Jim Joseph

SuperBowl Live Tweets

2012-01-31T06:49:00.000-05:00

It's the most wonderful time of the year! The SuperBowl ... the marketers' holiday!

Last year proved to be quite entertaining, at least in my book. We had VW "The Force," and CarMax "Talking Cars," and Chrysler "Imported From Detroit." Although not every ad resonated, there were a bunch of hidden gems.

And just like last year, social media has been gearing up the action with sneak peeks and foreshadowing, with the critiques already funneling in. Me, I like to wait and see it all live during the game, the way that advertising was intended and the way that consumers see it. Then I'll go back and review them all on YouTube after. So you won't see a lot of previews coming from me.

Although I do love this teaser from Volkswagon, hoping to gather steam from last year's breakout.

What will I be doing during the big game? Live tweeting!

Last year my friend Mike Brown from Brainzooming invited me to participate in his Twitter party and it was a blast. Well this year we are joining forces to co-curate #SBExp ... continuing the momentum of last year's #OscarExp and #OprahExp. Plus we had a blast a few weeks ago at #GlobesExp we just had to keep it going.

So join us at 6:30EST on Sunday, February 5th. Get your fingers in shape because it moves fast. Check out these exercises!

To get us in the spirit, here's another sneak peek (no more spoilers after this, I promise!). It was released on YouTube yesterday for the new David Beckham underwear line at H&M.

BTW, I'll be on TheStreet.com Monday morning for the play by play - of the advertising!

What's your experience? Jim.

Jim Joseph
President of Lippe Taylor
Author of The Experience Effect
Professor at NYU

PS - My new book, The Experience Effect for Small Business, is now available! Check it out and share it with friends, especially entrepreneurs with their own small business! Appreciate it!

The Marketing Month of January

2012-01-30T04:59:00.001-05:00

Well 2012 certainly kicked off with quite a busy month of marketing. Holy cow! I have not seen this much marketing drama in one month ever. Let's break it down.

The Weight Loss Wars: We always start out every new year with a barrage of weight loss messaging. This year was no different with Jennifer Hudson and Weight Watchers winning the war in my book.

A Mouse in Mountain Dew:  When a consumer announced that he found a mouse in his can of soda, the brand had a head scratching response.

Madonna Truth or Dare - Golden Globes:  The ultimate music marketer makes an attempt to stay relevant. Tell the truth ... is it working? She did prove, once again, that timing is everything.

#ILoveWalgreens:  The brand discovered that you can't buy love ... online.

Brand Paula Deen:  The cheeseburger heard round the world. Her brand took (and continues to take) a lot of heat for her well-timed health announcement. Days after her announcement, a consumer took this picture ....

Paula Deen, days after her Diabetes announcement

Bald Barbie:  This girl has been making social media headlines for years, but nothing like the debate that raged on about making a Bald Barbie.

#McDStories:  What a different two hours makes! We all learned "be careful what you ask for!"

Blonde at Starbucks:  Is blonde a strength, a color, or a mood? Starbucks flooded its stores to let us know.

JCP EDLP:  In one of the boldest moves in retail, JCP reinvents its business model, starting February 1st. Should make for an interesting month ahead.

What a month! Get ready for the marketers' holiday coming February 5th! I'll be tweeting live at #SBExp ... hope you can join me as we talk about all the advertising (and maybe a little bit about the game). Here's a little something something to get us in the mood ...

What's your experience? Jim.

Jim Joseph
President of Lippe Taylor
Author of The Experience Effect
Professor at NYU

Honda's Leap Lists

2012-01-27T06:37:00.000-05:00

I love a new insight. It's rare these days in our over saturated market place, but I love when a brand uncovers a new insight.

Honda uncovers a very interesting new insight in their new television campaign called "Leap Lists." The notion is that when you go through major milestones in your life, or big "leaps" in your life, then there's a lot of things that you need to get done.

Like when you're having a baby. There's a lot to do, so you need a "Leap List." You've got to buy this and that, and get ready with this and that. Or when you get a big promotion at work, you have to buy new clothes, get a new hair cut, polish up your shoes, etc. Or before you get married, you want to visit the Grand Canyon, that kind of thing. :)

When you advance to the next level in your life, there are things you have to do to get there. Leap Lists.

It's a great insight, and a great way to serve up a promotional engagement with consumers. As Honda says on their CR-V Facebook page: "We all have a few things to do before leaping into life's next big chapter. Put them on your Leap List, and learn how the new 2012 CR-V can help you get to every one of them." On this Facebook page, you literally enter your "leap" and what you need to do, and presumably Honda will help you.

Very clever, but I have to say ... I'm not sure I understand the connection to the brand. In the advertising, the brand shows how its car can help you get around to all the items on your "Leap List." But that's a stretch if you ask me. Not sure I get it. But I do love the insight.

What's your experience? Jim.

Jim Joseph
President of Lippe Taylor
Author of The Experience Effect series
Professor at NYU

JCPenney EDLP

2012-01-26T07:00:00.003-05:00

My very first job ever in the world was at the JCPenney catalog department. I was 16 years old and never been kissed. Over time, I moved upstairs to the Men's Department where I would spend hours folding sweaters. In Syracuse, NY the local JCPenney was all the bomb. I made lifelong friends there and cherish those memories.

So I always kind of keep track of what JCP is doing through the years. It's an amazing brand that has had its ups and downs, but with incredible longevity.

Yesterday's move though, has to be the brand's most dramatic and I also believe the brand's smartest. It started out with a huge launch party, teaser television advertising campaign, website count-down clock, and a social media assault on Facebook and Twitter.

JCP is ending it's co-dependence on sales - big dramatic sales - and instituting an "everyday low price" strategy instead. As low as possible prices, same price all year round. And following on their success of their Sephora boutiques, JCP is also adding more store-within-the-store boutiques from the likes of Nanette Lepore and Martha Stewart.

I would have skipped the Martha Stewart part, personally, and the subsequent lawsuit with Macy's, but that's not the point I'm making. I think this is brilliant. Although expert sentiment was mixed, social media and fashion industry sentiment seemed to be loving it.

