Loveideas.

By
Steve Poppe
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0
Back in February I wrote about J.C. Penney and Saatchi & Saatchi’s plans to launch a new branding idea — Every Day Matters – to replace the tired “It’s all inside.” I blogged glowingly (http://spoppe.livejournal.com/6146.html) in anticipation of the execution. Well, it seems the client and agency have delivered.
 
Penney’s CMO Mike Boylston sounds like a man with some sand. He’s opted to go against the grain and do image rather than product advertising; pushing to rebuild the Penney’s brand. Everybody knows what Penny’s sells, consumers don’t need to see the products. The new advertising addresses the end-benefit customers experience when shopping at Penny’s — having a great day. It uses a one-day-at-a-time approach to building a good life. An idea that both aspires and inspires. 
 
The work doesn’t tell you outright to go to the store and buy something that will brighten your day, that would be heavy handed.  It focuses on the results of shopping. Through wonderful story-telling — still the most compelling means of selling — the campaign puts consumers in the right frame of mind to purchase. And while those consumers are in that frame of mind, they will gravitate toward J.C. Penney.
 
In all deference to Saatchi’s Kevin Roberts and his “lovemarks,” this is just a good strategy, a better idea, and fine execution. 
 

No gerrymandering .

By
Steve Poppe
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0
One of the cooler things I’m seeing on our social computing site Zude (www.zude.com) is interaction among a diverse group of users.  No gerrymandering here. 
 
A couple of analogues come to mind. One is Billy Bob’s Texas: a big old honky tonk in Fort Worth, where 20-somethings rub shoulders with 60-somethings — especially when there’s a good country band in town. The other analog is the NYC borough of Queens — the world’s most successful melting pot — where there is more tolerance of different cultures and religions than anywhere on earth. It doesn’t make the papers, mind you, but it’s there.
 
On Zude, kids learn about 70s Punk Rock from people who were there. Northerners experience Zydeco line dancing for the first time. People continents apart share their “art.” People seem to engage one another on Zude, whereas they might never do so out in the world.  More important, we haven’t been labeled “for students” or “business people” or “friends.” Hopefully we won’t. Our sweet spot is user freedom and so far it’s attracting all kinds.  That’s new…and that’s news!
 
 

Leadership

By
Steve Poppe
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0
Leadership.  It is the key to successful business and governance. Iraq needs a good leader — a homegrown person who can capture the imagination, hearts and conscience of all Iraqis. Unfortunately, Iraq has to get to the point where it is so utterly f’ed up that all factions look beyond ethnicity and religion and actually can hear the voice of a true leader. 
 
NBC Television also lacks leadership; that’s why it has tanked in recent years and anointed Ben Silverman co-chairman of entertainment. It is his job to right the ship. He’s got good credentials and seems in touch with today’s entertainment sensibilities, but can he lead? Mr. Silverman needs to be decisive, selfless and focused. If he is, and he makes good programming and personnel moves, people will follow.  
 
Jock Ewing once said to JR’s brother Bobby “You don’t give power, Bobby, you take it.” As much as I’ve always loved this sound bite, it really isn’t true. You don’t take power, you lead your way to it.  To become an American Indian chief you have to put the tribe first. Not the individual, not a small group…the tribe. 
 
Let’s hope against hope that a leader emerges in Iraq, and let’s also keep an eye on Mr. Silverman and see if he has the stuff to herd some NBC cats.
 

Coke or GM?

By
Steve Poppe
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0

Coke is Coke because of its strong, concentrated, unique taste.  It’s refreshing on a hot day, energizing when one needs a jolt, and a drink that almost reflexively makes you smile. Coca-Cola, the company, suffers from a lack of this same “concentration.”

 

The Coca-Cola Company (stock symbol KO) is looking into buying Cadbury Schweppes PLCs Motts and Snapple brands and probably will do so soon, as a way to grow sales in the hot non-carbonated drink areas and maintain shareholder value. 

