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While in my home town, Detroit, for a high school reunion a couple weeks ago, I took a trip down to my undergrad alma mater, Wayne State University, to visit the new Mike Ilitch School of Business Building which was dedicated about a month ago.  I was impressed by the building and by its location which was about a mile from campus and right next to the new Little Caesar’s Arena, home of the Detroit Red Wings (which Ilitch owned) as well as the Pistons NBA team.    I was impressed by the new arena as well as nearby Comerica Park (home of the Tigers, which is also owned by the late Ilitch’s family).  My first impression was “Wow, that’s a lot of pizzas to build these mammoth, modern facilities!  Indeed, it is and it’s particularly amazing given the competitiveness of the pizza industry in the US.

1. Little Caesar’s is one of the top national chains, competing with Pizza Hut, Domino’s, Papa John’s, Jets, California Pizza Kitchen and local Detroit favorite Buddy’s for a share of the pizza market. Little Caesar’s established itself years ago by marketing the fact that not only are its pizzas really delicious but that you get two pizza pizzas every time you order one at the same prices Don’t forget the take and bake stores as well which includes Papa Murphy, Straw Hat, and the Sam’s and Costco Warehouse stores).  Of course, we all have our favorite local independent pizza places which help make up the over 62 million pizzerias who spread mozzarella and pepperoni in every corner of the US (and the world for that matter).    So, what make one pizza shop succeed in such a competitive market place? Sure, there are the multitude of coupons that flood our newspapers, mailboxes and on-line every day.  And there are the thousands of delivery cars and vans that deliver hot pies to our front doors (and don’t forget Uber and Lyft as well).  However, I believe it’s branding that continues the growth of this popular staple to our diet.
2. I recall my first pizza job when I was in grad school at Pizza Hut which was a regional player at the time.  The key to Pizza Hut’s brand was its special sauce which was confidentially delivered to each hut weekly.  We made all the rest of the pie like any other but when we added the herbs and spices to the sauce, the brand took on its uniqueness. Since then, Pizza Hut strengthened its brand with innovative offerings like personal pans, stuffed crust, pan pizzas and unique toppings and amenities.
3. Domino’s built it brand on delivery—hot and fresh—within 30 minutes- and has developed systems to insure it still gets there hot whether you order delivery or pick up at their state-of-art system stores.
4. Papa John’s went even further with its “Better ingredients, better pizza” by building on its owner as an icon (although that’s been tarnished lately).
5. California Pizza Kitchen built on the trend of gourmet and artisan pizzas in mall-based locations and full service restaurants as well as packaging their pizzas to be sold in food stores and chains nationwide

6. Jet’s built on its Detroit roots by offer a square pan with a crispy crust just like Motown Buddy’s (which was included in my reunionvisit as well).

And, I could go on about why 94% of Americans eat pizza regularly at one place or another for a total 5 Billion pies annually.  But, let’s just consider that it’s one industry that can attribute its success to BRANDING and watching all of the commercials and ads, there’s no question that marketing is as an important ingredient as the cheese, sauce, crust, and toppings.  And it just can’t be me-too messages.  Since I am paying homage to Mike Ilitch and Little Caesars, my favorite pizza commercial of all time was run in the Super Bowl (by the way the Sunday when more pizzas are consumed than any other day of the week) several years ago when the company announced its delivery system.  They didn’t just announce they too will deliver, but they made a convincing message about how well they trained their delivery person’s.

Take a look by clicking on this Super Sunday spot link:

https://youtu.be/HBdi0q6TXbw

Not only did this make the case for delivery but also helped brand the quality of the service and pizza cooks as well.  A strong message to compete with the mom and pop pizza shop around the corner.

And it takes a lot of branding in the independent pizzerias too.  Their brand is built by the family, the chef (like in the new Coke commercials about pizza), and the servers who usually have been there as long as the ovens that bake the pizza.

When I worked in the Glendale, AZ, Pizza Hut decades ago, I was worried that I would lose my love of pizza when I made and served hundreds each week.  However, when I walked in and smelled the oregano in the sauce and crusts baking, the craving was only enhanced.  I’m sure many pizza lovers who still eat in or pick up have that same sensory delight, but the it’s the branding that gets us to come in time after time for the pies we crave.

