MarketingBlurb: July 2006 Archives

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Jul31	Chrysler Employee Discount Promotion Fails Rich Ottum July 31, 2006 Know More: Celebrity Endorsements Only a month ago, Marketing Blurb warned you that Chrysler would “fall on its sword” by reviving their employee discount offer. We expected Chrysler would move inventory, but with nil or negative margin. As it turns out, we were wrong! The offer, coupled with a new Dr. Z advertising campaign failed completely. Sales at Chrysler actually dropped 17% during the period. The $ 225 million advertising campaign featured company chairman Dieter Zetsche extolling the virtues of the Daimler Chrysler merger. But according to Advertising Age (free registration required,) consumers did not even recognize Zetsche, and assumed he was a fictional character! Consumers also failed to notice mention of the employee discount offer embedded in the commercial. Oh, and consumer research also suggested consumers had difficulty understanding Zetsche’s German accent. Ouch on all counts! Photo Credit: AskDrZ.com Posted at 6:46 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jul31	Nissan to Combat Autoclaustrophobia Rich Ottum July 31, 2006 Now you might think that advertising for trucks, SUVs, and muscle cars is more fun that advertising for subcompacts, and you would be right, naturally. But since gas prices are making everybody anxious these days, you can expect to see... Continue Reading Posted at 3:44 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	E3 Decides to Scale Back Exhibit Mayhem Rich Ottum July 31, 2006 Back in May, we told you about E3, the Electronic Entertainment Expo trade show. We suggested the gaming industry extravaganza was somewhat out of control. As it turns out, we were right. According to The Wall Street Journal (paid subscription... Continue Reading Posted at 3:21 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Bud Light Commercials Continue to Insult Rich Ottum July 31, 2006 Okay, first our confession. We love beer and much as the next pundit, and as such, never touch anything brewed by Anheuser-Busch. Our grievance is simple—their advertising is usually as tasteless as their beer. Now don’t get us wrong, Bud... Continue Reading Posted at 3:09 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	DVRs Owners Increasingly Zap Television Commercials Rich Ottum July 31, 2006 Sure, you’ve always known that people with DVRs zap through television commercials. But are DVRs just an annoyance or are they really a factor in the diminishing value of television advertising? Well, according to Advertising Age (free registration required,) the... Continue Reading Posted at 3:05 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jul30	The Best Lemonade Stand in America Rich Ottum July 30, 2006 If you are an entrepreneur, you are probably a hard-driving competitive person. And don’t think for a minute that your kids don’t notice this. Chances are, you are pushing them to succeed at every mundane task of their lives. And... Continue Reading Posted at 5:22 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Ford Fusion, Free Inside Rich Ottum July 30, 2006 Marketing Blurb only eats boring healthy cereal, so we know we are missing out on cool toys free inside the fun junky cereal boxes. And maybe we are missing out big time. We just learned from The Associated Press, that... Continue Reading Posted at 3:42 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	UK Fears Obese Children, Too Rich Ottum July 30, 2006 Marketing Blurb is weary of the “advertisers and junk food companies are responsible for childhood obesity” outcry. We would stop reporting about this, but thought you should know that even Britain’s Prime Minister Tony Blair decided to get into the... Continue Reading Posted at 3:07 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Beer Tops Wine in Recent Gallup Poll Rich Ottum July 30, 2006 Beer sales tumbled last summer, and a Gallup Poll reported that brew was no longer the choice beverage for most Americans who said they drank wine (39%) more than beer (36%). But in new Gallup Poll just released, the results... Continue Reading Posted at 3:04 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jul29	Hershey’s Kissables On-air Jingle Rich Ottum July 29, 2006 Back in April, we told you about Hershey’s Kissables, a new candy-coated version of the classic Hershey’s kiss. This sounded like a fun idea to us, although we seem to have trouble scoring many kisses these days—candy-coated or otherwise. But... Continue Reading Posted at 1:23 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Newcastle Brown Ale on the Big Screen Rich Ottum July 29, 2006 To get you in the mood for football, Newcastle Brown Ale is breaking a new promotion called “The Best of Both Worlds.” The promotion is a sweepstakes offering a grand prize of a home entertainment center with a Philips “50-inch... Continue Reading Posted at 1:20 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jul28	The Top 100 Global Brands for 2006 (depending on who you ask) Rich Ottum July 28, 2006 Business Week just released their list of the Top 100 Global Brands, using data from INTERBRAND research. To qualify for the list, each brand must come from a public company, derive one third of its earning outside its home country,... Continue Reading Posted at 6:59 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Old Navy Goes to the Dogs Rich Ottum July 28, 2006 We have followed the trials and triumphs of Old Navy in the past, so we think readers are entitled to this update regarding the selection of Paco as the new spokesdog mascot for the clothing chain. Paco is a two-year... Continue Reading Posted at 5:19 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Fast Food Hog Heaven Rich Ottum July 28, 2006 Marketing Blurb has never believed for a minute that fast food burger restaurants really wanted to serve you healthy salads with fruit side dishes. Yes, the healthy meal options may a fun smokescreen, but the real money is in gut-busting,... Continue Reading Posted at 4:08 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Product Placements Gone Wild Rich Ottum July 28, 2006 It used to be that movies included product placements. Now it seems product placements are taking center stage with the movie in the background. Or at least this is what appears to be happening with "Talladega Nights: The Ballad of... Continue Reading Posted at 4:04 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Google to Sell Radio Advertising Rich Ottum July 28, 2006 After Google’s lackluster foray into newspaper and magazine advertising, you might think Google would give the traditional media folks a rest. You would be wrong, naturally. Instead, Google acquired dMarc, an LA-based company that allows advertisers to buy airtime online... Continue Reading Posted at 3:59 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jul27	Angelina Jolie and What’s His Name in Wax Rich Ottum July 27, 2006 Okay, folks. Marketing Blurb loves celebrities less than the next pundit. We believe celebrity endorsements sell products, but destroy brands. But the only thing more frightening than a real celebrity is a wax celebrity. If you do not believe us,... Continue Reading Posted at 4:17 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	HarperCollins Seek Fan Romance Rich Ottum July 27, 2006 Marketing Blurb lives romance, so we have little time for romance novels. But the genre is popular, and publisher HarperCollins has decided to cash in on your desires. Their Avon Books romance imprint is planning a contest to promote their... Continue Reading Posted at 4:13 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Your Dog on the Cover of Lassie Dog Food! Rich Ottum July 27, 2006 Okay, so everybody knows Lassie, but we have never heard of Lassie Pet Products. But now we know, because Lassie Pet Products is launching a contest for a new dog to appear on packages of new Lassie Natural Way dog... Continue Reading Posted at 4:08 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Easy-to-Understand Tea Flavors Rich Ottum July 27, 2006 Life use to be easy and tea was tea. But these days, drinking tea makes ordering at Starbucks a walk in the park. So Coca-Cola has decided to simply the decision process with their new line of premium iced teas... Continue Reading Posted at 4:04 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Cadillac Re-crafting Image Rich Ottum July 27, 2006 Just a few weeks ago, we told you that GM decided to drop Led Zeppelin’s Rock and Roll as the signature theme music for Cadillac. Maybe now the news is getting worse. From 2001 to 2005, sales at Cadillac increased... Continue Reading Posted at 4:01 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jul26	Walking in Scarlett Johansson’s Shoes Rich Ottum July 26, 2006 Now you might think that athletic shoes are athletic shoes, and you would be wrong, naturally. Why would a woman wear sneakers, when she can wear Scralett Johansson Heart Rbk shoes, a “fashion-forward, athletic-inspired footwear and apparel signature collection?” Reebok... Continue Reading Posted at 5:25 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Monopoly to Abandon Paper Money? Rich Ottum July 26, 2006 Now you might think that pink five dollar bills and other paper money is sacred to the board game Monopoly, and you would be wrong, naturally. As it turns out, cash is passé. In a new version of game released... Continue Reading Posted at 9:59 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Newspaper Editorial and Advertising for Teens Rich Ottum July 26, 2006 Most media pundits have pronounced print newspapers an endangered species. It seems that Boomers and Gen X read the papers, but Gen Y and younger folks are oblivious to newsprint. But Editor and Publisher magazine reports some hope from a... Continue Reading Posted at 9:52 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	ABC, Apple Pie, Country Music and NASCAR Rich Ottum July 26, 2006 Okay, forget the apple pie. What makes America great is television, country music and NASCAR. We have this on good authority, because according to Mediaweek, ABC television decided to sponsor the annual Country Music Association awards for the next six... Continue Reading Posted at 9:44 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Parents—the TV Boss Rich Ottum July 26, 2006 Gee—here’s a novel idea. Use a television commercial to tell parents they are responsible for monitoring their children’s television viewing habits. After all, isn’t television the ultimate guide to life and parenting skills? Well, despite our amazement, this is exactly... Continue Reading Posted at 9:40 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jul25	Time Inc Folds Teen People Magazine Rich Ottum July 25, 2006 Now you might think that Teen People magazine would be a great way to reach teens with your advertising message, and you would be wrong, naturally. As it turns out, parent Time Inc has decided to fold the magazine with... Continue Reading Posted at 9:08 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	RadioShack Finds Satisfaction with The Stones Rich Ottum July 25, 2006 Times have really changed. Once the bad boys of rock and roll, the Rolling Stones are about to become a spokes band for RadioShack. The struggling electronics retailer is counting on Mick and the boys to pitch their entry into... Continue Reading Posted at 9:01 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Kroger to Market Healthy Disney Snacks Rich Ottum July 25, 2006 Now you might not think of Disney when you think of healthy snacks for children, but Disney Consumer Products is determined to change your mind. After conducting consumer research, Disney decided to partner with Kroger to introduce 100 Disney-branded healthy... Continue Reading Posted at 8:57 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Designer Ice Cubes Rich Ottum July 25, 2006 Yes, you laughed when restaurants first tried to sell you bottled water years ago. But now, US consumers are drinking 26.1 gallons of bottled water per person every year. And the category is still growing while consumption of soft drinks... Continue Reading Posted at 8:00 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Courting the Boomer Tsunami Rich Ottum July 25, 2006 Face it--you are not getting any younger. And if you are one of 78 million Americans born between 1946 and 1964, you are a member of the boomer tsunami. While advertisers prefer to position brands for younger consumers, many companies... Continue Reading Posted at 7:55 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jul24	The $ 400 Dorm Room Make-over Rich Ottum July 24, 2006 Face it—college dorm living is a pain. And if you must live in a dorm room, you might as well make it feel like home. That is what 17 year old Pamela Geisel of Towson University decided to do last year, when... Continue Reading Posted at 2:33 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Here’s the Beef—Maxim and Burger King Rich Ottum July 24, 2006 We have long since abandoned any attempt to understand branding or advertising at