When the World is Unstable, Brands Have Success Returning to the Past

The past always brings people a feeling of security and peace of mind.  Earlier this week, I wrote a post on the Corporate Eye blog about brands needing to focus on messages related to longevity these days when economies are week and the future is uncertain for so many consumers (you can read that post here if you’d like).  While messages about longevity and security in the future are very important, there is also something to be said for looking at the lessons and success from the past and repeating them to leverage the commonly held perception that the past connotes feelings of security.

The Philadelphia 76ers have done exactly that by replacing the modern logo the team launched just over 10 years ago with a new version, which is almost exactly identical to the team’s original logo before the change in the late 1990s.   Check out the logo launched in 1997/98 on the left below vs. the new logo launched in 2009 on the right.

And now, take a look at the pre-1997/98 logo below.  Can you spot the differences between the original logo and the newest version?

Whether or not using the past as a security blanket message was the reasoning behind the Philadelphia 76ers’ logo change, I don’t know, but the timing is certainly great to take advantage of those messages of security and longing for better days when the team performed better and consumers’ lives were better.

Take a look at your brand.  Can you incorporate messages of longevity and security for the future into your marketing?  Or can you incorporate messages that refer to the nostalgia of the past?  Either is a good brand message choice in 2009.

Your thoughts?

By the way, The Brand New has a great overlay graphic of the new logo on top of the old one where you can see just how minimal the changes between the pre 1997/98 logo and the 2009 logo are.

New Review of Google Blogger for Dummies on About.com

Jennifer Kyrnin, the About.com Guide to Web Design, published a 5-star review of my book, Google Blogger For Dummies.  I’m very happy that Jennifer liked my book and that the reviews and feedback I’ve received so far have been very positive. 

You can read the complete review on About.com Web Design.

Burger King vs. Jack in the Box Death Match - Who Would Win?

Remember that show Celebrity Death Match on MTV where claymation characters molded after celebrities entered an ultimate fighting ring and duked it out? 

While being tortured by the new Jack in the Box commercial (you can watch it below — it’s very similar to a Pepto Bismol commercial from a year or so ago that included a song and dance — and I don’t mean “similar” in a good way) last night, my husband and I pondered who would win a Celebrity Death Match between the Burger King mascot and the Jack in the Box mascot?  Both characters creep me out equally, so I think I’d have to look away. 
 

And for a bit of creepiness from Burger King, check out this commercial…

Take the poll below and tell me who you think would win. 
 

I guess I’d have to give it to Jack in the Box after the commercial shown below, which was certainly better than the mini buffalo ranch chicken sandwich dance commercial above.

Getting More for Your Money - Leveraging Technology to Improve Your Employer Brand

Susan Gunelius will lead a webinar for The Human Capital Institute and sponsored by Taleo on July 7, 2009 at 12:00 Eastern time called “Getting More for Your Money - Leveraging Technology to Improve Your Employer Brand.”  This is a free webinar, which you can register for through the Human Capital Institute website.

The Human Capital Institute (HCI) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to driving innovative new thinking in talent acquisition, development, deployment and new economy leadership. Through research and collaboration, the HCI global network of more than 150,000 members develops and promotes creativity, best and next practices, and actionable solutions in strategic talent management. Executives, practitioners, and thought leaders representing organizations of all sizes, across public, charitable and government sectors, utilize HCI communities, education, events and research to foster talent advantages to ensure organizational change for competitive results. In tandem with these initiatives, HCI’s Human Capital Strategist professional certifications and designations set the bar for expertise in talent strategy, acquisition, development and measurement.

The webinar will teach attendees about how companies can utilize the tools of the social web, not just for marketing, PR, sales, and so on, but also for human resources functions such as recruitment and retention.  Brand building, social media, and companies that provide great examples of social media strategy implementation will be discussed.

