Healthcare Branding

The crew from the transformation design firm, Two West, took at look health care branding. While we’ve covered health care branding a couple of times, we know that this industry is facing a much different landscape. The Brand Show focused on the new face of health care – clinics in airports, wellness centers and health care customer service.

Sarah Manning and Andy Rich of Palmer Health came on the show to share their new ideas about what health facilities could be and how they are breaking into the Kansas City market. Check out the podcast to listen to the interview in its entirety.

In our Brand Rant, Two West spoke about how the Lenexa, Kansas-based Flagler Productions was not re-hired for Wal-Mart’s internal video needs. They have responded with airing Wal-Mart’s “dirty laundry” by posting these videos for sale. Here’s an NBC news clip showing some of the videos. Lou Lou on The Brand Show doesn’t seem to think that this will hurt their brand. What do you think?

Best & Worst of 2007 & 2008

Two West commended Old Navy for their makeover in the Brand Spotlight. Check out their new logo and look. Let us know what you think.



Every year Landor Associates publishes their Newsmaker Brands Survey. This survey examines Americans’ perceptions of high-profile brands that made headlines in 2007 and are expected to make headlines in 2008.

On the Brand Show, Two West was excited to have Landor as a guest on the show once again to discuss the winning and losing brands of 2007 and their predicted winning and losing brands of 2008. Russ Meyer, Landor’s Chief Strategy Officer, explained how Americans continue their obsession with online brands and the indications of an upcoming recession have consumers searching for brands that will help them stretch their dollar.

Here’s the top 5 predicted winners & losers of 2008 according to Landor. Let us know if you agree with this list.

Winners
Google
Amazon
Wal-Mart
eBay
Target

Losers
United Airlines
Delta Airlines
Blockbuster
Countrywide
Gap

Ethnography for Your Brand

On the day before Thanksgiving, the Brand Show looks into the latest buzzword in marketing, ethnography. Ethnography is the study of culture and people. Ethnographers are studying people in their daily lives and gaining better insight than focus groups and in-depth interviews. Previously ethnographers were primarily used in the academia sector. Now, advertising agencies and companies are hiring them to learn more about their brand. Today, we will look into the growing use of ethnographers in marketing.

This week’s Brand Rant discusses how Wal-Mart’s latest price claim of saving the American family $2,500 might actually be false. Consumers do not actually have so shop at Wal-Mart to get the savings. Only the existence of Wal-Mart saves consumers money. And in the Brand Spotlight, we look into how the NBA’s New Jersey Nets are trying to benefit from the Broadway strike in New York City. Dr. Don Stull, a professor of anthropology at the University of Kansas, joins us to discuss ethnography.


Wal-Mart’s price claim of saving American’s families $2,500 a year may be a little deceptive.

The NBA’s New Jersey Nets are hoping to attract a new type of fan as they offer ticket discounts to those who are unable to see a Broadway play because of the Broadway strike.


Ethnography is starting to replace focus groups and in-depth interviews as the best way to learn about consumers.


Eight O’Clock Coffee studied groups of coffee drinkers in different cities, hoping to find out more about its target consumer.


Procter and Gamble have used ethnography to determine how American families plan parties.


Market researchers are using ethnography to determine what people do rather than what they say.

Ad agencies are increasingly hiring ethnographers to follow people in their natural settings like in their homes or in a bar.



Marketers are looking into the science of ethnography to better grasp who their consumers are.

Old Brands, New Tricks

This week’s show discusses how old brands are using new marketing techniques to reconnect with their customers. The show focuses on Ford’s attempt to market directly against its competition. We will also look into Wal-Mart’s first new tag line in nearly two decades. Wal-Mart switched from its “Always low prices,” tagline, to “Save Money. Live Better.” The campaign focuses on a recent study that found that families that shop at Wal-Mart save on average, $2,500 a year.

This week’s Brand Rant discusses how European automakers are upset that Chinese automaker Shuanghuan has been imitating its cars. And in the Brand Spotlight, we look into Ford’s recent campaign that put 80 drivers who recently bought cars from its competition, in a Ford car for a week. Ford did not tell the participants that it was for a marketing campaign, rather telling them it was for market research. Chase Abbott, sales manager at Laird Noller Ford in Kansas City discusses the new campaign. Also, John Schaufelberger, vice president of product marketing for Burger King joins us to discuss Burger King offering apple slices instead of fries in its kids meals.

Related Topics:

Link to an article that discusses the European automakers frustrations to Chinese car imitations.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/12/business/worldbusiness/12auto.html?ex=1347249600&en=fbba25d80b4db225&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

Link to an article that analyzes Ford’s new ad campaign.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/04/business/media/04adco.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

Link to article on Wal-Mart’s new tag line.
http://publications.mediapost.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=Articles.showArticle&art_aid=67351

Article discussing Burger King’s new menu items.
http://www.commercialalert.org/news/Archive/2007/09/you-want-apple-fries-with-that

Hyundai’s new campaign that never shows images of its vehicles.
http://publications.mediapost.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=Articles.showArticleHomePage&art_aid=67104