In addition, Starbucks has made many strategic missteps even before the recession in an effort to expand their business beyond coffee and the local gathering spot strategy. Music, movies, casual dining food are among the various "products" the brand has tried to add to its offerings....with mixed results. Most importantly, some of these elements worked to undermine the core brand strategy adding more problems beyond the recession's impact.

Now comes word that Starbucks is exploring new retail ideas but without the Starbucks name attached. Some industry experts think this is a mistake and another strategic blunder. I do not agree.

I have recommended to clients many times over the years the idea of establishing a new sub-brand to introduce ideas and concepts that might undermine the core brand and give an entity the opportunity to reach different/new audiences. The new Starbucks concept is called 15th Avenue Coffee and Tea and will serve food and wine and beer beyond the coffee offerings. 15th Avenue will not have any Starbucks IDs on-site and will appear to be a completely independent concept giving even the most ardent anti-Starbucks consumer an opportunity to experience this brand's new ideas.

Starbucks can use its existing marketing muscle and savvy to successfully launch the new brand quickly if the idea is well received. The initial store is in the home market of Seattle replacing an existing Starbucks location. The company says additional locations will be in new real estate and not re-furbished existing Starbucks.

Success will depend on the actual concept itself, its appeal to consumers and uniqueness as well as how well the concept is executed in its test form.

I look forward to seeing this concept first hand soon.

Watching out for you everyday.

Eli

Now the building's owners are changing its name to Willis Tower to reflect its new largest tenant, Willis Insurance out of London. And a great debate has ensued.

Ballparks, stadiums and notable buildings make a bundle when they sell rights to name their structures to high paying sponsors or building tenants. Names change often in this world as one company's fortunes decline another takes up the helm with new naming rights and signage.

In the case of the Sears Tower, the brand ID for this impressive structure that just opened an observation deck of glass hanging off the top of the building, is key to its stature. It has been called the Sears Tower since day one and changing it now seems a bad move. The Sears Tower is more than a sponsorship or important tenant name (Sears has NOT been a tenant for over a decade or more). It is a name tied to the building itself; its Brand ID. Sears is still based in the Chicago area and although not the major retailer of the past, it still is a important retail player US wide and closely tied to its Chicago area roots.

Additionally, the name Willis just seems flat doesn't roll off the tongue and somehow in my mind will diminish the iconic nature of the "Sears" Tower.

I have read the name change is a done deal but does that mean it is a good idea when it comes to tourists and Chicago's brand? It will take a long time for people to "forget" the Sears Tower brand and ask to be taken to the Willis Tower. Further, naming the building after an obscure English insurance company no one in the US knows about or cares about also seems foolhardy and anti-American, no?

Fans of the Sears Tower are taking their case to the world via Facebook and other social media to try to generate enough negative support for the new name to try to force the building's owners to not change the name. They also are seeking landmark status for the building and its name (although the building is not old enough for such a status as those things go), hoping a government decree will make it impossible for Sears to be replaced with Willis.

Some have said changing the name of the Sears Tower would be like changing the name of the Empire State Building or Eiffel Tower...it just wouldn't be done no matter how much money was put up for the rights. What do you think?

Watching out for you everyday.

Eli

Tide, a premium priced laundry detergent, has seen some of the biggest declines in sales in anyone's memory. So much so the brand is testing a lower priced Tide called Tide Basic in powder form. The idea? To keep the franchise's market-share and loyal consumers as best as possible without losing too many to other price oriented brands.

The problem? The Tide brand was built on the premise it was a superior performing product, one that was used by grandmothers and passed down to mothers and their daughters. It has had strong emotional loyalty unlike any other laundry detergent brand. However, in this new economy consumer buying behavior is changing dramatically in ways most consumer product companies are not accustomed to. Price is the factor even for affluent consumers and product performance and efficacy seem to be less important. The paradigm shift has not been completed making it even harder to gage what steps are best to keep consumers loyal and which to avoid that might cause damage that cannot be undone when the economy improves. Thus, we are in uncharted territory.

With Tide Basic P & G definitely runs the risk of losing its loyalists who have bought the liquid original brand for years. The lower priced brand that has reduced some of the benefits of the original can both undermine the original more so than has already occurred and, more importantly, question the entire brand premise. If you can buy a cheaper version and it is almost as good why then ever buy the original?

When price becomes the brand purchase driver and all other brand elements are not sustained or emphasized the brand becomes a commodity brand and its competition becomes broader and more dangerous.

