In a world where men get manicures and women race IndyCar, leave it to the soft drink industry to stir up sexism. Dr. Pepper has created a controversial campaign, “It’s Not for Women” to make a diet soda appeal to men.

And frankly, it’s about time someone stirred the pot!! We’re so uptight, especially when it comes to advertising, about who we’re going to offend that no one says ANYTHING anymore. C’mon people, it’s FUNNY… And I’m a woman!! I’m not mad that they “accuse” me of liking romantic comedies… I DO like them! But so do a lot of men… Just as men drink diet soda, women drink beer and we shouldn’t feel badly about it.

Bottom’s up!

Introducing first, fighting out of the blue corner, weighing in at $950 million in funding, the current champion in group discounts – GROUPON!  And in the red corner, from Washington D.C., weighing in at $232 million in funding, fighting for the championship title, LivingSocial!

Who will win?  According to this recent blog post from Mashable, LivingSocial plans to overtake Groupon in 2012…  So what IS the deal with group coupons and are you buying it?

Let’s step into the ring… Groupon works as an assurance contract; whereby, if a certain number of people elect to participate in the daily deal, the offer is valid to all.  If the minimum number of required participants is not met, the offer is void.

Groupon makes a profit by splitting the discounted proceeds with the retailer.  In the case of, let’s say a spa, they take a $150 spa service and offer it to the consumer for half price (or $75.)  Then Groupon and the retailer split the $75 ($37.50 each.)  LivingSocial works similarly without any upfront costs.  Although LivingSocial started a year earlier than Groupon, it didn’t offer daily deals until more recently (which may be among the reasons for its recent surge in business.)  Another possible explanation is their recent Super Bowl Ad.

Blue or red, the group coupon trend is on the upswing and no matter who takes the title, this is a win-win for everyone involved!

Who do you think will win the battle of the bargains?

Gap, like most retailers in the midst of our great recession, held tight to its marketing dollars.  Now, with the worst behind us and the economy picking up steam, Gap is looking to shift its marketing strategy to lure new customers.  In this MarketWatch article by Andria Cheng, we examine their past pitfalls and new strategy as they position themselves for a Q2 comeback.

I am a huge fan of the Gap, always have been…  In fact, when I was in Europe and lost my luggage, Gap basically saved my life!  So it pained me, when they had The Gap Mishap, to address what I saw as a major flaw in their communication strategy.  However, I commend Gap on this effort and am interested to see if focusing on acquisition will pay off.

It seems they have all the pieces of the puzzle, target marketing, social media and budget allocation, in place.  They’ve also diversified their brand, not only into different price-point retailers but different apparel offerings as well (athletic-wear, footwear, etc.) All in all, I see a promising future for the Gap. I just hope they’ll continue with a slew of new commercial messages featuring brightly-colored tweens, dancing around in their latest styles!

What do you think… Can Gap make a comeback?

I was recently asked my thoughts on why Kia would use hamsters to advertise their vehicles (we get asked a lot of car-related questions as it is assumed Motor markets only cars, which is actually not the case…) But it did get me thinking. The answer is, I’m sure they had their specific reasons and incidentally, it won Nielsen’s Automotive Ad of the Year; however, my theory is that IS the sales tactic… Or what I like to call: Things That Make You Go Hmmmm…

Something so outrageous, such as hamsters rapping, sticks with you. It had my friend scratching his head, now I’m writing a blog about his question. When companies can get you talking about their product, they’ve got YOU doing their marketing!

It hit me then why there are so many off-the-wall ads and slogans, simply because their bizarre nature has you spreading the word! The Geico caveman, the E-Trade baby, even the Dos Equis’ ‘Most Interesting Man in the World’ has me talking (in between sipping Dos Equis and E-trading online…;-)

Why do you think Kia chose to feature hamsters in their ads?

*** A big thanks to Steven Holt for this question and blog inspiration.

Companies today have endless opportunities to gain your business…  Frequent flier miles, reward perks, cash back, coupons, points, fans, friends, followers, you name it!  But what does it actually take to gain your loyalty… And keep it?

I recently asked myself this question when I lost my keys… Amidst the massive amount of key tags to just about every merchant in Southern California!  What I realized was threefold.

First and foremost, some of my favorite retailers don’t even HAVE loyalty programs!  Take Trader Joe’s for example.  I go there about once a week (OK twice but the second time is just for the free fare) and I’m not getting any points or prizes; I am loyal to them because of their low prices and quality food.

Secondly, I will admit – the loyalty programs of several retailers do keep me honest, typically because they offer free product samples.  Take Aveda for instance.  Their prices are a little steep, so I like that I can select my favorites before committing to the cost of the full size item.

Finally, program or not, keeping a loyal customer is a never-ending job.  Those who do it well are customer service oriented and constantly reinventing themselves through social media or new and interesting messaging, like MAC for example.  I recently received a thank you card for making a purchase.  It may not be the “greenest” way to gain my trust but I will admit it did intrigue me…  A thank you card for shopping I was going to do anyway?!  You are welcome MAC!  Not to mention they also have a recycling program in which six containers gets you one free product.  It’s companies like these that will always have a place in my heart… And on my key chain;-)

Where are your loyalties and why?

If you’re looking for a war game – from World War II through the modern era, it is hard to beat the graphics or popularity of the Call of Duty franchise. Originally created for PC, it is now offered across almost every platform, including most handhelds.

