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One powerful feature of the Internet is its ability to let consumers access and share reviews and personal experiences with products and services. Consumers can get behind the hype of advertising and see for themselves if the products, brands and company are any good before investing their hard...
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...
If everything a brand does communicates, what about the external architecture of the store? Very few retailers have done anything interesting in this area, with some exceptions, one of them being the luxury fashion brand, Prada. ArticleIn the mainstream, most retailers are big bland boxes that...
Those of us on the R&D, innovation and new product side of brands need to ensure that we are looking at the right things, in the right places and asking the right questions. We might passionately believe that we have a great idea, but if we don't really understand the context, it's very easy to...
With various analysts and commentators talking up the arrival of new luxury, what does it mean of you are the venerable Jaguar car brand owned by the Ford Motor Company? Can you be mass and luxury at the same time? The European bastions of automotive luxury, BMW and Mercedes obviously believe this...
Samsung is the latest company to jump aboard the experience store bandwagon. They've just opened their 10,000 sq ft emporium at Columbus Circle in New York. However, unlike other retail/experience centers, Samsung's offering is pure experience. It features contributions from their research and...
For a certain group of consumer electronics and computer purchasers, simply owning the device is not enough. They want to take it to pieces, hack the software, customize the look and make the product better. It has happened with Tivo, the iPod and almost every new device that comes along. There...
The thought that all innovation has to come from in house research and development is so C20th. Corporations are now looking seriously at going outside to tap into smart ideas. P&G a company renowned for its R&D, is leading the charge. The reasons for this movement are obvious; to remain relevant...
The demise of AT&T Wireless, one of the biggest brands in the country, started when customers were given the opportunity to leave. Number portability, which had been challenged by the wireless industry for so long, allows consumers to vote with their feet, and AT&T customers left the company in...
These days, one of the only way consumers can own, wear or use something that's truly unique is to make it themselves. While the DIY (Do It Yourself) trend is not new in categories like apparel, PCs and cars, other categories that feel immune may not be for long. Sure, the argument goes, a...
Maytag has been testing a concept store model in which appliance shoppers can actually test-drive appliances in mock-up kitchens and laundry rooms. Oven shoppers can bake a batch of cookies; washer/dryer customers can do a batch of their own laundry. The atmosphere is welcoming and home-like,...
Many brands are moving towards increased customization and niche specialization, adding new value beyond their core offering in an attempt to either keep up with or differentiate from competitors. At the same time, no-frills brands are stealing share in more and more categories, cutting out those...
Proctor and Gamble researchers noticed that people are increasingly looking for ways they can express themselves at home by creating 'moods' through home decor and sensory ambiance. They sensed an untapped opportunity for a new, premium air freshener brand if only they could be position it as a...
Campbell's soup, after years of shrinking market share, is repositioning their brand to be about 'ready-to-eat meals for people on the run.' The new Campbell's products will be sold in new channels as well, like 7-Eleven and Subway stores among others.The Campbell's brand still carries strong,...
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...