2009 CHANGE OF HEART

It has been a while since I have posted here–just a tad over one year. I hereby declare that although I had worked tirelessly at harvesting the inner-workings of the human mind, I no longer wish to do so.

It was a journey spanning over 25 years–one that left me feeling useless in our current realities. Don’t get me wrong. I am not quitting–I am simply changed irrevocably. I now believe that consumption should be voluntary–not driven by the loitering of “brand meaning” in their sub-conscious.

There are thousands upon thousands of clients that I will not serve–at any price. My heart and my mind are now for rent to those who minimize their global footprint in their processes and who are completely transparent to the voiceless masses.

I just heard another thousand drop off my radar on reading my change of heart. Now I can sleep at night.

 

BRAND OF THE WEEK: Wikipedia

There is simply no more instant, consensus-driven information available on this planet than Wikipedia. My Encyclopedia Brittanicas, even though they span over 7 feet in width are rendered minuscule compared to this wiki’s knowledge and/or collaborative content. Finally, we have a resource that brings many talented minds together. The imperative to form our own opinions about what we read has not change since hieroglyphics; so whatever critics dole out to manufacture doubt about Wikipedia is simply out-of-step. As wikis go (a collaborative web platform), Wikipedia transcends all. And still this rich resource and its thin staff manage to moderate to ensure as up-to-date and reliable information as possible. “Knowledge triples every three years”, they say. Wikipedia can keep up with this thirst for knowledge.

 

BRAND OF THE WEEK: Burt’s Bees

Who knew a couple who began selling beeswax candles in 1984, a by-product of their honey business, would flourish to its current countenance as a leading natural products corporation? Sales in 2007 raked in $250 million US. Burt’s Bees is now officially in the mainstream. Frankly, much of the healthy, natural and organic products are shedding the “granola” image of yore by the sheer force of consumer demand.

Burt’s Bees declare they are an “Earth friendly, natural personal care company”. Indeed.  This company only uses beeswax, botanical and essential oils, herbs, flowers and minerals–no synthetic chemicals. Burt’s commitment to the environment is of equal importance too; they ensure that they do not create any unnecessary garbage by using materials that are recycled and recyclable. Burt’s leaders and ambassadors do not use the words Greater Good lightly–it is their core value; in a world that is replete with “less good for profit”, this resonates.

There is not a night that goes by without the rolling of Burt’s lip balm–one step in my closing ritual. Burt’s repertoire is infinitely greater. Burt’s Bees’ product line-up extends from baby products, through hair care and skin care to cosmetics. You could transform your morning ritual 360 from a synthetic one to a whole, natural one–right down to the deodorant.

Its website is aesthetically pleasing, organized and thorough in stating Burts’ Bees purpose morally, spiritually to all its constituents, its customers, its employees and the planet itself. It makes me feel good that a corporation that harvests all that nature has to offer for our health and beauty–unfooled around with–is doing so well. Customers are voting for the natural way expressed magnificently in Burt’s Bees with their wallets. This makes Burt’s Bees my Brand of The Week; but, this is an understatement.

 

BRAND OF THE WEEK: SISU

SISU is a finnish word for inner strength and indeed this brand is an authentic contributor. This Canadian company situated in B.C. manufactures and markets a line of supplements ranging from its famed Ester-C,  multis through to products for bone health, heart health–the list is endless. To be specific they make 160 products in 9 wellness categories.

What is incontrovertable is the support behind the brand by thousands of health store owners across the country. All will wax about the company’s integrity and commitment to real supplementation in a sea of mainstream brands that are replete with fillers, additives and synthetic substitutes among others i.e. do little good. We all know many supplements brands marketing themselves in mass media; it is a travesty that this category is not monitored for truth in marketing.

Another SISU factor is its packaging which beckons you to its spot on the shelf. The brand is immediately identifiable in deep bottle blue. It’s labelling contrasts with bright, clean colours–clean in its processing is one of SISU’s claims-to-fame and somehow the label colours and images give out this consistent cue.

It’s multi is the first in Canada to include the deficient K and boron. Its laboratory is obviously hyperactive, gaining superior knowledge and enuring that benefit to consumers. Dr. Serenity Aberdour, ”Dr. Serenity”, a practicing naturopathic physician,  is Manager of Science and Education at SISU where she leads research and development of new products. To SISU it seems health is not a business, but a cause. They even go one step further by testing ingredients imported for toxins and ensure that the end product exceeds Canadian standards. I believe this is one brand that will not lower its standards for large discount merchandisers as many others have.

I bought the SISU Supreme Multivitamin for my daughter. No doubt the green apple cue added romance to the specialist’s dirge in my ears. The price tag was predictably higher but I am believer of “you get what you pay for”. The “lowest priced supplement” is an oxymoron.

 

BRAND OF THE WEEK: Born Free

 This infant feeding bottle is indeed born free from bisphenol A, synthetic chemical found in competing brands. The EWG performed blood tests on 10 infants by drawing a sample from their umbilical cords and found 287 toxins within. This is a sign of the times and mothers everywhere will soon have an acute awareness of the effect of their lifestyles and environments on their children.  While BornFree is an outstanding product by design and brand by meaning, it is moreover a sign that a new cause-driven consumer is at the gate, clamoring for more than emotional meaning.

 Here is a video produced by ABC on the threat of bisphenol A (BPA) in plastic products. At the risk of sounding alarmist I introduce this as an opportunity for the “other ” brands to remove BPA from their products in winning the new vigilant hearts of their customers. Cause is king and you can generate cause from your own mistakes, sooner that later. This new cause is working toward “no harm” –those who don’t will lose to new brands like Born Free that can overnight reverse their dominance, irreversibly.

I am speaking about this on Halloween–a  lunch event downtown Toronto, “Power of Good Marketing“. Why, what and how. Not your usual fare.

Nor shall the menu be.

 

 

Domino Oreo’s new low

I like to be a bearer of knowledge and positive thinking. My cup is always half full. Unfortunately, I could not redeem the recent TV spots for Domino’s Oreo pie. Here is cross-branding runamuck.

