Packaging is more than product protection and security. Producing a package is expensive. It is an investment in the success of the product. User convenience, safety, legal requirements, environmental and usability factors must be considered during the design process. Skipping any of these can cost sales or cause problems later.
Read MoreTopics: Branding, Marketing, Packaging Design
I was driving home and, sadly, was behind a slow driver. I was tired, hungry and wanted to get home as soon as possible. That wasn't possible with the slow, weaving driver in front of me. His weaving made it evident that he was not putting his full attention to the task of driving. He was driving slower than the posted speed limit, so he wasn't reading signs.
I realized that the driver's lack of attention to road signs was like a company so intent on daily business that it missed signs that its brand was loosing its position in the marketplace. Weaving to respond to daily pressure of deadlines and distractions takes focus off of the target of managing brand positioning.
Read MoreTopics: Advertising, Branding, Marketing
Seniors for the most art have been slow to adopt technology. Research has proven time and again that we all dislike change unless we instigated it. It began with changing classes, changing schools form elementary to high school, fear of the unknown and feeling foolish tempers our behavior.
According to a recent report from Pew Research Center, though seniors are slow to adopt technology compared to younger adults the number of seniors using smartphones and tablets is growing.
Read MoreTopics: Online Marketing, Advertising, Marketing, Mobile Marketing
We have to accept that social networks are changing the way we shop. There are as many different networks as there are ways to influence some of your prospects and customers. A great number of people engage in several social channels increasing their sphere of influence as well as access to information. Technology combined with social media has allowed ecommerce sales to grow by double-digits in the past eleven months.
Read MoreTopics: Online Marketing, Social Media, Marketing
Being in the ad business I can’t help but watch TV ads with a critical eye. Who is the target? What is the brand? Does it have the emotional tug to convert a sale? In short, is it effective? I try to figure out the company the ad is for before they reveal it. Some companies do a great job advertising and others leave you wondering – do they really know their audience, what company was that for? I have found myself wondering when the product advertised is for women if the ad was created by a man, because they totally missed the USP and audience pain motivator.
A great example is Target’s original TV ad campaign and it’s evolution over 2 years. They began showing the target symbol with their name. The advertising had a consistent style of photography and rhythm. Over a year’s time they evolved and dropped the word “Target”. This was possible because of the consistent style of video but also length of time they ran the ads had impressed their image on all consumers so they intuitively knew the brand before the target symbol was shown at the very end. Eventually, the target symbol was all that was needed. Their success was evident when competitors started mimicking their style of TV ads.
Old school ad men would be horrified that the brand was only shown at the end like an exclamation point. Rules of advertising would have you show the logo frequently in one spot. But rules are fluid and when an ad is done well it is memorable.
Bad ads are memorable for a different reason. Or they don’t make an impression at all. Either way, a bad ad is an expensive mistake. What do you think when you notice a bad ad, print or TV?
Read MoreTopics: Advertising, Branding, Marketing
Have you thought about why a shopper buys from you or leaves without purchasing?
As shoppers, ourselves, we ask friends about their purchases and satisfaction. We use coupons, look for deals and, for large ticket items, we research ratings. Our shopping habits are not unique. But which are the most influential in delivering sales so we can build our business?
Read MoreTopics: Online Marketing, Marketing, Design
Netflix is eating into HBO's subscribers with its streaming movies, TV shows and specials, and soon Amazon will be challenging Netflix … and it all started with the demise of Blockbuster.
Read MoreTopics: Branding, Marketing, Business Management