in the mind. Most have generic names and mean nothing in the mind. Finding a new hot franchise can make you rich but make sure you choose one with a brand made for the mind.

]]> Sonic Speed... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/10/30/sonic-speed http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/10/30/sonic-speed Fri, 30 Oct 2009 08:44:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/10/30/sonic-speed


The early strategy at Sonic can been seen in their logo and slogan, "service with the speed of sound." The chain focused on one word "speed." Most drive-in burger restaurants were extremely slow. The speed of Sonic allowed them to separate themselves in a crowded drive-in market. The name Sonic also suggest speed and reinforces their positioning.

The key to great marketing is owning a word in the mind "speed" and naming your brand to reinforce your position "Sonic".

]]> Microsoft and retail... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/10/28/microsoft-and-retail http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/10/28/microsoft-and-retail Wed, 28 Oct 2009 09:42:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/10/28/microsoft-and-retail


This seems like a counter move (albeit very late) to the Apple stores. The main difference is that Apple products are hard to find and most retail chains don't sell the product. Microsoft sells it's software everywhere.

Why would they now create a store that competes against other retail partners selling its software? If this was a store to simply learn more about Microsoft products and inform the customer of new technology as opposed to selling software it would have been a better idea.

]]> University Sports... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/10/27/university-sports http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/10/27/university-sports Tue, 27 Oct 2009 07:24:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/10/27/university-sports


Basketball right?




Baseball.




Of coarse basketball, what other sports is Duke known for, surely not football.




Football. Yes they did have a brief stint with the Fab 5 in basketball but they are a football school. So if you are a coach and want success to come a little easier, find a school that is known for a specific sport. Hopefully the sport you coach.

]]> What is Wendy's? http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/10/26/what-is-wendys http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/10/26/what-is-wendys Mon, 26 Oct 2009 07:01:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/10/26/what-is-wendys


I like the commercial but don't like the slogan. McDonald's biggest strength is duplicity. Every hamburger at every McDonald's is the same. To accomplish this they need to freeze the meat. It saves money and is a reason the burgers can be sold for a dollar and McDonald's can still make money.

Wendy's is known as "old fashioned" hamburgers. Traits of being old fashioned are freshness and quality. In this commercial they stress the never frozen meat and fresh bacon. But then they lose it with the slogan. A good test for a slogan is does the opposite make sense.

As a politician would you want to say, "I am the candidate with integrity?" Well the opposite is that the other candidate doesn't have integrity, that doesn't make sense. Obama's slogan of change made sense. The opposite of change is the same, McCain has been in Washington for over 20 years. The opposite made sense.

If your looking for an effective slogan see if the opposite makes sense in the mind.

]]> Monster Mistake... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/10/22/monster-mistake http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/10/22/monster-mistake Thu, 22 Oct 2009 08:55:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/10/22/monster-mistake


There is nothing smart about line extensions. Line extensions are the biggest brand killers. Line extensions will almost always boost short term sales but kill long term brand success. Monster should lose the Monster Mixxd, Monster M-80, and Monster Khaos.

The other top energy drink maker, Red Bull, is making cola??? I am confused.



Most companies extend their brand because of the pressure placed on them by Wall St. to meet or beat earnings expectations. When you see a brand start to extend, invest in the stock as sales increase, then sell before the stock hits the fan.

Focus your brand and long term success can be yours.

]]> The Nook has arrived... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/10/21/the-nook-has-arrived http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/10/21/the-nook-has-arrived Wed, 21 Oct 2009 10:19:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/10/21/the-nook-has-arrived


There are some key ingredients to naming your new brand. First, the name should be short and easy to pronounce. Most companies introduce long names that can't be pronounced. If a brand name needs to be explained just to be pronounced it is time to find a new name. The Nook is definitely a short name.

Nook reminds people of "nookie." Or finding a "nook" to go read, maybe. But one is still confused.

The pot of gold for naming your brand is to tie the name to a feature benefit of the product not a function.

Amazon.com- the amazon river is the largest river in the world and amazon.com is the largest online book seller.
Googol is a very large number, hence the play on words with the word with Google. The more sites indexed by Google the better the search results.
Curves- a great benefit for moms looking to work out and are intimidated by the gym.

Finding your products key benefit is the key to naming your brand if you want it to stick in the mind of the consumer.

]]> Musical Focus... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/10/20/musical-focus http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/10/20/musical-focus Tue, 20 Oct 2009 08:33:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/10/20/musical-focus








Dave Matthews focused on the guitar, Michael W. Smith focused on the piano, Michael Jackson focused on dancing, Bono focused on the microphone. Finding your focus is only the beginning to becoming a musical star but it is essential. Playing multiple instruments may get you a gig with this guy...



]]> The Law of the Opposite... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/10/19/the-law-of-the-opposite http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/10/19/the-law-of-the-opposite Mon, 19 Oct 2009 07:54:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/10/19/the-law-of-the-opposite DroidDoes.com) attacks the iPhone with screens of iDont's. [...]]]> DroidDoes.com) attacks the iPhone with screens of iDont's.



It goes on to point out that everything the iPhone doesn't do the Droid Phone (using the Google operating system Android) does. Hi-speed, hi-res, 5 megapixel, multitasking, the network and more.



Attacking the iPhone for what it can't do or lacks is a great move. But they should be attacking one item that is their greatest weakness. A weakness that can be found in their strength. Similar to what Pepsi did with Coke. Coke was the real thing, the classic cola. Pepsi created the Pepsi generation attacking the classic (old) cola. And it worked.



The principles behind a great strategy may seem simple but finding the right strategy to use is extremely difficult.

]]> The Book Battle... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/10/16/the-book-battle http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/10/16/the-book-battle Fri, 16 Oct 2009 20:27:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/10/16/the-book-battle


Walmart stands for low prices (cheap) in the "retail" industry. They should have launched a second brand online. Battling on price is a losing proposition for both companies. Remember Barns & Noble wasn't an online success amazon.com was. Most companies are hesitant to launch new brands even though history suggests they should.

]]> The Law of Exclusivity... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/10/15/the-law-of-exclusivity http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/10/15/the-law-of-exclusivity Thu, 15 Oct 2009 08:56:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/10/15/the-law-of-exclusivity


Here is a nice response from Nescafe...



Choose your word and category carefully. If you want to go after the high end market that is great. If you want to appeal to the cheaper crowd in the low end, fine. But know that you can't go after both and have any hope for success.

The Law of Success states that success often leads to arrogance , and arrogance to failure. Starbucks is attempting to go after the low end coffee market that has been dominated by others for decades, big mistake. Starbucks should focus on temporarily reducing their price until the economy turns around.

Owning a word is hard enough, owning two words is impossible.

]]> Krispy Kreme Comback... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/10/14/krispy-kreme-comback http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/10/14/krispy-kreme-comback Wed, 14 Oct 2009 08:19:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/10/14/krispy-kreme-comback


A few reasons. First they got rid of corrupt management that was bleeding the company of money. But from a marketing standpoint what is different? What word does Krispy Kreme own in the mind of the consumer? Hint: the visual is below...





