https://youtu.be/-avONMmQtlI?si=onBB2vZyKFZxWynDKEN BANKS’BLOG  DECEMBER 2025

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SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY…BUILD A BRAND!

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.

https://youtu.be/H_Pj5pO6X_M?si=_OKCmjIur2ylfQop

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

https://youtu.be/NB-DXIGGoqc?si=f111E3dH_z4D1yQT

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.

https://youtu.be/b9qPMHpyZ5Q?si=0HPDhl0ktuuo90Sc

Apple   iPhone lost in woods animals singing.  Crazy but fun and effective,

https://youtu.be/-avONMmQtlI?si=onBB2vZyKFZxWynD

Amazon Christmas dinner .  Ditto on above.  Amazon has brought shopping convenience to a new height every year

https://youtu.be/2YcydTDSkLc?si=jx8HLOZGS2Uc6LX8

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.

https://youtu.be/tr1vNbQK6iY?si=QdY0z7tfHV8FJAhT

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.

https://youtu.be/cK5zYVdAaxE?si=-thpvEWJ63lszob0

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.

https://youtu.be/rSkXLgLmWYY?si=QAHJYHyLrO6LTlWv

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)

Hope you all Have a Happy Holiday!

Thanks, Ken

KEN BANKS’BLOG  NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2025

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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.

Have a Happy Holiday!

Thanks, Ken

KEN BANKS’BLOG  AUGUST 2025

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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.

Thanks, Ken

KEN BANKS’BLOG MAY.JUNE 2025

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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 1000^th 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.

Thanks,

Ken

KEN BANKS’BLOG MARCH 2025h

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EXPENSIVE SPOTS DON’T MEAN GREAT BRANDING”

Sorry again for the delay in getting this message out again.  The recovery from Hurricane Helen is a long process but we are making progress. After listing as is for a few months, we decided to repair the major damages and that takes a lot of time and energy. However, thanks to FEMA and our insurance coverage we are moving forward. The continued support from friends and family has helped us move down the road to normality.

There certainly have been a lot of major events over the past couple months, but I won’t dwell on those.  The retailing world continues to shrink with the closing of Joanne Fabrics and Family Dollar as well as major cutbacks at both major drugstore chains, Walgreen’s and CVS, who have closed thousands of stores. In the grocery category, Aldi’s takeover of Winn Dixie has resulted in many WD store closings which was not unexpected. Major retail shopping centers—once the major contributor to retail sales growth and expansion—has been downsized as many centers have now been demolished for other uses.  Change as always is the most consistent trend.

It’s been interesting to see the change in high priced tv marking on major events like the Super Bowl, the awards shows, like the Grammys, Oscars etc., as well as many of the streamed series that have changed the broadcast landscape. If one records a show or series online, it’s amazing how the commercial breaks have gone for 120 to 180 (or more) seconds.  A recent salute to the Grand Ole Opry had over 45 minutes of commercials (by my count) for a 3-hour special.  If only the creativity of those hundreds of messages had improved as much as the frequency!

As I have every year for a while now, here is my review of some of the spots that ran in the super bowl in February. There is:30 seconds of air time.  There’s no question that the media value is there, but the production costs for these spots has also gone off the charts as well. Unfortunately, the creativity, in my opinion, has not kept pace with the costs.  In my experience on both the agency and advertiser side, we always set a production cost for spots based on the planned media expense for the spot.  A spot that might only run for 3 days behind a weekend event certainly didn’t warrant the expense for one or more that were part of an ongoing campaign that branded the product or service over an extend schedule.  Creativity and an effective branding message was just as important in all of the schedules- short and long.

I’m not sure that was the case for this year’s Super Bowl mega-spots. It seems that all that was important was to get a celebrity (or several) that may or not be consistent with the brand’s target or come up with a tie in with a major movie release. Or just come up with a message that’s so obtuse that the viewer is left asking “What are they advertising in that spot?”  Effective, break-through creative is the direct result of an effective, well researched brand strategy.  This holds true no matter what the media cost.