Free eBook from Newstex - The Truth about Blog Syndication

I wrote an ebook for one of my clients, Newstex, which is now available for free download on the Newstex website.  It’s called The Truth about Blog Syndication, and its purpose is to teach bloggers the facts about licensed blog syndication (which Newstex offers) versus free and ad-supported blog syndication.  There is actually a very big difference, and many of the myths about blog syndication that bloggers hear are true of the free and ad-supported syndication models but not the licensed syndication model. 

Without giving away everything in the book, licensed blog distribution gives bloggers a way to increase their exposure to audiences that are not likely to find them through traditional web searches, and it gives bloggers royalty payments when their content is viewed by end users.  It’s worth looking into, learning the facts, and considering for your own blog.  At the very least, don’t make a decision until you know the truth about blog syndication.

You can download The Truth about Blog Syndication on the Newstex website.  It’s free and licensed under Creative Commons, so you can share it, tweet it, blog about it, repost it, etc.

I should also mention for full disclosure purposes that I’m a marketing consultant for Newstex, and I syndicate my blog through Newstex.

Bad Logos

I have to give a hat tip to ArtistMike.com for putting together a great list of bad logos. 

It’s an amusing and unfortunate display of logo design gone terribly wrong, and the lessons to learn are these — hire a professional logo designer to create your logo and be sure to show it to many people before launching it to make sure there’s nothing you haven’t missed in terms of interpretation.

Check out the list of bad logos.

Geoff Rosenbaum of the Principle Group on Branding - Part 3

Time for part three from a series of posts from Geoff Rosenbaum, Executive Vice President of Principle Group, an international branding company headquartered in the United Kingdom that recently opened a new U.S. office in Tennessee.  You can follow the link to read Part 1 of Geoff’s branding series and to read Part 2 of Geoff’s branding series.

The moment you roll out a brand, you start losing control. An infinite number of factors impact the public’s perception of your organization’s identity, many of them to a large extent out of your influence.
 
But the power and pleasure of rolling out a new brand is in setting a trajectory that gives the brand the best possible opportunity to thrive and flourish. On a global scale, this challenge can be both rewarding and supremely daunting.
 
As we have discussed in past posts, a worldwide implementation program can be a big, complex and terrifying endeavor.  We have provided tips in planning and preparing your resources. Now we will cover strategies that will allow you to maximize the power of your launch.
 
Many of our clients initially assume a brand rollout should be as limited and decentralized as possible. The overwhelming level of detail and complexity of coordination naturally incline many marketing and operations teams to limit exposure. However, if you want the most bang for your buck, and you want to set your brand on the strongest trajectory for continued success, we recommend that our clients follow Rule Number Two: Do It Now, Do It Everywhere. [Read more]

Online Video Advertising Tips

My newest article is now live on Entrepreneur.com.  This month, I wrote about online video advertising, which is a great opportunity for businesses to connect with the rapidly growing online audience that actively watches online video. 

You can read the article here and start thinking about how you can add online video advertising into your own business’ marketing plan or add related services to your client offerings.

And you can follow this link to view my previous articles about copywriting and marketing communications published on Entrepreneur.com.

The Ugly Truth About Being a Service Provider

Whether you own a company where you offer your services in exchange for a fee or you’re a freelancer, the ugly truth is that everyone believes that since you’re selling your talent, expertise, and time, the price is negotiable.  Thanks to this hilarious YouTube video where the vendor-client relationship is re-enacted in real world situations, perhaps word will get out that haggling is uncool.

Part 2 - Susan Gunelius Talks About the Playboy Brand and Her New Book

Part 2 of my interview with Anna Farmery at The Engaging Brand is now available for you to listen to.  During the interview, Anna and I discuss my new book, which is coming out in the U.K. in September 2009 and in the U.S. in October 2009, Building Brand Value the Playboy Way. 

If you want a sneak peak inside the book’s content or just want to hear more about the Playboy brand and Hugh Hefner as the ultimate brand champion. visit the post announcing the interview on The Engaging Brand, which also provides a synopsis of the interview, or go directly to the The Engaging Brand podcast page and select the blue ’Play’ button near the center of the page on the left side.

If you missed Part 1 of the interview, you can get the details and links here.

Next Page »