If you’re not using blog posts to meet your customers’ needs in a way that’s unique to your brand, you’re missing an opportunity. See how one example of financial education content from Umpqua gets it right.
The new campaign from American Express embraces the history of the brand while breaking from a long tradition of celebrity endorsements. In this execution, instead of seeing Tina Fey at the center (literally) of the spots, we see customers. Importantly, Amex embraces both consumer and business products with the dual-purpose tag line “Don’t Do Business / Live Life Without It.”
Spark Unlimited Business Checking is one of three different business checking accounts that Capital One offers, and all of them are Spark branded. The sub-brand has also been extended to one of its cash flow management products, Spark ProDeposits. Using the Spark name to show the breadth of its small business products is a smart strategy for Capital One... a strategy that will help it stand out from its competitors.
What’s the one thing more than 500 million Twitter accounts have in common? Love of the RT, of course! The retweet is more than a basic mechanism for engaging in conversation on Twitter – being retweeted is one of the thrills of participating in the micro-blogging platform. Many Twitter users are able to leverage it as currency. In fact, we’ve noticed many retailers using retweets in their brand-building efforts. A cursory look at apparel brands on our Retail Social Juice Index over the last day or so reveals a number of opportunities retailers are seizing via the retweet, including influencer marketing.
Consumers have been benefiting from reviews, ratings, leaks, reports and other sources of unfiltered information about brands for years now. For the 21st century’s informed consumer, this wealth of information is never more than a Google search away. Now, we’re seeing more brands embrace this reality – the reality that they cannot hide anymore behind a façade of expertly-fabricated perfection. Consumers will discover details - good, bad and in between - regardless of brands’ readiness to accept this fact or not. Slowly but surely, brands have embraced this idea and an “if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em” mentality of accepting and even showcasing, unfiltered consumer-created social content.
Can you picture that little boy who reluctantly acknowledges he did something wrong? Head down, eyes on the floor, shuffling his feet behind him, wringing his hands, speaking in a volume so low you can hardly hear him? There is a piece of him that knows he is supposed to feel bad and is trying to be earnest in his apology, and yet, he can’t let go of the idea that he is not really wrong, he’s just misunderstood. This is how my son might approach explaining a broken glass after doing a cartwheel in the living room. Yes, a gIass got broken, but how about that AMAZING athletic prowess? This is also the image I have of Reed Hastings, Netflix CEO, before he hit “SEND” on his latest communication to his customers. He’s reversing his latest plan to spin off his DVD-by-mail business as a new company (Qwikster) so the core brand “Netflix” can focus on its streaming services. This is a good thing, and while clearly it was the consumer backlash that pressured him to back off, I fear that Reed still doesn’t think he did anything wrong. Netflix has been in the “don’t do this” spotlight all year for a series of moves that makes one wonder who exactly is minding the store. It’s not the first company to anger customers with a bold move, but ironically, Netflix had been a brand that was built on doing everything right. When Blockbuster zigged, Netflix zagged. Tired of having to wait weeks for an available copy of the latest release? Plagued by late fees? Yearning for a classic “Young Frankenstein” laugh only to find out the store’s single copy was damaged or MIA? Netflix solved all of these problems. It was convenient. It was cost effective. It was satisfying – just like a classic retail relationship should be.
With a new owner and president at its helm, KO Sailing - the largest small boat dealer on the Gulf Coast - turns to Media Logic to make a bold statement with a new brand. Read the full article and watch as Senior Art Director Ivan talks through the KO Sailing transformation.
In preparing for the highly anticipated Missoni for Target launch, Target “hired” a rather curious brand advocate: “Marina,” a doll. Yes, you read that correctly. The blogger Marina describes herself as “a real doll [with] joints, hinges and all!” A blog -- ‘all the way up here’ -- written by Marina promotes the introduction of the Missoni brand at Target. The doll writes about her porcelain skin and hollowed body. However, it seems as though the savvy social media minds at Target are behind this fashionable “it” girl who promoted the September 13th launch of Missoni at Target. The Tumblr account, which popped up in the blogosphere on April 5th, is primarily devoted to sharing information about the Target- Missoni collaboration. However, Marina also blogs about her home country of Italy, her excitement in moving to the big city of New York and her favorite fashion trends (particularly stripes, the pattern which adorns a majority of the Missoni lines) --all seen from the eyes of a doll. These random “personal” blog posts, sprinkled throughout those promoting the new collection, are no accident. Rather, these fashionista- inspired, whimsical posts are a way for Target to promote and grow its desired image for the line.
Dear PetSmart, Okay, I am a little jealous of that lucky puppy in the footage from the commercial you've been tweeting about. But in general, my tail wags every time I see @Petsmart on Twitter. For example, I like your pet care posts, like the tweet with a link to this post about shielding pets from the boom of fireworks. Really useful (that one saved me from the shame of peeing on the floor), and they get retweeted a lot. I also love all of your pet trivia. Who knew that “rats have starred or appeared in over 400 films & close to 100 TV series?” However, I’d be happier if you gave me even more attention. Please don’t put me in the doghouse for this, but I do have a few suggestions for how we might make our relationship even better.
To support the launch of The Ritz Carlton rewards credit card product, Media Logic collaborated with J.P. Morgan and the Marriott Rewards group to develop acquisition and customer marketing materials that align with the higher level of experience and service the affluent target audience has come to expect.