Oreo crumbles or is that stubbles on its two middle-aged male characters’ faces dries up my taste buds and delivers adverse chemicals. Now every time I see the Oreo brand I think of unshaven men and hair stubbles. Mmmmmgood!

Who knows what they are saying (there is dialogue). The image is so repugnant for a food item that it cannot be supported by a story line. What were they thinking? I can imagine what the studio and agency pulled down in revenue to make this one–we must be responsible as practitioners and protect clients from decisions like this.  Someone’s facial hair may roll.

This will affect Oreo for some time to come I am sure. Once these are off the air, Oreo will have to reframe minds into the kitchen and out of bathroom context.

And I certainly won’t be ordering hair pie from Domino’s any time soon.

 

Neuromerchandising is here!

Yes, I have now extended my neuromarketing practice to offer Neuromerchandising (a term I have coined and trademarked) for retailers. In fact, I am  making a presentation over lunch on November 30, ‘07, in Toronto. I have served retail business leaders for years and it is a favorite space for me–where consumers are directly accessible to the brand.

Neuromerchandising involves all the sensory elements–what works within different retail contexts to elicit positive reactions. And it’s more. It’s also about archetypal meaning, storytelling, employee paralanguage and non-verbal language. There are too many elements left out by retail environment designers that reach deeper and bring in better results.

It never ceases to amaze me how predictable, dull and streamlined retail establishments remain.

Last weekend I visited a store named Hollister, a California surfer apparel store targeted at teens, under the management of Abercrombie and Fitch. Finally! a retailer who understood lighting and texture. Drama, depth-of-field, colour, sound, storytelling, employee behavior–it was one of the best retail environments I have seen in Canada yet. Mind you, the setting would not apply in another context such as pharmaceutical or automotive maintenance–but the cues and stimuli were excellent. And product was flying off the shelf.

Retailers need to stop thinking cost per square foot as a driver of design but rather emotional quotient per square foot “EQPSF”.

 

China syndrome now pervasive

Yesterday, I drove to my grocer to pick up a few items and throughout this short journey two employees in isolated events confided to me, “do not choose anything from China”. This was surely not a corporate directive but it speaks volumes about the confidence consumers have in products on the shelf.

Earlier, when I had heard a US talk show guest announce yet another lead laden toy from China (now seven manufacturers are involved), a recommendation was made to retailers to announce they are “Guaranteed Lead Free” (a euphemism for “Guaranteed China Free”). In another news show, I had witnessed a business owner tagging his shipments with China Free stickers to gain a competitive edge.

It will take years for China to clean up its act. They are just now writing laws and developing a legal system to mitigate these acts under a regime with little controls.

Corporates seeking profits for their shareholders sought to reduce costs by sending business to countries with low standards–China is the whipping boy. There are others.

Questions beg: What on earth are the product development folks doing? Is there no investigative trip to these plants? Do the corporates know and turn a blind eye? Is there a transparency issue here? How much should we trade risk for profit?

If I sound irate it’s because I am. Marketing must stick its nose into production and stop marketing blind. Food, tires, toys–where there are a handful of affected categories, there are likely hundreds.

When a product claims it is manufactured in Canada or USA, it really means it is assembled there. Consumers are simply riding on faith that corporates will do no harm. That faith is nearing zero. There is a call for brand marketers that can guarantee and do no harm. There is simply no cutting corners.

Corporates will say, “we have to keep the price down” (the Machiavellian strategy putting the blame on consumer demand). In truth, they have to keep the profits up. Milton Friedman, the widely followed economist who claimed “profit is good” is now challenged–if litigation costs kick-in and health costs soar, profits are not good.

Profits can be “Good” though.

 

BRAND OF THE WEEK: An Inconvenient Truth

Al Gore certainly was the impetus behind the viral, global awareness of “global warming” and the public’s concomittant engagement. Al Gore brought An Inconvenient Truth to life on full Hollywood scale.

“The number of hurricanes of category 4 and 5 level has doubled in the last 30 years”.

“The flow of ice from glaciers in Greenland has more than doubled over the past decade.”

“Snow is almost gone from the tip of Mount Kilimanjaro”.

 ”Much of Manhattan will be under water”.

These are soundbites that are now in our permanent memory and daily discourse. The bait worked.

What An Inconvenient Truth has accomplished is greater though. It has galvanized the consuming public on all social matters. An Inconvenient Truth, a catalyst in getting the public to question all our institutions and organizations, has paved the way for an audience that is now listening and engaged. Michael Moore’s Fahrenheit 9/11 and Sicko lend no less to consumer activism–consumers who are protesting with their wallets and their voices.

“Good Marketing” is the new wave (no pun). Consumers are engaged on all matters from our environment to health care, health threats, terrorism, white crime, child abuse, genocide–the dial has been turned up by IT. A myriad of celebrities including Leonardo DiCaprio, George Clooney, Angelina Jolie and Robert Redford are lending their names, money and time to causes. And there is no end in site.

Mark my words we are in a new marketing paradigm. Clean out your closets because everyone is peering in them. Good Marketing means being good–not putting lipstick on a pig.

The consuming masses are what keep the engines going; not the rainmakers on The Street nor the policy makers. Trust is at an all time low; consumer action at an all time high.

An Inconvenient Truth has engaged earthlings in the process of saving the planet by reducing individual carbon emissions. If that’s not a great, great brand, than Coke is just brown syrup.

 

BRAND OF THE WEEK: Orient Emporium Tea Company

Cott Beverages may be experiencing the dreaded decline in sugary soda consumption (a reported 5%) across the industry but management seems undeterred with the new brand launch of the Orient Emporium Tea Company. It’s an impressive line-up of cold tea beverages, each with taste, flare and highly sought healthy ingredients.

Orient Emporium’s Mandarin Orange flavored, White Tea is simply delicious. White tea is a clever ingredient for its highest antioxidant values. Orient Emporium is sure to resonate well with the throngs who are increasingly in the know about nutritional values in everything from teas to swiss chard.

