Influx

Geographic branding is becoming contagious."For too long Manitoba has unfairly suffered from cliches and stereotypes. Many of us have grown tired of defending the place where we live, work and play. The fact is we have much to offer. And it is for that reason that business, community and government...

Branding used to be associated just with product marketing, now that's no longer the case. Countries, regions, states and even cities around the globe are looking to develop images and identities for themselves. This is living proof of globalization, where everywhere in the world is competing for...

Often a brands most valuable asset should be its employee base. In this ultra-competitive world, profits come first. Often front line customer-focused employees are the ones being placed under increasing pressure to deliver. For them, the threats loom large particularly from trends like outsourcing...

The theory that ideas have become the most important corporate asset has been much discussed and analyzed. However, most companies still partly rely on outsiders to bring creativity and ideas to them. This industrial age thinking believes business's main preoccupation lies with producing and...

James Surowiecki article in this month's Wired Magazine provides a brilliant overview of the problems brands face today. http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/12.11/brands.htmlThe trend driven by the abundance of consumer power that's wiping out brand value overnight and making brands increasingly...

With true high-end PC gamers numbering around 20,000, it doesn't seem to make sense for the chip giants to be focusing their efforts against them. However, chip-makers are heavily courting this target as endorsers of chip performance. Tournament players and those aspiring to be, demand a lot from...

A recent editorial in Ad Age suggests that we are in the middle of a consumer-led marketing revolution.http://www.adage.com/news.cms?newsId=41759 sub requiredWe would like to hear from you about it.Do you feel it is true? How is marketing changing?How is the consumer changing?What now matters...

Saturn and Nokia, two iconic 90s brands are trying to get back on their feet after turbulent times by repositioning their brands.These cases provide an interesting counterpoint to each other because of the difference in the way that they built their brands and the conclusions they have both now...

The mutual fund industry appears to be in some kind of turmoil. Recent legislation forced it to become more accountable by placing the microscope firmly on fees. With every player so keen to impress the consumer and the regulator, recent advertising looks like a bargain sale at your local...

Nirmalya Kumar, Professor of Marketing at the London Business School, believes that Chief Marketing Officers need to transform their roles if they wish to remain relevant to the organization. He cites slow sales growth in developed markets and the consequent reduction in promotional budgets as the...

Is it possible to look at the automotive industry a different way? By first examining existing cost structures, financing systems and customer lifetime value and by coming up with a new model, AT Kearney has "invented" a new virtual car brand. By ripping apart the industry, they found a way to...

Last week's disappointing financial results from consumer goods giant Unilever worried investors, but it also probably sent a shiver up the spines of other packaged goods companies. Unilever reported a slowdown in sales caused primarily by the increase in oil prices, but also alluded to the...

As companies cut costs by off-shoring customer service, issues inevitably arise as to whether to offer your best customers premium, controllable, on-shore customer service. The trend of increasing segmentation and tiering of services would certainly apply well here. But when this kind of tiering...

These days, consumers are often thrust into purchase decisions outside of their comfort zones in unfamiliar product sub-categories. Word of mouth, first-hand experience history with a particular brand and that emotional, gut sense of what a brand means are all crucial.A Parks Associates study...