Some say that 2010 will be a watershed year.
I agree.
There are some profound changes happening in 2010.
For example, in 2010, a population shift is taking place in which for the first time ever in American history, families…households with kids…will represent less than 25% of the population!
Other changes are less dramatic in the numbers, but equally dramatic in their impact on the marketplace.
I got a chance to witness one of those changes first-hand.
This past week, I met with a young entrepreneur. Actually…a Millennial Generation entrepreneur to be more precise!
Rebecca is a young woman in her late 20s who I met at a local small business group event. The evening of the event was her first time coming to a business group meeting…of any kind.
Rebecca graduated from college with a degree in non-profit organizational management. She is passionate about cause-related groups – some eco-environmental…others advocacy and outreach…nearly all idealistic and change-oriented.
No question that Rebecca is a Millennial.
As passionate as Rebecca is about her cause missions…she is also beginning to come to grips with realism of earning a living, sinking down some roots and keeping the cabinets filled with food and drink.
While Rebecca has explored some job opportunities, she quickly has reached the conclusion that there are limited openings out there…especially in areas of personal interest.
As a result, Rebecca has elected to start up her own business…a personal holistic wellness management advisory practice that she can also balance with her being part of a grass-roots indy music group.
She met with me over a cup of coffee because she learned that I teach entrepreneurship and wanted to find out more about how to get her business up and running.
Rebecca asked some great questions, took extensive notes and later requested a copy of a business plan outline.
Rebecca is passionate about her causes and groups… she is also passionate about making her business a success.
In 2010, the vast majority… like over 80% of Millennials will be out of school and firmly anchored in the workplace. Many of them will have experienced the harsh realities of business and the economy.
The Millennials are the most college-educated generation to date and the most entrenched in online and mobile interaction and networking.
More and more of the Millennials will be doing just what Rebecca is doing in starting up new businesses and introducing new passionate brands.
In addition to running BrandVenture, I also serve as an adjunct college professor.
I teach the students in my classes that the “build it-buy it” philosophy of business is dead and I receive little to any question or debate.
There are nearly as many Millennials as there are Boomers. The current president of the United States got elected into power thanks to the Millennials.
Innovation and change is what is going to move the economy forward.
The Millennials will be the fuel and drive behind it.
I agree that 2010 will be a watershed year.
If change is stressing you out… you might Google Rebecca and I bet she can help!
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Stripping Naked For All The World To See!
I met with the interactive team of one of the regional newspapers last week.
Their person heading up sales said that most of the companies they call on have already spent their budget on another medium.
And you know what that medium is?
Outdoor billboards.
I am not kidding. Outdoor billboards.
I hear that the billboard companies are cutting some great deals. I hear from businesses we meet with that they are really trying to justify their advertising dollars.
Seeing your advertising on a big board that you drive by several times a day probably reinforces that CMO who wonders every day if they are the next in line to be cut.
Outdoor billboards are not a bad medium.
Many advertisers can target them right in the heart and the daily driving course of their “rifle-defined” audience groups.
However, to this day, there are few marketers, designers and advertising agencies that understand the mechanical requirements of a billboard.
Sometimes if I am stopped at a red light and there is a billboard in front of me and I get a chance to see it up close and look at it longer that just a few seconds, I will finally get a chance to read what it says and see the nice pretty design.
One of our past clients that spent a good share of money with us is running a billboard campaign right now.
(I have to quickly say that we are not their ad agency nor are any of the ad agencies with whom we partner!)
It features a balloon in the shape of a heart and our client’s brand name is listed right on the center of the balloon. There is a three-word headline (they get credit for keeping it limited to three words!) and then an entire sentence of copy underneath.
It looks nice up close. Like when you are smack on top of it at a red light stopped.
Any time you are further back or driving past it, you cannot read the name of the client nor read the copy line.
And I promise that I am not making this assessment after a few happy hour drinks!
They are not alone.
Billboard after billboard after billboard is designed to look nice with whole sentences. Others have not one, but several pictures.
So many billboards look like newspaper ads when the paper is right in front of a person and they have some time to read the copy.
I remember one of my college professors saying in class that all that belongs on a billboard are five words or less.
That’s it.
When I think back on billboards I remember, I quickly remember the “got milk?” boards developed by Goody Silverstein & Partners for the California Milk Processor Board in 1993 and later licensed for use by milk processors and dairy farmers.
My college professor would have given the agency an A+ on that project.
Since then, I would wager to bet more than 1,000 different companies and brands have pirated the idea and used it for their advertising.
One of the first account supervisors I worked with understood outdoor advertising.
Before we could take any outdoor ad layouts to the client, we had to take the layout boards and walk across the room, tape them to the wall and then walk back and see if we could read what was on the design board.
If we couldn’t, the layouts were sent right back to the creatives to re-layout and the copywriters to edit down.
BrandVenture is neither an ad agency nor a design firm. However, we do have to deal with top management teams that will quickly conclude that marketing really does not work…and worse yet, they have to do another agency review to find a shop that “gets it.”
A month ago I wrote about how so many companies are building their cocoons to dwell among others that (God Forbid) rock the boat, challenge the strategy and try to do anything innovative with the brand.
What I write about in this blog-logue is actually an extension of the same desire to tell it all in the nicest, prettiest way.
Shoot. And saying that all that belongs on a billboard are five words or less is like stripping naked and holding up the brand for all the world to see.
My oh my… that’s risky isn’t it?
