ethanbeute

Marketing | Environment | Culture

Category: Marketing and Branding (Page 10 of 13)

marketing, branding, advertising, promotion, positioning, strategy, business

U.S. Postal Service: Are You Emotionally Attached?

October 14, 2010 /

They don’t seem to care much about customer service or performance.  You’ve probably got a complaint or six about them.  They expect to lose $7,000,000,000 of our money this year.

But when NewMediaMetrics surveyed 3,500 Americans ages 13-54 with annual income of at least $35,000 earlier this year, they beat the following brands, among many others.

  • Car makers: Mercedes-Benz, Audi, Jeep, BMW, VW, Toyota
  • Big boxes: Walmart, Target
  • Tech: Microsoft, Sony, Samsung
  • Iconic: Nike, Coca Cola, M&Ms
  • Various: Victoria’s Secret, Visa, Hershey’s Milk Chocolate, Sea World, Southwest Airlines

Look who rounds out the top 15 of the Leap (Leveraging Emotional Attachment for Profit) Index this year.  Beating out loads of heavy-hitting brands … it’s your United States Postal Service!

Consumers Brand Ranking NewMediaMetrics

Leap Index: Top 15 Brands Consumers Are Most Attached To

This 9/10 list ranks brands based on how many people are most unwilling to give up the brand, ranking it a 9 or a 10 on a 0 to 10 scale.  That’s some love … for the USPS.

The United States Postal Service is the same operation that delivers mail to my home any time between 5 and 8pm most nights.

The U.S. Postal Service is the same operation that set up deliveringtrust.com to teach people about preventing mail fraud when they deliver other people’s mail to my home, including “Important Tax Documents” and what look like bank statements, at least once a week.  Yes, they’re handing over to me other people’s sensitive information (which I either take to their house or drop back into a nearby mailbox).

The USPS is the same operation that could not deliver a piece of mail addressed 100% correctly to my wife from a store that’s less than 3 miles from our house – even though they tried twice.

Undelivered undeliverable fail failed address

Though addressed 100% correctly, this letter could not make it less than 3 miles from its source to its destination on either of two attempts. Instead, it was picked up in-store a month later. Blue marks made by me in Photoshop to conceal partially the address for public posting here.

I like to receive mail.  I read many magazines brought to my front door by the mail carrier.  I pay many bills by mail.  We still physically exchange our Netflix DVDs by mail.

I like attachment.  I want to feel attached to our USPS.  The problem is that they consistently give me reasons not to like them.  (TWO WEEK UPDATE: my wife’s been sending packages to a friend in the military overseas requiring two customs forms each time and says our local office has been very helpful and friendly.  Still not attached, though.)

Are you “emotionally attached” to the United States Postal Service?  Positively or negatively?

Do you have a USPS love or hate story you’d like to share here?  Please do!

Links

2010 Leap Index Top 100 as PDF

Ad Age article about 2010 Leap Index

Rework by 37signals: Setting Conventional Wisdom Ablaze

September 29, 2010 /

16 employees in 8 different cities on 2 different continents serving more than 5 million customers, including some of the world’s biggest brands.  How do 37signals do it?

They’re eager to tell you.

Before I take on their book, I’ll give you a sense of the company, which exists almost completely online.  They design web-based software that helps you run your small group or business.  The table below, including the names and images of each offering, is as stylish and clear as the book.  This product/service line was developed for their own use; they run their company on their own applications.

37 signals, basecamp, campfire, highrise, backpack, software, online, SaaS

Back to “eager to tell you” … from the 37signals perspective, teaching is marketing.  That’s a perspective about which I want to learn more.  Of course, they’re eager to teach me.

In addition to countless interviews, speeches, and presentations – many of which are available online (here or here) – founders Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson, along with several other members of the crew, put together a couple books.  I’ve read only one of them; this is my review.

Rework is their go at a “general business” book.  In it, 37signals explain how they do what they do – how they built and how they run their business.  I won’t belabor it in detail, since there are already several tons of love and press about this publication.

In short, they set ablaze conventional wisdom about how business “needs to” or “should” be done.  Instead, common sense is put on its proper pedestal …

  • Meetings waste time.
  • Interruptions slay productivity.
  • Resumes are ridiculous.
  • Press releases are spam.
  • More features do not a better product make.
  • And on …

Though the hardcover contains 270+ pages, the layout and style make for a very quick read and begs for a re-read.  There are loads of wonderful illustrations accompanying each “verse,” which vary in length from three or four paragraphs to a page or two.  Each verse is one of maybe a half dozen pieces that make up a chapter.