Call of Duty (COD) Live pits players from all over the world against each other in teams – with the goal being to destroy the players on the other team. When playing, you can hear the voices of your team-mates and see the Live handles of those you’re playing against. Talk to anyone who has played COD Live and the first thing they talk about is the N00b’s, 13 year old boys and middle-aged women that can school them and the fact that sometimes, you just might be playing with someone famous. Live play video games have bridged the gap between demographics in a way that very few things can. Call of Duty obviously understands this – and is capitalizing on it. Their new campaign has taken the voices and turned it visual – placing real people (and a couple famous faces) into the call of duty world to “act out” playing the game. No matter your personal opinion on war games this ad captures the reality of the COD Live game world brilliantly.

*Personally, my favorite moment is the concierge answering the phone while hiding behind a cement wall.

With the fourth season of “Mad Men” wrapping up recently (and having just jumped on the band wagon myself…) I felt compelled to comment on what can only be described as a television phenomenon. One so dramatic in fact – they’re now designing suits to mirror it! Welcome back to the 1960’s, where drinking and smoking in the office were as dignified as the executives themselves. “Mad Men” is not only defining an era but an industry as well. This AMC drama has captured its audience with intensity, and then leveraged it into the marketplace.

The show seems to be spawning a whole new culture in advertising – even the commercials aired during the show are set in the same time period to keep watchers engaged (another phenomenon in advertising altogether…) But no one seems to be making the mark quite like “Mad Men.” A recent shopping trip revealed the “Mad Men Edition,” a moderately priced suit by Brooks Brothers. The ensemble boasts a sharkskin fabric, 2-button jacket with narrow lapels, hacking pockets and side vents.

With retro hair and make-up making a comeback as well, I can only presume “Mad Men” had something (if not everything) to do with this throwback trend; creating a cult-like following, which marketers have quickly caught on and leveraged to their benefit.

Where else have you seen “Mad Men’s” influence? What other television shows have impacted the marketplace in such a way?

Starbucks, the coffee conglomerate that brought you the original overpriced latte, now wants to sell you beer and wine. As discussed in this recent Orange County Register article, is the idea crazy or inspired?

Let’s grind it down… On the one hand, during a recession such as this in which consumers are cutting back on purchasing, a few industries still thrive. One of them is alcohol. For Starbucks to leverage that by churning out an Americano by day and an Irish coffee by night is seemingly brilliant marketing. So what’s the problem?

Perhaps nothing. BUT there is the whole idea of doing one thing and doing it well, otherwise known as specialization. Take Taco Bell – if they started selling prime rib, we’d be suspicious (not to mention they’d HAVE to start serving alcohol just to get people to buy it!) Starbucks has become as ubiquitous to coffee as In-N-Out has to burgers. Could it just be a sign of the times, companies offering all things to all people? Or is the coffeehouse in for a “brewed” awakening?

What do you think Starbucks should serve – espresso shots, tequila shots, or both?

As the final chapter in our brand discussion this week, I’d like to comment on the Gap mishap. Now, I’ve been a long-time fan of this brand and personally get goosebumps when teens layered in brightly colored t-shirts and jeans dance around to pop music while waving presents during the holidays… I’ve also marveled at Gap’s ability to weather the retail storm for decades with its classic wardrobe staples while trendy boutiques rise and fall like the stock market. But when I saw they had changed the one symbol that defines their brand, I had to ask myself, what were they thinking???

The answer to that question isn’t clear, however, Gap North American president Marka Hansen said the old logo was reinstated a week after backlash from the new logo caused controversy from design firms, publications and bewildered bloggers alike. She also admitted, “There may be a time to evolve our logo, but if and when that time comes, we’ll handle it in a different way.”

So back to branding basics… First of all, when your sales are suffering do not overact and change the one identifiable element you have going for you. Secondly, if and when the time comes to modify your logo, strategy is key. Use an agency, your consumers and your employees to develop a plan and ensure a seamless transition from the old look to the new. Finally, just remember, your brand is your identity – wouldn’t you consult those close to you before drastically changing your own appearance? Trends may come and go but a classic logo never goes out of style.

Earlier this week we talked about brand names, and how often they are used as opposed to the “generic” or real name of the product. We posed the question, “What’s in a brand”. To continue on this conversation, let’s talk about the actual branding of a product.

In an article from the WSJ, Rosalind Resnick discusses what makes a brand work, and her advice is simple, and brilliant

“My advice: Be the brand. Now, I’m not advising you to put on a cape and crown and belt it out on cable. What I am suggesting is that you figure out what your company stands for and start leveraging your personal brand. Once you get past your fear of making a fool of yourself, the rest is pretty simple”.

People know the heads of most of the large brands because they represent the brand – they are as much a part of it as the product they represent. In addition to the 5 she mentions (Barbara Corcoran, Donald Trump, Mario Batali, Richard Branson, Cesar Millan), there are hundreds more (Steve Jobs, Walt Disney, Steve Ballmer…). Each of these people has become the number one fan of their brand – and represents what they sell and provide with pizazz. They aren’t screaming from hilltops and working gimmicks, but they are certainly the companies #1 cheerleader. They are their brand, and even when they have passed on and the brand is in the hands of someone new, they will still be known.

Are you your brand?