Psst… spending all those marketing dollars on those nice designed, copy intensive, pretty billboards and tracking their returns may be actually be much more risky than you think!
Their person heading up sales said that most of the companies they call on have already spent their budget on another medium.
And you know what that medium is?
Outdoor billboards.
I am not kidding. Outdoor billboards.
I hear that the billboard companies are cutting some great deals. I hear from businesses we meet with that they are really trying to justify their advertising dollars.
Seeing your advertising on a big board that you drive by several times a day probably reinforces that CMO who wonders every day if they are the next in line to be cut.
Outdoor billboards are not a bad medium.
Many advertisers can target them right in the heart and the daily driving course of their “rifle-defined” audience groups.
However, to this day, there are few marketers, designers and advertising agencies that understand the mechanical requirements of a billboard.
Sometimes if I am stopped at a red light and there is a billboard in front of me and I get a chance to see it up close and look at it longer that just a few seconds, I will finally get a chance to read what it says and see the nice pretty design.
One of our past clients that spent a good share of money with us is running a billboard campaign right now.
(I have to quickly say that we are not their ad agency nor are any of the ad agencies with whom we partner!)
It features a balloon in the shape of a heart and our client’s brand name is listed right on the center of the balloon. There is a three-word headline (they get credit for keeping it limited to three words!) and then an entire sentence of copy underneath.
It looks nice up close. Like when you are smack on top of it at a red light stopped.
Any time you are further back or driving past it, you cannot read the name of the client nor read the copy line.
And I promise that I am not making this assessment after a few happy hour drinks!
They are not alone.
Billboard after billboard after billboard is designed to look nice with whole sentences. Others have not one, but several pictures.
So many billboards look like newspaper ads when the paper is right in front of a person and they have some time to read the copy.
I remember one of my college professors saying in class that all that belongs on a billboard are five words or less.
That’s it.
When I think back on billboards I remember, I quickly remember the “got milk?” boards developed by Goody Silverstein & Partners for the California Milk Processor Board in 1993 and later licensed for use by milk processors and dairy farmers.
My college professor would have given the agency an A+ on that project.
Since then, I would wager to bet more than 1,000 different companies and brands have pirated the idea and used it for their advertising.
One of the first account supervisors I worked with understood outdoor advertising.
Before we could take any outdoor ad layouts to the client, we had to take the layout boards and walk across the room, tape them to the wall and then walk back and see if we could read what was on the design board.
If we couldn’t, the layouts were sent right back to the creatives to re-layout and the copywriters to edit down.
BrandVenture is neither an ad agency nor a design firm. However, we do have to deal with top management teams that will quickly conclude that marketing really does not work…and worse yet, they have to do another agency review to find a shop that “gets it.”
A month ago I wrote about how so many companies are building their cocoons to dwell among others that (God Forbid) rock the boat, challenge the strategy and try to do anything innovative with the brand.
What I write about in this blog-logue is actually an extension of the same desire to tell it all in the nicest, prettiest way.
Shoot. And saying that all that belongs on a billboard are five words or less is like stripping naked and holding up the brand for all the world to see.
My oh my… that’s risky isn’t it?
Psst… spending all those marketing dollars on those nice designed, copy intensive, pretty billboards and tracking their returns may be actually be much more risky than you think!
Sunday, February 7, 2010
The Myth Of Cocooning And Throwing The Spear!
How many people know the answer to this question…
How does the story end that features the caterpillar, the cocoon and the butterfly?
Oh, I already know what many of you said. That caterpillar goes and spins a cocoon, hibernates and emerges as a beautiful butterfly.
Am I right?
I’ll admit that some of those butterflies do ultimately emerge out of those cocoons, but not all of them do… and in a moment, I will share with you the rest of the story.
But first, why am I talking about caterpillars and cocoons on a blog about building brand strategy to achieve brand success?
Last year was not a nice year for anyone in business. Market categories shrank, companies went out of business and lots of folks lost jobs.
And the loss of jobs took place out their on the “assembly line” as well as “up there in the office tower.”
Shoot, even if you survived the cuts, you still can’t sleep because you wonder if you are the next in line!
Well here we are 30 days into the year 2010 and what is taking place is becoming more and more common and amplified.
Those that survived the cuts and those that made them are all cocooning!
The walls around the business are getting higher and higher and thicker and thicker. Any thoughts or ideas that might be considered new, novel and different are scorned.
Sources outside of the organization and their historical alignments are considered too high risk.
The ads that are running feature headlines and bullet points that reinforce who the company is, not translate their product or service offering into what it means to you.
There is no question what those CEOs are preaching… It’s the time now to cocoon.
What’s the rest of the story?
It is true the caterpillars that survive cocooning do emerge as charming butterflies. They have glowing wings and they fly and flutter adding color to the landscape.
But… nearly all die in just a few days. That’s right. Dead.
This past week I highlighted examples of television ads that moved beyond communicating rational benefits and embraced the emotional chords of the brand relationship in one of my class lectures.
One of those spots was the Apple Mac ad that ran only once during the broadcast of the 1984 Super Bowl.
The business climate leading up to the year 1984 wasn’t dramatically different than the business climate today.
During that recession, many companies were cocooning, shielding themselves from change and paying homage to the past mantras of the brands.
The star of that ad was a person brave enough to throw a spear right into the heart of the cocoon.
And when she did, there was a tsunami wave of innovation that tore down the walls of protective conventional thought.