Cott may have been tardy in diversifying or developing new lines in lockstep with consumer tastes and needs; but it is  now truly on the right path, creating brand value. Cott is acknowledged as a world leader (North America, Mexico and Europe) in private label carbonated soft drinks; with Wal-Mart (always the lowest price bidder) as its No. 1 buyer the margins are not sustainable over the long term. Long-term value is in brands that connect with consumers.

 

BRAND OF THE WEEK: Great Canadian Oil Change

Trevor Weflen opened the first Great Canadian Oil Change in 1978 in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Today, this location outperforms its 28 franchised siblings located in five provinces, Saskatchewan, Alberta, Manitoba, B.C. and Ontario (and one in the Bahamas).

In grand style, the drive-thru chain changes your oil in 10 minutes; this is the core principle. You literally enter on one side, park, enjoy coffee compliments of the house, while you car’s undercarriage is serviced by staff from the floor below (There is an opening in floor grating.) You don’t have to get out of your car or worse, kill a few hours while you wait.

GCOC doesn’t just do oil changes. It can flush your engine or your radiator–or a few dozen other drive-thru styled services.

“I went in to order food and realized it was’nt a cafe”, stated one young woman nearby. Indeed, the planters, the aesthetic retro design and the white spotless structure betray the usual dark, dusty and grimy outlets of other automotive brands. Perfect for the growing cadre of women who are taking auto care in their own hands and are time-starved, juggling family and work.

For just over thirty dollars this item can get wiped off the to-do-list in 10 minutes, in a pleasing environment. Touche! to this Prairie entrepreneur!

 

Visited Playstation’s Big Rig yesterday

I entered Sony Playstation’s Big Rig parked adjacent to EB Games yesterday. This 18 wheeler styled truck opens its belly to some 30 feet of PS3s for public enjoyment all powered by a hefty generator. Right behind the driver’s cab, a sound booth with a leather couch and kareoke mics engage you in a sing-along game (you win if your tone is the best) on screen.

The PS staff of four shifts as the trailer travels across the country. They call it the “Big Rig”; but, in discussion with staff it is PS3’s “field marketing”. In our marketing world it’s also called “experiential marketing”; Jack Morton reknown for this space claims that live experiences produce more brand engagement than any form of advertising. Yet the trailer was near empty. I place the blame on its low visibility from the road, no sound emanating from the trailer to draw attention and perhaps, little advance notice to locals. If you are going to throw an experiential event unannounced pick your real estate carefully and optimize any partners’ participation.

Also there is no mention of this tour on the Playstation.ca site. Huh? This could have triggered higher participation and viral social media activity. I searched and found only a few posts for the US version–nothing for Canada. And what about local search engines? The rig is going all the way to Moncton, N.B.; hopefully, the first days will kick-off some blogging in their favor.

I thought the PS3 Big Rig was a great experience for gamers and for the PS3 brand; simply, some opportunities were missed.

 

BRAND OF THE WEEK: Balance

Dr. Marla Shapiro, one of our Canadian jewels, was the host of Balance (CTV’s best daytime talk show in my opinion), until an event changed her life irrevocably in 2004.  Dr. Marla is resurfacing after a contest with cancer which she appears to be winning. This beautiful wife, mother and scholar, is the stuff of which better programming is made. Her excessive wit, intelligence and grace mixed with her stunning beauty have defined Balance for years. Her guests have ranged from Dr. Phil to Mark Evans, Toronto’s most respected restauranteur and owner of North 44. While I name Balance as the Brand of The Week, it is hard to express its value without Dr. Marla. Yet, I will attempt.

I am often heard ranting at Canadian productions for their overlit, thrifty sets, underpopulated audiences (a key social psychology factor) and tinny sound. Balance set designers have staged Dr. Marla’s sets with style, texture and balance indeed. The content, health and lifestyle, is always top-notch and moves from topic to topic with Dr. Marla’s aplomb.

This 30 minute production airs this coming season at 1pm (reruns at 10 am). Balance prime time specials will also air in the evening hosted by our other Canadian  jewel, Valerie Pringle, former host of Valerie Pringle Has Left The Building, a travel show which I simply adored.  For brands looking to borrow meaning from programming context and impressions from a loyal following, Balance (am or pm) is a perfect place to park your 30 second spots (no, I am not receiving payment for this endorsement). Hopefully, the network will stop messing with time slots and allow viewers to find Balance or even Valerie Pringle “who has left her own show”.

Balance is an excellent program which if well commandeered as a brand replete with meaning can blossom into many other iterations of itself not unlike Prevention magazine, Martha Living or dare I say, Oprah. Think Balance social media, web content (its own), books, magazines, events and merchandise. A name with great meaning comes with great responsibility; balance is after all what we strive for in all our quests and relationships. As a brand archetype, Dr. Marla can be viral (no pun).

Its website is strangely licensed to and produced by a rival media empire, Transcontinental Media, and parked under its Canadian Living.com site. Huh? This does not bode well for authenticity and fails to capture the richness of Balance’s content. This network must think outside the analog box and get inside my head and heart, cultivating the resonance surely present with all Balance viewers.

 

Things that should NOT be branded: persons and churches

I feel sorry for public figures that are made to believe their countenance is no more than “what their audiences feel about them“. This mantra drives inanimate brands and it is bang on. But to deprive an individual of his/her own expression for profit is just downright immoral. Every human being is beautiful and complex in their individual way–this diversity makes the world interesting. And they should be liberated to express and err. The common man has this freedom. If celebrities want to win more hearts the answer is always in grace and courage.

Even more peculiar is the search I found in my blog analytics this morning for “best church branding”. Yikes! In this case only God (or whichever creator you worship)  is the brand coach. This should be unfooled around with. A respite where nature takes it course and pastors, priests, and leaders lead by moral example. We actually had in our audience a US branding executives for a leading assembly of churches at one of our Brand Revival conferences in 2004!

I think it’s time “brand gurus” stop navel gazing and thinking all revolves around their ideas. The earth will inhale and exhale without us–truly.

