Justin Murphy and I are really into the show Shark Tank right now! I guess it's the entrepreneurial spirit in our house that attracts us to it. On a recent episode, we watched a lady selling a sort of marker used to identify different meats after grilling. The product was clever and had attractive packaging. The owner seemed level-headed and mature in the videod background story shown before her pitch began. But there was something about her presentation that struck us as strange: This professional, articulate woman showed up at the pitch in a red, polka-dotted, retro-type dress and full out winged eyeliner. We couldn't understand it. To us, she seemed more like Minnie Mouse than a professional businessperson! The look she sported just didn't match the brand she represented. On the other hand, a pair of business partners selling a type of grease cleaner for cyclists ...
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In our home, we love watching the Olympics. Our eyes were glued to the screen in amazement as we watched feats of skill, courage, and determination that worked to inspire us all. We marveled at the height the gymnasts got on their tumbling runs, the speed at which the swimmers glided from one side of the pool to the other, and the fact that it's possible to drop a 300 lb. barbell on yourself and still walk away unscathed (yes, that really happened >). We also couldn't help but be mesmerized and talk about the bright yellow feet that were flying at breakneck speeds across finish lines whenever track and field events were shown. Yes, we couldn't help but notice Nike's grand marketing scheme and notice those bright yellow-green sneakers every time they appeared on the screen. Just like Michael Johnson's golden shoes in the 1996 Atlanta games, Nike won the attention of th...
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When I first learned of Pinterest, I had little interest in it. Another social networking website? No way - I already wasted enough time on Facebook; I wasn't interested in joining another social outlet. However, I eventually found myself suckered in and clicking around on the website. When I began to think of Pinterest as not only fun but resourceful, I was sold. I am a pretty average Pinterest user: 25 (ages 25-34 make up the largest percentage of users), middle class, bachelor's degree ('some' college is the highest percentage of users at 60%, which makes me think that many of the users are still in college), and oh - yeah... female! (Women make up 80% of the user database). I use Pinterest to plan weekly menus (with my husband hanging over my shoulder giving his recommendations by pointing to photos of bacon-this-or-that), to learn how to take care of my young gar...
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If you are like most people, you are able to quickly and easily match the brand names below to the simple idea associated with them. In some cases, ideas come down to a single word. Kleenex = Tissue Heinz=Ketchup Volvo=Safety Crest = Fights Cavities The object of branding is to create awareness by connecting your brand name to a single motivating idea or concept and make it stick in the mind of the consumer. What is Positioning? A Simple Definition Positioning is simply concentrating or focusing on an idea – or even a word – that defines (and thus, differentiates) the organization (or product, or service, or concept, etc.) in the mind of its prospects. Why positioning? Today’s marketplace is no longer responsive to the kind of advertising that worked in the past. There are just too many products, too many companies, and too much marketing “noise.” In this over-communi...
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