Monday, March 19, 2007
Nike's CEO on the need to know your customers better
AdWeek this week ran an article about Nike putting their account into review after over two decades with Weiden+Kennedy. Charlie Denson, Nike brand president, talks about the move away from mass media and toward highly tailored communications based on deep knowledge of your customers.
Denson says: "We used to talk about the consumer in what we thought was specifics, but today feels like generalities. ... We used to put an 18- and a 22-year-old in a same set of psychographic, demographic targets [but] today they're living on different planets. ... We spent the last 20 or 30 years trying to bundle things, adding value to a purchase or a relationship. And now, it's almost in reverse, because you have to unbundle everything if it's going to become customizable."
For those of you that struggle with convincing your clients about the need for custom research, clip his quote and keep it handy. Nike is just one of many important advertisers that are leading the pack depending on in-depth customer insight to inform multi-channel marketing approaches and communications. Your clients are sure to follow...this is something to think about now.
AdWeek this week ran an article about Nike putting their account into review after over two decades with Weiden+Kennedy. Charlie Denson, Nike brand president, talks about the move away from mass media and toward highly tailored communications based on deep knowledge of your customers.
Denson says: "We used to talk about the consumer in what we thought was specifics, but today feels like generalities. ... We used to put an 18- and a 22-year-old in a same set of psychographic, demographic targets [but] today they're living on different planets. ... We spent the last 20 or 30 years trying to bundle things, adding value to a purchase or a relationship. And now, it's almost in reverse, because you have to unbundle everything if it's going to become customizable."
For those of you that struggle with convincing your clients about the need for custom research, clip his quote and keep it handy. Nike is just one of many important advertisers that are leading the pack depending on in-depth customer insight to inform multi-channel marketing approaches and communications. Your clients are sure to follow...this is something to think about now.
Labels: customer insight, nike, tailored marketing, weiden+kennedy
Sunday, March 18, 2007
Disney's foray into online communities
The World Advertising Research Center published an article this weekend about Disney's foray into building an online community. At the URL family.com (still in beta), readers will be able to add content to a wiki, post and contribute to blogs, etc. Content ranges from info about parenting and family activities to birthday gift ideas. The site is a good example of Disney marketing itself in a way that is authentic to its brand by extending its brand promise (family entertainment) to the online channel and giving people reasons to continuously interact with the brand. I wonder what took them so long...?
The World Advertising Research Center published an article this weekend about Disney's foray into building an online community. At the URL family.com (still in beta), readers will be able to add content to a wiki, post and contribute to blogs, etc. Content ranges from info about parenting and family activities to birthday gift ideas. The site is a good example of Disney marketing itself in a way that is authentic to its brand by extending its brand promise (family entertainment) to the online channel and giving people reasons to continuously interact with the brand. I wonder what took them so long...?
Labels: authenticity in branding, brand promise, Disney
Thursday, March 15, 2007
Ready-to-air advertising
What do you guys think about this concept of off-the-shelf TV spots that is cropping up these days? My first reaction, from an admittedly biased perspective having worked with large national and global advertisers was Yikes! - they're taking all the relevance out of advertising: with a templatized ad that advertisers can just tag their logo and DR info on, there's no room to target your audience and message accordingly. Surely no strategic advertiser would buy into this? But they ARE: today's article in the Post discusses Spotzer, a new entrant to the business, but other companies such as Cheap TV Spots and vertical companies like Dentists On TV have been at it for some time.
So, I put on my client-advocate hat, took a step back and tried to see it from their point-of-view...and I can see the benefits ready-to-air provides for smaller advertisers - which boil down to cost efficiency and quicker time to air.
Obviously there is a whole category of clients that would never consider this approach, and there is a category that could only consider doing TV this way, but I bet there is a fairly sizable segment in between that might fall smack dab into the middle of your target audience. And it seems that these advertisers might need to better understand the need for relevance in their ads in order to steer them away from ready-to-air and sell them on the value they'll get in an original ad.
For you Second Wind members that are working with smaller, local clients - has this been an issue for your business? We'd like to know...and, we'd like to help arm you with strategies to educate your clients on pros and cons of ready-to-air. We're always here for you and love to chat!
