Brand

Pepsi’s new brand identity: Not what I call "refreshing".

alfredo muccino — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 17:16:44 -0500

Occasionally brands need a little refreshing. Pepsi recently announced that it is canning BBDO Worldwide, which has produced campaigns for the brand since 1960, in an effort “to refresh Pepsi’s communications,” according Dave Burwick, the new chief marketing officer for the PepsiCo North America beverages division. PepsiCo also selected the Arnell Group as its design agency for brand identity and packaging.

What Are You Giving These Days?

Tom Waldron — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 06:28:52 -0500

I must admit that I was a little nervous when we launched our annual employee giving campaign in October – on the heels of the economic turmoil across the globe. With the uncertainty that people were feeling about the volatile stock market, I thought: how do we communicate to employees that now is the time for them to dig deep into their pockets and donate money to their favorite charities?

Rapper 50 Cent Butts Heads With Taco Bell In Trademark Infringement Suit

Jonathan Salem Baskin — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 10:24:48 -0500

There's a legal squabble going on between Taco Bell and rapper 50 Cent over a faux letter the company sent out, asking that the celebrity change his name for a day to "79 Cent" -- the pricepoint of one of its value meals -- and earn $10,000 for the charity of his choice.

The gangsta star has sued for trademark infringement in federal court, and Taco Bell's lawyers are counter-blathering in the press. The marketing blogosphere is ripping with analyses ranging from the utterly brilliant to the foolishly stupid.

Bio and Interests: Ken Murrell

Ken Murrell — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 18:02:22 -0500

exploring, writing, design, drawing, painting, sculpting, racquetball, softball, volleyball, tennis, kiteboarding, rowing, rafting, skiing, biking, camping, reading, socializing, sportscars, travel, computers

The Inclusive Diversity Approach: An Example

Tom Waldron — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 15:33:36 -0500

Diversity is as much a corporate value these days as ethics, business integrity and quality. And like those titans of business management, diversity has built its own cottage industry of books, consultants, success stories, awards, and other public, measurable reflections of companies that do it well.

Should GM Start Making Floor Polish?

Jonathan Salem Baskin — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 09:56:10 -0500

A quick check of the headlines and blogosphere reveals some very innovative approaches to 'rescuing' GM and its brethren in Detroit.

Most all of them forsake a cash bailout (or otherwise pecuniary reward) for various plans to remake the companies: management and the boards must resign, production lines must be obligated to make only hybrid vehicles. Probably all of the ideas involve putting many thousands of people out of work, whether explicitly or implicitly required.

Liquid Agency collaborates with Michael Graves on product design project.

alfredo muccino — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 00:57:30 -0500

Liquid Agency is helping to guide the development of the Slice brand, a maker of innovative products that cut, slice, grate, etc. Part of the brand development includes the selection of world class designers and architects with whom we collaborate on product design. We started with a series of office and kitchen products by Karim Rashid, one of the brightest stars in design today. Next, we engaged none other than Michale Graves - easily one of the most influential architects of the century - who is working on an entirely new category of products.

Liquid Brand Exchange

alfredo muccino — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 00:45:55 -0500

This blog is dedicated to news and ideas about brands and branding. The objective is to publish information that will stimulate an exchange of thoughts and opinions among people who have an interest in brand strategy, brand design and brand marketing practices.

Brand and Employee Engagement

Tom Waldron — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 13:13:32 -0500

Brand management at corporations is usually handled by the marketing department. Most of the energy in defining and building a brand is to communicate the values of your company, its services and products, to potential customers, clients and other stakeholders. So I’m used to getting puzzled looks when people find out that I’m responsible for both brand and human resources at ING Americas.

Brand Ambassador

Tom Waldron — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 15:48:14 -0400

EVP for Human Resources and Brand, ING Americas, Tom Waldron uses his unique vantage point as an executive of the financial services company's internal human resources as well as of the external perceptions of the company, to blog about HR issues. His blog discusses topics ranging from diversity, recruitment and hiring to the often-hidden link between brand (external) reputation management and HR (internal reputation management).

Bio and Interests: Tom Waldron

Tom Waldron — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 15:28:48 -0400

Tom Waldron leads the human resources, corporate marketing, communications and community relations functions for ING Americas. His team’s emphasis centers on enterprise talent management for over 30,000 employees, diversity, reward, internal and external messaging, activating the brand and community relations – all operating in a highly collaborative partnership.

