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MediaPost Publications, October 21, 2009 — Just when you thought the impact of new media on mainstream brands couldn't be hyped any further, new data come along to change that idea.
A just-released study from Cone Inc. reports that among new-media users, a staggering 78% of them interact with companies or brands via new media sites and tools — up from 59% the year before.
idsgn, October 15, 2009 — When Kraft launched a spin-off of their uniquely Australian Vegemite spread, they turned to consumers for a name… and it was dropped four days later. Last week another name was announced, can Kraft make it right this time?
New York Times, October 13, 2009 — The Walt Disney Company, with the help of Steven P. Jobs and his retailing team at Apple, intends to drastically overhaul its approach to the shopping mall.
At a time when many retailers are still cutting back or approaching strategic shifts with extreme caution, Disney is going the other way, getting more aggressive and putting into motion an expensive and ambitious floor-to-ceiling reboot of its 340 stores in the United States and Europe — as well as opening new ones, including a potential flagship in Times Square.
New York Times, October 13, 2009 — The American economy is back — or so some of the country’s biggest advertisers are saying in new campaigns.
It may be a sign that the recession is ending, or it may be a sign that consumers are sick of hearing about it.
While economists and investors study housing starts and gross domestic product predictions to measure economic vibrancy, General Electric, Bank of America and other companies are using commercials to proclaim that America’s future is bright. And that may be something of a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Advertising Age, October 13, 2009 — PepsiCo has inserted itself and several of its brands into a heated debate surrounding an iPhone app launched by its Amp Energy brand. By introducing a Twitter tag #pepsifail, the company has spread the news further and associated its flagship brand with the sexist app. So is it a savvy, transparent social-media move or is it simply exacerbating the damage already done?
Wall Street Journal, October 12, 2009 — Online, everyone has an opinion. For e-commerce businesses, the hard part is making the most of them.
Amazon.com Inc. began posting customer ratings and reviews of its products online in 1995, with an anonymous five-star write-up of Dr. Seuss's "The Butter Battle Book." Since then, most online businesses have found that allowing customers to post reviews—including negative ones—can boost sales and help merchants quickly identify problems with their products.
Now, makers of review software are adding features that allow businesses to get more out of consumers' input online.
Advertising Age, October 12, 2009 — Managing a brand has always been a slightly odd concept, given that consumers are the real arbiters of brand meaning, and it's become increasingly outmoded in today's two-way world. That's why a new report is going to recommend changing the name "brand manager" to "brand advocate," and fundamentally changing marketer organizations in response to the onset of the digital age.
Hub, October 6, 2009 — Early digital pioneers remember the frontier days of the ’90s. Looking back, and looking around, who successfully migrated, who struggled, and what can be learned from the journey?
Hub, October 5, 2009 — When the legendary New Zealand All Blacks rugby team lost unexpectedly at the 2007 Rugby World Cup, its sponsor, Adidas, realized it had an opportunity to restore the team’s close ties with its disenchanted fans and, in the process, make real its own brand purpose.
To do this, Adidas employed a “new world” manifestation of creativity to bring the brand to life for its fans. Specifically, the sports footwear and apparel maker drew from the fans’ deep connection with the ultimate symbol of the All Blacks, their jersey. Adidas made it both the message and medium.
Advertising Age, October 5, 2009 — The Federal Trade Commission is cracking down on blogger payola.
The agency, which protects consumers from fraud or deceptive business practices, voted 4 to 0 to update its rules governing endorsements, and the new guidelines require bloggers to clearly disclose any "material connection" to an advertiser, including payments for an endorsement or free product.
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