SHARE OF PIZZA CHAIN MARKETSL $25 BILLION+ ANNUALLY):

Pizza Hut        15%

Domino’s        10%

Little Caesars   8%

Papa John’s      6.5%

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CRUISING—BRANDING THE WAY WE TRAVEL!

As I stood recently and gazed at the life-sized model of Noah’s Ark in (of all places) Williamston, Kentucky recently, I was amazed at the sheer size of the boat that took all those animals two-by-two according to the Book of Genesis.  It’s the same awe that I have experienced as I gazed at cruise ships at the Port of Tampa, San Diego, Miami,  and Sitka, Alaska over the years.  I just can’t imagine how those mammoth ships with 3000-5000 passengers and crew and all that food manage to stay afloat and weather the storms of the sea day after day.  More significantly, I’m still amazed at how the cruise industry—and the brands that make up the fleets—continue to grow every year despite the intense competition from planes, trains and automobiles.

According to Cruise Market Watch, cruise ships carried over 25 million passengers worldwide in 2017 (over 14 million in the U.S. alone) and will continue to grow at a rate of almost 7% to nearly 28 Million passengers by 2020.  This year the cruise lines will add another 13 ships (all bigger and with more amenities than ever) this year.  And the potential is enormous when you consider that the total number of cruisers is still only half of the visitors to Las Vegas.

Now, I’ve never been a big fan of ocean cruisers, having only taken two in my life (although the Disney Cruise could make me change my mind).  I have taken four European river cruises in the past few years and really have enjoyed that experience immensely and expect we’ll be on a few more in the future.  I like the idea of being with only 100-125 other passengers, never being more than 100 yards from shore, having excellent dinners in a first class restaurant, and being able to go ashore to see great cities easily and comfortably.

Still, I wonder why cruising is so popular when it is so easy to fly (ok air travel isn’t what it used to be) and get to your destination quickly and efficiently.  Airports are more convenient than ever.  Airlines (like Allegiant) are giving nonstop service to many secondary markets.  Airfares still have some bargains and good reward programs.  And schedules continue to grow so you usually can go when you want to where you want all year.   I believe the growth comes from the major lines like Princess, Carnival, Norwegian, Holland America etc, appealing to more travelers branding themselves as a more relaxing, less hassle, more exciting way to travel.  Princess Cruise lines a few years ago ran an award winning commercial that hit the airline travel problems right on the head.  Take a look at it by clicking on this link:

https://youtu.be/-cjPhdZBey8?list=PLdjNdhdEOrak-EoFvJxdpzNSpTWF4hoKU&t=2

There’s no doubt that air travel has its downfalls and this spot uses hyperbole to accentuate all of them and how cruising is a relaxing alternative.  I mentioned Disney who continues to expand its destinations for its cruise ship division.  Disney has managed to take the benefits of its theme park and media brands and execute them on their ships with personal service on board as well as in setting up the trip. They consistently prove that these cruises aren’t just for kids either by providing adult areas and activities that make us grandparents happy to pay for the entire family as a great excursion for every member. Princess for years has developed loyalty by not only providing a great cruise experience but also by providing their own travel company excursions at every port to make it easy and a one-stop process.  Carnival continues to appeal to younger travelers with many kids activities on board and at the ports.  And I could go on.  Cruise ports are more travel passenger friendly as well.  They have figured out how to brand themselves and build their business with loyalty perks that bring back cruisers time and time again. (we have friends who have cruised over 20-25 times).

It’s another case of understanding your customers and competitions, then developing a brand strategy that provides value and a relationship that builds market share.  I’m not sure Noah’s brand was targeted at a better alternative to a flood or seeing animals in nature or a zoo, but provide what people need and want and then marketing creatively and consistently build a growth industry.

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BRANDING REFLECTS THE MARKET STATUS!

During my 15 years as head of marketing for Eckerd Drugs, we constantly monitored what our competition was doing to gain market share.  Not just other drug stores, but discount stores, food chains, and direct mail

sources needed to be watched to be sure we could keep our market share growing and our top-of-mind awareness at its peak.  Of course, there is always one direct competitor a store watches more closely than others and for us, it was Walgreens.  While they were in more states and markets than Eckerd, and (at that time) we had the top share in almost all markets, they were the most like us and often were right across the street vying for the same customers.

