by Erica
Quick! Think of all the companies right now with strong branding in the weight loss market. Some names may come to mind but we think it’s pretty safe to assume Weight Watchers is in the mix. In fact, we believe most folks would say that Weight Watchers is right there at the top.
[Read more…] about Weight Watchers Branding and Rebranding Strategies
by Erica
Branding is one of the most important aspects of the success of any business. It would be difficult to think of Marvel without their larger than life characters with their bright colored costumes, their ideals, and human flaws. It would be even harder to imagine Apple without thinking of their clean simple designs and their “it just works” operating system. But, how about this? What happens with a brand strategy over time? Things change. Public opinions change and evolve.
The Nike brand is currently making a stand regarding its own ideals by continuing their relationship with Colin Kaepernick during Nike’s own 30th anniversary Just Do It campaign. What is brand strategy? Simply put, it’s developing a signifier that separates your company from the rest of the pack while letting that same signifier develop over time. Below we’ll discuss how three different companies have adjusted their branding over time.
Coke or Pepsi? Everybody’s got an opinion on which is the superior soft drink. There are superficial differences between the two. Coke favors a red and white logo, while Pepsi uses a red, white, and blue logo. Coke has a sweet taste and Pepsi is, generally, a little sweeter. Now, Pepsi is looking to venture even further into healthier food offerings. SodaStream was recently purchased by Pepsi for 3.2 billion dollars. If you don’t know SodaStream, they let users add carbonation to water along with syrups that change the flavor. It’s a healthier option than purchasing soda at the store and more convenient as well. There was a recent boycott with SodaStream due to their operating in West Bank, but they have since moved facilities. Pepsi’s soda is not the healthiest drinking option, but they are providing a healthier option to customers thus updating their lifestyle brands.
Who doesn’t love animal crackers? They’re shaped like circus animals, they’re tasty, and their box looks like a circus boxcar with animals inside. But wait! That part has always felt a little off. Circuses have a very long and sad history of abuse and exploitation with their animals. Which is why the team at Nabisco have decided to redesign their packaging. After significant pressure from animal rights group PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), Nabisco is updating their brand. The cookies still taste amazing, and their boxes now feature animals walking side by side without a bar in sight. With circuses banned in almost one hundred cities around the country and Ringling Bros and Barnum and Bailey Circus folding after 146 years, it’s clear that times are changing. Nabisco is doing what they can to change with the times.
Plastic bags are the worst. When you go to the store, all you want to do is get your Pepsi and your animal crackers and go home. But, you wait in a long line, and then they double bag your two items in plastic bags. You try to remember to say something, but the person behind the counter is already in muscle memory mode and double bagging your two items. Enter Kroger. Kroger has announced that they will no longer be using single-use plastic bags in order to curtail plastic waste. A number of other chains have already started to go without plastic bags including Ralphs and Harris Teeter, and now Kroger is joining the pack. Per the EPA, almost 400 billion plastic bags are used in the United States annually. These bags break down into microplastic that enters into our water system and marine life. California has banned these bags, and it won’t be long before the rest of the country follows suit.
If you have a small business and are looking for assistance with brand strategy, contact the team at Web Content Development. We are excited and ready to help anytime! Contact us today!
by Erica
Chipotle, the popular burrito and taco chain, has struggled to regain its brand relevance since the 2015 E.coli outbreak. It has struggled so hard, in fact, they’ve hired a new CEO from another famous taco chain, Taco Bell. Brian Niccol, the new CEO in charge of turning things around, has said on several occasions that Chipotle’s brand, “has been invisible.” The new brand strategy aims to make Chipotle more than a burrito and taco joint. It aims to make it a lifestyle brand that people will resonate with. It’s a lofty goal. Asking people to take pride in their choice to eat burritos as part of their “lifestyle”.
Lifestyle brands are those that people identify with and that represent a specific lifestyle. For example, Red Bull and their famous, “it gives you wings,” marketing campaign established the energy drink not just for those that need an energy boost, but for people that like adventure and do great things. The message: if you drink Red Bull, you’re the kind of person that works hard and plays hard. By drinking Red Bull, you say to the world, “I can do anything!”
Lifestyle brands have a brand message that speaks to consumers on a deeper level, one that resonates with the kind of person they wish to be. These connections are deeply emotional. Achieving “lifestyle brand” status means you have more brand loyalty and you sell more products, something all marketing strategies aim to do.