Here’s a few of this year’s spots and some brief observations.

PRINGLES MUSTACHE

I’ve always liked Pringles but honestly, I never noticed the mustache or what it has to do with the taste of the chips.

DODGE RAM GOLDYLOX PITT

I don’t know what Goldylox has to do with a big, honkin’ pickup truck but having an expensive Brad Pitt really is a stretch.

HELLMAN’S MAY-BILLY CRYSTAL. HARRY AND SALLY.

Ok, I’m a big Billy Crystal fan and I love When Harry Met Sally, especially the famous diner scene. This  spot uses the celebrities and the movie reference to perfection—just like the Mayo.

INSTACART  HOT DOGS RUNNING

I wasn’t sure if this was a spot for Kool Aid, Green Giant, or Oscar Meyer hot dogs and it really didn’t convince me that InstaCart was any better than Uber Eats or DoorDash.

STELLA ARTOIS. BECKHAM/DAMON. https://youtu.be/GAoeGC-eL4I

This spot uses celebrities (Matt Damon and David Beckham) with a suprising premise and it works when they both like one of my favorite beers.

ULTRA PADDLE BALL.

Another. Beer commercial with an interesting premise that appeal to a couple different age groups and capitalizes on the paddleball craze.  The beer may be mediocre but the message works here.

BUDWEISER. CLYDESDALE RETURNS

Another beer commercial that probably woudn’t work with out the long history of Bud’s Clydesdale spots over the years always memorable and this is no exception—except its length makes it an epic.

DORITOS TROJAN HORSE

Doritos once again spends and spends on the Superbowl. Here are the short spots.  I think the Trojan Horse was the best.

Have a great Spring

Ken

KEN BANKS’BLOG DECEMBER 2024

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BEST CHRISTMAS BRAND OF ALL!

This blog was supposed to be published in October, but Hurricane Helene had another plan.  As I mentioned in the revised intro video on September 29th, our world as we know it got turned upside down when our house was totally flooded by Helene. Almost all of our worldly possessions were hauled away to the county dump, including much of my office equipment. As we set about the task of dealing with insurance adjusters, trash haulers, home repair companies, and locating to a temporary apartment, we got a whole new perspective on what’s really important in our lives. We are now preparing for a different Christmas, so I thought I would share some personal thoughts in this annual holiday blog message.

We had decided to downsize last spring leaving our beautiful home on the waterfront of 28 years to settle into a smaller, less storm prone setting.  The beauty of our location convinced us to hold off for another year. Not a good idea as a mini tsunami deposited 2 feet of murky water throughout the house.  We watched helplessly as five trailers full of most of our furniture and other possessions were hauled away .  While we were emotionally distraught, we were comforted by the love and support of our family, our friends and our local community.  Once the pain eased somewhat, we realized that we, like most of today’s consumers, had accumulated a lot—a really big lot—of STUFF.   All of this could be replaced and as we prepared our inventory for the insurance claim, much of that stuff hadn’t been used in a long time and should have been cleared out or donated a long time ago.  Honestly, as we watched many of the holiday commercials and internet messages, our desire to shop or accumulate more has lost its appeal. What’s more important is the love that we need to share every day and the appreciation for those who share in this life we lead.  The messages and calls that we received with offers of help with the cleanup and move, the offers of lodging and meals, the offers from former business associates for support, and the true friends that reached out to us has reinforced the true spirit of Christmas. I know that many of our neighbors’ and fellow citizens in Tampa Bay have experienced the same support. We hope that this spirit expands beyond the storms and damage into our government, our business world and to our world’s leadership now and in the future.  Let’s re-focus our energies to our families, our true friends, and the spirit of love.

Merry Christmas.

Ken

PS:  Here a few of this year’s holiday spots that I feel capture this spirit as well.

