Sequins? What Sequins? Canada's New Spin on Triple Loops†

Figure Skaters Have a Tough Time Pitching The Sport's Muscle; 'Show the Masculinity'

Wall Street Journal, April 3, 2009 — Vaughn Chipeur says he has "to pound it out" every day to keep up with the competition. He endures two grueling practice sessions a day, six days a week. He's suffered a groin injury and his feet are sometimes wrecked after a tough workout.

One thing Mr. Chipeur doesn't typically discuss: his shiny costumes.

Mr. Chipeur is a champion figure skater on Canada's national team. Off the ice, he's been talking up the sport's bruising side at the request of Skate Canada, the country's governing body for the sport.

Geico’s Lizard Offers a New Message of Reassurance

New York Times, February 19, 2009 — FOR years, prosaic consumer products sought to puff up their appeal by boasting they contained “secret” ingredients that improved their performance. Colgate toothpaste had Gardol, for instance, while Dial soap had AT-7 and Certs breath mints had Retsyn.

Now, confronting consumer anxiety over the economy, the giant insurer Geico is for the first time rolling out a secret ingredient of its own: Warren E. Buffett. The financier controls Berkshire Hathaway, the company that has owned Geico for more than a decade.

Kraft Unveils New Brand Identity†

Adweek, February 18, 2009 — Kraft Foods today unveiled a new corporate logo and brand identity, a move analysts say could better position the food company against private label goods.

Kraft Crafts New Brand Identity†

Brandweek, February 17, 2009 — Kraft Foods today unveiled a new corporate logo and brand identity, a move analysts say could better position the food company against private-label goods.

Kraft, which owns brands like Velveeta and Oreo, is making the announcement at the Consumer Analyst Group of New York conference, currently taking place in Boca Raton, Fla. Bearing the slogan, "make today delicious," the new Kraft logo consists of an upward, red smile exploding into an array of seven "flavor bursts," each of which represents a different division of Kraft's business. (The triangular shape, for instance, is meant to evoke Kraft's DiGiorno pizza brand.) The logo will begin appearing on the back and side panels of Kraft-branded foods worldwide. Kraft worked with design agency Nitro on... continue reading

If GM Has a Brand, It's General Misery†

Company Has Eight Brands, but No Brand Messaging

Advertising Age, December 2, 2008 — "How Detroit drove into a ditch" is the headline of an article in the Oct. 25 issue of The Wall Street Journal.

When the most respected business publication in the world writes a 2,000-word article on the problems of the U.S. automobile industry, you have to assume it knows what it's writing about. Especially since the author of the article is the Journal's former Detroit bureau chief and a man who is writing a book about America's car culture.

FAO is A-OK!

David Niggli of FAO Schwarz retails the greatest toy story ever told.

Hub, November 3, 2008 — When last we left FAO Schwarz, we left it for dead. Every single one of its stores was closed, and it was in Chapter 11 bankruptcy. That was five years ago. Today, as David Niggli, FAO’s president and chief merchandising officer will tell you, it’s a whole new story. His explanation for its remarkable comeback story is remarkably simple. He says that all FAO Schwarz has done is what every great brand does when it loses its way: It re-ignited what made the brand great to begin with.

Imax's Digital Pitch: It's Not All About Size†

Wall Street Journal, October 29, 2008 — Uneasy about the size of Imax Corp.'s new digital-theater screens, some of its longtime museum clients wish the company would stick to its "think big" corporate mantra.

Imax's co-chief executive, Richard Gelfond, raised eyebrows at a recent meeting of the Giant Screen Cinema Association when he declared that Imax wasn't just about giant screens, but all the parts that combine to make it "the best immersive experience."

Critics say that Imax, whose giant screens are a leading attraction at many museums and science centers that show vivid nature documentaries, should consider a slightly different branding strategy for its digital-projection system, which the company recently started to roll out.