Have you seen the Luvs commercial where the little animated babies are having a pooping competition? The cartoon kids walk on stage in their Luvs diapers, turn around and let one go. Their Luv diapers expand accordingly and the other baby judges seated downstage hold up cards: 6, 7, 6. Finally the last kid really puts Luvs to the test and the judges respond with: 10, 10, 10!

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There has been a lot of hype recently about a new character of M&M’s candy being “revealed” during the Super Bowl, Ms. Brown. A lot of time and money is being devoted to television ads, print ads and “teasers” on social media.  Not to mention the $3.5 million being spent for the 30-second commercial.  What will Ms. Brown look like?  Sound like? My question is…why would you invest so much time, money and energy into a little piece of chocolate? Read the rest of this entry »

It’s been a decade, maybe two since the merger of communications and technology. Some could argue it started with the old Wordstar word processing program. Or maybe it was Lotus Notes internal email application. But whatever that monumental moment was, the full merger of communications and technology has happened. Today if you are even the slightest bit technophobic, then it might be best to choose a career other than marketing or branding. But if you don’t mind delving into the world of computers, the cloud, and a host of apps that bring your brand to life and get your message out, here are the technology musts.

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Here’s the opening line to the big news today:  Diet Coke has trumped Pepsi.

“In a historic shift for the beverage industry, Pepsi, long the No. 2 carbonated soft drink in the country, has fallen to third place in the category behind both Coke and Diet Coke. Beverage Digest reported today that Pepsi lost 0.4 share in 2010, falling to a 9.5% share of the category. Diet Coke controls a 9.9% share of the market, while brand Coke holds a 17% share. The move has been long been in the making — Pepsi barely nudged by Diet Coke in 2009 — but the brand wasn’t able to turn the tide. John Sicher, editor and publisher of Beverage Digest, said Pepsi had held the No. 2 slot for decades.” (from AdAge – 3-18-11) Read the rest of this entry »

From time to time people contact me through the blog, Facebook, Twitter or through the HEASLEY&PARTNERS website with a question, seeking advice. Sometimes those questions are ones that.many people have, so I like to share them here so everyone can benefit. Read the rest of this entry »

Great brand or cautionary tale? What has happened to Sony, a brand that built its reputation on innovative firsts that literally changed the world? For our younger readers who won’t remember, Sony gave us the…

- First portable tape recorder
- First pocket transistor radio
- Sony Trinitron TV
- Sony Walkman
- BetaMax video camcorder
- The Compact Disc player�

Even though these innovations seem downright primitive now, they weren’t. They were as revolutionary as, say, the iPhone and the iPad. Maybe more revolutionary. Sony was also one of the brands that transformed the image of Japan from a country that manufactured low-cost trinkets, to a high-tech powerhouse that became synonymous with innovation and quality. Sony was a phenomenon that knew its consumers. They would deliver to us products we ourselves didn’t even know we wanted so badly. Sony was cool, and if you had a Sony TV or Walkman, you were cool too.

So what happened? Sony isn’t cool anymore. Somehow the world’s coolest brand, greatest innovator and even greater marketer lost its edge. Worst of all, what happened to this legendary company can happen to your company too. It may be happening as we speak. Are you prepared? Can you stop it? Read the rest of this entry »

A while back I asked the folks on Twitter to submit their biggest marketing problems. One tweeter wrote, “How do you convince the C-suite that word of mouth works, i.e. spending $ on customer gifts & special attention.” Well, getting support from the top is a problem most marketers can relate to, particularly if you work in old guard companies that haven’t seized new methods and ideas.  What do you do?  Read the rest of this entry »

Old Spice? Yes, if you are a baby boomer, Old Spice was your dad’s after shave lotion. It was of an era where masculinity was akin to images of the sea and the great courage of sailing tall ship vessels. Huh? For real…

Enter the 60′s when few mod girls wanted their guys smelling like their uncool “establishment” dads. And the 70′s disco era brought on designer fragrances like Pierre Cardin with its phallic-shaped bottle conjuring up images of bare-chested, disco-dancing  John Travolta, not dear old dad.

Tough market. The 80′s and the 90′s weren’t any more friendly; Old Spice was what grandpa smelled like, not Rick Springfield or Kurt Cobain. Old Spice seemed dead in the water never to be resurrected again.  Until…2010 and one of the most brilliant brand revivals ever staged.  Maybe it is because most original Old Spice wearers are long gone, may they rest in peace. Or maybe it is the brilliance of branding–specifically writing and casting–that has put Old Spice back on the map. Whatever it it, a brand that seemed all but gone is back.  Read the rest of this entry »