From Recession To Recovery, Re-Invention

MediaPost Publications, November 19, 2009 — By all standard economic indicators, it appears that the U.S. is finally emerging from the worst recession in several decades. Even consumers have begun, albeit timidly, to venture out, shopping for non-essential items. So, it was fitting that the theme of this year's Idea Conference, presented by Creativity and <I>Advertising Age</i>, last Thursday focused on reinvention across a number of industries, e.g., automotive, technology, financial services, art, design, food, music.

The Last Campaign: How Experiences Are Becoming the New Advertising†

Red Bull, Virgin America, Uniqlo and Guinness Lead the Way

Advertising Age, November 11, 2009 — Is advertising dying? It's certainly fashionable to say so. Conventional wisdom holds that traditional media's grip on consumers continues to slip as they increasingly turn to the internet and their peers for entertainment and purchasing recommendations.

Disney’s Retail Plan Is a Theme Park in Its Stores

The Walt Disney Company, with the help of Apple, intends to overhaul its approach to the shopping mall.

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.

The Prophet Customer Experience Report: Supermarkets

Prophet, June 1, 2009 — Our second report in the series examines the customer experience in the UK’s supermarkets. The phenomenal change in the food retailing landscape over the last ten years clearly shows that consumers are more than happy to change brands. That change is not just based on price, but price combined with customer experience.

How Microsoft Is Fighting Back (Finally)

It's counterpunching Apple and Linux with a new, audacious pricing strategy and a canny ad campaign

BusinessWeek, April 9, 2009 — For 25 years, Microsoft (MSFT) held unquestioned dominance in the personal computer business. But last year the maker of the Windows operating system started to look like a weary, vulnerable champ. Fueled by iPhone-mania and the iconic "I'm a Mac" TV ads, Apple (AAPL) was nearing a double-digit share of the PC market. At the same time, a new generation of sub-$500 "netbooks" that ran on the free Linux operating system was taking off.

Tiny Hotel Rooms Offer Big Savings

Cost-conscious travelers embrace European-style micro-hotels in pricey markets like New York

Chicago Tribune, March 30, 2009 — Borrowing from a ship’s berth or a train’s sleeper car, developers are moving beyond budget accommodations and gambling that in tough times travelers looking for a little pampering at lower prices will embrace micro-hotels.

The concept of a hotel room the size of a suburban bathroom has spread across Europe in recent years. And as the U.S. economy deteriorates, interest in the idea has grown, especially in high-priced markets such as New York City, where there are fewer options for budget travelers.

Your Airline Wants to Get to Know You†

Wall Street Journal, March 23, 2009 — An airline loses your bag or cancels your flight because of a mechanical problem. The next time you show up at the airport, an agent personally apologizes and offers a free pass to an airport lounge for your troubles.

Don't laugh. Someday it may happen at U.S. airlines.

Best Buy Confronts Newer Nemesis†

With Circuit City Gone, Electronics Retailer Arms Its 'Blue Shirt' Sales Force to Take On Wal-Mart

Wall Street Journal, March 17, 2009 — Finally victorious over longtime archrival Circuit City Stores Inc., Best Buy Co. is now gearing up to fight an even more powerful foe: Wal-Mart.

Leading the challenge will be Brian Dunn, the company's chief operating officer, who takes over for retiring Chief Executive Brad Anderson in June. His new strategy is to head off Wal-Mart Stores Inc.'s brutal price competition by giving consumers something the discounter cannot: more interactive stores, where customers can step into the world of a new videogame or see their faces captured by a high-definition video camera, instead of trolling aisles stacked with merchandise.

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.