 

Authenticity misunderstood

Is our world getting more sincere or self-indulgent? Aye, there’s the rub. In conversation, there are cues that tell you if an individual is comfortable in his/her own skin; the language is more universal and less pedantic. In an article or a novel, the language can expand with artistic license; but, some are elitist using language and thought construction that is so esoteric that it never enters the mainstream. In visual language, the subtleties determine authenticity. Corporations that use the globe as a constant reminder of their largesse is inauthentic–like-minded, the frog swells up to deter its predators. In body language (also visual),  genuine smiling is accompanied with creases at the corner of the eyes rather than the conscious raising of the corners of the mouth. Authenticity, tends to be doled out superficially. In a retail experience, posters that say “we care about you” are inauthentic when a camera is poised on your every move. The word “authentic” is rampant in the marketing dialogue; but, I gage this as an unmet goal. How can you be authentic to customers if you have not explored their inner most thoughts? On the authenticity scale with superficiality exerting a magnetic pull, the needle has barely wiggled. Marketers must stop being superficial about their authenticity. Fear monging, cheesiness, slice-of-life stories that are truly sacharrine are not authentic. My gosh humans are so complex and in that complexity is true beauty and wonder. We have not even scratched the surface. Please! please! examine what is truly authentic. That brings me to the internet which lays claim to all-out authenticity.

Social media has empowered the common man and micro businesses. The discourse however is invariably stealth and replete with hate. Authenticity is truly lacking on the internet. Tim O’Reilly, a recognized leader in silicon valley had instituted a Code of Conduct, received with equal vitriol; I have interrupted the comment string for a moment on his blog by applauding him and encouraging him. Authenticity is not about letting your inner demons loose on the world–that is hate, envy and often, revenge equal to road rage. Authenticity on the web can be a deep expression of one’s feelings, a dislike of a product, whistle blowing on something gone awry–but not opinions run amuck, expletives, debauchery and more. Some expressions should always remain in the closet lest we descend into Gomorrah once again. I hope the internet will not usher in a new age where we indulge our id, our primordial, reptilian selves. Or is it too late? Perhaps someone will launch another web where a stable, “honest to goodness”, freedom of expression is welcome and those who until today fear to tread will now explore.

I love the internet. It is a virtual, thriving society–not programming and computers. It is a rare event in the physical world when a stranger will acost you in the grocery store or in your own garden. So too, should be the internet. The internet is dubbed social media not sociopathic media.

I’m just sayin’.

 

BRAND OF THE WEEK: Boots No.7

The news of this little bottle of serum has travelled to women’s ears around the globe over the last 2 weeks. No. 7 epitomizes what buzz and viral marketing are all about– with near zero investment. The principal tool in this launch was no other than social media. Do a search for No.7 and witness thousands of posts and comments, many from Britain where the brand was born. No. 7 has been around for a long time but this serum has outperformed any of its 80 brand extensions. Recently it has been on talk shows, network news, and ubiquitous in digital media. The headline in a leading British newspaper read, “Riots in aisles for anti-wrinkle lotion that actually works.”

The frenzy actually began when the BBC aired a story on No.7 and sales the very same day sales increased by 2000%. In Gandhi style, you only need one or a few disciples to give your brand this kind of propulsion.

The belief is that it works. No.7 reduces wrinkles among other things. The surprise is that there is no surprise. There are no new ingredients but rather the secret is in the blend, as Steve Barton, the biologist who developed No. 7 confirms. The active ingredient that reduces wrinkle depth is a lipo-pentapeptide. As one clinician describes, “this ingredient is synthesised by stringing 5 amino acids together and combining it with a lipolic compound which makes it readily absorbed into the skin”. Absorption is always the key to success. Also in the blend, the standard antioxidants vitamins A (retinyl palmitate), C and E add prevention.

Steve also states,“The lotion takes 4-8 weeks to work” and “Wrinkles won’t disappear. This is not Botox, but they are significantly improved.”

There are a few skeptics as there always are; however, the consensus among those who have applied No. 7 for 4 to 8 weeks is that it works.

In U.K. the serum is named Protect and Perfect Serum; however, in USA it is named Restore & Renew Beauty Serum. It is available for $21.99 only at CVS or Target…if you can get your mitts on it. Alas! Canadian women will have to age gracefully until No.7 makes its way here. We are the second largest land mass; how can they miss us?

I stand corrected it is exclusive at Shoppers Drug Mart in Canada.  Here is Shoppers’ web page stating that fact.

Now let’s see if they have stock–the next hurdle. Reminds me of the race for Playstation or giggling Elmo. A limited release works well within our social psychology indeed.

 

BRAND OF THE WEEK: Worm Poop

It’s the controversial brain-child of two young entrepreneurs, Tom Szaky and Jon Beyer, of Princeton U. Their corporation, Terracycle, founded in 2001 in Trenton, New Jersey, produces liquid waste–yes worm waste–for prodigious plant growth. The rave reviews are endless. But the brand isn’t controversial because of its name but rather because of the revenues it is taking from Scott’s and the law suit the latter has launched in response.

“Our goal in the next five years is not just to stay the number one organic fertilizer in North America”, they primly state at the end of a long dissertation on eco-capitalism, “but to become the number one fertilizer in America”. This socio-political assertiveness is increasingly determining which businesses win customers.

Tom and Jon Turn up the dial on their social engagement with recycling in their “Bottle Brigade” program. Worm Poop is bottled in 20 oz recycled soda bottles. This may affect my sensibilities in regard to Coke, Pepsi and other brown bubbly syrup look-alikes. But hey, Worm Poop truly “adds life”.

Worm Poop is a fine example of new brands born out of a fresh crop of sociopreneurs. Red Herring wrote, “TerraCycle is one of the 100 most innovative companies of 2004″. Organic fertilizer and recycling all in one brand–that’s very green. I’ve blogged earlier on how much “cause” drives consumers to choose one brand over another. Worm proof is foolproof. And Scotts should cool their jets–because everyone one likes an underdog.

The bottles have made into Canada; hopefully, I don’t have to dig too far to find them.

 

BRAND OF THE WEEK: Bob’s Red Mill

There is really a Bob–even a Charlee, Bob’s spouse, both founders of Bob’s Red Mill Natural Foods in Oregon.

About 30 years ago these two charming health food fanatics started the mill thanks to Bob Moore’s love of tinkering with machinery. Today, Bob’s features 400 whole grain, stone milled products with only healthy ingredients, including “certified” gluten free and ”certified” organic too.

