Film & TV Effects on Opinions

Hey Class,

Thinking back to our PG&E (Pacific, Gas, and Electric) discussion that we had a while ago, I wonder how much the effects of film, tv, and other medias play in building our opinions of brands? For example, the movie Erin Brockovich, featured the chemical poisoning of hundreds of people in the state of California. After the release of the movie, how many people changed their opinions of the popular company?

Additionally, the Apple ad that Professor Fournier showed us about the new Mac and 1984, resounds the feelings and fears of most people around 1948. The fear of communism and the loss of individuality was so strong, that a novel was inspired. Does the emphasis of this theme play a vastly important role in the attitudes formed by those who orginally saw the Apple ad back in 1984?

Does real life and fiction alter what we think of the everyday? Do the marketing messages that we receive become skewed when we can use real life examples to form our opinions?

I'd be interested to hear your thoughts!

~Katie David

Can Branding help to mitigate the risks of the Pharmaceutical industry?

There is an article today in the N.Y. Times, "FDA says Bayer failed to reveal drug risk study," that makes me think about the importance of branding. Particularly in the Pharmaceutical industry, branding seems of the utmost importance. Companies face constant risk- the threat of competition or even lawsuits as new product info becomes known and discoveries are made. Branding, if done properly, may be able to help mitigate some of the risks involved in this industry, by helping to retain customer’s loyalty even in the face of crisis. But the question is, is it harder to build a brand in this industry? An industry where many people chose their products based on price: choosing a generic or store brand over a recognized label. Plus there is the added difficulty of insurance for prescription products, since insurance policy's automatically shift the consumer from the name brand to a cheaper generic version of the product once it becomes available.

Just something to think about.

- Berit Auerbach-Lynn

Ford

I would like to talk about the Ford brand. Ford is a legendary American company, but its financial performance worsens every quarter. Page 16 of the September 11 Brandweek has an interesting article that highlights poor decisions made by the now former president/CEO Bill Ford. For example, he failed to execute his plan to launch Ford as a green company. Seems like the firm is analyzing any and all options, willing to do anything to improve its brand image as well as profitability.

The September 25 Brandweek highlights Ford on the front cover as well as page 6. Ford is locked into launching its new Expedition, but the market for SUVs is now miniscule, according to the numbers. However, the article states that the market will never disappear. The firm has decreased its marketing budget considerably, but it still spends, and it must "spend enough to maintain awareness." Or does it? I'm really not sure what Ford should do in terms of marketing. Should it cut costs (both marketing and supply chain) completely, or perhaps go all out? Or is there another completely different marketing strategy it can employ? Why is Ford image so poor right now and what is the underlying problem both in terms of branding and the firm as a whole?

I've also learned that Ford makes most, if not all, of its money from service revenue. How can the firm once again sell cars profitably? What should be brand management's next move?

-Robert Cusumano

Capital Pacific Trust case

Hey class,

Well I just wanted to comment on the class today about Security Capital Pacific Trust case. I agree that it was a great idea for the company to create a brand for their company. When professor Fournier said that they changed their name to ArchStone I realized I use to live on one of their properties for two years here in Boston (2000 Commonwealth Ave) near Boston College.

The people at BC consider Archstone as one of the premier properties near their school. As Kihn said in class about the extra services they offer are still being implemented in the building. The building has a coffee lounge downstairs at the lobby where tenants can hang around and watch television on two plasma TVs. They also have a few computers downstairs where the tenants can print and go online and fax for no extra charge.

I have to admit they do charge relatively high for rent but with all the amenities it is well worth it. Secondly the turn over in that building is relatively low. It’s about two years and it is always full.

I just wanted to comment because I found it cool… Oh and Jin-Kyu lives there as well. (For you guys who dont know hes in our class)

Jose Espino

Should marketers tap into "un-pc" markets?

Hi Everyone!

I came across an article in this week's BrandWeek that posed a very interesting question. The article, "Marketers Quiet about Their Faith-Based Efforts," is on pg. 9 for all those who want to take a look.

The article points out something that I was not previously aware of: Many of the large companies that we are familiar with sponsor religious events, but do so very quietly. The reason, as most of you can guess, that companies do not want to necessarily advocate these efforts is because they could potentially lose the other portion of their target market that does not agree with these practices.

The article also points out, however, that 44% of the United States population, is considered "church-going," which is a very large market that companies could use targeted advertising to reach. And, many foreign markets, though it doesn't mentioned it here, hold even a larger population of people who hold strong beliefs in a particular religion, and often times it is a population primarily devoted to the same religion.

