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    Wu hoo…activism.

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    Google Reason.

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    A Clear Brand Idea.

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    Marketing

    Keshin…To Go.

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    Steve Poppe
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    Eric Keshin was groomed to take over McCann-Erickson.  A rising star at the company for years, he was one of John Dooner’s chosen ones. Eric ran the AT&T Business business while in his twenties and the agency powers knew enough to step out of his way. He was a quite a force of nature.

    Eric built his career being decisive — never wavering when asked a question. He loved McCann…bled “Truth Well Told” blue.  And the haters who never worked there or worked in the creative dept. and could find a way to criticize a child’s finger painting, well, they will have their say. Go ahead, snark away– but McCann rocked the ad world for a number of years and Eric Keshole (as I affectionately used to call him on the softball field) was the orchestra’s key instrument.

    “He’s big, he’s blue…”

    I was an account manager under Eric on AT&T and Lucent. He hired me. He fired me. Both deserved. But I left McCann a much better ad guy and marketer — one who knew how to analyze business problems, when to conduct research, how to read consumers and truly listen to the market.  I also learned how to question authority and clients. And I learned to love my brands… at McCann.

    If this seems almost obituary-like, it’s not. Eric will land somewhere. Just as Jim Heekin did. And when he lands it will be with a thud. A thud of money. Eric has changed markets with his decisions. Eric is no problem solver – anyone can do that. He’s an opportunity creator. I know it killed him to leave McCann. As his power waned, so waned IPG’s stock. He’s no Frenchman and though WPP would be smart to grab him, smart money is on Miles Nadal and MDC Partners.  And the gloves will be off. Peace! Or not.

    Brand Plan…then Count the Change.

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    Steve Poppe
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    I was reading a fascinating article today on the grid system of NYC and the original map that laid it out.  Quite the transformative event, that grid system. Did you know city blocks are 200 feet long?   Broadway was a path that meandered the length of the island and was left alone, as were the funky streets of Greenwich Village.  Back in the late 1800s the grid thing was not well received by everyone, especially those whose houses were located on parts of the gird that were to be torn down to create the streets. But it was this planning and forethought that made NYC the great place it is.  Albeit, “great” with an internal design and art tension.

    Brand planning is analogous. Smart people have asked me “How do you define a brand plan?”  And I my answer, though somewhat fluid, is generally “a single brand promise, supported by three planks or proofs of that promise.”  In effect, it’s a grid.  What resides in the grid is open for discussion and debate, but everything must fit. The artistry that is brought to life within the grid is what give the brand it’s life, but whether you like the grid word or not the brand plan is an organizing principle for selling more, to more, for more, more times.  The brand plan is not just about messaging either, it guides the product itself. 

    And the tension referred to in the city planning grid analog applies to brand planning.  Sometimes an amazing idea is created inspired by a brand brief that does not fit perfectly.  It may be just a little off kilter. What to do?  Debate it. Study it. Perhaps even build it — and compare it to the plan.  Humans organize. Humans also like the unexpected. So build a brand plan, see and live its beauty, and count the change (double entendre). Too many markets today start by counting the change. Peace!

    Mattel’s feelin’ it.

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    Steve Poppe
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    What’s the idea with the economy? As I wandered the village last Saturday doing chores I asked retailers how the economy is hitting them. Bert the dry cleaner says the volume of shirts is the same but that people are waiting longer to bring in suits. (It’s not good for the suits, BTW, says Bert.) Linda of the barbershop believes people need haircuts to look good so she doesn’t see a downturn.  She’s a bit of a hottie, though, so her role in the survey may not count. Derek the busboy says the weekend dinner business at Al Atalia has slowed.  

    Then I read that Mattel’s profits have been halved and sales of Barbie and Hot Wheels are off  21 and 22 percent. Ouch!  When parents stop buying their kids toys it is bad. Forget that my retirement fund lost some serious zeros last year — toy sales are down. What would Warren Buffet say?  We’re in some shizzz boys and girls. Well he might not say that, but you get it. Peace!