A price you can count on. Quality that you've known for years. Revamped style and product offerings. As a consumer and shopper, what's not to like? And complete transparency that the journey will begin on February 1st, as the brand rolls through the store, department by department, and restyles.

Oh and BTW, at a time when we all hate logo changes, I like the new logo! :) Double Oh ... between now and February 1st the stores are having crazy crazy sales for the last time.

Brilliant. makes me long for the good ole' days!

What's your experience? Jim.

Jim Joseph
President of Lippe Taylor
Author of The Experience Effect series
Professor at NYU

Be Careful What You Ask For

2012-01-25T05:58:00.001-05:00

I always say that marketing is a spectator sport ... we can learn a lot from each other. This is particularly true in social media, where consumer behavior and brand activation is still uncharted territory in many ways.

Just recently I wrote about how Walgreens learned that it can't buy love on Twitter with a promoted trending topic like #ilovewalgreens.

Well yesterday, McDonald's learned a similar lesson with #McDStories - the brand created a hashtag to tell stories about the quality of its food, and asked for stories back from its consumers as well. McDonald's started the stream, and then opened it up. Well ... what happened over the next two hours of warp speed tweeting is incredible.

The stories quickly turned snarky with tweeters posting comments about how bad their experiences have been at McDonald's. Not exactly what the brand was hoping for. Even some tweets back and forth with PETA. McDonald's was looking for a love fest, and got something far short of that. The brand quickly shut it down. It made national news ... McOuch.

There have been similar instances with the airline Qantas, the band Nickelback, and Kraft Mac & Cheese. Instances where the brand was hoping to open up a positive dialogue with its Twitter followers and instead got a lot of criticism. Criticism about bad customer service, cheesy music, and poor product quality. Things inherent to the brands that perhaps they were not prepared to defend.

Nickelback responded by responding to every single tweet - often with a snarky comment in return. Worked for them and their "brand," but wouldn't work for a conservative brand like Kraft.

The lesson learned here?

Despite everything we say in the conference room, we can't "own" the conversation. We can put it out there, but consumers decide which direction it takes. If a brand wants to open up, which it should, then a brand needs to be prepared for what comes back. And continue to dialogue in their own brand spirit.

No brand is squeaky clean when it comes to business. Every brand is a work in progress ... so be prepared for all the skeletons to be pointed out. Which is ok, if the brand owns up to it and discusses it openly as well. Transparency and honesty is key in social media.

If you're not ready to really and truly dialogue with your consumers, like Nickelback, then wait until you are ready.

What's your experience? Jim.

Jim Joseph
President of Lippe Taylor
Author of The Experience Effect
Professor at NYU

Starbucks Blonde

2012-01-24T04:50:00.000-05:00

In case you hadn't noticed, Starbucks introduced a new coffee blend in their stores ... Starbucks Blonde. It's a "lighter" version of their infamous coffee, presumably to address consumers who feel that most Starbucks coffee is too strong.

I stepped into my local hot spot to get my usual Skinny Vanilla Latte, and I was hit not only with multiple displays popping from every corner, but also "wet"sampling from one of the baristas well as free take-home samples. It was a full frontal assault. It makes sense, because I think it's addressing one of the brand's weak points -- the regular coffee blows your socks off!

But I have to say that I immediately had what is probably a weird perception of Starbucks Blonde the minute I heard about it and saw the "light" packaging. I assumed that the coffee would be light colored ... well, blonde. It's not though, it looks like any other coffee sitting in a mug. I guess that's the case, coffee is coffee, but with a name like Blonde I just assumed it would have a much lighter color. I'm sure it can't, but that was my assumption from the name. I guess it would look like there was already cream in it otherwise.

Maybe they should have called it "light" instead? No, then people would probably assume that it's lower in caffeine. What a conundrum! Honestly, because it didn't match my expectations, I have no desire to even try it. And then it doesn't really match the naming hierarchy for the rest of the products that then go from Medium to Dark. How does Blonde as a name fit into that?

I do like the name though, it's catchy. Although with multiple options within each variety, on several occasions now I have witnessed people trying to figure it all out with great dismay and a whole lot of attention from the baristas. Oh boy.

I'm sure it's a good move on the brand's part. I just thought it was interesting how certain words bring up certain expectations about a product. I also thought it was interesting to see how the company has pretty much completely rolled out its new logo now, almost one year to the date.

What do you think about new Starbucks Blonde? What's your experience? Jim.

Jim Joseph
President of Lippe Taylor
Author of The Experience Effect series
Professor at NYU

Twitter - The New Book Tour

2012-01-22T16:46:00.020-05:00

I had the pleasure of being a guest host for two different Twitter chats last week: #prstudchat and #prwebchat. They were both a lot of fun -- we discussed the different elements of a compelling brand experience. I have to say that these Twitter chats run fast and furious as the tweets come piling in one on top of the other. The one with students was especially fast. I was on my toes ... fingers and toes, actually.

You can read my guest post about #prstudchat here!

As I prepare for the launch of my second book on January 31, I got to thinking ... are Twitter chats the new book tour? Do these one hour sessions take the place of sitting at a Barnes & Noble table, with Sharpie in hand?

They certainly make a lot more sense. It's a captive, engaged audience, there to talk with you. No standing in line, no random awkwardness. Just a group of like-minded people looking to learn and share. Doesn't matter one bit if they buy a book. Marketing is a spectator sport and we can learn a lot from each other. I certainly did.

What's your experience? Jim.

Jim Joseph
President of Lippe Taylor
Author of The Experience Effext"
Professor at NYU

Bald Barbie

2012-01-19T04:08:00.005-05:00

It's been a busy few years for our dear brand Barbie.

In 2009, Barbie celebrated her 50th birthday, right along with a whole bunch of baby boomers. 50!

In 2010, Barbie got a new career as voted by her public on social media. It was a write-in vote, actually, because so many people wanted her to be a Computer Engineer. Sign of the times.

