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Brands that Made Headlines in 2008

Brands that Made Headlines in 2008

Which brands were in the news in 2008?  I thought I’d put together a review of newsworthy brands (good and bad) by writing down the first 10 brands that popped into my head that made headlines in 2008.  Here we go…

1. Apple

Apple could do no wrong in 2008.  The iPhone, iPod, iTunes, new Macbooks, a laptop that fits in a manilla envelope – you name it, Apple has been hot in recent years, and 2008 was not an exception.  If there is an easier way to do something (and a prettier way), Apple will find it.  Apple is the perfect example of a thriving relationship brand that moved from cult status to actually steal some market share from the market leader, Microsoft, who has actually stooped to trying to counterattack Apple with ads that leave much to be desired.  Will Apple remain as popular in 2009?  We’ll have to wait and see, but I can’t imagine the love story will end anytime soon. [Read more…] about Brands that Made Headlines in 2008

Google, Keywords, and Trademarks – French Companies Cry Foul

gavelNews is making its way across the Internet today about two French companies that are suing Google because their trademarked names were purchased as search ad keywords through the Google AdWords program by the companies’ competitors, and ads were served by those competitors when people typed the trademarked names into Google. 

The two companies, Voyageurs du Monde and Terres d’Aventure, are suing for significant sums of money according to The Register, despite the fact that a judge has already determined that the loss of business to both companies as a result of the served ads based on those trademarked keywords was very marginal.  Apparently, two other companies have won similar suits against Google in France the past, Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy and Meridien Hotels. [Read more…] about Google, Keywords, and Trademarks – French Companies Cry Foul

Which Brands Deserve a Bailout – Ford, AIG, Hustler?

larry_flint_hustler_clubThis week, two of the best known brands in the pornography industry – Hustler and Girls Gone Wild, petitioned the U.S. government for a $5 billion bailout to reposition and rebuild both companies citing a 22% loss in sales and rentals over the course of the prior year due to the increased availability of sexually explicit material on the Internet.  As far as the two brand champions, Larry Flynt and Joe Francis, are concerned — if banks and auto manufacturers could get bailouts, then why not companies that deal in pornography?

A joint press release from Hustler and Girls Gone Wild quotes Larry Flynt as defending the bailout request as follows, “People are too depressed to be sexually active.  This is very unhealthy as a nation. Americans can do without cars and such but they cannot do without sex.”  I should note that neither company is in jeopardy of collapsing.  Instead, the press release says, “The $13 billion in industry is in no fear of collapse, but why take chances?” [Read more…] about Which Brands Deserve a Bailout – Ford, AIG, Hustler?

The Equator Principles : A Brief Overview

Dalmore Boys Club Spot The Ball
Click Here For The Solution

Anyone remember spot the ball competitions? A strange photo of football action had the ball removed and you had to place an X where you thought the ball was. The winner won something, possibly cash.

Talking about business sustainability without mentioning money is a bit like a spot the ball competition. You know it’s there, an essential part of what’s going on, but spotting it can be very difficult indeed.

This is where the Equator Principles (EP) come in; a set of benchmarks put together to bring a sense of sustainability to business financing.

Governance of the Principles
The initiative was created in 2003 by the leading banks of the day, including Barclays, Citibank and ABN Amro. It uses the policies of the World Bank and the International Finance Corporation (IFC) as its foundation.

They apply to all projects which financial institutions may engage in with financing of over $10m. This includes both direct lending by the banks and financial consultancy.

In addition, the working groups which govern the principles are not wholly focussed upon the banks. They include representatives of NGOs, Socially Responsible Investment analysts and the banks’ client base.

Inevitably this means that the banks and their clients complain that the principles go too far while the NGOs complain that they don’t go far enough.

This is good and it is heartening to see both sides engaging with one another and feeling able to air their views freely.

Equator Principles Homepage

The Equator Principles Themselves
There are Ten Principles. Any institution signing up to them commits to ensuring any project it is involved in with a spend of over $10m will conform to these principles.