Whether you use an Apple computer or not, you cannot deny the fact that Apple has changed the history of how we all communicate, process information and access entertainment.
The Apple ad illustrates what needs to happen today with companies both large and small.
I’m brave enough to throw the spear…anyone want to join me?
How does the story end that features the caterpillar, the cocoon and the butterfly?
Oh, I already know what many of you said. That caterpillar goes and spins a cocoon, hibernates and emerges as a beautiful butterfly.
Am I right?
I’ll admit that some of those butterflies do ultimately emerge out of those cocoons, but not all of them do… and in a moment, I will share with you the rest of the story.
But first, why am I talking about caterpillars and cocoons on a blog about building brand strategy to achieve brand success?
Last year was not a nice year for anyone in business. Market categories shrank, companies went out of business and lots of folks lost jobs.
And the loss of jobs took place out their on the “assembly line” as well as “up there in the office tower.”
Shoot, even if you survived the cuts, you still can’t sleep because you wonder if you are the next in line!
Well here we are 30 days into the year 2010 and what is taking place is becoming more and more common and amplified.
Those that survived the cuts and those that made them are all cocooning!
The walls around the business are getting higher and higher and thicker and thicker. Any thoughts or ideas that might be considered new, novel and different are scorned.
Sources outside of the organization and their historical alignments are considered too high risk.
The ads that are running feature headlines and bullet points that reinforce who the company is, not translate their product or service offering into what it means to you.
There is no question what those CEOs are preaching… It’s the time now to cocoon.
What’s the rest of the story?
It is true the caterpillars that survive cocooning do emerge as charming butterflies. They have glowing wings and they fly and flutter adding color to the landscape.
But… nearly all die in just a few days. That’s right. Dead.
This past week I highlighted examples of television ads that moved beyond communicating rational benefits and embraced the emotional chords of the brand relationship in one of my class lectures.
One of those spots was the Apple Mac ad that ran only once during the broadcast of the 1984 Super Bowl.
The business climate leading up to the year 1984 wasn’t dramatically different than the business climate today.
During that recession, many companies were cocooning, shielding themselves from change and paying homage to the past mantras of the brands.
The star of that ad was a person brave enough to throw a spear right into the heart of the cocoon.
And when she did, there was a tsunami wave of innovation that tore down the walls of protective conventional thought.
Whether you use an Apple computer or not, you cannot deny the fact that Apple has changed the history of how we all communicate, process information and access entertainment.
The Apple ad illustrates what needs to happen today with companies both large and small.
I’m brave enough to throw the spear…anyone want to join me?
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Out With The New York Designers And In With Main Street Millennials
When I read it, I was shocked. Even depressed.
Metropolitan Home Magazine closed up shop.
The announcement appeared in the editor’s page of Elle Décor Magazine. Metropolitan Home and Elle Décor are both published by Hachette Filipacchi Media US.
Metropolitan Home premièred 28 years ago just about the same time I got out of college and moved into my first apartment. Just about then, a good number of my fellow Baby Boomers were purchasing their first houses.
The closing of Metropolitan Home is not a simple stand-alone.
The editor of Elle Décor cited the bigger picture of the change.
As Margaret Russell, the editor-in-chief, commented, “Truth be told, I too sorely miss House & Garden, Domino, Southern Accents and Cottage Living – as does anyone who is passionate about interiors and design.”
Add to that list Country Home, O At Home (Oprah), Home, Gourmet and Hallmark magazines.
All closed those doors and stopped the press in 2009!
While the economy and the growth of Web publishing has a lot to do with the doors closing, there is indeed a bigger factor impacting housing as we know it.
It can all be summed up in one word… Millennials!
Sure, aging Boomers are more focused today on saving whatever is left of their retirement funds. Gen Xers are more focused on cocooning with the kids and getting those kids off to college.
But, it is the Millennials that now are driving the housing market.
If you have your doubts… go look at the stats of just what segment of the housing market is showing some positive growth...houses in the $150k-$200K ranges.
Furthermore, go tune into HGTV starting at 8:00pm and watch My First Place and Property Virgins that now dominates Prime Time. And by the way, those Millennials are also representing a growing share of the folks on House Hunters.
Dwell Magazine and ReadyMade Magazine are still selling strong showcasing everything from the eco-green small space home to the trendy changes you can make in a “mid-century” 1960s tract home.
And if you skim through the pages of Better Homes & Gardens, you will see a bunch more Millennials than Boomers whether decorating their home office, renovating their “man rooms,” planting their first gardens or showcasing their favorite quick-cook recipes.
If you are still in doubt, tune in this weekend as HGTV premiers the new show The Antonio Treatment hosted by the tattoo, multi-body pierced, street-talk 2009 HGTV Design Star winner.
I just can’t see Antonio showcasing well in Metropolitan Home or House & Garden Magazines.
Several of the trends we cited in the 2010 Trendcast are all here at work.
Whether driven by “Mid-Century Suburban Rehab” or “The Family Value of Couplehood” or “Grassroots Stardom,” the New York-to-Paris-metro-chic-country-estate-designer space is a now history.
Get ready to embrace the Millennials…they are coming on strong in 2010!
Metropolitan Home Magazine closed up shop.
The announcement appeared in the editor’s page of Elle Décor Magazine. Metropolitan Home and Elle Décor are both published by Hachette Filipacchi Media US.