What is outstanding about Bob’s is the method used in preparing its natural products. Bob’s says, there is no machinery manufactured yet that grinds grains into flour as well as flint-hard quartz millstones used in Roman times. Bob’s uses sharpened millstones that deliver finer, better baking flour than mills in use today. The process is a throwback to earlier times; but, in that fact is its charm. If all this makes you think Bob’s is a small-town player, think again.

Bob’s manufacturing plant may be in one location but its products travail North America to major chains and smaller stores, including its own stores across USA; herein is its secret for success. I wrote about John Moore’s, Jumbo Shrimp Marketing (BrandAutopsy); John very capably explains the imperative of acting small when becoming big to stay connected to your customers. See how Bob’s achieves this by touring Bob’s mill in this great video here.

I have already experienced Bob’s pancake mix–without the guilt that comes with popular high caloric mixes; it was simply delicious. Now I am aiming to prepare tabbouleh, I believe a dish of Morrocan Lebanese and Syrian origin, thanks to the recipe smack dab on the front of Bob’s package for “Toasted Cracked Wheat” bulgur. It’s only natural that Bob’s have published a recipe book; we have relied too long on processed foods and this little tome helps create dishes that build DNA and contribute to good health.

“Wholesomely yours” or” To Your Good Health“ is the salution preceeding Bob’s signature on the package. It is these small cues including his own likeness and careful attention to detail that generated my trust in trying this product purchased from a national grocery chain stocked to the gills with big established brands. The more I learn about Bob’s, the more I am hooked–just as I am to a bone-dry Starbucks cappucino.

I am but one member of a massive assembly of family custodians searching for good alternatives to empty and corrosive calories and the stuff that stocks the “middle aisles”. Bob’s Red Mill is a clear cut choice for fibre and grain–but also for quality and meaning that is even more clear.

As a caregiver archetype, Bob is indisputably powerful.

 

VISA TV commercial match minds

VISA’s current TV commercial delivers cues, archetypal content and social psychology that blend to effect results.

The story takes place in a fantasy retail location, where a line-up of customers wait to check-out. The establishment shot features a wide palette of colours, cheerful music under and constant movement. The main character, a middle-aged female, proceeds to write a cheque–all music and movement stops–and everyone watching gasps. The archetype of movement bodes well as a metaphor for credit cards. (I’ll guess VISA extracted this representation in emotional discovery). The colour and music serve as sensory cues, that compound the effect of movement.

Social psychology, “Social Proof” as described by Dr. Cialdini, is also very present i.e. we tend to follow the crowd. VISA cleverly made the line-up long–one or two customers would not have been social proof.

Do I like making people feel inadequate lest they do as marketers wish? No, not unless it is good for them. What is wrong in writing a cheque? Nothing. You are not borrowing; yet, credit card use is borrowing. VISA builds a case for humiliation to writing a cheque in a retail environment; not the case for spending with debt.

Effective spot, but I am not a fan of credit card companies and their marketing tactics. Now let me see this effective use of media dollars with brands that we love: food, beauty, apparel, recreation, travel, retail, home improvements…

 

BRAND OF THE WEEK: Parissa

In a dull universe of wax depilatory products populated by Andrea, Sally Hansen, Nad’s and Persian, Parissa stands out. After all, it’s hard to make fanfare of products that rip the hair from your flesh–but it is this dilemma that demands that meaning be cultivated.

Parissa Laboratories was founded in 1980 in North Vancouver, BC. Yes, it is a Canadian company and a brand to watch. The name may not be on the tip of everybody’s tongue; but, they seem to be doing the right thing at the right time. Essentially, it’s a natural product and we all know there is a surging demand for safe alternatives in every category. The cream and gel depilatories are chemical and meant to burn off hair; yet, they can cause irritation and even burn skin. Laser removal is known to discolor skin. Simply, waxing or sugaring (the washable version) are the safest methods and Parissa is in the thick of it.

In the health and beauty section of stores, the Parissa packages stand out head and shoulders over the rest. The Parissa palette of stylish colors including deep cornflower blue, powder pink and sage are offset by black & white dramatic portraits of the intended users. There is a complete lack of superficiality in these images; they offer an authentic beauty reminiscent of Dove and Hanes. The sugaring container provides a window to view the roll-on dispenser. In all kits, a small bottle blue vial contains Azulene Oil After Care said to soothe the freshly uprooted area and prevent in-grown hair. Lined-up together these packages steal the eye from other depilatories including Neet and Nair. They do not rest on logos and name. They tell a story.

The Parissa web site is elegantly and simply laid out with a preponderence of information to satisfy its users and eliminate the need for further contact. There is simple no detail left out.

This little known brand has made into Vogue, Cosmopolitain, Seventeen, O, Shape, Glamour, Us and Marie Claire. It surely as made it to GQ and Maxim since Parissa is also for men; now men have the opportunity to show their courage to their partners–brand meaning spilleth over.

 

Breakthrough: TV ratings now on basis of ad ratings

In a breakthrough move, ABC President, Stephen McPherson, announced on May 16th that ABC will sell airtime on the basis of actual viewership of commercials and not program ratings. The industry is expected to follow (although NBS is rather quiet) ; Nielsen is expected to follow this May 31st. Advertisers have been clamoring for a better rating system for some time, especially with the added pressure of on-line performance, and this is it. Now we will know how many people use the latrine and visit the refrigerator at commercials–the results may be startling.

To some extent TV commercial ratings are what click-throughs are to the internet.

Sign of the times.

 

On-Line display and search ad revenue rises 35%

The Internet Advertising Bureau and Price Waterhouse Coopers report these results for 2006. The largest advertiser category was consumer brands with 52% of the purchases. Of this percentage 47% were retail and 22% were auto. The top ten sellers account for over 69% of consumer ad revenue; this is a 3% drop from 2005.

Now by type of advertising used, 40% was search related and 32% was display.

I expect increased use of on-line advertising in 2007 but from a wider range of advertisers. I can only hope that there will be a decline in intrusive, hijack-styled advertising that is generally not welcome by users. And it’s not good for your brand.

