GM’s Branding Disaster
General Motors is in the headlines today. Both the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal are reporting that a House committee is investigating how the company responded to issues with faulty ignition switches. The story is astonishing. Apparently in 2004 GM learned that several of its car models had a faulty ignition switch that […]
An Odd Move by CVS
Pharmacy giant CVS recently announced that it would no longer sell tobacco products. CEO Larry Merlo explained the decision in a statement, noting “Ending the sale of cigarettes and tobacco products at CVS/pharmacy is the right thing for us to do for our customers and our company to help people on their path to better […]
Sochi’s Olympic Surprise
The Sochi Winter Olympic Games wrapped up yesterday. Overall it was a surprising win for Russia and Sochi. It was not a flawless event. Going into the Sochi Games the discussion focused on Russia’s approach to human rights, especially the LGBT community. The event kicked off with reports of unfinished hotel rooms and amusement parks. […]
Super Bowl Results: 2014
The 2014 Super Bowl was a marketing extravaganza. Never has the world seen such massive hype and discussion about advertising; during the two weeks leading up to the game, companies released dozens of teaser spots and social media campaigns. Advertisers clearly invested heavily in this year’s game; it was a remarkable mix of celebrities, famous […]
Four Super Bowl Ads That Touched the Heart
In just a few days, advertisers will spend millions of dollars running Super Bowl commercials. If history is any guide, most of these spots will feature funny jokes and impressive special effects. Few of these ads, however, will make an emotional appeal. They will try to amuse and dazzle more than touch the heart. This […]
Soda Stream’s PR Win
Marketers advertising on the Super Bowl face two challenges. The main issue is breaking through the clutter during the game. The other challenge is getting PR attention in the days leading up to the event. The PR battle isn’t easy. There are only so many news outlets and business writers. A newspaper has only one […]
The Hype Begins
Tomorrow the build-up to the 2014 Super Bowl begins in earnest. It used to be that Super Bowl advertising was just that: Super Bowl advertising. Companies would buy some time, develop a spot and hope it generated some discussion and buzz the following day. The more sophisticated advertisers would add a bit of print into […]
Soda Stream’s Super Bowl Challenge
Last year Soda Stream ran its first Super Bowl ad ever. The spot was mediocre; the Kellogg Super Bowl Advertising Review panel gave it a C. Here it is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t7omFHhNNT4 Soda Stream was smart to advertise on the Super Bowl. The brand was growing quickly and needed to accelerate adoption. A Super Bowl ad […]
Heinz Steps Up
Yesterday Heinz announced that it would be running an ad on the 2014 Super Bowl. This is a big surprise; Heinz hasn’t advertised on the Super Bowl in more than a decade. The brand isn’t an obvious candidate. It is a mature, stable business with little competition. In addition, this is off-season. People aren’t buying […]
Six Brands to Watch in 2014
This will be a critical year for many brands. Here are six that I will be watching with particular interest in 2014. -Russia There is intense focus on the upcoming Winter Olympic Games in Sochi. Russian President Vladimir Putin has made the event a top priority and invested billions in constructing the facilities. One […]
The Remarkable Chobani – Whole Foods Fight
You don’t see manufacturers and retailers attack each other very often. Everyone has an interest in keeping disputes hidden from view. Today, Chobani and Whole Foods are fighting a nasty battle. Here is the story. Whole Foods announced yesterday that it was kicking Chobani out of its stores. The reason, according to an article in the […]
Super Bowl 2014: 53 Days Away
The 2014 Super Bowl is less than two months away. This is the time when marketers all around the world are putting finishing touches on their Super Bowl marketing campaigns. Some are shooting commercials this week; others are meeting with senior management to secure approvals and almost are plotting social media strategy. The stakes are […]