In 2011, also as voted by her public, Barbie got back together with Ken. It was quite the social media sensation. On Valentine's Day, no less.

So I guess it's not too much of a stretch for there to be a movement to have a Bald Barbie, right? Whhhaaatttt?

I think that was the innocence of the sentiment in the beginning anyway. But it's now turned into a career-defining, brand-bashing, charity-churning nightmare for many. And I can't believe I am entering the fray. But there is a lot of branding driving a lot of the facts and emotions, so here I go.

It all started out with a petition to have Mattel make a Bald Barbie, to show little kids who are suffering from diseases that it's actually ok to be bald. At least that is what I think was the sentiment. And at first blush, it seems fine. This is about kids after all, so if a toy will help them deal with the trauma in their lives, then that's ok by me.

The problem is that all of us adults got involved. And all sorts of brand perceptions got tangled into the discussion. I'm also not sure that Mattel responded in the most 2012 social-media-savvy kind of way. They pretty much turned their backs to it ... but a can of worms was opened and it became a feeding frenzy of article after pov after debate.

Enter argument #1: why should kids be getting self esteem from a toy?

Argument #2: Barbie, for 50 years, has been perpetuating body image issues for girls so who is she to take this on?

#3: This seems like it's all about cancer, what's next? Down's Syndrome?

#4: Shouldn't all that money and effort go into research to cure the disease, not make and buy toys?

#5: Aren't the proceeds from all those "charity" projects super inefficient, with very little going to actually do anything? Enter another brand issue and another debate about how to help a cause.

And on and on. All of them valid arguments, I am sure. I am not going to debate any of those points because I don't know enough about any one of them. But here's what I think ...

I don't think anyone who started this intended to be arguing any of those points. Now maybe they should have thought it through first, but I don't think that's where it started. And I don't think they had any idea of the powerful emotions around some of these brands that ended up in the arguments. Like Barbie and Susan G. Komen.

I think it started out as something innocent. Something that a group of parents were trying to do to make their kids feel better. Could a toy possibly do that? Maybe, I'm a parent and I'd be willing to do almost anything.

I also think that we are burned out on "pink" (and all brands pink) and that we so are skeptical of anything that smacks of being inauthentic or bureaucratic or sneaky ... that we turn off. So we all jumped on this issue in reaction to brand perceptions that became a part of the texture of the debate. Not saying that any of that is wrong, just trying to break it all down and understand it.

But these are kids and these are parents trying to do anything for their kids. Is there something wrong with them asking for a big, iconic brand to help them out? Mattel doesn't have to do it, and it doesn't have to pick a cause ... but isn't ok just to ask? Was it that bad of an idea that it couldn't even be put forth as an option?

It's amazing to me how brand perceptions drive almost instanteous reactions ... I guess that's the power of branding and the power of social media in communicating a brand's behavior.

What's your experience? Jim

Jim Joseph
President of Lippe Taylor
Author of The Experience Effect
Professor at NYU

Brand Paula Deen

2012-01-18T06:46:00.000-05:00

It was the diagnosis heard round the world, after days-weeks-months of speculation. And for some, years of -- duh!

Paula Deen officially announced yesterday that she has Type II Diabetes. She also simultaneously announced a partnership with a diabetes drug to help educate Americans on how to live with diabetes and how to live more healthy in general. Oh -- and a mention about how her son has already been promoting more healthy recipes as his own brand of "chef."

This coming from the often criticized Queen of Butter. As I've been following this story the last few days, particularly in social media, it's amazing to see the range of reactions.

Sure, some feel badly for her. Not many from what I can tell. Although I am sure that there are many many fans that are pumping through letters of support to her. I'm not sure that Al Roker from The Today Show is one of them by the tone of his interview yesterday.

Most people were not shocked, given her eating habits and her recipes. I mean -- a burger with bacon and an egg between two Krispy Kreme donuts? Wow! Many said that with that lifestyle, she should have known it was coming. She's had more than her fair share of criticism from nutritionists, other chefs, you name it.

Many, though, were down right mad. The way she announced it seemed oh so contrived and planned. Not at all authentic, something that is becoming a requirement for a brand to survive these days. Once we knew that she knew for years now (some say since 2008), and yet kept up those tv shows ... anger set in.

For me, from a marketing perspective .... sad. Sad to see the person behind a brand not well. Sad to see how she manipulated her lifestyle and her fan base to orchestrate the next move of her brand. Sad to see that basically her health is for sale (as one of my friends on Twitter so adeptly commented). I think that's crossing the line, and I think that's why we are seeing the range of reactions.

I am not in her target market, and I am not a fan personally. But as a marketer, I hope that it all turns out ok. I hope she stays well. And I hope, in the end, that she is able to help her fan base turn their lives around too. They could use the help, and she does have the power. She's just going to have to do that in a much more transparent and honest way for her "brand" to continue successfully.

You can read a little more about the saga here. Stay well.

What's your experience? Jim.

Jim Joseph
President of Lippe Taylor
Author of The Experience Effect
Professor at NYU

Happy Birthday Betty

2012-01-17T07:37:00.000-05:00

Betty White. Is there anyone more cooler than her right now? All these other brands, like Madonna or Chelsea Handler or Kathy Griffin, they try so hard to be cool. And they are, but Betty White does it without even trying.

Last night NBC had a birthday party special for her. More like a roast and retrospective actually. It was quite good mostly because I had forgotten just how many characters she had played through the years. Mind boggling.

As many people who honored her said, "Betty White is a national treasure."

She also has an amazing sense of timing. Comedic timing for sure, but also career timing (or some may call marketing). Just in the last two years alone. The Facebook campaign to get her to host SNL was brilliant, as was the television advertising for Snickers. My blog post on that remains to be the second most read post I have ever written.

Last night's special was another example of great timing. It started with a trending topic on Twitter over the weekend, which by the way was promoted. But it then became organic too. Lots of mentions during The Golden Globes on Sunday, also an NBC property.