During the ‘80’s, I never was that concerned that Walgreen’s would beat us in advertising.  While they were aggressive with weekly promotions and multi-media budgets, their ads were pretty mundane and repetitive, and they never scored highly in the ad research that we conducted.  However, where they excelled was in their expenditure to develop the digital systems that would provide them with more timely sales and inventory data than we could only hope to imagine.   This insured that they would have the right items in the right stores in the right quantities.  As we learned in our own strategic research, this would be a dramatic competitive advantage as they matched Eckerd store for store and their market share reflected it was working.  As Walgreen’s grew and Eckerd dissolved, this capability also enabled them to communicate more effectively and more directly with their customers on an ongoing basis and that has paid great dividends in building loyalty and increased sales per store and per customer.

Add to this technology an aggressive growth plan with new stores and acquisitions, and it’s not surprising that Walgreen’s is a major factor in the total US economy.  So much so, that las week the company replaced General Electric as one of the benchmark Dow Jones

Industrials companies.  However, it is more than just significant revenue growth.  Walgreen’s has built its brand on an understanding of what has happened to the US economy and to the country’s consumer buying habits.We are becoming a service-oriented country and with the increased demand for health care products, it has served as a perfect storm for Walgreen’s to grow its market share despite even more competition than ever before.

General Electric is no slouch, but the company that Jack Welch built, I believe has been more focused on organizational systems and structure than it has on understanding where the customer growth is really coming from.   Yes, they are still a factor in consumer appliances and related products, but their major focus on everything from jet engines to media networks to railroad locomotives has made it less representative of what is impacting our economy and the American consumer.

It’s critical to anticipate customer trends well in advance—as Walgreen’s did in the early ‘80s by committing to technology—in order to be ready to respond not only in marketing but in having the infrastructure and logistics to be able to meet the changing needs.  Only then, can a company improve and build its relationships with its customers and remain relevant with it marketing messages and its offerings.  The successful companies today (and tomorrow) are the ones who realize that their brand is not just a marketing slogan or new name, but rather it is the relationship with a customer who sees value in doing business with them now and in the future.

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BREAKING UP A GREAT BRAND!

It was reported this week that Eddie Lampert, CEO of Sears Holdings, was pushing to have his separate company purchase the Kenmore and Sear Home Improvement brands/businesses from his troubled retail operation.  This is yet another step in the demise of what was once one of the premier brands in American business and certainly one of the legendary brands in the retail industry.  The beat continues to go on.  Sears and its other struggling retailer have been on a slippery slope ever since Lampert bought the companies several years ago.  The only news from the stores has been how many are closing in our markets on a regular basis.  It’s long been known that the only value the company has are its real estate holdings.  Customers have long forgotten them as a viable option for their shopping dollars and certainly as a place to shop (period).

What is really sad is that the company, in addition to having two of the strongest retail brands for decades and millions of loyal customers, also had some of the strongest product brands in the country.  Kenmore set the standard for home appliances and when I was at Circuit City a couple decades ago, it was the number one choice for homeowners in appliances and also at the top of mind awareness for most appliance categories.  The quality of the brand still is one of the best according to Consumer Reports (thanks to Whirlpool’s manufacturing expertise) and it has expanded distribution beyond its parent company’s stores.  However, the lack of branding has certainly taken its toll in the past few years.

Sears was once the place for the things you need for home improvement projects and for the service before and after installation.  That, too, has faded away as Home Depot and Loew’s continue to flourish and be the first choice in product and reliability.  The company has already sold of its Craftsman Tool Brand (to Stanley/Black & Decker) and it continues to have a strong brand loyalty but was so tarnished by Sears that the private label brands on the big two DIY stores (and Harbor Freight) that the demand has diminished.  DieHard batteries became the replacement of choice for auto batteries and flourished when Sears automotive service was a preferred choice.  Bad decisions and dishonest practices killed the business and hurt one of the top brands in the industry. I could go on, but suffice it to say that putting a financial person at the top of most retailers is (as the late guru Peter Glen used to say) the first step to failure, while putting a marketer at the helm can bring success.

Sam Walton’s successor, David Glass, used to say that a good retail leader must have a passion for the business and that passion is usually reflected in a strong brand strategy.  Sears (and Kmart) will soon disappear from the retail market place and it will be up to those who buy the brands that they created to disregard everything that the stores have done in the past few years to destroy them.  There is still hope if the new brands go back to the customer and build a relationship and loyalty that once existed.