Bio and Interests: Stephanie Price

Stephanie Price — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 17:34:46 -0400

Coming soon..

The Obama Brand - Has It Re-Defined Both Politics and Response Marketing?

Jon Dale — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 14:53:03 -0400

A recent Op-Ed by Nicholas Kristof at nytimes.com talks about how an Obama victory has the opportunity to significantly (and positively) re-brand America in the eyes of the world. In fact, polls in foreign countries run 4 to 1 in his favor.

Innovative Influence

Suzi Pomerantz — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 17:39:32 -0400

Where Leadership and Business Development Intersect for Quantum Results in Your Company and Career

Ad Ubiquity in Wired

Jonathan Salem Baskin — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 09:05:52 -0400

I enjoy Wired magazine when I'm done reading Fast Company, but this current month's issue left me wondering: where do the articles end, and the ads begin?

It's really a seamless merging of the two, at least to my uneducated eyes. Every page carries forward a design sensibility introduced on the first few pages. Quick...do the ads look like editorial, or the copy resemble ads?

Is Digital Marketing Enough?

Jonathan Salem Baskin — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 20:19:27 -0400

You don't need to look far to see the challenges facing marketers today: consumers are more wary than they've been in years, and feel as though they have less latitude for spending than they did even a month ago ago. Credit and stock woes are forcing companies to cut back on everything, and critically scrutinize everything else.

Sales are down. Costs are up. Pressure on the top-line and bomttom-line equals a perfect storm. What's a marketer to do?

Complaints: The First Step In Innovation?

Mike Wittenstein — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 16:49:16 -0400

Complaints are a first step to innovation. When your customers complain, they're sharing valuable knowledge with you about their unmet need. Knowledge that, if acted on properly, can guide your idea or innovation to the top.

Innovation

Do Financial Brands Add Up?

Jonathan Salem Baskin — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 11:10:03 -0400

The global economic meltdown has been bad news for financial services brands, straining the media of marketing communications as much as balance sheets. The fundamental question is whether branding can overcome the rational as well as emotional reactions of depositors, investors, and policy holders.

Unbuttoning the Levi's Brand

Jonathan Salem Baskin — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 12:22:21 -0400

Levi's has a significant problem: like many other iconic brands -- it's pretty much generically synonymous with the idea of "jeans" -- there's nowhere near the consumer behavior (i.e. purchases) to match consumer awareness.

Bright Light or Dim Bulb?

Jonathan Salem Baskin — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 09:48:31 -0400

Author and Chief Heretic Jonathan Salem Baskin serves up a notable example of brand marketing from around the world each week, and wants to know if you think it's a bright idea...or simply the weak flicker of a dim bulb? Baskin, who is the author of the book Branding Only Works on Cattle, thinks he knows the difference, but it's up to you to make the call!

Bio and Interests: Jonathan Salem Baskin

Jonathan Salem Baskin — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 09:32:50 -0400

Over my 26 year+ career as a marketing communicator, I've led a number of business initiatives to deliver the behaviors that substantiate brand, crossing departments, functions, and both digital and offline communications domains. I am consistently surprised and fascinated by the challenges and opportunities that arise from the combination of commerce, culture, experience, technology, and meaning.

Is Your Brand Awesome? Should it be?

Donovan Wadholm — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 11:25:14 -0400

Recently at a small business conference in Chicago I attended a few different seminars on marketing, promotion and branding. Being a self proclaimed finance geek, I find it is helpful to step outside of my natural habitat to broaden my knowledge base, and the best place for me to do that is by exploring marketing concepts.

Branded Response for the Fast Company Crowd

Jon Dale — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 16:21:13 -0400

I'll be posting on the integration of branding and response-based marketing here.

I'm also the editor of "wayfindings" our corporate blog on the same subject. You can check it out at blog.wayfinderresponse.com.

Jon Dale
http://blog.wayfinderresponse.com

Wayfindings on Fast Company

Jon Dale — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 16:14:00 -0400

Thoughts on the state of response marketing and the leaders, attitudes and practices that move it.

Stephanie Fierman - Marketing Mojo

Stephanie Fierman — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 20:51:54 -0400

Business and Internet executive delivers meaningful analyses of marketing trends and developments