Marketing News

'Marketing Doctor' John Tantillo's Winner and Loser of the Week: CareerBuilder and Starbucks

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 11:53:46 -0600

WINNER:

Folks, public relations often suggests that it must be apologies all around when controversy comes to a company.But sometimes standing firm in the face of controversy is exactly what a brand needs to do. That's why CareerBuilder is our winner of the week.

The company is getting heat from animal rights activists who say its use of monkeys in its upcoming Super Bowl ad is wrong (the image above is a screen shot from a similar ad a few years ago). Despite the fact that these ads are apparently very funny --or perhaps because of this fact-- conservationists including zoo keepers and even Anjelica Huston are rallying against the insensitivity of making fun of the primate and also argue that to their detriment, performing chimps have been taken away from their mothers at a young age. But this issue really goes down to what is considered reasonable, and a brand's reasonable conduct. Let's face it, CareerBuilder's audience is wide, mainly professional and looking for work.They probably need a laugh and these commercials might provide that (whether they'll get viewers to the CareerBuilder door --well, look to my general criticism of Super Bowl ads for the answer to that question).

Even more, CareerBuilders is in a strong position even in response to these critics. Here's their statement: “We hired top trainers known to provide the highest standard of care for their animals. We also had a member of animal rights group, the American Humane Association, on set during the entire filming to ensure the chimpanzees were treated with respect. This was very important to us.”

Bottom line, by conventional standards CareerBuilder is doing nothing wrong and the company is clearly thinking about their target market instead of the vocal minority who object.

LOSER:

Folks, what is Starbucks doing?

In an apparent response to customer demand in the Northwest, some stores will be adding beer and wine to the menu in the evenings. It's good that they're rolling this out locally so that it need not become a nationwide debacle. Overall, though, this is a pretty bad idea.

'Marketing Doctor' John Tantillo's Winner and Loser of the Week: Children's Healthcare of Atlanta and Kodak

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 16:30:22 -0600

WINNER:

Recently Children's Healthcare of Atlanta in Georgia has been getting a lot of criticism for an ad campaign intended to fight childhood obesity. The campaign is called Strong4Life and features black-and-white photos of fat children with provocative taglines like: "It's hard to be a little girl if you're not" and "Why am I fat?"

Predictably, the self-esteem brigade and childhood psychology experts have come out and said that this kind of approach will only make things worse, but Children's Healthcare has fought back and refused to pull the ads. The organization's hope is to shock people into recognizing that we have a real epidemic on our hands and the sad fact that fat kids turn into fat adults and fat adults stay fat. The more we know about the physiology of weight loss, the more we know that the overweight really have the decks stacked against them when it comes to losing that weight. Basically, obese people are set up by their bodies to fail (for a really sobering take, read Tara Parker Pope's article in The New York Times. It's called "The Fat Trap").

Against this backdrop of reality and the fact that close to 1 million children are obese in Georgia, Strong4Life makes a lot of sense. Apparently many others think so too: the ads have received an 85% positive reaction --my guess, the target market knows better than the so-called experts that something really needs to be done for our kids and it needs to be done now. By the way, children aren't the target market here. The target market is the parents and it will be the parents who will be shaping their children's health and future. Bottom line, this is branding at its best: memorable, not afraid of ruffling some feathers and ultimately aiming to drive real action.My Fat Santa argument made me realize how hard it is to have people change habits and perceptions when it comes to food --it also made me realize how important it is to try. Well done Children's Healthcare of Atlanta!

LOSER:

Folks, what in the world has happened to Kodak? How can we possibly be witnessing bankruptcy for this venerable brand, this one-time photographic pioneer and powerhouse?

'Marketing Doctor' John Tantillo's Winner and Loser of the Week: Amazon Kindle Fire and the New York Times

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 10:00:29 -0600

WINNER:

Folks, almost 25 years ago, Apple made a mistake that led them into the wilderness for almost fifteen years. The mistake was to maintain strict control over their product lines and reject licensing of their technology. The result was the rise of the PC and Microsoft as the vast majority of consumers –the ones who weren’t the earlier adopters— went for the lower price point. Software developers focused their attention on the PC and the rest was history: the incredible expansion of desktop computing around the world and the increasingly narrow market for Apple devices.

Now I’m not saying that the same thing is happening to Apple today. After all, the company is much more powerful than it was back then and it has also likely learned a lot from that first experience. But, that said, you can’t underestimate the fact that while Apple evokes fierce devotion to its products, bottom line, it’s a competitive world and many people are going to be drawn to other devices, especially if the price is right. That’s why Amazon’s Kindle Fire tablet is our winner of the week.

