Big Splash Marketing

On this Halloween episode of the Brand Show, we look into how marketers try to get the most out of their marketing dollars through special promotions and events. Whether it is promoting the release of a new movie or a promotion by a small company, all marketers are looking to gain an edge. Small businesses often only have limited chances to make an impression in the minds of their potential consumers. The Brand Show looks into how companies like Jones Soda and Li’l Guy Foods are creating unique products, which lead to increased brand awareness through media attention garnered by these products.

This week’s Brand Rant discusses how AT&T’s decision to get rid of the Cingular name and spending $1.7 billion on a rebranding effort for AT&T has failed. And in the Brand Spotlight, we look into how Timberland is planning on offsetting its carbon-dioxide emissions of its latest ad campaign by creating a wind farm in Massachusetts. David Sloan, owner and president of Li’l Guy Foods, joins us to discuss how his company’s partnership with the Kansas City Chiefs has led to an increase in sales.

Related Topics:

Experts claim that AT&T has failed in rebranding itself after dropping the Cingular name.

Timberland plans to offset its carbon dioxide emissions from its latest ad campaign by building a wind farm in Massachusetts.

Jerry Seinfeld is showing his marketing clout by aggressively marketing a movie he produced, wrote and starred in, “Bee Movie.”

Fendi conducted a fashion show on top of the Great Wall of China.

Taco Bell has received great publicity for its free taco promotion during the World Series.

Hannah Montana has created a lifestyle for the tween market

Videos:

Jerry Seinfeld promotes the movie in this video


Watch the Fendi fashion show here.


Boston Red Sox players talk about the free Taco Bell promotion.

Marketing to Women

Women control more than 85 percent of all household purchases, meaning that marketers are looking for new ways to appeal to women consumers. On this week’s show, we talk about how some companies are taking a more direct approach to appeal to female consumers. Also, the accounting firm Deloitte is even instructing its employees to approach women clients differently than men.

This week’s Brand Rant discusses how Unilever is under attack by consumer groups for its Axe product. Groups claim that Unilever is running conflicting advertising when it praises women in its Dove campaign while it degrades them through the Axe campaign. And in the Brand Spotlight, we look into the MillerCoors merger and its attempt to challenge Anheuser-Busch for supremacy in the beer market. Holly Buchanan joins us to discuss how marketers have changed tactics in approaching women consumers.

Related Topics:

Link to an article that discusses a consumer groups letter-writing campaign against Unilever.
http://www.latimes.com/business/custom/admark/la-fi-unilever10oct10,1,373981.story?coll=la-headlines-business-advert

Miller and Coors have merged, likely leading to a more aggressive campaign against Anheuser-Busch.
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/APStories/stories/D8S5ND980.html

The accounting firm Deloitte is training its employees to approach women clients differently than men.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB119180210846051773.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

Nintendo has found that the majority of its users in Japan are actually women, likely leading to a different advertising approach.
http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/markets/japan/article2629649.ece

NBC Universal has acquired the Oxygen network.
http://publications.mediapost.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=Articles.showArticleHomePage&art_aid=68902

Blog Marketing

This week’s show discusses how advertisers are looking for new ways to connect with consumers and some have found success through blog marketing. Either through sponsorship with athletes or sending bloggers promotional materials, blogs are increasingly being seen as a great way to increase awareness for new products. Blogs also are being seen as alternative ways to get news. Some blogs are challenging news organizations and are gaining legitimacy.

This week’s Brand Rant discusses how McDonald’s is requiring all of its franchisee owners in the United States to out new coffee making machinery in their stores at a hefty cost. And in the Brand Spotlight, we look into how cities are banning plastic water bottles because of the pollution they cause. We also look at how bottled water manufacturers are trying to make less polluting bottles. Hashem Bajwa joins us to discuss how blogs have grown in popularity so quickly and how they are being used for marketing purposes.

Related Topics:

Link to an article that discusses how bottled water manufacturers are being shut out of public offices.
http://www.exchange4media.com/e4m/news/newfullstory.asp?section_id=3&news_id=28082&tag=22988&pict=16

Star athletes are using blogs to discuss personal feelings, sometimes angering sponsors.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB119145182094648247.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

Check out Gilbert Arenas’ blog here.
http://www.nba.com/blog/gilbert_arenas.html

Network television executives are attempting to attract bloggers to create buzz about new shows.
http://online.wsj.com/public/article/SB117919274561702788.html?mod=blogs

Blogs are becoming legitimate news sites. The Huffington Post shows how it is possible for a blog to be a legitimate news outlet.
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/008033a2-7033-11dc-a6d1-0000779fd2ac.html

Northwestern Mutual is using internal blogs to produce productivity of its employees.
http://www.webpronews.com/blogtalk/2007/10/03/insurance-company-benefits-from-employee-intranet-blogs

Blogs are increasingly being used to market products. But what types of products are more successful at doing this?
http://publications.mediapost.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=Articles.san&s=67352&Nid=34271&p=252029

An Australian blogging site is losing users by the day after it allowed third party advertisements on personal blogs.
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,,22447742-7582,00.html?from=public_rss

Web Marketing: The Greatest Audience

Ad revenue is continuing to increase as the Internet more and more is being used to show television programs and other multimedia messages. Companies like Google, Microsoft, AOL and Yahoo!, currently control the majority of the advertising venues. This weeks show looks into how marketers are trying to create unique messages to connect with consumers. From virtual worlds, to social networks, advertising is big money and is increasingly more prevalent. Even network television has realized that streaming its shows online are good for ratings as well as advertising dollars.

This week’s Brand Rant discusses how Italian clothing company Nolita’s use of an anorexic model is causing a large stir. Nolita claims that the purpose of the ad was to gain awareness of the anorexia problem and not to increase awareness of its product. In the Brand Spotlight, we look at how Sao Paulo, Brazil has eliminated all forms of all outdoor advertising, much to the anger of advertisers in the city. And Andy Beal, founder and creator of MarketingPilgrim.com joins us to discuss how Microsoft is looking to buy a five percent stake into social network Facebook.

Related Topics:

The Wall Street Journal looks into the fashion controversy in using an anorexic model in its recent campaign.
http://online.wsj.com/public/article/SB119085102463240676-U4UveGHBX_v0Kz1cKEC0Gau83aM_20071027.html?mod=tff_main_tff_top

This link shows the controversial photos (WARNING GRAPHIC IMAGES)
http://www2.nolita.it/nolita/

Check out how Sao Paulo, Brazil is eliminating outdoor advertisements. Be sure to check out the pictures of the city and the interesting look it now has.
http://www.businessweek.com/innovate/content/jun2007/id20070618_505580.htm

Is $500 million really worth just a five percent stake of Facebook? Check out the article here.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20983021/

Primetime television viewing is changing, thanks to the increase of network television showing their shows online.
http://publications.mediapost.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=Articles.showArticleHomePage&art_aid=68190

Companies are increasingly using virtual worlds as marketing ventures to target kids and teens.
http://publications.mediapost.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=Articles.showArticleHomePage&art_aid=68152