 

In my opinion, Coke’s growth has been retarded by the broadening of its portfolio over the years.  Juices, waters, teas, and other non-carbonated drinks are the enemy of Coke, not its sisters.  For years Coke has attempted to fend off these competing drink categories by marketing Minute Maid, Nestea, Dasani, etc.  But these separate brands in the Company portfolio are diluting Coke’s manpower, womanpower, fiscal resources and strategic focus. 

 

Coke needs to get Sergio Zyman back…and listen to him.  Now before you say “this doofus  doesn’t know Coke or the beverage category,” know this, I predicted Mary Minnick’s failure, without having ever stepped foot inside the Coke building. 

 

Coke should focus its portfolio on carbonated drinks – albeit healthier drinks – and put its best people on the task.  Right now, Coke is more like General Motors than Coke.

 

Coke or GM?

By
Steve Poppe
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0
Coke is Coke because of its strong, concentrated, unique taste. It’s refreshing on a hot day, energizing when one needs a jolt, and a drink that almost reflexively makes you smile. Coca-Cola, the company, suffers from a lack of this same “concentration.”
 
The Coca-Cola Company (stock symbol KO) is looking into buying Cadbury Schweppes PLCs Motts and Snapple brands and probably will do so soon, as a way to grow sales in the hot non-carbonated drink areas and maintain shareholder value. 
 
In my book, Coke’s growth has been retarded by the broadening of its portfolio over the years.  Juices, waters, teas, and other non-carbonated drinks are the enemy of Coke, not its sisters. For years Coke has attempted to fend off these competing drink categories by marketing Minute Maid, Nestea, Dasani, etc. But these separate brands in the Company portfolio are diluting Coke’s manpower, womanpower, fiscal resources and strategic focus. 
 
Coke needs to get Sergio Zyman back…and listen to him. Now before you say “this doofus doesn’t know Coke or the beverage category,” know this, I predicted Mary Minnick’s failure, without having ever stepped foot inside the Coke building. 
 
Coke should focus its portfolio down to carbonated drinks – albeit healthier drink – and put its best people on the task. Right now, Coke is more like General Motors than Coke.

The world’s most expensive dye job.

By
Steve Poppe
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0
A few summers ago the New York Mets’ Mike Piazza emerged from the dugout one day with brilliant blond hair.  With one bottle of dye, the normally dark haired Piazza created an opportunity to double the size of the hair color business. And what a business that is. I understand a coloring job can cost anywhere from $35-$140. Before tips (and I don’t mean gratuities.)
 
Had a smart hair products company, e.g., Clairol, L’Oreal, Garnier, recognized that changing men’s hair color was more about style than vanity, and had they targeted kids and twenty somethings – an age from which most trends emerge – I would probably sporting some serious blond hair right now rather than this grey along the equator “do.”
 
Because Mike Piazza had the huevos and style sense to do it (he really did look cool), it gave the rest of us permission to do it. (That’s product placement, celebrity endorsement, and image marketing all rolled into one.)
 
Changing a culture’s accepted behavior is not easy, but it can be. Changing markets is not easy, but it can be. Good account planners and good marketers keep their eyes and ears open.    

The Summer of Love.

By
Steve Poppe
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0
In a Wall Street Journal Op-Ed piece today, geezer rock guitarist Ted Nugent puts on a three-piece suit and utterly disses the summer of love as the summer of drugs. Many of his points related to drug abuse and premature death are valid, but I think Mr. Nugent is missing the point.  The drugs, the free love, the mind altering intentions were the jewelry, the adornments, of the time. The summer of love was a cultural phenomenon. It was an expression of freedom. Kids attempting to change the course of their future. A way to delay turning into their parents.  Rebellion with a lower case “r.” 
 
Yes, it went too far eventually. Acid and acid rock were found to be debilitating. American music quickly morphed from acid rock to a mellower countrified, acoustic sound, right around the tipping point time of Altamont.
 