Please do not forget that these invariably small and brief ads are only precursors to real brand building. It is a symbiotic relationship and not an end in itself–somewhat parasitic. Take care of the places you take them to; exceed the visitors’ expectations. This will increase your ROI. The game is no longer about awareness–this does not increase brand revenue. It’s about real, palpable meaning that results in conversion and loyalty. You can’t do that with a button, a tower or a text link.

You should not advertise on-line until your web pages are ready–robust, elegant and replete with meaningful content. Don’t let anyone talk you into brand building in a display/search model on-line–it’s not sustainable. So you get clicks or impressions…that’s not the endgame. Spend time with the web site team guiding every detail. And be ready to catch every visitor with great analytics otherwise your ROI starts to drop. Then, deliver an experience. And the coup-de-grace, get them to interact. Now that’s a relationship.

It’s now important to spend time on the lifecycle of a click-through. The impression model is not a good way to buy–this is taken from traditional advertising media and truly belongs to them. Pages are cluttered, views are fragmented. It’s just another word for the on-line property’s traffic–not yours. Impressions cannot make it into long-term memory–sorry folks. It’s not a plan. Clicks have a chance at generating a relationship. But again the brand meaning can only be presented when they arrive at your pages. And you will get more click-throughs if you buy from relevant context and not bulk. I have seen too many Google ads on the weirdest of places including illegitimate ones. As you choose programming in broadcast, choose properties on the net. This choice will deliver a much better ROI. Start small to prove it to yourself. Don’t buy gads of meaningless traffic. Content is king in delivering more value. Yahoo! have launched many vertical media channels worth looking at.

I’m just sayin’…

 

Palmolive keeping women in the kitchen

I just do not understand what motivates this brand team to create an advertisement about a woman fretting about scrubbing her dishes lest her husband (who is surely sitting on the couch with his pipe and newspapers) be upset by her absence. And this with Doris Roberts playing the maternal archetype–another woman focused on cleaning.  This is a throwback to the years we were tethered to menial tasks–men absentia. A women is running for President of the USA. Our own Governor General is a woman. Women are astronauts, publishers, CEOs and boxers. This story is off the reality of our sexual politics and all womens’ need to self-actualize. Women with self-esteem will surely boycott this brand. What a blunder!!

 

BRAND OF THE WEEK: Kicking Horse Coffee

This ass is well known to many Canadians; he graces the packages of Kicking Horse’s “Deep dark flavour” coffee bean variety. When a local friend, a chinese medicine doctor, demure and gracious, asked if I would like a cup of KickAss coffee I could not help squeal in laughter at this vernacular rolling off her lips. This brand name is counter-intuitive to starchy corporate cultures but is indeed Kicking Horse style.

This little company started in 1996 by two Torontonians, Elana Rosenfeld and Leo Johnson, in the high altitudes of the BC Rocky Mountains (just 90 minutes from Banff, Alberta) is now Canada’s top organic coffee producer. These two former cafe owners happen on a success story with a blend of intuitive playfullness and incisive brand building. Kicking Horse now features 21 different varieties, branded individually; ”454 Horse Power”, “Cliff Hanger Espresso” and “Grizzly Claw” are three of its darker roasts.

Kicking Horse demonstrates its kinder, gentler style too. Kicking Horse’s beans are grown under rainforest canopies; every package is labelled “Shade Grown”, said to protect migrating birds’ habitats. And that’s organic shade grown–no pesticides, herbicides or fertilizers. Their committment to cause stretches far beyond birds to humans in its commitment to Fair Trade. KH promises to pay farmers a fair price for their coffee, “regardless of market forces”. KH is a Certified Licensee of Transfair, a now global organization that guarantees fair trade. This is the antithesis of corporations who seek out profits from low cost labor in the third world.

Now 11 years old (same as our corporation), Kicking Horse formerly relegated to independent stores and foodservice establishments now reaches further with placement in the big chains including Sobey’s, A&P and Provigo. Kick Ass may be one of their most recognized blends but it is truly a core value in Nike “Just Do It” style.

 

Animals in advertising defy logic

Everyday I mourn advertisers who have been persuaded to develop animal characters in their storytelling. Geico’s gecko, Bell’s beaver, Alamo’s bison, Telus’ endless “animal farm” count among the many. Invariably these animals speak and have personalities or a voice-over tells a story; yet the message is missed because the visual learning modality takes over. Somehow these advertisers believe they can cram in their meaning in these “disconnected” scripts.

There is no archetypal meaning in any of these characters; meaning can be unearthed in the ethereal dove, the free eagle or the dominant lion. Yes, I know! you have performed focus groups and follow-up awareness (unaided and aided) surveys. But these too bely the effectiveness of this content by survey method and design. They may even get attention from the viewer but that’s all. Attention-getting cannot be your goal. (Attention and awareness are interchangeable.) Your goal must be to develop deep meaning that matches your customers’ meaning.

Some brands may wish to be seen as friendly by featuring animals; but do check your customers’ mental models. You will likely find that friendliness is not the driver nor are animals the “mindmatching” representations. After all the above-mentioned trade in car insurance, auto rental, and telecommunications. There is no doubt that these are anxiety producing segments and as such these brands require the most diligent investigation of customers’ minds and corresponding representations in all its iterations.

Your absolute goal must be to find the meaning in your customers’ minds about your brand and its context. Customers cannot access their thoughts (95%) related to your creative, your brand or its use in up to ten minutes in a focus group where others can judge and alter their responses or in a primed scripted survey by phone conducted by low-wage transient employees. You will never get the results you are looking for because you will never have the information that acually resonates with them.

Engage now in intimate, in-depth, one-on-one, unmoderated emotional discovery. You need only interview a small number to get reliable, scientific and rich information to guide your representations from here on. Market research firms do not generally offer these services because they cannot bill the usual hefty stipend for it.

Learn your customers’ thoughts and you will soon release your cast to the wild.