TOYS R US FOUNDER CHARLES LAZARUS

Last week one of the retail hall of fame entrepreneurs passed away.  Charles Lazarus, who founded and built Toys R Us into one of the retail box store powerhouses died (maybe of heartbreak) just a day after the company announced that it was closing and liquidating all of its retail stores.  Most retail analysts attributed it to the growth of Walmart, Amazon and the warehouse stores. To be sure, this increased competition certainly played a factor in the company’s demise.

However, I believe that, like so many of the other retail disappearing acts of the past several years, it was really a case of having, updating, and maintaining an effective brand strategy that led to the lack of interest by so many customers over the past couple decades.  Most big box category-killers (like Toys, Circuit City, Office Depot etc.) opened up to the “wows” of customers who had never seen so much of one category in one place.  Unfortunately, as successful brands know, you have to consistently strive to improve and react to the customers in order to maintain their relevance.  Price alone only gets you on the playing field.  Selection improves on getting trial.  But becoming and maintaining a brand that people love, that’s what builds an enduring brand.

Toys R Us had lots of toys, for sure. But their price image never seemed to keep up with their inventories.  Nor did the customer service. Nor did the operational excellence as the stores became worn down and tired.  There are always new innovations in the toy market and yes, TRU always had the latest trends.  However, they never seemed to create an excitement that was present in the department stores during the holidays in their hay day.  The company built a destination store near Times Square in New York that rivaled the excitement of FAO Schwarz around the world, but never was able to translate that excitement in its hundreds of branches in the suburbs of American cities.  It’s marketing never went beyond it’s original “I don’t want to grow up. I want to be a ToysRUs kid” campaign.  Despite efforts to revive the theme over the years.  There was no enticement for parents and grandparents to come back and not much youthful excitement of the kids to convince them to go back as well.

GEOFFREY THE GIRAFFE THE BRAND’S SYMBOL

My long-time retail marketing peer and good friend, Ernie Speranza, former TRU CMO, agrees and he also indicated that the decision to establish Babies R Us as a separate chain was also a mistake. The opportunity to get parents coming in to Toys R Us locations when the kids were born and create a shopping habit as well as an awareness of toy trends and news was missed as Babies R Us did well but failed to translate as the kids grew up.  The company had the opportunity to be the destination for disposable diapers and the sales volume that meant. Instead Walmart , other discounters, and grocery and warehouse stores built loyalty with their inventories and prices.   Of course, there is also the expense savings that having one store doing more sales with less capital and labor that would have enabled Toys R Us to spend more on effective branding and marketing to maintain a higher market share.

So, as I visited my local Toys R Us last  week, I noticed the full parking lots and streams of customers who hadn’t been in the stores for quite a while.  They were there to take advantage of the 60% Off going out of business sale and one last visit to a retailer that failed to grow up with them.

Click on the link to view one of the classic Toys R Us commercial and sing along!

https://youtu.be/VJJ-ZLdrTwY

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AMAZING BRAND…AMAZING SERVICE!

I was speaking recently with a long-time advertising colleague and friend and we were talking about the state of retail marketing.  He indicated that he thought that all of the hype about Amazon was exaggerated and that brick & mortar retail was still the foundation of consumer selling.  I agreed that “no, retail stores were not going to completely disappear anytime soon”, but I felt that the retail landscape had been changed forever. And, I pointed out that Amazon was probably the biggest factor in this retail revolution.  Granted, the internet in total was the reason that shopping patterns had dramatically changed, but Amazon has been the leader in the changes in the way people shop more than any other single marketer in the world.

Watching the vans and trucks and golf carts going up and down our neighborhood streets over the holidays delivering package after package with those smile symbols on the side should be evidence enough that Americans are shopping more from their laptops and phones than we ever imagined just a few short years ago.  And the pattern crosses all demographic and economic profiles with male and females, young and old, rich and poor, etc., etc. and there is no turning back. The disappearance of shopping malls personifies the changing shopping habits, but the delivery boxes demonstrate how we have become a nation of purchasers instead of a land of shoppers more than ever.  I have to admit that we receive on average 2-3 Amazon deliveries a week and we don’t consider ourselves online junkies at all.  The reason this is so common is simple.  Amazon has created a brand that means convenience, time-saving, and savings for just about anything that you want to buy.