Coca Cola. https://youtu.be/4RSTupbfGog

Amazon. https://youtu.be/ecV3E779MfU

United Airlines. https://youtu.be/ecV3E779MfU

Toyota. https://youtu.be/Tod5LEaAg18

Kroger. https://youtu.be/9IRvv0jScPs

KEN BANKS’BLOG AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2024

https://youtu.be/YyykeU7dK-Y

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REPEAT AFTER ME:  BRANDING STRATEGY COMES FIRST!

There have been many big media events to far this year.  The Olympics, Golf opens, Independence Day celebrations, political conventions heave all expanded coverage lately and in the process have increased the amount of advertising messages to help pay for the outlandish productions costs.  Yet, marketers from all channels have bellied-up to the table to get their messages out to their target customers despite the skyrocketing media costs. This trend goes beyond traditional media, especially television, to online streaming, podcasts, social media, and more. This is nothing news, marketers have always looked for media buys that provide more bang for the buck and have accepted the over-the-top cost per spot/page/message that now exist.  The biggest change is the the players in the game, scrambling to get more attention for their product or service.

This year’s Olympics are a prime example.  No question the coverage and production the 2024 Summer Games was the best ever and well worth the time we all spent watching the events—sports and otherwise.  There were the expected heavy schedules from soft drinks, beers, banks/investment firms, as well as several others excluding most retailers. While the creativity competed favorably with those normally limited to the Super Bowl, the frequency of some messages seems to have exploded especially with prescription drugs, online betting, and (locally) personal injury attorneys.  Yes, as soon as I heard the singing of O-O-O, I knew it was for Ozempic, even though I’m not diabetic nor needing drastic weight loss.  The frequency of the big pharma ads is overwhelming.  While most are targeting the mature age group (which I admit I’ve been in for some time now), I am constantly amazed at the repetition  and frequency.  Often, seeing the same commercial in the same break.  This is particularly  prevalent in local market advertising..  Enough already!

When I was active in the advertising business, both as a client and agency, the standard goal in broadcast was 300 rating points per schedule. In other words, we wanted to reach 100% of our target with our message at least 3 times.  Enough to gain awareness and recognition, but conservative enough to maintain a profitable cost as a percent of sales.  I believe that the trend to repetition, to repetition, to repetition is not only redundant but often turns off the target customer that marketers are trying to reach. Another mistake with this trend is to use a limited or even just one spot for the schedule. So repetition gives way to boredom to rejection of the message.  The prescription drug advertisers are further limited in detailing the side effects (“even death”) and using acronyms WMD, BPH, etc ,etc , Not every patient knows what these ailments are even if they have one.  The rest of us don’t have any idea what the symptoms are that we should be aware of. More explanation and less repetition is necessary. A heavy media campaign should have at least three creative executions to the targeted message.  Spend some more budget on creativity and less on media.

Another example, as I have mentioned in earlier articles, is the boom in legal advertising, especially personal injury attorneys.  They all use their names (some we can’t pronounce), they all promise no charge unless we win (then watch out!), and many of the partner/spokespersons have has much credibility as a used car salesmen.    The key is to have a sound brand strategy. Then creatively have a message that relates to the target customer, and then live up to that brand everyday.

Ken

KEN BANKS’BLOG JUNE 2024

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EXPANDING THE BRAND TO OTHER VENUES!

In several of my previous, I’ve highlighted Bass Pro Shops as one of the top retail brands in the country.  In watching its growth and talking with several executives in the past, I have concluded that Bass Pro is not simply a shopping outlet, but is more of an experience that is not only mind boggling to the outdoors person as well as travelers and sportspeople.  It’s not just the outstanding size of the stores, but also the attention to making it an experience for young and old, male and female, well-off families and those on a tight budget. The addition of Cabela’s a few years ago to the Bass Pro family has accelerated the company’s growth as one of the top retailers in the U.S.   The result of this obsession with creating a brand with a loyal, passionate customer base has resulted in over $7 Billion in annual revenues with exciting stores and the quality and selection of its own brands that is second to none.

