Nokia’s Branding Lesson
This week Nokia collapsed into the arms of Microsoft, selling its critical handset division to the software giant. Nokia’s decline was stunning. The stock traded at over $40 per share in 2007. It now trades at about $5. It once had a market share of over 30%. It now has less than 4%. This is […]
Hope for J.C. Penney
Things are looking grim for J.C. Penney. The company’s stock began the year at a price of about $20 per share and recently traded around $13. Earlier this month J.C. Penney reported that it lost $586 million in its fiscal second quarter with sales falling a disconcerting 12%. And hedge fund manager Bill Ackman dumped his […]
Geico, Airshows and Positioning
The Chicago Air and Water Show is going on today. The weather is perfect with clear skies and bright sunshine. The U.S. military is absent this year, since the government decided to cut funding for air shows as part of the sequester negotiations. Government leaders promised the world would end if the cuts took place. […]
Russia’s Olympic Branding Problem
Russian officials are creating an Olympics branding disaster. With the Sochi Winter Olympics just months away, Russia is taking a very public stand against gay rights. The country recently passed legislation banning talk of gay rights and public demonstrations such as parades and gatherings. Today there are reports a senior Russian sports official is associating […]
Individuals, Decisions and Healthcare
The more I learn about marketing the more impressed I am with how people make decisions. We don’t just buy the best product, or the cheapest product, or the most convenient product. We weigh multiple factors; we are skeptical of information and use a wide range of cues to figure out the best course. This […]
Building the Silverado Brand
On July 4 GM rolled out a new advertising campaign to support the launch of the redesigned Chevy Silverado. The first spot is an emotional commercial that focuses on traditional values. The ad touches on strength, power and reliability. As Tim Mahoney, Chevy’s CMO, explained in a recent interview, “What we’re trying to do is emotionalize […]
Apple’s New Campaign
Apple is running a striking new campaign; it is hard to open a newspaper without seeing the two-page spreads. The ads are dramatic, highlighting Apple’s commitment to design. Here is one: This is it. This is what matters. The experience of a product. How it makes someone feel. When you start by […]
Kellogg Commencement Remarks
Yesterday I spoke at the Kellogg School of Management Commencement Ceremony; it is tradition for the winner of the L.G. Lavengood Professor of the Year Award to address the graduates. Here are my remarks. * * * Thank you so much for this award. I’d like to share with you one of my secrets to […]
McDonalds: Hunting for Growth
You have to give the team at McDonald’s a lot of credit. Over the past decade, they have found a way to substantially grow sales at existing restaurants. This is a huge accomplishment. The stock has certainly responded. Shares traded at about $30 in 2005 and closed yesterday at over $98. The formula for growth […]
A Fresh Start at P&G
A.G. Lafley is back. Last week P&G’s board appointed Lafley CEO after Bob McDonald stepped down. This isn’t a new assignment for Lafley; he was CEO from 2000 to 2009. A look at P&G’s May, 2013 Brand Saver coupon booklet suggests he has some work to do. A few questions to consider: -Is investing in […]
Angelina Jolie’s Smart Decision
This week Angelina Jolie announced that she had preventative mastectomy surgery to reduce her risk of breast cancer. People are debating her decision to have the surgery. Most seem be fully supporting the move. She clearly made a smart decision in announcing it as she did; Angelina Jolie dramatically enhanced her personal brand. By proactively […]
$40,000
I have a cousin battling ovarian cancer. It has been a long and difficult fight but she has done better than anyone could have imagined. She is amazing. Last week I talked with her mother and learned that the family is rounding up funds to pay for a $40,000 oncology drug. My cousin lives in […]