BackPocket from Prophet (Comments)

Re: Ad Houses Will Need to Be More Nimble

Fri, 04 Jan 2008 07:53:46 -0800

From: Phil Darby
Date: Fri, 04 Jan 2008 07:53:46 -0800

Sorry guys, but this is REALLY old news!

Clients have been clamouring for change, such as a broader perspective, use of a wider range of communications routes, better use of data and better integration for the last twenty years.

I for one, have been working with marketing services firms around the world to help them re-think and re-structure in order that they might deliver the kind of service their clients need.

We are in an era of New Model Marketing when successful companies are built around their brands and marketing is firmly in the driving seat. Marketing services firms of every flavour have to change the way that they work and the support they provide.

The move away from mainstream media like TV toward digital and other communications routes has been happening with gusto for the last ten years. Which is why all the old advertising agencies are licking their wounds and mourning the loss of their gravy train.

If you want to know where this is heading take a look at Jim Taylor's book "Space Race" and if you want to know where we have got to and what to do oabut it you'll get an idea from my blog.

Re: Magic Shop

Thu, 01 Nov 2007 02:27:42 -0700

From: Dennis Garcia
Date: Thu, 01 Nov 2007 02:27:42 -0700

Good luck this season. I do see it differently where it comes to the prediciton however since it's way too early to tell. The coming year is in limbo where it comes to what retailers want to invest because of upcoming elections This christmas watch your shelves and analize quality and quantity of your merchandise, as well as observe what and how the customers look at it. Do they keep walking or do they come in to purchase. The credit crunch may also play a big part on the ability of these same customers to shop without any hesitations. Keep your headphones and the customers coming but don't think that the employees are most responsible for that success. You must bring the customer to your window first then get them to walk in to feel, smell, touch and try the merchandise, how things are lit and arranged, all that and more. Best of luck.

Re: From Cheap Stand-In to Shelf Star

Thu, 30 Aug 2007 08:44:36 -0700

From: Jim Scislow
Date: Thu, 30 Aug 2007 08:44:36 -0700

Maybe the Wallstreet Journal needs to do a little more homework and not just print what this lady stated about Target making their own product. It is made for them, not by them.

Re: Starwood Hotels Unveils Preferred Guest Web Site

Thu, 09 Aug 2007 08:58:27 -0700

From: Jase
Date: Thu, 09 Aug 2007 08:58:27 -0700

The new design is certainly slick and inviting, but they've still got a few kinks to work out. For example, often the site prompts me to enter my username and password again, even though I just did it a screen or two before. The map view is helpful when looking for a Starwood property in a certain location (now I can do it on their site instead of Expedia!), but it's buggy or even broken on a Mac. Still, the updated site is a big step in the right direction, giving the consumer more power to research and choose options that were previously in different site sections or just plain hard to find.

Re: Target Marketing Priorities Survey: Direct Marketing Generates Best ROI

Tue, 17 Jul 2007 01:36:52 -0700

From: John Dawson
Date: Tue, 17 Jul 2007 01:36:52 -0700

OK - this might be right but is there actual evidence to back this up? Seems like there is some confusion between apparent ease of measurement and effectiveness.

Re: At Home Depot, How Green Is That Chainsaw?

Tue, 26 Jun 2007 09:43:28 -0700

From: nick daniel
Date: Tue, 26 Jun 2007 09:43:28 -0700

At no point in the HD shopping experience do I feel green...starting the moment I pull into the parking lot that a few short years back was an ecosystem in and of itself. Few corporations strike me as more disingenuous. Orange is very not green.

Re: Are network effects getting weaker?

Mon, 25 Jun 2007 20:00:28 -0700

From: tom martin
Date: Mon, 25 Jun 2007 20:00:28 -0700

I think we're just seeing the cablisation (yes, I invented a word) of social networking. Like the broadcast television paradigm, consumers will use MySpace and Facebook as a starting point. To "get into" social networking but then they'll tire of the bland offerings. From there they will find smaller, micronetworks built around microcontent that is relevant, constantly updated and a mix of professional and consumer generated content. And in these micronetworks, they will find a home. One that they will stay with over time because it has value to them.

Re: How Surveying Workers Can Pay Off

Wed, 20 Jun 2007 21:14:59 -0700

From: cindy
Date: Wed, 20 Jun 2007 21:14:59 -0700

I could not agree more that engaged employees will perform better at their jobs, stay on the job longer and provide a whole host of related benefits to the organization -- serve as advocates to others, etc...
What I found surprisingly absent from the discussion in this article is any reason to have these strong positive feelings for one's employer, a reason to stay engaged...and that reason is often the brand. The better your employees understand what your brand stands for, what you're trying to be in the eyes of the customer, what promises you're making...and, most importantly, their role in delivering on these promises - the more likely they will be to become and stay engaged.
so, in addition to devoting resources to surveying employees - companies would be well served by investing some resources in effectively communicating the brand internally and providing employees with training and guidance on how to deliver on those promises in their individual roles.

Re: Marketers Get More Efficient With Ad Spending, Leading to Less of It

Tue, 12 Jun 2007 22:32:42 -0700

From: John Dawson
Date: Tue, 12 Jun 2007 22:32:42 -0700

It doesn't follow that because something becomes more efficent you need to do less of it! Funds are moving to so called more accountable channels which have a reach and potential impact far below many traditional advertising channels. What appears to be happening is a reduction of investment to reduce risk. I can't believe genuine effectivness is playing a part in this trend.

Re: Making New Product Launches a Bowl Full of Cherries

Wed, 30 May 2007 10:18:36 -0700

From: Nicholas Daniel
Date: Wed, 30 May 2007 10:18:36 -0700

I think this is a really cool way to approach the influencers. This takes a shotgun approach to the "free sample and a t-shirt" promos that have to cycle their way through a geographical region just trying to reach a few trysumers/talkers/txtrs. Good stuff.