Metropolitan Home premièred 28 years ago just about the same time I got out of college and moved into my first apartment. Just about then, a good number of my fellow Baby Boomers were purchasing their first houses.
The closing of Metropolitan Home is not a simple stand-alone.
The editor of Elle Décor cited the bigger picture of the change.
As Margaret Russell, the editor-in-chief, commented, “Truth be told, I too sorely miss House & Garden, Domino, Southern Accents and Cottage Living – as does anyone who is passionate about interiors and design.”
Add to that list Country Home, O At Home (Oprah), Home, Gourmet and Hallmark magazines.
All closed those doors and stopped the press in 2009!
While the economy and the growth of Web publishing has a lot to do with the doors closing, there is indeed a bigger factor impacting housing as we know it.
It can all be summed up in one word… Millennials!
Sure, aging Boomers are more focused today on saving whatever is left of their retirement funds. Gen Xers are more focused on cocooning with the kids and getting those kids off to college.
But, it is the Millennials that now are driving the housing market.
If you have your doubts… go look at the stats of just what segment of the housing market is showing some positive growth...houses in the $150k-$200K ranges.
Furthermore, go tune into HGTV starting at 8:00pm and watch My First Place and Property Virgins that now dominates Prime Time. And by the way, those Millennials are also representing a growing share of the folks on House Hunters.
Dwell Magazine and ReadyMade Magazine are still selling strong showcasing everything from the eco-green small space home to the trendy changes you can make in a “mid-century” 1960s tract home.
And if you skim through the pages of Better Homes & Gardens, you will see a bunch more Millennials than Boomers whether decorating their home office, renovating their “man rooms,” planting their first gardens or showcasing their favorite quick-cook recipes.
If you are still in doubt, tune in this weekend as HGTV premiers the new show The Antonio Treatment hosted by the tattoo, multi-body pierced, street-talk 2009 HGTV Design Star winner.
I just can’t see Antonio showcasing well in Metropolitan Home or House & Garden Magazines.
Several of the trends we cited in the 2010 Trendcast are all here at work.
Whether driven by “Mid-Century Suburban Rehab” or “The Family Value of Couplehood” or “Grassroots Stardom,” the New York-to-Paris-metro-chic-country-estate-designer space is a now history.
Get ready to embrace the Millennials…they are coming on strong in 2010!
Monday, November 30, 2009
The BV 2010 Trendcast!
Change is change…and change is here to stay! In 2010, we are going to experience the true affects of generational evolution, the economic recession, technology advancement and new political powers.
It’s a longer Blog-logue than average, but its powerful stuff and will affect how we do business and build brands over the next year or two!
If you want more information about the trends in general, the stats behind them and how they are influencing brands like yours, call me at 404.245.9378 and I will share more with you!
2010 BV Trendcast
“Business As Unusual”
Not only are the MBAs joining the ranks of the unemployed, but the economy has driven home the message “Build It And They Will Come Is Dead!” Bigger is no longer better and suits and ties are no longer the signature marks of business success.
Innovation, creativity and experimentation are the words now of the management boardrooms. And physical buildings are no longer the requirements of hanging up your business shingle!
Past business paradigms are out and new business paradigms are in!
In 2010, new ways are going to emerge in terms of business management, manufacturing, personnel staffing, marketing and product delivery. The idea that once the economy comes back, business in its conventional set will come back as well is a faded hope of the past!
“Togethering”
“Friends” as a word has taken on new meaning and more than half of all adults believe that the friends they have met and interfaced with online are even deeper friendships than the ones they have made in person.
In 2010, we are going to see online connections transfer to real world planned events. The “Togetherings” will be themed and channeled around the connection point of interest…activities, events, hobbies, topics…and even Brands!
And the "friends" that are meeting are the crème de la crème of Brand Ambassadors!
“Trans Tech”
Not only has the mobile computer replaced the desktop, but the computer today is quickly becoming interchangeable with everything from iPhones to Blackberries to Kindles to Netbooks to Crunchpads to Android Tables to Dashboard built-ins.
In 2010, how we communicate, write documents, do calculations and prepare presentations will not only be fluid and transportable, but so will the operational and organizational models of business.
Heck…Work-from-Home will be rephrased as Work-From-Anywhere-Anytime.
“Locality”
In the early 2000’s it was "Think Global/Act Local" and in 2009, it was about the juxtaposition of "Mass Mingling" and "Home Cocooning."
Whether driven by the economy, politics, networking overload, gas prices or all of the above, "locality" is expected to become HOT in 2010 and be around for at least the next several years.
Not only will "Buy Local" and "Local Sustainability" be on the top of the list of buzz words, but also will the focus on community identity, local business start-ups and local community press.
The LSM (Local Store Marketing) plans of the past will become even a greater focus in the year ahead and while local daily newspapers may fade into the past, local alternative media is likely to rise!
“The Family Value of Couplehood”
Anyone seen any news flashes in 2009 about the new baby boom? There was a set of stories published in 2008 about baby births being on the rise. But with economic factors and employment uncertainty, fewer of the Millennials produced babies as the demographers expected.
In 2010, singles and couples will represent more than three-quarters of US Households and the conventional family of “Mom, Dad and the Kids” will dwindle down to less than 1 out of every 4 households in America.
The changes to watch involve everything from conventional family values to family discount plans to family menus to family rooms being redefined around Couplehood and occasional family extensions.
