Category: Brand Positioning

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Brand Positioning Marketing Uncategorized

Sweet Dreams are NOT Made of These

Boo!

If that wasn’t scary enough, maybe the screams of these kids will get you into the Halloween spirit.

Earlier this month, Crest released an ad quite contrary to what one might expect from a toothpaste and dental health company. The cleverly designed campaign video provides a comedic take on Halloween, testing out kids’ reactions to receiving ‘healthy’ treats, in place of their candy corns, lollipops, and chocolate bars.

Their responses varied from forced politeness,as Adrianna tried to like the taste of an artichoke buttercup: “It’s kind of good, kind of bad,” but upon being directed to be honest, she came out with the truth, “It’s bad,” to full-on rioting (around the Crest representative’s knees, no less).

More than just a funny promotion though, this was a smart and strategic move by Crest  (P&G), a way of opposing and solving the problem posed by Halloween, the night epitomizing cavities and dental decay. By embracing one of the sugariest days of the year, because “Nothing is more horrifying than Halloween without candy,” the company encourages us to indulge in the treats we love, and make up for the havoc wreaked on our teeth and gums with Crest and Oral B products. A ‘convenient’ trade-off and a spot-on take on communicating value to consumers.

Categories
Brand Positioning Corporate Social Responsibility Sustainability Uncategorized

R.E.S.P.E.C.T: Your Elders, Your Peers, Your Environment

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is a growing topic of discussion in today’s world of business, as the global population grows to new heights and endangered icebergs simmer down to new lows. The carbon footprint that each of the world’s seven billion persons leaves is not a matter to be taken lightly – especially by those that have a greater-than-average impact upon others; in other words, businesses.

While the number of companies that are changing, finding new ways to be sustainable, and providing eco-friendly options for their consumers is increasing, innumerable businesses around the world still do not recognize the weight that they carry on their shoulders. In contrast, the scholarly leaders of the ancient world knew much of not knowing much. As an article from Forbes’ CSR Blog said (referencing Princeton philosophy professor Melissa Lane’s book),

“[Leaders of the ancient world] understood that they were embedded in an interdependent social web and they knew that their decisions had to take into account not just self-interest but the collective interest as well.”

It is then implied within that statement, that today’s leaders and business folks think and act according to Adam Smith’s famous self-interest principle. How, then, can we expect advancement towards sustainability in the competitive corporate world, where prices are already much higher than what the average consumer can afford in the current economy?

In response, I agree with David Marks,

“The right strategy could become a competitive advantage.”

And an example of this competitive advantage that other companies should take into consideration is the reinvention of athletic apparel brand Nike; by “addressing impacts throughout [its] supply chain,” Nike is promoting a better image, creating a positive change  on the environment, and ensuring a greater lifespan for the company as a whole. Why all companies don’t do this bewilders me – if we don’t work to be sustainable now, who knows if there will be anyone to do business with in the future !

So consider that.

Sources Cited:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/csr/2012/10/02/ancient-advice-for-todays-sustainability-leaders/
http://nikeinc.com/pages/responsibility
http://www.greenbiz.com/blog/2009/11/12/how-companies-manage-sustainability-tradeoffs

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Brand Positioning Entrepreneurship Uncategorized

What Helps Your Startup Stay Up ?

In today’s society of global communication, constant innovation, and never-ending competition, startups are always popping up right, left, centre; but what makes a startup business successful enough to be more than just a startup, what makes it stay up?

This question was triggered by my discovery of my aunt’s own startup: Snapette, a mobile fashion app that (simply put) allows you to share your style with others all over the world. Despite my initial amazement and awe, I began to wonder how she and her partners had achieved this, let alone the rest of the startup world.

It probably helps when Forbes writes an article about your company, not to mention when your company is linked to a celebrity, like their fashion advisor, actress Emma Roberts. Or maybe the key is doing the impossible – or at least unimaginable, like the founders of Urthecast did. Streaming live feed the world from cameras in space isn’t only unimaginable, it’s “hard to reproduce.” Learning about this Vancouver-based company at school not only opened my eyes to the different kinds of businesses that could be created, but also caused me to further examine what it was about successful entrepreneurs that allowed them to change our lives in the coolest of ways. Upon browsing amongst numerous start-ups (via 500 Startups, Inc.com, Forbes), I found that three common characteristics, of today’s prospering companies, are that they stay 1) current, 2) engaging and interesting, and 3) easily accessible.

Whether it’s a mobile app that geotags favourite fashion items, or an orbiting, high-definition video camera that lets “environmental groups…study the effects of deforestation,” the emerging businesses of today continue to amaze us consumers in their climb out of the Silicon Valley.

 

Sources Cited:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/ilyapozin/2012/07/19/10-greatest-industry-disrupting-startups-of-2012/
http://500.co/startups/
http://www.inc.com
http://urthecast.com
http://www.urthecast.com/blog/news-stories/wind-chairman-joins-vancouver-tech-startup-board/
http://www.forbes.com/sites/tomiogeron/2011/10/13/female-founders-of-snapette-not-your-typical-geek-entrepreneurs/
http://www.wwd.com/fashion-news/fashion-scoops/shop-smart-6441467

Photo:
http://militarytobusiness.blogspot.ca/2010/12/start-ups-at-hbs.html

Categories
Brand Positioning

Starbucks Makes Evenings Better

The largest coffee shop chain in the world, with 19,972 stores in 60 countries and the distinct green and white siren logo of Starbucks, graces workplaces, streets and cars everyday.Traditionally known to sell hot and cold coffee (and coffee-based beverages), along with other snacks and refreshments, the company has taken on a new approach with Starbucks Evenings. With 16 store locations in the U.S. (and more on the way), Starbucks Evenings start at 4 pm and provide customers with a different kind of menu – one that involves an assortment of savoury sides dishes to compliment your choice of alcoholic beverages, such as wine or beer.

This take on brand repositioning is projected with the purpose of ringing in more sales in the evenings and late afternoons, in addition to the loyal customer base that saturates stores in the mornings; however, critics of Evenings worry that the increased availability of alcohol will have an effect on “the risk of alcohol related harm” (Sarah Mart c/o Alcohol Justice). Whether this holds true or not, I feel that Starbucks’ new venture will not only expand their consumer base (thus bringing in more sales), but also improve the company’s already admirable reputation as a sophisticated and trendy brand. While this kind of innovation has been introduced already by Burger King’s “Whopper Bar,” Starbucks’ existing status as a leader in their category will definitely be beneficial in this endeavour’s potential success. They really are doing it right when it comes to brand repositioning.

 

Sources Cited:

http://m.theglobeandmail.com/life/food-and-wine/food-trends/starbucks-rolling-out-beer-and-wine-sales/article4197514/?service=mobile

Photos:

http://www.google.ca/imgres?imgurl=http://news.starbucks.com/images/10041/EveningsFactSheet.jpg&imgrefurl=http://news.starbucks.com/article_display.cfm?article_id%3D674&h=450&w=600&sz=38&tbnid=73zWb6pp5t10pM:&tbnh=101&tbnw=135&zoom=1&usg=__Rvi7HpPbHnYZ7X22Pr9WiHpKh9s=&docid=dar4mW91-zAYdM&sa=X&ei=SXyMUKSbFIrPigKiw4CgAQ&ved=0CDUQ9QEwBA&dur=2039

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