New Extension in the Weigel Family
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Welcome back Paula. In case you missed out on the amazing news, on January 21st at approximately 7:48 in the morning, the Weigel Family introduced a new brand extension to their family. Paula Weigel, a mastermind of the naming universe, performed a complete SWOT analysis of the current marketplace and after much deliberation decided to brand the new extension, Katherine (Kate) Ella Weigel. At 7.9lbs and 19.25" inches long, this new little addition to the line-up is fitted for a lifetime of happiness and love. Congratulations to Paula, Kevin and Owen!
By: Trista Thielker
In Memoriam Award
...................................................................................................................................................................... The Brand Salsa Toppers committee would like to present Linens ‘N Things with our ‘In Memoriam’ honor.
After 34 years in business Linens ‘N Things owners threw in the towels, decorating the brand as one of the first big name retail-sector companies to crumble beneath the strain of a receding global economy and reduced consumer spending. The company declared bankruptcy in May 2008 and closed the curtains to stores in all locations.
But don’t put off plans to redecorate your entire home just yet. Hilco Consumer Capital and GordonRead more
Best Foreign Brand
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Congratulations or, as they say in Swedish, gratulerar IKEA for winning the Brand Salsa Topper award for Best Foreign Brand!
To know more about the name IKEA and how IKEA names its products, check out an earlier post by Maghan!
When assessing brands we in market research often ask respondents to share their initial impressions and any images or associations they may have with a brand. This helps bring to light possible strengths and weaknesses of a brand that those involved with naming and managing a brand might notRead more
Best Tagline
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And the Brand Salsa Topper for Best Tagline goes to…drum roll please…DUNKIN’ DONUTS!!!!
With the snazzy phrase, “America Runs on Dunkin’,” the company as managed to win the hearts of everyday folks by basing its entire campaign on the concept that Dunkin’ Donuts helps you tackle any task at hand. Below is a little tidbit from a 2008 Ad:
“Mom and dads. Students and senior citizens. Blue collar, white collar, and every collar in between. Dunkin' Donuts is how everyday people get things done, every day.”
Wow, that’s what I like to call perfected simplicity. Who couldn’t relate to a go-get-em, I can handleRead more
Best Breakout Brand
Granted the election has come and gone, but when thinking about some of the most memorable brands of 2008, there is only one that stands out in my mind as being remarkably impactful, groundbreaking and historical.
The Brand Salsa Topper for Breakout Brand goes to “Obama”, and what has become the first political campaign marketed and ultimately now seen as a global brand. No
2008 Brand Salsa Awards
January had the golden globes. February had the Oscars. But March has the most exciting awards of them all… the brand salsa Toppers!
For the next two weeks, blog articles will be highlighting brands that gave stunning performances in 2008, including awards in the following categories:
Best Breakout Brand
Best Supporting Brands
Best Foreign Language Brand
Best Tagline
Best Strategy
In Memoriam
So make sure to setup your RSS feed so that you don’t miss who wins the brand salsa Toppers this year.
Any early predictions?
Contributed by: Maghan Cook
Trader Joe, meet Trader John
I worked in New York’s Union Square for 5 years. If I needed a loaf of bread or a gallon of milk, I had 6 grocery stores to choose from: D’agostino, Gristedes, Whole Foods, Food Emporium, Garden of Eden, and Trader Joes.
So what could possibly be newsworthy about another grocery store opening on West 14th street?
It’s the name. In January the store affixed its new awning and on it were the words: “Trader John’s”. Yes, you read that right. John’s. Trader Joe’s, unsurprisingly, has filed a suit against the operator of the new store, suggesting the name infringes on their trademark. The CEO of Gristedes Foods, who owns Trader John’s, says that his name is John, and therefore he has a right to name one of his chains after himself.
So where is the line drawn between borrowing equity, and stealing it? I can’t help but be reminded of aRead more
Brand of the Day
Getting its beginning in 1845, today JELL-O is the largest selling prepared dessert. It all began when Peter Cooper acquired the first patent for a gelatin dessert. The new gelatin product did not go over well and nothing happened with it for over 50 years, until Pearl Wait in 1897. A cough syrup manufacturer in Leroy, New York, Wait obtained the patent and decided to add fruit flavoring to the Read more
Naming the Mars Rover
WALL-E and NASA have joined forces to find a kid-friendly name for the new Mars Rover. The naming contest , open to students ages 5-18, will reward finalists with visits to NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and the winner with a place in the history of space exploration. This month, 9 of the name candidates will be revealed as finalists, and the public will have a chance to vote on their favorite.
Twin intrepid rovers, Spirit and Opportunity, have been on Mars since 2004, making many discoveries and relaying more than a quarter million pictures back to Earth. When the new Mars Rover visits the red planet in 2011, it will bring with it a more sophisticated set of instruments and capabilities, and endless possibilities.
Because the new rover will launch the most exciting robotic mission to date, it is understandable that Read more
Pfizer – Wyeth Merger
On January 25th, Pfizer leapfrogged over the tradition of buying smaller research companies to purchase Wyeth for 68 billion dollars. With their forces combined, Pfizer/Wyeth becomes the 4th largest US-based company; Exxon, Walmart, and Proctor & Gamble hold the top three spots. The merger process can be complicated and delicate to finagle on the finance end but the branding or re-branding process should be approached with just as much care.
During a re-branding of this size it is important to approach the naming process with an open mind; having the larger company name always win out over the smaller company name might not always be the best choice for company morale or client impressions. The four naming options, as I see them are:
Read more