Krispy Kreme owns the word "fresh". They are known for the rows of glazed doughnuts fried and dipped right in front of your eyes. Years ago they expanded so quickly that they were selling the doughnuts in grocery stores and other venues that took away from the word "fresh" in the mind. It never made sense for Krispy Kreme doughnuts to be in grocery stores, it undermined the word they owned and hurt franchises morale.

Focused companies that are successful choose one main distribution point. Starbucks made a big mistake when they started selling their beans in grocery store. Short term sales went up but the long term brand suffered. Now Starbucks is scrambling to refocus the brand. If you have a retail store it is paramount to stay away from grocery stores. It would be like Mission tortilla chips having a free standing location and making their chips fresh on-site and then expecting people to go buy the chips from the grocery store, it doesn't make sense. People would think "Are these chips just as good as the chips in their own store." But that is exactly what Krispy Kreme did.

Great brands can be brought back from life support but only by refocusing.

]]> Creativity vs ROI... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/10/13/creativity-vs-roi http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/10/13/creativity-vs-roi Tue, 13 Oct 2009 08:17:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/10/13/creativity-vs-roi


Let's look at the numbers..the New York-based financial firm lost $143.2 million, or 22 cents per share, during the second quarter. It also increased its provision for loan losses to $404.5 million from $319 million during the same quarter last year. It doesn't seem the cute commercials have done much for business.

In a recent interview the CMO of E*TRADE Nick Utton said they don't care how much buzz they get as they are more focused on the return on investment. This is the exact opposite of what is happening in the market. The babies are getting a lot of buzz and very little ROI. Babies selling diapers or wipes might work but an online financial service? I don't think so.

]]> The ever shrinking Kudos... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/10/09/the-ever-shrinking-kudos http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/10/09/the-ever-shrinking-kudos Fri, 09 Oct 2009 09:59:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/10/09/the-ever-shrinking-kudos


Then things changed. The bars kept getting smaller and smaller and eventually, I am not joking, the bars were half the size of the original bar. I know companies create a product and over time the package shrinks and the bars/product become smaller and I am fine with it.

But Kudos went too far, over just a few short years the bars were so small they were unrecognizable. My money has never bought a Kudos bar to this day, maybe this is out of spite but at some point I have to take a stand. I am sure many people did the same. Consumers will understand a 10-20% reduction in size but 40-50%, never.

Sometimes good marketing is plain old common sense.

]]> Momentum slowing at Hyundai... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/10/08/momentum-slowing-at-hyundai http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/10/08/momentum-slowing-at-hyundai Thu, 08 Oct 2009 08:28:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/10/08/momentum-slowing-at-hyundai www.hyundaimomentum.com. In commercials they are promoting the website as an archive to the numerous things people are saying about the company. [...]]]> www.hyundaimomentum.com. In commercials they are promoting the website as an archive to the numerous things people are saying about the company.



What matters most in not what people are saying but what is in the mind of the consumer. Hyundai does own a word and a powerful word; cheap. Promoting anything other than that word is a mistake. Creating a website highlighting all the rave reviews will not penetrate the mind. The best product doesn't mean anything if that product is perceived as cheap. Look at an early ad from Hyundai...



Under $6000 for a new car, not bad. A far cry from the Hyundai Genesis...



The price tag for the Hyundai Genesis is over $40,000. Not very cheap anymore.



The best companies in the world own a word, even a word like cheap. Look what cheap has done for Walmart. Hyundai should stick with cheap cars, in today's economy cheap isn't bad.

]]> It's the network... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/10/07/its-the-network http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/10/07/its-the-network Wed, 07 Oct 2009 09:29:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/10/07/its-the-network


It seems that all carriers want to claim the best coverage. While AT&T may have the best coverage worldwide their coverage in the US is very weak. This is a great commercial showing the market leadership of Verizon in the U.S. but I would like to see the ads clearly state that they are #1 in America...The Law of Leadership.



AT&T is known as the best overall coverage "worldwide." This is probably the only reason they have an exclusive contract with the iPhone. Verizon needs to focus on America and reinstate the leadership position with "#1 Coverage in America" or "America’s #1 Wireless Company"



The "network" is a word that just doesn't stick as well. If the slogan was "America's #1 Wireless Company" People would assume that if you are #1 then you must have the best network. But simply stating "It's the network" is not the same. It doesn't stick in the mind.

]]> Google overpaid by $1 Billion...maybe http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/10/06/google-overpaid-by-1-billionmaybe http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/10/06/google-overpaid-by-1-billionmaybe Tue, 06 Oct 2009 20:20:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/10/06/google-overpaid-by-1-billionmaybe


Clearly they overpaid right? Maybe not. When you can buy a brand that is a clear leader as YouTube was and is in "online videos" the future value is never known. Could they have bought YouTube for less? Probably but the true value in the long run is unknown.

Google is facing harsh criticism now for overpaying but the value could be there. YouTube is increasing its revenue each year and the brand is cemented in the mind. In branding once you are in the mind it is almost impossible to change which is exactly why number one brands usually stay there.

Only time will tell if YouTube can generate the revenue to justify the value but the brand is a clear winner in the mind. My guess is that the YouTube purchase will be looked at as a smart move even at $1.65 billion.

]]> The problem with price... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/10/05/the-problem-with-price http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/10/05/the-problem-with-price Mon, 05 Oct 2009 09:47:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/10/05/the-problem-with-price


When all you do is compete on price there is the danger of commoditization the industry, which is where the insurance industry is headed. The only company that has recently added value in advertising/strategy was All State. Then they killed the campaign which was very effective. The ad showed a kid in the courtroom with his family. The insurance company didn't cover what would be required to pay off the judgment and this left him and his family stuck with a huge bill.

Is this campaign enough to own a word and generate long-term success? No, but it was a good start. Patience in marketing can make the difference in long-term success or commoditization. More insurance companies should try and find their point of difference instead of competing on price.

]]> America's toughest Sheriff... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/10/02/americas-toughest-sheriff http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/10/02/americas-toughest-sheriff Fri, 02 Oct 2009 08:00:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/10/02/americas-toughest-sheriff


You stand for something in the mind. Joe Arpaio is known as America's toughest Sheriff. He is constantly criticized in the media almost weekly. But Sheriff Joe doesn't back down. He is in the media and stands by what his actions; following and enforcing the laws of this country.

He has succeeded and in the last election received 70% of the vote. Now the media is attacking Sarah Palin. What should she be doing? She should be on the offense. A good defense is a strong offense. More conservative politicians should take the strategy of Sheriff Joe. Don't back down. If George W. Bush had been on the offensive instead of playing defense all the time and defending himself he would have been more popular.

Saddam Hussein killed tens of thousands while in power. Even though the WMD's were never found the president took out an evil man in the world. If he had played this strategy often, things might have been different. Politicians, especially conservative ones, need to be ready for the fight and need to battle every day. If they do they may be as successful as Sheriff Joe.