I’ve purchased everything from pool pumps to green tea, from auto wheel covers to protein shakes, and more and more.  The reasons are simple.  1. It’s easy.  I can buy just about anything we need with one click with Prime.  2. Not sure what you need? Search in general topics and you’ll find what you need quickly. 3.  Not sure what to pay? You can compare prices at conventional retailers, online, catalogues, you name it…and the savings are usually significant enough that it’s a no brainer.

Amazon has made it simple and they continue to use the technology and logistics to make it fast and trustworthy.  Making a return is as easy as purchasing.  Getting a credit is fast and hassle free.  As an author, Amazon made it easy to self-publish with Create Space.  Then it was easy to reach readers with Kindle online access.  Amazon’s Web Services (AWS) is the largest provider of Cloud service in the world and that technological advantage is passed on to its consumer services every day. Amazon is a huge factor in video streaming and service and had moved into production in a big way.  Have any more questions?  Just get Alexa and ask away.  The voice recognition service has Siri running and fostering a number of other in-home voice service like Google and Home Pad growing at a hectic pace.  The other big news recently was the launch of Amazon Go, a check-out free food store that is a game changer in the grocery industry using technology being developed for other high-tech innovations.  Over 15 years ago, I attended the National Retail Federation’s annual convention in New

AMAZON GO PROTOTYPE STORE IN SEATTLE

York where there was a Store of the Future exposition demonstrating the RFID technology developed by Magna in Germany which not only promised the check-out free capability and automatic replenishment systems of the future.  This really hasn’t developed in the US or mass markets around the world as expected.  However, the Amazon Go prototype in Seattle is definitely the sign of things to come in retail.  There are many other innovations that Amazon has announced in the past year, but it would take 2-3 more pages here to just briefly describe what’s in store.  Suffice it to say that the Amazon brand is growing by leaps and bounds and the customers are loyal and really satisfied.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE AMAZON GO VIDEO INTRO.

Is it working? Well, consider that Amazon’s 2017 net sales were nearly $180 Billion, a 31% increase over the previous year.  Operating income, even after the investment in new technology and systems was still over $4 Billion in 2017.  Innovation is the key.  The company launched 1430 new services last year, while continuing to develop community service programs like its “Delivering Smiles” where it donates thousands of items to families to help fight homelessness.    It’s an appropriate name for a brand that is now part of the fabric of our life as every time another package is picked up by the doorstep another smile takes place!

A TRIBUTE TO A GREAT AD MAN AND FRIEND

Last week, the Tampa Bay area lost one of its truly great advertising executives, and I lost a good friend.  Cedar Hames was one of the first advertising people I met when I moved to St. Petersburg some 43 years ago.  We instantly hit it off because we shared a passion for advertising excellence, marketing strategy and branding.  We also shared a craziness that made doing business fun.  During this time Cedar grew from media sales to the advertising agency business, where he started a couple of firms, including Paradise Advertising, which he grew to being one of the largest in the Tampa Bay area and Florida.  He recently sold his agency to enjoy the paradise of Florida where he was a native.  I’m sure he will be enjoying a higher paradise than he planned, and we will truly miss him.

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KEN BANKS’ BLOG DECEMBER 2017

HOLIDAY BRANDING AT ITS BEST!

Merry Christmas!  This time of year used to be a period when it was a time for retailers and products to showcase their creative skills in communicating their brand.  It was the peak selling season and the time when budgets were increased to try to make your message stand out among all of the great advertising of the season.  Once again this year, the airwaves, websites, mail, and newsprint ads simply aren’t that special.  Preprints look remarkably similar to each other.  Catalogues look like the preprints.  Television spots talk more price than spirit and seem to be redundant.  Online messages—ditto.  I have to admit that Target broke through with a creative use of television media this week on The Voice on NBC when they ran short spots with the two voice talents singing a Christmas carol with a Target in the background immediately after the duo sang together on their semifinal appearance show.  Not sure there was much branding, but for those watching the timing couldn’t have been better and the interest was at its peak.

However, there still are some great campaigns running during the holiday.  Unfortunately, many of them aren’t seen here in the US as some great creativity again comes from the UK and Europe.  Here are some examples of brands that reach out and touch their customers with award winning creative and a message that hits the holiday spirit precisely.

