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action or later. Please see Debugging in WordPress for more information. (This message was added in version 6.7.0.) in /nas/content/live/timcalkins/wp-includes/functions.php on line 6114Ron Johnson is out at JC Penney. His seventeen month stint at the retail giant will go down in history as one of the great leadership fiascos of the decade. We can learn a lot from Ron Johnson’s tenure at JC Penney. Here are three of the key lessons. – It is easier to […]
In late March I spent several days over in Zurich leading a program for a global pharmaceutical company. I found Switzerland to be a surprising place. The first surprise was that the prices are remarkably high in Switzerland. I had perhaps the most expensive cup of coffee of my life at Starbucks across from the central train station in […]
I suppose this isn’t the moment to be thinking about Kevin Ware’s personal brand. After his spectacular and horrifying injury at yesterday’s NCAA game, the Louisville basketball player should focus on his recovery. I’ve had a little experience with orthopedic injuries myself and can only imagine the road ahead. Physical therapy, it turns out, is […]
Struggling companies often do better when they focus on their core brand. There are good reasons to have many different brands. A broad portfolio lets you target different customers with unique brands. It also reduces risk; if one brand gets into trouble the other brands can help offset the declines. The problem is that managing a big brand […]
Last week British grocery giant Tesco threw in the towel and announced that it would stop investing in its U.S. business. The company will either close or sell its nearly two hundred store “Fresh & Easy” chain. This isn’t surprising news; the U.S. business had apparently been struggling for years. Since its opening in 2007, Tesco has […]
Now that President Obama has secured another four years in the White House it is time to reflect on the election and what we can learn about marketing and branding from the past few months. There will be time for in-depth analysis and consideration, but here are three initial observations. 1. Marketing isn’t cheap. Total […]
This week I talked about launching new products in my marketing strategy class at Kellogg. The students and I spent a lot of time discussing new product strategy in familiar categories including technology, FMCG, pharmaceuticals and financial services. We didn’t spend a lot of time on the biggest new product battle taking place right now: […]
Today Felix Baumgartner jumped from a space capsule and plummeted 24 miles back to earth. The entire event, broadcast live on TV, was riveting. I watched it all unfold, riveted to the screen. The event was a triumph for Felix and his team. It was a triumph for Red Bull and an example of world-class brand building. […]
The 2012 presidential campaign is in full swing as Mitt Romney and Barack Obama battle for voters. Unfortunately, I don’t get to see much of it since Obama will almost certainly win Illinois. Romney is fighting elsewhere. Political campaigns are marketing battles; the candidates are fighting for votes, not sales. The challenge is to win […]
Michael O’Leary, CEO of Ryanair, is in a bit of hot water. According to the Irish Independent, O’Leary recently called Ryanair passenger Suzy McLeod an “idiot” and “stupid.” When asked about this odd approach to customer service, O’Leary did not back down. He explained, “I had not been intemperate, I had not lost my temper […]
The Olympics is entering its second week, so it is a good time to take a look at the advertising. I’ll post my thoughts on a few of the spots this week. First up: P&G P&G became an Olympic sponsor in 2010. This year we are seeing the company’s first big campaign. The overall message […]
PepsiCo is entering the yogurt category. Last week a number of news outlets reported that the company will soon start selling yogurt in several cities in the Northeast. PepsiCo has formed a partnership with German dairy company Theo Muller and will sell yogurt under the Muller brand. This isn’t a small introduction; the two companies […]