Let's see how the test does in various cities and we shall revisit this discussion in a number of months. It may prove to be a noteworthy case-study of how to successfully or not successfully handle the new consuming world we have entered.

Watching out for you everyday.

Eli

I grew up with the gloved-one's music finding it irresistible and mesmerizing...finding it impossible not to learn nearly all the words while marveling at his dance skills...(which I sadly tried to but unsuccessfully mimic). I along with millions got to know Michael from a far until I had a short very personal experience a few years back.

Before Lionel Richie became a client, I had the opportunity to meet him for the first time with some friends over brunch at the celeb packed restaurant The Ivy. Lionel arrived very late to our small gathering on the cell phone intently listening to "someone" at great length. Even after Lionel sat down with us...some 15 minutes later...we still hadn't been formally introduced because he was still on the phone.

Noticing our growing discomfort with what appeared to be the "rudeness" of staying on the phone as food arrived, Lionel put the phone on mute and handled it towards me...but saying first..."it's Michael he wants my advice and I have to listen". Michael? I inquired. Michael Jackson he responded. And with that Lionel handed me the phone for a very brief time. I listened as the King of Pop sadly and soulfully expressed his love for people and how he was misunderstood. This was the time of his first court case for child molestation and those close to Michael like Lionel were making themselves available to be there for him in his time of need....as many wouldn't listen to him as the world began to shift their opinion of the K.O.P. from honor and worship to disdain and disgust.

Lionel, who had co-written and produced "We are the World" the hugely successful charity song with Michael,  was very worried about him self-destructing at that time, understandably. There were so many people in his life trying to tell him what to do, we all talked about how difficult it might be for him to get out of this situation unscathed. He settled out of court with his accuser but public opinion was not favorable.

After that time Michael seemed to become a Howard Hughes type and the world became further confused by his behaviors and his popularity waned. Additional litigation and money woes didn't help his image either.

But alas on the eve of his highly touted come-back tour he leaves us for good. Now, despite his many behavioral and money issues, which will never go completely away, the world has shifted its opinion and now is taking the time to celebrate the genius that he was and the impact his work has had on the world for the past 50 years.

Thank you to Lionel Richie for giving me a memory like no other.

Watching out for you everyday.

Eli

James Sloyan's soothing, elegant, but firm voice became as recognizable as the Lexus car itself. You didn't have to see the ad to know it was for Lexus.

Then imagine my surprise the other day when I heard that same famous voice saying the words, "Lancer by Mitsubishi". I was incredulous. How could that be? I wondered if Sloyan wanted too much money during contract renewals or someone at Lexus had lost their mind? I even wondered if the voice for the Mitsubishi ad was a close copy and not the real thing, but after repeated hearings it was clearly Sloyan's.

Building instantly recognizable brands that transcend the actual media in which they are promoted is not an easy task to achieve and Lexus had made that happen.

So what gives here?

Here's what I learned today from an online automotive industry forum.

February 10, 2009 - A fresh voice narrates the latest commercials for Lexus. Continuing on that path of "The Pursuit of Perfection", Lexus has made that change, most recently with the latest blitz of new commercials for the 2010 RX. There is a new voice in town and like the previous voice over actor, his name happens to be James too.

Who is this new James you may ask? His name is James Remar. Some of you may know him as one of Samantha Jones (Kim Cattrall) boyfriends on the popular HBO show, Sex and the City. He was also casted in movies such as 48 Hours, The Phantom and also 2 Fast 2 Furious. Remar has narrated the latest commercial ads for the new RX spots. He will also be the voice for future Lexus ads.

For 20 years since the inception of Lexus, we have seen, heard and lived the many "Relentless" and "Passionate" evolutions featuring that distinct voice. That distinct voice belongs to actor James Sloyan. Although we will miss the original Lexus voice, we will never forget those original Lexus benchmark commercials and the regal narration that Sloyan established for the industry. Think LS400 commercials and the infamous champagne glass smoothness test. Thank you Mr. Sloyan for all the years of Lexus pursuits.

"Thank you Mr. Sloyan for all the years of Lexus pursuits"?......wait a minute. This might have been a major mistake for the Lexus brand and a smart move for Mitsubishi. Now, the Mitsu brand gets instant attention for the confusion and increases  awareness of its new sportier Lancer model. Yet, Lexus loses a valuable asset especially since this automaker isn't about radical changes it is about evolutionary improvements to a great automobile...staying the course...consistently delivering...so why would one risk undermining the brand strategy by dumping a brand component as golden as the product itself?

I plan to investigate further, but believe this was not a smart branding move.

Watching out for you everyday.

Eli