Marketing and all things related

My wife wants to pot the geraniums she bought for our garden. But at the garden store, she couldn’t find any potting soil. Okay, so there was in fact potting soil—but only branded gourmet dirt she explained to me. There was no generic house brand, as in years past. Potting soil is now branded. And we’re not just talking Miracle Grow, but multiple brands of premium gourmet dirt. And so, she returned with bags Premium Pro Mix which include more healthy nutrients and ingredients than Wonder Bread. Yes, we know that potting soil is not synonymous with dirt. But no, we didn’t realize multiple premium brands would compete for our attention. Our geraniums will look beautiful, but we miss the less expensive generic dirt.

Marketing Blurb is obviously behind the times when it comes to gaming. We just reported that Cadillac product placements will appear on the Microsoft Xbox360 online gaming channel. But what we didn’t know is that the drivers are 33 years... Continue Reading

Marketing Blurb has commented on numerous occasions, that videogames are a promising medium for advertisers. Games are more interactive than television, and the editorial consequences of product placement are more subtle, flexible, and credible. Cadillac believes this as well, and... Continue Reading

Marketing Blurb does not drink Sprite (or any other soft drink for that matter,) but we always liked their “Obey your thirst” tagline. We tell our marketing students this is a fine example of a convincing and easy to understand... Continue Reading

Pabst Blue Ribbon is another of those domestic beers too easy to forget. But it seems that a new generation of young urban professionals has rediscovered the brand, and they love the cheap—ahem—inexpensive brew. According to Eric Shepard, executive editor... Continue Reading

Marketing Blurb doesn’t drive an American car. We haven’t for years. This is not a political statement on our part, just a simple preference for better vehicles. We’re game to drive an American vehicle, but we’re not motivated. We do... Continue Reading

Back in 2003, snack food giant, Frito-Lay, bowed to public-health advocates and consumer groups, and eliminated trans fats from its snack chips by converting Cheetos, Doritos and Tostitos to corn oil. But in more crunchy news, Frito-Lay  is preparing a... Continue Reading

We just learned from Business Week that McDonalds has decided to launch a more contemporary restaurant design. For the first time in 30 years, the chain will undertake significant remodeling and new architecture. There is not yet a single design... Continue Reading

Marketing Blurb multi-tasks by reading while we watch the evening news. In The Wall Street Journal (or maybe it was Newsweek or Business Week) we skimmed an article about Mary Lou Quesnell, marketing director of Ford, and her new Ford... Continue Reading

Marketing Blurb loves Starbucks more than the next pundit. We really don’t visit that often, but when we do, we skip all the weenie foamy stuff and go right for the black gold that makes us feel great for the... Continue Reading

Marketing Blurb is not a soccer fan. We have nothing against the game mind you—there is just a limit to the sports any one pundit can ingest. But we do know that Anheuser-Busch was delighted to score with Bud as... Continue Reading

Marketing Blurb loves tennis. We even used to play until our son could trounce us so savagely we decided to retire. So we watch the game instead, and we’re dazzled by today’s talented players. So we were amused to learn... Continue Reading

Last summer, our wife surprised us with box of Popsicles. She hid them in the freezer, and then produced one on a particular beastly hot day when we had been working in the yard. And for a few blissful Twilight... Continue Reading

You’ve heard Marketing Blurb grouse about fast food burger chains from time-to-time. Their gut busting menus and dimwit advertising render them easy targets for blog pundits. But when it comes to branding, we must admit that McDonald’s is a very... Continue Reading

Marketing Blurb loves good pizza. And we know just where to get the best damned pizza in the free and non-communist world (we make it ourselves.) And guess what? Good pizza takes time. The dough for the crust takes time.... Continue Reading

Marketing Blurb doesn’t watch much television. But we do watch the evening news, which makes us a victim of aliment advertising. Between 6 pm and 7 pm we are exposed to treatments for conditions we never knew existed. But we... Continue Reading

Marketing Blurb loves beer more than the next pundit. But we never touch any brew that advertises on television. We favor foreign beer, or the honest and distinctive brews of microbreweries. These smaller folks are more interested in taste than... Continue Reading

Marketing Blurb prefers simple advertising messages. In fact, we believe the most effective advertising is often accomplished by a single sentence. Our current favorite is a campaign by United Parcel Service. Their message is simple: UPS. Covering more ground faster... Continue Reading

Marketing Blurb loves to shop at the grocery, but we are often stuck with more mundane household tasks like vacuuming the stairs. So we often miss fun new products—the kind we fondle at the store, but never really purchase. Fortunately,... Continue Reading

Marketing Blurb loves coffee more than the next pundit. And, we are not fussy about the source. Most mornings, we brew our own. Yes, we love Starbucks and go for French roast black, thanks. But we are just as happy... Continue Reading