All of it really, though, to not only promote her show "Hot in Cleveland" but also to promote her candid-camera-esque new show which debuted right after the birthday special. It's called "Off Their Rockers." Betty has a team of fellow seniors who do pranks in front of unsuspecting bystanders. It's actually quite hysterical (I tried to catch a few minutes of it last night).

Good for her. Comedic diva. Marketing master. Brilliant brand. National treasure. And makes it all look so natural.

What's your experience? Jim.

Jim Joseph
President of Lippe Taylor
Author of The Experience Effect
Professor at NYU

2012 Golden Globes

2012-01-16T05:19:00.002-05:00

Welllllll ... I have to say that The 2012 Golden Globes were a bit of a disappointment. As a brand unto themselves, these awards are supposed to be the most fun. The most daring, the most irreverent. They weren't. Let's break it down.

The acceptance speeches. This is a pet peeve I have with all of these awards shows. These very famous, very influential people have 45 seconds (or more) to say something to the world. To make a statement. To start a movement. To acknowledge something going on in the world. And 99.9% of them blow it by fumbling through a list of names that is mostly incoherent. Why didn't Meryl Streep talk about the incredible woman that was Margaret Thatcher? Why didn't Octavia Spencer talk about all the people that suffered during the 50's and 60's as portrayed in her winning performance? At least Modern Family was entertaining when they won. And thank you William H and Felicity for making a nomination fun too.

The production. The Golden Globes have been on for years now. In the same venue, from what I can tell. Why can't they figure out pathways for people to walk so that they can get to the stage gracefully?

The host. Featured to be the biggest part of the "brand," Ricky was supposed to be daring and irreverent. He was hardly ever on at all, and he was a bore. The best thing about him was his vest. He was drinking beer, so why not in a Stella glass since the brand was a sponsor? Sorry, I'm in marketing!

The dresses. They were pretty stunning, have to say. Lots of color, especially in the blues and greens. Lots of metallics and beading. And the return of the fish tail ... love it. Also in season where curves, probably boosted by said fish tail. Women had a little size to them, which is as it should be. Best brands? Prada and Zac Posen IMHO. Charlize and Angelina stick out in my mind as well.

The accessories. The bow tie is back (some quite big) and clearly beat out the regular tie. Love it. And Madonna sporting a single black glove ... good for you to still be trying to affect trends.

The celebrities. Smartest one of the bunch, in my opinion is Madonna. Perfect timing, girl, for your upcoming Super Bowl appearance and release of another album (do we still call them albums?). There are no coincidences in marketing so I have to hand it to you. Thank you for dropping the British accent, that was a phase I am happy is over. Plus a shout out to my other girl, Sofia Vergara. Always a charmer. Just be careful, please, about over exposure.

The marketing. I hosted live tweeting during the Globes at #ggexp. A bunch of us where there, commenting on the marketing (and throwing in a few other things as well). The marketing was disappointing. Sure, the new spot for Diet Pepsi with Sofia Vergara was entertaining, because anything with Sofia Vergara is entertaining these days. But not an insight in sight, and way too overplayed to just have one execution. The Volkswagon spot was good, showing how what we "care about" changes as we age. Reminded me of The Force from last year's Super Bowl. The Fiat spot caught me at first, but then when I really paid attention they lost me ... too long and windy like the endless cars driving around mountains shots of most car spots. And of course Moet owned the tables, with bottles clearly sticking up (and showing up) in every table shot. Smart of them, year after year. But for the most part, nothing memorable or motivating. On Twitter, L'Oreal and Spanx had Red Carpet promotions, but you had to search for them to find them. Nothing break through on what turned out to be a run of the mill night.

Sorry to be so vanilla today. It was an unexciting night which is a real disappointment. The Golden Globes are an opportunity to be daring and inventive, and I didn't see many take advantage of that.

What's your experience? Jim.

Jim Joseph
President of Lippe Taylor
Author of The Experience Effect
Professor at NYU

#ILoveWalgreens

2012-01-13T09:22:00.000-05:00

I happened to notice a trending topic on Twitter the other day called "#ILoveWalgreens." I pay some attention to these things, mostly because they give a nice peek into what's going on with pop culture. That's of course, when the trending topics occur naturally and organically. Like the one recently about Beyonce and her baby.

#ILoveWalgreens, though, was a paid trending topic meaning that Walgreens paid to have it appear as a trending topic. Which is fine, because Twitter allows one paid trending topic a day. The work then is to get people to trend along.

It didn't appear to take much to get them to trend along, actually, which is probably what caught my eye most. The tweets ranged from serious to hysterical and a few scary ones in between like the ones about making meth. There were also some very obvious brand-generated tweets as well. You can read them for yourself here.

The issue that surprised me the most, though, was that once some people figured out that it was a paid trend, they got annoyed. Which to me is surprising because it's clearly labeled as such ("promoted"). So what's the big deal? Lots of brands, almost one a day actually, use promoted trending.

It was probably a good move by the brand, in indirect response to Express Scripts de-listing them as a prescription provider. Don't know any of the details around that, but it's smart of the brand to try to drum up some loyalty and love in the process.

I think the issue is the title. When you put "love" into something, people want it to be authentic. They don't want it paid for. Shouldn't have to pay for love.

What do you think? What's your experience? Jim.

Jim Joseph
President of Lippe Taylor
Author of The Experience Effect
Professor at NYU

You Got Work Done!

2012-01-12T15:31:00.000-05:00

I've seen the new tv spot for Tropicana a few times now, and couldn't quite figure out what had me so intrigued. It's the spot with Jane Krakowski (from current "30 Rock" fame) where she is so psyched that her friends think "she had work done!"

And then it hit me. They've turned an insight on it's head.

Most skin care and anti-aging brands these days promote the fact that "you won't look like you had work done." Sure, you'll look great, but in a more natural, fresh, non-arresting way. And here is Jane Krakowski, selling orange juice with an "anti-aging" benefit that at first makes no sense.

Unless you think of "having work done" as a status thing. And a life style thing. And as an aspirational thing. Timed perfectly for the new year when we are all thinking about calories (this spot is for Trop50, its low calorie version) and losing weight and "getting work done."