    Newsday’s Upside

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    Steve Poppe
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    Newsday, Long Island’s daily newspaper, earned $80 million dollars (before taxes, etc) last year. The Tribune Company is selling the property and Mort Zuckerman and front- runner Rupert Murdoch are its pursuers. Mr. Murdoch has reportedly offered $580 million for Newsday and it’s a very good value. 
     
    The paper, you see, has monopoly status on Long Island, home to some of the highest wage earners in the country. At one time Newsday was the 6th leading daily newspaper in the U.S. but it never really delivered on its full potential. With some proper handling and if it expunges its NYC envy, the paper has amazing upside.
     
    Long Island is a unique place. Many unique places, if fact, and writers who love and live here if given a targeted mission are likely to double the circulation of the paper in no time. And let’s not even get into the web side of Newsday’s future. With smart care and feeding of Newsday.com, it could dwarf the paper in 10 years.
     
    I hope Mr. Zuckerman wins the battle. The future will look rosier for Newsday if he does.   
     

    Cell Phones and Geico’s Next Business.

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    Steve Poppe
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    Buying a cell phone is not easy.  It used to was (sic.) Not long ago they all pretty much did the same thing. You put one in your hand and liked the heft, the form, the look. There were Ericssons, Nokias and Motos. But now there are at least 10 hardware providers to choose from and so many models, shapes, sizes and features it makes your head spin. Even the kids can’t agree. They all have different phones. Where’s the Marlboro? The PBR? The Ed Hardy of phones?

    And talk about feature creep? I can see taking pictures. That’s important, so long as you can zoom, which is a feature I can never seem to find. Change the resolution and the whiteness I can do, zoom I can’t.  Little videos are cool but I’m not likely to use them. I just want to upload my Reverend Al ringtone (from his 2004 convention speech,) text and be able to hear in a full duplex mode (still not available.)

    Since no brand or manufacturer has really risen to the top and since no one model has captured the imagination of the public, the feature creep will continue, phones will get more expensive and the only winner will be Geico, who will be smart enough to come up with a consumer-friendly, cost-effective insurance plan for all the “losers.” I lost one to the washing machine recently. Peace!

    PS. I’m buying the LG Chocolate 3 tonight.

    The Internet’s Role in Evolution

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    Steve Poppe
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    I read in the paper paper today of a hypotheses on the ascent of man.  It suggested modern humans were able to leave the African continent and move to Asia —  getting past those pesky Neanderthals –due to…

    “the emergence of some social or behavioral advantage — like the perfection of the faculty for language” (source: NYT 1/28/11)

    If you think about it, it’s quite logical.  If spoken language (beyond signing and guttural grunts) might be responsible for the “out of Africa” movement and huge evolutionary change, then what might the Internet bring in terms of geopolitical evolution?  A global language, a global governance, peace in the Middle East?  I’m not talking tomorrow, I’m thinking 1,000 – 10,000 years out.

    Help me here, comment with your thoughts? Peace!

    Global Warming…the brand.

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    Steve Poppe
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    emissions

    Today is Blog Action Day, the topic for which is the environment.

    Global warming is a horrific, long-term problem for the planet. The trapping of carbon dioxide, methane and other noxious gases is altering the planet’s flora and fauna in ways we can’t imagine in our day-to-day world view. But the brand “global warming” is in some ways even more insidious. Who ever came up with the term created a brand that’s quite a euphemism. When has the word warm really had such a bad connotation? And how about “climate change” or “greenhouse gases,” those terms shiver me spleen.

    Methane gas escaping into our atmosphere accounts for about 1/3 of all greenhouse emissions and stays there for 10 years. Carbon dioxide, the most common gaseous emission, lingers 100 plus years. Are you getting a warm feeling? Not me, I’m pissed.