Burger King. But in an effort to draw young men into their restaurants, the King is partnering with Maxim magazine for an online promotion called Table Guest.... Continue Reading Posted at 1:51 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Hangin’ Out with Smirnoff and Verizon at the Beach Rich Ottum July 24, 2006 Marketing Blurb is an advocate of event marketing, point-of-sale, and sampling. The advertising value of television pales by comparison. So we think it is a fine idea for folks like Smirnoff and Verizon to hit the beach to court sunbathers... Continue Reading Posted at 1:48 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	T-mobile Rocking on the Small Stage Rich Ottum July 24, 2006 Back in the 60s and 70s, (before weenie 80s pop music,) rock and roll musicians played small venues where fans could easily smell sweaty rockers. There were no monster stadium gigs, and no quarter-acre-sized video screens for fans two miles... Continue Reading Posted at 1:45 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Metrics for in-Game Advertising Rich Ottum July 24, 2006 We’ve discussed in-game advertising on numerous occasions. But for advertisers to take the medium seriously there needs to be placement and performance standards and metrics. Seizing on that opportunity, a new research company called Interpret LLC is launching a service... Continue Reading Posted at 1:41 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jul23	Geek Squad Sponsors 44-Page Wired Magazine Pullout Rich Ottum July 23, 2006 If you are a Best Buy shopper, you probably know about their famous Geek Squad. Or perhaps you’ve seen one of their police-like Volkswagen Beetles cruising in your neighborhood to save unsuspecting mortals from computer viruses, fragmented hard drives, dysfunctional... Continue Reading Posted at 7:46 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Mini Cooper Takes the States Rich Ottum July 23, 2006 Our Wired magazine arrived over the weekend, and we can always depend on quirky advertising or inserts of some kind. We were not disappointed, because Mini Cooper is promoting their Mini Takes the States road rally. The rally covers 4,000... Continue Reading Posted at 7:43 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Move over Stolichnaya, Imperia is the Real Russian Vodka Rich Ottum July 23, 2006 Marketing Blurb gave up liquor snobbery years ago, and we are much happier today. We don’t worry much about Vodka, but like any consumer, we know that Stolichnaya is Russian vodka, and the other brands are pretenders. Well, as it... Continue Reading Posted at 10:40 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Macy’s Department Store Reality TV Show Rich Ottum July 23, 2006 If you want to sponsor a new television reality show, you might as well do it up right. As such Macy’s decided to make itself the subject of a reality television program called Unwrapping Macy’s. The show will offer a... Continue Reading Posted at 10:37 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jul22	Saving the Auto Industry One Vehicle at a Time Rich Ottum July 22, 2006 It is easy for Marketing Blurb or any pundit to ridicule the auto industry. We should go easy, because we cannot pretend we could build our own car. But maybe we are wrong! It just so happens that the build... Continue Reading Posted at 3:02 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Sundown for Barbie? Rich Ottum July 22, 2006 We have discussed toy industry marketing on several occasions—especially the drama surrounding Barbie, America’s former sweetheart. We say former, because according to Business Week, sales of the iconic doll dropped for the 11th consecutive quarter. (Okay, US sales increased slightly,... Continue Reading Posted at 2:57 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	The Lowdown on Airline Food Rich Ottum July 22, 2006 Marketing Blurb does not fly first class anymore. We used to score first class upgrades all the time; and the champagne in a glass flute with breakfast was a nice touch on the long haul to the west coast. But... Continue Reading Posted at 2:54 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jul21	Microsoft to Compete with iPod--Zune Rich Ottum July 21, 2006 Now you might think it would be foolish to compete with Apple iPod and iTunes, and you would be right, naturally. But that isn’t stopping Microsoft for launching a series of competitive hardware and software products later this year. The... Continue Reading Posted at 7:45 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	There Goes the Neighborhood Rich Ottum July 21, 2006 Only yesterday, we told you that homebuilders were getting creative to move unsold inventory in a soft housing market. But we should have known that Hollywood folks would have a better idea. And sure enough, Centrex Homes of Southern California... Continue Reading Posted at 5:20 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	This Podcast is Brought to You by… Rich Ottum July 21, 2006 Don’t get us started on podcasts. If you follow the online medium, you might have the mistaken impression that podcasts are the greatest thing since sliced bread. But in truth, only about 6% of US adults, or 9 million web... Continue Reading Posted at 5:08 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Share Your Secret with P&G Rich Ottum July 21, 2006 By now, you’ve probably stumbled across the Share your Secret campaign sponsored by Procter & Gamble’s Secret Deodorant. In celebration of the 50 year anniversary of the product, women can spill their guts in public—okay, share their secrets online. Here’s... Continue Reading Posted at 4:24 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Dinner by Design Includes Kraft Foods Rich Ottum July 21, 2006 You have probably heard the buzz about the up and coming meal-assembly business. The deal is to create an assembly line for a busy person to construct about a dozen meals at one time for freezer storage. The concept has... Continue Reading Posted at 4:19 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jul20	Homebuilder Promos—Free Kitchen with Toaster Rich Ottum July 20, 2006 The housing marketing is beginning to go soft. In many parts of the country, there are three or more months of static inventory of new and existing homes. So increasingly, builders are turning to promotions to move their unsold properties.... Continue Reading Posted at 6:45 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Bilingual Kids’ Meal Premium Rich Ottum July 20, 2006 The Del Taco fast food restaurant chain noticed depending on the location, 20-60% of your customers speak Spanish. So, to take advantage of that knowledge, and to improve the customer experience, Del Taco decided to craft a bilingual premium for... Continue Reading Posted at 4:09 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	SpongeBob SquarePants Pitching Health Food Rich Ottum July 20, 2006 Now you might think that cartoon characters like SpongeBob SquarePants and Dora the Explorer would never pitch health food, and you would be wrong, naturally. As it turns out, Nickelodeon is licensing these characters to promote apples, pears, cherries, and... Continue Reading Posted at 3:42 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Junk Food Online Gaming Rich Ottum July 20, 2006 You often read news items accompanied by a photograph of an obese child munching chips and playing video games. Well as it turns out, that child just might be playing an online advergame offered by a junk food snack company.... Continue Reading Posted at 3:37 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Product Placement Verbal Abuse? Rich Ottum July 20, 2006 Marketing Blurb has discussed product placement or branded entertainment on numerous occasions. While the practice makes us uneasy, we agree the technique is a valid method of reaching an audience suffering from commercial message overload. Of course most product placement... Continue Reading Posted at 3:34 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jul19	The Colonel Gets a Makeover Rich Ottum July 19, 2006 KFC wants you to forget their name is actually Kentucky Fried Chicken, and they shortened the name to initials to sound hipper and to duck and run from the word “fried.” But KFC wants you to remember Colonel Sanders, the... Continue Reading Posted at 8:19 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	As Goes Target Goes the Economy? Rich Ottum July 19, 2006 The economy is booming or crashing—depending on who you ask. But if you want the real scoop, pay attention to same store sales at Target Stores. Business Week calls Target the canary of the economy…and guess who just died? Target... Continue Reading Posted at 8:15 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Wall Street Journal to Offer Front Page Ad Rich Ottum July 19, 2006 Here is an advertising news item we do not consider news. The traditional media industry is abuzz with the news The Wall Street Journal will place an advertisement on page one beginning in September. The space is called a jewel... Continue Reading Posted at 7:02 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Frightening Wal-Mart Pharmacy Commercial Rich Ottum July 19, 2006 We were watching the news last night, and we saw this very scary commercial for Wal-Mart Pharmacies. The commercial was not intended to be scary, but what else could you say about thousands of animated pills and capsules morphing in... Continue Reading Posted at 6:58 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	17 to 34 Year Old Males Don’t Drive Chevys Rich Ottum July 19, 2006 Marketing Blurb does not really understand the auto industry. We just know that women buy more cars and trucks than men, and you would never know that from observing industry marketing communications. But we do know that 17 to 34... Continue Reading Posted at 6:53 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jul18	Food Producers Fight Back Rich Ottum July 18, 2006 Marketing Blurb often reports on the perils of fast food, junk food, childhood obesity, and so on. Regular readers know we never blame food companies for the sorry state of nutrition in our nation. But food companies are under attack... Continue Reading Posted at 6:54 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	100-Snack Packs of Dubious Value Rich Ottum July 18, 2006 Back in June, Marketing Blurb told you about 100-calorie snack packs. The ploy is an attempt to help dieters enjoy their favorite junk food in portion controlled packages. Examples include Kellogg's Keebler cookies, Procter & Gamble's Pringles potato chips and... Continue Reading Posted at 5:25 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Philip Morris Smokeless Spitless Tobacco Rich Ottum July 18, 2006 Marketing Blurb does not smoke, and we prefer smoke-free public spaces. But we are not an anti-smoking zealot because we realize we are surrounded by people destroying their bodies with all kinds of substances. So we are indifferent in reporting... Continue Reading Posted at 5:10 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Banks Rewards Programs Go Uptown Rich Ottum July 18, 2006 Competition is heating up again in banking rewards programs. Forget the free toaster for opening an account and think airline tickets, Royal Caribbean cruises, Tumi luggage or Compaq laptops for taking out a loan, paying your bills online and writing... Continue Reading Posted at 3:58 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Cadillac Drops Led Zeppelin Rich Ottum July 18, 2006 Back in the days when men were men and rock and roll was loud and sweaty, we heard Led Zeppelin perform at Fillmore East in Greenwich Village. Of course we would never believe that about thirty-five years later we would... Continue Reading Posted at 3:53 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jul17	Marketing Katie Couric Rich Ottum July 17, 2006 On those mornings when we are inspired enough to hit the treadmill, Marketing Blurb watches the Today Show. We really don’t pay much attention to the celebrity anchors because we discovered there is really only about 10 minutes of actual... Continue Reading Posted at 4:25 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Aquapod Hits the Road Rich Ottum July 17, 2006 Back in June, Marketing Blurb told you about Aquapod, Nestles’ attempt to market bottled water to kids. The Nestles’ campaign is now underway with a road show featuring two 18-foot mobile units in the distinctive shape of a giant Aquapod... Continue Reading Posted at 4:21 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Keep on Truckin’ with Hot Wheels Rich Ottum July 17, 2006 One of America’s favorite toys is Mattel’s line of Hot Wheels cars. Other than body designs, the toy has changed little over the years. (Mattel also owns Matchbox and Tyco, the number two and three model cars after Hot Wheels.)