Please note that KAB Marketing is no longer operating as a consulting and presentations company. The Blog "What's Branding Got to Do with it?" will continue to be published on a regular basis.
Not long ago, I had the opportunity (finally) to visit the Motown Museum in Detroit. It was a great trip back in time, especially since most of my friends and family, know I was always a Motown fan since its beginning over 60 years ago. I’ve always been an R&B fan since I got my first transistor radio and listened daily to WJLB, one of Detroit’s original soul stations. As a matter of fact, my first LP that I ever purchased was Jackie Wilson’s Greatest Hits. Michael Jackson tributed his singing and dance moves to Jackie Wison. It was the late 50’s and I played it whenever I could. I also knew every song on the album and also noted the writers of Jackie’s hits—William Robinson (later known as Smokey) and Barry Gordy Jr. (founder of Motown). I still have all the Motown hits on my playlists and have attended every Motown revival concert and the Motown Broadway plays. When it was released, I immediately got and read Barry Gordy’s autobiography “To Be Loved” (titled after one of Gordy’s songs for Jackie Wilson). It’s a great history of how Motown grew from a record label to an entertainment brand like no other.
Early in his life Gordy’s dream was to leave the auto factories and start his own music label. His family and friends told him to forget about it and (like the old Coasters hit) “Get a Job”.
But Barry Gordy had a bigger idea. He knew that if he was going to be really successful, he had to build a label (brand) that appealed a wider audience and demographic than R&B music that, in those days, was restricted to black owned stations and labels. He realized that he had to have a large roster of talented singers and writers and musicians whose appeal would top the charts in all rock categories. He also knew that he had make sure his talent and employees understood his vision and to follow his direction in their music, their shows/concerts, their dress and their marketing.
His book highlights how he searched for more than just singers, he needed producers, composers, and sales professionals if his new label and brand—MOTOWN– was going to grow. Much like other successful brands in the consumer markets, he had to research and understand his competition (the big name labels, singers, and musicians). He also knew he had to learn more about the mass market to teens, adults, and station owners who were making the record and entertainment business into the pulse of a nation and international markets. His attention to direction and arrangements was the result of realizing that the market appeal/value was the key to its success. In short, he built a brand that was built from the inside of that Hitsville USA studio in Detroit (now the Museum) and then develop a plan and organization to make it happen.
The rest is history and Motown continues be part of the entertainment scene today. The industry has changed from records and radio stations to streaming programs and applications that make it even more important to do the branding consistently. Now AI has become a major factor in the technology of entertainment. Motown will certainly be rocking that avenue as well.
Note: I just got an example of personalized AI from a good friend of mine from high school, Jim Hampton, a successful disc jockey in early rock era and a renowned producer and entertainment talent today. Jim produced a song that captures my love of Motown and my branding career . If you missed it on the welcome video, here is a link that I think you’ll enjoy.
It was great to get away to Michigan to celebrate the holidays with family and friends. One of nicest stops was a visit to the Michigan Central RR Station in Detroit. After standing vacant and in disrepair for over 30 years, the station has been restored to its magnificent condition when it was the busiest in US. Thanks to Ford Motor Co., the restoration renewed this showplace and is must visit to the Motor City. Our trip brought back many memories of the holidays and growing up in our first homes. Those memories include many significant places around the country that have been restored and revived thanks to the foresight of local corporations and foundations. Traditions like the Macy’s Parade (and the former Hudson’s Santa Paraded in Detroit), the Biltmore House in Asheville, South Beach in Miami, the new Hudson River area in NYC, and many historic buildings around the country are thriving thanks to the support and investment of successful companies who also have brands that have resonated with customers for years. This time of year always provides many reasons to remember the great family gatherings, celebrations with friends, and memorable shopping experiences at great retailers who not only branded themselves successfully but also supported the communities they served.
