Marketing and all things related

Federated owns a gaggle of regional department store brands, acquired as the retail category chocked during before and during the 2002 (until present) recession. Over time, Federated is renaming each brand Macy’s, and with mixed results. Macy’s entered the Columbus, Ohio with their acquisition of Lazarus Department Stores. And while Federated pumped considerable effort to the re-branding effort, foot traffic actually dropped at the re-branded stores. Intent to shop at Macy’s in the Columbus market also dropped. Perhaps other markets have success stores, because Federated is underway with a massive national re-branding campaign to break this fall. With more stores under a single name, it seems likely that Federated will reduce their traditional ad expenditures on local newsprint, and move the show to television. Advertising Age (free registration required,) claims a complete redirection of their advertising venue would suck about $ 425 million away from anxious local newspapers. Marketing Blurb is not a retail expert, but we believe that television cannot substitute for newsprint with regards to local department store advertising. Photo Credit: Macy’s Online

Marketing Blurb subscribes to umpteen magazines—which is probably too many. But we love thumbing through the new ones that arrive every day, making a quick mental note of what we intend to read in detail later that night—or more realistically--later... Continue Reading

We watch the evening news everyday, and we know for sure that advertisers are trying to reach boomers. We rarely see advertising for anything that isn’t a prescription drug for boomer aliments. Advertisers realize younger audiences get their news elsewhere.... Continue Reading

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

We already admitted that we don’t know much about the new Honda Fit. Advertising targeting Gen Y zaps through media channels boomers can’t even tune in. But we finally got the scoop from an eight-page bed sheet fold supplement in... Continue Reading

It seems that business magazines are tipping in all kinds of advertising inserts these days. Most of these inserts just annoy us, because the magazine pages clump together and don’t flip easily. We do like removing the larger ones to play with the... Continue Reading

Fashion is a tough business, and to score in the Big Apple, you need a stiff lower lip. Cosmetics retailer Sephora found a novel way to draw attention to a new store opening. In Manhattan’s financial district, coffee vendors filled... Continue Reading

Back in May, we commented that Ford’s Bold Move television campaign reminded us more of a Rally’s burger commercial than a serious attempt to brand or sell automobiles. We haven’t changed our mind. But we have learned that Ford will... Continue Reading

Now maybe you think you own a kick-ass plasma television bigger than your dining room table, but you ain’t seen nothing yet. A blimp company in Orlando named The Lightship Group just launched a 170 foot blimp which sports an... Continue Reading