... Continue Reading Posted at 3:53 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Wal-Mart Tries Consumer-Generated Media Rich Ottum July 17, 2006 Marketing Blurb generally avoids talking about CGM or consumer generated media. We think the idea lacks merit, because companies still exercise editorial control over the results. But GM, MasterCard, and a number of other companies continue to experiment with CGM, allowing... Continue Reading Posted at 3:46 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	CBS Promoting on Egg Shells Rich Ottum July 17, 2006 You do not need Marketing Blurb to tell you there is too much advertising clutter in the world. But if you do not read The New York Times (free registration required,) you might not have heard that CBS is taking... Continue Reading Posted at 3:39 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jul16	Real Men Need Sports and Maxim Rich Ottum July 16, 2006 CBS Sportsline and Maxim.com has decided to create an online traffic sharing partnership. The deal will provide Maxim.com with timely sport scores and headlines from CBS Sportsline. To read complete coverage, the Maxim.com sports headlines will drive readers to the... Continue Reading Posted at 2:31 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Pepsi to Distribute Ocean Spray Rich Ottum July 16, 2006 While Coca-Cola continues to fumble around, Pepsi is bolstering its portfolio of non-carbonated beverages. But rather than gamble on a costly new product introduction, Pepsi has signed a strategic agreement with Ocean Spray. Pepsi will market, bottle, and distribute single-serve... Continue Reading Posted at 2:11 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Searching for Prizes with PCH Blingo Rich Ottum July 16, 2006 Marketing Blurb often reports on sweepstakes, even though we think they are basically dumb. Sweepstakes do not help brand your product. Rather, sweepstakes dragnet all kinds of lame weenies outside of your target market—people with short attention spans lacking a... Continue Reading Posted at 12:00 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jul15	Green is Sexy at Biotech Fashion Show Rich Ottum July 15, 2006 Just in time to save Al Gore from obscurity, green is suddenly sexy. Newsweek and other magazines are sporting green themes. Corporate boards are talking green. Your neighbors are fertilizing their yard, and the guy down the street traded in... Continue Reading Posted at 1:21 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Lunch with Jessica Biel Rich Ottum July 15, 2006 Esquire magazine says that Jessica Biel is the sexist woman alive. We are not sure, but now folks in Denver have a chance to find out. Jessica has agreed to a "win a date" fund raiser to cover medical expenses for a teenage... Continue Reading Posted at 12:40 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Jones Soda Carbonated Candy Rich Ottum July 15, 2006 Not everyone washes away their life with Coke or Pepsi. Some folks favor Jones Soda for their quirky colors, flavors, and bottle labels. (Just looking at a bottle of their blue bubblegum soda may clear your intestines for a week.)... Continue Reading Posted at 11:49 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	DFW Airport Parking Wants You Rich Ottum July 15, 2006 Parking at the airport is a pain. Parking at offsite lots is a pain. Think lose / lose situation unless you are traveling out of DFW Airport this summer. To complete with offsite parking lots, DFW Airport is issuing incentive... Continue Reading Posted at 11:38 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Office Max Nixes Mail-in Rebates Rich Ottum July 15, 2006 Face it. Mail-in rebates are a pain you know where. You have to cut out UPC codes from boxes, photocopy receipts, and fill in tiny boxes with your mailing address. If you are lucky, you receive your money 8 or... Continue Reading Posted at 11:34 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jul14	Socially Responsible Mudd Jeans Rich Ottum July 14, 2006 Marketing Blurb is clueless when it comes to fashion jeans. Fortunately, we discovered today, that Mudd Jeans are the hot item (for young women anyway.) And Mudd has decided not just to pitch jeans, but to draw attention to socially... Continue Reading Posted at 3:32 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Sass with Class GalZ Magazine Rich Ottum July 14, 2006 Now you might think that the world does not need another women’s magazine, and you would be right, naturally. But that is not stopping Yvonne Goldman from launching GalZ Magazine. The publication is characterized as sass with class “about, for,... Continue Reading Posted at 3:28 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Cool Claws for Fussy Felines Rich Ottum July 14, 2006 Marketing Blurb loves cats more than the next pundit (we have five.) Cats helps us compose this blog by clogging our keyboard and mouse with hair. We would never dream of marketing products to our cats, because no two are... Continue Reading Posted at 3:24 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	JC Penney Courting Hip Teens Rich Ottum July 14, 2006 Don’t go back to school this fall if you don’t have “the look.” Marketing Blurb has no idea what that fashion must be, but JC Penney believes they know. This weekend, the company is launching a new web-heavy campaign called... Continue Reading Posted at 3:19 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Marketing to Grups Rich Ottum July 14, 2006 Just when you think you’ve got this whole target marketing deal solved, New York magazine decides to identify a new consumer segment, and coin the term Grups. Grups are people in their 30s and 40s who behave more like people... Continue Reading Posted at 3:14 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jul13	Jessica Simpson Sings for Marketing Blurb Rich Ottum July 13, 2006 We hate these kind of confessions, but Marketing Blurb has never heard Jessica Simpson sing. We have heard her speak, and doubt that voice could possibly enchant us with a song. But maybe we are wrong. What would happen if Jessica... Continue Reading Posted at 4:20 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Wal-Mart Brings Organic Food to the Table Rich Ottum July 13, 2006 We were watching the evening news last night, and saw a rather strange commercial featuring a happy family enjoying a hearty meal (think organic food.) Baby dumps a food bowl on his head, naturally. As the commercial closes, a Wal-Mart... Continue Reading Posted at 4:18 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Dell to Simplify Pricing Rich Ottum July 13, 2006 It used to be easy to purchase a computer from the Dell website. There were a few basic product lines with a few simple configuration options. But the last time we purchased a Dell, the website was cluttered with umpteen... Continue Reading Posted at 4:09 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Crash and Burn for McDonald’s Spicy Chicken Sandwich Rich Ottum July 13, 2006 Now you might think that a spicy chicken sandwich on the McDonald’s menu is a great idea, and you would be wrong, naturally. McDonald’s thought it was a fine idea, too—because rival Wendy’s launched their spicy chicken sandwich first. But... Continue Reading Posted at 4:03 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	MasterCard Teams with Yahoo Rich Ottum July 13, 2006 MasterCard is partnering with Yahoo Travel for the Win 500 Flights Sweepstakes. The contest is featured in banners on the Yahoo Travel site, where users can create their own customized printable travel guides based on their itinerary. Travelers can also... Continue Reading Posted at 4:00 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jul12	Television Viewing Reaches New Low Rich Ottum July 12, 2006 You don’t need Marketing Blurb to tell you that television is over rated. This applies to both programming and advertising. And it seems that last week, over viewers had more important things to do. According to Nielsen Media Research, last... Continue Reading Posted at 4:31 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	The Summer House—the Ultimate Product Placement Rich Ottum July 12, 2006 We have often told our marketing students that sampling is a marketing technique superior to advertising in communicating an effective product message. The Boston agency CerconeBrownCurtis, agrees with us, and they have created the ultimate product placement experience in a... Continue Reading Posted at 4:23 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Real Savings—Real Monks Rich Ottum July 12, 2006 If you are like Marketing Blurb, you have this hate/hate relationship with your ink jet printer. Yes, you vow to replace it with a laser printer, but at the end of the day, you are still fumbling with cartridges that... Continue Reading Posted at 4:19 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Wild Hop Lager—Organic Beer from AB Rich Ottum July 12, 2006 When Anheuser-Busch burps, everyone in the industry listens. And so everyone is watching their test market for Wild Hop Lager, an organic beer available only in California. The beer is intended to capture attention and market share from organic microbreweries.... Continue Reading Posted at 4:12 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Wal-Mart Responsible for Global Warming Rich Ottum July 12, 2006 Okay, so many Wal-Mart is not entirely responsible for global warming. But we did learn from the Associated Press that Wal-Mart is the biggest private user of electricity in the world. “The world's largest retailer emitted the equivalent of 20.8... Continue Reading Posted at 4:07 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jul11	Hybrid Car Rental Company Profits for High Gas Prices Rich Ottum July 11, 2006 If you travel on business and rent cars, you probably wonder if would be less costly just to buy the car rather than return it with a full tank of gas. So you should not be surprised, that an enterprising... Continue Reading Posted at 7:52 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Pamela Anderson--Soccer Mom, Beach Mom Rich Ottum July 11, 2006 We know Marketing Blurb readers love (or hate) Pamela Anderson, so we thought you should know that House & Garden magazine is running an interview with her in their August issue. House & Garden visited with Pamela in her Malibu... Continue Reading Posted at 3:18 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Starbucks Summer Cellular Nonsense Rich Ottum July 11, 2006 Marketing Blurb loves Starbucks, but we are not keen on mobile marketing. In fact, we turn off our cell phone when we go to Starbucks. This is because we want to quiet read the paper, or talk to a friend... Continue Reading Posted at 3:13 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Vital Radiance Loses Its Glow Rich Ottum July 11, 2006 Back in April, we told you about Vital Radiance, a new line of cosmetics from Revlon targeting women over 50. These women are the spending engine our economy, and we praised the product launch not for political correctness but for... Continue Reading Posted at 3:10 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Real Discounts for Virtual Fashion Rich Ottum July 11, 2006 If you think fashion marketing in the real world is frightening, perhaps you should think about courting online virtual avatars. You can find virtual people in all kinds of fun places, and we suggest you read about Second Life from... Continue Reading Posted at 3:06 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jul10	300 Year Old Brand Plans Product Extension Rich Ottum July 10, 2006 Your brand is not 300 years old, and will likely never survive that long. But Twinings Black Tea, a product of Associated British Foods since 1935, was brewing back in 1706, and still satisfies today. But sales of so-called standard... Continue Reading Posted at 4:23 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	The Mother of All Battles for School Lunches Rich Ottum July 10, 2006 Life used to be simple. You could pack your kids peanut butter sandwiches, apples, and homemade cookies for school lunch and they were good to go. But now days, brown bag lunches are assembled from prepackaged ingredients like SpongeBob SquarePants... Continue Reading Posted at 3:19 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Pier 1 Redecorates with the Times Rich Ottum July 10, 2006 Sometimes even funky eclectic wicker furnishings become passé. And because home decorating styles are changing, Pier 1 has decided to get with the program. The chain is undergoing a radical make-over. First, they are introducing Pier 1 Modern Craftsman. This... Continue Reading Posted at 3:15 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Dell PCs Get More Personal Rich Ottum July 10, 2006 Dell Computer is famous for their no-inventory, build-to-order, direct-to-consumer business model. Historically, the company has hyped the typical geek attributes of their products, Intel whatever chips, umpteen GB Hard drive, flat panel monitors, and so on. But falling inline with... Continue Reading Posted at 3:11 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	May I Interest You in a Glass of Product Placement? Rich Ottum July 10, 2006 Marketing Blurb often discusses the merits and demerits of product placement or branded entertainment. On the plus side, product placement makes sense in a world where traditional advertising clutter reigns supreme. On