Not only will the market seek out Couplehood values, but also brands that paint the picture of the conventional family of the past, will be at risk of being perceived as out-of-date with the current times!
“Grassroots Stardom”
Reality TV may have been the spark that ignited the trend, but the continued demise of the stars and athletes has diverted the Millennial headset from the masses to the grassroots rooted.
YouTube is replacing the networks and the Indies are replacing Hollywood. College sports and minor league teams are not only more affordable, but also approachable. HGTV’s Don and Mary who just redesigned their kitchen are quickly replacing the New York designers and chefs featured in Gourmet magazine (now gone as well!).
In 2010, reality TV will expand across the broadcast genre and the high Q-Score spokesperson of the past will be replaced by a the person with the highest Facebook Friend-Score and the average number of daily “thumbs ups” they receive!
“Embedded Generosity”
Home Depot may have it half right in their revised tagline… More Doing!
Whether it is the effect of multi-tasking or not, consumers are placing value on ways to reach out to others and help them if the giving is made easier.
In the past, it was through the organized campaigns and the door-to-door personal requests that generated the donor dollars. Today, it is all about finding a way to create a sustainable, humanitarian motivation that will drive a donor base and get those who participate to be the sales team to their friends.
This past October, pink was the new fall color of the season!
In 2010, more and more Brands will become aligned with causes and concerns, as part of their social responsibility. And the consumer marketing will extend an invitation to be part of the cause through the convenience of simply purchasing the Brand.
“The Rise Of The Concierge”
You would think that Concierges would be a BGO -- Blinding Glimpse of the Obvious – of a service driven economy, but not so…until now.
Growing in popularity among the Inns and boutique hotels, the role of the concierge is emerging more and more as a competitive point of difference.
In 2010, as Brands fight for market share and value-adds become more important, personal service, customized information and even handholding will emerge across product and service lines.
Even in business-to-business, receptionists are emerging quickly as a special service for small businesses whether working in an office suite or a virtual office.
Travel agents, real estate agents, banking brand managers – many feeling the technology pinch – will take on new roles in service delivery, sales closures, customer relations and brand relations.
“Mid-Century Suburban Rehab”
While “urban gentrification” continues in some circles, it is both time consuming and money draining for many in the current economic times – especially for the new first-time DINK (dual-income-no-kids) home buyers.
And if you read the hip home pubs like Dwell, Metro Home and Ready-Made magazines, you know that “Mid-Century” is the hot new design trend and suburbia is emerging as the new forum of rehab!
In 2010, suburban rehab and re-invention will spread like wild fire as an affordable, less time consuming, more “eco-green” footprint way of settling in and making one’s local dwelling space a better place to live.
And get ready, because this is a trend sure to stay as the next wave will be hitting the rehab and re-invention of everything from the strip shopping centers and the retail malls.
“Wellness”
The national healthcare debate is a sure carry-over from 2009 into 2010. And with Boomers quickly moving into their 60s, health related issues are becoming more and more of an issue for many.
Wellness … physical, mental and emotional… is not only going to be a HOT topic in 2010, but new and novel ways of addressing it from electronic files to holistic health to doc-online will be emerging and expanding.
Conventional hospitals will give way to generational and conditional-driven facilities. In-home care already employs a staggering 1.33 million people, and revenue is expected to grow beyond $72 billion by 2011. New neighborhood, stay-at-home continual care retirement communities are expected to surge.
Even the conventional work out gyms that are posting record levels of membership in a down-economy will evolve with more comprehensive health and wellness programs.
It’s a longer Blog-logue than average, but its powerful stuff and will affect how we do business and build brands over the next year or two!
If you want more information about the trends in general, the stats behind them and how they are influencing brands like yours, call me at 404.245.9378 and I will share more with you!
2010 BV Trendcast
“Business As Unusual”
Not only are the MBAs joining the ranks of the unemployed, but the economy has driven home the message “Build It And They Will Come Is Dead!” Bigger is no longer better and suits and ties are no longer the signature marks of business success.
Innovation, creativity and experimentation are the words now of the management boardrooms. And physical buildings are no longer the requirements of hanging up your business shingle!
Past business paradigms are out and new business paradigms are in!
In 2010, new ways are going to emerge in terms of business management, manufacturing, personnel staffing, marketing and product delivery. The idea that once the economy comes back, business in its conventional set will come back as well is a faded hope of the past!
“Togethering”
“Friends” as a word has taken on new meaning and more than half of all adults believe that the friends they have met and interfaced with online are even deeper friendships than the ones they have made in person.
In 2010, we are going to see online connections transfer to real world planned events. The “Togetherings” will be themed and channeled around the connection point of interest…activities, events, hobbies, topics…and even Brands!
And the "friends" that are meeting are the crème de la crème of Brand Ambassadors!
“Trans Tech”
Not only has the mobile computer replaced the desktop, but the computer today is quickly becoming interchangeable with everything from iPhones to Blackberries to Kindles to Netbooks to Crunchpads to Android Tables to Dashboard built-ins.
In 2010, how we communicate, write documents, do calculations and prepare presentations will not only be fluid and transportable, but so will the operational and organizational models of business.
Heck…Work-from-Home will be rephrased as Work-From-Anywhere-Anytime.
“Locality”
In the early 2000’s it was "Think Global/Act Local" and in 2009, it was about the juxtaposition of "Mass Mingling" and "Home Cocooning."
