The Issue: How P&G Brought Back Herbal Essences

It updated a stale mass-market shampoo to appeal to younger Gen Y and Millennial women

BusinessWeek, June 17, 2008 — When Procter & Gamble acquired hair-care company Clairol in 2001, it inherited a floundering shampoo brand. By 2004, Herbal Essences, at the time nearly 35 years old and a mass-market hair-care brand for women, was in a "long-term decline," reports Chairman and CEO A.G. Lafley. Marketed to all women (or at least those who wash their hair), the line had gone stale, with little distinction from the many competitors it shared on the drugstore shelf.

How the Discounters Hurt Themselves†

Wal-Mart, Dell, Others See Growth Stall as Rivals Learn How to Beat Them

Advertising Age, December 10, 2007 — If one thing defined the marketing landscape of the 1990s, it was the power of cheap.

Wal-Mart Stores, Southwest Airlines and Dell Computer reshaped their industries with low-cost models that forced competitors to adapt or die. Each of the power discounters thrived heading into the 21st century as their competitors often struggled.

But each is now facing a much tougher battle for growth. Wal-Mart's top line has continued to weaken; both its revenue and comparable-store sales — excluding grocery — grew slower than Macy's last quarter. Southwest is cutting expansion plans and revamping its service model. And Dell returned to founder Michael Dell as CEO to reinvigorate growth.

Is CBS Trying to Rebrand Couric?†

Latest Ads More Cronkite Than Katie as Newscast Continues to Trail Rivals

Advertising Age, December 10, 2007 — With Katie Couric's perky personality and "Today" background at the ready, her arrival at CBS to anchor the evening newscast was billed as a chance to reinvent the program in a way that would attract more women and younger viewers. That hasn't exactly worked out. Now CBS is promoting the show as if Walter Cronkite still sat behind the desk.

Teaching an Old Greyhound New Tricks

New York Times, December 3, 2007 — A venerable bus line that once asked travelers to “leave the driving to us” is leaving nothing to chance in a campaign to promote an ambitious makeover.

The campaign, for Greyhound Lines, part of a British company named FirstGroup, takes an upbeat tone with an assertive theme, “We’re on our way.”

Wii will rock you

How Nintendo's new game machine won over the world - and beat the pants off Sony and Microsoft

FORTUNE, June 11, 2007 — Nintendo's legendary videogame designer Shigeru Miyamoto is lying face down on the floor in Kyoto, Japan, hobbled by a right cross and struggling to regain his composure. The man some credit with the very existence of the $30 billion videogame industry, the Walt Disney of our generation, has taken one blow to the face too many.

How Tupperware Made Itself Relevant Again†

Brand Shifts Image Via Endorsers Ice T, Brooke Shields, Sees Sales Increase 14%

Advertising Age, June 4, 2007 — Tupperware has undergone a resurgence of late, growing not only in places such as China and Russia, where Wal-Marts are still hard to find, but even in the U.S. and Canada.

Honing The Razr Edge

Motorola stops trying to reinvent the wheel

BusinessWeek, May 28, 2007 — Motorola's (MOT ) unveiling of a portfolio of new phones on May 15 was the usual hypefest. In a loft-like dance studio in New York's Chelsea neighborhood, Chief Executive Edward J. Zander, bathed in a red and purple glow, stood between two large video screens beaming images of the new handsets. The usual celebrity endorsers were on video, in this case Fergie of the Black Eyed Peas and soccer heartthrob David Beckham.

At Hyundai, Branding Is Job 2

Despite receiving high marks for quality, the carmaker has struggled with stalled sales. Marketing guru Steve Wilhite has to sell drivers a new story

BusinessWeek, May 21, 2007 — A tense Steve Wilhite paced in a cavernous hall at New York's Jacob Javitz Convention Center on the afternoon of Apr. 4, intently rehearsing his presentation. Hyundai Motor America's chief operating officer was about to introduce the South Korean company's upscale Genesis sedan to the media at the New York International Auto Show. He was worrying over his prepared comments about the $30,000 to $35,000 sedan, which he would soon audaciously compare with both the BMW 5 Series and the Lexus ES350.

Twitter while you work...

JaffeJuice, May 11, 2007 — Earlier this week, I challenged Delta to stop talking about change and change already! I criticized a bloated 30-second spot which essentially says, "we're changing", but offers no proof. In addition, it sets them up for failure with typical mismatched expecations between communication and ground-level activation (service, baggage handling, delays, comfort - I could go on)

My point was simple: instead of telling us you're changing, why not prove it to us? Why not update us regularly with - for example - a Twitter group.

Ask Kim Feil why she left her senior marketing post at Kimberly-Clark in order to join Sara Lee, and†

Brandweek, May 7, 2007 — What executive wouldn't? The catch is, Feil—and the food-industry analysts who've been carefully watching Sara Lee since CEO Brenda Barnes took the helm in 2005—may have to hang out a while longer; that transformation hasn't wholly materialized. According to Barnes—and to Feil, whom she brought aboard as CMO of Sara Lee's Food & Beverage division—things are well underway.