The Kellogg Super Bowl Ad Review: 2018 Results
The Super Bowl remains marketing’s biggest event. Nothing comes even close in terms of reach, attention and price. Once again this year, a panel of MBA students gathered at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management to strategically evaluate the Super Bowl ads. The group hunkered down to assess the ads for effectiveness—not just entertainment—with a critical question […]
The Super Bowl Telecom Battle
The Super Bowl is less than a week away. The football game should be interesting. Can Tom Brady and the Patriots once again take the prize? The advertising should be even more interesting. One category to watch in particular: Telecom. Last year, T-Mobile and Sprint both attacked Verizon. The Sprint ad featured a fellow faking […]
The 2018 Kellogg Bowl
The Super Bowl is fast approaching. On February 4, more than one hundred million people will congregate at Super Bowl parties to watch both the football and the advertising. On the part of advertisers, they will spend $5 million or more for each thirty second spot to reach the huge audience. If history is any […]
Brands to Watch in 2018
Happy New Year! At the start of each year, I like to offer a brand forecast. Like the year that just ended, 2018 will bring opportunities and challenges for many brands. Here are a few in particular to watch. Sears Many old guard, brick and mortar retailers are struggling, and Sears in particular lost its […]
Looking Back on my 2017 Brands to Watch
Each year I highlight a few brands to watch. Let’s take a look at how things worked out for some of my 2017 selections. Amazon My question about Amazon: could the company keep the momentum going despite the lack of significant profits? The answer is pretty clear—absolutely. When I wrote my post last year the stock […]
BMW Embraces its German Roots
BMW is one of the world’s top German brands. For many years, however, the company has intentionally downplayed its German roots, striving to be both German and local. It was only somewhat German. This strategy was perfectly brought to life in BMW’s 2014 Super Bowl ad, called “Built in America.” The spot featured an earnest […]
Brand of the Month: Geico
Building a great brand today requires a delicate balance: You have to be consistent while also constantly being new and different. Consistency and Change Consistency is the foundation of branding. A strong brand should stand for something and repeatedly reinforce that message. Apple, BMW, Rolex, Emirates and Wal-Mart all have very distinct associations. BMW is […]
Buying a New Car and the Power of Brands
People love to question the power of brands. “With Amazon dominating the world, brands are done for,” some proclaim. “In a digital world, you don’t need brands,” others note. Another group insists, “Social media trumps everything! A referral from a friend is far more important than a brand.” These are all interesting thoughts, and not without […]
Trouble at Coca-Cola
The Coca-Cola Company has come out with a new advertising campaign. You can watch the ad here and read more about it here. My overall assessment? Things aren’t going well at Coke. The new campaign is clearly designed to improve perceptions of Coke. The ad features two employees, Jon and Willie. Jon is a hydrologist, and […]
Brand of the Month: Cracker Barrel
This is a new addition to my blog. Every month I will highlight one notable brand, an example of branding best practices. Expect to see a wide range of brands over the coming year. If you have a nomination, send me an email at t-calkins@northwestern.edu Perhaps the most important marketing lesson is this: you can’t […]
Back to School: Advice for Students
It is back to school time! All around the world, students are organizing school supplies, looking forward to seeing old friends and becoming sleepless with the excitement of a new academic year. It is a universal experience shared by pupils of all ages. My daughter Anna started school yesterday, and my MBA students at Northwestern […]
The High Cost of Poor Service
Strong businesses are built on great customer service. When people are happy, they come back and provide endorsements. They may even be willing to pay more when they can anticipate superior treatment. Poor customer service, on the other hand, does enormous damage; it can destroy a business. Customers don’t return, forcing a company to constantly attract new customers, an expensive and […]