This time of year is also the time I make a trip to our local regional mall and the Macy’s store to pick up a traditional gift for Sandi and wander among the shops. This year I was disappoint3ed in the number of vacant stores, the lack of the hustle and bustle of the crowds also doing their Christmas shopping. I thought of my department store years when the holidays brought throngs of locals and visitors to experience the atmosphere in those stores and resulted in families lining up to get on escalators, visiting with Santa, and just soaking in the holiday decorations that we retailers worked very hard to provide. I must admit that I have never missed working on the days after Thanksgiving (wasn’t Black back then), Christmas, and the weekends between the two holidays. The rebirth of downtown areas and city centers in cities large and small over the past few years has recaptured the shopping and friendships that appear regularly in those predictable (yet heartwarming) Hallmark Christmas movies. So let’s contunie to build our brands—not with another sale or promotion—but by building memories and happy times for our customers and fellow citizens.
My Favorite Holiday TV spots that you may have missed this year
SUBARU. Share the love. This auto brand has developed a great reputation with quality vehicles and marketing built on love and commitment to their customers.
Chevy going home. Every year America’s most traditional auto brand creates an epic short story commercial that tugs at our hearts and build the Chevy brand at the same tim
Google lamb photos. Google continues to grow it brand as part of today’s way of life. With this spot, the company also reminds us of the the real meaning of the season.
Meijer thanksgiving dinner shopping. This Midwest food chain has been a pioneer in making food shopping an memorable experience and remembering why family gatherings are always special.
Carhartt Christmas rink and trees. Talk about memories. I worked at Carhartt while in college when they were based in Detroit and sold nothing but durable work clothes. This is a brand that has recreated itself worldwide by adjusting to today’s lifestyles and trends. This really brings back memories of the holidays growing up in Detroit.
Hobby Lobby. Cocoa stand winter. The store replayed this spot again with a message that is memorable as all Hobby Lobby Christmas spots have been for year. They stay true to the company’s brand strategy.
Walmart. I have been a big fan of Walmart marketing since its early years on the retail seen and its continual increases in market share. This year’s campaign leaves me wondering however. Now, I’ve never been a big fan of including Mr. Grinch in Christmas messages and decorations. Just seems anachronistic to me. The “Who knew” campaign starring the green grouch just doesn’t work for me and judging by the smaller crowds at a recent trip to Walmart, it doesn’t work for others.(No link here for this campaign. Won’t waste your time)
It’s great to be back at my desk, in my office, in my home after 14 months in temporary housing as we recover from Hurricane Helene. As I’ve mentioned in my messages during that period, it’s been a challenge both mentally and physically to meet the challenges that we were dealing with on almost a daily basis. However, there were numerous instances where we were encouraged and influenced by the relationships that we built with a variety of sources with whom we joined forces to get back to some normalcy.
Those relationships included the support from our solid network of friends, many of whom were scattered around the country, and others who jumped in to lend a helping hand with the cleanup process. Beyond that support, our family was really responsible helping us through the challenges that often seemed insurmountable. Our kids and grandkids jumped in immediately to help us though this disaster. This included our daughter, Michelle, immediately taking control of all the immediate decisions and contacts that had to be made. As our “COO”, she made the daily contacts to get our insurance claims submitted, to find temporary housing, to setting up numerous meetings with contractors who we could trust and who could get the job done while eliminating many of the headaches of rebuilding our home. Michelle also assumed the role of “CFO” by providing the spread sheets and the voluminous claim materials that accelerated our approvals from the insurance companies and FEMA (who, by the way, handled our case efficiently and effectively). She was joined by her husband, Jeff, who provided much need construction expertise as well as helpful staff who were invaluable. She also built relationships with our banking partners which limited the financial stress that can make or break you. Finally, our faith that God doesn’t allow us to be more challenged than we could handle and who answered our many, many prayers when the going got tough.
