April 27, 2010
Starbucks gives Frappuccino new life for hot summer sales
By Bruce Horovitz, USA TODAY
Starbucks (SBUX) is on a mission to turn its Frappuccino into much more than a pricey drink. Hit by the recession and increased competition from Dunkin’ Donuts and smoothie chains, sales of the Frappuccino brand have slid the past few years. Executives won’t say how steep the slide has been for the blended ice drink that became a $2 billion juggernaut for Starbucks. But any decline is seen as serious for the 15-year-old beverage that accounts for an estimated 15% to 20% of sales at Starbucks stores.
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February 17, 2010
Genericized Trademarks in Haitian Creole
Haitian Creole, one of Haiti’s two official languages (the other is French), is the most widely spoken creole in the world today. Commonly known as Creole or Kreyòl, it is French-based with borrowed elements from African languages, as well as Spanish and English. It is considered part of the Romance family of languages.
So what [...]
January 11, 2010
Forget Being a ‘Lead’ Agency; Strive to Be a Dream Agency
In response to Barry Wacksman’s article in Ad Age: Forget Being a ‘Lead’ Agency; Strive to Be a Dream Agency.
Wacksman makes good points. Responsible creative practitioners know that digital media are a means to an end, not the end itself. Strategy still determines the best mix of media. In an era of blogs and social networking, the agencies that will thrive are the ones that know how and when to propose a digital solution. The traditional agency has not been replaced by the digital agency. They have converged.
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January 11, 2010
Trash Your Product for Growth
The new Domino’s campaign unabashedly trashes its own product. In possibly the boldest display of transparency, the campaign airs actual focus groups where consumers compare its crust to cardboard and its sauce to ketchup. Brilliant move. For the millions of Domino’s loyalists, improving the product’s taste will be welcomed. Unlike the New Coke debacle, I doubt loyalists will take offense at the change. For them, it’s a good thing getting better.
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December 28, 2009
Curator Culture
Marketers are scared. YOU were named as Time Magazine’s Person of the Year and CONSUMERS took the nod as Advertising Age’s Agency of the Year. You have more power than ever. But it’s not your consumer power that terrifies marketers. It’s your sway over millions of other consumers as a curator. A curator with unlimited [...]
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November 11, 2009
The Intersection of Awareness and New Media
By Bill Roth
Kashi is a case study on how to capture the opportunity that can be realized by the convergence of sustainability awareness and new media. Steven Addis and John Creson of Addis Creson have been managing Kashi’s branding and marketing strategy since 2002. During this time, Kashi has seen a quintupling of its annual revenue.
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August 5, 2009
Willis Tower? That’s Like Calling Deep Dish “Cheezy Pizza”
By David Burn, Ad Pulp
The corporate naming game has run amok for years, but the recent name change from “Sears Tower” to “Willis Tower” in Chicago has touched a nerve. Or 96,814 nerves, as the case may be–that’s how many people on Facebook don’t like the idea.
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