They are relatively simple and straightforward and define the standards, management systems, consultations and monitoring which the bank should require of the client.

These provide a clear pathway for any institution wishing to improve the sustainability of its activities. These steps are underpinned by policies from the IFC and World Bank which provide the real meat.

For instance, the principles embrace both the IFC’s Eight Performance Standards on Sustainability, ranging from Cultural Heritage to Pollution, and the World Bank’s 41 industry specific Environment, Health and Safety guidelines.

ABN Amro
Equator Principles Figures

Transparency and The Equator Principles
When the EP was first launched there was one major criticism which was levelled at it: transparency. Much like the UN Global Compact, in it had placed more emphasis on signing up institutions than on monitoring their commitment.

To try and rectify this, the principles were updated in 2006 to include a tenth principle to which requires institutions to report at least once a year upon their activities under the principles.

As a minimum this requires banks to report the number of projects they have been involved in. The associated guidance notes encourage institutions to break the information down further, for instance by country or sector.

Detailed figures, such as those provided by ABN Amro, give a tiny glimpse into which projects a bank has been involved in. However this should be only the start if the banks’ disclosures.

For example: what about the bank’s governance? Is the EP included as a standard part of staff training, as appropriate? How will a bank monitor EP compliance and how will it censure a client if they fall out of compliance?

The Equator Principles Should Lead Finance Sustainability
There is no doubt that the EP acts as a force for good within the banking industry.

In the past year its membership has grown by nearly 20%, includes a quarter of the top investment banks in the world and has recently embraced Industrial Bank Co, one of the largest banks in China.

However, having a ball is only the first part of a good game of football. The rest of the sport is made up of robust rules and regulations to ensure one side or another isn’t unduly favoured.

If the quality of the benchmark’s disclosure requirements isn’t improved the EP could encourage accusations of being a vehicle for greenwashers.

This would be a shame because finance is undoubtedly modern society’s main driver. As such the EP should be a leader, not a follower, in ensuring a sustainable economy is built.

9 in 10 Emails are Spam Says Cisco Annual Security Report

Each year, Cisco publishes its annual security report.  This year’s report tells us that 90% (or nearly 200 billion) of all the email messages sent each day are spam.  Next time your leadership comes to you and asks you to put together a marketing or branding email campaign, and you tell them to invest in measures to ensure your email is not diverted to recipients’ spam folders, but to save money, they say no, show them this report.  Every step you can take to ensure your email messages get to the recipients’ inboxes are essential to your campaign’s overall success.

Perhaps the biggest challenge of creating a successful email campaign isn’t getting people to open your message and follow your call to action, but making sure they get to see it sitting in their inboxes.  Even the most compelling title for your email doesn’t help if consumers never see it.  At the very least, an email authentication program is critical.  While not full-proof, it certainly increases the chances for your email to make it to its final destination correctly. [Read more…] about 9 in 10 Emails are Spam Says Cisco Annual Security Report

11 Phrases That Destroy Brand Innovation

We’ve all sat through meetings where nothing gets done.  For one reason or another, your team is tasked to come up with innovative new brand programs, but one idea after another is shot down. 

Take a look at the 11 phrases that destroy brand innovation below, then ask yourself if you or someone on your team is guilty of saying one (or more) of them.  If so, it’s time to adjust your thinking cap with an eye toward innovation and away from negativity.

1. We tried that already.

This is a big idea killer.  It’s natural over the lifespan of a business that ideas will resurface.  Just because an idea didn’t work in the past, doesn’t mean it can’t be retooled and be a big success in the future.  Consider Apple which was failing in the 1990s only to revive its brand and product line to become a market share threat to Microsoft.  What if Steve Jobs followed the, “we tried that already,” line of thinking?  Would the new Macbook, iPhone or iPod be available today? [Read more…] about 11 Phrases That Destroy Brand Innovation