Candy Brands: HARIBO
Maybe it's our sense of whimsy ... Maybe it's our roots as hunter/gatherers ... whatever the explanation, whether you prefer a handful of cheesy goldfish or a fresh box of animal crackers, there is no denying the fun in biting into something that could bite you back.
The gummi bear is arguably the king of critter-shaped snacks, and HARIBO, a German confectionary company founded in 1920, proudly distinguishes itself from the candy masses as the original creator of these malleable mammals. Today, HARIBO is the biggest manufacturer of gummy and jelly candies in the world.
The gummi bear, (known as Gummibar or rubber bear in German), was created after World War II and introduced in the 1960s under the brand Gold-Bears. An instant success, the product has since seen several flavor and shape variations, with brand extensions such as Snack-packs, Roulettes, and Happy Cola. More intriguing sub-brands like Starmix, Tangfastics, Kiddies Supermix, Maoam and Strawbs can be found abroad. The candy even inspired a late 80s television show, Disney's Adventures of the Gummi Bears (though I personally found that to be the least palatable of the brand's many extensions).
Although Trolli and many others have created formidable gummi competition, the original Gold Bears, with their iconic gold, red and black packaging, have dominated their space for a half-century and show no signs of slowing down. After all, as the tagline says, "kids and grown-ups love it so, the happy world of HARIBO."
And if you were wondering, there is a reason why HARIBO appears in all-caps; the name is an acronym--borrowing the first two letters of the founder's first and last name, Hans Riegel, as well as the first two letters of the location of the corporate headquarters in Bonn, Germany.
Contributed by: Maghan Cook
Trick or Treat?
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Reading one article after another about parents and schools taking extra precautions to try to prevent the spread of the swine flu among kids got me thinking: with Halloween just around the corner, will the swine flu pandemic affect how parents feel about their kids trick-or-treating?
Halloween was one of my personal favorite holidays growing up. I can’t imagine missing the crucial candy stocking day of the year because my mom thought that I might get sick. On the other hand, let’s just visualize for a minute a person putting candy into a bowl and kid, after kid, AFTER KID putting their hands into that bowl…. seems like quite the set-up for a germ haven, don’t you think?
Well, I was surprised to discover that there aren’t many flu fear articles written specifically about Halloween. Hopefully parents’ fears are subsiding, but I won’t be shocked one bit if I answer my door to a few trick-or-treaters wearing gloves this year or some other form of protective wear. I did find one article that offers a Halloween checklist for parents. Here’s step number 9: “Pack hand sanitizer. Your little one should sanitize his or her hands between houses.” This led me to my next thought that the upcoming holiday will only continue to increase the already high sanitizer sales.Read more
A New aloft Hotel
Charlotte locals may have noticed a new building perched atop Ballantyne Corporate Place. aloft (always spelled with a lowercase a) is a mid-size business boutique hotel created by Starwood Hotels & Resorts that promises swanky accommodations, high-tech conveniences, and a vibrant social atmosphere at affordable nightly rates.
The Charlotte location is just one of nearly 40 openings planned for the end of this year. The chain even has a presence in the virtual world, opening a 'Second Life' location in 2008.
So what's so special about another hotel populating the crowded Ballantyne skyline? While any brand expanding so rapidly during a recession deserves a closer look, aloft is particularly intriguing because it is employing several brand strategies to capture the hearts and wallets of today's savvy travelers.
First, the aloft brand has been introduced as 'a vision of W Hotels'. The high-end W chain, of course, is known for its urban-inspired luxury and social atmosphere. In using W as an endorsement rather than as part of the brand itself, aloft can borrow some of the equity of its upscale relative without tying itself so closely to the brand that it can't eventually stand on its own. This also protects the W brand from the need to compete with aloft's competitive pricing. The endorsement serves its purpose as a simple and immediate way to reassure new customers that the accommodations will be, as the website suggests, 'style at a steal.'
Additionally, aloft hotels have chosen to brand several of their amenities. Each establishment features a W XYZ® bar, a Re:charge® fitness center, and a Re:fuel® food and beverage area. These individual brands within the establishment not only serve to accommodate customers, but have the potential to gain their own equity at each location. Customers can rely on a consistent experience every time. By building strong amenity brands within the hotel, aloft is using every angle of the customer experience to drive loyalty and ultimately, repeat business.
Last, but certainly not least, the aloft name itself deserves credit, as it retains a high end tone while still coming across as approachable and attainable. In part inspired by the loft-like 9 foot ceilings found in each room, the name also alludes to the hotel being a step-above-the-rest at this price point.
It will be interesting to watch hotels over the next several months to see if other chains attempt to recreate what Starwood has done with aloft. From a brand perspective, they seem to be doing everything right. Combining that with competitive pricing and product that is relevant for this generation's weary travelers may be what helps aloft excel through a tough economic time.
Contributed by: Maghan Cook
For the Love of Words ...
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Here at Addison Whitney, the Verbal Branding Department is geared up and ready for National Dictionary Day celebrated on October 16th, 2009! This day in history has been dubbed Dictionary Day in honor of the birthday of Noah Webster, Father of the Dictionary.
How do you plan on spending this National Holiday? Here are a few suggestions: Play a game of Scrabble, Make a list of all your favorite words, Complete a crossword puzzle, or Eat a bowl of alphabet soup. Whatever is it you choose to do, at least take a moment to pause and think what a different place our world would be without words and the meanings we have attached to them ...