 

Popcorn lung: my point keeps coming back

 

The microwaveable popcorn makers are now facing the public awareness of “popcorn lung” with its explosion onto the media scene. The health risk is caused by the diacetyl gas that pervades production plants and also emanates from microwavable packages once opened at home. Class action lawsuits abound (NY Times).

I posted about evading transparency last week. All that is not yet known will be known. Customers are engaged and questioning all. For brands like Orville Redenbacker (a ConAgra Foods brand) this does not bode well; ConAgra is now dealing with this on the heels of the salmonella peanut butter lawsuit. There is no press release or mention of this on their site; nor have I seen the CEO reach out to the public. What is going on in the offices of ConAgra?

Again, set a precedent, clean house and lead in ensuring consumer safety–the new cause. If you knowingly manufacture health risks, do not waste a moment; table this at the next management meeting with a course of action to follow.

If you don’t think inaction could kill your brand and corporation’s profits or sustainability here are a few troubled brands that have been dragged through mass media and the legal system recently as reminders:

• ConAgra: salmonella in Peter Pan peanut butter
• Menu Foods: melamine and rat poison in pet foods
• Vioxx/Merck: meds caused heart attacks
• Daimler Chrysler: faulty transmission
• Bausch and Lomb: Renu Multiplus because of iron
• Glaxo: Paxil suicides

Often practices are similar in one industry. When one maker transgresses, the entire category suffers. Jolly Time and all house brands are affected in this popcorn fiasco. But what’s more impressive is that with every new public announcement or lawsuit, consumers’ distrust increases.

Transparency is quickly become a staple brand promise.  Can you place a “100% transparent” label to your brand? Put your brand to the test; you may be missing a meaningful value in your brand’s meaning. There is profit in transparency.

Here are many press and social media statements:

Baltimore Sun: “Millions of Americans are exposed regularly to vapors released when they heat products containing the same synthetic butter flavoring blamed for destroying the lungs of workers in popcorn and flavoring factories. But public health activists say no one in government has stepped up to assess whether consumers are at risk.

The Food and Drug Administration has jurisdiction over products people ingest but reports it has no plans to investigate. Critics say the agency’s response reflects a pattern of governmental indifference to the possible threat posed by breathing diacetyl, a butter flavoring agent.”   Read  the whole story here

The Non-Toxic Newsletter at Seventh Generation: “These reports pose a potentially troubling question: Are we nuking our lungs when we zap our popcorn? The short answer is that no one knows. The Food and Drug Administration is refusing to investigate, and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration has taken no action to set exposure limits for the chemical. (Although the Teamsters and other unions were concerned enough to petition Congress in July for immediate action.) Interestingly, the EPA has studied the issue of diacetyl releases from microwaved popcorn but so far the agency is withholding its data from consumers and sharing it only with flavoring manufacturers.”
Read the whole story here

Washington Post:

“Even less is known about the health effects of eating diacetyl in butter-flavored popcorn, or breathing the fumes after the bag is microwaved. The Environmental Protection Agency has studied the fumes but is waiting for the industry to review the study before releasing it. The Food and Drug Administration has diacetyl on its list of substances “generally recognized as safe” but has not studied it.”

St.Louis Post Dispatch:

“All rats exposed to diacetyl rapidly showed signs of distress. Those exposed to medium and high levels died within seven days, according to the industry data. Of the 10 rats with highest exposure, nine died the first day.”

 

BRAND OF THE WEEK: The Secret

For those of who may not have been on the receiving end of the chatter, The Secret is no longer a secret. The brain child of Rhonda Byrne, The Secret is manifest in a feature-length movie and now a bestselling book. It is dubbed by many as the secret to everything, happiness, health and wealth. Famous authors, philosophers and scientists have weighed in and collaborated on the penning of this new theology.

If it were not for the instant recognition of its identity and meaning–I would not be calling The Secret a brand. Some marketers claim just about everything and everyone are a brand; but, I do not share this belief. A brand has mercantility or it is not a brand. Although The Secret is an ideology, it indeed has tremendous revenue power in its first iterations alone: talk circuit, sequels, merchandise, events. Right now The Secret’s propulsion is word-of-mouth helped by a hearty endorsement from Oprah on her television show.

The Secret at its core is inspiration for all. It is all about “the law of attraction”, you get out of life what you visualize and believe in. If only you would believe–aye there’s the rub. Rhonda Byrne has found this shared belief among history’s greats including Plato, Shakspeare and Beethoven. They are not accessible for comment but insofar as they have achieved a great deal I accept this notion. Current notables sharing their names as co-authors include Dr. John Gray (of Venus-Mars fame), Michael Bernard Beckwith and Jack Canfield (Chicken Soup for the Soul).

Where I begin to have difficulty is when I start hearing and reading phrases such as, “[your thoughts are frequencies that go into the universe and come back to you]“. It is a little on the new age fringe for me. Auras, energies join my mental model about this. But…do listen to the first 20 minutes of the movie and decide for yourself.

Perhaps I have alway lived The Secret. For those who know me, I work outside of my comfort zone and think big, far bigger than most will allow themselves to believe. And unlike many individuals, I do not have an inner voice that says, “you can’t do this” or “you will fail”. Nevertheless, the voices within The Secret gave me an “atta girl” pat on the back. It inspired me to believe even more in myself. And it has an equal effect at this moment on millions from all walks of life, with many transformations as testimony. This is why The Secret is my Brand of The Week indeed.

 

Halo or Horns: How consumers see you in 2007

US sponsorship spending on cause marketing will hit $1.44 billion in 2007. In 1990 it was only $120 million. (IEG Sponsorship Report). According to IEG, projected spending and category share in 2006 were:

1. Sports: $9.9 billion, 66%
2. Entertainment Tours/Attractions: $1.6 billion, 11%
3. Causes: $1.44 billion, 10%
4. Arts: $820 million, 5%
5. Festivals, fairs, annual events: $701 million, 5%
6. Associations, membership orgs: $466 million, 3%

Frankly, cause is not about sponsorship; it’s more about actively supporting, promoting and living as good corporate citizens. Getting your logo up on ice-rink clapboards does not count as cause in the “Good Book”. Number 3 in the list above is strongly validated by consumers. This includes global warming, everything “green”, disease, longevity, global child poverty, education, literacy, political injustice and even genocide. Here are the top ranking brands on the 2006 Golin Harris Citizenship “Do Well by Doing Good” Index of 152 brands:

1. Ben and Jerry’s
2. Target
3. Patagonia
4. SCJohnson
5. Gerber

You can participate in your own cause as I explained in my post the other day, becoming transparent in all your actions. “Cleaning up your act”, as they say. Read below the survey results on how this could affect your customers’ behavior with praise, resonance and loyalty. (I hesitate to mention sales, but it is a corollary to good behavior.) You simply cannot leave cause out of your top priorities in 2007.

