Red Nose Day is Smart

The idea is simple, purchase a red nose and support charity, somehow they injected the idea of humor in there (which is a little bit lost in translation, other than the fact that clowns wear red noses).

It’s cute, it’s viral, and it is genius!

This smart campaign is the project of Walgreen’s, coupled with additional partners who have vowed to donate a portion of sales of select products.

Walgreen’s is rocking the cause marketing strategy, by pairing the campaign with a viral hashtag, consumer contents, celebrity endorsements and huge charitable investors.  Proceeds benefit 12 charities that support anti-poverty measures worldwide.

Cause marketing never ceases to be a great marriage of corporate brands and their human side. Even better is the power that big corporate brands have to leverage both their own and their customer’s resources to conduct good works. The positive publicity certainly never hurt anyone either. It’s really a win win for all. Check it out at rednoseday.org

McMillenials

Are we seeing the end of an era? The era of cheap, fast burgers that is…

Probably not, but in 60 years McDonalds has seen some better times than they are now. Even though the fast food giant has a worldwide presence, it has been noticeably slipping into stagnation for some time now.

Some experts have looked to millenials as a driving force behind the shift, however there is a list other factors may be the culprit as well…

Blame it on a more selective customer base perhaps. People have options, and they will pick the best one based on more than just low cost. Taste, customizability, variety and dining experience can all influence a customer’s choice in fast food.

Blame it on the negative attention the food has received in the past few years. The burger literally did not rot! People want to see actual food in their food.

Another good bet at the demise is that more fast food and casual dining options are offering fresh, quality ingredients, and some go as far as to offer locally sourced or organic produce. Many consumers are looking for healthier and fresher options, in addition to being quick and affordable.

One thing is for certain though, McD’s has poured a good deal of energy into marketing; Snapchat, Twitter, Facebook, social videos, sponsoring events like SXSW. Certainly building this sort of visibility is the way of attracting a new age of customers, but is it a way of actually getting them to eat the food?

We all scream for…

When people complain that the world isn’t as pure as it used to be they aren’t kidding…

Even eating ice cream these days is really risky business.

It started with the initial Blue Bell recalls, then they pulled all of their products and have said it will take at least two weeks to restock stores.

A second brand, Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams, has voluntarily recalled products now as well.

It’s a huge ordeal, and can be fatal for consumers. It can also mean serious consequences for both the brand and its execs if the crisis isn’t managed well.

Blue Bell has such loyalty it’ll be hard to think that this will affect them in the long-term. For the time being, these brands have to be extremely sensitive, compliant and avoid any imperial entanglements.

Let me tell you a story about a girl named Lily

Remember all the #LilyforTarget haters last month?

Literally all they did was stir up endless pr and conversation, and Target sat back, gloated and watched.

…Then on opening day a frenzy erupted.

Internet trolls can say what they will, but the whole campaign was a success from start to finish.

The collab with Target didn’t “cheapen” the Lily Pulitzer brand, as many of the critics of the line complained.

The reality is that Lily Pulitzer isn’t an exclusive brand GASP (sorry trolls). It’s not unique or exclusive to buy a seasonal print that literally millions of other women with a little extra cash can buy too. Go buy an Aliah or something…

Designer brands have partnered with Target and other box retailers before, think Phillip Lim, Isaac Mizrahi, Vera Wang, the list goes on. Even better, Target has plans to collaborate with other amazing designers like Marc Jacobs, Diane Van Furstenberg and Tory Burch.

The gem about the Target brand is it’s identity tension. Target is known for high quality goods at an affordable cost. ie. their tagline Expect More, Pay Less. It’s what has set the store apart from its competitors, and keeps an array of shoppers coming back for more. It’s working!

Woman On Top: 4 Retailers That Are Killing It on Social Media

Storytelling in retail is an essential component to influencing buying power. In today’s age, with so many diverse channels, digital storytelling is limitless, and also essential for collecting a niche array of shoppers.

The most timeless brands have illustrated, not necessarily who their customer may be, but who their customer wants to be; how they want to feel, how they imagine their reality, how they perceive their value.

Presenting: four brands are killing it at the internet game! (in the highly-competitive ladies apparel market)

NastyGal 

Best medium: Facebook

She’s an edgy, eclectic spitfire with an array of funky shoes and sheer kimonos to match. Sure, some of the clothes may be a bit fussy for the average woman with a desk job, but Nasty Gal is the ultimate dream of non-conventional flare.

Tigermist

Best medium: Instagram

Not a day goes by that landlocked city-dewellers have not wished for a carefree life soaking  up the sun. What works even better is that the sister-duo that founded the brand are personally intertwined with the social media content, which makes for a very intimate and really genuine flow.

