The Great Trust Offensive

Companies as diverse as McDonald's, Ford, and American Express are revamping their marketing to win back that most valuable of corporate assets

BusinessWeek, September 17, 2009 — "The spark began where it always begins, at a restaurant downtown, in a shop on Main Street," intones a narrator as the camera lingers in a restaurant, bakery, and bike factory. "Entrepreneurs like these are the most powerful force in the economy. As we look to the future, they'll be there ahead of us." The music swells, and the narrator concludes: "While we're sure we don't know all the answers, we do know one thing for certain. We want to help."

The commercial, which began airing across the U.S. this summer, was developed by Ogilvy & Mather for American Express (AXP). Its mission: to cast AmEx not as a financial titan but as a humble service provider assisting mom and pops—establishments consumers typically like to support.

Brand Challenge: Renovate Before It’s Too Late

By Fred Geyer

Prophet, May 1, 2009 — Stories of marketing heroes who transform poorly performing brands never fail to enthrall us. But why do some brand leaders wait until their brands are at the breaking point, and at risk of joining such brands as Radio Shack, 7Up, or the GAP, for which renovation may be too late?

The Reputation Challenge: Building Corporate Reputation to Drive Business Performance

By Aneysha Pearce

Prophet, May 1, 2009 — Corporate reputation must be built. It must be supported and managed. And, it must be an authentic reflection of the business — its culture, value system, and behaviors. Businesses that expect to experience the kinds of success achieved by best-practice organizations will understand that truth. And they will create and live the kind of meaningful purpose that will allow them, too, to more effectively reap the benefits of a strong reputation.

McDonald's Gets McBetter

For McDonald’s, McActions speak louder than McWords.

Hub, March 16, 2009 — Nearly six years ago, McDonald’s was vilified in the Fast Food Nation bestseller and in the documentary, Super-Size Me. And, it was held responsible — if not personally — for obesity in this country and globally by nearly every media commentator and activist group.

Today, McDonald’s is enjoying 55 months of global same store sales increases, stock value gains, and positive movement in the Reveries.com survey. What was essential to McDonald’s success was a rededication to its brand’s core values. The big turning point for McDonald’s came with a change in mission. It was no longer about being the best or biggest quick-serve restaurant.

Value Is the New Green†

Wall Street Journal, March 13, 2009 — Until recently, being green was the best way for companies to demonstrate a sense of social responsibility, and for consumers to feel good about their purchases. Healthy food, hybrid cars, energy efficiency — these were the attributes that burnished brands.

But now green is taking a back seat to a new core value — value. Green hasn't gone away, but companies are having to consider their "value" equation to try to serve the millions of consumers who either can't afford premium experiences, or just don't want them anymore.

Smucker Cuts Folgers, Dunkin' Coffee Prices

Marketing Daily, December 8, 2008 — J.M. Smucker Co., which completed its acquisition of Folgers from Procter & Gamble in early November, is coming out of the gate aggressively by announcing pricing reductions on the brand.

Original Team Tries to Revive Starbucks

New York Times, October 30, 2008 — Since Howard D. Schultz returned to the helm of Starbucks in January, he has desperately tried to recapture the company’s original magic. Mr. Schultz has hired back one of the authors of Starbucks’s original success: Arthur Rubinfeld, its president of global development. Back at Starbucks since February, Mr. Rubinfeld is now guiding a renovation of its stores and refocusing on the urban markets that gave the company its illustrious start.

How to Cope with Aging Brands

The story of brands getting old is a story of relevance.

Prophet, October 1, 2008 — Individual brands, or even whole categories, that were once important for a particular consumer segment, become irrelevant as society evolves and tastes change.

Online Pitches Made Just for You

New York Times, March 6, 2008 — IT’S an offer you can’t resist: fly to Honolulu for $200 round trip.

Alaska Airlines, which is tailoring online advertising to specific Web users, recently tested ads with and without Mount Rainier. But what you might not know is that the offer was designed especially for you.

Alaska Airlines is introducing a system on the Internet to create unique advertisements for people as they surf the Web.

McDonald's Takes On a Weakened Starbucks†

Food Giant to Install Specialty Coffee Bars, Sees $1 Billion Business

Wall Street Journal, January 7, 2008 — This fall, a McDonald's here added a position to its crew: barista.

McDonald's is setting out to poach Starbucks customers with the biggest addition to its menu in 30 years. Starting this year, the company's nearly 14,000 U.S. locations will install coffee bars with "baristas" serving cappuccinos, lattes, mochas and the Frappe, similar to Starbucks' ice-blended Frappuccino.

Internal documents from 2007 say the program, which also will add smoothies and bottled beverages, will add $1 billion to McDonald's annual sales of $21.6 billion.