The world was buzzing when the new iPhone launched, but surprise…some of that buzz wasn’t authentic.
Remember all those lines of people waiting outside retail stores, sometimes sleeping there overnight, to get their hands on a precious new iPhone on the first day it launched? Turns out, not all of those people were truly salivating for a new iPhone.
According to an article on The Register, mobile carrier Orange Poland paid actors to line up outside its 20 stores throughout Poland to, “warm up the atmosphere around the launch of the iPhone.”
This is unfortunate for Apple whose customers are typically considered loyal and even called fanatical. To hear their beloved brand needed to hire actors to pretend they were interested in the company’s newest “it” product is not good. While I don’t think the news will ultimately hurt Apple sales, it does leave a bad taste in one’s mouth where the integrity of the brand is concerned, even if the actors were hired by Orange Poland, not Apple.
The new Radiance line from Procter & Gamble’s Downy Simple Pleasures is a perfect example of branding, package design and advertising/marketing support that works in unity to create a consistent and compelling message. It also differentiates the products in the line not just in package appearance but also in brand perception. Let’s take a look…
First, check out the package design that is not only unique and stands out on a store shelf, as Beth Nori from The Dieline can attest to in her post on the subject, but also creates a clear brand image. There is no doubt this package is meant to communicate upscale and luxurious indulgence.
I thought I’d share a link to a great presentation that’s been online for awhile now, but I’m finally getting around to writing about. It’s called The Brand Gap - How to Bridge the Distance between Business Strategy and Design by Marty Neumeier.
This presentation does a great job of explaining what branding is to the non-branding professional and reminds even the most seasoned branding pros what branding is all about. Take a look below.
Time for another brand extension, and this time it’s the cooking competition show Iron Chef extending to the world of video games in the new Iron Chef America: Supreme Cuisine coming for the Nintendo Wii in September 2008.
Iron Chef joins another popular cooking show, Hell’s Kitchen, in extending to the Nintendo Wii market. I haven’t played Hell’s Kitchen, but I’d imagine if you like either of these shows, you’d enjoy the video games, too. In fact, if the games are good, it sounds like a good brand extension.
So what do you think? Will you take a break and try a game of Iron Chef America: Supreme Cuisine when it debuts this fall? Actually, it sounds like a great holiday gift idea.
Check out my new article on Entrepreneur.com, Appeal to Consumers’ Five Senses, to learn how to write compelling copy that uses descriptive words to appeal to consumers’ five senses of smell, touch, taste, sight and sound.
Stimulating consumers’ senses through effective copywriting is a powerful way to compel them to action. Coupled with appealing to emotional triggers and using strong benefits language, copy that targets the five senses can breakthrough the advertising clutter that consumers are bombarded with each day.
My book, Kick-ass Copywriting in 10 Easy Steps, will be released in September and discusses writing copy to appeal to the senses in more detail as well as how your copy can affect your brand. It can be pre-ordered now through Amazon, Barnes & Noble and other online and brick-and-mortar bookstores.
If you’d like to learn more about the marketing behind the Harry Potter brand and the potential for other brands to repeat in Harry Potter’s footsteps, stop by and listen.
A big hat tip to one of my favorite bloggers, Prescott Perez-Fox for writing an absolutely hilarious post about a new video that’s become quite viral from College Humor where fonts become people.
You can see the video below, then check out Prescott’s take on things, which is sure to make branding and design people laugh even harder (warning, expletives included).
I think I like Wingdings the most. How about you? Leave a comment and share your favorite, mailbox. ;)
The book explores the marketing and branding of Harry Potter, how it grew to such a success and answers the question of whether or not that success can be duplicated.
Whether or not you’re a Harry Potter fan doesn’t matter. If you’re interested in learning how a children’s fantasy book grew to be a global phenomenon and the ultimate branding success story, then you’ll enjoy this book.
I’m very excited to publish an interview I was lucky enough to get with branding expert Larry Vincent, Siegel+Gale (part of the Omnicom Group Inc.) Group Director of Strategy in Los Angeles. Larry was kind enough to answer my questions related to the Olympics and how companies use the Olympics to further their brands. Following is my interview with Larry.
Brandcurve: What brand (or brands) do you think is doing a particularly good job of leveraging the 2008 Summer Olympics to promote their brand and why?
Larry Vincent: Adidas has done a very good job. Though at first controversial to many because outsiders thought the nationalistic imagery was pandering, it’s a great example of a brand finding a voice in a special market. The brand work (not just the advertising) really celebrates the Games and the aspirations of the host country.
The first Blog Action Day was held in 2007 and was an overwhelming success with over 20,000 blogs participating and generating a lot of buzz about the topic of the environment. The 2008 Blog Action Day topic has been announced as poverty. On October 15, 2008, bloggers from around the world will join together to publish posts about world poverty to help draw awareness, possibly donations and more.
If you’re not familiar with Blog Action Day it’s a nonprofit event where bloggers sign up on the Blog Action Day website committing to write about the chosen topic (poverty for 2008) on Blog Action Day (this year it’s October 15th). You can help to promote Blog Action Day by writing about it on your blog in advance of October 15th and publishing one of the Blog Action Day badges or banners on your blog.
You can follow the link to see the list of blogs that have already signed up to participate in Blog Action Day 2008 and register your own blog.
The world was buzzing when the new iPhone launched, but surprise…some of that buzz wasn’t authentic. 
Time for another brand extension, and this time it’s the cooking competition show 
I’m very excited to publish an interview I was lucky enough to get with branding expert Larry Vincent, 
Recent Comments