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Mar

If rockers named new products …

By Kirk 3 Comments

Categories: copywriting

istock_000003982760xsmall I heard a concert promotion on the radio for the indie-rock band, We Were Promised Jetpacks, and realized we have the wrong people in charge of naming brands.

If rock musicians named new products, we would be spared forgettable and hard-to-pronounce monikers like Accenture and Eukanuba.

Instead, we would be driving Blue Oyster Cult cars and drinking Toad The Wet Sprocket beer. We’d bank at They Might Be Giants and buy insurance from Built To Spill. We’d enjoy dinner at The Flaming Lips.

Here’s a representative list of poor brand-name choices:

Bing
iSnack 2.0,an Australian cheese spread
Syfy
VIA, Starbucks’ instant coffee
Depends
Ruth’s Chris Steak House
Acloché
CompUSA
Vonage
Comerica
iPad
Ayds
Cranergy
DHL
Touareg
Noxzema
Comerica
Anextec
Cialis
GEICO,
Xfinity
Xe, formerly Blackwater
Altria, formerly Philip Morris
Airtran
Tiguan

Compare the above with this list of creative and memorable rock band names:

Psychedelic Furs
Dinosaur Jr.
Violent Femmes
Velvet Underground
Meat Puppets
Romeo Void
Guided By Voices
Queens Of The Stone Age
Camper Van Beethoven
Fine Young Cannibals
Moby Grape
Country Joe And The Fish
TV On The Radio
Porno For Pyros
Foghat
Spandau Ballet
Strawberry Alarm Clock
Captain Beefheart
Faith No More
Echo And The Bunnymen
Crowded House
Arcade Fire
Death Cab For Cutie
Daft Punk
Pink Floyd
Pearl Jam
Radiohead
Hot Tuna

Now tell me. Which set captures your attention?

Feb

And the winner is … Google

By Kirk 1 Comment

Categories: advertising, copywriting, interactive marketing, mass media, search engine marketing, social media and strategy

In its Super Bowl commercial, Google tells an engaging little story of romance with simplicity and elegance. Appropriately, it uses keywords and search results only.

Its logo is onscreen almost the entire time, while it demonstrates several of its features and benefits. It effectively offsets Bing’s recent efforts at malignment.

Not only was the spot inexpensive to produce, but it stood out from the sophomoric humor and over-the top production of the majority of the commercials.

Erik Sherman, in his negative review of the spot at BNET, misses the point that by airing the spot in the Super Bowl, Google reached millions and millions who haven’t already seen it on YouTube.

Smart marketing all the way around.

Which spot do you feel was most effective?

Dec

Best posts of 2009

By Kirk 2 Comments

Categories: art direction & design, brand essence, budgeting, client-agency relationships, copywriting, identity, loyalty, new business, roi, standards and strategy

This month BrandSTOKE is one year old.

I’m honored that you take the time to read and comment. My goal for 2010 is to engage more conversation. If you have any suggestions for topics or improving the blog, please let me know.

Thanks for your interest and support. I’ll try to do better next year.

Here’s a list of some of the most popular posts as well as a few personal favorites from the last twelve months:

On brand building:

On brands vs. commodities:

On simplicity and effectiveness of messaging:

On smarter strategy:

On getting hired:

Just for fun:

Aug

Cash for clunker slogans

By Kirk 3 Comments

Categories: advertising, copywriting and retail

Abandoned car Time to turn in that old high-mileage, gas-guzzling ad slogan for a new one. Here are some candidates:

Acura: Advance
Audi: Truth in Engineering
Buick: Drive beautiful.
BMW: The Ultimate Driving Machine
Cadillac: Life, liberty and the pursuit
Dodge: Grab life.
Ford: Drive one.
Honda: The Power of Dreams
Hyundai: Think about it.
Infiniti: Inspired performance
Jeep: Have fun out there.
Kia: The Power to Surprise
Land Rover: Designed for the extraordinary
Lexus: The pursuit of perfection
Lincoln: Reach higher.
Mazda: Zoom zoom
Nissan: Shift_the way you move.
Porsche: There is No Substitute.
Saab: Born from Jets
Smart: Open your mind.
Subaru: Love. It’s what makes a Subaru, a Subaru.
Toyota: Moving forward
Volkswagen: Das Auto
Volvo: For life
Saturn: We’re still here.

It’s an interesting mix. Some are clearly on-brand (BMW’s classic “The Ultimate Driving Machine” and Volvo’s “For life”), some ask for your consideration (Smart’s “Open your mind.” and Hyundai’s “Think about it.”), and some seem strangely out of rhythm (Buick’s “Drive beautiful.”). Saturn’s “We’re still here.” manages to be honest, hopeful and a bit pathetic all at the same time.

I couldn’t find current slogans for Chrysler and Chevrolet. Can you?

Which ones do you think are still drivable? And which ones should be scrapped?

