Monday 29 June 2009

Brand Michael Jackson

The title above leads to an article by John Quelch, a Harvard professor and renowned expert on marketing. This note from John, we felt was pretty badly written. One of the reasons we think, serious thinkers should avoid going pop.

Apart from the style of writing, we disagree with the content. MJ, for all his wonderful music, died a very poor brand. At the pinnacle of his fame (80s-mid 90s), he was a great brand, but we are not sure he will be remembered as one.

The last decade of his life, MJ did not create any entertainment or associate himself with any work that engaged , entertained or educated his fans. The 3 Es that all brands must continuously strive to deliver to remain consistent.

In fact, his actions took him into realms where even his staunchest fans could not but begin to suspect an unstable mind at work.

We loved his music and hold both "Off the Wall" and "Thriller" as masterpieces. We are saddened by his death, but we were equally saddened to see the brand already in decline from the mid 90s. We were hoping the brand would revive itself with the latest concert.

If anything (and with a heavy heart), we would present his life as a classic case in not only how great brands establish themselves, but how they fade away as well.
While we cannot offer any precise insights on what went on in his life, we think he started living in a virtual world filled with sycophants. Brand managers that get removed from their consumers should beware. It appeared as if, MJ felt he was above the rules of social living. Great brands reflect the society they live in and working from within, evolve social thinking.

Thanks for all the music and entertainment MJ. May your soul rest in peace.

Ritu, Venkat.

Tuesday 23 June 2009

Apple's retail store success

A very interesting note (click title) on the success of Apple's retail stores.

We believe brands must have control over all elements of their customer engagement, especially distribution. This works for every brand, in every category- if you see the brand as a "leader".

Controlling distribution is seen as expensive keeping in mind the cost of space, staff and inventory. But it is a customer facing activity.

Outsource manufacturing, finance, logistics. Set up metrices to control the delivery. A 1 in a 100 error may still be acceptable.

But control and master your customer facing moments.

Leadership cannot be outsourced. Nor can the 4Ps (pricing, product, distribution, promotions (communications).

Ritu and Venkat

Tuesday 9 June 2009

Pontiac- this ad cuts through clutter...

We are regular visitors to http://www.thoughtgadgets.com which reviews ads (in the US) on a regular basis. Its a great repository and worth a regular visit.

This Pontiac ad is pretty old, but worth a view. In our view, amazing.

Click title to view,

Ritu, Venkat.

And for lateral thinking in advertising, try this out:
http://www.thoughtgadgets.com/2007/12/sony-ericsson-tells-jesus-theyre-late.html

Wednesday 3 June 2009

Great brands take every opportunity to educate their customers




A very interesting note that arrived in our post. National Geographic gave us some tips on getting the most out of the time we spend reading the magazine.

Its a good way of making sure you get the most out of your investment.

After so many years, we still have not figured out all the features in Windows. MS does not care (it seems).

We cant figure out everything in my Nokia. We suppose they dont care either.

But Nat Geo cares. And we appreciate it. Take a moment to read the note. And remember , its always a good idea to educate consumers in any way you can.

Market leaders engage, educate and entertain.

Ritu and Venkat