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Brand

Segway PUMA – Missed Branding Opportunity

pumaWhat do you think of when you hear the brand name PUMA?  Most people respond to that question by saying, “shoes”. 

Yes, there is already a PUMA, and while it’s in a very different market than the new Segway PUMA, and it’s unlikely the products will be confused with one another, the problem is that the name is already taken and consumers already associate it with another product.  PUMA already communicates a brand message, image and promise.  [Read more…] about Segway PUMA – Missed Branding Opportunity

HSBC CEO Leaves London for Hong Kong

HSBC_Hong_KongThe HSBC brand is steeped in British culture and tradition.  But what happens to the brand when the CEO moves to an office in Hong Kong?

That’s exactly what’s happening at HSBC.  The reason for the move is simple — Asia is where the money is, and HSBC is following it.  The company’s focus has shifted from Europe and the U.S. to Asia, and the CEO’s move shouts that new strategy to the world loud and clear.  But what does that do to the existing HSBC customer base and the brand promise overall?

To many consumers, the HSBC CEO move and clear message of new focus and new direction could be perceived as a slap in the face — a “you’re no longer our priority” message.  Of course, HSBC isn’t the first company to shift its focus in order to keep growing and remain profitable.  And don’t forget that HSBC was founded in Hong Kong and Shanghai over a century ago.  However, recent history has tied the company closely to the United Kingdom, a fact the company has promoted and even used as a fundamental component of its brand image.  HSBC’s message in recent years has been one of differentiation.  The company’s slogan, “the world’s local bank” didn’t come close to reflecting the company’s broader brand image that adamantly differentiated it from other finance companies of the world.

I’m sure HSBC will succeed with its new strategy of focusing on Asia and the East to continually grow shareholder value, but are there lessons to learn from this story?  Is moving a CEO to another part of the world more symbolic in terms of changing the brand image than anything else?

It’s not surprising that HSBC is returning to its roots and following the money, but the CEO move makes the strategic shift more visible and “real” than any press release or executive speech ever could.  I’m certain HSBC knew this when the decision was made.

The lesson to learn from this story?  Sometimes actions speak louder and spread farther than words.

Image: Flickr

Google and Apple Face Off

google_nexus_oneTuesday, January 6, 2010 marked an important date in the ongoing battle of brand supremacy between Apple and Google.  That was the day that both companies made major announcements which represent a shift in the mobile phone market — the effects of which won’t be fully realized immediately.

On January 6th, Google announced it was entering the mobile phone retail business with its new Nexus One phone from HTC, which is only available through Google’s new online store.  On the same day, Apple announced it was entering the mobile advertising game by acquiring mobile advertising company Quattro Wireless.

While neither announcement is an instant game changer, they do foreshadow things to come.  It’s been speculated in The New York Times that Apple’s interest in mobile advertising is probably less about competing with Google in the mobile advertising market than it is about finding a way to monetize its popular apps with developers by giving them a way to generate income (since apps are currently available for free download).

Similarly, Google claims not to want to become a major player in the handset market.  Instead, according to a separate article from The New York Times, Google’s hope with its new online store and the Nexus One is that more people will have access to handsets running its Android software.

As we watch this battle play out with both major players, Google and Apple, seemingly pursuing very different paths to reach their goals, it’s interesting to wonder how this will end.  Can any other company compete with Google and Apple in the future?  RIM’s BlackBerry still holds a sizable chunk of the business market, but with the new extensions Google and Apple are bringing to the mobile market, it makes one wonder what the industry will look like in 5-years (or sooner).

And how will the landline market be affected?  I’ve read multiple predictions over the past few weeks that traditional home phones are nearing the end of their lifecycle.  How soon will that prediction come true?

It’s an exciting time, particularly since consumers continue to get some great new products from the frenzied competition that really do make their lives easier.

What do you think?  iPhone or Droid?  What’s your prediction for the future of the mobile market?

Image: Flickr

A Branding Debate from the Swiss Army Knife

swiss-army-knifeI read an interesting article on the BBC website this week about the history of the Swiss Army Knife.  Here’s a product that started 125 years ago from humble beginnings and grew into an iconic product.  It could be argued that the term “Swiss Army Knife” has become generic to mean any kind of pocket knife — similar to how Kleenex and Band-aid have become generic terms.  But how did a simple pocket knife become so ingrained into cultures around the world?  And how can your brand achieve similar success?