]]> The end of Saturn... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/10/01/the-end-of-saturn http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/10/01/the-end-of-saturn Thu, 01 Oct 2009 08:35:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/10/01/the-end-of-saturn


Saturn was a strong new brand entering the marketplace in 1985. Saturns early success gave way to the Law of Line Extension. Through 2000-08 Saturn extended the brand with the Saturn S-Series, Saturn Outlook, Saturn Vue, Saturn L-Series, Saturn Sky, Saturn Aura, and Saturn Ion.

A Saturn was no longer a Saturn. The Law of Line Extension is usually preceded by the Law of Success. When a company becomes successful they think they can do just about anything and succeed, which is why line extension is so popular. Pride cometh before the fall.

]]> Starbucks = Instant ??? http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/09/30/starbucks-instant http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/09/30/starbucks-instant Wed, 30 Sep 2009 08:00:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/09/30/starbucks-instant


Starbucks in the mind means expensive coffee. Could we see the Law of Success coming...





Folgers is instant coffee. There is nothing Starbucks can do to connect with consumers the relationship between instant and expensive. Instant by nature is seen as cheap. In essence Starbucks is trying to create a cheap expensive coffee?

I am confused. What I do like from Starbucks is the Clover.



The Clover is a high-end single cup brewer that is essentially a commercial fresh press; the best way to enjoy coffee. I have tried a cup of coffee from the Clover and it is very good. Starbucks made a wise choice in buying Clover; where coffee houses were selling cups of coffee for up to $9. Truly a high-end machine and a much better move for Starbucks.

]]> Another Google ________ http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/09/29/another-google-________ http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/09/29/another-google-________ Tue, 29 Sep 2009 08:35:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/09/29/another-google-________


they continue to line extend the Google name. Line extension is one of the most basic marketing laws and yet Google(with the smartest minds in the world) makes this mistake over and over again. You would think that Google would look at the past as evidence. Google Video was a flop compared to YouTube; clear evidence from the past that it is better to create new brands.

Sure the Google name receives press and lots of it but the line extended products never make an impact. New categories = new names. Marketing effects take place over a long period of time. As time passes the Google name will be less effective. Bing is now focused and taking away market share, this is not the time for Google to waver.



]]> Pick One Brand... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/09/28/pick-one-brand http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/09/28/pick-one-brand Mon, 28 Sep 2009 07:57:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/09/28/pick-one-brand




Neither of these brands is very strong. Kohl's, on the other hand, is a much stronger brand. And remember Kohl's has one brand and all the marketing money and effort goes to that brand. T.J. Maxx and Marshalls have to share the money and the commercial. Quite silly. It's like someone dating two women and he can't decide which one he likes better. Sooner or later both will be gone if he doesn't make a decision. Pick one brand and stick with it.

]]> Toyota's new advertising campaign... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/09/24/toyotas-new-advertising-campaign http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/09/24/toyotas-new-advertising-campaign Thu, 24 Sep 2009 07:57:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/09/24/toyotas-new-advertising-campaign
Then I found out that the campaign is not just reliability it is MORE. Here is an excerpt from Toyota's website about [...]]]>
I was really excited when I saw this new TV commercial for Toyota highlighting the key word they own in the mind; reliability. Moving forward was such a waste of money I am glad to see them moving in the right direction.

Then I found out that the campaign is not just reliability it is MORE. Here is an excerpt from Toyota's website about the campaign....

The result is a playful campaign that gives relevance to how Toyota is “Moving Forward” with the customer in mind. The six campaign themes, which reflect Toyota’s core values, are:

Dependability – “Toyota is rated the highest in dependability among all automakers.
Quality – “Toyota has won more Total Quality Awards™ than any other automaker.
Reliability – “80% of Toyotas sold in the last 20 years are still on the road today.
Efficiency – “Toyota is the most fuel-efficient full-line automaker today.
Safety – “No other automaker has won more Top Safety Pick Awards than Toyota.
Innovation – “Toyota has more hybrids on the road than all other automakers combined.

Volvo owns safety and Toyota owns reliability. Core values mean nothing to the consumer, owning a word means everything. Owning a word in the mind is very difficult. It takes time, money, and commitment. Toyota should drop the other 5 words and stick with the one they already own.



]]> One bold move... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/09/23/one-bold-move http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/09/23/one-bold-move Wed, 23 Sep 2009 08:07:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/09/23/one-bold-move


Mark Zuckerberg made a bold move while a student at Harvard. He could has easily have started a copycat MySpace site. But he chose to be different. He saw a need to create a social site for college students. When launched you needed a .edu email address to belong. In creating Facebook his hope was that once college students used the site they would continue into their adult lives. His hope paid off and now the site has over 300 million users.

A similar site that launched a full two years before Facebook was Friendster. One problem was that Friendster was open to anyone. It was not exclusive to college students only like Facebook. Also I will add the brilliance of the name. Who wants to use a site called Friendster? Not me. The Facebook name resonates with college students and is a name that works for young adults as well.

One bold move can make the difference in your start-up; choose wisely.

]]> What is your visual? http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/09/22/what-is-your-visual http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/09/22/what-is-your-visual Tue, 22 Sep 2009 08:05:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/09/22/what-is-your-visual


The curves of the bottle is the memorable visual for Coke.




The small 8.3 oz can for Red Bull.




Mickey Mouse made Disney famous and he still is the great visual for the company.




The golden arches for McDonalds.




The bird for Twitter.




The Cowboy for Marlboro.


A great visual for your brand doesn't have to change. The cowboy for Marlboro has been around since 1954. To help your company and brand stick in the mind you need to incorporate a visual. A great visual is simple and reinforces your brand. But beware they are hard to find.

]]> Most slogans are meaningless... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/09/21/most-slogans-are-meaningless http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/09/21/most-slogans-are-meaningless Mon, 21 Sep 2009 08:14:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/09/21/most-slogans-are-meaningless


If I want a great deal (cheap prices) I will go to Walmart. The new slogan does nothing to differentiate itself from other grocery stores. This new slogan has replaced some past slogans that were just as bad...

Great things are just around the corner
It's your store
Crazy about food

Here are some other grocery store slogans that do little to help the company and brand...





Most slogans are empty platitudes that do nothing to promote your brand. If you want your slogan to have an impact make sure it communicates your difference in a simple but memorable way.

]]> Volvo has always meant safety to me... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/09/18/volvo-has-always-meant-safety-to-me http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/09/18/volvo-has-always-meant-safety-to-me Fri, 18 Sep 2009 07:58:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/09/18/volvo-has-always-meant-safety-to-me


When your company is able to penetrate the market with your key difference the message will carry across generations. My orange Volvo was a hand me down from my mom. My parents bought the car because me and my brother were younger and safety was the most important trait at the time. One of the key reasons Volvo was able to penetrate the mind with safety was the invention of the three-point safety belt...



I would constantly remind my friends that my Volvo was the safest car on the road. It was a runnning joke. I called it the tank. This message of safety was passed along from my parents. Own your word and find a focus; an invention may help you as well.