Amazon announced that its sales of Kindle Fire quadrupled year-over-year on Black Friday.
Amazon has never announced actual unit sales numbers, but it’s likely that Amazon will have sold somewhere between 3 and 5 million by the time 2011 closes out. Apple is still clearly a leader. The company has sold over 39 million tablets since the iPad was launched in 2010, but they better be watching the rise of Amazon’s Kindle Fire. Sure, there are other tablets out there, but the brand lesson with this kind of technology is that at a certain point the majority of consumers –the one’s who haven’t gotten on board yet— enter the market and these are the people who balance the perceived value of a brand with the sticker price. That’s where companies like Dell took off during the PC boom. They were able to compete on price but also offer clear brand equity. That mixture is unbeatable. Amazon is in a similar position. They’re not just producing a generic tablet, they’re producing a branded tablet at prices much closer to a generic tablet. That’s the trick and my guess is that we’re going to see a lot more growth for Amazon in this area and shrinkage for Apple unless they decide to begin to compete head-to-head (something they didn’t do long ago and haven’t really done lately).

'Marketing Doctor' John Tantillo's Winner and Loser of the Week: General Motors and (Re) Brand USA

Mon, 14 Nov 2011 10:13:31 -0600

WINNER:

Folks, General Motors is our winner this week. It has continued to be a winner, ever since the spring of 2008 and the Federal bailout –despite all predictions to the contrary. I don’t want to blow my own horn here and frankly I can’t because my correct call on GM all the way back to that point has been based on one simple rule: people buy brands not companies. Investors buy companies, but people are in a relationship with brands and General Motors is a brand company. You are a Chevy buyer, a Cadillac buyer, etc.

The $7.1 billion dollars that GM has posted in profit so far this year is the direct result of the company’s focus on its brands. That’s right $7.1 billion dollars. End of story. We’re talking about a company that prior to 2008 had lost $82 billion and the global sales lead –well, it’s also gotten that back from Toyota. Here’s an earlier take on GM. I think in light of this past week’s news, it is definitely still worth a read.

'Marketing Doctor' John Tantillo's Winner and Loser of the Week: Dr. Pepper Ten and Oprah

Tue, 18 Oct 2011 16:23:45 -0600

WINNER:

Chalk up Dr. Pepper Ten as a real marketing winner this week. Why? The beverage company, the Dr. Pepper Snapple Group, has identified its Target Market for Dr. Pepper Ten and is doing everything to let them know this product is for them. The Target Market? Men only.

There's been a predictable outcry because of the perceived bias against women.
But bottom line, in everything from the packaging (gunmetal grey and silver bullets) to its ad campaign, Dr. Pepper Ten is both creating alot of free publicity by being controversial while cementing its brand. Here's a sample of the targeted advertising. In this spot a man is trying to pour Dr Pepper Ten while riding an ATV: "Hey ladies. Enjoying the film? Of course not. Because this is our movie and this is our soda. You can keep the romantic comedies and lady drinks. We're good."

Dr. Pepper Ten is also smart because it's addressing a real need in a still lucrative market. The soft drink industry is worth $74 billion per year, but sales have been declining. Health consciousness is part of the reason. Diet soda options are growing, but the problem is that taste is a issue for many consumers.

Dr. Pepper Ten got its name because it has ten calories some of which come from two grams of sugar --this addition of sugar to the diet drink supposedly addresses some of the taste issues while also overcoming some of the perception obstacles that diet sodas still have in men's minds. Dr. Pepper Ten's pointedly macho image is going to be advertised directly to its Target Market with spots during college football games on ESPN. And the Facebook page for the product offer applications that actually can exclude women.

Google's Display of Class and Humanity

Thu, 06 Oct 2011 11:49:44 -0600

In the ultimate sign of respect for the passing of a tech industry titan, Google's home page today features the simplest of epitaphs:

What makes it all the more meaningful is that Steve Jobs' name is hyperlinked to Apple's home page, rather than to Google's own compilation of news on Jobs' death—a noteworthy move for the Web company, which, of course, measures its success by tracking metrics such as click-throughs and time on site.

When reached for comment, the Google team shared this statement from Google Inc. Chairman and former Apple board member Eric Schmidt: "Today is very sad for all of us. Steve defined a generation of style and technology that's unlikely to be matched again. Steve was so charismatically brilliant that he inspired people to do the impossible, and he will be remembered as the greatest computer innovator in history."

'Marketing Doctor' John Tantillo's Winners and Loser of the Week: Google and Zagats and the 92nd Street Y

Wed, 21 Sep 2011 09:53:09 -0600

WINNER:

A little over a week ago, Google bought Zagats, probably one of the most esteemed restaurant review services around.

What a move!