the minus side, script writers are actually tailoring... Continue Reading Posted at 3:04 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jul 9	Starbucks to Boost Non-coffee Merchandise for the Holidays Rich Ottum July 9, 2006 Marketing Blurb loves Starbucks more than the next pundit. Our love is simple, because we only buy black coffee—and maybe a scone if we are out-of-town. What we don’t need is anything else Starbucks offers. But Starbucks has a larger... Continue Reading Posted at 1:26 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Garfield Websites Paw Afoul of Law? Rich Ottum July 9, 2006 Advertising to children can be a minefield, but the landmines are actually well identified by both voluntary industry guidelines and legal statues. CARU, the Children’s Advertising Review Unit, a division of the Better Business Bureau, is the keeper of industry... Continue Reading Posted at 1:21 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Kohl’s Launching Candie’s Heartbreaker Rich Ottum July 9, 2006 You might be enjoying the peak of summer, but retailers are already thinking back-to-school promotions. And if your agenda includes clothing for school, Kohl’s has got a deal for you. Kohl’s hip house brand Candie's is calling upon a couple... Continue Reading Posted at 1:17 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	National Campaign for WTC Memorial Rich Ottum July 9, 2006 Marketing Blurb used to live in New York, and we remember the skyline fondly. And in our mind, the skyline will always include the World Trade Center towers. We visited the city after the terrorist attacks, but decided not to... Continue Reading Posted at 1:13 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jul 8	Disney Pirates Board YouTube Rich Ottum July 8, 2006 Traditional and new media pundits alike are constantly debating the merits and future of YouTube, the online video site. But while pundits are trying to figure out a credible business model, Disney decided to sponsor the entire site last Thursday.... Continue Reading Posted at 2:12 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	MTV Mojo Not Workin’? Rich Ottum July 8, 2006 Marketing Blurb doesn’t watch MTV. We love music videos, because those we have seen are cinematically clever and provocative. Such music videos are also amazingly abusive to women, and we wonder how they can possible air without massive worldwide protests.... Continue Reading Posted at 2:05 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Twins Launch New Magazine Rich Ottum July 8, 2006 You remember the Olsen twins, right? They’re young women now, (but still look, act, and weigh much the same as they did at 12 year old.) But the hot twin act these days is Dylan and Cole Sprouse (who are... Continue Reading Posted at 2:00 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Television Networks Fear Competitive Bidding Rich Ottum July 8, 2006 When it comes to buying and selling television air time, the network old guard is anxious about protecting their turf. Their most recently defensive posture is a result of Aa task force consisting of members of the Association of National... Continue Reading Posted at 1:52 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jul 7	See the Pirate Movie, Play the Online Game Rich Ottum July 7, 2006 Life is short, too short in fact, to watch most movies. But if you are Disney, producing the Pirates of the Caribbean movies is not enough. Disney needs to create a pirates franchise. And such a franchise must include multiple... Continue Reading Posted at 5:16 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Krispy Kreme to Open in Japan Rich Ottum July 7, 2006 Marketing Blurb loves sushi. We refuse to eat the bogus stuff from grocery stores and such—we insist upon watching the chef in person. We like sushi because pieces are prepared and served individually. The antithesis of sushi is Krisky Kreme... Continue Reading Posted at 4:27 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Burberry Looking Beyond Plaid Rich Ottum July 7, 2006 It used to be easy to be stylish. As long as you sported the familiar Burberry plaid jacket or accessory, you were good to go. But the British fashion giant is concerned that their famous plaid is over-exposed or too... Continue Reading Posted at 4:07 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Five-second Tivo-proof Advertising Rich Ottum July 7, 2006 Marketing Blurb is amused by advertisers trying to force television viewers to see their commercials. We heard the newest technique is a five-second spot placed at the end of traditional commercials. These mini-pitches subvert DVRs that normally allow consumers to... Continue Reading Posted at 4:04 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	VW Rabbit Gypsy Cab Project Rich Ottum July 7, 2006 Back in April, Marketing Blurb alerted readers that Volkswagen was preparing to reintroduce the Rabbit in the US. The small car is ideal for city driving, so the agency responsible for launching the product decided to create the Gypsy Cab... Continue Reading Posted at 3:59 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jul 6	Chase ATMs to Dispense US Open Tickets Rich Ottum July 6, 2006 Now you might think that an ATM machine is not the ideal vehicle to dispense tickets to the US Open Tennis Tournament, and you would be wrong, naturally. Chase bank has decided to distribute more than 5,000 free tickets to... Continue Reading Posted at 1:35 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Hearst 30 Days of Fashion Rich Ottum July 6, 2006 Let’s say you need 30 days of brand cache. If you were smart like Citi, L’Oreal Paris, LenCrafters, and Gold Expressions at Forunoff, you should have joined the Hearst Magazines 30 Days of Fashion campaign launching in September. The month-long... Continue Reading Posted at 1:31 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Messing with KitKat Fails Rich Ottum July 6, 2006 If you want a chocolate covered wafer, go for KitKat. The Nestle SA candy bar is a monster hit worldwide. In Britain, where the candy originated in the 1930’s, someone eats a KitKat every 47 seconds. So you might think... Continue Reading Posted at 1:28 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	The Failure of Integrated Marketing Communications Rich Ottum July 6, 2006 When we teach marketing, we always dread the required textbook chapter on integrated marketing communications. While marketing textbooks easily explain the concept, we tell our students that precious few marketers understand how to implement IMC. Now it seems there is... Continue Reading Posted at 1:21 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Marketing to Real Men Rich Ottum July 6, 2006 If you are trying to market to males aged 18 -34 via television, you already know they more likely glued to their Xboxes, iPods, computer, or other tech gadgets for entertainment. But three years ago, Spike TV decided to lure... Continue Reading Posted at 1:05 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jul 5	Maxell Resurrects “Blow-away Guy” Rich Ottum July 5, 2006 Marketing Blurb remembers the day when audiophiles were easily identified by the size of the stereo speakers. This seems quaint in a world where the new standard is invisible earbuds connected to a digital music player the size of a... Continue Reading Posted at 3:05 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Gillette Fusion Shaving System—Yawn Rich Ottum July 5, 2006 Marketing Blurb is amazed with the palace intrigue surrounding the Gillette Fusion Shaving System. First, folks—shaving is not a system. Shaving is a mundane chore. You can add as many blades as you like, use what ever gel, foam or... Continue Reading Posted at 3:02 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Arby’s Assertive Chicken Challenge Rich Ottum July 5, 2006 In the competitive fast food business, Arby’s Roast Beef, the 12th largest player, has a hard time competing with giants McDonald’s and Wendy’s, who hold the number 1 and 3 spots. But according to The Wall Street Journal (paid subscription... Continue Reading Posted at 2:58 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Everyday Joes Ponder Million Dollar Prize Rich Ottum July 5, 2006 Let’s say you are a budget hotel chain, and you need to boost booking over the summer. Choice Hotels, parent of Econo Lodge and Rodeway Inns believes they have the answer with their new “What would you do with a... Continue Reading Posted at 8:45 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	College Students Rank Social Responsibility over Celebrity Endorsements Rich Ottum July 5, 2006 Now you might think that the best way to pitch your product to college student is via celebrity endorsement, and you would be wrong, naturally. According to a new study Alloy Media and Harris Interactive, college students rank corporate social... Continue Reading Posted at 8:38 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jul 4	Hard Rock Café for Sale Rich Ottum July 4, 2006 Okay, rock and roll fans. The Hard Rock Café chain is for sale by owner Rank Group PLC of Great Britain. We’re talking 120 locations in 40 different countries. You love the food, you love the tee-shirts and the glass... Continue Reading Posted at 3:10 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Weight-conscious Shoppers Read but Ignore Food Labels Rich Ottum July 4, 2006 Maybe this is not the ideal blog post for the July 4th holiday, but we just learned from an AP-Ipsos poll, that weight-conscious grocery shoppers read but ignore product labels. According to the poll, almost 80 % of Americans insist... Continue Reading Posted at 3:04 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Gettin’ Dinged by Southwest Airlines Rich Ottum July 4, 2006 If you are a frequently flier, you want to get dinged by Southwest airlines. DING is the name of their special fare alert system, which send registered members an email notice of reduced fairs. The program was created in February... Continue Reading Posted at 3:00 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jul 3	Come Back for Toys R Us? Rich Ottum July 3, 2006 Marketing Blurb has not shopped Toys R Us for ages—but we do know that Wal-Mart ate their lunch years ago. And we also suspect that lower prices were not the only issue in the toy retailer’s downfall. We remember Toys... Continue Reading Posted at 2:26 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Breaking Even on Coldstone Creamery Smoothies Rich Ottum July 3, 2006 Summer is finally beastly, and to stay hydrated you need some more that water, you need fuel like a Coldstone Creamery Smoothie. Of course, the smoothie comes with a few extra calories. But now you can down the smoothie and... Continue Reading Posted at 2:10 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Miller Stokes Energy Beer Rich Ottum July 3, 2006 Marketing Blurb is not keen on the idea of so-called “energy beers.” Energy beers are brews which include caffeine or similar stimulants and special flavorings. An example is Sparks beer, which includes caffeine, ginseng, guarana, and taurine. Real men would... Continue Reading Posted at 1:44 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Philips Single Sponsorships Rich Ottum July 3, 2006 The North American group of Philips Electronics is seeking to score another publicity and advertising coup with single-sponsorship of a supplement to Gourmet magazine. Philips is spending an estimated $ 4 million to secure exclusive advertising in a 98-page supplement... Continue Reading Posted at 1:39 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Flying High with Snapple White Teas Rich Ottum July 3, 2006 Back in April, we told you about the new product line of Snapple White Teas positioned as the “lightest teas on earth.” (We also explained that real men don’t drink tea from a bottle.) And to illustrate just how light... Continue Reading Posted at 1:20 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jul 2	Marketing Large Rich Ottum July 2, 2006 If you think more Americans are overweight these days, you’re right. According to Business 2.0, “more than 60 million Americans are obese, up from 23 million in 1980. Another 28 million are expected to join their ranks by 2013.” And... Continue Reading Posted at 6:51 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Get Stoked for the Self-cooling Beer Can Rich Ottum July 2, 2006 If you think you’ve heard of the self-cooling beer can before, you have. The original technology to chill beverages in cans is now a decade old. But you never really enjoyed many cold beers without a cooler, because the EPA... Continue Reading Posted at 6:36 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jul 1	International Federation of Competitive Eating Seeking Sponsors Rich Ottum July 1, 2006 Not all competitive sports are glamorous. Competitive eating is one such less than politically correct endeavor. In fact, the International Federation of Competitive Eating cannot even sign sponsors for event advertising. Poker and casino advertisers like GoldenPalace.net and Harrah’s are... Continue Reading Posted at 2:43 PM \| Permalink \| Comments