Jun

Speak less. Say more.

By Kirk 1 Comment

Categories: advertising, copywriting and strategy

Cocktail Napkin Ideas In previous posts (“‘Less’ isn’t just more–it’s omnipotent” and “Why strong design is always on Target”), I have discussed the effectiveness of focus and brevity in marketing messages.

Expressing an idea simply and succinctly makes it seem more viable and the brand more confident. It helps with the sell.

Supposedly, Winston Churchill, when prime minister, required that all proposals be presented on a half-page sheet of paper. If a proposer was unable to do this, then it implied to Churchill that the proposer wasn’t clear in his own mind.

Many successful enterprises have launched from a scrap of paper. (For a few examples, see “Seven Brilliant Ideas Scribbled on Cocktail Napkins and Toilet Papers.”)

Marketing exists to influence behavior, such as buying, trying, voting, donating, volunteering, applying, visiting, etc. To be successful, a compelling reason must be presented. The simpler and more clear the reason, the more effective the argument.

Appropriately our tools are limited by both time and space: a headline, a tweet, a 30-second radio or TV script, a pay-per-click ad, a billboard, an elevator speech. If we are unable to convince in one sentence, then superfluous words, images and flashy production value won’t help.

For greater success with your messages:

Focus on the single most important point.
Choose every word with care.
Use only necessary words.

If a writer knows enough about what he is writing about, he may omit things that he knows. The dignity of movement of an iceberg is due to only one ninth of it being above water. – Ernest Hemingway

Apr

G, I don’t get Gatorade’s line extension

By Kirk 4 Comments

Categories: copywriting, identity, packaging, retail and strategy

I am brand loyal to Gatorade. I drink it a couple of times a week during and after running workouts. It’s a staple for most runners.

But its line extension has me confused.

First of all, what happened to regular Gatorade? And what is the difference between these ill-defined options with forgettable names? Here’s the current line-up:

G (that’s the name) might be the original.
Shine On seems to be the original with vitamin C added. It is positioned for drinking prior to morning workouts. I’m not sure why.
Bring It has B vitamins added for “metabolizing energy.”
Be Tough has vitamin E, an antioxidant.
No Excuses seems to be Gatorade Light, a drink for those who find the taste of regular Gatorade too strong.
Focus has vitamin E, 25% more electrolytes, 50% less carbs, and Theanine to help focus. With Tiger Woods‘ endorsement, it’s positioned for more serious athletes.
G2 (that’s the name) is the low-calorie option with vitamins B, C and E.

Shine On, Be Tough, Bring It, No Excuses–these names don’t exactly convey the product differences needed when standing in the grocery aisle. Is Bring It the one with B vitamins? Or is that Be Tough? What’s the difference between G and G2 again?

To make it worse, these names just replaced some equally vague ones:

Shine On used to be A.M.
Bring It was Fierce.
Be Tough was called X-Factor.
No Excuses used to be Rain.

Both the old and new names are on each package to aid with the transition. Good luck.

So what do I want in a sports drink beyond hydration? Energy, focus, protection? Do I have to choose? Why not all?

Here’s my suggestion:

Keep the original and call it Gatorade. It’s like Coca-Cola Classic.
Make an enhanced version with all the extras: more electrolytes, vitamins, Theanine, etc. Call it Gatorade Plus or Gatorade Extra.
Make a lighter tasting, low-calorie version, called, of course, Gatorade Light.

I know — boring. But at least I would know which one to grab at the grocery store.

PS: Since writing this post, Beverage Digest reports Gatorade’s sales dropped 13.7% first quarter 2009. Business Week’s brand blog Brand New Day blames the new packaging.

Mar

Taglines: from the idiotic to the unforgettable

By Kirk 0 Comments

Categories: advertising, brand essence, copywriting and strategy

Too often marketing taglines or slogans are irritating (Ring around the collar, Wisk), inane (We’ll get you there, Delta), or thankfully forgettable (Creating value through excellence in innovation, quality and people, BF Goodrich).

Bad taglines are easy to spoof. Anyone can do it and everyone does.

And no one, either marketers or consumers, believes a purchase decision is made based solely upon a slogan. No wonder taglines are sometimes held in disdain.

Yet, when strategic, a tagline can be a valuable communications tool. Here are some famous examples:

Some taglines help build name recognition:

Tastes so good cats ask for it by name. Meow Mix
With a name like Smucker’s … it has to be good.