Whether driven by the economy, politics, networking overload, gas prices or all of the above, "locality" is expected to become HOT in 2010 and be around for at least the next several years.
Not only will "Buy Local" and "Local Sustainability" be on the top of the list of buzz words, but also will the focus on community identity, local business start-ups and local community press.
The LSM (Local Store Marketing) plans of the past will become even a greater focus in the year ahead and while local daily newspapers may fade into the past, local alternative media is likely to rise!
“The Family Value of Couplehood”
Anyone seen any news flashes in 2009 about the new baby boom? There was a set of stories published in 2008 about baby births being on the rise. But with economic factors and employment uncertainty, fewer of the Millennials produced babies as the demographers expected.
In 2010, singles and couples will represent more than three-quarters of US Households and the conventional family of “Mom, Dad and the Kids” will dwindle down to less than 1 out of every 4 households in America.
The changes to watch involve everything from conventional family values to family discount plans to family menus to family rooms being redefined around Couplehood and occasional family extensions.
Not only will the market seek out Couplehood values, but also brands that paint the picture of the conventional family of the past, will be at risk of being perceived as out-of-date with the current times!
“Grassroots Stardom”
Reality TV may have been the spark that ignited the trend, but the continued demise of the stars and athletes has diverted the Millennial headset from the masses to the grassroots rooted.
YouTube is replacing the networks and the Indies are replacing Hollywood. College sports and minor league teams are not only more affordable, but also approachable. HGTV’s Don and Mary who just redesigned their kitchen are quickly replacing the New York designers and chefs featured in Gourmet magazine (now gone as well!).
In 2010, reality TV will expand across the broadcast genre and the high Q-Score spokesperson of the past will be replaced by a the person with the highest Facebook Friend-Score and the average number of daily “thumbs ups” they receive!
“Embedded Generosity”
Home Depot may have it half right in their revised tagline… More Doing!
Whether it is the effect of multi-tasking or not, consumers are placing value on ways to reach out to others and help them if the giving is made easier.
In the past, it was through the organized campaigns and the door-to-door personal requests that generated the donor dollars. Today, it is all about finding a way to create a sustainable, humanitarian motivation that will drive a donor base and get those who participate to be the sales team to their friends.
This past October, pink was the new fall color of the season!
In 2010, more and more Brands will become aligned with causes and concerns, as part of their social responsibility. And the consumer marketing will extend an invitation to be part of the cause through the convenience of simply purchasing the Brand.
“The Rise Of The Concierge”
You would think that Concierges would be a BGO -- Blinding Glimpse of the Obvious – of a service driven economy, but not so…until now.
Growing in popularity among the Inns and boutique hotels, the role of the concierge is emerging more and more as a competitive point of difference.
In 2010, as Brands fight for market share and value-adds become more important, personal service, customized information and even handholding will emerge across product and service lines.
Even in business-to-business, receptionists are emerging quickly as a special service for small businesses whether working in an office suite or a virtual office.
Travel agents, real estate agents, banking brand managers – many feeling the technology pinch – will take on new roles in service delivery, sales closures, customer relations and brand relations.
“Mid-Century Suburban Rehab”
While “urban gentrification” continues in some circles, it is both time consuming and money draining for many in the current economic times – especially for the new first-time DINK (dual-income-no-kids) home buyers.
And if you read the hip home pubs like Dwell, Metro Home and Ready-Made magazines, you know that “Mid-Century” is the hot new design trend and suburbia is emerging as the new forum of rehab!
In 2010, suburban rehab and re-invention will spread like wild fire as an affordable, less time consuming, more “eco-green” footprint way of settling in and making one’s local dwelling space a better place to live.
And get ready, because this is a trend sure to stay as the next wave will be hitting the rehab and re-invention of everything from the strip shopping centers and the retail malls.
“Wellness”
The national healthcare debate is a sure carry-over from 2009 into 2010. And with Boomers quickly moving into their 60s, health related issues are becoming more and more of an issue for many.
Wellness … physical, mental and emotional… is not only going to be a HOT topic in 2010, but new and novel ways of addressing it from electronic files to holistic health to doc-online will be emerging and expanding.
Conventional hospitals will give way to generational and conditional-driven facilities. In-home care already employs a staggering 1.33 million people, and revenue is expected to grow beyond $72 billion by 2011. New neighborhood, stay-at-home continual care retirement communities are expected to surge.
Even the conventional work out gyms that are posting record levels of membership in a down-economy will evolve with more comprehensive health and wellness programs.
Monday, November 23, 2009
The Core Product of K.I.S.S.
Okay, I know that I often take on the role of an armchair critic of the MBA mindset and perspective.
BUT… in the context of this Blog-Logue, I will give them credit for part of what they call the Key Product Benefit.
Yes, I know that I am passionate instead about a Brand’s EIP -- the Emotional Ignition Point of the Brand Experience -- and declare that the USP and Core Product Benefits are historic relics of the 1980s.
What part of the Core Product Benefits do I give them credit?
The first two words… Core Product.
In the current issue of Business Week, there are two articles side by side.
One is titled “What’s Eating McDonald’s” and the other is titled “The Steam At Starbucks.”
I actually like McDonalds. They have some good quick food that has both good flavor and spice and fills the tummy nice.
The article is all about how McDonald’s posted some great growth during 2006 through the end of last year. They added Lattes, restyled a number of the stores and reached out to touch the new Millennials entering the workforce.
