I keep reading about all these retailers (and being subjected to their marketing) who are totally trying to spin the economic crisis. And really, who can blame them? The most interesting ones are the seemingly "luxury" items who are still trying to get you to part with your money.A WSJ article recently talked about some UK retailers who are using the term "credit crunch" in their advertising - and … [Read more...]

I once had a sales rep at a start up say to me, "Why can't we do ads like the UPS guys? They just have a guy and a whiteboard - how expensive could that be?" I responded with a gaping mouth and mumbling something about paying Union dues and getting permits, but I'm sure it fell on deaf ears. Folks not in advertising have no idea how much good production and media buys cost. But that is not their … [Read more...]

Have you become addicted to the AMC original series, Mad Men yet? If you love advertising and you love drama, you should. I recently caught up with Season 1 on Comcast On Demand. This is a juicy peek into the marketing (and personal) machinations of a 1960's fictional ad agency, Sterline Cooper. The best parts of where they are in creative strategy discussions about everything from cigarettes to … [Read more...]

From the "you can't make this stuff up" file, I read about Chinese advertisers spending hordes of money on ad campaigns starring Chinese Olympic athletes and their parents. Hawking everything from milk to baby products, these ads are embracing the Chinese value of family loyalty. Smiling athletes pose with proud Mom and Dad as headlines float behind them in billboards, TV spots and the like. … [Read more...]

Nine times...ok, maybe eight....out of ten, you might not have a marketing problem but a communication problem.The more years I spend in marketing, the more I realize the following truths are repeated over and over again. And yes, guilty as charged on some occasions:1) Marketing does not ask their customers why they have chosen their product and then has to guess when crafting website copy, … [Read more...]

The current "green" fad is such a great cause that I can hide my cringing on how it is being beat to death by marketers (Discovery's new Planet Green channel? Come'on.) I mean, whatever it takes to save the planet, right? So how about doing something creative with your next marketing event to show your love for Mother Earth?Recently, I read that the Democratic Convention organizers have been … [Read more...]

And you wonder why Public Relations gets a bad rap.PR is really about making sure the truth of your story surfaces clearly and is heard. The dark side of it could be seen as spinning lies for the benefit of greedy shareholders and fat cat executives, but I prefer to see the nobleness in this always-hated-but-first-to-get-blamed-when-things-don't-look-so-good profession.I read today that Karen … [Read more...]

Seems the strongest brands can stay alive after death. What comes to mind when you hear massage chairs and ionic air purifiers? Ah, Sharper Image. Many a bored Saturdays were spent meandering around those stores and testing gadgets. But alas, the chain went bankrupt.But wait...don't count them out. According to the WSJ, Two of the country's largest retail liquidators (Hilco and Gordon Brothers) … [Read more...]

Welcome to Red Slice Brand Slice! In this blog, I hope to open a dialogue with you about branding and marketing and what makes it work. I'll share interesting tidbits, talk about cool - or not so cool - marketing ideas I've seen, and solicit feedback on how you are using the tenets of brand - of your core juice, your very essence - to deliver a holistic experience to your customers that extends … [Read more...]