John Lewis consistently sets high standards for Christmas creativity that reflects their unique partnership strategy for their stores and online business.  This year they feature Mox the Monster in a fairy-tale-come-true spot that hits home.  The Beatles’ classic tune sets the pace and completes the engaging message.

Take a look by clicking on this link https://youtu.be/Jw1Y-zhQURU

ALDI has been a leader in food retailing in Germany for over 40 years and it’s making aggressive inroads in building market share in the US.  The chain has grown to over 1700 stores in 35 states serving over 40 million customers each month in their simple, streamlined stores and product assortments.  Their advertising here reflects that organization but when it comes to branding, the company hasn’t exported its creativity as seen in this spot featuring carrots.  Not your most typical Christmas product (unless you’re Frosty) but the veggie makes sense in these UK spots. Take a look by clicking on this link  https://youtu.be/UJQG2lqm5ek

M&S (Marks & Spencer) was founded in 1884 as a single-stall retailer that has grown internationally as a multi-channel retailer with 914 stores serving 32 million customers in the UK.  It does it successfully by providing a unique British shopping experience and by tying in with a favorite in Britain—Paddington bear. Take a look by clicking on this link https://youtu.be/KfaSxIkLslE

McDonalds may not be the first place you think of when it comes to carrots (yes, carrots again for Christmas…maybe a new trend in the UK) but the company has always set the standard for great campaigns here in the states but this year the US has seen nothing but breakfasts and burgers while overseas the company remembers that McDonald’s is the #1 convenient fast food store.

Take a look by clicking on this link  https://youtu.be/XZ2PenyNRjE

Amazon has more presence (presents?) at Christmas than any retail establishment that I can think of.  The smiling boxes are on everyone’s porch daily and the UPS drivers in their golf carts are loaded up in every neighborhood.  Amazon brings those boxes to life this year with singing smiles that drive home the reason why the online company is giving most conventional retailers more competition both with their products and their brand messages.

Take a look at a couple spots by clicking on these links:  https://youtu.be/UUXgMfFfOkY  and https://youtu.be/aYUw95G5lRA

NFL Shops may not be the first place you think of at this time of the year, but their merchandise becomes more relevant as the playoffs near.  Usually, the branding is tied only into the weekly televised games but this year they have a special holiday message that scores a touchdown in my branding offense.

Take a look by clicking on this link https: https://youtu.be/-vZFXI6l52o

Coke is a part of many Christmas celebrations and gatherings and its awareness continues to grow each year.  This year in Europe Coca Cola gives a whole new meaning to sharing the Christmas spirit not only with your neighbors but good old St. Nick as well.

Take a look by clicking on this link https://youtu.be/ZeTAuvu3U08

I hope you took the time to click on and watch these commercials.  Not only is it a great example of holiday branding, but they surely will bring the Christmas spirit to you as well.

la

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A 2-MINUTE DRILL ON BRANDING

I’ve always been a big football fan. In high school, Friday nights were football game nights.  Later, I became an avid Michigan andMichigan State fan (Wayne State was no football power).  I became a Detroit Lions fan early on and can remember listening avidly to their last NFL Championship team in 1957.  Later on, I was a charter season ticket holder for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and went to every game for 13 seasons until I got tired of losing.  Now…not so much.  Like many others around the country I’m not addicted to NFL football or college football anymore.

What has happened to the NFL that makes millions lose interest.  I think it’s a lack of effective branding.  So far this year, television ratings for the NFL broadcasts are down 6.8% from last year, and 2016 was down 8% from the previous year.  Many believe that this year’s sideline protests against our flag and country are the reason, and I agree that it is a contributing factor.  If the media hadn’t been so infatuated with providing more coverage to the kneeling instead of the playing, I suspect it wouldn’t have been such a big deal, but I don’t think it would have helped the ratings or attendance.  The fact is the NFL brand is boring and  (like Major League Baseball and the NBA )the prospects for growth or a return to the glorious days of yesteryear is not likely.

So, what caused the decline in interest?  Let’s start with over-exposure.  As the league added more coverage to collect TV revenue with Thursday night games, Saturday games (near the season’s end), Monday night double headers, Sunday night games and early broadcasts from London, the fans are getting bored.  The increase in free agency and career ending injuries have made the rosters so temporary that the loyalty of the fans to the players has all but disappeared.  Gone are the days of the Steelers who won 4 super bowls with basically the same lineup on the field every year.  Even today’s perennial champs, the New England Patriots, have done so with the only constants at QB and coach.  Fans like to identify the players as people not just numbers or end zone celebrations.  They want winners and they want to know them on a more personal basis.  The dedication to Sunday game watching in the fall has diminished as players move more and touchdowns become less attractive.