As you can tell, I’ve been impressed by the brand for several years now.  That’s why when some friends recommended taking a trip to see the Big Cypress Resort in downtown Memphis, Tennessee, we quickly scheduled a trip to experience Bass Pro Hospitality firsthand.  This resort has been located in the Pyramid right on the Mississippi River.  The Pyramid was built as a basketball stadium and concert venue several years ago and did not meet the expectations of the city nor its populations.  When Johnny Morris, Bass Pro’s founder, heard about this, he decided to look seriously into this large, extravagant location for its fledgling resort business. He debated about it and couldn’t make up his mind.  So, when invited by one of his long-time fishing buddies to Tennessee, he decided that if he caught a 20 lb. bass on this trip, he would move ahead with the purchase.  On his first cast of the day, Johnny caught a 30 pounder and the decision was made!    The resort not only now houses the largest Bass Pro shop in the country, but it has been totally re-designed to create an indoor cypress swamp with wildlife, rivers, lagoons (with Bass Pro’s Tracker boats docked inside) stocked with fish and wildlife that makes it a real adventure to visit.  Additionally, two floors house the resort’s hotel with each room decorated like an exclusive hunting lodge. The building also has the tallest free-standing elevator with whisks you up to an observation with views of the Mississippi River and views to Arkansas and Mississippi in the distance.  There’s also a great restaurant on top with great views and cuisine as well as a casual Wahlburger down in the Cypress swamp area below.

This resort is not the only venture into hospitality by Morris and Bass Pro.  The company also has resort facilities and lodges in Missouri, Tennessee and the Blue Ridge Mountains.  It has also started to build Valhalla, the largest resort to be found in the Florida Keys to be completed in the next couple years.

This is an aggressive undertaking Bass Pro, but it’s a great example of extending the brand’s presence and awareness (and loyalty) by reach current and prospective customers in a different environment while maintaining the brand strategy that made the company successful.  It’s not the first company to do this.  Anheuser Busch expanded its brewing business into the theme park industry with resorts in Florida and Virginia.  Disney expanded its animated movie business into theme park worldwide. It has continued expansion into time-share resorts in many locations as well as a successful cruise line that has raised the standard for cruising.  National Geographic expanded legendary magazine business into its own cable and streaming network as well as documentary films with spectacular photography. Of course, there have been many manufacturers who have own retail stores and outlets and many restaurants have expanded their signature food items into brands on food store shelves throughout the country.

Each one of these examples could be discussed at length as I did above with Bass Pro. However, the important takeaway here is for successful and growing brands can accelerate their business by thinking outside the box of their primary category and looking at other venues to reach their customers and build their brand relationship

Ken

KEN BANKS’BLOG APRIL 2024

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BRANDING HITS THE FIELDS!

Well, March Madness has come and gone and national champions were as predicted.  The big news, however, centered around Caitlin Clark who not only led her Iowa Hawkeyes to the Final Four, but also brought more spectators and fans than ever before for not only women’s basketball but for all college sports.  The increase in viewership was significantly improved and not just for the championship game.  Iowa games were featured more on national media than any other female sports events.  It’s likely this will translate to the pro’s as Clark moves to the WNBA.

Athletics is no longer primarily a male activity.  Female sports at all school levels have increased significantly in participation and fan support over the past several years.  No sport has benefited from this trend than soccer.  The growth at all levels of education has been phenomenal and only surpassed by the boom in amateur club soccer at all levels from age 3-18 years and beyond.  While little league baseball has diminished, the soccer fields are more active than any other sports fields in the US.  Research shows that there are over 810,000 soccer players at the high school level and over 10000 amateur teams nationally.  And the numbers will significantly increase in the next few years.  Evidence for this is the growth of public soccer fields throughout the major metro areas.  While little league fields have diminished in popularity, they normally only have 2 or 3 fields per center.  Soccer complexes now boast up to 20 fields and the tournaments bring participants from all over the state and nation to compete. Soccer is now the number one amateur participant sport in America.  It has been that in Mexico (where it there are over 60 million soccer fans.  Europe and Asia have long been soccer (football there) meccas.  The participants are younger, being 54% younger than any other sport.

