Posts Tagged ‘Public relations
The strong ones just push harder
How do you sell something in this economy? Everyone is trying to not spend anything, and you want them to spend on your product.
I’m reminded of a line from one of my favorite TV show “Burn Notice.” It was something about in a desperate situation, a novice spy would abandon their cover ID, an experienced one just works it harder.
I think that applies to marketing as well. A brand that’s uncertain of itself may abandon its identity and go for a strong value message. For brands that are certain of what they stand for, and why they’re worth it, they push their brand identity harder.
Look at Allstate. In this time, when insurance can both be viewed as completely necessary to maybe I can risk cutting it, Allstate pushes the emotion button. Evoking recession fears. Evoking the idea of a simpler life. Evoking the need to make choices, and the more important need of making good choices.
All it takes is a strong brand, and a strong sense of what that brand stands for. Something every brand should have… but don’t.
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Pepsi’s refreshing while Coca-Cola is moving forward
Happy New Year.
For 2009, the first branding stories probably surround the coke industry. The story emerged a few weeks ago, when Coca-Cola revealed its plan to install a green billboard at Times Square to be revealed on New Years Eve. Pepsi, at the same time would be launching the new logo (with a roll out that started early in December).
The two accompanying marketing campaigns would be much different. Coca-Cola would focus on being green and its strong recycling efforts, while Pepsi would focus on being joyful and young.
Pepsi’s campaign seems to be more of the same. Moreover, without a strong message, in times where marketing clutter is just getting worse, I wonder if Pepsi would be able to break through and reach its audience. While there are a lot of eyeball, and probably the right eyeballs, but I wonder if that eyeball would find the message.
Pepsi had always been young, which I found interesting that it considers such branding effort to be a repositioning. While this is the most significant logo change since 1962, I have yet to find the underlying difference between the new and the old brand identity.
I think in contrast, Coca-Cola’s campaign will in the long run push the brand forward. Coca-Cola has increasing become the world’s coke. Its Olympics effort was excellent, and the greening effort now would only further push Coca-Cola’s imagine to be an excellent world citizen. This, along with its already established product excellence, would probably put Coca-Cola ahead of the game.
It’d be interesting to see the sales of the two coke giants in 2009 and evaluate the ROI in the two campaigns.
Here is an interesting link to an interview with Pepsi’s North America VP discussing the relaunch: link.
Here is the ad launching Pepsi’s new logo on New Years Eve:
Television shows as ads
I’m channel surfing and came across two shows.
1. Britney For the Record. I know, it’s a re-run.
2. Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show
These programs intrigue me. These are not reality shows. We won’t be watching people being stupid. These are more or less straight advertisements… So, how strong a brand has to be before networks would jump at a chance to leverage your brand?
But for marketers, a more important question is when would it make sense for us to even try? After all, television is a very indirect way to interact with your consumers…
I think it make most sense if you already find yourself doing a lot of show and tell. Television is a show and tell. So, if you currently are showing and telling your product, there may be a television show in the making.
To think of this differently, there is a category that has had consistent success with using “show and tells” to sell products – books.
Book readings are simply show and tells. Television simply brings this show and tell to life.
Jeannie Chan is a Brand Manager for a Fortune 500 consumer goods company. She considers herself a marketer, a traveler, and a foodie. Jeanne lives in NYC. 