« June 2006 | Main | August 2006 »

Jul31	Chrysler Employee Discount Promotion Fails Rich Ottum July 31, 2006 Know More: Celebrity Endorsements Only a month ago, Marketing Blurb warned you that Chrysler would “fall on its sword” by reviving their employee discount offer. We expected Chrysler would move inventory, but with nil or negative margin. As it turns out, we were wrong! The offer, coupled with a new Dr. Z advertising campaign failed completely. Sales at Chrysler actually dropped 17% during the period. The $ 225 million advertising campaign featured company chairman Dieter Zetsche extolling the virtues of the Daimler Chrysler merger. But according to Advertising Age (free registration required,) consumers did not even recognize Zetsche, and assumed he was a fictional character! Consumers also failed to notice mention of the employee discount offer embedded in the commercial. Oh, and consumer research also suggested consumers had difficulty understanding Zetsche’s German accent. Ouch on all counts! Photo Credit: AskDrZ.com Posted at 6:46 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jul31	Nissan to Combat Autoclaustrophobia Rich Ottum July 31, 2006 Now you might think that advertising for trucks, SUVs, and muscle cars is more fun that advertising for subcompacts, and you would be right, naturally. But since gas prices are making everybody anxious these days, you can expect to see... Continue Reading Posted at 3:44 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	E3 Decides to Scale Back Exhibit Mayhem Rich Ottum July 31, 2006 Back in May, we told you about E3, the Electronic Entertainment Expo trade show. We suggested the gaming industry extravaganza was somewhat out of control. As it turns out, we were right. According to The Wall Street Journal (paid subscription... Continue Reading Posted at 3:21 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Bud Light Commercials Continue to Insult Rich Ottum July 31, 2006 Okay, first our confession. We love beer and much as the next pundit, and as such, never touch anything brewed by Anheuser-Busch. Our grievance is simple—their advertising is usually as tasteless as their beer. Now don’t get us wrong, Bud... Continue Reading Posted at 3:09 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	DVRs Owners Increasingly Zap Television Commercials Rich Ottum July 31, 2006 Sure, you’ve always known that people with DVRs zap through television commercials. But are DVRs just an annoyance or are they really a factor in the diminishing value of television advertising? Well, according to Advertising Age (free registration required,) the... Continue Reading Posted at 3:05 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jul30	The Best Lemonade Stand in America Rich Ottum July 30, 2006 If you are an entrepreneur, you are probably a hard-driving competitive person. And don’t think for a minute that your kids don’t notice this. Chances are, you are pushing them to succeed at every mundane task of their lives. And... Continue Reading Posted at 5:22 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Ford Fusion, Free Inside Rich Ottum July 30, 2006 Marketing Blurb only eats boring healthy cereal, so we know we are missing out on cool toys free inside the fun junky cereal boxes. And maybe we are missing out big time. We just learned from The Associated Press, that... Continue Reading Posted at 3:42 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	UK Fears Obese Children, Too Rich Ottum July 30, 2006 Marketing Blurb is weary of the “advertisers and junk food companies are responsible for childhood obesity” outcry. We would stop reporting about this, but thought you should know that even Britain’s Prime Minister Tony Blair decided to get into the... Continue Reading Posted at 3:07 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Beer Tops Wine in Recent Gallup Poll Rich Ottum July 30, 2006 Beer sales tumbled last summer, and a Gallup Poll reported that brew was no longer the choice beverage for most Americans who said they drank wine (39%) more than beer (36%). But in new Gallup Poll just released, the results... Continue Reading Posted at 3:04 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jul29	Hershey’s Kissables On-air Jingle Rich Ottum July 29, 2006 Back in April, we told you about Hershey’s Kissables, a new candy-coated version of the classic Hershey’s kiss. This sounded like a fun idea to us, although we seem to have trouble scoring many kisses these days—candy-coated or otherwise. But... Continue Reading Posted at 1:23 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Newcastle Brown Ale on the Big Screen Rich Ottum July 29, 2006 To get you in the mood for football, Newcastle Brown Ale is breaking a new promotion called “The Best of Both Worlds.” The promotion is a sweepstakes offering a grand prize of a home entertainment center with a Philips “50-inch... Continue Reading Posted at 1:20 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jul28	The Top 100 Global Brands for 2006 (depending on who you ask) Rich Ottum July 28, 2006 Business Week just released their list of the Top 100 Global Brands, using data from INTERBRAND research. To qualify for the list, each brand must come from a public company, derive one third of its earning outside its home country,... Continue Reading Posted at 6:59 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Old Navy Goes to the Dogs Rich Ottum July 28, 2006 We have followed the trials and triumphs of Old Navy in the past, so we think readers are entitled to this update regarding the selection of Paco as the new spokesdog mascot for the clothing chain. Paco is a two-year... Continue Reading Posted at 5:19 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Fast Food Hog Heaven Rich Ottum July 28, 2006 Marketing Blurb has never believed for a minute that fast food burger restaurants really wanted to serve you healthy salads with fruit side dishes. Yes, the healthy meal options may a fun smokescreen, but the real money is in gut-busting,... Continue Reading Posted at 4:08 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Product Placements Gone Wild Rich Ottum July 28, 2006 It used to be that movies included product placements. Now it seems product placements are taking center stage with the movie in the background. Or at least this is what appears to be happening with "Talladega Nights: The Ballad of... Continue Reading Posted at 4:04 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Google to Sell Radio Advertising Rich Ottum July 28, 2006 After Google’s lackluster foray into newspaper and magazine advertising, you might think Google would give the traditional media folks a rest. You would be wrong, naturally. Instead, Google acquired dMarc, an LA-based company that allows advertisers to buy airtime online... Continue Reading Posted at 3:59 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jul27	Angelina Jolie and What’s His Name in Wax Rich Ottum July 27, 2006 Okay, folks. Marketing Blurb loves celebrities less than the next pundit. We believe celebrity endorsements sell products, but destroy brands. But the only thing more frightening than a real celebrity is a wax celebrity. If you do not believe us,... Continue Reading Posted at 4:17 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	HarperCollins Seek Fan Romance Rich Ottum July 27, 2006 Marketing Blurb lives romance, so we have little time for romance novels. But the genre is popular, and publisher HarperCollins has decided to cash in on your desires. Their Avon Books romance imprint is planning a contest to promote their... Continue Reading Posted at 4:13 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Your Dog on the Cover of Lassie Dog Food! Rich Ottum July 27, 2006 Okay, so everybody knows Lassie, but we have never heard of Lassie Pet Products. But now we know, because Lassie Pet Products is launching a contest for a new dog to appear on packages of new Lassie Natural Way dog... Continue Reading Posted at 4:08 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Easy-to-Understand Tea Flavors Rich Ottum July 27, 2006 Life use to be easy and tea was tea. But these days, drinking tea makes ordering at Starbucks a walk in the park. So Coca-Cola has decided to simply the decision process with their new line of premium iced teas... Continue Reading Posted at 4:04 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Cadillac Re-crafting Image Rich Ottum July 27, 2006 Just a few weeks ago, we told you that GM decided to drop Led Zeppelin’s Rock and Roll as the signature theme music for Cadillac. Maybe now the news is getting worse. From 2001 to 2005, sales at Cadillac increased... Continue Reading Posted at 4:01 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jul26	Walking in Scarlett Johansson’s Shoes Rich Ottum July 26, 2006 Now you might think that athletic shoes are athletic shoes, and you would be wrong, naturally. Why would a woman wear sneakers, when she can wear Scralett Johansson Heart Rbk shoes, a “fashion-forward, athletic-inspired footwear and apparel signature collection?” Reebok... Continue Reading Posted at 5:25 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Monopoly to Abandon Paper Money? Rich Ottum July 26, 2006 Now you might think that pink five dollar bills and other paper money is sacred to the board game Monopoly, and you would be wrong, naturally. As it turns out, cash is passé. In a new version of game released... Continue Reading Posted at 9:59 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Newspaper Editorial and Advertising for Teens Rich Ottum July 26, 2006 Most media pundits have pronounced print newspapers an endangered species. It seems that Boomers and Gen X read the papers, but Gen Y and younger folks are oblivious to newsprint. But Editor and Publisher magazine reports some hope from a... Continue Reading Posted at 9:52 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	ABC, Apple Pie, Country Music and NASCAR Rich Ottum July 26, 2006 Okay, forget the apple pie. What makes America great is television, country music and NASCAR. We have this on good authority, because according to Mediaweek, ABC television decided to sponsor the annual Country Music Association awards for the next six... Continue Reading Posted at 9:44 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Parents—the TV Boss Rich Ottum July 26, 2006 Gee—here’s a novel idea. Use a television commercial to tell parents they are responsible for monitoring their children’s television viewing habits. After all, isn’t television the ultimate guide to life and parenting skills? Well, despite our amazement, this is exactly... Continue Reading Posted at 9:40 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jul25	Time Inc Folds Teen People Magazine Rich Ottum July 25, 2006 Now you might think that Teen People magazine would be a great way to reach teens with your advertising message, and you would be wrong, naturally. As it turns out, parent Time Inc has decided to fold the magazine with... Continue Reading Posted at 9:08 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	RadioShack Finds Satisfaction with The Stones Rich Ottum July 25, 2006 Times have really changed. Once the bad boys of rock and roll, the Rolling Stones are about to become a spokes band for RadioShack. The struggling electronics retailer is counting on Mick and the boys to pitch their entry into... Continue Reading Posted at 9:01 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Kroger to Market Healthy Disney Snacks Rich Ottum July 25, 2006 Now you might not think of Disney when you think of healthy snacks for children, but Disney Consumer Products is determined to change your mind. After conducting consumer research, Disney decided to partner with Kroger to introduce 100 Disney-branded healthy... Continue Reading Posted at 8:57 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Designer Ice Cubes Rich Ottum July 25, 2006 Yes, you laughed when restaurants first tried to sell you bottled water years ago. But now, US consumers are drinking 26.1 gallons of bottled water per person every year. And the category is still growing while consumption of soft drinks... Continue Reading Posted at 8:00 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Courting the Boomer Tsunami Rich Ottum July 25, 2006 Face it--you are not getting any younger. And if you are one of 78 million Americans born between 1946 and 1964, you are a member of the boomer tsunami. While advertisers prefer to position brands for younger consumers, many companies... Continue Reading Posted at 7:55 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jul24	The $ 400 Dorm Room Make-over Rich Ottum July 24, 2006 Face it—college dorm living is a pain. And if you must live in a dorm room, you might as well make it feel like home. That is what 17 year old Pamela Geisel of Towson University decided to do last year, when... Continue Reading Posted at 2:33 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Here’s the Beef—Maxim and Burger King Rich Ottum July 24, 2006 We have long since abandoned any attempt to understand branding or advertising at Burger King. But in an effort to draw young men into