My brother kept driving the Volvo for a few years and after saving money working in the summer I bought a reliable Japanese car (my parents objected to my choice; the Ford Bronco, not safe or reliable I guess).

]]> Be first in the mind... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/09/17/be-first-in-the-mind http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/09/17/be-first-in-the-mind Thu, 17 Sep 2009 09:18:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/09/17/be-first-in-the-mind
It takes money to get into the mind of consumers. The best way to build your brand is through PR. PR has the [...]]]>
It takes money to get into the mind of consumers. The best way to build your brand is through PR. PR has the credibility that advertising doesn't. Recent successful brands had tons of publicity; YouTube, Twitter, and facebook.



Great brands are first in the mind of the consumer. When a consumers mind is made up it is almost impossible to change. That is why companies that establish new categories and brands tend to stay number one. Coke, Hertz, Google are all still #1 in their category.

Be first in the mind and success will follow.

]]> Creating a "lifestyle" brand... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/09/16/creating-a-lifestyle-brand http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/09/16/creating-a-lifestyle-brand Wed, 16 Sep 2009 08:22:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/09/16/creating-a-lifestyle-brand


This is a big mistake. The jean company has smaller than a 1% share of the upscale jean market and wants to create a lifestyle brand. I am not even sure what this means except more items in their collections. In a recent article Justin Timberlake said, "if you want something to stick around, it's going to take a while." I couldn't agree more.

But first he needs to dominate the category. He can do this with a focus. He needs to focus on one channel of distribution. He started selling in upscale stores but now wants to have boutiques, 40 to be exact in the next few years. If he continues down this path it will only be a matter of time before the brand is no longer around.

No celebrity can have a successful brand with a lack of focus.

]]> May the best car win! http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/09/15/may-the-best-car-win http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/09/15/may-the-best-car-win Tue, 15 Sep 2009 07:44:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/09/15/may-the-best-car-win


So what's the problem with this commercial? GM has the best cars and the best cars win right? Wrong. In marketing the best products don't win, the products perceived to be the best win. Japanese cars are perceived as a superior car. Whether or not they are, it doesn't matter.

The best products as voted/tested in Consumer Reports are usually the worst sellers. Why? They are testing the product, not the mind of the consumer. So if you want your product to win, go ahead and be the best (it is a noble pursuit) but make sure you are perceived as the best and that is done by positioning.



]]> Selecting your color... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/09/14/selecting-your-color http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/09/14/selecting-your-color Mon, 14 Sep 2009 08:12:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/09/14/selecting-your-color


You want to have a color that is significantly different from the competition. The goal is to separate yourself enough that when the consumer is making their decision they see your brand as a clear option.



Lowe's and The Home Depot is another great example of different colors. No consumer would be confused when deciding between these two companies. In retail stores Walmart's color is blue and Target's color is red. So what is Kmart's color?



Blue and red? They are stuck in the middle, not a great place to be. There are exceptions but to help stop the confusion your brand should do what it can to stand out and that usually requires choosing a color different from the competition.

]]> Names of web 2.0 and beyond... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/09/11/names-of-web-20-and-beyond http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/09/11/names-of-web-20-and-beyond Fri, 11 Sep 2009 08:03:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/09/11/names-of-web-20-and-beyond


When naming a new product/service the name should choose a name that conveys the key benefits of the product or service. Or have a name that clear describes what it does without being generic. Some good examples are names are Google, Facebook, Yahoo, Twitter, and Skype.

Most start-ups created a name that can't even be pronounced. Some examples are Egorrss and Sxip. I have no idea what these companies do and with the name they chose I never will. Companies should never underestimate the power of the company name. It could make the difference in success and failure.

]]> Extending Walmart... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/09/10/extending-walmart http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/09/10/extending-walmart Thu, 10 Sep 2009 07:00:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/09/10/extending-walmart


With the addition of food in Walmart they have already taken out many of the grocery stores here in the Phoenix area. Bashas', Arizona's local grocery store, filed bankruptcy recently and more will soon fall.

Will the Neighborhood Market concept be successful? Not with the Walmart name on the outside. But wait this goes against conventional thinking? Walmart is a great brand and should extend the name to other concepts. There is nothing conventional about a great marketing strategy.

The Law of Line Extension just doesn't work. All is does is take away business from the main brand. If Walmart wants to get a bigger piece of the grocery store market they should create a new brand name like Tesco did. Tesco created a new brand; Fresh & Easy.



If you want your business to take advantage of a new category you need a new brand name. My bet is on Fresh & Easy and so should yours.

]]> The power of Twitter's name... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/09/09/the-power-of-twitters-name http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/09/09/the-power-of-twitters-name Wed, 09 Sep 2009 08:27:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/09/09/the-power-of-twitters-name


For those who don't know Twitter is actually a real word. Twitter means: to utter a succession of small, tremulous sounds, as a bird. The definition itself describes the service. The name is easy to remember, easy to say, and describes the service/benefit. Twitter also chose a color that no big online brand owned. Twitter has done a great job naming and branding the service.

Let's look at another company that is gaining traction in "enterprise microblogging" Yammer.



Yes, Yammer is a real word as well, it means to whine or complain. I think Yammer has missed a huge opportunity to cement their brand in the mind by having a bad name. They should be gaining huge traction from Twitter alone and yet no one is talking about Yammer. They also decided to choose the same color as Twitter, a big mistake. If you are the Twitter for the business world why not have a name that sounds more professional. Who wants to hear their co-workers whine and complain? Will Yammer be successful? Probably. Could they have been much more successful with a great name and capitalized on the popularity of Twitter? Yes.

]]> Not your Grandfather's Buick, not in America. http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/09/08/not-your-grandfathers-buick-not-in-america http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/09/08/not-your-grandfathers-buick-not-in-america Tue, 08 Sep 2009 08:19:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/09/08/not-your-grandfathers-buick-not-in-america


This is a case in point that once minds are made up it is almost impossible to change. Does Buick have any chance at changing their image in America? Absolutely not. The brand is cemented in the mind for the old and retired not the young and wealthy. Take Mercedes-Benz, in America they stand for prestige but what do they stand for in other countries?



I don't know what they stand for but it can't be much if they are used for taxi cabs. Very few automobile brands own the same word around the globe. Buick is smart entering the Chinese market and if I were them I would focus most of my resources there because in the U.S. they don't stand a chance. If you can't own a word in the mind in America search the globe and you may find your answer,

]]> The attack of the Big Carl... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/09/04/the-attack-of-the-big-carl http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/09/04/the-attack-of-the-big-carl Fri, 04 Sep 2009 08:13:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/09/04/the-attack-of-the-big-carl


So if you are McDonald's what do you do if you are attacked? Nothing. That's right McDonald's should not even acknowledge Carl's Jr. Carl's Jr. has a measly 3,100 restaurants, compared to McDonald's with over 25,000.

