It is the season for Christmas ads. No country does Christmas advertising quite like the U.K., where people wait anxiously to see what brands will come up with. Expectations are high. It is a bit like the Super Bowl here in the U.S. You can watch two of my favorite Christmas ads here, one from […]
We are just a little more than a week past the election, but it seems like the distant past. Before the excitement fades away, it is worth reflecting on some things marketers can learn about branding and strategy from what happened. Don’t Assume Others Are Like You It is very tempting to assume that everyone […]
Elections are brand battles. At Kellogg, we define brands to be the associations linked to a name, mark or symbol associated with a product or service. When people see a name or symbol, what do they think? This is the brand. A political race is all about branding. People aren’t buying a product they can […]
Two of the most astonishing branding stories this year have been the struggles of Nike and Starbucks. Both firms might benefit from studying luxury giant LVMH. Starbucks and Nike A few years back, Nike and Starbucks were business school go-to brands. Want an example of a strong brand? How about Nike or Starbucks? Looking for […]
I’m teaching in Europe this month; I was in Copenhagen last week and will be in Italy for the next few days. I had some open time in Milan, so I signed up for a free walking tour. I always love these because they attract an interesting group of people, and the guides have a […]
Anyone interested in branding should pay attention to GE. What will happen to the GE brand over the next decade? My prediction: it will start to fade away. A Glorious Past GE is perhaps the most famous corporate brand. Under CEO Jack Welch, GE was the envy of the business world and regarded as the […]
There seems to be a trend developing in the world of not-for-profits: rebranding. Many organizations are moving from descriptive brands to broad, general brands. In most cases, this is well-intentioned but a bad move. The Trend In recent years, a series of not-for-profits have rebranded to general, inspirational names. Here are a few examples: -The […]
It is the week after the debate. People are still digesting exactly what happened and the implications. Here are three observations on the campaign. Biden Shouldn’t Run For Joe Biden, the debate was a branding disaster. Heading into the event, his brand was tarnished by perceptions of age and cognitive decline. The debate reinforced these perceptions; […]
It is Commencement Day at Kellogg. This afternoon, hundreds of students will gather in Evanston to receive their degrees. I’ll be there for the procession and ceremony. For the faculty, attendance is optional, but I love the energy and seeing my students on such a notable day. If you follow this blog, you know I […]
I teach marketing strategy, branding, and biomedical marketing at Kellogg. One of my core beliefs is that it isn’t enough to develop smart strategies; you also have to communicate them persuasively to get people on board. A few years back I wrote my book on the topic, How to Wash a Chicken: Mastering the Business […]
The Chicago Bears last week unveiled plans for a new lakefront stadium. It is a spectacular proposal: a gorgeous stadium with views of the downtown skyline. The cost? More than $4.5 billion. All this raises four questions. Is a new stadium necessary? Sports teams thrive in glorious venues. The better the fan experience, the more […]
Colleges are announcing tuition and other costs for the 2024-25 academic year. Washington University in St. Louis is increasing tuition and fees by 4.5%, bringing the cost of attending to $87,644 (including tuition, housing, meals, student health, and activity fee). Yale is increasing tuition and fees by 3.9% to $87,150. Bucknell’s is up 4.75% to […]