their restaurants, the King is partnering with Maxim magazine for an online promotion called Table Guest.... Continue Reading Posted at 1:51 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Hangin’ Out with Smirnoff and Verizon at the Beach Rich Ottum July 24, 2006 Marketing Blurb is an advocate of event marketing, point-of-sale, and sampling. The advertising value of television pales by comparison. So we think it is a fine idea for folks like Smirnoff and Verizon to hit the beach to court sunbathers... Continue Reading Posted at 1:48 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	T-mobile Rocking on the Small Stage Rich Ottum July 24, 2006 Back in the 60s and 70s, (before weenie 80s pop music,) rock and roll musicians played small venues where fans could easily smell sweaty rockers. There were no monster stadium gigs, and no quarter-acre-sized video screens for fans two miles... Continue Reading Posted at 1:45 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Metrics for in-Game Advertising Rich Ottum July 24, 2006 We’ve discussed in-game advertising on numerous occasions. But for advertisers to take the medium seriously there needs to be placement and performance standards and metrics. Seizing on that opportunity, a new research company called Interpret LLC is launching a service... Continue Reading Posted at 1:41 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jul23	Geek Squad Sponsors 44-Page Wired Magazine Pullout Rich Ottum July 23, 2006 If you are a Best Buy shopper, you probably know about their famous Geek Squad. Or perhaps you’ve seen one of their police-like Volkswagen Beetles cruising in your neighborhood to save unsuspecting mortals from computer viruses, fragmented hard drives, dysfunctional... Continue Reading Posted at 7:46 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Mini Cooper Takes the States Rich Ottum July 23, 2006 Our Wired magazine arrived over the weekend, and we can always depend on quirky advertising or inserts of some kind. We were not disappointed, because Mini Cooper is promoting their Mini Takes the States road rally. The rally covers 4,000... Continue Reading Posted at 7:43 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Move over Stolichnaya, Imperia is the Real Russian Vodka Rich Ottum July 23, 2006 Marketing Blurb gave up liquor snobbery years ago, and we are much happier today. We don’t worry much about Vodka, but like any consumer, we know that Stolichnaya is Russian vodka, and the other brands are pretenders. Well, as it... Continue Reading Posted at 10:40 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Macy’s Department Store Reality TV Show Rich Ottum July 23, 2006 If you want to sponsor a new television reality show, you might as well do it up right. As such Macy’s decided to make itself the subject of a reality television program called Unwrapping Macy’s. The show will offer a... Continue Reading Posted at 10:37 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jul22	Saving the Auto Industry One Vehicle at a Time Rich Ottum July 22, 2006 It is easy for Marketing Blurb or any pundit to ridicule the auto industry. We should go easy, because we cannot pretend we could build our own car. But maybe we are wrong! It just so happens that the build... Continue Reading Posted at 3:02 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Sundown for Barbie? Rich Ottum July 22, 2006 We have discussed toy industry marketing on several occasions—especially the drama surrounding Barbie, America’s former sweetheart. We say former, because according to Business Week, sales of the iconic doll dropped for the 11th consecutive quarter. (Okay, US sales increased slightly,... Continue Reading Posted at 2:57 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	The Lowdown on Airline Food Rich Ottum July 22, 2006 Marketing Blurb does not fly first class anymore. We used to score first class upgrades all the time; and the champagne in a glass flute with breakfast was a nice touch on the long haul to the west coast. But... Continue Reading Posted at 2:54 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jul21	Microsoft to Compete with iPod--Zune Rich Ottum July 21, 2006 Now you might think it would be foolish to compete with Apple iPod and iTunes, and you would be right, naturally. But that isn’t stopping Microsoft for launching a series of competitive hardware and software products later this year. The... Continue Reading Posted at 7:45 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	There Goes the Neighborhood Rich Ottum July 21, 2006 Only yesterday, we told you that homebuilders were getting creative to move unsold inventory in a soft housing market. But we should have known that Hollywood folks would have a better idea. And sure enough, Centrex Homes of Southern California... Continue Reading Posted at 5:20 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	This Podcast is Brought to You by… Rich Ottum July 21, 2006 Don’t get us started on podcasts. If you follow the online medium, you might have the mistaken impression that podcasts are the greatest thing since sliced bread. But in truth, only about 6% of US adults, or 9 million web... Continue Reading Posted at 5:08 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Share Your Secret with P&G Rich Ottum July 21, 2006 By now, you’ve probably stumbled across the Share your Secret campaign sponsored by Procter & Gamble’s Secret Deodorant. In celebration of the 50 year anniversary of the product, women can spill their guts in public—okay, share their secrets online. Here’s... Continue Reading Posted at 4:24 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Dinner by Design Includes Kraft Foods Rich Ottum July 21, 2006 You have probably heard the buzz about the up and coming meal-assembly business. The deal is to create an assembly line for a busy person to construct about a dozen meals at one time for freezer storage. The concept has... Continue Reading Posted at 4:19 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jul20	Homebuilder Promos—Free Kitchen with Toaster Rich Ottum July 20, 2006 The housing marketing is beginning to go soft. In many parts of the country, there are three or more months of static inventory of new and existing homes. So increasingly, builders are turning to promotions to move their unsold properties.... Continue Reading Posted at 6:45 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Bilingual Kids’ Meal Premium Rich Ottum July 20, 2006 The Del Taco fast food restaurant chain noticed depending on the location, 20-60% of your customers speak Spanish. So, to take advantage of that knowledge, and to improve the customer experience, Del Taco decided to craft a bilingual premium for... Continue Reading Posted at 4:09 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	SpongeBob SquarePants Pitching Health Food Rich Ottum July 20, 2006 Now you might think that cartoon characters like SpongeBob SquarePants and Dora the Explorer would never pitch health food, and you would be wrong, naturally. As it turns out, Nickelodeon is licensing these characters to promote apples, pears, cherries, and... Continue Reading Posted at 3:42 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Junk Food Online Gaming Rich Ottum July 20, 2006 You often read news items accompanied by a photograph of an obese child munching chips and playing video games. Well as it turns out, that child just might be playing an online advergame offered by a junk food snack company.... Continue Reading Posted at 3:37 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Product Placement Verbal Abuse? Rich Ottum July 20, 2006 Marketing Blurb has discussed product placement or branded entertainment on numerous occasions. While the practice makes us uneasy, we agree the technique is a valid method of reaching an audience suffering from commercial message overload. Of course most product placement... Continue Reading Posted at 3:34 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jul19	The Colonel Gets a Makeover Rich Ottum July 19, 2006 KFC wants you to forget their name is actually Kentucky Fried Chicken, and they shortened the name to initials to sound hipper and to duck and run from the word “fried.” But KFC wants you to remember Colonel Sanders, the... Continue Reading Posted at 8:19 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	As Goes Target Goes the Economy? Rich Ottum July 19, 2006 The economy is booming or crashing—depending on who you ask. But if you want the real scoop, pay attention to same store sales at Target Stores. Business Week calls Target the canary of the economy…and guess who just died? Target... Continue Reading Posted at 8:15 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Wall Street Journal to Offer Front Page Ad Rich Ottum July 19, 2006 Here is an advertising news item we do not consider news. The traditional media industry is abuzz with the news The Wall Street Journal will place an advertisement on page one beginning in September. The space is called a jewel... Continue Reading Posted at 7:02 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Frightening Wal-Mart Pharmacy Commercial Rich Ottum July 19, 2006 We were watching the news last night, and we saw this very scary commercial for Wal-Mart Pharmacies. The commercial was not intended to be scary, but what else could you say about thousands of animated pills and capsules morphing in... Continue Reading Posted at 6:58 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	17 to 34 Year Old Males Don’t Drive Chevys Rich Ottum July 19, 2006 Marketing Blurb does not really understand the auto industry. We just know that women buy more cars and trucks than men, and you would never know that from observing industry marketing communications. But we do know that 17 to 34... Continue Reading Posted at 6:53 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jul18	Food Producers Fight Back Rich Ottum July 18, 2006 Marketing Blurb often reports on the perils of fast food, junk food, childhood obesity, and so on. Regular readers know we never blame food companies for the sorry state of nutrition in our nation. But food companies are under attack... Continue Reading Posted at 6:54 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	100-Snack Packs of Dubious Value Rich Ottum July 18, 2006 Back in June, Marketing Blurb told you about 100-calorie snack packs. The ploy is an attempt to help dieters enjoy their favorite junk food in portion controlled packages. Examples include Kellogg's Keebler cookies, Procter & Gamble's Pringles potato chips and... Continue Reading Posted at 5:25 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Philip Morris Smokeless Spitless Tobacco Rich Ottum July 18, 2006 Marketing Blurb does not smoke, and we prefer smoke-free public spaces. But we are not an anti-smoking zealot because we realize we are surrounded by people destroying their bodies with all kinds of substances. So we are indifferent in reporting... Continue Reading Posted at 5:10 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Banks Rewards Programs Go Uptown Rich Ottum July 18, 2006 Competition is heating up again in banking rewards programs. Forget the free toaster for opening an account and think airline tickets, Royal Caribbean cruises, Tumi luggage or Compaq laptops for taking out a loan, paying your bills online and writing... Continue Reading Posted at 3:58 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Cadillac Drops Led Zeppelin Rich Ottum July 18, 2006 Back in the days when men were men and rock and roll was loud and sweaty, we heard Led Zeppelin perform at Fillmore East in Greenwich Village. Of course we would never believe that about thirty-five years later we would... Continue Reading Posted at 3:53 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jul17	Marketing Katie Couric Rich Ottum July 17, 2006 On those mornings when we are inspired enough to hit the treadmill, Marketing Blurb watches the Today Show. We really don’t pay much attention to the celebrity anchors because we discovered there is really only about 10 minutes of actual... Continue Reading Posted at 4:25 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Aquapod Hits the Road Rich Ottum July 17, 2006 Back in June, Marketing Blurb told you about Aquapod, Nestles’ attempt to market bottled water to kids. The Nestles’ campaign is now underway with a road show featuring two 18-foot mobile units in the distinctive shape of a giant Aquapod... Continue Reading Posted at 4:21 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Keep on Truckin’ with Hot Wheels Rich Ottum July 17, 2006 One of America’s favorite toys is Mattel’s line of Hot Wheels cars. Other than body designs, the toy has changed little over the years. (Mattel also owns Matchbox and Tyco, the number two and three model cars after Hot Wheels.)