There are actually two valid arguments — one for and one against — building a brand into a generic term for a product or category.  First, the pro side — a brand that becomes a generic equivalent for a product or category holds tremendous value as it’s the brand thought of first and always.  Next, the argument against — a brand that becomes a generic equivalent for a product or category loses value by becoming more of a commodity that is easily interchangeable with other brands which offer the same benefits to consumers.

So which side of the debate are you on?  Certainly, a brand like Band-aid reaped the rewards from its “generic” status for many years, and today, brands like Google are becoming generic terms (“you can Google it”) that competitors are blatantly trying to counter (e.g., Microsoft’s Bing — have you heard anyone say, “you can Bing it” yet?  Microsoft hopes you will).  I think the value of a brand becoming the generic term for a product, category or action (as in Google’s case) outweighs the longer term negatives of commoditization.

However, the problem is less in commoditization than it is in retaining a brand’s position once it becomes a generic term.  I think once a brand becomes the generic term for a product or category, the powers that be become lazy and sit back to enjoy the ride as the leader having cornered the market, so to speak.  There is the inevitable comfort that being the leader that no one can touch creates within the ranks.  That’s the danger.  Consumers move quickly these days, and a brand that becomes a generic term for a product or category must stay on its toes to continue leading the way and earning consumers’ trust and choice.

What do you think?  Is having your brand become a generic term for a product or category a win or a problem?

Image: Flickr


Let the Popularity Contest Begin – Google and Twitter Launch Follow and +1 Buttons

This week, both Twitter and Google officially launched social buttons that webmasters’ can insert directly into any page on their sites and blogs by simply copying and pasting some HTML code. Following is an overview of what these buttons do.

Twitter Follow Button

The Twitter Follow Button enables people to make a single click on the button when they find it on a web page (see an example below) in order to follow that profile on Twitter. If they’re logged into their Twitter account when the button is clicked, they automatically start following that person. It’s as easy as that and takes just minutes to complete the Twitter Follow Button form to create your customized button and insert it into your website or blog.

Google +1 Button

The Google +1 Button enables people to make a single click to identify content that they recommend to their friends and contacts. This button is particularly important because it also affects Google search results (if people recommend content, Google’s algorithm will identify that content higher in its keyword results rankings than content that no one recommends). People will be able to see recommendations from their friends and contacts within their own Google keyword search results when they’re logged into their own Google accounts. You can get your own custom Google +1 button and embed it on any page on your website or blog by filling out the simple Google +1 Your Website form and inserting the code into your website. Below is a short video from Google that explains the Google +1 button in more detail.


It’s always a good idea to make it as easy as possible for people to share your content and engage with you across the social web to give your brand the most exposure possible. Just as the Facebook Like button has become a website standard, the Twitter Follow Button and Google +1 Button are equally important, particularly since the Google +1 button can affect your search engine rankings and traffic. If you’re not using them yet, go check them out and at minimum, add the Google +1 button to your blog posts. Your brand will thank you for it.

Image: Twitter

FTC’s Wants ‘Do Not Track’ List for Online Advertising

behavioral-trackingOnline behavioral targeting might be in danger for marketers if a new U.S. Federal Trade Commission proposal comes to fruition.  As Internet users lose more of their privacy every day with every click being tracked for behavioral marketing purposes, the FTC is considering implementing a Do Not Track list similar to the immensely popular Do Not Call list that puts an end to telemarketing calls for people who add their phone numbers to the list.

The FTC is calling for an opt-out list not just for behavioral targeting and ad serving but also of data collection entirely.  While there is still much debate about how such a system would work, the concept is one that consumers strongly support.  For marketers, the response is quite different.  Behavioral modeling has been a huge investment for companies in recent years, usurping demographic modeling in many cases.  Getting access to online behaviors was a dream come true for marketers.

It’s safe to assume that the Do Not Track list won’t become a reality in the near future, and it’s final form has yet to be determined.  One thing is safe to assume though — online privacy and tracking Internet users is a matter of contention that won’t go away and some form of government intervention (not just in the United States) is inevitable if self-regulation continues to fail.

Considering how the Do Not Call list in the United States negatively impacted the telemarketing industry, it’s interesting to speculate how a Do Not Track list would affect online marketing and advertising.

On the other hand, those Internet users who don’t add themselves to a Do Not Track list might represent an audience that is more responsive to behaviorally targeted ads and marketing messages.  Might return on investment actually go up if ads are targeted to the smaller audience that wants to see them?  The argument could certainly be made that it could happen.

What do you think?  Do you support a Do Not Track list from a consumer’s perspective?  How about from a marketer’s perspective?  Leave a comment and share your thoughts.

Image: stock.xchng