Some define the brand’s category:

When it absolutely, positively has to be there overnight. Federal Express
Plop, plop, fizz, fizz, oh what a relief it is. Alka Seltzer

Some highlight a brand attribute:

Please don’t squeeze the Charmin.
Does she or doesn’t she? Clairol
Finger lickin’ good. KFC
When it rains, it pours! Morton Salt
It takes a licking and keeps on ticking. Timex
So easy a caveman can do it. Geico

Some promote repeat brand experiences:

Reach out and touch someone. AT&T
Look, Ma, no cavities! Crest
When you care enough to send the very best. Hallmark
Betcha can’t eat just one. Lay’s
Got Milk? California Milk Processor Board
Don’t leave home without it. American Express

Some build affinity with customers by inspiring them:

Just do it. Nike
Be all you can be. US Army
It’s everywhere you want to be. Visa
Breakfast of champions. Wheaties

Some position the brand vs. its competitors:

We try harder. Avis Rent A Car
The ultimate driving machine. BMW
Have it your way. Burger King
Nothing runs like a Deere. John Deere
The Uncola. 7 Up
Think Small. Volkswagen
Where’s the beef? Wendy’s

For a perspective on how to develop effective taglines, read brand-positioning guru Al Ries’ list of four “glues” that make taglines “sticky.”

Which taglines do you think are effective? And which ones ill-conceived?

Mar

“Less” isn’t just more — it’s omnipotent

By Kirk 1 Comment

Categories: art direction & design, copywriting and strategy

istock_000006340991xsmall Generally, when communicating, using fewer words and images demonstrates focus and clarity. Using lots of text and visuals demonstrates the opposite. Being succinct is not just a more effective technique. It claims category domination. It says game-over.

Example: Ever notice that the more famous someone or something is, the fewer words are needed to identify them?

Consider the one-name celebrities: Cher, Elvis, Marilyn, Sting, Bono, Ringo, Beyonce, Eminem, Liberace, Madonna, Oprah, Pele, Prince and Shaq. One word is all they need. Same with the monogram celebrities: JFK, YSL, FDR, LV, OJ and LBJ.

The stronger the brand, the fewer letters needed to conjure the image.

Same with companies. Most names follow this formula: (brand name) followed by (category). Example: Campbell’s Soup, “Campbell’s” being the brand and “Soup” being the category.

Once brands are household names, they can drop the category designation. “Ford” doesn’t need to be followed by “Automobiles.” The name “Ford” says it all. Any doubt as to which category the following brands compete in–Kellogg’s, Nikon, McDonald’s, Disney, Gucci, Yahoo!, Rolex, Ben & Jerry’s, Visa and FedEx?

As brands grow stronger, they may go by even shorter nicknames: Coca-Cola by Coke, Kentucky Fried Chicken by KFC, Budweiser by Bud, Caterpillar by Cat, and Giorgio Armani by Armani. Lengthy law-firm names are shrinking nationally, usually to the first name on the letterhead. Example: San Francisco’s Orrick, Herrington and Sutcliffe goes by Orrick and markets itself using the letter “O.”)

Acronyms are essentially nicknames. Generally they are a bad idea because they are difficult to remember. However, once a company is well known and long established, consumers tend to accept them, such as IBM, GE, AT&T, BMW, UPS, BP and KFC.

The ultimate swagger is to forgo letters and words completely and use symbols to communicate. Who doesn’t recognize the ubiquitous Nike, Apple, and Shell logos? The Superman “S” and the McDonald’s “M?” And the Red Cross’ logo is reportedly the best known brand symbol in the world — a simple red cross.

Say less. Be more. Agree?

Jan

The biggest ideas in history in less than 140 characters

By Kirk 0 Comments

Categories: copywriting and social media

Is 140 characters enough to convey a big idea? The New York Times says 140 is fine for microblogging in business. Many famous quotes fit nicely, such as “I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!” (88 characters)

But what about really big concepts? What about thinking that transforms history?

Like the Bill of Rights, for example.

I took a look. Two of the Amendments, the 8th and 9th, are each under 140 characters, including spaces. The 8th Amendment is the shortest at 111 characters: “Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.” Glad we have that one.

The 2nd (144 characters), 3rd (156) and 10th (161) could get there with some simple editing and abbreviating, such as converting “United States” to “US.” The rest of the Amendments, including the oft-cited 1st and 5th, are way over the limit. The 5th is the longest at 591 characters, but the portion used when “taking the fifth” is only 151 characters.

So at least five of the first Ten Amendments could have been tweeted. As could most of Confucius’ quotes, such as “Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves.” As could Buddhism’s Four Noble Truths.

As for the Ten Commandments, it turns out God is a master of brevity.

Depending on which religion, translation, list, parsing and edition you follow, six of the Ten Commandments are under 140 characters! The shortest, “You shall not kill” has only 19.

“Neither shall you commit adultery.” (34 characters) “Neither shall you steal.” (24) “Neither shall you bear false witness against your neighbor.” (59) And so on.

The first line of the Gettysburg address is 179 characters. Here’s how to shorten it to 140: “87 yrs ago our fathers brought 4th upon this continent a new nation conceivd in Liberty and dedicatd to the prop. that all men are creatd =.” Doesn’t quite have the same ring, does it?

What other great concepts can be conveyed in only a few words? Send them and I’ll start a list.