Chipotle is a popular burrito chain that focuses on fresh ingredients, fast service and a simple menu. The chain grew quickly as it became known as a “food with integrity,” chain, as Mr. Niccol put it. After one of the worst foodborne illness outbreaks in 2015, Chipotle’s brand and the trust of their consumers took a major hit.
It remains to be seen how their marketing strategies will tie into promoting the company as a lifestyle brand. But Mr. Niccol aims to focus on fresh ingredients, new products and branding strategies that evoke strong emotional connections with consumers. Other changes underway:
It may seem silly for a burrito fast food company to become a “lifestyle brand.” All brands would like to become associated with their target audiences lifestyle choices. For Chipotle, it will take a lot to overcome the stigma that has plagued the company since the E.coli outbreak. In fact, putting that behind them is the first – and biggest – obstacle for them to overcome. Until they put that behind them, any talk of creating a “lifestyle brand” is just more empty branding buzz words.
If you’re interested in learning more about brand strategy, how to become a lifestyle brand or marketing strategies in general, Web Content Development is here to help. We have a team of professionals that are dedicated to growing your business. Call or email today!
by Erica
The days of standing in the rain and hailing a taxi cab may be over. Uber, the popular app-based ride sharing platform is taking over. Uber vs Taxi isn’t so much a game of cat and mouse as it used to be. Uber is more of a lion now. But, how did Uber grow into such a giant, and why have traditional taxi services like Yellowcab struggled to keep up? Let’s take a look at some of Uber’s key marketing strategies.
Uber is an app-based platform, meaning the service can only be interacted with via your smartphone app. The convenience of this service is one key aspect to consider when looking at how they developed their marketing strategies. It’s a tech world we live in, and Uber leveraged this to its advantage with every step.
In the early days of Uber, when a new rider would sign up they would receive a promotional discount on their first several rides. This ensured that new customers wouldn’t use the service once, but many times. It created a sense of brand loyalty and familiarity with first-time users. Uber – and other ride-sharing platforms like LYFT and JUNO – offers referral discounts as well. If you refer a friend, you could earn as much as $20 off your next Uber trip. This kind of savvy marketing pushed word-of-mouth to a whole new level.
Uber also struck deals with major sports teams, giving them exclusive rights to pick up fans after games. As part of the deal, fans get savings on an Uber ride home. In some cases, the stadiums have specific lanes for Uber drivers. If you use the service, your commute will be even faster because these Uber-specific traffic lanes increase the efficiency of the service, making access to and from games much more convenient and less stressful.
Because Uber is technically a ride-sharing platform, anyone with a car less than 10 years old can sign up and use their vehicle to make money. Of course, it isn’t this simple anymore. Drivers need to license their vehicles and themselves according to each state’s laws, but Uber helps with this, too. They offer step by step guidance to drivers applying for licenses to become new drivers. Uber aims to make it as easy as possible for drivers to join the ride sharing community, which in turn promotes the service and makes getting a ride at any time of day that much more convenient. New drivers also get sign-up bonuses and a minimum hourly wage. Because the app is so easy to use, drivers don’t need to waste gas driving around looking for riders.
Uber Eats is now a popular food delivery service that offers drivers more opportunity to make a little cash on the side. It also increases brand awareness for the ride sharing giant. It’s no wonder that Uber is so inundated in our tech-obsessed world; their marketing strategies are so diverse.
Taxi cabs work in much the same way as they always have. But, it’s not always convenient or efficient. Apps that will call a cab for you, like Gett, do exist, but the brand awareness of traditional taxi services is declining as companies like Uber, Vine, LYFT and JUNO leverage advanced technology and strong marketing strategies to grow their businesses.
Web Content Development is a professional online marketing company. If you’re interested in learning more about how to market and grow your business, don’t hesitate to contact us. We’re here to help. Call or email today!
by Erica
Last weekend saw the opening of yet another Marvel Studios goliath. Ant-Man and the Wasp opened as the number one movie in America with a box office net of $76 million and an overseas haul of $85 million. The film, which garnered strong reactions from audiences and critics, has already recouped its budget of $160 million budget. It would be hard to argue that Ant-Man and the Wasp is not a success. There are a number of factors here, but the one we’ll be discussing is perhaps the most important: Marvel’s branding and marketing strategies superheroics.
