Branding the Hunger Games Harry Potter set the stage… The Twilight franchise built on Warner Bros.’ foundation… And now, it’s The Hunger Games’ time to shine. We’ve touched on movie branding in the past, but as Lionsgate ramps up to the premiere of the latest Hunger Games movie, its branding efforts are, in a word, […]
Continue ReadingOn Target: New ‘Simply Balanced’ Brand
July 09, 2013
While wandering around Target this weekend, I stumbled across a shiny, new brand, ‘Simply Balanced.’ Intrigued by the clean packaging, I wondered out loud, “What is this? I haven’t seen this brand before.” A Target employee was working in the same aisle and gave me a quick history lesson- the cleaner, fresh brand was replacing […]
Continue ReadingNetflix vs. Hulu vs. Amazon- A Streaming Showdown
June 06, 2013
Remember when you were limited to watching what was live on television? And the most you could record was on your VCR? Forget on-demand; you had to be home at a certain time if you wanted to catch a favorite show. Renting movies meant driving to your local Blockbuster or Hollywood Video, and even then, […]
Continue ReadingBrands We Love: Publix
May 16, 2013
Plain and simple, I love Publix. It’s a love affair that‘s going on 20+ years, and with the Florida-based grocer now entering my adopted home state of North Carolina, it’s an affair I don’t see ending anytime soon. There are so many reasons to love a grocer whose tagline is “where shopping is a […]
Continue ReadingIs Fido the Next Ideal Target Audience Member? A look at brands that have extended into the world of pet products
October 16, 2012
Brand extensions are a common way for established brands to profit from untapped markets that their current product line does not appeal to. By entering into an entirely different product category, these brands can attain these customers and, if done correctly, the extension can be a very lucrative endeavor. For example, Ralph Lauren’s Polo brand […]
Continue ReadingBrands Take to the Sky for Higher Reach
September 06, 2012
Airport security checkpoints create lines, pat-downs and frequent headaches for travelers. There are also the dull colored table trays on airplanes that make your snack and beverage look, well dull. Airlines have long wanted to engage travelers through these mediums so it was naturally when they invited companies to place advertisements on security checkpoint […]
Continue ReadingThe Future of Shopping: Coming Soon to a Store Near You
July 10, 2012
What would your ideal features be in a personal shopping assistant? Would smart, mobile, and informative be at the top of your list? Then you’re in luck, because last week IBM Research announced its plans to release a new mobile shopping application. It is currently being developed by research scientists at IBM’s lab in Haifa, […]
Continue ReadingBig Brands Creating Buzz
June 29, 2012
There’s been a lot of buzz in the media lately about big brands who are taking to advertising and social media as a way to express their corporate viewpoints and opinions. Many might argue that these big brands are participating in risky behavior. When you have millions of fans and followers on Facebook and Twitter […]
Continue ReadingRed Bull is Killin’ It
May 17, 2012
As someone who holds a deep passion for the branding and marketing industry, I tend to informally monitor a brand’s progression over time. Just like most people in the business, I’m a bit of an industry critic – some brands I naturally root for and some I root against. Today, however, I want to talk […]
Continue ReadingLouboutin’s Defense Brings Color Branding into Question
February 15, 2012
Considered one of the most interesting fashion intellectual property cases in history, French designer Christian Louboutin filed a suit in August against French fashion house Yves Saint Laurent in an effort to protect his signature red-soled shoe. Back in court on January 24th after appealing the decision made in August, Louboutin now must wait for […]
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