Marketing 2.0

Branding Hall of Shame

CNN Money reports on major companies who committed branding blunders in 2005. At the top of this list is Microsoft with their dinosaur ads. There's nothing like profiling your customers as dinosaurs to get them fired up and running out to buy their 14th version of Office.

Ford is another culprit. Remember when their brand slogan was "Quality is job one?" Now they are saying, hey forget about the quality angle, we're all about innovation. Well, I've seen their their vehicles and trust me, there's nothing innovative going on. They dusted off the old Mustang design and reproduced it for aging baby boomers (like me, I guess). They copied the design of the last-generation Passat to make the Ford 500. Judging by the inventory sitting on the local dealer's lot. these "innovative" cars aren't catching anyone's attention.

Then there's GM. I really hate to pile on this dying behemoth but their brand message is "Attention auto shoppers, the blue light special is in effect for the next 30 days. Come on down and you can get the employee discount." At bargain-basement prices, GM did move some metal off their lots. Trouble was, no one checked the old price vs. cost comparison at GM and they lost $10 billion in 2005, largely by dumping their products at fire sale prices. Oops. Let's hope they don't start offering everyone pink slips.

Link: Branding bloopers and blunders - Mar. 30, 2006.

Are Business Cards Obsolete?

I don't want to count the hours I've spent designing my business cards. Here's the worst part - people don't seem to care. They don't seem to notice the typeface or the layout or the logo or any of the other elements I obsessed over. When I meet people for the first time they don't ask for my card. When I offer them my card, they give it a cursory glance and then  put it away somewhere. I have the strong suspicion they are not keeping my beautiful business card.

The question is, "Are business cards obsolete?" I've begun to think that they are becoming irrelevant, replaced by the e-mail address or the v-card that often accompanies it. People seem more interested in websites or e-mail addresses and less in the traditional paper cards that we distribute.

Bob Bly has posted on this phenomenon recently. He suggests that you shouldn't bother to carry or distribute cards. Just ask the other person for contact information and then send him something relevant that might actually stimulate sales or further contact.

I'm not sure that I'm ready for that. Maybe an electronic business card would be an alternative. I do think having your vital contact information is still valuable, especially when you are trying to develop prospects for your business. The key for me is following up with an e-mail message that can link to other electronic resources such as a website, e-portfolio or photo site.

I'm not ready to declare the demise of the business card but I see its role changing in the digital marketplace.

The Art of Marketing?

BMW has been an innovator in using non-traditional marketing strategies such as hiring directors to make short films that feature BMW models. This work often blurs the distinction between art and marketing. Is it art used for marketing purposes or is it marketing masquerading as art?

Their latest collaboration is with Joshua Davis, artist and designer, to promote the lovely new Z4 Coupe. The website sponsored by BMW, details this collaborations and offers limited-edition prints for sales.

Link: Z4byJD %u2013 The BMW Z4 Coup� by Joshua Davis.