Contributed by: Carrie Friedrich
Makeover for the King
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Recently, the fast-food chain restaurant Burger King has decided to undergo a restaurant makeover with a new store design called "20/20". This high priced renovation project was first unveiled at the Amsterdam Schiphol Airport location on October 7th, 2009. CEO John Chidsey had this to say about the recent changes; "As we continue to grow and strengthen the brand worldwide, this new restaurant design exemplifies our vision for the brand's future and reinforces our goal of delivering superior products and positive guest experiences." Burger King's recent sales have fallen well below top competitors McDonald's and Wendy's; the store re-design is a "top-tier global brand initiative" to increase Burger King's global reputation and boost sales.
How synonymous are the phrases, 'fast-food restaurant' and 'intimate dining experience'? According to an AP Report, this remodeling project will come with a heavy bill, approximately $300,000 to $600,000 per restaurant. Some consumers are worried that this may not be the best use of money for the franchise. Is Burger King trying to become something that it's not? How successful will this intimate dining experience be for the burger chain?
Burger King is well aware that their brand needs to make some changes in order to keep up with other fast-food chains in the market, but is this the right approach?
View the full article on Ad Age.
Contributed by: Carrie Friedrich
"Nattyisms"
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Coining new words and phrases as a branding strategy seems to be rising in popularity among today’s advertising campaigns. Natural Light, who primarily focuses on a target audience of drinkers aged 21 – 35, has created an entire advertising campaign focused on coined words and humor to give their brand a fresh new edge. During recent times, beer drinkers have been shifting towards cheaper beers. In accordance with this shift, Natural Light Beer, a division of Anheuser-Busch, has revealed its first television advertising campaign in Read more
Optimism Pays Off?
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If you’re a soft drink company what do you do to keep market share high in a down economy? Let the good times roll, and put on a happy face? Well, I’m not sure, but that certainly seems like the plan for mega giants PepsiCo and Coca-Cola.
According to Pepsi, 95% of their target market (individuals born between 1980 and 1990) prefer to maintain a positive outlook on life. Additionally, those born from 1980 to 1990 (individuals referred to as "Millenials,") are confident about the remainder of 2009. (Data according to StategyOne)
With those statistics in mind, Pepsi launched a new campaign which includes a redesigned logo that looks like a smile and welcoming greetings such as: Hi, Yo, or Howdy.
Coca-Cola on the other hand, is no stranger to marketing happiness (think their early 90’s polar bear campaigns). The company is at it again, with their newest slogans: Open Happiness and The Coke Side of Life, around billboards nationwide.
As for who has it right, I guess only time will tell. For now, let’s just hope the glass is half full for both Coke and Pepsi.
By Kelley Blakewood
I'm Lovin It?
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Every morning on my way to work I drive past McDonald's, and every morning I can’t help but ask myself… is it really possible? Is it possible that the days of Ronald McDonald, happy meals, and gigantic golden arches are really over?
The McDonald's Company began raising eyebrows in 2003 when executives decided it best to drop their traditional kid-centric image in order to target an older more mature market. Six years and billions of dollars later, they have actually begun to achieve what most deemed impossible: change their brand image. To compete with coffee houses and café type restaurants, McDonalds has revamped both its menu and store layouts. McDonald’s restaurants now offer a variety of coffees, ranging from iced chocolate mochas to espressos. Additionally, most McDonald's include coffee bar tables, metal barstools, and free wireless internet access. CEO Charlie Bell says, “These changes are meant to offer consumers a better overall brand experience.”
I’m certainly going to miss the iconic child friendly McDonald's, but I’m pretty excited to see what the new McDonald's has to offer. Maybe one of these mornings, I'll stop to enjoy a cup of coffee and actually be able to say, "I'm lovin it."
By Kelley Blakewood
Source: EmeraldManagementFirst: Re-Branding: the Mcdonald's Stategy
Old Medium, New Mix
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If you’re a magazine reader, get ready to see something different. On September 18th, CBS and Pepsi will launch their newest marketing experiment: video advertisements in a print magazine.
That’s right. Selected Entertainment Weekly subscribers in NYC and LA will receive magazine copies embedded with wafer-thin screens running clips of CBS’s upcoming shows. Additionally, there will be a screen with an ad for Pepsi’s new drink, Pepsi Max.
According to experts, a roughly two-inch screen starts playing automatically as the page flips open. A speaker is embedded below it. Additionally, viewers have the option to start or stop the video by pressing on the screen (an essential feature considering the runtime can be up to 40 hours). The new technology was developed by LA based company, Americhip, and is considered similar to that used by Amazon’s Kindle.
The CBS Corp., PepsiCo, and Entertainment Weekly are touting the video ads as the first ever to appear in a print magazine. CBS would not disclose pricing information for the inserts or the screens, however, experts estimate the cost to be somewhere between $8-15 per copy.
While CBS and Pepsi certainly have the first mover’s advantage on this one, I’m still not convinced that the over a million dollar investment will be worth it. What do you guys think?
By Kelley Blakewood
Mommy, Mommy!
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Recently entering the world of children’s toys is a new doll that can walk the walk and talk the talk. Fisher-Price recently introduced Little Mommy: Walk & Giggle Doll. Equipped with the latest technology, this amazing doll can talk, walk, and stand up all by herself. According to a Senior Engineer at Mattel, the technology used to power this little play toy machine is similar to the resources used to power the Apple IIe.
Your little girl comes prepared to say up to 60 different phrases including “I’m tired,” or “help me, momma.” You can love your own Little Mommy: Walk & Giggle Doll for between Read more