It makes sense that Seth Godin‘s endorsement stripes the top of the cover.  Rework is a collection of short essays as efficient as Godin’s blog posts.  An idea is introduced, supported by an example or two, then wrapped up.  The lessons are communicated so cleanly that they seem overwhelmingly obvious.  The writing is so straightforward and clear that these essays read in sequence as a series of punches.

As a sample, here’s the lead from the “Speed Changes Everything” verse from the “Damage Control” chapter:

‘Your call is very important to us.  We appreciate your patience.  The average hold time right now is sixteen minutes.’  Give me a fucking break.

As you might expect of a book that torches conventional wisdom about hiring, PR and marketing, growth, culture, management, venture capital and so much more, Rework is irreverent and refreshing.

Needless to say, I recommend the book highly – especially for those with an entrepreneurial bent.  Really, though, it’s a must-read for anyone interested in the structure and running of an organization.  For no other reason, you should read it for the gentle but meaningful open-hand slap to the face it’ll give you about what’s happening in your day-to-day work life.

I may write a couple of follow-up posts about how the book functions as marketing and manifesto for the 37signals community and about the other companies 37signals name checks as illustrations of their points.

In the meantime, I’ll leave you with this interview of Jason Fried from O’Reilly Media:

Also, here’s a link to the 37signals “about us” page with company history, executive team profiles, statement of beliefs, and more.

Why Let Highly Qualified Leads Jump Out of Your Sales Funnel?

September 27, 2010 /

I’m putting together a 2011 budget right now for my little corner of the operation for which I work.

We do several outdoor events each year and need to replace (and upgrade) our 10′ x 10′ pop-up tent.  A colleague and I briefly searched online, found a solid-looking vendor with a nice range of products and narrowed down their offerings to our specific interests.  Because it wasn’t perfectly clear from their website how our combination of tent, accessories and printing would cost, I actually picked up the phone and called their 800 number to speak with someone directly.

I am deep in the funnel.  I am a highly qualified lead.  I know what I want.  I know you provide it.  I’m on the phone with you RIGHT NOW.

I am a $2,800 sale waiting to happen.

Sales, Funnel, Conversion, Leads, Prospects, Customers, Generate, Convert, Sell, Qualify, Highly Qualified

A basic sales funnel out of which I was allowed to jump.

So what’s the issue?  I spoke directly with an employee for three to five minutes about purchasing $2,800 of goods and services from her organization.  At no point, however, did she ask for my name, my phone number, my email address, the organization on whose behalf I was calling … nothing!  No system.  No protocol.  No foresight.  If she’d asked, I’d certainly have given her all four of those pieces of information.

How do you expect to close highly qualified leads – to convert them into paying customers – if you can’t even follow-up with them?

There are many vendors who provide these kinds of promotional displays.  There are probably many competitors who provide the goods and services you provide.

When you’re lucky enough to have a highly qualified lead fall into your lap, don’t let them jump out of your sales funnel.  Set up a basic system to follow up with them.

It seems elementary because it is.

ForbesLife: Bridal Magazine for the Super-Rich

September 23, 2010 /

I like holding reading material in my hands and turning pages as I read.  I like folding a corner or tucking in a piece of paper to mark where I left off before setting it down.  As regards reading, I like not ever having to plug in, power up or power down.  I like books and magazines in physical form.  All that said, I also read a ton online, but that’s beside the point.

One of the magazines I enjoy reading when it arrives in my mailbox by way of the USPS is Forbes.  Occasionally, the magazine is supplemented by the obscenely rich ForbesLife, positioned as “Celebrating the Best of the Best.”  I’ve never seen a publication stuffed with more ads for watches that cost more than my car.

Speaking of being stuffed with ads, here’s the primary observation of this post: ForbesLife is stuffed with ads of all kinds.  Jammed.  Loaded.  Choked.  With advertising.

luxury, watch, Cartier, wristwatch, time piece

The Calibre de Cartier 1904 MC is advertised opposite the table of contents and is priced starting as low as $6,500.

One thing I like to do when a new magazine arrives at my home is to pull out all the postcard-sized, heavy stock inserts.  With the latest ForbesLife, though, I decided to pull out every page with advertising on both sides.  Just for fun and of curiosity.  The issue to which I refer is the 20th Anniversary issue, dated September 2010.

I pulled out 14 pages (28 single-sided pages).  That included a couple multi-page “advertorial” sections for Marquis Jet and for Charleston, South Carolina.

That left just 35 pages.  Of those remaining, 20 had advertising on one of the two sides.