However, McDonalds did some price hikes during 2008 to counter the soaring costs for core ingredients like meat and cheese. And as the article says…”McDonald’s like other fast-food chains out there, has kept its prices steady in an effort to maintain margins.”
In addition to McCafe Coffee, they also expanded their menu more.
So what’s happening now? Sales are stagnant and, in some cases, slipping downward.
Starbucks?
It’s summarized quickly in one word…Via (their new instant coffee).
There’s a Starbucks around the corner from my house. I truly was shocked the day I went in and saw large Point-of-Purchase displays of instant coffee.
There were posters in the store windows and the Baristas were wearing buttons promoting the stuff.
The Business Week article notes one Barista as saying “This is the most stressful promotion I have ever experienced, and I’ve been with the company for seven years.”
Apparently, there is an internal revolt taking place among the Starbucks Baristas, but customers are lashing out as well.
The article sites one customer as saying “Please no more Via sales pitches. It’s annoying and so completely out of line with Starbucks’ vibe.”
All I want to ask is what does instant coffee have to do with Howard Schultz’s concept of the “Third Place?”
The sales of Via are not posting at the levels predicted.
While challenging to management right now… it’s hard to feel much sympathy.
McDonald’s started with a key product: Simple hamburgers and French fries delivered fast at a cheap price.
Today, McDonald’s offers everything from breakfasts to salads to chicken dippers to burritos to healthy apple dippers.
What happened to the simple, cheap hamburgers and French fries?
Starbucks started with a key product: an alternative place to gather with family and friends, some good music and a nice warm cup of coffee.
Back in the days when we gathered around the kitchen table, did your mother showcase the instant coffee?
I don’t think so.
I could go on and on with the lines…
Build it and they will come!
Product extensions drive sales!
Hire more MBAs to drive brand sales!
But I won’t.
In simple terms, it’s all about the Core Product.
It’s all about defining the Emotional Ignition Point of the Brand Experience and taking on the management role of being the steward of that EIP.
According to Business Week, McDonald’s is planning to concentrate efforts in 2010 on reviving its Dollar Menu on its core product line.
As far as Starbucks is concerned, Business Week notes no 2010 strategy yet on how to deal with ticked off Baristas and confused customers.
Maybe Wall Street has to take on the parental role and financially redirect the new Starbuck’s MBA management to refocus around that “Third Place.”
Well with the holidays now upon us… perhaps its best to end this Blog-Logue with a simple hug and a K.I.S.S.
And to deliver it to the customers that today define the Core Product and the Emotional Ignition Point of the Brand that drives the success of the Brand Experience!
BUT… in the context of this Blog-Logue, I will give them credit for part of what they call the Key Product Benefit.
Yes, I know that I am passionate instead about a Brand’s EIP -- the Emotional Ignition Point of the Brand Experience -- and declare that the USP and Core Product Benefits are historic relics of the 1980s.
What part of the Core Product Benefits do I give them credit?
The first two words… Core Product.
In the current issue of Business Week, there are two articles side by side.
One is titled “What’s Eating McDonald’s” and the other is titled “The Steam At Starbucks.”
I actually like McDonalds. They have some good quick food that has both good flavor and spice and fills the tummy nice.
The article is all about how McDonald’s posted some great growth during 2006 through the end of last year. They added Lattes, restyled a number of the stores and reached out to touch the new Millennials entering the workforce.
However, McDonalds did some price hikes during 2008 to counter the soaring costs for core ingredients like meat and cheese. And as the article says…”McDonald’s like other fast-food chains out there, has kept its prices steady in an effort to maintain margins.”
In addition to McCafe Coffee, they also expanded their menu more.
So what’s happening now? Sales are stagnant and, in some cases, slipping downward.
Starbucks?
It’s summarized quickly in one word…Via (their new instant coffee).
There’s a Starbucks around the corner from my house. I truly was shocked the day I went in and saw large Point-of-Purchase displays of instant coffee.
There were posters in the store windows and the Baristas were wearing buttons promoting the stuff.
The Business Week article notes one Barista as saying “This is the most stressful promotion I have ever experienced, and I’ve been with the company for seven years.”
Apparently, there is an internal revolt taking place among the Starbucks Baristas, but customers are lashing out as well.
The article sites one customer as saying “Please no more Via sales pitches. It’s annoying and so completely out of line with Starbucks’ vibe.”
All I want to ask is what does instant coffee have to do with Howard Schultz’s concept of the “Third Place?”
The sales of Via are not posting at the levels predicted.
While challenging to management right now… it’s hard to feel much sympathy.
McDonald’s started with a key product: Simple hamburgers and French fries delivered fast at a cheap price.
Today, McDonald’s offers everything from breakfasts to salads to chicken dippers to burritos to healthy apple dippers.
What happened to the simple, cheap hamburgers and French fries?
Starbucks started with a key product: an alternative place to gather with family and friends, some good music and a nice warm cup of coffee.
Back in the days when we gathered around the kitchen table, did your mother showcase the instant coffee?
I don’t think so.
I could go on and on with the lines…
Build it and they will come!
Product extensions drive sales!
Hire more MBAs to drive brand sales!
But I won’t.
In simple terms, it’s all about the Core Product.
It’s all about defining the Emotional Ignition Point of the Brand Experience and taking on the management role of being the steward of that EIP.
According to Business Week, McDonald’s is planning to concentrate efforts in 2010 on reviving its Dollar Menu on its core product line.