McDonald's representative Danya Proud said, "Our business continues to be strong. We're very flattered that so many people are paying so much attention to what McDonald's is doing."

This is a great response from the leader. McDonald's is the place for kids and adults with kids. Carl's Jr. is a place for teenagers and young adults. This should have been the strategy of Burger King long ago (Al Ries and Jack Trout). Carl's Jr. is doing a good job of being the burger for the 12-25 year olds. Once they get older let them take their kids to McDonald's.

Find your focus; the burger field has room for a few big winners.

]]> In the beginning... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/09/03/in-the-beginning http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/09/03/in-the-beginning Thu, 03 Sep 2009 08:00:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/09/03/in-the-beginning




Then Yahoo slowly started to change into a portal....



Now we can see what the two companies have evolved into. Google has kept the simple design and focused on the word search and Yahoo has become the king of portal.





If Yahoo had stayed with the original homepage and focused on seach the world might be a diffreent place. It is easy to get off track and try and be all things to all people. Search has made Google billions while Yahoo is trying to stay afloat. The portal word itself suggests more and more. Find your word and focus and you could be the next Google.

]]> The Separation of Skype... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/09/02/the-separation-of-skype http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/09/02/the-separation-of-skype Wed, 02 Sep 2009 08:35:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/09/02/the-separation-of-skype
This acquisition never made any sense, unless eBay thought this service might [...]]]>
On Tuesday eBay sold its controlling interest in Skype for about $2 billion to a private equity group. This is a very smart decision. Skype is a great business but a great stand alone business. What do online auctions have to do with VoIP services anyway?

This acquisition never made any sense, unless eBay thought this service might fit into the overall model of online auctions. Does anyone have the desire to see the person you are dealing with in an auction? I don't. So when do acquisitions make sense?

If you can buy a competitor and increase your market share it makes sense to acquire companies. Most companies have a 10% market share and want to make non-strategic acquisitions that do nothing to increase their market share. When categories are in their early stages it makes sense to acquire companies and increase your brand recognition because the first in the mind of the consumer will win, not necessarily the first to market.

When eBay bought PayPal the service was directly linked to their core business and it made sense. Have you heard of any other online auction sites? I haven’t, so acquiring PayPal made sense.

Both Skype and eBay are strong brands and will be better off on their own.

]]> Confusion at Church... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/09/01/confusion-at-church http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/09/01/confusion-at-church Tue, 01 Sep 2009 08:16:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/09/01/confusion-at-church
He went on to further say that “marketing and innovation produce results; all the rest are costs. [...]]]>
Many years ago the father of business consulting Peter Drucker stated, “because the purpose of business is to create a customer, the business enterprise has two- and only these two-basic functions: marketing and innovation.”

He went on to further say that “marketing and innovation produce results; all the rest are costs. Marketing is the distinguishing unique function of the business.”

In other words, Drucker said marketing is what makes you different.

The Law of Focus, the most powerful concept in marketing, is owning a word in the prospect’s mind, a word that incorporates your point of difference. Below is a list of companies that own a word/s in the mind:

Subway- submarine sandwiches Google- internet search BMW- driving
Volvo- safety Red Bull- energy drink Starbucks- expensive coffee
Chick-fil-A- chicken sandwich Hershey’s- chocolate Kleenex- tissues
FedEx- overnight

Once a consumers mind is made up (once you own a word) it is almost impossible to change.
One of the greatest benefits of owning a word/s in the mind is passalong advertising. When you
own a word/s in the mind the consumer assumes you are the best, even if your not.

Why should I buy a BMW? Passalong message- “It is a fun car to drive.”
Why should I buy a Volvo? Passalong message- “It is a safe car to drive.”
Why should I go to Chick-fil-a? Passalong message- “They have the best chicken sandwiches.”

Owning and conveying a word/s should be the focus of CCV. But first it is important to find out
what is already in the mind of the consumer, as minds are almost impossible to change.

Why should I go to church?
First we must explore why people go to church. Below is a list of words describing why people
go to church.

Train Encourage Mentor Learn Win Inform Disciple
Strengthen Convert Obedient Community Salvation

To better understand the role of the church we must go back 2000 years. What did Jesus say is
the purpose of the church?

Matthew 28: 19-20
“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of
all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and
teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to
the very end of the age.”

Let’s look at the first phrase in v.19, make disciples. How do you make disciples? Disciples are
made by teaching them the word of God. Now let’s look at baptizing, a result of someone being
taught about Jesus Christ and making a decision to accept Him as their personal savior. Jesus
himself was called the Good Teacher.

The main (focus on one) distinguishing role of the church is to be a teacher. People go to church
to be taught. One of the first questions parents ask their kids after church is, “what did you learn
today?” Remember when youth church was called Sunday School? 65% of church goers are
biblically illiterate. Has the church forgotten the mission given to them by Christ?

So what should the church be teaching?
Values, truth, the Law, morals, forgiveness, the Bible, the Word, God, Jesus. In this list the word’s that best position the church is “the Word.” The Word encompasses Jesus, truth, beliefs, values, forgiveness, the Bible, etc (the Law is something you might have heard when Jesus walked the earth). The word’s that best position the church is “teacher of the Word.”
But it doesn’t end there. This is the same strategy pointed out by Al Ries and Jack Trout in their famous book; Positioning. To distinguish one church from another there’s more.

Lakewood Church
To further understand focusing, let’s look at the most successful church in recent years;
Lakewood Church, led by Joel Osteen. With over 40,000 in attendance, Joel is leading the largest
church in the country. Clearly he has a focus. Although you may not agree with some of his
teachings, you can’t argue with his numbers. When you analyze Lakewood Church it
would be very easy to get caught up in ministries, programs, television, advertising, flow charts,
focus groups, demographics, style, etc. Many people look at Lakewood and wonder how they
got so big? Great marketing strategies are simple, obvious, but seldom communicated.
The focusing strategy that has helped Joel Olsteen lead the largest church in the country (hint: it’s only one word).....
__________________ teacher of the word.
The word is simple, powerful, and you probably already know it; ....positive.

Joel Osteen owns the word “positive” in the mind. Joel knows this. In a recent interview with
Larry King on Larry King Live he refused to be negative and say that Jesus was the only way. He
also went on Fox News and said he considered Mitt Romney, who is Mormon, a Christian. Joel
refuses to say anything negative about anything or anyone. Lakewood Church and Joel Osteen have clearly focused on being positive.

What is the passalong message at Lakewood?
Why should I go to Lakewood? Joel/Lakewood are such positive teachers.
So if owning a word is so important, what word does CCV own?

The Focus of CCV
Once a mind is made up it is almost impossible to change. So what word does CCV already own
in the mind? If you ask people why they go to CCV, you would get responses like....

It’s easy to understand
Simple, effective teaching
Practical teaching

Don’t forget in marketing The Law of Singularity, which states, in each situation only one move
will produce substantial results. Let’s look at a list of words explaining why people attend CCV.