Owned by Walt Disney Studios, Marvel Studios, LLC is a film studio dedicated to producing work based on the Marvel Comics stable of comic book characters. They’re responsible for some of the biggest blockbuster hits of the last decade. With films including The Avengers, Black Panther, and Guardians of the Galaxy, Marvel is one of the biggest names in moviedom. Before Disney reorganized their companies in 2015, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige reported to Marvel Entertainment CEO Isaac Perlmutter. Feige now reports directly to Walt Disney Studios and is able to make more decisions regarding their company’s output and their branding/marketing.
Marvel knows better than anyone: give the people what they want. When it comes to Marvel Comics, fans have long wanted to see their favorite characters up on the big screen. But, it’s not just about making a Spider-Man movie with a character named Spider-Man; fans want to be able to recognize this character from the comics. Marvel is giving their audience the comic book experience on the big screen and both studio and fanbase are reaping the rewards. Marvel’s marketing strategy lies in making their products for everyone and they have the box office receipts to back it up.
But, what about new audiences? Keeping the pre-existing fans happy is one thing, but what about their friends and families? Marvel wisely makes their films accessible for those who didn’t grow up with these stories and characters. You can even walk into the third Thor film and keep up. Marvel wants everyone to be able to come and see their films. That includes viewers of all ages. Unlike the somewhat dark and grim DC Films like Man of Steel and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Marvel’s brand is a bit lighter and fun (Ant-Man and the Wasp being a great example) ensuring everyone takes the trip to the newest blockbuster.
So, you’ve seen the newest film in The Avengers series. You had a great time at the theater and you’re ready to head home. But, Marvel doesn’t only want you talking about the film you just saw on your trip home. Marvel also wants you to be talking about the next film. At the end of each Marvel film, they include a post credit scene or two setting up the next adventure in the Marvel Universe. This is a rather genius strategy on the part of Marvel. They plant the seed for the next film and right away you’re primed to get your ticket.
These marketing strategies don’t just apply to a major motion picture studio. They apply to all businesses. When it comes to marketing strategies, make sure a) you know your audience, b) your products are for everyone, and c) you are staying ahead of the game by always keeping your customers talking about you. For more tips and tricks on how upgrade your business from trusty sidekick to major superhero, contact us at Web Content Development today!
by Erica
In March, the New York Times, in collaboration with The Observer in London, published an article that led to Facebook’s biggest challenge yet. You’re probably familiar with the Cambridge Analytica Scandal. The data firm, Cambridge Analytica, improperly obtained user data from Facebook in order to build and sell psychological profiles to political campaigns. This user data was then used to manipulate Facebook users in various ways throughout the presidential election. Facebook has been under fire ever since, with many people electing to remove themselves from the service altogether.
In an attempt to save face and rebuild trust in the brand, Facebook has been undergoing crisis management since the March article’s release. Reputation management and crisis management is key for any business. Perhaps, by looking at Facebook’s handling of the Cambridge Analytica Scandal, we can gain valuable insight for how to, or how not to, handle a crisis.
Facebook is now attempting to distance itself from terms like “data misuse” and “fake news,” heavy-hitting keywords associated with the scandal. The new marketing campaigns have focused on data transparency for its users. Denouncing fake news and data misuse are expected, of course. But, regulators are still on the case and the Facebook brand is still trending downward. As much as they have tried to make themselves look like the trustworthy good guy, the jury is still out.
In the UK., the Information Commissioner’s Office, or ICO, found Facebook guilty of failure to safeguard users’ data. They also found them guilty of failing to be transparent about how that user data was used by third parties, issuing a £500,000 fine. Facebook admits it made a mistake. But, it remains unclear whether they intend to pay the fine (pocket change for such a large company).
When the news originally broke, Facebook – specifically Mark Zuckerberg – was slow to issue a response. As celebrities bashed Facebook on social media and encouraged others to quit their accounts, the lack of any public response from the heads of the company seemed to fester negative public perception.
Many companies today rely on the data of their users, data which can be exceptionally marketable to third parties. The way in which you protect this data is essentially the way you protect the future of your business. And, transparency is always key. You may find yourself in a situation like that of Facebook’s. Here are several key takeaways that will help you in a time of crisis management.
For more information about crisis management, reputation management or how to build your brand, contact Web Content Development today.