    Methane, carbon dioxide and the euphemistic words used to describe the ecosystem-changing area above our planet need to be demonized. No more happy words! For a society that curses and drops the f-bomb as we do, you’d think we could come up with some more apt, creative words to describe what’s enshrouding our planet. Here are some starter words to think about: toxic, deadly, cancerous, poisonous, noxious, odious, grisly… (Please comment with your entries, I’d enjoy hearing them. Here’s one: Global Warning!)

    So on Blog Action Day I could ask you to shut off you lights, use more energy efficient appliances, stop flushing for number 1, and say “no bag please” to the deli guy, but I’d rather you change the way you refer to what happening to the planet. Let’s get more indignant. Let’s get angry! Words matter. Peace!

    (Photo by New York Times, and EPA)

    The Web’s Next Big Traffic Driver.

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    Steve Poppe
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    The evolution of web traffic started with technology. Search begat the first big rush — but of course there had to be something to search so HTML really started it all.  After search came social networks (MySpace and Facebook) which allowed people to create websites or webpages thanks to templates and databases.  Allowing everyone (not just coders) to create a web presence opened this door. Then came music sharing sites and other media upload sites like Flickr and YouTube. All technology enabled.

    During the build out of these tech-enabled web sites, communities began to emerge.  And so came enthusiast sites: Tech enthusiasts, movie enthusiasts. porn devotees, daters, news junkies. Those interested in healthcare. Communities sprung up, big and small, but mostly big.

    Currently, we’re on an entertainment jag, with games and virtual goods, random video chat and anime mash-ups drawing the attention of the masses and venture money. The iPazzle (technology) is creating some new applications for sure, moving everything toward a single device, but it won’t explode web traffic exponentially.

    So what’s next? What human need is not being met?  When we get tired of entertainment what will we seek?  What will generate massive traffic and engagement on the web?  It will be micro-communities. Noah Brief and Piers Fawkes might call them LikeMinds. For me, I’d love to chat with kids who went to Amityville JHS, in school the day Martin Luther King was shot. Or people who saw the Allman Brothers early show at the Fillmore East in 1970 the night they shot the inside album cover. Maybe we are not like minds, but we’re like experiencers… at a certain time and place. There’s an idea for Google or Bing, the search experts. Micro communities. Peace!

    Barack’s informerical.

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    Steve Poppe
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    Two days ago, I suggested Barack Obama’s infomercial was a mistake. Well, the people have spoken and I was wrong. Over 33 million viewers tuned in to CBS, NBC, Fox and cable to watch. The media cost to air the informercial was about 3 million dollars, which I find hard to believe since a 30-second Super Bowl spot goes for $2 million+ and delivers less than twice the viewers.

     

    Here’s the big question: Were the 33 million+ viewers Obama voters, John McCain voters, or undecideds? In marketing, new incremental volume is always an important measure.  Loyal customers need care and feeding but new customers are a key growth metric.  If Barack’s investment reached only his loyal followers then it probably wasn’t a great idea. But if the audience was a cross section of the population, as I suspect it was, then it was. (Can’t you just see some pro-McCain people quickly changing the channel as their spouses walked in the room?) Mea culpa. Peace!

     

    U.S. News and World Report’s Syrupy Announcement

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    Steve Poppe
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    What’s the idea with U.S. News and World Report? Are they trying to become a monthly newsweekly? Have they decided that becoming an online news property is their future? Or, have they decided to become a publishing organization specializing in rating colleges andhospitals? The answer is "yes" to all three questions. 

     

    According to a recent internal memo that fell into the hands of the New York Times, written by president Bill Holiber and editor Brain Kelly, “the magazine was accelerating its plans to focus on Internet publishing and a handful of topics: national and world news and opinion, health, money and business, education and rankings and reviews.”

     

    Try writing a branding brief on that.  Have you ever tasted fruit cocktail? That sweet syrupy concoction with pears, peaches, grapes and one other mystery fruit? Every element tastes the same. One taste: syrup. Mort Zuckerman should know better. This melange of media will turn to gunk. No idea here.

     

     

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