Blog : branding

Think it through from all perspectives.
Bethany Howell

Think it through from all perspectives.

If there is one thing you can learn from the recent Coca-Cola fiasco, let it be this- when you set out to do something new, always think about how it will affect ALL of your customers or clients.  When Coca-Cola came out with white cans in an effort to raise awareness for the World Wildlife Fund, Coca-Cola customers quickly began complaining that they were confusing the white cans with the silver Diet Coke cans. For some, this was extremely frustrating. Which makes me wonder, did Coca-Cola think this campaign through? I am not sure the company realized what such a drastic change would do to its consumers. The ABC news clip below explains the change from red to white, and how this affected the customer, and why the change made such an impact.

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Starbucks Holiday Cups!
Bethany Howell

Starbucks Holiday Cups!

Today was the debut of the Starbucks holiday cup. You may think, “so what, who cares? It is just a cup.” Or, if you’re like me, a little smile crept onto your face, and a small burst of joy hit you when you saw the Holiday cup. I am not sure why, but each year I get excited when I get my coffee in a red cup with a wintery mix of graphics.

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Brand Trust
Bethany Howell

Brand Trust

As a sixth grader in home economics, I was assigned to write a letter to a company about one of their products. The idea behind the assignment was simply to help us understand how to write and format a professional letter. I remember the excitement I felt when I got a response in the mail from the company I wrote to–until I opened it. Only thirteen years old, I was traumatized when I read that the company did not appreciate my letter (which suggested the company produce a diet version of a certain cake product – which of course now exists,) and claimed if I wrote again they would be forced to take some sort of action. I laugh now, but I also wonder if I would resend my letter today, or posed my suggestion on their Facebook wall – would I receive the same response?

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Seeing "Different"
Bethany Howell

Seeing "Different"

What is the first thing you see?

We get data from our senses. Our eyes see, and then the brain makes meaning of the information collected. In his book, The Brand Gap, Marty Neumeier explains that out eyes quickly find the contrast in what we are viewing, and then the brain takes over.  We see the difference between subject and ground, big and small, rough and smooth, motionless and moving – then we determine the importance of those differences.

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Does Your Marketing Plan SLIP IT?
Bethany Howell

Does Your Marketing Plan SLIP IT?

In his book, The Advertising Concept Book, Pete Barry explains that a good ad communicates its message, but a great ad “stops you, hooks you, and hauls you in.” Further, a great ad will make the viewer react in at least one of six ways  – SLIP IT. This concept also works for email marketing, web landing pages, direct mail, and more.

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