"Here's to a new look in the new year!"

Still not sure it makes total sense, but I do like how the brand has turned a universal truth on its side to get pure attention. And I like how the brand is thinking differently about its benefits ... out of the box so to speak. I think it kinda works.

What's your experience? Jim.

Jim Joseph

President of Lippe Taylor

Author of The Experience Effect

Professor at NYU

Making a Mountain Out of a Mouse

2012-01-11T04:20:00.001-05:00

Now I know that we are in an age where "spin" is not "in." Consumers are constantly telling brands that they want "authenticity" and the "truth." Consumer trust is at an all time sustained low, so marketers need to be completely transparent if they are going to win consumer affection.

I guess that's the sentiment that drove Mountain Dew's response to this particular consumer complaint.

I'm sure you remember soaking teeth in cola in science class in grade school, right? Well this certainly smacks of that! Evidently a consumer contacted Mountain Dew to say that he had found a mouse in his can of soda. Mountain Dew responded that it would be impossible to find a mouse in a can of soda because in fact the soda would de-compose the body ... turning it into a jelly-like substance. The mouse simply wouldn't make it through being immersed in the formula for what is apparently 15 months. Yuck.

The case is currently in court, and the makers of Mountain Dew are claiming that the claim has to be false, which I guess only Mountain Dew can confirm based on the science. It's turned into a big "thing" as the story (now urban legend status) runs through social media. You can read an article here.

Seems like the brand may win the case but will it win consumer reaction to the facts presented?

Ouch. I guess it's an honest answer, but not exactly making it seem like soda is so good for you. But then again we know that. I was just expecting a little spin, that's all.

What's your experience? Jim.

Jim Joseph
President of Lippe Taylor
Author of The Experience Effect
Professor at NYU

Communication and Car Buying

2012-01-10T05:45:00.001-05:00

From a brand experience perspective, there is none worse than cars. Not so much the brand itself, although I wouldn't put many of them at tops of the marketing field either, but more from the buying experience. It's awful, and in fact I've written about it before. The experience is not consumer friendly, and it's not geared towards adding value for the shopper. It's just not.

Evidently I am not alone. As part of The University of Kansas #Blogapalooza, today I have a guest post from a student (her second time here) about her own experience negotiating for a car. There is such an opportunity for a brand to improve this -- it's amazing to me that no one has seized it yet. It's all about a consistent brand experience, fueled in this case by just ole' customer service and communication. Boggles the mind!

If you've read my book, you know it's a common theme. And in fact right up in the forward! Today Katie shows us how some simple inter-departmental communication could go a long way towards making some improvement.

Katie, what's your experience? Jim.

I dislike few things as much as negotiating during a car purchase. One thing I dislike more is miscommunication between departments of a company. I had the pleasure of encountering both during a recent car shopping experience.

After completing hours of research on Edmunds, Hyundai, and Car and Driver, I felt that I was ready to purchase an SUV. I had the exact vehicle selected, had already negotiated the price down several thousand dollars, and free oil changes were thrown in for 60,000 miles. I really felt that I was getting a good price. I was merely seconds away from signing on the line when I happened to mention that I thought the free oil change promotion was interesting. The salesman then commented that he'd be glad to see me every 7500 miles for the oil changes.

That comment quickly brought his sale to a halt.

I had purchased the car from the same dealership two years earlier. The salesman during that encounter had also promoted the benefit of only needing an oil change every 7500 miles. However, upon the first visit to the service department, the service manager was quick to point out that anyone driving under "extreme" conditions, which he stated was about 90% of drivers in this area, was required to change their oil every 3750 miles to maintain their warranty. I informed him that his salesman was selling cars on the premise that oil changes were only needed every 7500 miles, saving a substantial amount of money each year. The service manager brushed my comment off and I highly doubt he followed up with the sales department like I asked. I gave the dealership the benefit of the doubt and chalked it up to the ignorance of one salesman.

Fast forward two years, and I found myself in the same position. I explained to the SUV salesman what my experience had been in the service department with required oil changes. Instead of offering to speak with the service department and clear up any confusion, he insisted that the service department was incorrect and my warranty would certainly be valid with less frequent oil changes. I told him that I would rather either need that in writing from the dealership or free oil changes every 3750 miles, or I would not be purchasing the vehicle.

The salesman would not deliver on either, and I simply stood up and walked away.

Now I'm the type of person that will assume the best in anyone and am going to assume that the sales department was simply trained with different information than the service department was. This is still a huge oversight, however, and an example of miscommunication between departments that affects every consumer at this dealership. The fact that both departments were unwilling to speak to the other when I made the request shows that they operate as silos and are nowhere near ready to integrate their marketing communications.

In the end, it doesn't really matter if the sales department was simply misinformed or if they were being downright dishonest; the end result was the same. They lost a sale that day (note from Jim: they lost a sale from a "loyal" customer). How many sales will they have to lose to take a look at consistency in their communications?

- Katie Jolly, graduate student in the Marketing Communications program at The University of Kansas and a Communications Professional at a health care information technology company

Down's Syndrome Model

2012-01-09T04:26:00.002-05:00

I found a great example of "don't talk the talk, walk the walk" in marketing over the weekend.

Target recently released a print ad for children's clothing featuring a down's syndrome child as one of the models. Great way to show diversity and respect, in my book anyway. But the cool part is that they didn't make a big deal about it. No copy mentioning it. No "special needs" language. Nothing written on his t-shirt. Just another kid in a print ad with other kids. That's just down right cool and just the way it should be.

The best part too, is that this same kid is starting to rack up regular gigs in modeling. Just a few months back, he appeared in an ad for Nordstrom. Same deal, they didn't say a peep about it, just used him in the ad. Gotta respect that.

Now on a completely different note, file this under "whoops." A print ad from a fashion brand in France recently discovered that perhaps they should have done a little retouching. It was shot on the beach, but no one noticed the nude beach goer in the background. So there it ran ....