Application Truth Relevant Excellence Contemporary Practical

The one word that will produce substantial results is the word “practical.” CCV and Don Wilson are known as the “practical teacher of the Word” Some may argue the simplicity, but great marketing strategies are in fact simple. The Law of Success states, success often leads to arrogance, and arrogance to failure. When companies become successful, they become less objective; they substitute their own judgment for what the market wants.

It won’t work to simply say you are a “practical teacher of the Word”; it must be encompassed in
everything you do.

Recently David Murrow spoke at CCV and talked about mapping men. He stated men begin life in a more feminine role and later gravitate toward masculine behavior. Once they accept Christ they begin submission back to the feminine side and then are given strength to gravitate towards the masculine side again. I am confused. Although this may help explain a man's spititual journey it doesn't help the church.

The chuch has the problem it does today because people see no need for the Bible in their daily lives. The church needs to remind people why they need the Bible. Until the church starts to communicate why people need to dust off their Bibles they will continue to be the visiting team.

]]> New categories = New names http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/08/31/new-categories-new-names http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/08/31/new-categories-new-names Mon, 31 Aug 2009 08:54:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/08/31/new-categories-new-names
CVS could have easily called the clinics CVS clinics but decided to create a partnership with a new brand and a new name. [...]]]>
CVS could have easily called the clinics CVS clinics but decided to create a partnership with a new brand and a new name. These clinics are at the low end for basic sicknesses. For anyone that has waited for hours at Urgent Care these clinics are great.

Great new category along with a great new name for the clinics. Most companies would have chosen to line extend an already successful name, CVS didn't and made the right choice.

]]> The Starbucks Story... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/08/28/the-starbucks-story http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/08/28/the-starbucks-story Fri, 28 Aug 2009 08:20:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/08/28/the-starbucks-story


Starbucks should be grateful that Howard Shultz returned as the company was becoming totally unfocused. Howard is back and ready to tell the coffee story at Starbucks. As a company matures it is impossible to continue the rapid growth experienced early on. As growth slows so does the PR and this is when you bring on the advertising.

I don't know the full scope of the advertising program but I don't want to be told THAT their coffee is the best (their leadership is clear) I want to be told WHY their coffee is the best. Show the coffee farms, the drying process, roasting facilities, clover machines, etc. Show me the story.

]]> Find your Weakness http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/08/27/find-your-weakness http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/08/27/find-your-weakness Thu, 27 Aug 2009 08:26:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/08/27/find-your-weakness


The key to launching your brand against a strong #1 is finding a weakness in the leaders strength. When most people are looking to get a cup of coffee before work or as they are running to the store most choose Starbucks. Since most people choose Starbucks they have long lines. Anyone that visits a Starbucks knows what I am talking about. So where can you attack the popularity of Starbucks?

Starbucks is slow. You attack them with speed. How do you visual this, with double drive-thru coffee shops. This is exactly what Dutch Bros. has done and has been very successful. The overall construction costs are cheap and the units are franchised; factors that can fuel national expansion. I would advise Dutch Bros. to expand quickly and start hammering the message of the drive-thru into the consumers mind.

In certain parts of the country Starbucks is building a drive-thru with each store. Since Starbucks has already built out many of its stores their opportunity is lost. If you are looking to be a strong number 2 brand in a category; find the weakness in your competitor's strength.

]]> The Upscale Burger... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/08/26/the-upscale-burger http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/08/26/the-upscale-burger Wed, 26 Aug 2009 08:45:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/08/26/the-upscale-burger


The average consumer doesn't really know exactly what Angus means except that it is associated with high quality. For McDonald's (the home of the McDouble and other cheap burgers) to be introducing a high quality burger doesn't make sense. The consumer is going to think if the Angus burger is a high quality burger what does this mean about the other burgers it sells? Are McDonald's other burgers made with cheap beef? One would have to agree.

It would be like Chick-fil-A offering a high quality chicken breast and charging $4. The consumer would think the regular chicken sandwich's are just average. McDonald's has tried to upscale their burgers before and failed (McDeluxe).

McDonald's should keep the focus on cheap burgers, the main reason sales are up, even in a tough economy.

]]> The next RedBull??? http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/08/25/the-next-redbull http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/08/25/the-next-redbull Tue, 25 Aug 2009 07:35:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/08/25/the-next-redbull MonaVie has amassed almost $1 billion in sales. If you haven't heard about MonaVie yet, you will. MonaVie makes an antioxidant-rich drink using the acai berry from Brazil as the main ingredient. Much like the early days of RedBull, MonaVie has found a narrow focus. The [...]]]> MonaVie has amassed almost $1 billion in sales. If you haven't heard about MonaVie yet, you will. MonaVie makes an antioxidant-rich drink using the acai berry from Brazil as the main ingredient. Much like the early days of RedBull, MonaVie has found a narrow focus. The focus of MonaVie is simple, unique, and obvious.

One product- acai juice
One channel- multilevel marketing
One customer- high-end

The berries have been around for centuries and many in Brazil have known about the benefits for many years. Dallin could have simply put the product in a plastic bottle and called it acai juice. Dallin wanted to be different. He wanted to show off the high-end juice product in a wine bottle. Does having the product in a wine bottle make it worth $40? It sure helps. The wine bottles create the perception of a high-end product.

Everyone these days talks about the execution. The execution of MonaVie is great but the strategy is even better.



]]> The Chapter ends in 11... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/08/24/the-chapter-ends-in-11 http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/08/24/the-chapter-ends-in-11 Mon, 24 Aug 2009 08:08:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/08/24/the-chapter-ends-in-11
With the new medium of the internet it was only a matter of time before the publication shut down. The Law of Unpredictability states that you can't predict the future. Could [...]]]>
With the new medium of the internet it was only a matter of time before the publication shut down. The Law of Unpredictability states that you can't predict the future. Could they have seen this coming? Probably. They had 10 years to prepare and branch out into other businesses. They should have used their knowledge and expertise in publishing to launch a new brand on the internet.

Launching a new brand is a risk most established brands are unwilling to take. What does Reader's Digest stand for in the mind? As a casual observer I don't know. The brand never communicated to the next generation what they stood for. Would this have helped prolong the life of the magazine? Maybe.

Business moves fast in today's world; to survive your brand must be focused.

]]> Two in One... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/08/21/two-in-one http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/08/21/two-in-one Fri, 21 Aug 2009 08:25:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/08/21/two-in-one


Recently Cold Stone Creamery has partnered with Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory and combined the brands into one retail storefront. There are many advantages to this strategy. As retail sales slow combining two brands that complement each other can be a good thing. Two main deserts than people enjoy are ice cream and chocolate. By placing both in one shop you can satisfy both the wife and the husband.



In parts of the northeast Cold Stone has partnered with the Soup Man. The idea is to get the hot side in the winter and the cold side in the summer. But who wants to get ice cream at a shop where you can smell the soup? Not me. This is a bad strategy for Cold Stone. When you partner with another brand you don't want to add a brand that will take away sales from the original brand. Very few people will want to get soup and ice cream at the same store. Cold Stone should stick with the Chocolate partnership, it makes much more sense.