And this lack of interest starts early.  If you’ve been to a high school football game recently, you can see that about the only fans are family members and very few students who aren’t on the field.  Away team fans don’t even bother to come unless it’s a state championship (or it’s one of those towns that have nothing but Friday night high school games to catch their interest).  On the other hand, go to one of the soccer complexes on a Friday night and catch one of 6 or 7 games in progress with kids from age 3 to 13 and more than soccer moms in attendance).  On a Saturday, the club soccer teams take over and again loyal fans make treks all over the state or metro area to catch the games.

Football has long benefited from the free coverage in the media and it continues to dominate the sports channel dialogues.  However, the brand is suffering from increased head injuries, protests, contract hold-outs, drug suspensions, and spouse or child abuse by several players.  All of which turn off the once rabid fans who made the NFL a cult brand for many years.  I still watch the home team games on Sunday (or whenever they are on.  However, I (like most former fans) haven’t been to a game at the stadium for several years now.  It’s simply too much hassle for such a time investment (and money too).  The key is for teams to identify more with their communities and to encourage kids to watch more games and play more touch or flag games in the neighborhood.  I’m tired of hearing “It’s just a business”.  It should be more of a sport that identifies with the home team and its loyal fans.  Just like a successful brand, fans (customers) must have a positive relationship with the product or service.  Football needs to recognize this soon.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING.  It’s a great time to be thankful for many things—including great marketing.  Publix food stores does it again with an award winning spot on the importance of family at this time of year.  Take a look:   https://youtu.be/5ztNg7-fxR4

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BUILDING A GREAT BRAND…BRICK BY BRICK!

I’ve always been a big fan of LEGO’s.  I enjoyed helping my kids put together all kinds of LEGO kits and models.  Then, the grandkids brought even more elaborate and intricate models.  I am fascinated by the LEGO stores that I’ve visited here and abroad, and recently enjoyed visiting LEGOLAND near Orlando.  I particularly was amazed at the creation of major US and Florida cities at the park which were completely made out of millions of LEGO bricks.  So, it shouldn’t be a surprise that when a LEGO sculpture exhibit (The Art of the Brick) came to Tampa, we had to see what sculptor Nathan Sawaya could do to add magic to these simple bricks that have been the same since 1932.

Sawaya’s quotes which were placed throughout the exhibit and on some of the individual sculptures were as interesting as the art themselves.  His description of the exhibit describes his motivation very well: “This exhibition engages the child in all of us while at the same time highlighting sophisticated and complex concepts. Chances are you probably don’t have a slab of marble or a ceramic kiln at home.  But I bet you have some LEGO bricks.  You can say that again, Nathan.  We find one or two quite frequently around our house and enjoy putting them together as much as the kids.  I’ve also been fascinated by the LEGO brand for years and how it manages to endure and thrive from one generation to another.  It has also grown to a $2.1 Billion brand that is now the world’s largest toymaker by revenue.

Founded in Denmark, the word is derived from the Danish words “lego godt” which means play well.  I also can come from the Latin “lego” meaning “I put together” and marketers can certainly recognize that this brand plays well in the competitive retail market place and that they have put together a brand strategy that endures and continues to grow surpassing brands like Mattel as an all year/all ages brand.

The brand has expanded into the retail world with 36 stores in Europe and over 90 in North America.  There also is another in India and Asian expansion will soon follow.  To reach even more potential customers (and creative sculptors) the company has five LEGOLAND amusement parks in its home city of Billund, Denmark, Carlsbad, CA, Winter Haven, FL, Windsor, England, and Gunzburg, Germany, which are operated by Merlin Entertainment.  We found the park to be fascinating and enjoyed staying at the LEGOLAND Resort Hotel which brings the brand alive not only in the rooms but throughout the property.

