Marketing and all things related

Okay, folks—the domestic beer industry is in a funk. We believe we know at least two reasons why. First, mass market domestic beer (and we won’t name names) tastes awful compared to micro brews and foreign beers. Secondly, much beer advertising is childish, inane, and offensive to women who control the purchase of consumer products in our country. Since our friends at AB can’t seem to solve either of these problems, they have decided to think outside the can. According to The Wall Street Journal (paid subscription required,) Anheuser-Busch is mulling an expansion to wine and spirits. AB already has a relationship with Bacardi in which the brewer produced malt beverages (called malternative) under the Bacardi Silver label. Addressing a national gathering of state liquor administrators in Boston, August Busch IV told the audience “we at Anheuser-Busch will have to re-evaluate our business model going forward in terms of expanding beyond beer and broadening our position within the total alcohol industry." Order that second round now.

Product placement (which some people prefer to call branded entertainment) is creeping into media everywhere. Now you might think that product placement targeting children too young to distinguish between programming and advertising is a bad idea, and you would be... Continue Reading

Now you might think that the well-recognized Citigroup red umbrella would be considered a sacred brand symbol, and you would be wrong, naturally. The icon originally belonged to Travelers Insurance which Citigroup acquired in 1998. Newspaper ads featuring the Travelers... Continue Reading

The Alka-Seltzer is brand is older and wiser than you are. In fact, the brand is celebrating 75 years of relief of upset stomach, headache, hangover, or whatever. Students of the brand know Alka-Seltzer reinvents itself every ten years or... Continue Reading

Now you might that cities already have enough outdoor advertising, and you would be wrong, naturally. If you are impressed by advertising display of Disney Word or Times Square—you ain’t seen nothin’ yet. We just learned from Ad Age (free... Continue Reading

Lacking a degree of inspiration and imagination, TBWA\Chiat\Day decided to mimic the language of the software industry for the launch of five new Nissan vehicles. Headlines include Excitement 2.0 and Passion 2.0 and the claim “Five new vehicles. All have... Continue Reading

Only a year ago, Chrysler was on a roll (right over the backs of Ford and GM.) Their chunky 300 model was a monster success with everyone from old ladies to rappers. But higher gas prices have flattened Chrysler sales... Continue Reading

Marketers think they know how to brand products for boomers. But tweens frighten marketers, because these young consumers are less brand conscious and more skeptical of advertising claims. So Toyota decided to start early by branding their somewhat whacky Scion... Continue Reading

Marketing Blurb spends much of the day on the Internet, but we were just too busy to discover the hundreds of amateur videos of people dropping quarter-size Mentos into bottles of Diet Coke. Doing so results in a geyser of... Continue Reading

Marketing Blurb shudders every time we see a photo of a McDonald’s restaurant in a foreign country. No, we are not against international marketing. We would just prefer to export the best rather than the worst of our culture. But... Continue Reading

Marketing Blurb is not convinced that Major League Baseball needs an official candy bar. Official peanuts we can understand. An official bratwurst and beer make sense. But if the league must have an official candy bar, it might as well... Continue Reading

Marketing Blurb hates to sound skeptical of marketing claims, but we believe all batteries are pretty much the same. We use re-chargeable batteries whenever we can, and when we buy batteries, we select whatever brand is on sale. But in... Continue Reading

Okay, folks—here is one headline we never wanted to post. We love Starbucks more than the next pundit. (Even when they screw around with their basic business model and pitch music and movies we don’t need.) But we just learned... Continue Reading

Marketing Blurb has not been to Vegas for a few years now, but we doubt much has changed in our absence. People keep losing money and developers keep erecting casinos. Maxim magazine just announced they will lend their brand name to real... Continue Reading

When we are reading The Wall Street Journal during the evening news, television commercials must be damned clever or annoying to catch our attention. Last night we saw an amusing animated commercial from Turkey Hills Dairy imploring us to visit... Continue Reading

Marketing Blurb is a great advocate of product sampling, street marketing, and promotional tours. As such, we are pleased to learn from Promo Magazine that Ocean Spray is taking their beverages on the road this summer with the theme: Take... Continue Reading

Our son’s new Motor Trend magazine arrived in the mail today. On the cover is an aggressive Shelby GT 500, and we are inclined to believe the article subhead Across America in the Greatest Mustang Ever. But the real story... Continue Reading

Everyone is familiar with Kraft Foods, and their well-known products Oreo cookies and Miracle Whip dressing. But as it turns out, the company is in somewhat of a funk of late. Profit is down 24% over the past two years,... Continue Reading

Now you might think that your brand is forever, but few brands can claim a centennial celebration like Dum Dum Suckers from Spangler Candy. (The same folks would make those orange marshmallow Circus Peanuts.) Beginning June 12th, consumers can visit... Continue Reading

At one time, the Maytag appliance brand was at the top of their game. They produced a quality product which readily fostered brand loyalty and company evangelism. But their quality slipped, and their relationship with consumers soured. And before Maytag... Continue Reading