“Tune in, turn on and drop out” was Timothy Leary’s call to arms for the summer of love. At my college, our tribal mantra was “Get as loose as you can without falling apart.” Kids will always need to be free, to stretch their wings. Drugs, alcohol and various lawbreaking devices will always be expressions of freedom. The adornments will change (read piercing and tattoos), but the need to express freedom will not.
 
The summer of love culture was one of acceptance, inclusion, freedom and getting along. Some were free to make poor choices and they did. Jimi, Janis, Jim and Pig Pen may not have lived long enough to write an Op-Ed piece, but I’m betting their expressions of freedom, their art, outlast those of Mr. Nugent.  
 

Love or infatuation?

By
Steve Poppe
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0
There is a little peeing contest going on between Apple and Vivendi’s Universal Music Group. In the midst of a power play, Universal is talking about removing all of its catalogs from iTunes which will hurt Apple to the tune (sorry) of 1/3 of all new digital songs sold. On the other hand, iTunes (and others) account for 15% of Universal’s music revenue, so that will really ding them. Who will blink first?
 
As you may have heard me say before, I think the record companies are hurting sales by selling one-off digital songs. It hurt sales by diminishing band loyalty. When I listen to only one “Taking Back Sunday” song (an example only) and a few stanzas of lyrics, I get a shallow understanding of the group – a hard way to build the love. Single song sales build infatuation not love.
 
This power play by Universal, might just be what the doctor ordered. If they remove their artists from iTunes, it will force more CD sales, which will build greater loyalty for their musicians. Down the road they should see a big positive blip in sales. By then, however, the power play will be over, Universal will have extracted higher margins, and be back on iTunes, and our dirty little secret will be safe. The business will still be in the shitter.   
 

Summer Sale.

By
Steve Poppe
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0
The Luxottica Group is buying Oakley Inc, solidifying it as the strongest eyewear manufacturer in the world. “Oakleys,” as they are called on the sand and snow, are design-forward sunglasses that have risen to the top of the sports segment and will help Luxottica enormously. Whether worn backwards by baseball players (Jose, Jose, Jose, Jose, JO-SAY, JO-SAY), straight up by sun-bleached surfers, or as goggles by skiers, boarders and moto-riders, Oakley will help Luxottica gain some serious share. If the Italian Luxottica, adds its sense of style to the American “sports” marketing machine http://oakley.com/innovation/history there should be no holding Oakley back. Watch out Smith! This would be a stock Warren Buffett would buy. Everybody needs sunglasses.
 
Happy summer. And don’t forget your sunglasses.
 

Who Yahoo!?

By
Steve Poppe
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0
Here’s what Yahoo should do. It needs to become the biggest portal on the Internet. Oh that’s right, it already is. Yahoo has lost its lead in search and it has lost its lead as a communications platform. It’s second, third or fourth in a number of other competitive areas: IM, picture sharing, start pages, video, advertising, etc. As social computing grows and all large competitors move towards the center (toward each other), there is still room for a portal. AOL used to own the portal but it’s up for grabs now. Yahoo can and should strengthen its hold here.
 
How? First Yahoo must start to find, display, and link to the most exciting things on the Web. That will take brilliant content editors. The Elizabeth Spiers of the world. It must bring into the fold, some exciting original content: first run movies, concerts, comedy acts and Broadway shows. It must become not only a television station on the Internet, but a library, a concert hall, a movie theater, magazine, blog and newspaper. It should start buying up the best blogs on the net and paying the writers and creators dearly: the Robert Scobles, PostSecrets, the BoingBoings.  
 
The web is, and always will be, about the content. User generated stuff is wonderful(ish), but who is culling it for the really great art? Rather than trying to out-Goggle Google, or out-MySpace MySpace, Yahoo should try to out-Yahoo Yahoo. It should become the Web’s biggest and best online content provider.   
 
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