Brand Survival
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We’ve all heard about the hundreds of Toyota cars that have been recalled due to sticking accelerators and the pedal entrapment issues (or the "big boo boo"). While Toyota has to gone to great measures to fix these issues, an even bigger question remains. Will the Toyota brand survive this tremendous hit and how have they responded to this crisis? This is a touchy topic, for many reasons. How do you put trust back into a brand that’s caused so many tragedies by way of a seemingly easily fixable flaw? Read more
Zoo Seeking Namers
The Louisville Zoo is seeking a name for the latest addition to its family: a baby boy giraffe. The zoo is taking submissions from now until April 25th, so get noodling on some cute entries for this little guy.
Go Forth and Add!
As we have learned from the Chevy Nova, it is important to perform an accurate linguistic screen in all markets where you intend to launch your product. As you may have heard, the Nova was not such a big hit with Spanish-speakers. Translated literally, its name means “star” but when spoken it sounds like “no va” meaning “it doesn’t go.” Oops.
Recently, PepsiCo announced that it is teaming up with Eva Longoria Parker to promote their new campaign, titled “Yo Sumo.” The campaign, inspired by this decade’s census, is to encourage Hispanics, especially the younger generation, to not only be counted numerically, but also share their experiences of how they have contributed to making a difference in the American landscape. The campaign is truly inspiring as it motivates multicultural America to participate not just be another number.
The problem here is this: Yo Sumo is translated literally as “I count,” as in, “I add numbers,” or one plus one is two. This could be interpreted as a “math is fun” campaign. It could also evoke imagery of a certain Japanese style of wrestling.
Unfortunately, the subtle nuances and double entendre of “I count” are lost in translation. Would a better phrase have been “Yo Cuento” as the translational abilities offer a broader range of meaning? Or is leaving it “Yo Sumo” okay, so long as Pepsi imbues the desired meaning? I am left to wonder if a native Spanish-speaker contributed to the brainstorming and ultimate name creation of the campaign. If that’s the case, then perhaps instilling meaning is, indeed, the intention.
No matter what, thankfully, “Yo Sumo” definitely does not mean “it doesn’t go,” so hopefully the initiative will take off!
A Refreshing New Offering from Intuit
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Like any good American, I was doing my taxes recently. I’m a TurboTax gal. I’ve used it for the past 6 years and it’s pretty easy. As I got closer to the end, fingers and toes crossed hoping for a refund (it didn’t work), I came to a screen with an ad for Mint.com. Well this is new, I thought. Those smart folks at Intuit – you know, the makers of TurboTax, Quicken, and QuickBooks – have a new product.
The name, Mint, might make you think refreshment like the plant or may make you think of making money. I like both so I checked it out. The site aggregates all of your bills, accounts and debts into one site so you can budget and easily keep an eye on your accounts. I like budgets (she says with a smirk).
But the reason I really like it? It is endorsed by Intuit. Intuit has established itself as a financial software resource and immediately I trusted my information would be secure and accurate on Mint.com as well. It turns out Intuit acquired Mint.com late last year. Before the acquisition, I wouldn’t have given the site a second look. Tying Mint.com to Intuit gives it immediate credibility and positive associations.
I tried Mint.com out and it was very easy to use. The problem is that I’m a little paranoid when it comes to giving my information out online despite Intuit’s stellar reputation for security. So, for the moment, the only mint in my life is in my green tea.
Caribou Coffee gets a New Logo
Caribou Coffee is undergoing a makeover! Moving away from the ski lodge atmosphere, the new look will be less regional and more contemporary, "a fresh variation of the same elements" according to the company's website. The new brand look includes a new logo, color palette and design elements. The caribou has been reworked and now features "C" shaped antlers and a coffee bean body. In addition, the caribou in the previous logo was leaping left, whereas the caribou now leaps right, signifying the company as it heads into the future. The shield element from the original logo has been updated to a new shape, which resembles national park signage, in honor of their founders' hike in Alaska's Denali National Park that inspired the company's foundation. The more stylized, upscale logo Read more
What's that Smell? Sensory Marketing
Taste and smell are universal languages. We do not need a point of reference, a back-story, or an elaborate marketing campaign to know when something smells or tastes good.
This realization has paved the way for companies to begin using more than simple sights and sounds to reach to target audiences. Sensory marketing is based on the concept that a fully pleasurable experience will reinforce positive associations with a brand.
Check out two companies who are leading the way in the sensory market:
ScentAir
ScentAir helps companies across the globe create customized scents for their products and stores. According to their website, "scent marketing is how businesses are breaking through mundane and overused marketing gimmicks to reach customers emotionally."
Scent Air has created signature scents for retail stores ranging from Sony to Lexus to Bloomingdales, as well as for hotels, realtors, and spas.