LEGO has followed the lead of Hallmark of taking its brand to Hollywood and has made the bricks and their interchangeable characters the stars of animated moves that have been very successful and continue to build the brand both among children and adult audiences as well.  Click on these links to view a couple recent LEGO commercials:  LEGO City:  https://youtu.be/G7W1-R8L1to   and Ninjago Movie:  https://youtu.be/A81QT9GlQ54

What has made LEGO such a successful brand is by sticking to its basic founding product and creative premise while constantly updating it to current trends and interests.  Then, reaching out to its customers in new and different ways to add to the experience of the brand and the fun it provides.

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THE BRAND IS…AN EMOTIONAL CONNECTION!

I always enjoy attending the National Speakers Association Annual Convention. Not only is it educational and inspiring for those of us who speak professionally, but I’m always impressed at how the principles of talking to an audience is in total sync with branding to customers. The importance of a relevant message, well-prepared, and on-target is critical in an effective, creative presentation. The same holds true with branding a product or service to the right target customer.

One of the critical steps is to make sure that you create an emotional connection with your audience/customer. I always make the point in my branding presentations that unless you have a relationship with your customer, you have no brand. Seems simple and yet it’s so often overlooked as marketers seek to gain or create market share. Walking through some of the few remaining shopping malls verifies this premise as one can pass by store after store without having any emotional feelings (or awareness for that matter) for the store and the products it sells. Many chains believe that all is necessary is to have a prime physical location, a robust website, a mobile app, and product to sell in order to capture market share. That’s why so many of the chain stores in the country are downsizing or disappearing all together. They failed to realize that they have to communicate effectively with their customers in a language that builds a relationship that endures. Bill Bernbach, the advertising agency legend, identified this when he said that “If you stand for something, you’ll find some people for you and some people against you. If you stand for nothing, you’ll have nobody for you or against you.” It’s critical to establish who you are (the truth of the brand) and why your brand will enhance a customer’s life or well-being (the heart of the brand).

As I look at chains like Sears, Circuit City/HH Gregg, Rite Aid, Kmart, Limited, Rue 21 and many others who will soon be forgotten completely, it becomes more apparent that what these brands lack is simply being a brand—they never cultivated a relationship that resonated with their customers. Dr. Leonard Berry of Texas A&M pointed out that you should ask the question “If my brand were to disappear tomorrow, would anyone notice?” If the answer is “probably not”, it’s likely that there never was an emotional connection with the customer in the marketing communications, the experience, the service.

That’s why it’s so critical to constantly reach out to the market and gauge the way customers (potential and existing) feel about you and adjust your messages accordingly to insure they will indeed miss you if you leave. Examples of brands that have always done well in communicating the TRUTH and the HEART of their brands are:
Budweiser—while being challenged by the craft brew craze, Bud keeps communicating in a way that pulls at the heartstrings or the funny bones while still emphasizing its King of Beers positioning. Check out their latest epic spot by clicking on https://youtu.be/huQrvmrJbXk for the best Independence Day message this year.

Hallmark is in the emotional connection business. So, it’s not surprising that the company also has a reputation for marketing that connects as well. Through its Hall of Fame movies, the Hallmark Channel and other specials, the company lives up to it “when you care enough to give the very best”. Check out one of their best spots by clicking on: https://youtu.be/7-eYeiQn5YU.

Subaru has differentiated itself from the other car companies recently with its love campaign. While most other carmakers are shouting about factory rebates, dealer incentives, and “name the brand”-a-thons, Subaru has identified the important events of our lives and how our car is a part of them. Love the family, love the car. Check it out at: https://youtu.be/b_O4CeZ7cmU

Publix is not just a grocery store. To most families in Florida and now the Southeast states, Publix is part of our lives. Where shopping is a pleasure is not just a slogan with a company that goes out of its way to give excellent customer service, clean, organized stores, and messages that hit straight to the heart (while still promoting good prices to compete with Walmart). Here’s one of their best: https://youtu.be/12bw00SoHOE

University of Phoenix has grown to one of the largest educational institutions in the country by not only giving access nationwide to its online programs and courses but also by understanding that many people in the workforce would like to improve their current status in life by gaining more education and a specialty. The marketing doesn’t just state that they have classes and graduates, rather it inspires its prospective students to use their brain and make life more meaningful in the process. The result is stimulating their brain by communicating with their heart.
Click on this link to view one of their messages:https://youtu.be/UabtBNRAc14 

These are just a few of the companies that know that it’s the emotional connection that strengthens their brand position by really “standing for something”.