Congrats to Target and Nordstrom for being who you are. What's your experience? Jim.

Jim Joseph
President @LippeTaylor
Author of The Experience Effect

Using Drugs Over Timeline

2012-01-06T05:57:00.003-05:00

File this little marketing gem under "gggoooooddd." Yet so simple.

Many of us have been complaining about Facebook's changes, and in particular the new Facebook Timeline. It's a great concept but truthfully I'm not used to it yet either. I find it clunky and I feel like I'm missing some of my posts and my friends' commentary. Maybe not, but it feels that way.

A brand has figured it out, though, rather quickly, and is putting it to great use: The Israel Anti-Drug Authority.

Much like the organizations in the US, the IADA's mission is to stop drug use. I don't know a lot about the organization, but I'm sure they've used many of the tactics that we've seen used domestically here.

But this one really hits home. The organization created a character, Adam Barak, and used Facebook Timeline to show a year in his life. With and without drugs. So you can follow two different Facebook Timelines to watch how this young man's life progresses (emotionally, physically, socially) based on his drug usage.

Now the truth is that Facebook Timeline isn't really open to brands yet. IADA got around that by actually using a person. Clever. It's incredible, and very moving. You have to check it out.

This is not the first compelling anti-drug campaign, that's for sure. But it is the first "branded" use of Facebook Timeline that I know of, which makes for a very contemporary and compelling anti-drug message. Yet so simple.

Excellent. Let's hope it really works.

What's your experience? Jim.

Jim Joseph
President of Lippe Taylor
Author of The Experience Effect

Can Promotion Reverse Brand Apathy?

2012-01-05T05:36:00.000-05:00

Today I have another guest post from a student at The University of Kansas, as part of #Blogapalooza. Here Natalie raises an age old question in marketing: can short term promotions build brand loyalty? Or as she calls it, can it reverse brand apathy? Or does it merely encourage switching from deal to deal to get the latest "fix"?

What's your experience, Natalie? Jim.

Yesterday my husband and I ventured out to the stores and I was reminded once again of our first clothes shopping experience together. Dan, my husband, has never been a serious shopper or one to discriminate among brands. For him, a shirt is a shirt. It is something to cover you and keep you warm, not a statement of who you are or how you spend your money. If a shirt has a label or imprint stating the name of the store from which it originated, Dan refuses to buy it.

If some are brand loyal, I would call Dan brand apathetic. That is, unless there is a coupon or incentive involved. Then, Dan is the most loyal customer I know.

The first time Dan and I went clothes shopping together, we went to Kohl's because I had a coupon for 20% off our purchase. As my first experience shopping with Dan, it was curious to see him so excited about the sales and coupons. In addition to the coupon I had, Kohl's was also having a store wide sale. In Dan's eyes, it was such a deal -- we must buy more! We ended up spending a little over $200 and, in the growing trend of shopping incentives, received $40 of "Kohl's Cash" for our next visit. Upon leaving the store, I could see Dan's excitement from the shopping incentives.

"We saved over $100 and now we have $40 for the next time we go back," he said enthusiastically. Blinded by how much we saved, Dan did not think twice about how much money we had spent. He was hooked.

The next visit to Kohl's, Dan signed up for a store charge card. He could not pass up the 15% off he saved on his purchase that day. So, Dan received a charge card and discount, and in return, Kohl's received his personal information, buying habits, and repeat purchases. He has since then become a loyal Kohl's customer and feels the urge to visit the store every time he receives a coupon or other incentive in the mail.

Since the Kohl's experience, I have noticed the incentive effect with Dan. If a coupon or sale enters the equation, Dan will automatically go out of his way to shop at a specific store and spend more when he's there. It is interesting to see how integrating simple shopping incentives into marketing communications increases customer loyalty, even when the product or service has not changed in any way.

- Natalie Long, student at The University of Kansas

Jim Joseph
President of Lippe Taylor
Author of The Experience Effect
Professor at NYU

Madonna Truth or Dare

2012-01-04T04:46:00.003-05:00

Today's post is in follow up to yesterday's post about my personal "Brand of the Season," Lady Gaga.

Another full disclosure, I've been a fan of Madonna since "Everybody." She's been a staple in my music collection, on my Walkman, in my mix tapes, and now on my iPod. I'm not a rabid fan like many, but I've always enjoyed her music. Holiday.

But I have found it rather irritating lately that every thing that Lady Gaga does gets compared to Madonna, with the implication that she is simply a copy cat. And while it is easy to make the comparison, when done exclusively it's very shallow. Lady Gaga herself notes that she finds inspiration in those that have come before her including Madonna, David Bowie, Queen, Donna Summer, Elton John, etc. There are traces of all these great artists in the work of Lady Gaga.

Equally irritating, though, are all the comments about Madonna's new line called Truth or Dare and her new music coming out soon. Many are saying that it's "too little too late" and that it's a desperate attempt to stay relevant.

Of course it is ... but who cares? Truth or Dare probably should have come out with Truth or Dare the movie and concert tour. Maybe she wasn't ready. She doesn't have to be first with everything. No brand does.

What I do know is that Truth or Dare is a new line of clothing, accessories, and a fragrance targeting older women that follows the very successful launch of Material Girl, the fashion line headed by Madonna's daughter that targets younger women. And it is very true to her "brand", whether it could have come out sooner or not. And it's targeting older women, those who are likely to still be in her fan base.

One thing can be said ... Madonna has always been a great marketer. Truth or Dare is carefully timed, or so it seems, with the launch of Madonna's new music and her appearance in the SuperBowl halftime show. Clearly the ole' girl still knows how to market herself, she is in fact one of the best musical marketers we've ever seen. Is she the first to do a celebrity fragrance or to dabble in fashion. No. Does that mean that she is copying Lady Gaga or anyone else? No, although just like Lady Gaga I am sure she is aware of what's happening in the marketplace and is taking inspiration from it.

