Brands in the Entertainment Arena

The invention of Tivo and similar tools are forcing brands to get creative to reach their target audience. Product placement has begun in this new advertising era, with companies now going as far as creating their own reality shows and building their own theme parks. Some brands are going out of this world, by using the Internet to advertise their brand on the virtual world, Second Life.

H&R Block has done just that by creating a virtual office in Second Life. Paula Drum, vice president of digital marketing, discusses what this online presence has done for their brand. Many consumers were ranting when their Blackberries blacked out for 12 hours. This week in Brand Rant we explain the cause and effect of this brand blunder. Midwest Airlines is in the Brand Spotlight for flying high, even when AirTran offered $345 million for the company.

Brands Going Green

Today’s business world is about more than making money. It’s about giving back to the community and doing your part to make the world a better place for all. Many companies are feeling the pressure to “go green.” It’s a decision that not only boosts brand image, but leads to smart, new business strategies. In Brands Going Green, we look at which companies have found their shade of green and which cannot seem to back up their commitments.

GE has received much publicity for their Ecomagination program. John Righini, director at GE, discusses how this program has affected their brand. Brand Rant looks at Listerine’s voluntary recall for the new Agent Cool Blue mouthwash for children. In the Brand Spotlight this week, Coca-Cola Zero is scoring big in the beverage brand market.

Tax Time

Tax season is dreaded by all. With advanced software allowing taxpayers to file their taxes from home, tax services are engaged in a branding battle to crunch your numbers. Various tax services have gotten creative by implementing everything from YouTube to Vanilla Ice in an effort to brand themselves.

A Brand Rant between the Merisant Co., maker of Equal and NutraSweet, and Johnson & Johnson, creator of Splenda, is in full swing. A new sports drink Accelerade, tries to put the lid on Gatorade in this week’s Brand Spotlight. Brad Saylor, senior marketing manager at H&R Block in Kansas City stops by to discuss the success of the newest H&R Block brand campaign, “I Got People.”

Health Care Branding

With so much going on in the health care field one week wasn’t enough time to cover it all. Models for health care branding, industry trends, drivers, and online health care are all bottled in this show. This is your dose of health care branding.

The Brand Rant covers new information on the Federal Trade Commission cracking down on celebrity endorsements and deceptive advertising. Google takes the Brand Spotlight once again for teaming up with Echostar to offer an auction-based advertising system, including second-by-second commercial ratings.