I wanted to ask you, therefore, what you all think about using religion as a marketing tool and whether it is a good idea or very dangerous.

I personally, believe that it can hold some benefits, but in the long run may prove to be far less effective overall than an advertisement that appeals to a greater number of individuals.

-Carolina Ibarrola

When does a product line "brand" you?

I've known about this for some time but overlooked it. It wasn't until recently I've noticed in magazines and television commercials that a product line such as Garnier Hair products or Revlon Cosmetics will advertise a brand and position it so that consumers buy not only the product they are advertising, but also the products that work best with by the same company. You may notice it at the end of a commercial or in the corner of an ad where the company sticks in the other products that work best with said shampoo/eye-shadow. Example being: Noxemma skin care distributes age-reduction creams that offer its best effects if used in conjunction with other noxemma products from that product line. You end up going to CVS or Shaws and purchasing 3 or 4 products by Noxemma that all lend a hand in the ultimate effect of reducing wrinkles and signs of aging from your face (or arms, legs, or any epidermus hehe).

The question I pose is, as titled, at what point does a product line "brand" you as one of their loyal consumers, recognized by others as a user of a specific product line? I myself am sort of an Axe person. I own the shower gel, spray, and their stick deoderant. Am I an "Axe Guy" or just some sucker for the great smells that Axe delivers? You decide.

To answer my own question, I think that when you use two or more products by the same company to get the same effect you desire, you are "branded." It could be anything, from Handyman Tools to Champion Sports Equipment. What'ya think?

-Alex Zucker

Connecting with Customers to Build Brand Equity

Hi Class,

I just recently came across a very interesting article on CNNMoney.com, "10 Breakway Brands."

Last week we discussed different methods companies use determine the strength of a particular brand and throughout the semester we have been discussing brand strength and its importance. This article specifically addresses the importance of "hitting home" with your audience and how this can translate into brand equity by allowing a company to stand out against its competitors.

I personally feel that if marketers cannot make an impact on their target market, than all the marketing dollars that may have been spent to produce an ad or launch a particular promotion or campaign are worthless. Furthermore, I believe that if consumers feel a particular brand can create meaning in their life they are more apt to purchase, such as was the case with the brands that the three women felt so strongly about.

The article also discusses the implementation of Young & Rubicam's BrandAsset Valuator, which we discussed in class and how the New York consultancy, BrandEconomics calculates brand value, and how these tests yielded valuable insight into the brand equity of various companies.

One of the points that I found interesting was that one of the reasons iPod has generated such brand loyalty is the experience provided by the apple store itself and cites other examples of other ways that companies, such as Robitussin and Dove, have "reached out" to it's consumers.

Carolina C. Ibarrola

Can Real Estate Companies be Branded?

Hey everyone,
I wanted to talk about our upcoming case about branding a real estate company and relate it to an article I read in the September 18th issue of Brandweek on page 6, “Real Estate Companies Ready for Their Close-Up”. The case we have to read for Tuesday is about a real estate company that deals with owning and managing property that wants to differentiate their company by adding brand value to its name. They work on finding out what their customers needs are with focus groups and surveys, and try to figure out what the best way is to brand their company.
The article in Brandweek is how one real estate company, One Scottsdale, managed to accomplish a luxurious brand for themselves. As Marshal Cohen, Chief industry analyst with the NPD group, quoted in the article says “real estate developers are realizing they must market themselves as brands.”
Coming from a family of real estate developers, it would be weird to see my father’s company as a branded one. Real estate never seemed to me as something differentiated like a household brand. However, One Scottsdale has a different idea about it, which surprised me about the industry as a whole. By sponsoring fashion shows, they added a fashion-focused sense to their company, allowing for upscale, and luxury outlook on their property. “Playing up the fashion connection is about finding an immediate point of connection with the buyer as something that distinguishes the property in the market place”. I think this is a very creative way for a simple company to excite their customers about they are selling to you – not only property and management, but also fashion and high class status.
I really like their entire idea, and excites me to maybe one day brand my father’s company into something as creative and exciting as theirs.

Sandra Sanieoff

Brandweek, Vol. XLVII NO 33, September 18, 2006

Hitting the Road with Brands in Tow

Hey class,

I found a really interesting article this morning on NYTimes.com. The article, titled Hitting the Road with Brands in Tow, explains an original, popular marketing strategy called Experimental Marketing. Marketers are taking branding projects on the road to cities nationwide. Such events, like the Ocean Spray "Cranberry Bog" and the Advertising Council's "Feelin Groovy Tour," are designed to allow marketers to bring the brands into the consumer’s lives and put a face to a product or brand. This type of marketing has proven to be effective because consumers can choose to participate or not and allows for an interactive experiment or hands-on opportunity to use the product.