It does feel a little late in the game for this brand, but why not let her take a shot. And it may be too late for anyone to care. But it does take the emphasis off solely her music, which isn't a bad thing to diversify. I will tell you one thing, though. Madonna is no where near as good of a brand when it comes to social media. Lady Gaga has that sewn up!

Is Madonna getting older? Yes. Is she still trying to be relevant in a youth-obsessed industry and culture? Yes. Is she still true to her provocative brand? Yes. Is is being desperate? I guess that depends on if you are a fan.

Inspired or tired? What's your experience? Jim.

Jim Joseph
President of Lippe Taylor
Author of The Experience Effect
Professor at NYU

The Brand of the Season

2012-01-03T04:48:00.001-05:00

Well it's January 3rd and it's back to reality. Back to work. I've had such an amazing holiday season ... honestly one of the best ever. As I reflect back on Thanksgiving, Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, Cyber Monday, the Holidays, and New Year's Eve ... I can't help but think of all the brands we were engaged in along the way.

American Express, Target, Veuve Clicquot, Weight Watchers ... just to name a few.

So I decided that it's appropriate to name the brand of the season. The one brand that sticks out amongst all the others. The one brand that defined the season, at least for me.

Lady Gaga.

Now if you know me, you know that I am a fan. So in full disclosure, this is a likely choice for me. But part of the reason why I am selecting her as the "Brand of the Season" is because she was able to pull in so many people who are not her fans. Lady Gaga brought in new consumers ... the mark of a very successful brand.

It started at Thanksgiving. Lady Gaga's primetime network Thanksgiving Special was off the charts. So many people told me that it was that tv show that finally made them understand her. When she explained the meaning behind "Edge of Glory" -- she had me in tears. Thanksgiving is about family, and so is that song. Holy cow.

Next it was the windows at Barney's. A Christmas tradition ... visiting the windows on Madison and 5th Avenues. This IS Christmas. And here comes Lady Gaga, on invitation, reinventing Barney's windows not only with an incredible display but also with an entire boutique called the Gaga Workshop.

But there's more. The holiday season officially ends with New Year's Eve. And here we are with Dick Clark's New Year's Rock, the biggest symbol of the holiday other than the ball itself. Once again we have Lady Gaga ringing in the New Year with her latest song "Marry the Night." Sure she had a crazy outfit, but she also had her "brand," thanking the city (her city) for being so supportive and for making this "dream come true." She's all about her fans, more so than any other celebrity that I have ever seen.

So there you have it, my pick for the "Brand of the Season." Thanks for putting up with this "fan."

Happy New Year ... what's your experience? Jim

Jim Joseph
President of Lippe Taylor
Author of The Experience Effect
Professor at NYU

Weight Loss

2012-01-02T04:25:00.002-05:00

It began the day after Christmas. I know because I was feeling particularly stuffed so it hit me right in the face: weight loss advertising. The two big guns came racing out of the gates: Nutrisystem and Jenny Craig, both using big name divas to show how you too can lose weight in the new year.

Nutrisystem launched with a new campaign featuring Janet Jackson.

And Jenny Craig brings forth Mariah Carey.

Given the incredible success of Weight Watchers with Jennifer Hudson, it's no wonder these two mega-brands went with their own mega-stars to try to capture our attention, our waistline, and our wallet.

But I have to tell you that they left me disinterested. Not so much as a consumer, because I'm not their target. But as a marketer. Uninteresting, to tell you the truth, from a marketing and weight loss perspective.

Then just a few days later, on New Year's Eve, Weight Watchers brings back Jennifer Hudson with their new campaign "Believe." Tons of advertising all through the night and into the next day. And tons of "product promos" during Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve where the co-hosts asked people in the crowd what they "believe" in.

The notion of believe is quite interesting because in order to lose weight, you have not only believe in the program you are following (and paying for), but you also have to believe in yourself. Believe that you can do it.

There were several versions of tv spots featuring Jennifer, but one in particular really slammed it home for me. The "new thin" Jennifer is singing a duet when the "old fatter" Jennifer ... dubbed together. And they are singing the classic "Believe in You and Me." And then at the end, Jennifer asks us to "believe" because Weight Watchers works. Obviously.

It knocked my socks off, I have to say. And definitely gets my vote for winning the weight loss war this holiday season. Congrats, Weight Watchers.

What's your experience? Jim.

Jim Joseph
President of Lippe Taylor
Author of The Experience Effect
Professor at NYU

PS - We tend to focus on the women with weight loss campaigns, but Weight Watchers also has a dedicated program for men. With a great campaign with Charles Barclay. Very well done. Some of us men could use a little help too! "Lose Like A Man"

The Brands of #NYE

2012-01-01T11:56:00.002-05:00

I had a very quiet New Year's eve this year ... just the way I wanted. Spent the evening with a bottle of champagne, family, and Dick Clark's annual show. Ryan Seacrest and his other co-hosts counted down the 40 most memorable music performances in honor of the show's 40th Anniversary. It was great fun seeing music from the last 40 years.

But what was more intriguing, to me anyway, was all the marketing. Holy cow - it was a brand extravaganza. And I was following it all on tv and on twitter #nye.

First Nivea. It felt like the entire Times Square crowd was decked out in Nivea swag. The whole crowd and area had a branded blue glow. The theme: "Be Prepared to be Kissed." I guess to promote their lip line although that part was not at all obvious ... to be honest the connection with Nivea and New Year's Eve was lost on me.

The other biggie brand was Blackberry and their "be bold" campaign. Big signage in all the right places and lots of product placements. Co-host Jenny McCarthy pre-recorded segments with people in the crowd talking about how they were going to "Be Bold" in the new year. Honestly, they were terrible. Made no sense. It would have been much better if Blackberry owned "texting" for the night.

Both Blackberry and Nivea also have social media campaigns backing up these initiatives. Maybe they make more sense there.

Weight Watchers was there too, with their new "Believe" campaign with Jennifer Hudson. Tons of advertising along with more Jenny McCarthy segments asking people what they believe in. These little segments didn't work at all but it didn't matter ... the new Weight Watchers campaign is so good that I'm saving my comments for another blog post! Too good!

