Naming New Homes
Have you ever wondered where the names for the floor plans of new homes come from? Or, for that matter, why they have names in the first place? Do buyers even pay attention to the names? Like the name of any other product in the marketplace, it can be a powerful marketing tool whether the purchaser knows it or not. Consider some of the most popular home names: Windsor, Kensington, Charleston, Canterbury. Names like these make the most ordinary of homes feel stately and important.
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Lovemark Branding
Lovemarks. No, I’m not talking about the possible cause for a rapid increase in turtle neck sales among high school girls. According to Kevin Roberts, author of Lovemarks: The Future Beyond Brands, making an emotional connection with your consumers, earning their respect and love, will yield brand loyalty.
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Big Oil Branding
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With gas prices at a record high, it was surprising to hear that consumers are marking their gas purchase decisions based upon product performance rather than price. I thought I was alone in being brand loyal, but I am glad to hear that is not the case. According to research by the NPD Group, this marks a shift in consumer behavior after a decade of decline in gas purchases due to product performance.
EpiCentre in Charlotte
The skyline of Uptown Charlotte is brimming with cranes as developers work to add to the city’s residential and retail spaces capitalizing on Charlotte’s rapid growth rate.
One development of particular interest for Charlotteans has been the EpiCentre, named for its location in the heart of Uptown Charlotte. The EpiCentre is an enormous mixed-use development touting a 265,000 sq ft retail center, a 50-story condominium tower, an 'aLoft' Hotel created by Starwood Hotels, and 60,000 sq ft of office space.
Man Brands
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Looking for a belated Father’s Day gift? Lucky for you, it’s 2008, and the male shopper has become an increasingly sought-after demographic. There are loads of ‘man-brands’ lining the shelves these days that are perfect for the occasion.Read more
House Party
Which would have more influence on your decision to purchase a new product- advertisements or a recommendation by one of your friends? If you’re like most people, you would probably trust your friend’s recommendation more than you would an advertisement. After all, the advertiser is getting paid to sell the product, but your friend isn’t. But what inspired your friend to try the new product in the first place? Perhaps it was one of the increasingly popular House Parties.
And They're Off!
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Although Big Brown failed to snag the Triple Crown on Saturday, I was lucky enough to spend the day at Belmont Park with 90,000 of his biggest fans. And while most of the betters were checking odds, sizing up jockeys and listening for tips, I disregarded all strategy and superstition and decided to bet on what I know best . . . names.
Mobo, Thor’s Echo, Sharp Susan, Dr. W, Too Tough Pete and Zaftig were just a few of the horses that drew my attention (and my cash). The race book was filled with goodies.
But how, and why, do they come up with such creative names?
Brand Tagging
My daily quest for branding industry news led me to an interesting Blog project by Noah Brier. His project, called Brand Tags, aims to get reactive consumer perceptions of specific brands/brand logos. The voter is asked to give the first top-of-mind word or phrase that comes to mind when seeing the brand logo.
See how your favorite brand is viewed.
Brand Tags
By: Kelly Wilson
Move over Rachael Ray; Farmer Jeb is the New Celeb
Working on a food related project and need fresh stimulus? Thinking of having a chef endorse your newest product? Check out Epicurious’ 2008 Food Predictions. Number one on the list: Farmers are the new celebrity chefs.
Also, check out the top 2008 flavor predictions on the same blog. Predictions were taken from McCormick seasonings and from Campbell’s. Poppy seed and rose anyone?
By: Laurie Scott
Banning Pharmaceutical Logos in Hospitals
A health system located in Minnesota and Wisconsin recently prohibited all branded materials within its 4 hospitals and 17 clinics. This new policy, that has been said to be “one of the toughest in the nation,” prohibits pharmaceutical companies from influencing doctors by limiting and controlling interaction between drug reps and doctors and excluding everything from pens and notepads to surgical caps and stethoscopes; essentially anything bearing a logo.
While some experts feel these materials can influence doctors to prescribe branded drugs over generics and therefore should be banned, others believe that by imposing such tight constraints important drug information and resources will be lost as well. What do you think this could mean for the future of healthcare branding?