Recently I attended a BC Chapter of the American Marketing Association breakfast meeting to hear what an advertising agency panel had to say about strategies for 2011. Judging by the 300+ people in the room at an early hour, the promise of a sage on the stage to enlighten was attractive. It could also be that many are both anxious and excited about the changes unfolding. … [Read more...]
Starbucks moves ‘beyond coffee’ with new logo
Today Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz announced a new logo for the company. Noticeably absent are the words "Starbucks coffee." In fact there are no words at all - just the simplistic siren mermaid graphic in green within a circle. It perhaps signals a move not unlike when Apple Computers became just Apple. That simplification signaled a move beyond computers. This too seems to … [Read more...]
Marketing faces a year of major changes in 2010
5 predictions for marketing in 2010: 1. Digital will continue grow. It hardly seems to be going out on a limb to forecast that one; however, the degree to which it will take over our lives will be considerable. Marketing is a lagging indicator. Forrester Research estimates our TV viewing at 35% of entertainment time. Currently 31% of marketing budgets are spent on TV. … [Read more...]
Internet ad spending out paces TV
Internet ad spending in the UK out paced TV ad spending for the first time ever in history. While TV ad spending commanded 22%, the internet took up 24% of advertising expenditures. While some were quick to write the obituary for traditional media, the UK market is a bit of an anomaly with its restricted advertising on the BBC and an abundance of broadband penetration. However, … [Read more...]
An enlightened use of social and traditional media
Seems the Vancouver Sun is seeking enlightenment on many fronts with their latest cross-promotional effort involving the Dalai Lama, Twitter, Facebook, CKNW radio, print advertising and guerilla based publicity. In the face of dwindling readership, it is this type of effort that signals a truly enlightened approach to media choices: use the best tool in your kit to get noticed, … [Read more...]