McDonald's seemed to score too. Perfect stage placement right in front of their flagship Times Square location with the big neon flashing golden arches. That along with heavy advertising throughout.

No coincidence that Disney was ever present as well both in Times Square and with the remote from Disneyland. Have to remember that Disney owns abc.

But the big brand winner --- Dick Clark. The man is a legend and although it was very awkward to watch him at this stage, he did create an incredible brand that has had incredible longevity even with him taking a back seat.

Also to be saved for another blog post: Lady Gaga. Brand of the season in my book, but more to come on that. I'd also like to give an honorable mention to brand New York City who was shining as always. I should also mention that Brand Bieber took another step forward in legitimizing his "adult" career with a stunning performance of "Let It Be" with Carlos Santana. Santana!!

My takeaway? A lot of it was too forced. Big brand marketing that was too in your face. It should have all been much more organically placed. Sure I noticed, and I'm writing about it. But I'm not sure any of it convinced me to buy ... except for the Weight Watchers advertising but that's another story. Indeed.

What's your experience? Jim.

Jim Joseph
President of Lippe Taylor
Author of The Experience Effect
Professor at NYU

My Favorite Blog Posts 2011

2011-12-30T07:27:00.000-05:00

Why have one year-end review when you can have two? The other day I compiled the top ten marketing moments ... hope you enjoyed them and I'd love to hear if you agree or disagree. Today I am going to compile my most favorite blog posts from this year. Not necessarily marketing moments, but the posts that I relate to the most and that got the most commentary. Last yea r I did the same thing and thought it was kind of fun. So here goes:

10 - Brands That Go Political. A blog post inspired by the gay marriage law in New York State which also ended up as an op-ed piece in PRWeek.

9 - Walmart Holiday Spot. I don't really expect great advertising from Walmart, but this one got me at hello.

8 - An Authentic Brand. The marketing buzz word of the year.

7- Senior Year High School. As my daughter finished up her high school career and prepared for college, I got to relive all the memories.

6- What Women Want in Social Media. I spoke at a lot of industry conferences, but the #140 was my favorite where I lead a panel discussion of some amazing women in social media.

5 - Chasing Thriller. My favorite business quote of the year, and the inspiration behind Oprah starting her own network.

4 - Every Presenter's Nightmare. Proof that a nightmare can turn into a learning experience. You really can teach an old dog new tricks.

3 - Steve Jobs. By far and away, the CEO who is had the biggest impact on my life.

2 - 9/11 Lunch with My Son. The tenth year anniversary brought me new insights.

1 - A Penn State Dad. A personal perspective on the scandal at Penn State.

Have a joyous new year and an amazingly happy 2012! Thanks for reading!

What's your experience? Jim.

Jim Joseph
President of Lippe Taylor
Author of The Experience Effect
Professor at NYU

PS: Favorite quote of the year? Comes from the Sofia Vergara character on Modern Family: "Family is family. Whether it's the ones you start out with, the ones you end up with, or the ones you pick up along the way."

Fire Safety

2011-12-29T10:10:00.001-05:00

Today I am writing a very personal post ... to capture my feelings this week.

A business colleague and fellow marketing devotee suffered a very tragic loss on Christmas Day from a horrible fire in her home. Her loss is beyond comprehension. I can't even begin to imagine what she is going through. I feel so lost in my emotions ... don't know quite what to do.

So in her honor, I talked to my family about fire safety. We literally spoke about what to do in the event of a fire and specific ways to get out of the house. We tend to have a lot of teenage friends in the house, many of them sleeping over so I talked to all of them too. I felt so much better doing that.

I encourage you to do the same. Change the batteries in the smoke detectors and make sure you have evacuation routes planned out with your family. It's vitally important. Here's a website to help you prepare.

Happy Holidays to you all ... please stay safe at home and on the road.

Jim

2011 Best Marketing Moments

2011-12-27T03:26:00.004-05:00

I love year-end reviews. It's just so much fun to recap the year and see what we've all been through, together. So I wanted to write my own year-end recap ... to highlight what I consider to be the best marketing moments of 2011. At least from my perspective. So here we go, in order.

10 - OWN. The year started off with a bang, with the launch of Oprah's own network. Not sure it's ending with a bang, but the year sure did look hopeful at the time.

9 - SuperBowl. The marketer's holiday as I say. This year did not disappoint me. We had seen previews of VW's "The Force"and loved it but we had no idea what Chrysler and Eminem had in store for us. "Imported from Detroit" should go down in marketing history.

8 - Aflac Auditions. 2011 saw more social "media" scandals. Aflac had its own with its "duck" talent. The brand responded with speed and creativity, bringing us all into the solution.

7 - The Royal Wedding. You may say that this wasn't a marketing moment, but I would say you are wrong. This was brand Britain and brand Royal Family's shining moment.

6 - Small Business Saturday. Amidst all the hype around Black Friday and Cyber Monday which honestly got overwhelming, along comes Amex with a much more appropriate promotion.

5 - Schweddy Balls. A great example of a brand giving a "gift" to its loyalists.

4 - Sofia Vergara for KMart. It was a long time coming, but the first time I saw the advertising it took my breath away. Finally a fashion brand that "gets" its audience.

3 - Bronx Zoo Escaped Cobra. Whether by "accident" or not, this little creature taught us how to engage on Twitter.

2 - Fit 2 Fat @ Fit. Love this guy! Mostly because he will do whatever it takes to truly get to know his customer. A good marketer ought to love that!

1 - Starbucks New Logo. The logo change heard 'round the world and my most read blog post of the year. We are still debating the merits and I still stand firm that it was brilliant.

I'd like to thank you all for reading all year long. Here's to an amazing year of marketing in 2012.

Marketing is a spectator sport, so let's all learn from each other. What's your experience? Jim.

Jim Joseph
President of Lippe Taylor
Author of The Experience Effect
Professor at NYU

PS - Although I didn't write about it, an honorable mention goes to Barbie for getting back with Ken. On social media.