Retail Marketing Insights

by RICH DESIMONE

As I sat on the beach this weekend, a plane flew by towing yet another banner advertisement.  It was a very simple design, all black, with two words in white “Avion Tequila.”

If you watch the hit HBO series Entourage you know that Avion Tequila has been playing a major role in this season’s story line. After I saw the banner go by I began to wonder: “Is this tequila for real or is it some sort of weird promo for the show?” So when I got home I did a quick search. This is what I found:

Avion Tequila was launched this summer in New York and L.A. by Marquis Jet founder Kenny Dichter, which makes sense since Avion means airplane in Spanish. Kenny and, Entourage creator, Doug Ellin  met each other in elementary school 35 years ago in Merrick, NY. The cost for all this publicity and buzz: $0. Since HBO is an advertising-free channel, Elin could not charge for product placement, which also meant Dichter had no control of how the product was used in the show.

Dichter is certainly getting a ton of publicity, but does the consumer know it’s an actual product? As they say,  any publicity is good publicity. Especially since launching a new liquor can end up costing upwards of $25-50 million in advertising. Breaking into the high-end world of premium liquor is certainly tough, often being backed by musicians, actors and other celebrities. The Entourage demo is certainly the right platform to introduce this brand, 18-34 male, so it will be interesting to see if Avion takes off.

by JOHNMURPHY

I read a lot of blogs about social media.

Here is the best statement I’ve seen lately. It comes from Peter Shankman, author, entrepreneur, and speaker.

“Social media is not  ‘cool.’ MAKING MONEY IS COOL. Social media is simply another arrow in the quiver of marketing, and that quiver is designed to GENERATE REVENUE.”

Amen brother. What business are we in anyway?  The “this is cool” business or the “let’s help our clients succeed” business.

So where do you begin?

We all know that social media is “a conversation.” Now, think about conversations you might have at a party where you meet a bunch of new people. Which are the conversations that succeed? You know…the ones that result in a new business relationship. Or a first date. Or a new golf partner. Or simply a friend.

Take it away, Dale Carnegie.

Become genuinely interested in other people.

Smile.

If you are wrong, admit it quickly and emphatically. Be a good listener. Encourage others to talk about themselves.

Talk in terms of the other person’s interests.

Make the other person feel important – and do it sincerely.

Dramatize your ideas.

There’s a lot to learn about social media tactics in marketing. But you know more than you think. Because your mom and dad already taught you the basics.

I recently attended a conference in Las Vegas where a prominent female CEO discussed the stages of life for women – as well as the implications these stages had on influencing their marketing decisions. I was looking forward to her discussion, as she has held leadership positions for brands that I respect and admire. She went on to describe these key stages of a women’s life as: 1.) Marriage; 2.) Moving into a new home; and 3.) Having a baby.

I turned to my colleague and said, “Really?” How can a female CEO still use life stages that could have been defined in the 1950’s? Don’t get me wrong – those three events are wonderful, monumental and life changing, but the spectrum of events and accomplishments in a woman’s life often goes way beyond that. With so many dual income homes, even for those who have had families, women have reinvented themselves and to gone onto new endeavors and new careers. In fact, senior women age 50 and older control net worth of $19 trillion and own more than three-fourths of the nation’s financial wealth!

The female segment can’t be ignored. Women are responsible for more than 80% of buying decisions in all homes.

And above everything else, the female consumer is the influencer. Women are the ones that are most active on social media sites, and are often more vocal on product and business review sites like Yelp.

To reach them, influence them, and ultimately, to sell to them, please make sure that you really know them. Consider an online study that digs deep into their motivations and behaviors. Or, use your brand’s social networking presence to get to know where your customers are in life. One brand that has successfully done this is H&M, having used Facebook to gain insight into what pieces and products to sell in the next season.

So, in considering how, and when, to reach your female consumer, make sure that you really know and understand who they are and where they are in life.

by KIM RUSSELL

As we come out of the recession and businesses start to feel better about the future, we at EGC have noticed an increase in clients interested in a brand “refresh.”  Typically, this request involves a brush up of a logo, perhaps a new tagline, and a more modern look and feel for a brand.

It makes sense, really.  What better way to let your customers know that you are keeping with the changing times than to ensure your brand identity doesn’t feel dated?  To give it a modern edge.

What doesn’t make sense, however, is to consider a touch up of your logo and materials a “refresh.”  A true brand refresh goes deep into the brand’s core.  It isn’t about making the materials more modern and slick… unless you, as a brand, have become more modern and slick since your last attempt at a brand identity.  Really, a brand refresh should END with new materials.  When a brand is truly refreshed, you should start with the basics—your values, your core differentiators, your positioning… and when those are updated to better define who you’ve become as a company, so too, should your materials follow suit.

AdAge recently published an article that spoke to this topic which is worth a read: (http://adage.com/cmostrategy/article?article_id=148760).

What do you think… can a brand stay the same on the inside and look more refreshed on the outside, or does the refreshing have to start from within?

With the Olympics in full swing and millions of people watching Olympic athletes achieve their dreams of winning gold, there’s something else they’re winning–endorsements. Athletes train for years to make it to the Olympics, dreaming of bringing home the gold. Winning a medal brings a great sense of pride and accomplishment for an athlete and it can also bring piles of cash from big companies looking for heroes to stand behind their brands.

by RICH DESIMONE

Let’s take snowboarder Shaun White. Back at the 2006 Winter Olympics, the world watched as White shredded the half pipe bringing home his first gold medal and becoming the face of the sport practically overnight. Not only does he have what it takes to be an incredible snowboarder, he also has what it takes to be an icon. With his mop of red hair and casual charisma there’s no mistaking him. That’s why brands like Oakley, Burton, Red Bull, HP, Ubisoft and mainstream giant Target have all reached out to him, signing deals in the millions. But Shaun White is no sell-out.  He’s known to be very cautious with who he signs with, aligning himself with brands he truly believes in. Being a brand ambassador may sound easy, but it isn’t.  White works hard at being selective.

Take Target for example. The reason White opted for the retail giant over the smaller indie brand, Volcom, was simple: freedom. Like the freedom to create and design a special line of clothing from the ground up.  And the list goes on and on.   From Oakley signature sunglasses to the development of his first video game, White plays a big role when he attaches his name to a product.  But he won’t partner with just anyone willing to write him a check.  He only works with brands he personally connects with. Why? Because at some point in Shaun’s career he himself became a brand and whomever he partners with reflects back on him.

It will be interesting to see where Shaun goes next.  Winning his second gold medal in Vancouver this past week will open a whole new set of opportunities.  With his innovative spirit on and off the mountain, I’m sure we’ll be seeing the Shaun White brand evolve. Until then…ride on.