I feel that Experimental Marketing can be particularly effective to drown out the noise that is associated with today's marketing strategies. Rather than bombarding the market with unnecessary drivel, Experimental Marketing enables to consumer to interact with a product in a new and creative way. Beth Rice, Executive VP and Director of Arnold Worldwide, explains, “An event has to be an honest, authentic, expression of a brand campaign,” and Experimental Marketing can provide just that.

To check out the article go to: http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/20/business/media/20adco.html?ref=media

-Samantha Bichler

Posting a Comment

Hi Everyone.

Professor Fournier has gotten a couple of questions concerning posting a comment.
So here's the deal:

ANYONE can post a comment on any post they would like to. You do not need to sign on to our blogger screenname (mk487a1) in order to post a comment (although you DO need to if you decided you would like to post a blog). If you look at the image (I'm sorry it's so small), you can see that you are given three choices of how to comment. You can comment through our screenname (if you are signed on), through "other" (which allows you to put a name and hyperlink onto the name), and "anonymous" (which is pretty self-explanatory). I recommend that you use the "Other" feature so that you can leave your name on the comment, so that people know who you are and professor Fournier can give you credit for participating.

I also changed the comment moderation setting, so the comments will not have to go through me in order to be posted.

To test this out, if you have any questions about posting (comments or blogs), uploading photos (through blogger or a URL), and hyperlinking, try and comment here!

Coca Cola`s image in Europe

I was kindly surprised in one of our first classes, when we discussed Coke`s image in the United States. I already knew that brands often have different meanings in different countries, especially between globalized and non-globalized economies, but I had never thought that the most important brand of the world (in my opinion) could have a different image on each side of the Atlantic Ocean (US vs Europe).

In US, Coke is a symbol of American culture. Represents tradition, family, makes you feel like home, how it acquired relevance during Worl War II… all those things we said in class. On the contrary, what we feel for Coke in Europe is actually more comparable to Pepsi`s American image. Coke in Europe is like a universal feeling. Now matter who you are or where you are, Coke´s always there for you. Combines both tradition and youth, modernity, friendship, different cultures, fun, music, even sports… it could be the symbol of “the new generation”; just what Pepsi means in the States… And although we also drink it at home sometimes, usually is more like a social act. You meet with your friends to have a Coca-Cola; means you meet to chat and share some time together, while you drink your Coke…

It allows different people to get closer, to share experiences and feelings. One example that I would like to share with you, which illustrates what I´m trying to explain, is a commercial that’s was shown in Spain last year. It was created in Argentina, and won several awards. It has been adapted in many countries, although I believe not in US. It is in Spanish, but I think you`ll get the idea. I can translate the script for you if you`re interested. It`s name is “For everyone”
For him, for her. For families, for those who live alone. For writers, for clowns, for optimists, for cautious,… Definetely, it is my favorite commercial. Hope you enjoy it!

Just paste the link in your browser: http://www.youtube.com/watch.php?v=vlKjNonzFUU

Lorena Roque

Will E. coli kill the brand?

Now that the deadly E. coli outbreak has been traced back to Natural Food Selections LLC, the question remains: How much will this damage their brand? Although they are making serious disaster relief efforts: stopping the shipment of their spinach, voluntarily recalling any products with their spinach, and issuing a refund or replacement coupons to consumers for tossed-out spinach products, will this be enough to keep consumers trust in their brand?

Also, since this company's spinach is sold under many brands including Earthbound Farm, Dole, Green Harvest, Natural Selection Foods, Rave Spinach, Ready Pac and Trader Joe’s, how will this tragedy affect these brands?

I guess it remains to be seen. - Berit Auerbach-Lynn

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14841731/
Article on msnbc on Saturday Sept. 16

Coca Cola-ish Mistake committed by Facebook

Hey class, as a total facebook fiend, I just wanted to comment on how the new mini-news story feed function on facebook really reminded me of the Coca Cola mistake we studied in class. I'm sure all of you who have facebook have either noticed this function and the letter from Mark Zuckerberg (the creator of Facebook) apologizing for the lack of privacy controls in this function.

I don't know what you all feel but personally I feel that the function was pretty in sync to what the meaning of the Facebook brand and can't really understand the uproar agaisnt it. Afterall, the meaning of the facebook brand was originally about being able to connect with friends, search for people you want to be friends with, and being available to be friended. Thus, I thought it was rather odd that so many users were angered by the upgrade in Facebook functions that only served to reinforce its original meaning...

Any other comments? I'd love to hear your thoughts! :-)
--Dave