As far as Starbucks is concerned, Business Week notes no 2010 strategy yet on how to deal with ticked off Baristas and confused customers.
Maybe Wall Street has to take on the parental role and financially redirect the new Starbuck’s MBA management to refocus around that “Third Place.”
Well with the holidays now upon us… perhaps its best to end this Blog-Logue with a simple hug and a K.I.S.S.
And to deliver it to the customers that today define the Core Product and the Emotional Ignition Point of the Brand that drives the success of the Brand Experience!
Sunday, November 8, 2009
BIG Media Buys Don't Necessarily Deliver BIG Results!
Over the last several weeks, I have gotten to experience first hand just how goofed up the ad agency community has evolved.
One of my clients who I admire a bunch isn’t into wearing the suits and flaunting his degrees and past brand experience.
He actually is a CEO, but he is a ton smarter than many of the clients I meet that flaunt their Advertising Director, EVP and CMO titles.
Right now he is challenging a lot of conventional thinking by exploring some alternative media strategies and asking for evidence that the advertising media investment is actually paying off.
I like asking questions like that too!
In this week’s Business Week (11/16/2009) there is an article titled “Ask Your Doctor If This Ad Is Right For You.”
It talks about how the drug industry is spending billions of dollars ($4.7 billion to be exact in 2008) on TV ads and high styled agency media plans.
If any of you watch the 6pm news, I am sure that you have seen at least several of these ads.
Problem is… those ads aren’t working…
“New research based on recordings of conversations in physicians’ offices suggests most patents aren’t asking for drugs by name.”
How few are few?
Market researcher Verilogue who conducted the study found out that only 23 individuals out of 12,500 recorded requested for a specific drug.
In another recent study conducted by Verilouge, the most expensive campaigns in terms of media weight and spending – most on the network news shows – did not prompt the greatest number of inquiries.
“Eli Lilly spent $179 million on ads promoting its depression drug Cymbalta in 2008, but the greatest number of inquiries was generated by the Boniva campaign featuring Sally Field and it cost half as much as the Cymbalta blitz”
Is the advertising based on those high agency spending models generating any response at all?
Partly yes… but the drug clients are not happy campers about it.
“The study reports that what consumers are asking about are the scary side effects, which the drug-makers have to include in the ads, often in stomach-turning detail.”
My client is challenging some conventional thinking by finding a way to reduce the media buy by about half and moving the monies to more local store, in-person and social media exchange.
In my past, I have worked with Time-Warner Networks, Discovery Networks, PHD Media and taught media at the university level.
I’ve had the pleasure of averting ROSs and converting TRPs, GRPs and CPMs into viable ROIs.
Three key things I have gleaned out of all of it…
(1) The medium is the message and the message is the medium.
(2) Its not about counting how many people you reach, its about reaching the right people that counts
(3) Age and gender are only the tips of the iceberg of who represents customers and it is unfortunate that in the year 2010 agencies are addicted to ratings that only use those two demographic variables
A client who challenges their agency is the type of client I like… just like an agency that is brave enough to challenge its peers and the dying models of the past!
One of my clients who I admire a bunch isn’t into wearing the suits and flaunting his degrees and past brand experience.
He actually is a CEO, but he is a ton smarter than many of the clients I meet that flaunt their Advertising Director, EVP and CMO titles.
Right now he is challenging a lot of conventional thinking by exploring some alternative media strategies and asking for evidence that the advertising media investment is actually paying off.
I like asking questions like that too!
In this week’s Business Week (11/16/2009) there is an article titled “Ask Your Doctor If This Ad Is Right For You.”
It talks about how the drug industry is spending billions of dollars ($4.7 billion to be exact in 2008) on TV ads and high styled agency media plans.
If any of you watch the 6pm news, I am sure that you have seen at least several of these ads.
Problem is… those ads aren’t working…
“New research based on recordings of conversations in physicians’ offices suggests most patents aren’t asking for drugs by name.”
How few are few?
Market researcher Verilogue who conducted the study found out that only 23 individuals out of 12,500 recorded requested for a specific drug.
In another recent study conducted by Verilouge, the most expensive campaigns in terms of media weight and spending – most on the network news shows – did not prompt the greatest number of inquiries.
“Eli Lilly spent $179 million on ads promoting its depression drug Cymbalta in 2008, but the greatest number of inquiries was generated by the Boniva campaign featuring Sally Field and it cost half as much as the Cymbalta blitz”
Is the advertising based on those high agency spending models generating any response at all?
Partly yes… but the drug clients are not happy campers about it.
“The study reports that what consumers are asking about are the scary side effects, which the drug-makers have to include in the ads, often in stomach-turning detail.”
My client is challenging some conventional thinking by finding a way to reduce the media buy by about half and moving the monies to more local store, in-person and social media exchange.
In my past, I have worked with Time-Warner Networks, Discovery Networks, PHD Media and taught media at the university level.
I’ve had the pleasure of averting ROSs and converting TRPs, GRPs and CPMs into viable ROIs.
Three key things I have gleaned out of all of it…
(1) The medium is the message and the message is the medium.
(2) Its not about counting how many people you reach, its about reaching the right people that counts
(3) Age and gender are only the tips of the iceberg of who represents customers and it is unfortunate that in the year 2010 agencies are addicted to ratings that only use those two demographic variables
A client who challenges their agency is the type of client I like… just like an agency that is brave enough to challenge its peers and the dying models of the past!
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