This event also provided a good lesson in branding. We relied on time after time with the purchasing of replacements for everything from appliances to toilets to mattresses. These retailers backed their competitive pricing with programs that made the spending less stressful and eliminated the worries of not always making the right purchase decisions. Here are three companies that we relied on every step of the way:
AMAZON. The company continues to amaze me by the having just what you need and helping with easy-to-find information on almost everything you need. The online experience is second to none when it comes to finding what you need, comparing options, and returning something that just isn’t right. Their communications on delivery status, return progress, and refund processing is amazing. In the couple instances when we needed to talk with a human, they were friendly, compassionate and dedicated to resolving the problem. No wonder why this is one of top brands in the world and why there are so many gray trucks on our damaged streets every day.
HOME DEPOT. During the rebuilding process, it seemed like Home Depot warranted a trip by us every day. Sure they always seemed to have just what we needed and to always be helpful to personally help you find just what we were looking for. We had an experience with an appliance salesperson here who went above and beyond by talking with us to determine our needs and budget and then finding one that met our requirements. I have been a fan of Home Depot branding and now am more loyal than ever.
LOWE’S. With the high marks given to Home Depot above, you might wonder how Lowe’s would also get our business during the rebuilding. Lowe’s has developed a loyal customer base with an expertise in appliances, home décor, and service. Many times, we were looking for something that we wanted but couldn’t find. In every case, we found an employee who would walk us to right spot even if it wasn’t in their area of responsibility. Our contractors also found Lowe’s to be a trusted, economical choice for many major purchases.
Of course, there were many more companies that we did business with and most showed sincere empathy for our situation. However, these three brands built a relationship that we feel right at home with.
It’s been nine months since Hurricane Helene destroyed our home. We began the rebuilding process in March and are now rounding the home stretch a completing the construction. As we’ve gone through this process, I was reminded of how long it takes to go through the 5-Step Branding process that I have written about many times in this blog and how important this process is to rebuilding a brand that has weakened in its market. So I thought I would review the process with a comparison of how our construction is coming along well by following a similar process as a brand.
DEFINE. As we started the recovery process, we had to define what exactly we wanted to do. Should we tear down and start over; should we leave it as is and try to sell it; or should file our insurance claims and restore our house to the place we called home for 28 years. The same holds true for rebuilding a brand for a product or service. If the current market results (lower revenue, lower market share, increased competition) warrant a intensive plan to determine next steps. Consumer research to determine if your value proposition still is valid and to determine if your awareness has slipped in recent history is critical. The defining the competition and your position make require a change in direction.
VALUE: We reviewed our neighborhoods for comparable homes and decided that there was still a significant market for our house and its features including the waterfront property that is so desirable. As a result, we decided to redo the house to existing floorplan and amenities while meeting updated license requirements and consumer preferences, In the same way, a brand need to analyze the market, its potential, the competitive values and what makes your brand more viable than before. A clear positioning statement is necessary and modification to your brand specifics if needed is critical.
EMOTIONAL APPEAL: Not only did we want to rebuild but we also had to determine if we would want to return and call our house for the foreseeable future. So we made improvements and will replaces contents to meet our desires. A brand may not meet to needs and desires of its target customers that once made it successful. So, modifications in product design, benefits, and marketing may be necessary. This is not simply developing an new ad campaign or a new packaging, store design, or logo/graphics. It has to be relevant to more customers and these benefits have to be developed in conjunction with all operational staffs within the company to insure a complete service proposition.
COMMUNICATIONS: We talked with several realtors, developers, building contractors to get their valued opinions as well as their quotes. This took time but has paid off as we’ve gone through the construction process. The brand should be a total organizational developmental process if it’s going to be successful so internal communications as well as third party (agency, consultant, market experts) discussions will result in a more effective rebuilding process.
ALIGN YOUR TEAM. We wanted to make sure that we all agreed on our plan and had several family discussions as well as with our extended family and friends. Moving quickly to file our claims and obtain permits and licenses was critical. We have observed many other houses in our neighborhoods, especially waterfront properties, that are still boarded up and have remained vacant due to delaying action. If a brand is losing market share, it’s not going to recover if the executive team does move quickly and completely to start the analysis of what needs to be done.