FirstFlavor
Imagine how effective a magazine ad for Hershey's would be if you could actually taste the chocolate. FirstFlavor has recognized this power and enables companies to incorporate taste tests in their print ads and direct mail.
Branding and marketing a tool called Peel 'n Taste®, the FirstFlavor website assures that "the flavor of your product is replicated in quick dissolving edible film strips which are distributed through individually packaged pouches to prospective customers."
Would you try one?
Contributed by: Maghan Cook
Beagle on a Mission
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Watch your heads as the Flying Ace glides down the parade route! That’s right, fans, in honor of the PEANUTS® 60th Anniversary, Snoopy™ returns to the Macy’s Parade making a record 34th appearance. Donning binoculars, an aviator’s cap, a pair of goggles and his signature red scarf, the Flying Ace is geared up for yet another face-off with the elusive Red Baron. The Flying Ace is the sixth helium-filled iteration of the canine Peanuts gang member, preceded by Millennium Snoopy, Snoopy & Woodstock, Skating Snoopy, Astronaut Snoopy and Aviator Snoopy.
Accompanying the pilot pooch from the ground will be his dog house, festooned as the air traffic control tower, and Woodstock as the air traffic control chief who guides the whooshing tail-wagger down the avenue. On the float, surveying the fantastic battle between the aviating hound and the evasive Red Baron, will be Charlie Brown, Lucy and Linus.
Fun Facts: United Feature Syndicate’s Snoopy the Flying Ace stands at 52 feet high, 25 feet wide and 49.5 feet long. He is filled with 15,000 cubic feet of helium. That’s a dog I wouldn’t want to be standing under on Thanksgiving Day. Just sayin'.
Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
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What better way to generate brand loyalty than by hosting one of the biggest annual events of the year? As the longest running show on Broadway, Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade has become a brand itself since its inception in 1924. It was created to stimulate the economy by lengthening the holiday shopping and is now internationally recognized as the official start date of the holiday season. The compelling event includes three hours filled of balloons, floats, live music and other performances. Each year, an estimated three million people attend and more than 44 million people watch the parade on television.
Macy’s celebrated its 150th birthday last year. Their annual Thanksgiving parade has become a long term corporate promotion that has likely given the brand its long standing national recognition – and probably saved it today from the fate of dozens of other retail stores.
In the following days, brand salsa will feature several of the balloons and floats that have made the event special over the last eighty years. Floats of many different themes have made the march through the streets of Manhattan. Some are tradition, while others change every year, successfully promoting their brand identity.
By: Ashley Popham
Recipe: Mini Potato Corn Cakes with Cheddar & Sour Cream
I'm always on the lookout for recipes that double as appetizers and side items. And this one combines many of my favorite ingredients!! I'll admit that I haven't made it yet; the thought of pan frying all those little patties makes me a little tired; I may try baking them instead.
Yield: 6 dozen appetizers
Prep Time: 25 min | Cook Time: 30 min
Ingredients:
2 cups Hungry Jack® Mashed Potatoes
1/3 cup Martha White® Yellow Corn Meal
1 tablespoon garlic salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne or chipotle chile powder or to taste
1/2 cup very thinly sliced green onions
2 cups milk
1 cup shredded sharp or smoked Cheddar cheese
1 (12 oz.) bag frozen super sweet corn (2 1/4 cups), defrosted
Crisco® Olive Oil No-Stick Cooking Spray
1/2 cup sour cream
Preparation Directions:
-MIX potato flakes, corn meal, garlic salt and cayenne in medium bowl. Reserve 2 tablespoons green onion for garnish. Blend in remaining onions, milk, cheese and corn.
-SCOOP into sixty 1-inch balls, gently flattening into 1 1/2-inch patties. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Spray with no-stick cooking spray. Pan fry patties until golden brown on both sides.
-SERVE warm with a tiny dollop of sour cream and a few slices of green onion on each, if desired.
Recipe: Pink Fluff Jell-O Salad
It’s Thanksgiving and I’ve timed the shell game of covered dishes in and out of the oven just about right. It’s finally time to spread the feast across the kitchen counters and call the family in. Nestled between the green bean casserole and the mashed potatoes, there is a bowl of bright pink fluff that always gets a few strange looks. Inevitably, my nephew wrinkles his nose and asks, “What is that?”
Jello-O salad comes in many colors and flavors. My mother-in-law serves lime, but the strawberry variety has become my own Thanksgiving tradition. Thankfully, pink fluff is more dessert than salad, so it’s never hard to convince the kids to take a scoop.
Pink Fluff Jell-O Salad
1 (16 ounce) package cottage cheese
1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 (15 ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained
1 (3 ounce) package strawberry flavored Jell-O
In a large bowl, stir together the cottage cheese, whipped topping, and pineapple. Pour the Jell-O over the mixture and blend well. Chill several hours or overnight. You can also add 1-2 cups of frozen berries.