What do you guys think about this concept of off-the-shelf TV spots that is cropping up these days? My first reaction, from an admittedly biased perspective having worked with large national and global advertisers was Yikes! - they're taking all the relevance out of advertising: with a templatized ad that advertisers can just tag their logo and DR info on, there's no room to target your audience and message accordingly. Surely no strategic advertiser would buy into this? But they ARE: today's article in the Post discusses Spotzer, a new entrant to the business, but other companies such as Cheap TV Spots and vertical companies like Dentists On TV have been at it for some time.
So, I put on my client-advocate hat, took a step back and tried to see it from their point-of-view...and I can see the benefits ready-to-air provides for smaller advertisers - which boil down to cost efficiency and quicker time to air.
Obviously there is a whole category of clients that would never consider this approach, and there is a category that could only consider doing TV this way, but I bet there is a fairly sizable segment in between that might fall smack dab into the middle of your target audience. And it seems that these advertisers might need to better understand the need for relevance in their ads in order to steer them away from ready-to-air and sell them on the value they'll get in an original ad.
For you Second Wind members that are working with smaller, local clients - has this been an issue for your business? We'd like to know...and, we'd like to help arm you with strategies to educate your clients on pros and cons of ready-to-air. We're always here for you and love to chat!
Labels: ready-to-air, relevance
Tuesday, March 06, 2007
Zipcar does it again...
So many things happening in the world of branding...and so little time to write about them all. I've resigned myself to writing about the brand issues that affect my life on a regular basis...which I guess is a really good way to describe the motivators for brand loyalty: the products, services and people that influence us deeply and are reinforced often are those we become loyal to...and conversely, dramatically upset by, when they let us down (see my previous post about Apple - who, btw, I am starting to forgive and come back around to).
But I'm writing about Zipcar today. I know many of our readers are in small metros that may not have been infiltrated by the company as yet, so in quick summary: Zipcar allows those of us who chose not to keep a car access to "wheels when want 'em" (their slogan, not mine) - essentially, they operate like a car rental company but charge hourly fees so you can have a car only for as long as you need it. You can also rent various types, from compacts to pickup trucks, so you get the car that fits your exact needs. It's usually pretty easy to get the car you need when you need it since the company stocks plenty of vehicles to ensure good access for all.
Zipcar is an example of a brand developed by consumers, for consumers. Not only was the need uncovered and responded to at the right time in history (@1999), but the program seems to have been designed in response to human pain points about not owning a car, but needing transportation, ex: need an occasional truck for IKEA runs? A cheaper alternative than cabs for a 20 mile trip to a nearby town? Going somewhere public transport doesn't reach in the cold of winter? All issues that have been addressed in Zipcar's products, partnerships and pricing...not to mention their advertising. I confess, I don't know the backstory...but I can't help but envision them talking to many of their potential customers prior to setting pen to paper to design the company.
They've just re-designed their already world-class, completely user-very-friendly website to allow you to more quickly find and reserve a car. The new site launches soon, but you can view a demo here. Even if Zipcar is not relevant to your life, I hope you'll takeaway some lessons about brand loyalty and the importance of consumer insight in designing a new brand from it.
So many things happening in the world of branding...and so little time to write about them all. I've resigned myself to writing about the brand issues that affect my life on a regular basis...which I guess is a really good way to describe the motivators for brand loyalty: the products, services and people that influence us deeply and are reinforced often are those we become loyal to...and conversely, dramatically upset by, when they let us down (see my previous post about Apple - who, btw, I am starting to forgive and come back around to).
But I'm writing about Zipcar today. I know many of our readers are in small metros that may not have been infiltrated by the company as yet, so in quick summary: Zipcar allows those of us who chose not to keep a car access to "wheels when
Zipcar is an example of a brand developed by consumers, for consumers. Not only was the need uncovered and responded to at the right time in history (@1999), but the program seems to have been designed in response to human pain points about not owning a car, but needing transportation, ex: need an occasional truck for IKEA runs? A cheaper alternative than cabs for a 20 mile trip to a nearby town? Going somewhere public transport doesn't reach in the cold of winter? All issues that have been addressed in Zipcar's products, partnerships and pricing...not to mention their advertising. I confess, I don't know the backstory...but I can't help but envision them talking to many of their potential customers prior to setting pen to paper to design the company.
They've just re-designed their already world-class, completely user-very-friendly website to allow you to more quickly find and reserve a car. The new site launches soon, but you can view a demo here. Even if Zipcar is not relevant to your life, I hope you'll takeaway some lessons about brand loyalty and the importance of consumer insight in designing a new brand from it.
Labels: brand loyalty, consumer insight, zipcar
