This week Starbucks reported some very strong financial results. Overall operating income for the third quarter improved from $14 million in 2008 to $199 million in 2009. In the U.S, profits more than doubled. This is very impressive because revenues in the U.S. were down during the same period by -4%. Operating margin in the […]
Now here is a real marketing challenge: sell Michigan as a vacation destination. Yes, Michigan, the land of failing auto companies, the bumbling Lions and desolate Detroit. It isn’t the sort of place that stirs the soul. I suspect both Hammond and Newark both fall higher up the list of places to visit for most […]
Let me start with a confession: I failed the Via challenge. This morning I stopped by my local Starbucks. I tried Via and then I tried the brewed coffee. And I couldn’t tell the difference. I was completely stumped. I find this rather astonishing. I am quite a coffee fan and I drink a lot of […]
There will be a lot of second guessing here in Chicago now that the city’s Olympic bid has failed. People will probably point to a weak final presentation, an over-reliance on celebrities and the geographic composition of the IOC. These are all fair points. One issue that certainly played a role was the lack of […]
This afternoon the Penske Automotive Group announced that its bid to acquire the Saturn brand had fallen through. As a result, General Motors will be discontinuing the brand. This is sad news. At one time Saturn was a wonderful brand. General Motors created Saturn in 1990 in a bold effort to compete with the imports. Saturn was […]
Never underestimate the power of a simple, compelling idea. More than three years ago Apple rolled out a series of ads featuring the Apple and PC characters. The initial spots were terrific. They grabbed your attention and communicated a benefit. Perhaps more importantly, there was no confusion about who the ads were for: Apple. Since […]
The New York Times on September 21 featured an interesting article about branding tuna in Japan. It is a wonderful example of the power of branding. Sashimi is big business is Japan, with tuna attracting much of the attention. And the finest Pacific bluefin tuna in Japan supposedly comes from a small town called Oma. […]