Zagat is an essential tool for the serious restaurant goer, but in recent years the company has been fighting increasing competition and digital trends. Their iconic burgundy guidebook still sells robustly, but newer sites like Yelp and Open Table have been grabbing market share as consumers increasingly use locally-driven online services to navigate the restaurant terrain.

But with this unification of two brands, I think we’re going to see the excellence that is Zagat gain the great next generation advantage that is Google.

'Marketing Doctor' John Tantillo's Winner and Loser of the Week: Steve Jobs and Generic Tablets

Mon, 29 Aug 2011 11:41:13 -0600

WINNER:

Last week, Steve Jobs made the announcement that most knew was coming but few wanted to hear.

The man who more than anyone has shaped the technological landscape we live in had decided that it was time to step down from his role as CEO of Apple.

His statement was short and to the point, reassuring any who doubted it that Apple had a succession plan in place and was implementing it.

'Marketing Doctor' John Tantillo's Winner and Loser of the Week: News Corp. and McDonald's

Wed, 03 Aug 2011 09:22:42 -0600

WINNER:

News Corp. is our winner. Yes, News Corp. The embattled media powerhouse that Rupert Murdoch built into a stable of print and broadcast brands that span the globe is winning—no matter what so many commentators are saying.

'Marketing Doctor' John Tantillo's Winner and Loser of the Week: Amy Winehouse and Arnold Schwarzenegger

Thu, 28 Jul 2011 11:30:33 -0600

WINNER:

First, I have to clarify my take on this week’s winner Amy Winehouse.

There is no question that on a personal level, for her family and her friends, Ms. Winehouse’s death is utter tragedy. To see someone so young die is terrible under any circumstances, but to see someone so young and so talented destroy themselves like this… well, there’s nothing else to say. A truly great loss.

But just as all of us exist on a personal level, we also exist on a brand level. We are brands that are perceived a certain way by others. Ms. Winehouse was an entertainment and artistic brand.

And, folks, it is for this reason that her tragic story of self-destruction at a young age makes her a brand winner.

'Marketing Doctor' John Tantillo's Winner and Loser of the Week: Steve Buscemi and Netflix

Wed, 20 Jul 2011 08:32:06 -0600

WINNER:

Folks, actor Steve Buscemi has just received an Emmy nomination for lead actor. He plays Nucky Thompson on HBO’s hit show Boardwalk Empire.

But that’s not the reason he’s our winner this week.

Buscemi is our winner because he has consistently refused to fix his teeth.

'Marketing Doctor' John Tantillo's Winner and Loser of the Week: McDain's Restaurant and The Soap Opera

Tue, 12 Jul 2011 13:10:41 -0600

WINNER:

Folks, this week our winner is a Pennsylvania restaurant that made a courageous decision to honor its Target Market.

Mike Vuick, the owner of McDain’s Restaurant and Golf Center, decided that his customers deserved a peaceful, child-free environment. After July 16th, children six and under won’t be welcome.

'Marketing Doctor' John Tantillo's Winner and Loser of the Week: Nathan's Famous and Google

Tue, 05 Jul 2011 16:42:56 -0600

WINNER:

Folks, this week Nathan’s Famous is our winner.

Why? For its world-famous Fourth of July hot dog eating contest at Coney Island.

The event is so important for Nathan’s that it consumes most of its annual marketing budget.

Never was money so well spent.

'Marketing Doctor' John Tantillo's Winner and Loser of the Week: Chevrolet and The Hearst Corporation

Tue, 28 Jun 2011 15:56:52 -0600

WINNER:

Folks, I’ve never been a longtime critic of Super Bowl advertising on the grounds that advertising dollars can go a lot farther elsewhere, but let’s put that aside this week for Chevy.

Why the exception? Because General Motors is promoting the Chevy brand—not the company, not some kind of airy corporate, feel-good vision of itself—but the brand. In fact, promoting its individual car brands has helped drive GM’s remarkable recovery as a company. Something I argued would happen if it focused on its great brands.

This recovery will continue if Chevy’s recent, brand-focused move is any indication.

'Marketing Doctor' Winner and Loser of the Week: BeautifulPeople.Com and NBC

Tue, 21 Jun 2011 11:20:29 -0600

WINNER:

I have never come across a better example of a brand focusing on its Target Market and ignoring conventional public relations messaging to its benefit.

I’m talking about www.BeautifulPeople.com, a dating website for good-looking folks that says it only accepts the very best.

From its start, the website had faced heavy criticism for so-called discrimination as it vigorously rejected many applicants for not meeting its aesthetic standards. But last week, the brand was really put to the test when a hacker virus allowed 30,000 applicants who normally would be rejected to be accepted.

The company’s reaction was swift and harsh. Once the hack was discovered, the 30,000 were rejected.