... Continue Reading Posted at 3:53 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Wal-Mart Tries Consumer-Generated Media Rich Ottum July 17, 2006 Marketing Blurb generally avoids talking about CGM or consumer generated media. We think the idea lacks merit, because companies still exercise editorial control over the results. But GM, MasterCard, and a number of other companies continue to experiment with CGM, allowing... Continue Reading Posted at 3:46 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	CBS Promoting on Egg Shells Rich Ottum July 17, 2006 You do not need Marketing Blurb to tell you there is too much advertising clutter in the world. But if you do not read The New York Times (free registration required,) you might not have heard that CBS is taking... Continue Reading Posted at 3:39 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jul16	Real Men Need Sports and Maxim Rich Ottum July 16, 2006 CBS Sportsline and Maxim.com has decided to create an online traffic sharing partnership. The deal will provide Maxim.com with timely sport scores and headlines from CBS Sportsline. To read complete coverage, the Maxim.com sports headlines will drive readers to the... Continue Reading Posted at 2:31 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Pepsi to Distribute Ocean Spray Rich Ottum July 16, 2006 While Coca-Cola continues to fumble around, Pepsi is bolstering its portfolio of non-carbonated beverages. But rather than gamble on a costly new product introduction, Pepsi has signed a strategic agreement with Ocean Spray. Pepsi will market, bottle, and distribute single-serve... Continue Reading Posted at 2:11 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Searching for Prizes with PCH Blingo Rich Ottum July 16, 2006 Marketing Blurb often reports on sweepstakes, even though we think they are basically dumb. Sweepstakes do not help brand your product. Rather, sweepstakes dragnet all kinds of lame weenies outside of your target market—people with short attention spans lacking a... Continue Reading Posted at 12:00 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jul15	Green is Sexy at Biotech Fashion Show Rich Ottum July 15, 2006 Just in time to save Al Gore from obscurity, green is suddenly sexy. Newsweek and other magazines are sporting green themes. Corporate boards are talking green. Your neighbors are fertilizing their yard, and the guy down the street traded in... Continue Reading Posted at 1:21 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Lunch with Jessica Biel Rich Ottum July 15, 2006 Esquire magazine says that Jessica Biel is the sexist woman alive. We are not sure, but now folks in Denver have a chance to find out. Jessica has agreed to a "win a date" fund raiser to cover medical expenses for a teenage... Continue Reading Posted at 12:40 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Jones Soda Carbonated Candy Rich Ottum July 15, 2006 Not everyone washes away their life with Coke or Pepsi. Some folks favor Jones Soda for their quirky colors, flavors, and bottle labels. (Just looking at a bottle of their blue bubblegum soda may clear your intestines for a week.)... Continue Reading Posted at 11:49 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	DFW Airport Parking Wants You Rich Ottum July 15, 2006 Parking at the airport is a pain. Parking at offsite lots is a pain. Think lose / lose situation unless you are traveling out of DFW Airport this summer. To complete with offsite parking lots, DFW Airport is issuing incentive... Continue Reading Posted at 11:38 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Office Max Nixes Mail-in Rebates Rich Ottum July 15, 2006 Face it. Mail-in rebates are a pain you know where. You have to cut out UPC codes from boxes, photocopy receipts, and fill in tiny boxes with your mailing address. If you are lucky, you receive your money 8 or... Continue Reading Posted at 11:34 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jul14	Socially Responsible Mudd Jeans Rich Ottum July 14, 2006 Marketing Blurb is clueless when it comes to fashion jeans. Fortunately, we discovered today, that Mudd Jeans are the hot item (for young women anyway.) And Mudd has decided not just to pitch jeans, but to draw attention to socially... Continue Reading Posted at 3:32 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Sass with Class GalZ Magazine Rich Ottum July 14, 2006 Now you might think that the world does not need another women’s magazine, and you would be right, naturally. But that is not stopping Yvonne Goldman from launching GalZ Magazine. The publication is characterized as sass with class “about, for,... Continue Reading Posted at 3:28 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Cool Claws for Fussy Felines Rich Ottum July 14, 2006 Marketing Blurb loves cats more than the next pundit (we have five.) Cats helps us compose this blog by clogging our keyboard and mouse with hair. We would never dream of marketing products to our cats, because no two are... Continue Reading Posted at 3:24 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	JC Penney Courting Hip Teens Rich Ottum July 14, 2006 Don’t go back to school this fall if you don’t have “the look.” Marketing Blurb has no idea what that fashion must be, but JC Penney believes they know. This weekend, the company is launching a new web-heavy campaign called... Continue Reading Posted at 3:19 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Marketing to Grups Rich Ottum July 14, 2006 Just when you think you’ve got this whole target marketing deal solved, New York magazine decides to identify a new consumer segment, and coin the term Grups. Grups are people in their 30s and 40s who behave more like people... Continue Reading Posted at 3:14 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jul13	Jessica Simpson Sings for Marketing Blurb Rich Ottum July 13, 2006 We hate these kind of confessions, but Marketing Blurb has never heard Jessica Simpson sing. We have heard her speak, and doubt that voice could possibly enchant us with a song. But maybe we are wrong. What would happen if Jessica... Continue Reading Posted at 4:20 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Wal-Mart Brings Organic Food to the Table Rich Ottum July 13, 2006 We were watching the evening news last night, and saw a rather strange commercial featuring a happy family enjoying a hearty meal (think organic food.) Baby dumps a food bowl on his head, naturally. As the commercial closes, a Wal-Mart... Continue Reading Posted at 4:18 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Dell to Simplify Pricing Rich Ottum July 13, 2006 It used to be easy to purchase a computer from the Dell website. There were a few basic product lines with a few simple configuration options. But the last time we purchased a Dell, the website was cluttered with umpteen... Continue Reading Posted at 4:09 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Crash and Burn for McDonald’s Spicy Chicken Sandwich Rich Ottum July 13, 2006 Now you might think that a spicy chicken sandwich on the McDonald’s menu is a great idea, and you would be wrong, naturally. McDonald’s thought it was a fine idea, too—because rival Wendy’s launched their spicy chicken sandwich first. But... Continue Reading Posted at 4:03 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	MasterCard Teams with Yahoo Rich Ottum July 13, 2006 MasterCard is partnering with Yahoo Travel for the Win 500 Flights Sweepstakes. The contest is featured in banners on the Yahoo Travel site, where users can create their own customized printable travel guides based on their itinerary. Travelers can also... Continue Reading Posted at 4:00 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jul12	Television Viewing Reaches New Low Rich Ottum July 12, 2006 You don’t need Marketing Blurb to tell you that television is over rated. This applies to both programming and advertising. And it seems that last week, over viewers had more important things to do. According to Nielsen Media Research, last... Continue Reading Posted at 4:31 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	The Summer House—the Ultimate Product Placement Rich Ottum July 12, 2006 We have often told our marketing students that sampling is a marketing technique superior to advertising in communicating an effective product message. The Boston agency CerconeBrownCurtis, agrees with us, and they have created the ultimate product placement experience in a... Continue Reading Posted at 4:23 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Real Savings—Real Monks Rich Ottum July 12, 2006 If you are like Marketing Blurb, you have this hate/hate relationship with your ink jet printer. Yes, you vow to replace it with a laser printer, but at the end of the day, you are still fumbling with cartridges that... Continue Reading Posted at 4:19 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Wild Hop Lager—Organic Beer from AB Rich Ottum July 12, 2006 When Anheuser-Busch burps, everyone in the industry listens. And so everyone is watching their test market for Wild Hop Lager, an organic beer available only in California. The beer is intended to capture attention and market share from organic microbreweries.... Continue Reading Posted at 4:12 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Wal-Mart Responsible for Global Warming Rich Ottum July 12, 2006 Okay, so many Wal-Mart is not entirely responsible for global warming. But we did learn from the Associated Press that Wal-Mart is the biggest private user of electricity in the world. “The world's largest retailer emitted the equivalent of 20.8... Continue Reading Posted at 4:07 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jul11	Hybrid Car Rental Company Profits for High Gas Prices Rich Ottum July 11, 2006 If you travel on business and rent cars, you probably wonder if would be less costly just to buy the car rather than return it with a full tank of gas. So you should not be surprised, that an enterprising... Continue Reading Posted at 7:52 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Pamela Anderson--Soccer Mom, Beach Mom Rich Ottum July 11, 2006 We know Marketing Blurb readers love (or hate) Pamela Anderson, so we thought you should know that House & Garden magazine is running an interview with her in their August issue. House & Garden visited with Pamela in her Malibu... Continue Reading Posted at 3:18 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Starbucks Summer Cellular Nonsense Rich Ottum July 11, 2006 Marketing Blurb loves Starbucks, but we are not keen on mobile marketing. In fact, we turn off our cell phone when we go to Starbucks. This is because we want to quiet read the paper, or talk to a friend... Continue Reading Posted at 3:13 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Vital Radiance Loses Its Glow Rich Ottum July 11, 2006 Back in April, we told you about Vital Radiance, a new line of cosmetics from Revlon targeting women over 50. These women are the spending engine our economy, and we praised the product launch not for political correctness but for... Continue Reading Posted at 3:10 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Real Discounts for Virtual Fashion Rich Ottum July 11, 2006 If you think fashion marketing in the real world is frightening, perhaps you should think about courting online virtual avatars. You can find virtual people in all kinds of fun places, and we suggest you read about Second Life from... Continue Reading Posted at 3:06 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jul10	300 Year Old Brand Plans Product Extension Rich Ottum July 10, 2006 Your brand is not 300 years old, and will likely never survive that long. But Twinings Black Tea, a product of Associated British Foods since 1935, was brewing back in 1706, and still satisfies today. But sales of so-called standard... Continue Reading Posted at 4:23 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	The Mother of All Battles for School Lunches Rich Ottum July 10, 2006 Life used to be simple. You could pack your kids peanut butter sandwiches, apples, and homemade cookies for school lunch and they were good to go. But now days, brown bag lunches are assembled from prepackaged ingredients like SpongeBob SquarePants... Continue Reading Posted at 3:19 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Pier 1 Redecorates with the Times Rich Ottum July 10, 2006 Sometimes even funky eclectic wicker furnishings become passé. And because home decorating styles are changing, Pier 1 has decided to get with the program. The chain is undergoing a radical make-over. First, they are introducing Pier 1 Modern Craftsman. This... Continue Reading Posted at 3:15 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Dell PCs Get More Personal Rich Ottum July 10, 2006 Dell Computer is famous for their no-inventory, build-to-order, direct-to-consumer business model. Historically, the company has hyped the typical geek attributes of their products, Intel whatever chips, umpteen GB Hard drive, flat panel monitors, and so on. But falling inline with... Continue Reading Posted at 3:11 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	May I Interest You in a Glass of Product Placement? Rich Ottum July 10, 2006 Marketing Blurb often discusses the merits and demerits of product placement or branded entertainment. On the plus side, product placement makes sense in a world where traditional advertising clutter reigns supreme. On the minus side, script writers are actually