Consumers today are literally bombarded with brand messages on multiple media platforms and devices at home, on the go, in stores and on the shelf. It is overwhelming for consumers to make sense of it all and sift through the clutter and noise to get to what is important to them. Consumers today have little time to read printed copy or listen to and watch an ad; instead they are scanning the surface or skimming to get a quick read on what a brand or product is about.
New brands are acknowledging this shift in consumer behavior, and, in order to build quick awareness, they are encapsulating their key message—either the functional product benefit, point of difference, or positioning—into their brand name. Take for instance the brand “Eat Well Enjoy Life” that conveys the functional and emotional benefit in its name. In these instances, the brand name becomes the brand sound bite. We’ve seen several examples in food and pharmaceuticals where brands are developing their distinct sound bites to build affinity and awareness in seconds.
Thomas Keller of French Laundry fame has created a new 100% gluten-free flour. Leveraging the standard cooking instruction, “cup for cup”, and distilling it further by using... Read more
Tagged 'marketers' 
What has happened to Relationships?
Article Highlights
Are the efficiencies in the digital marketplace killing relationships?
With all great products and services, there is always a human element.
Can a focus on efficiency still motivate publishers to produce quality content?
Personal relationships are still crucial to business in the digital marketplace.
A few months back at a conference, I heard something that was extremely relevant to an ongoing fear I have in respect to good old fashion business principles; “While efficiency is important, it’s not the only indicator for success, and sometimes, there are downsides to efficiency. As an example, McDonald’s makes hamburgers more efficiently than anyone on the planet, but if you eat too many of them, they will kill you.”
Are the efficiencies in the digital marketplace killing relationships? Having spent the last 12 years in digital, my core focus was -- and still is -- around relationships. Whether it is building businesses, selling, deal making, networking or providing referrals to help fill roles for myself or friends in the industry, it all comes down to the relationships we build and maintain.
What happened to face to face meetings, handshakes, professional entertaining and picking up the phone? Does the person ultimately writing the big media checks still get to call... Read more