]]> New Medium = New Brands http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/08/20/new-medium-new-brands http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/08/20/new-medium-new-brands Thu, 20 Aug 2009 20:01:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/08/20/new-medium-new-brands
When your company is faced with a new medium; in Barns & Noble's case, the internet, new brands win the battle. Profits and B&N are down 20% and the retailer is facing difficult times. BN.com, the online store for Barns & Noble should be a huge success right? Wrong. With new mediums new brands are the ones that win almost every time. Who is the big winner in online book sales? Amazon.com



Now we are seeing the emergence of a new medium, the mobile internet. Will successful internet companies be the ones that become the big winners on the mobile internet? Probably not. So what should companies do when faced with a new medium? Simple, create new brands. This is a difficult task for most big companies. They want to take advantage of their brand and line extend it to the new medium. This will not work. Remember it wasn't the yellow pages who were successful in internet search, it was Google.

Create new brands and the gold of the mobile internet could be yours.

]]> The Pruning of Retail http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/08/19/the-pruning-of-retail http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/08/19/the-pruning-of-retail Wed, 19 Aug 2009 20:26:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/08/19/the-pruning-of-retail
A prominent homebuilder CEO stated that if you weren't a public company in the housing business you would go under. Now it seems you can put retail in the same [...]]]>
A prominent homebuilder CEO stated that if you weren't a public company in the housing business you would go under. Now it seems you can put retail in the same category.

Even public companies like Circuit City and others have folded. What advice would I have for a retail company struggling in the economy today? Start over. Most new retail brands are weak. They didn't stand for a single focus. The amount of items on the menu were way to many and they didn't own a word in the mind. This tough economy is pruning the categories and only the strong brands will survive.

The Law of Failure states that failure is to be expected and accepted. If the ship is sinking, don't go down with the ship. The best lessons I have learned is from failed ventures.

]]> Brett is back... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/08/18/brett-is-back http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/08/18/brett-is-back Tue, 18 Aug 2009 08:04:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/08/18/brett-is-back
It is impossible to predict the future [...]]]>
It is impossible to predict the future in business and marketing. Seeing around the corner is very different from looking 5 years down the road. The Packers probably knew Brett was going to end up with the Vikings a few months ago but if you had told them that 5 years ago the response would have been much different.

Entrepreneurs that can peer around the corner can make a lot of money. Entrepreneurs that think they can predict the future usually end up broke. Good luck Brett.

]]> The ladder of search... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/08/17/the-ladder-of-search http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/08/17/the-ladder-of-search Mon, 17 Aug 2009 08:03:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/08/17/the-ladder-of-search Bing fit on the ladder of search?

Google is the clear leader in internet search; they have occupied the first position for a long time. Yahoo has been on the second rung ever [...]]]> Bing fit on the ladder of search?

Google is the clear leader in internet search; they have occupied the first position for a long time. Yahoo has been on the second rung ever since losing its top position to Google. And then there was MSN which was a weak number three. Now Microsoft has entered the market with a new brand pretty much eliminating MSN search which was a weak line extension. I think bing has a great shot at becoming a strong number two for a few reasons.

Yahoo has long left the narrow focus of search and become a "portal". This leaves the second position up for grabs. The key to finding the second position on the ladder is finding a weakness in the strength of the number one. Google indexes more pages than anyone. The name alone represents a large number, clearly a strength. In my opinion bing has done a great job exploiting the word "overload." Overload is a great word to hammer away at the strength of Google.

If Bing can continue to hammer away at overload and convince users that their search engine is more focused they have a great chance at taking market share away from Google.



]]> What is a Google? http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/08/14/what-is-a-google http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/08/14/what-is-a-google Fri, 14 Aug 2009 08:06:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/08/14/what-is-a-google
So if the Google name is so powerful why was Google Video a failure? Shouldn't the brand name be so powerful that everyone will embrace whatever they do? Not exactly. [...]]]>
So if the Google name is so powerful why was Google Video a failure? Shouldn't the brand name be so powerful that everyone will embrace whatever they do? Not exactly. We all know that YouTube went on to create the category of "online videos" and what did Google do? Buy YouTube for $1.6 Billion dollars. Not bad for a new brand in a few short years.

So what should Google's strategy be? They should create new brands in new categories or buy new start-ups that fit in their core business. I believe their core business is search. There are many new players in the search business with huge potential to take profit away from Google. A few examples are FanSnap (ticket search), SimplyHired (job search), and Pipl (people search).

It wasn't a line extended yellow pages company that created the monster of interent search, it was a new brand. The Law of Line Extension will always be around and rarely works.

]]> Divide and conquer... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/08/13/divide-and-conquer http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/08/13/divide-and-conquer Thu, 13 Aug 2009 08:00:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/08/13/divide-and-conquer
Blockbuster and Hollywood Video have been the two big players in the video rental business and have had great success. Now, new categories are entering the market with companies [...]]]>
Blockbuster and Hollywood Video have been the two big players in the video rental business and have had great success. Now, new categories are entering the market with companies like Netflix (online) and redbox (one dollar). Of the new players, I think the one with the greatest chance of success is redbox.

I am a big fan of redbox and use it often. When running an errand to the store it is very convenient to stop at the redbox and see what movies are available. They have chosen a narrow focus with one distrubution method (grocery stores, for the most part), one customer (moms), one product (new and popular DVD's). Redbox owns the word "dollar" and as movie theatre ticket prices keep going up a dollar sounds pretty good.

]]> Be first not better http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/08/12/be-first-not-better http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/08/12/be-first-not-better Wed, 12 Aug 2009 08:00:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/08/12/be-first-not-better
Wikipedia already owns [...]]]>
Wikipedia already owns the words "online encyclopedia". They are an established brand with a huge head start. Knol has been a disaster along with many of the new Google products. Now Google is making change after change with Knol trying to save a sinking ship. The Law of Leadership states that it is better to be first than it is to be better. So what is a company to do when facing an established brand? Find a category you can be first in the mind. Google was first in the mind in search and we all know how that turned out.

]]> What's in a name... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/08/11/whats-in-a-name http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/08/11/whats-in-a-name Tue, 11 Aug 2009 08:12:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/08/11/whats-in-a-name
First the name is hard to pronounce. Second I have no idea what is means.The CEO stated that the name means "always be a local". I still don't know what that means. Names need to be simple and they need to convey a benefit of your product or service. But the most important aspect of a name is it needs to sound good. Most people connect to brands by the way the name sounds. The Aloqa name doesn't sound good. Also people will think of category first, brand second. I want an energy drink, give me a Red Bull. I need to conduct an internet search, let me Google something. The Google name sounds great.

I suggested to the CEO (former head of Global Marketing at Google) that the category he is creating is "mobile notification" and that his brand name should be Notifly. A great tag line that would reinforce this position could be "mobile notifications on the fly".

Unfortunately he just launched the product and was unwilling to change the name. Rule #1, if you have a bad name-change it, even if you just launched.

