An Unwelcome Delivery

BusinessWeek, April 30, 2009 — Domino's Pizza has become the latest company to learn how quickly a brand can be tainted in a Web 2.0 world--and how important it is to monitor social media. On Apr. 13 a prank video made by two Domino's employees in North Carolina hit YouTube. In it, one of the pair sticks cheese up his nose and "sneezes" into a sandwich he's making--using that cheese. After Domino's learned (from a blogger) about the video, it issued a statement and created a Twitter account to answer questions. And in a YouTube message, Domino's USA President Patrick Doyle conveyed his outrage, announcing the impending arrest of the workers (who said they never delivered the befouled food), a scrubdown of the outlet, and extra vigilance in hiring.

Brand Building & Media Prominence

KenRadio, March 20, 2009 — While debates may rage over exactly how to assess the value of brands, virtually everyone agrees that brands represent real and significant financial value to their owners. Managing a brand therefore requires careful and strategic investment and stewardship. But what are the drivers of brand value? Product quality, customer services, and in particular advertising, are some of drivers most commonly cited and studied. Until now, however, there has been relatively little research into the contribution of public relations to brand value. In a new study by Interbrand analyzed the positioning between a brand’s media prominence, and brand value across the world’s 100 most valuable brands.

Who Served Up the Better Coffee Media Strategy in 2008?†

Optimedia's Antony Young Compares Dunkin' Donuts and McDonald's

Advertising Age, January 26, 2009 — Antony Young

We know the recession is hurting purchases of big-ticket items such as cars and flat-screen TVs, but even life's seemingly small luxuries, such as that morning latte, are being hit hard. Indeed, an Advertising Age study found that 60% of Americans have scaled back from premium coffees in the past six months, with the mighty Starbucks experiencing a flattening of its froth. Enter Dunkin' Donuts and McDonald's, which both upped their coffee-marketing efforts in 2008, hoping to steal some of Starbucks' share.