Message in What We Buy, but Nobody’s Listening

Evolutionary Psychology and Branding

New York Times, May 18, 2009 — Why does a diploma from Harvard cost $100,000 more than a similar piece of paper from City College? Why might a BMW cost $25,000 more than a Subaru WRX with equally fast acceleration? Why do “sophisticated” consumers demand 16-gigabyte iPhones and “fair trade” coffee from Starbucks?

If you ask market researchers or advertising executives, you might hear about the difference between “rational” and “emotional” buying decisions, or about products falling into categories like “hedonic” or “utilitarian” or “positional.” But Geoffrey Miller, an evolutionary psychologist at the University of New Mexico, says that even the slickest minds on Madison Avenue are still in the prescientific dark ages.

Instead of running focus groups and... continue reading

Will Sasha and Malia Give J. Crew a Lift?

Time, January 21, 2009 — As Barack Obama's phenomenally poised, incredibly adorable daughters smiled and waved for the cameras at the Inauguration, J. Crew got a spot on the world's biggest showroom floor. The preppy, upscale retailer was quite happy to spread the word on Tuesday that Malia Obama, 10, and her sister Sasha, 7 (or Radiance and Rosebud in Secret Service parlance), were decked out in J. Crew's children's line, called Crewcuts, for the big event. Malia wore a deep periwinkle blue coat to her dad's swearing-in, while Sasha went for an orange-and-pink combo. Fashionistas raved about the color schemes. "We are honored to be part of such a momentous occasion in both history and fashion," said Jenna Lyons, J. Crew's creative director.

Hyundai Genesis offers luxury for less, may help image, sales

USA Today, November 14, 2008 — LOS ANGELES — Ron Olsen could have bought a Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Lexus or another Cadillac. Instead, the Boeing retiree decided to part with $40,000 for the new kid in the luxury sedan market — a Hyundai Genesis.

Why Some Brands Cheer a Sour Economy†

Brandweek, October 12, 2008 — It is a good time to be McCormick spices. While not the sexiest of brands, "The taste you trust" is positioned extremely well for an economy that looks to be in a recession.

While many companies are suffering at the hands of one of the worst economic downfalls in the history of the country, others are quietly prospering.

"If you're a brand you eat, drink, smoke or wash yourself with, you're going to be OK," said Marc Babej, partner at the strategy firm Reason, New York.

"During tough times we typically point to certain categories/sectors," said William Madway, marketing professor at the Villanova School of Business. . . . [Still], every brand has the potential to be successful if they adapt to the economic realities."

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.

Xerox Gets a Brand Makeover

Once dominant in the copier market, the tech giant has had to wake up to a new world. Its latest brand identity attempts to reflect its newfound nimbleness

BusinessWeek, January 7, 2008 — The venerable Xerox (XRX) brand is far from dead or dying. It is, after all, not just a brand name but also in some countries a verb, like Google (GOOG). That's pretty good company in the world of high tech. But most of Xerox's customers don't put the Stamford (Conn.) copier company in the same class as the Internet search juggernaut. A new brand makeover, Xerox's first in 40 years, kicks off this week in a step toward trying to get customers to think of Xerox in a different light.

Of human brandage

The patient had a case of Acute Systemic Brand Amnesia, meaning that in some contemporary sense he did not exist, writes Fortune's Stanley Bing.

FORTUNE, October 29, 2007 — (Fortune Magazine) — Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to this formal presentation outlining a most interesting case that came to our attention recently.

Physicians attending the patient in question included myself and Drs. Forbisher and Schlemazl. We believe, after a review of the literature, that this may be the first case of Acute Systemic Brand Amnesia.