Daily Chic

Best medium: Pinterest

Feminine and classic. Daily chic delivers effortless, put-together looks to thousands across the Pinterest-sphere. What’s even more indulgent is that their pins aren’t just clothes, they have cultivated a lifestyle; food, home decor, fitness, even weddings!

Anthropologie

Best medium: Twitter

Think outside the box…retailer. Always dainty and eclectic, but with useful and relevant content: recipes, home decor ideas, how to articles, tips, random musings. The content and imagery has a very earthy, ethereal feel.

American Apparel: No THOTs allowed

Remember when American Apparel was your favorite spot to buy the same unitard in 8 different colors?

The tumultuous rebranding and internal conflict that the company is facing stems from  a leaked casting ad calling for “real models” and not “Instagram hoes or thots*”

That’s not very nice! Professionalism points have dropped a bit for the AA team.

* In case you aren’t down with the most current female-degrading language, Thot is an acronym for “that hoe over there”

Internet killed the Radio Shack

The 94 year old retailer slims down, so to speak, this time (luckily for them) not in relevancy…

Radio Shack has always been the place to find things like really specific hearing aid batteries for your grandma, or  random the obscure cord needed to connect the cable box in the spare bedroom. Apparently selling those items doesn’t necessarily pay the bills.

A hedge fund investment group called Standard General has stepped in to salvage the wreckage of the Radio Shack bankruptcy fiasco. The takeover calls for a reevaluation of the retailer’s position in an over-saturated marketplace. What this means is a rethought strategy for mapping stores, and a leaner, albeit more targeted, offering of products.

What is the lesson here? There are several.

Radio Shack let the internet world sneak attack. It’s a competitive world for tech products these days. In an age of endless online commerce with next day shipping, convenience and competitive cost have many times overshadowed brick and mortar convenience.

Plus their offerings were too much. A good guess would be that it is pricey to keep so many items in stock.

Kudos to their strong social media presence, but even that can only go so far; because sometimes brand presence is and isn’t enough.

On one side, brand recognition is what has floated the company for quite sometime. Radio Shack is a recognized name, and has earned consumer trust throughout the years. This will be great in the coming months in rural markets, where people still rely on the store their go-to place for electronic accessories.

On the flip side, recognition hasn’t been enough, or they wouldn’t have filed for bankruptcy. Because in this case, consumer trust didn’t always equal loyalty and sales. You can promote all day long, but if people aren’t buying what you promote, then it is a little like the definition of insanity (or negative ROI induced panic).

We all have to reconnect with our purpose. Radio Shack, in its heyday, had a niche…and then it didn’t.

Sometimes you just need a little revamp. It’s like the summer between 8th and 9th grade, everyone comes back to school a head taller and with blossoming bosoms, better hair cuts and trendier clothes.

WaPo said it first…

In other news, an article in the Washington Post on April 6 declared Rob the most “tragic” Kardashian. Ouch!

It’s pretty much #theworst to be voted “most tragic” in any category…

Apparently, it is possible to make something out of nothing. And this family continues to make news, simply by appearing places…Or in Rob’s case, not appearing places.

Pretty sure we can all still agree that Kris is the ultimate publicist.

 

 

PetSmart “Partners in Pethood” Campaign is Genius

The large pet supply retailer, PetSmart, launched a campaign for literal “pet parents”. The campaign features targeted marketing, TV ads and series of Youtube videos that really delve into the culture of pet parenting, and not only alone, but in a cohabitational setting. It’s genius, albeit a little creepy, and it feeds into everyone’s inner cat lady.

Using words like “children” to describe pets certainly is one tactic for attracting a certain demographic. And as the gap widens between the haves and have-nots-of raising actual human offspring, it is a particularly smart tactic to market to those who coddle their furry friends.

(Note that some of the Youtube videos are a tad long, but they have had a decent number of views. You can view them here.)

Comcast: anti-trust gone bust?

As of late, the possible Comcast buyout of Time Warner Cable has raised the eyebrows of critics who argue that the merger would corrupt the market place, reducing competition and inevitably raising cable prices for consumers. Still, numerous groups have spoken in favor of the conglomerate. Americans love a good primetime drama with solid conflict…

Will it work out? Comcast has sure thrown a good chunk of resources at trying to get it pushed through, which if it pans out will all make it worth it.

The greater lesson here is that consumers will have to weigh the ethical value of accepting businesses that get what they want by very ferociously and publicly buying their way into a monopoly. Mergers happen all of the time, perhaps we just just roll with it?

Let us know your thoughts!