The Dish
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Every week there are articles published that are of interest to promotional products industry professionals across the land. To save you time, a rotating group of PromoKitchen chefs have culled the internet for the ones you should read and the ones you should skip. This week's Dish was written by chef Bill Petrie.
Top Signs Your Brand Strategy is Losing Focus – “Must Read” Article of the Week
As marketplace shifts happen at an increasingly rapid pace, it’s possible to lose focus on a brand’s core identity. This article lays out how to tell when this is happening and what can be done to right the ship. The two that jumped out are the market is been flooded with inconsistent messaging and that the visual of the brand appears outdated and “off message.” After reading this article, it is a perfect time to put your brand on trial to see if it has lost focus.
Boston Beer Cuts Further Projections, Starts Brand Strategy Review
It’s not every day that you see The Wall Street Journal discussing a brand strategy review which makes this article very worthy of your time. Boston Beer Company, the makers of Samuel Adams, is losing market share to the competition faster than it had projected earlier in the year. In response, Boston Beer has introduced new styles and hired a former Diageo executive as chief marketing officer. Does this mean we no longer must endure the creaky voice of founder Jim Koch? If so, I’m on board!
What the Cubs Can Teach Us About Branding
Look, as a bitter Texas Rangers fan, I’ve had just about enough of the seemingly endless celebration of the Cubs’ World Series victory as you have. However, this article caught my eye and is worthy of your time. It chronicles the history of the Cubs brand and how owner Philip Wrigley shifted the paradigm from worrying about wins and losses to that of creating a brand experience completely independent of the team’s (usually shoddy) performance. If you’ve ever had the pleasure of taking in an afternoon game on the north side of Chicago, you likely already understand. A unique perspective on the Cubbies.
What to Ask About Your Marketing Strategy Before You Ask About Millennials
This is a very interesting article about how to go about targeting Millennials with a marketing strategy. As the article argues, there are three different target segments within the Millennial generation and they can’t all be reached by using the same message. It goes on to explain that the only common thread between those segments is that they are young and that rather to focus on the entire generation, marketers should consider age ranges, income, and other parameters to see which segments line up with their campaign goals.
Kim K. Plans Re-Branding – “Don’t Waste Your Time Reading” Article of the Week
How does something like this even garner space on the internet? So you don’t have to burn your precious calories reading this drivel, here is a quick summary: Kim Kardashian got robbed in Paris and is now planning a “wholesome image change.” My favorite part? This “news” broke as she was filming new scenes for her reality television show. If you or your company is asked to provide promotional merchandise for her “transformation,” please share your experience with the entire PromoKitchen community.