Did you know?

• 72%of American employees want to work for companies that support charitable causes (Deloitte Touche Survey, 2004)
• 87% of students want to work for companies that support charitable causes (Harris Interactive)
• 92% of Americans think it is important for companies to donate to charities in the community (Deloitte Touche 2004)
• In an October 2001 survey of consumers conducted by Cone Inc. (Omnicom), respondents stated that they were “likely to switch brands, if the other brand was associated with a good cause”

Sorry these are US stats but still, they are directional about North Americans.

In Golin and Harris’ 2005 study, respondents scored these eye-openers “High” or “Very High” as to what, in a cause context, will drive them to  a brand:

1. Values and treats its employees well and fairly (85%)
2. Executives and business practices are ethical, honest, responsible and accountable (83%)
3. Goes beyond what is required to provide safe and reliable products and services (75%)
4. Responsibly markets and advertises its products and services (72%)
5. Committed to social responsibility, economic opportunity, environmental protection, etc. (72%)
6. Listens to community or customer input before making business decisions (68%)
7. Is active an involved in the communities where it does business (68%)
8. Committed to diversity (gender, race, etc) in the workplace and its business practices (65%)
9. Company’s products and services enhance peoples’ lives (64%)
10. Corporate values and business practices are consistent with my own beliefs (62%)
11. Supports a cause or issue that has led to improvement and positive change (61%)
12. Donates or invests its fare share of profits, goods or services to benefit others (59%)

DDB Brand Integrity Group in conjunction with IdealBite released their findings on Eco-Living Consumer Preferences (hence consumer trust):

• Respondents cited insincerity with first-party seals of approval and rejected campaigns that lacked specificity and transparency.

• Respondents did not find donation-with-purchase programs compelling. Instead, aligning a corporate cause with a company’s DNA received a favorable response.

• Partnerships between corporations and non-profits were often seen as self-serving efforts.

Now I have given you a little more cause to pause about cause. I’ve done my bit for cause this month in my blog; but, it is only a start. I aim to earn my wings.

 

Daily Dish: Extra Gum “castaway” rescue

I can understand when ads for teeth whiteners, strips, paste or gum, are centered around raising your desirability. It’s pretty primeval. But! when teeth are so bright  they double as emergency lighting! It’s just a silly premise.

I realize there is a dame being rescued from helicopter heroes in this :30 story. There is no archetype here, no implicit meaning. This silly girl is chewing gum to brighten her teeth after being washed ashore in the middle of nowhere. What on earth could the marketer be summoning from its customers’ sub-conscious? Nada. This ad noise will not make it to long-term memory.

(Yes, I get it. My working memory tells me the gum whitens teeth. Stop thinking your customers are so dense they can only receive one bit of information via outlandish stories. There is no  enduring meaning in that.)

I can just hear to collective catharsis, “ARRRGH!”

 

How to turn transparency into profit

I have become keenly aware that many corporations produce products that would not withstand the scrutiny of activists, scientists, news media, Oprah, disgruntled customers or ambulance chasers. Not to mention the 330 million inhabitants of North America. The public is so engaged right now–they are questioning everything. Trust of corporations and their brands is at an all time low.

There is invariably something questionable lurking in many brands’ manufacturing processes or business practices. Here are some examples of the many talking points that are heading consumer conversations in the chatterplace:

1. chemicals from plastic eventually leech into bottled water (most keep them up to 2 years–long after leeaching has occured)
2. “static removal drier cloths give you cancer”
3. “organic pesticides have been discovered to have cancer causing benzene” (because it contains carbon which is classified as the key ingredient to be “organic”)
4. “vapors from household cleaning sprays are inhaled and cause asthma”
5. “ground down lady bug shells are used for red color in popular fruit juices” (made network news)
6. “produce from afar is risky and perhaps laden with e-coli”
7. “price of gas is skyrocketing while oil companies rake in record profits”
8. “thimerosal (mercury) in first innoculations may be the cause of autism”
9. “cell phones may cause brain tumors”
10. “food products from China are dangerous (wheat gluten and melamine–the FDA human resources are so thin, less than 1% of China’s practices can be checked) 
11. “fermented soy hampers nutrient absorption in children” (that’s soy-based formula)
12. “wireless networks are frequently breached”
13. “mercury in green bulbs pose an environmental risk”

I stopped at the “number 13 is unlucky” talking point lest I send your amygdala racing from this post. I am not adding weight to these conversations–they are alive more or less without my intervention. And frankly, there are one thousand and one more buzzing in kitchens, playgrounds and by water coolers.

Most marketers are aware of the skeletons in their closets and I trust uncomfortable with their ominous presence. Work arduouly at removing the offending ingredients or practices in your brands, one by one, and raise a public raucous around your benevolent acts. You will be the white knight to a groundswell of consumers whose trust can only be regained in this manner. Remember, your brand is not its formulation; rather, “your brand is what your customers think”. You’ve heard this again and again–no statement could be more precise.

There is no time to waste waiting for the grim reaper to show up at your door. Be the first mover and win hearts.

Many years ago opthalmic solutions gained an edge with “thimerosal free”. Today “0 transfats” is the hot claim. Dare and Voortman’s were among the first but they failed to trumpet this move. These “we’re doing the right thing” labels are an untapped opportunity to build trust that is dropping like a led weight. But again, send press releases. Get on talk shows. Build campaigns around it. Get into social media. Create grassroot events. Put your good deeds under the bightest lights.

Trust is a brand value like never before. Being “good” is good for profits.