Posted by: Mitch/Ralph on: October 15, 2009
Found a great, short article on the fighting brand concept in Advertising Age magazine. Recommend it to anyone who feels a need to create a lower end offering (branded or otherwise) in this or any market. Not sure I could have said it better myself, good read.
Mitch
Posted by: Mitch/Ralph on: August 26, 2009
I walked the sea wall at Stanley Park in Vancouver, BC yesterday. One of the most famous urban parks in North America. Very different from Central Park in NY or Forest Park in St. Louis. I learned that Stanly Park is named for Lord Stanley a former Governor of Canada. No big deal you say. [...]
Posted by: Mitch/Ralph on: August 24, 2009
I was struck yesterday on the brand preference of Starbucks. I know there is one on every corner (except in New England where it is Dunkin Donuts on every corner). However, I was wandering around Whistler Village yesterday afternoon. It is not that big and there are 10 coffee shops in the village. Five are [...]
Posted by: Mitch/Ralph on: February 9, 2009
Unlike prior recessions, this one is really hitting the high end hard. Usually it’s the middle market products that get creamed as people move to the low end and the affluent stay with the high end, but this time something(s) are different. Saks, Neiman Marcus, et al, are getting hit hard. Why?
Two reasons I think. [...]
Posted by: Mitch/Ralph on: January 11, 2009
In the January 5, 2009 issue of Ad Age, Al Ries published an insightful article entitled “The Difference Between Building a Business and Building a Brand.” We agree with virtually all of Al’s points in his article (as we usually do). The key messages in his article as we read it are:
1. Brand popularity/recognition and brand value [...]
Posted by: Mitch/Ralph on: December 17, 2008
Rich Karlgaard, Publisher of Forbes, had an interesting commentary in the December 22, 2008 issue (reprinted from his blog). He opined that Detroit’s US automakers had made a fatal brand positioning mistake many years ago (and I say one of many such mistakes) by selling so many “stripped down” cars to the major rental car [...]
Posted by: Mitch/Ralph on: December 7, 2008
Walking in Terminal 8 at JFK I see a sign for the Juan Valdez Cafe. What else did I need to see to know what that cafe was all about. Now that is the true power of a Brand.
Mitch
