Currently viewing the tag: "advertising"

chisa needs it only on the ends

by denise lee yohn on August 2, 2011 · 0 Comments · in brand communication, brand perceptions, marketing

I may be dating myself with this headline, but I’m hoping at least a few of my readers remember those Silkience hair care commercials from the 70’s because it helps make an important point about targeting.

the business of managing tensions

by denise lee yohn on September 23, 2010 · 1 Comments · in brand communication, brand perceptions, business, innovation, leadership, marketing, retail

The fundamental tensions which companies must manage well was the primary topic of a panel I spoke on last week.  We discussed H2OAudio, a company which makes waterproof cases, waterproof headphones/headsets, and waterproof armbands for iPods and MP3 players.

what at&t could learn from mcdonald’s

by denise lee yohn on April 14, 2010 · 0 Comments · in brand communication, brand delivery, brand perceptions, marketing, retail

I usually try to keep my critiques to categories I’ve worked in, primarily because I think it’s irresponsible for me to comment on what works and what doesn’t when I have little basis for my assessment other than being a consumer.  So I initially demurred when some folks have asked for my POV on AT&T’s [...]

manthems, delusions, and other super gaffes

by denise lee yohn on February 8, 2010 · 0 Comments · in brand communication, brand fun, brand perceptions

If you’ve been in the business long enough, you come to understand there are some basic rules to follow when running an ad on the Super Bowl.  Humor works best.  Use animals or big-breasted women – or both.  Wow people with extraordinary settings and production values. Many of the advertisers on last night’s big game [...]

my superbowl was filled with guacamole (podcast)

by denise lee yohn on January 27, 2010 · 0 Comments · in podcast only

ode to black friday

by denise lee yohn on November 30, 2009 · 4 Comments · in brand fun, retail, sales

T’was the day after Thanksgiving and all through the mall Shopkeepers and sales staff had prepared for it all They’d hung their over-sized sale signs and filled all their racks “Shoppers start your engines,” they suggested, “not a moment to relax.” Windows were a sea of red posters, red tags, and red decorations too Promoting [...]

a case against user-generated ad contests

by denise lee yohn on September 10, 2009 · 3 Comments · in brand communication

Last week Ad Age announced that Anheuser-Busch InBev is holding an online contest in China in which consumers can pitch ideas for a Budweiser TV spot which will run during next year’s Chinese New Year.  The only brief to the aspiring ad-makers:  the commercial must include ants (a recurring theme for the brand’s Chinese New [...]

words got in the way

by denise lee yohn on September 6, 2009 · 2 Comments · in brand communication, marketing

Advertising legend David Ogilvy once said, “Our business is infested with idiots who try to impress by using pretentious jargon.“  Those are pretty harsh words and I’m not sure I agree (entirely), but sometimes I see ads that seem to have been written by folks who are trying to impress vs. persuade or sell.  Their [...]

brand inspiration

by denise lee yohn on April 23, 2009 · 12 Comments · in brand communication, brand perceptions, brand value, marketing

This post was inspired by a recent tweet from Gabriel Rossi, a “branding strategist” (as he calls himself) based in Sao Paulo — I’ve had the pleasure of meeting Gabriel through my blog and Twitter

microsoft’s ad misses the mark again

by denise lee yohn on March 29, 2009 · 12 Comments · in brand communication

Once again Microsoft’s ad strategy is off-base.  Their newest ad criticizes Apple for being expensive by “documenting” one woman’s quest to find a laptop that

same old highway

by denise lee yohn on March 6, 2009 · 0 Comments · in brand communication

Last week I wrote a quick response to a piece in Brandweek by Robert Klara, the magazine’s Features Editor — the topic:  “many domestic makes seem to be spinning their [advertising] wheels in the same territory they’ve been stuck in for decades.“  Do you agree with me and Robert?

invertising

by denise lee yohn on February 20, 2009 · 1 Comments · in brand communication, brand delivery

In this week’s Brandweek is an article about the internal marketing Pepsi undertook prior to launching its latest campaign.  The piece reported that

would “just do it” still cut it?

by denise lee yohn on February 13, 2009 · 1 Comments · in brand communication, trends

I noticed an interesting juxtaposition of taglines the other day — actually it was during the Super Bowl, but don’t worry, this isn’t yet another piece about Super Bowl ads (I’ve already said my peace, as I hope everyone else has.)

my super bowl was filled with guacamole

by denise lee yohn on February 3, 2009 · 3 Comments · in brand communication, brand fun

You didn’t think I’d let the Super Bowl ads come and go without commentary, did you?!  Although I was trying to sit quietly by while others Monday-morning quarter-backed about the ads,

the joy of cola

by denise lee yohn on January 27, 2009 · 1 Comments · in brand communication, brand tools, marketing

There’s been a lot of discussion about Pepsi’s new campaign – most of it negative — so I wanted to offer a different point of view.