In this tabulation, I was gracious enough to except the “Down Time, For Fall: Effortless Dress-Down Chic” photo spread from the advertising counts, despite the fact that every clothing item is brand-named and priced.  For your reference, I’ll run down item and price on one of those pages (randomly selected): $11,390 wool coat, $535 cotton shirt, $790 jeans and $70 belt.

To summarize: 49 total double-sided pages, 98 total sides, 48 sides with advertising.

That’s a fat lot of ads!  More than 50% the printed piece is advertising.

Bottom line: ForbesLife is a bridal or high fashion magazine for the super-rich.  In bridal and fashion mags, the advertising plays an important, functional role as content.

Beyond the obvious role of revenue-provider to the privately held media company Forbes, Inc., the ads are critical element of the publication for the reader.  The advertising in this type of magazine complements the content proper, provides supporting images and information and casts upon the reader a sought-after sense.

In the case of ForbesLife, it’s a sense of opulence.

Toyota: Finding Its Compass

September 10, 2010 /

Nearly two months ago to the day (July 9), I posted about Toyota’s incredible run on “safety” as a campaign message.

That post, “Toyota: Lost in the Wilderness?,” is right here.

Its thrust: given all the recalls and problems, are they already done with this “safety” push?  It seems so, given some new social media-oriented, reliability-themed spots I’ve seen.  Just as I was noticing how blatant the safety sell was, both in print and on-air, some fun, story-based spots started showing up in the ad mix.  I found it problematic – a premature watering-down of the critical “safety” theme.

This is a company whose entire brand was built on reliability.  Since November, though, it’s recalled more than 10,000,000 cars in the United States.  The brand name repeatedly made headlines about sticky gas pedals and sudden acceleration.  They made a brief, hard run at “safety,” but seemed to be flitting off in other directions after just a couple months.

Toyota Safety Reliability Durability Message Ad Advertising Message Campaign Perception Reality

Toyota Commits to the Safety Message

This morning, I was flipping through a recent issue of Advertising Age and read this headline:  “Toyota to Push Safety in Ad Blitz.”  I thought I was reading a back issue, but no … it’s dated September 6, 2010.  The story’s a bit longer online than in print and can be read here.

Basically, Saatchi Los Angeles is building more creative elements to support the safety message – with an emphasis on the STAR Safety System.  The campaign will run “well into 2011.”  The renewed push is likely spurred by horrific August sales figures.

Sounds like they’ve found their compass.

PBR in China: The Power of Positioning

August 4, 2010 /

Like water into wine, Pabst Blue Ribbon went seriously upscale for its product launch in China, demonstrating the power of positioning.  Though the dynamic of consumers’ definitions of who you are and how you relate to competitors is always a factor, opportunities arise for brands to make that definition and claim that mental space for themselves.  The jury’s still out since this story’s only a couple weeks old, but I’m anxious to know how this works out for PBR.

A brief history of Pabst Blue Ribbon in America from my perspective:

  • born in the late 1800’s in the upper midwest
  • a blue collar beer for most of my lifetime
  • sales peak in 1977 then fall off dramatically
  • enjoying a resurgence among urban hipsters who can’t resist the great taste of irony
  • overall a decent brand for its overlord, Miller Brewing

PBR, Pabst

As if from water into wine, PBR goes luxury for China launch.

A brief introduction of Pabst Blue Ribbon in China:

  • now called “Blue Ribbon 1844” (reference to Pabst founding date)
  • now a luxury brand, a “world famous spirit”
  • now sells for $44 per bottle (720-ml bottle, more detailed brew)

Pabst, Pabst Blue Ribbon, China, launch, branding, positioning, 1844

Pabst launches "Blue Ribbon 1844" in China

What a clever way to take advantage of a huge, new market – completely re-position the brand for introduction to an audience largely ignorant of PBR’s unpretentious past.

As noted above, this isn’t simply a repackaging of the same product.  The March 5 edition of Modern Brewery Age describes the person and process nicely.  They hired Alan Kornhauser, of Jos. Huber, Anchor Brewing, Portland Brewing, August Schell and others, to work in China six months of the year.  “We just produced China’s first real specialty beer, an all-malt, reddish brown strong (15.7 plato) ale, dry hopped with Cascade (38 IBU) and aged in new uncharred American whiskey barrels,” MBA quotes him.  They’re only selling Blue Ribbon 1844 in China.

So they’ve re-positioned the Pabst Blue Ribbon brand in an honest and meaningful way.  That’s even better than clever.

« Older posts Newer posts »

Posts by Category

© 2024 ethanbeute

Theme by Anders Noren — Up ↑