IMPLEMENT YOUR PLAN. We have moved forward and have had a spreadsheet and calendar for all of the steps which has eliminated a lot of the worry and stress. A branding strategy and plan must have a complete plan and timetable to insure an effective roll-out and success.
So, we as get closer to the next step of refurnishing our home and setting deadlines for moving back we feel more positive that the future looks bright for our family.
ANOTHER CHAPTER IN RETAIL MARKETING CLOSES A GREAT BRANDING STORY.
I joined Eckerd Drugs in 1979 and on my first visit to the company, I was given a tour of the new corporate headquarters in Clearwater/Largo Florida. I was impressed by the new building and the optimism of the management as it prepared to open its 1000th stores as one of America’s top drug store chains. The company sold out to J. C Penney and its operations (and this building) were sold for offices of other companies in the area.
After I returned to the Tampa Bay area a few years later, I often drove by the office and reminisced about the memories I shared with so many great people. Later, the YMCA gym I belonged to built its new facility directly behind the Eckerd HQ building and the memories were refreshed every week as I drove by. A couple weeks ago, my entrance to the Y was closed and it was announced that the Eckerd building and parking deck were being torn down and will be replaced by a manufacturing operation. It’s been disheartening to watch the bulldozer demolish the 45-year old structure, and I thought it would be a good time to share my memories of my career job in branding and what made the company successful for many years.
Jack Eckerd started the business in the 1960’s when he recognized the potential for a drug chain in Florida. His family had other Eckerd chains in Pennsylvania, Delaware and Charlotte, so he saw an opportunity and then let his genius and common sense lead the way. Eckerd built a successful chain on an outstanding prescription business, a market-leading photo business, and a strong commitment to promotional advertising. In fact, the company offered many non-drug items that made it one of the most convenient store experiences in its markets.
The company grew through acquisitions and an aggressive real estate plan and eventually became the largest market share leader in its 15-state marketing area in the Southeast U.S.
Eventually, the company went public and with a new CEO, Stew Turley, and was successful growth story that eventually grew to over 2500 stores. Stew, who passed away last year, put great emphasis on building a loyal staff who built a strong customer service brand. Its pharmacy was always the preferred choice in its markets and the photo business grew to the point where Eckerd was the largest retail photo processing company in the nation and Kodak’s largest customer. As the market grew more competitive and take-over attempts began to bloom, Eckerd decided to go private with an LBO that proved to be one of the most successful retail LBO’s in the country. I had the great opportunity to be part of that process, and I thank the leadership of the company for it every year as I moved on. We had created several great branding strategies that gained national recognition, and we relied heavily on consumer research to build the success of these brands. The market tightened, and Stew made a monumental decision to look closely at what it would take to be successful long-term. Partnering the McKinsey Group consultants, we turned the company inside out and talked in real depth with our customers and our competitors’ customers alike and learned that despite the heavy dependence on sale/promotional ads, the vast majority shopped our stores because they need something and wanted a store that they could trust every week (sometimes more) and get a good value at the same time. The stores were remodeled to make them more convenient and appealing, our dedication to our brands was supported with increased budgets, and internal marketing became as important as the eternal media efforts. For me, it was the opportunity for the marketing career I dreamed of when I joined P&G out of grad school years earlier. We dared to be different, and the customers responded well. Increased competition by food and discount retails (and online later) continued the challenges. Eckerd divested itself of other retail ventures that drained the resources and profits, and subsequently sold out to JCP. The passion and commitment to the drug business waned, the drug chain was broken up and sold to other chains, and in 2005, Eckerd closed for good. It was a great ride and I value the relationships that I was able to develop with my fellow employees, other retail marketers, and suppliers all over the country. It enabled me to join other retailers and agencies to grow my branding expertise and subsequently start my own consulting business for 20 years. The knowledge I gained helped me launch a career as a public speaker on branding, co-author a few books, and share perspectives via these blogs which continue today.
As I look at the dust and debris that is falling near me now at Eckerd HQ, I’m thankful for this great opportunity TO help others be successful in building great brands and relationships.
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