Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Stop, Think, and Just Be

Turn of your ever present cell phone. Walk away from your computer. Unplug the earphones. Put down the magazine. Go to a quiet place away from people and just be. Don't worry, the world wont end if you miss a call or don't reply to a Tweet or email within 10 seconds. Now think. That brain of yours is still way more powerful than all your little digital devices combined. Fire up the grey matter - old school style without the use of a computer. Let me know what happens next.

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Quote Of The Week

"Often people attempt to live their lives backwards; they try to have more things, or more money, in order to do more of what they want, so they will be happier. The way it actually works is the reverse. You must first be who you really are, then do what you need to do, in order to have what you want." ~ Margaret Young

Friday, November 19, 2010

Fighting Off Commoditization

I always ask new clients "what makes you different." And, after they answer, I ask "no, really?"

When it comes to marketing strategies, if yours is not different than it is not strategic. It has been my experience that most large consumer brand marketers get so close to their brands and business that they lose perspective. They fail to see themselves as others do. It reminds me of the movie "Dead Poets Society" when Robin Williams asks his students to stand on their desks - he says "I stand upon my desk to remind myself that we must constantly look at things in a different way."

I believe the primary method for companies to fight off commoditization is to take a deeper look at consumer behavior and innovate around that - as opposed to putting on the blinders and trying to innovate around constantly developing new products and services. After all, brands cannot change consumer behavior until they truly understand it.

Part of the problem is that all too often we marketers focus on busy work and media plans and deadlines - we take zero time to step away from the laptop, the phone, the Facebook and Twitter pagers to just THINK. Remember thinking?

In summary, the first step to fighting off commoditization is to take the time to think and look at your brand from a new perspective - in other words, stand on your desk.

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Quote Of The Week

"I don't judge a man by how low he falls but how high he bounces when he hits bottom." - General George Patton

Monday, November 15, 2010

Why Surfing Matters


Face it, most people that wear clothes from brands like Quiksilver, Billabong, Reef, etc. have never been on a surfboard - and most never will.

However, like most apparel brands, these too are worn to make a statement by the consumer. In this case the statement is "I respect and enjoy the lifestyle of surfing." And, if these consumers are not surfers themselves perhaps they aspire to be. "Aspiration" is a key element in any action sports marketing efforts - let alone those that involve surfing. The lifestyle of surfing asks "you wanna be like me?, wanna look like me?, wanna live on a beach like me?, wanna a girlfriend that looks like mine (nod to Kelly Slater)?..." Then buy that Quiksilver shirt hanging right there. And, just like that, you're in the club. You don't need to live anywhere near a beach to participate in the culture of surfing - as long as you wear the right clothes. Right? Well, as far as the business of surfing is concerned, that statement might be true, but so many people are missing out on the sport of surfing. And this need not be the case - you can surf at any age and you need very little equipment to get started. It's all about you and a board. That's it. (yes, you need access to the ocean or a wave machine)

Think about it: there are no sports where one singular athlete must be more in tune with mother nature than in surfing (my opinion). Yes, that sounds a bit "hippie-ish" but surfing is only possible with the cooperation of the waves - the act of surfing itself is a result of a profound connection between man (or woman) and nature. No waves = no sport. Period.

I predict that surfing will start to matter more as young people continue to embrace individualism and prefer sports such as snowboarding over skiing. Anyway, I hope that will be the case. Who knows, maybe selling "surf brands" at Target and Kohls will actually positively impact this trend?

Don't You Forget It, Son.

The Art of Movie Trailers

Movie trailers represent one of the most important (if not THE most) elements of the marketing of any film. The trailer has to reveal the primary story-points without giving too much away. Often, you will see trailers that seem to reveal the entire plot. Usually this is a sign that the film is weak. The trailer below has a few flaws - the primary one being very uninspiring music. It makes no impact - and adds nothing to the experience the trailer is trying to impart on the viewer. But the film has J. Depp in it. So, it can't be that bad - right?

PS: Little known fact to movie goers: Most studios "outsource" the creation of their trailers to agencies.

PSS: Embed code didn't work. So, go here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9iXHDFqI7qk

Friday, November 12, 2010

Quote of The Week


"Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future." - John F. Kennedy

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Why Better Business Models Matter

Anyone that has ever worked with me can tell you that I'm a stickler about "business models." In fact, I often bring the room down with my insistence that every marketing concept or advertising campaign we create must seamlessly align with our clients' business model - not just their "brand position."

Most importantly, we must keep in mind that the strategies that we develop for our clients must deliver a real and measurable competitive advantage - and thereby positively impact business models. I truly believe that "if it's not different than it's not strategic." About 10 years ago, Gary Hamel wrote about this in his excellent book "Leading The Revolution." A specific example he refers to involved Jon Ives, then current head industrial designer at Apple. When Jon made a commitment to introducing aesthetics into his process to launch the iMac, PC's were among the ugliest products in use. Mac's simply looked different and more elegant than PC's. Soon, this seemingly basic factor became a huge level of differentiation for Apple and became both a key component of their brand and their business model. This different approach has continued to this day - through the launch of the iPod, iPhone and most recently the iPad.

The point: A Business Model isn't just about how your company makes money - it must take into account what makes your products and/or services different, valuable, useful and in-demand. I've spent many years helping to make consumers aware of and ultimately purchase products and services. Along the way, I have challenged some of my clients revenue models, efficiency, uniqueness, and perceptions of their business in general. I do this because all these things make for better business models.

It seems to me that in the rush to launch so many new mobile companies of late, a mentality of "we'll figure out the business model later" persists. Of course, that is lunacy - but we live in impatient times filled with short attention span consumers. My advice is to put every major component of your business model under a magnifying glass - not just those that make you money. Assume the leadership and courage to ask yourself "what makes my business and my brand different?" Then after you are satisfied with that answer ask yourself, "no really?"

Kelly Slater on Winning #10