]]> Political warfare... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/08/10/political-warfare http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/08/10/political-warfare Mon, 10 Aug 2009 08:21:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/08/10/political-warfare
First let's take the side of the people who want the camera's to stay. The main word that can be used to cement in the mind of the voter is the word "safety". This word should be repeated in ads, speeches, press releases, etc. Talk about the statistics showing less accidents and deaths all leading back to the word, safety. Most voters want the Valley to be a safer place to live. It makes sense in the mind. Now let's look at the other side of the issue.

If a driver is going over the speed limit by 11mph the ticket is $185. This number seems really high. In my opinion, the words that they should try and own are "sneaky tax". Again, this word should be repeated in all the ads and press releases. Most American's believe we are already taxed enough making these words make sense in the mind. They can also show that the cameras are placed in sneaky places (like in the middle of nowhere) where safety is clearly not the issue. The price can also be used against the safety word because $185 seems excessive.

Let's see who can own the word in the mind of the voter, it should be interesting.

]]> Do more at the all new LendingTree... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/08/07/do-more-at-the-all-new-lendingtree http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/08/07/do-more-at-the-all-new-lendingtree Fri, 07 Aug 2009 08:53:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/08/07/do-more-at-the-all-new-lendingtree
Now it seems they want to get into online money management which are words already owned by Mint.com With the great focus they had and the money at their disposal it will take a while for LendingTree to lose their leadership. If they continue down the path they are on it will be a long, slow decline.

]]> The future is unknown... http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/08/06/the-future-is-unknown http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/08/06/the-future-is-unknown Thu, 06 Aug 2009 08:44:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/08/06/the-future-is-unknown
If anyone in business tells you that they can predict what will happen in the future, run away fast. No one on this earth can predict the future or what will happen with 100% certainty. There will be a time for Democrats and a time for Republicans. Even the best business analysts are often wrong. It can be very tiring running from one business fad to the next.

Here are a few simple strategies that can help your business stay focused in an unpredictable world. 1) Focus on trends which help you peer around the corner and see possibilities. 2) Stay focused on your core business. Keep the main thing the main thing. 3) Don't chase business fads that can quickly change. 4) Understand and embrace that you can never predict the future, so quit trying.

So instead of trying to predict the future, have the best strategy for today.

]]> Fore! http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/08/03/fore http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/08/03/fore Mon, 03 Aug 2009 10:28:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/08/03/fore
Driver- TaylorMade Hybrid- Adams Golf ball- [...]]]>
Driver- TaylorMade Hybrid- Adams Golf ball- Titleist
Irons- Callaway Shoe- Footjoy Putters- Odyssey

In this great big mess I think Callaway has the greatest chance for long term success. First they made a smart move in buying the Odyssey putters and dropped the Callaway name on the short stick. Secondly, they are now the #1 seller of Irons in golf.In the mess of irons where everybody has line extended Callaway is known for one word: forgiveness. Most golfers are a 16 handicap or higher (I am an 8) and need the forgiveness in their Callaway irons. Callaway has long stated "a better game by design" and their new slogan is "pure." What Callaway needs to emphasize is forgiveness. A powerful word in golf and a powerful word in the mind. Line extension will only dilute the power of your brand.

]]> Bring on the advertising http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/07/31/bring-on-the-advertising http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/07/31/bring-on-the-advertising Fri, 31 Jul 2009 10:33:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/07/31/bring-on-the-advertising The Law of Success
The Law of Success states that success often leads to arrogance, and arrogance to failure.In this tough economy McDonald's is slowly taking away business from Starbucks. As McDonald's is airing commercials talking about their decedent chocolate and fresh ground espresso, where is Starbucks?

A brand [...]]]> The Law of Success
The Law of Success states that success often leads to arrogance, and arrogance to failure.In this tough economy McDonald's is slowly taking away business from Starbucks. As McDonald's is airing commercials talking about their decedent chocolate and fresh ground espresso, where is Starbucks?

A brand build by PR that now needs advertising
The Starbucks brand was built with PR and lot's of it but the brand position has never been reinforced with advertising. Most people know that Starbucks is known for high-end coffee. But as McDonald's starts to take away market share are we meant to believe that McDonalds coffee is just as good. With no response from Starbucks it seems as though we are meant to assume and that our assumption is right. Why does Starbucks think that they don't need to advertise? Now is the time to advertise. The Starbucks story needs to be told.Show the coffee farms...the picking process...the drying process...the fact that one plant produces one pound of coffee each year. This is the Starbucks story that needs to be told.

Consumers need to be reminded why Starbucks coffee is the best.

]]> The focus at Frontier failed http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/07/30/the-focus-at-frontier-failed http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/07/30/the-focus-at-frontier-failed Thu, 30 Jul 2009 13:04:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/07/30/the-focus-at-frontier-failed The Law of Focus
The most powerful concept in marketing is owning a word in the mind of the consumer.Two companies cannot own the same word in the mind.Southwest already owns the words "low-cost" in the airline category.

Frontier has tried for years to market itself as the low-cost airline.All they have done is to promote [...]]]> The Law of Focus
The most powerful concept in marketing is owning a word in the mind of the consumer.Two companies cannot own the same word in the mind.Southwest already owns the words "low-cost" in the airline category.

Frontier has tried for years to market itself as the low-cost airline.All they have done is to promote the category of low-cost fares which Southwest already owns.

This is a great move by Southwest to acquire competitors in your category. With the acquisition Southwest will get more gates in Denver where they have had only a small presence.This would be another great move by Southwest.

]]> Crocs on the rocks http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/07/29/crocs-on-the-rocks http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/07/29/crocs-on-the-rocks Wed, 29 Jul 2009 11:34:00 +0000 Erik Johnson http://brandaidblog.com/blog/2009/07/29/crocs-on-the-rocks A fast start
Founded in 2002 Crocs quickly became an international hit.Everyone from famous celebrities to nurses loved the comfort and feel of this strange non-slippery material.They sold 100 million pairs in seven years.Crocs quickly expanded into many different product lines to meet demand; sandals, shoes, clogs, flip-flops, [...]]]> A fast start
Founded in 2002 Crocs quickly became an international hit.Everyone from famous celebrities to nurses loved the comfort and feel of this strange non-slippery material.They sold 100 million pairs in seven years.Crocs quickly expanded into many different product lines to meet demand; sandals, shoes, clogs, flip-flops, slip-ons, sport, medical and more.What they should have done is to limit production.

Barbie vs Cabbage Patch Kids
Both Barbie and Cabbage Patch Kids started with a bang.Sales quickly grew and both toys were a hit.Quickly Barbie began reducing the supply and the toys were still in high demand.On the other side at Cabbage Patch Kids they quickly expanded to meet the demand. They put their name on everything from diapers to a kid’s cereal.Coleco the company that owned Cabbage Patch Kids went bankrupt in six years later.

When you have a product that is an instant hit, remember to slow things down or else you will become a short-term fad and not a long and successful trend. The Law of Acceleration.

]]>