The noughties have seen the emergence of smart businesses that are giving competition a run for their money by involving consumers in decision making. And decisions are made in minutes. Anyone who reads this post must see how he/she can build a business by involving consumers intimately. One outstanding example is Threadless. Threadless is a […]
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No one will disagree that building and managing brand equity is, possibly, the primary task of all marketing/brand managers. However, very few managers have a clear idea of how to assess the strengths and weaknesses of their brands. In the attached January 2000 article in HBR, Kevin Lane Keller (currently the E. B. Osborn Professor […]
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There is no denying that Google has taken the internet world by storm. Starting as a search engine, the company has now expanded into other products. According to Wikipedia, Google now ‘offers online productivity software including email, an office suite, and social networking. Desktop products include applications for web browsing, organizing and editing photos, and […]
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Scott Bedbury, Marketing Head at Starbucks (he was also behind Nike’s Just Do It) gives his eight-point list on what great brands do in this Fast Company article: 1. Great brands are in it for the long haul. Take a long term approach to brands, not short term hit-and-run tactics. 2. A great brand can […]
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I have to admit, rather shamefacedly, that the Uniqlo brand name has never registered with me despite the fact that I have travelled abroad in the past few years and even though Novak Djokovic wears its shirts and shorts. Uniqlo really entered my cerebrum only after I read the cover story of Time magazine – […]
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Absolut. Smirnoff. Stolichnaya. These are the vodka brands that one wanted to drink when one was in a particularly extravagant mood. Of these and others vodkas (all priced around $15-$17 in the US), Absolut was widely regarded as the best and most premium vodka brand in the US and around the world. In fact, when […]
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Al Ries, in his book, Focus, argued that sustained success of businesses depended on them being focussed on core products and avoiding the temptation to diversify into unrelated businesses. He backed his contention with a number of examples and while there are very successful exceptions today – including Samsung and GE – his argument does […]
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I just love the way Help Remedies market their products. Damn innovative! The packaging says it all! Help Remedies, Inc. is an American pharmaceutical company that sells an assortment of single-ingredient over-the-counter medications. It was established in 2008 by Richard Fine and Nathan Frank. The company has been noted for its unique product packaging and […]
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Just read the Economic Times story – Slym Adds Muscle to Tata Motors Revival – on the current woes of Tata Motors. The story identified the following problems that beset Tata Motors: 1. Fierce competition leading to declining market shares in both passenger cars and trucks. 2. BVR Subbu, an industry veteran, felt that ‘Tata […]
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ALL motorcycle enthusiasts have ONE dream – to own a Harley Davidson. The iconic status of the brand is pretty amazing. So what makes a the Harley brand tick? Harley-Davidson was founded in Milwaukee, Wisconsin during the first decade of the 20th century; it survived the Great Depression (one of only two bike brands) as […]
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