tailoring... Continue Reading Posted at 3:04 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jul 9	Starbucks to Boost Non-coffee Merchandise for the Holidays Rich Ottum July 9, 2006 Marketing Blurb loves Starbucks more than the next pundit. Our love is simple, because we only buy black coffee—and maybe a scone if we are out-of-town. What we don’t need is anything else Starbucks offers. But Starbucks has a larger... Continue Reading Posted at 1:26 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Garfield Websites Paw Afoul of Law? Rich Ottum July 9, 2006 Advertising to children can be a minefield, but the landmines are actually well identified by both voluntary industry guidelines and legal statues. CARU, the Children’s Advertising Review Unit, a division of the Better Business Bureau, is the keeper of industry... Continue Reading Posted at 1:21 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Kohl’s Launching Candie’s Heartbreaker Rich Ottum July 9, 2006 You might be enjoying the peak of summer, but retailers are already thinking back-to-school promotions. And if your agenda includes clothing for school, Kohl’s has got a deal for you. Kohl’s hip house brand Candie's is calling upon a couple... Continue Reading Posted at 1:17 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	National Campaign for WTC Memorial Rich Ottum July 9, 2006 Marketing Blurb used to live in New York, and we remember the skyline fondly. And in our mind, the skyline will always include the World Trade Center towers. We visited the city after the terrorist attacks, but decided not to... Continue Reading Posted at 1:13 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jul 8	Disney Pirates Board YouTube Rich Ottum July 8, 2006 Traditional and new media pundits alike are constantly debating the merits and future of YouTube, the online video site. But while pundits are trying to figure out a credible business model, Disney decided to sponsor the entire site last Thursday.... Continue Reading Posted at 2:12 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	MTV Mojo Not Workin’? Rich Ottum July 8, 2006 Marketing Blurb doesn’t watch MTV. We love music videos, because those we have seen are cinematically clever and provocative. Such music videos are also amazingly abusive to women, and we wonder how they can possible air without massive worldwide protests.... Continue Reading Posted at 2:05 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Twins Launch New Magazine Rich Ottum July 8, 2006 You remember the Olsen twins, right? They’re young women now, (but still look, act, and weigh much the same as they did at 12 year old.) But the hot twin act these days is Dylan and Cole Sprouse (who are... Continue Reading Posted at 2:00 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Television Networks Fear Competitive Bidding Rich Ottum July 8, 2006 When it comes to buying and selling television air time, the network old guard is anxious about protecting their turf. Their most recently defensive posture is a result of Aa task force consisting of members of the Association of National... Continue Reading Posted at 1:52 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jul 7	See the Pirate Movie, Play the Online Game Rich Ottum July 7, 2006 Life is short, too short in fact, to watch most movies. But if you are Disney, producing the Pirates of the Caribbean movies is not enough. Disney needs to create a pirates franchise. And such a franchise must include multiple... Continue Reading Posted at 5:16 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Krispy Kreme to Open in Japan Rich Ottum July 7, 2006 Marketing Blurb loves sushi. We refuse to eat the bogus stuff from grocery stores and such—we insist upon watching the chef in person. We like sushi because pieces are prepared and served individually. The antithesis of sushi is Krisky Kreme... Continue Reading Posted at 4:27 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Burberry Looking Beyond Plaid Rich Ottum July 7, 2006 It used to be easy to be stylish. As long as you sported the familiar Burberry plaid jacket or accessory, you were good to go. But the British fashion giant is concerned that their famous plaid is over-exposed or too... Continue Reading Posted at 4:07 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Five-second Tivo-proof Advertising Rich Ottum July 7, 2006 Marketing Blurb is amused by advertisers trying to force television viewers to see their commercials. We heard the newest technique is a five-second spot placed at the end of traditional commercials. These mini-pitches subvert DVRs that normally allow consumers to... Continue Reading Posted at 4:04 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	VW Rabbit Gypsy Cab Project Rich Ottum July 7, 2006 Back in April, Marketing Blurb alerted readers that Volkswagen was preparing to reintroduce the Rabbit in the US. The small car is ideal for city driving, so the agency responsible for launching the product decided to create the Gypsy Cab... Continue Reading Posted at 3:59 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jul 6	Chase ATMs to Dispense US Open Tickets Rich Ottum July 6, 2006 Now you might think that an ATM machine is not the ideal vehicle to dispense tickets to the US Open Tennis Tournament, and you would be wrong, naturally. Chase bank has decided to distribute more than 5,000 free tickets to... Continue Reading Posted at 1:35 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Hearst 30 Days of Fashion Rich Ottum July 6, 2006 Let’s say you need 30 days of brand cache. If you were smart like Citi, L’Oreal Paris, LenCrafters, and Gold Expressions at Forunoff, you should have joined the Hearst Magazines 30 Days of Fashion campaign launching in September. The month-long... Continue Reading Posted at 1:31 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Messing with KitKat Fails Rich Ottum July 6, 2006 If you want a chocolate covered wafer, go for KitKat. The Nestle SA candy bar is a monster hit worldwide. In Britain, where the candy originated in the 1930’s, someone eats a KitKat every 47 seconds. So you might think... Continue Reading Posted at 1:28 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	The Failure of Integrated Marketing Communications Rich Ottum July 6, 2006 When we teach marketing, we always dread the required textbook chapter on integrated marketing communications. While marketing textbooks easily explain the concept, we tell our students that precious few marketers understand how to implement IMC. Now it seems there is... Continue Reading Posted at 1:21 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Marketing to Real Men Rich Ottum July 6, 2006 If you are trying to market to males aged 18 -34 via television, you already know they more likely glued to their Xboxes, iPods, computer, or other tech gadgets for entertainment. But three years ago, Spike TV decided to lure... Continue Reading Posted at 1:05 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jul 5	Maxell Resurrects “Blow-away Guy” Rich Ottum July 5, 2006 Marketing Blurb remembers the day when audiophiles were easily identified by the size of the stereo speakers. This seems quaint in a world where the new standard is invisible earbuds connected to a digital music player the size of a... Continue Reading Posted at 3:05 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Gillette Fusion Shaving System—Yawn Rich Ottum July 5, 2006 Marketing Blurb is amazed with the palace intrigue surrounding the Gillette Fusion Shaving System. First, folks—shaving is not a system. Shaving is a mundane chore. You can add as many blades as you like, use what ever gel, foam or... Continue Reading Posted at 3:02 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Arby’s Assertive Chicken Challenge Rich Ottum July 5, 2006 In the competitive fast food business, Arby’s Roast Beef, the 12th largest player, has a hard time competing with giants McDonald’s and Wendy’s, who hold the number 1 and 3 spots. But according to The Wall Street Journal (paid subscription... Continue Reading Posted at 2:58 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Everyday Joes Ponder Million Dollar Prize Rich Ottum July 5, 2006 Let’s say you are a budget hotel chain, and you need to boost booking over the summer. Choice Hotels, parent of Econo Lodge and Rodeway Inns believes they have the answer with their new “What would you do with a... Continue Reading Posted at 8:45 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	College Students Rank Social Responsibility over Celebrity Endorsements Rich Ottum July 5, 2006 Now you might think that the best way to pitch your product to college student is via celebrity endorsement, and you would be wrong, naturally. According to a new study Alloy Media and Harris Interactive, college students rank corporate social... Continue Reading Posted at 8:38 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jul 4	Hard Rock Café for Sale Rich Ottum July 4, 2006 Okay, rock and roll fans. The Hard Rock Café chain is for sale by owner Rank Group PLC of Great Britain. We’re talking 120 locations in 40 different countries. You love the food, you love the tee-shirts and the glass... Continue Reading Posted at 3:10 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Weight-conscious Shoppers Read but Ignore Food Labels Rich Ottum July 4, 2006 Maybe this is not the ideal blog post for the July 4th holiday, but we just learned from an AP-Ipsos poll, that weight-conscious grocery shoppers read but ignore product labels. According to the poll, almost 80 % of Americans insist... Continue Reading Posted at 3:04 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Gettin’ Dinged by Southwest Airlines Rich Ottum July 4, 2006 If you are a frequently flier, you want to get dinged by Southwest airlines. DING is the name of their special fare alert system, which send registered members an email notice of reduced fairs. The program was created in February... Continue Reading Posted at 3:00 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jul 3	Come Back for Toys R Us? Rich Ottum July 3, 2006 Marketing Blurb has not shopped Toys R Us for ages—but we do know that Wal-Mart ate their lunch years ago. And we also suspect that lower prices were not the only issue in the toy retailer’s downfall. We remember Toys... Continue Reading Posted at 2:26 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Breaking Even on Coldstone Creamery Smoothies Rich Ottum July 3, 2006 Summer is finally beastly, and to stay hydrated you need some more that water, you need fuel like a Coldstone Creamery Smoothie. Of course, the smoothie comes with a few extra calories. But now you can down the smoothie and... Continue Reading Posted at 2:10 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Miller Stokes Energy Beer Rich Ottum July 3, 2006 Marketing Blurb is not keen on the idea of so-called “energy beers.” Energy beers are brews which include caffeine or similar stimulants and special flavorings. An example is Sparks beer, which includes caffeine, ginseng, guarana, and taurine. Real men would... Continue Reading Posted at 1:44 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Philips Single Sponsorships Rich Ottum July 3, 2006 The North American group of Philips Electronics is seeking to score another publicity and advertising coup with single-sponsorship of a supplement to Gourmet magazine. Philips is spending an estimated $ 4 million to secure exclusive advertising in a 98-page supplement... Continue Reading Posted at 1:39 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Flying High with Snapple White Teas Rich Ottum July 3, 2006 Back in April, we told you about the new product line of Snapple White Teas positioned as the “lightest teas on earth.” (We also explained that real men don’t drink tea from a bottle.) And to illustrate just how light... Continue Reading Posted at 1:20 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jul 2	Marketing Large Rich Ottum July 2, 2006 If you think more Americans are overweight these days, you’re right. According to Business 2.0, “more than 60 million Americans are obese, up from 23 million in 1980. Another 28 million are expected to join their ranks by 2013.” And... Continue Reading Posted at 6:51 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Get Stoked for the Self-cooling Beer Can Rich Ottum July 2, 2006 If you think you’ve heard of the self-cooling beer can before, you have. The original technology to chill beverages in cans is now a decade old. But you never really enjoyed many cold beers without a cooler, because the EPA... Continue Reading Posted at 6:36 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jul 1	International Federation of Competitive Eating Seeking Sponsors Rich Ottum July 1, 2006 Not all competitive sports are glamorous. Competitive eating is one such less than politically correct endeavor. In fact, the International Federation of Competitive Eating cannot even sign sponsors for event advertising. Poker and casino advertisers like GoldenPalace.net and Harrah’s are... Continue Reading Posted at 2:43 PM \| Permalink \| Comments

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