The Olympics and World Cup games certainly has fueled this increase in popularity and with it comes increased branding opportunities for the sport.  Nike has long been a major supporter and Reebok, Adidas and Under Armor continued to expand.  Other brands like Capelli, Emirates Air, and many local marketers are featured not only on jerseys and shorts but also at the growing number of venues.  I can remember my first little league team requires us 8 year olds to sell a uniform sponsorship to pay for my “Yanks” team outfit.  Fortunately, my uncle owned a local hardware store and I got my uniform.  Now the national sponsors work with the clubs and schools to get new uniforms every year with logos on every one of them.  It’s an opportunity that starts with the toddlers and continues through the teens and beyond.  Let’s not forget the sports drinks, water jugs and mugs, as well as cleats and socks.  There’s gold in them thar fields and smart marketers will take advantage of this remarkable trend

GREAT CREATIVE.  I am always on the lookout for marketing campaigns with great creative and here’s one that caught my eye.  In Belgium, here’s an effective way to get more people out of their  cars and on the bus systems.  Well done spots that build a great brand. CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW.

Ken

KEN BANKS’BLOG DECEMBER 2023

https://youtu.be/0zZqlU9060M

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GREAT BRANDING—A HOLIDAY TRADITION!

The Christmas holidays are always a time of remembering great traditions—in the family, in the community, in our places of worship, and in the marketplace.  The Christmas marketing has probably changed more than any other holiday tradition over the past several years.  During my retail years, this was the time of the year to pull out all the stops when it came to advertising.  The papers were full of inserts on a daily basis.  Our mailboxes were stuffed with multi-page catalogues from every local and national retailer.  Broadcast media was sold out as every store ran more spots than any other time of the year.  While much of this was price-item promotional spots, this was a time to break the mold with outstanding creative and production. Stores were showplaces for design and display—and special events.

Well, a lot has changed.  The newspapers, when they are published, have barely the number of pages of some of the inserts a few years ago.  Our mailboxes have fewer cards and hardly any “Christmas Catalogues”, porches are filled with Amazon boxes,  broadcast spots are the usual auto dealers and home improvement ads, and .com spots proliferate.  However, there are still some great examples of creative branding at this time of year that are worth noting.  Here are a few of my 2023 favorites where companies take the time and creative juices to provide a message that makes the season bright.

AMAZON https://youtu.be/jmF0bOCa_4Q.

Amazon has been one of the key factors leading to the change in holiday traditions for sure.  However, the company take the time and budgets to drive home a message that brings back memories and recognizes the importance of the aging population.

CHEVROLET https://youtu.be/xnZGEUA4oBk.  During most of the years, Chevy is out there like most car makers with trucks running through the mud, SUV’s with the latest technology, and price offers that you still don’t believe. Over the past few years though, Chevrolet has hit the heartstrings with epic spots that make their brand still strong after all these years.  This year’s holiday spot features the story that is all too common in our society and our families.  Alzheimers and dementia touches so many of us now, and Chevrolet tells a story that memories can be restores, just like some of their old pickup trucks, if you take the time to share with those afflicted, especially at this time of year.  A great spot and a heartwarming message.

CAPITAL ONE. https://youtu.be/gQJ6Xc93-wY.  The holidays are for memories and who doesn’t remember the opening scene of Saturday Night Fever with John Travolta.  Never thought he’d someday play Santa Claus, but this spot hits the target and still makes the point of what’s in your wallet at this time of year.

LOBBY HOBBY: https://youtu.be/8Z3y74R4wAM I have featured Lobby Hobby spots in my past Christmas blogs, and this year’s is a bit deceiving with a title “Lobby Hobby’s 50% Off Sale”. This years messages focuses on a family scene that’s typical of today.  A single, working mother and a son who figures out a way to make Christmas special.  No sales message here except at the very end’s closing title, but a a great branding effort to capture the true spirit of the Christmas season.

Hope you have a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Ken