The question of brand loyalty sits right in the middle of the tug of war between retailers and manufacturers. Are customers loyal to a retailer because of the brands it carries or because of the retail store itself? Said another way – will a customer patronize any retailer that carries the brands she’s looking for, […]
(Check out this Brand Experience Brief — the latest in a series of videos from my audits of new and interesting retail or restaurant concepts.) Lots of companies talk about wanting to create “lifestyle brands,” but here’s a concept that actually does it. The Centre at Lexus Escondido is more than a car dealership — it’s a […]
(Here’s the latest in my series of Brand Experience Briefs — insights and analysis from my audits of new and interesting retail or restaurant concepts.) With a name like “Retail Center for Innovation and Technology Center,” there’s no question the new store from AT&T is intended to be like no other. And, it is indeed remarkable (a […]
brand-as-business bit: There’s a saying in business that “employees quit managers” – meaning, usually an employee decides to leave a company because of his/her manager. In other words, a person’s manager has a lot more impact on his/her job satisfaction than does the company. I believe the same could be said about customers – a […]
brand-as-business bit: I’m consistently asked by business leaders for my point of view on daily deals like Groupon and LivingSocial. I decided to pen my thoughts in my latest OPEN Forum column. Please take a look. You’ll see that I don’t believe it’s a question of if you should do daily deals, but rather the […]
If, as they say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, fast casual restaurants should be flattered by the recent efforts of McDonald’s and other quick-serve restaurants. Many fast feeders are trying to emulate chains like Chipotle, Smashburger, and Panera, since fast casual players have stolen share from them for the last couple of years […]
(Welcome to a Brand Experience Brief — insights and analysis from my audit of a new and interesting retail or restaurant concept.) Walgreens is trying to “transform from a traditional drugstore to a retail health and daily living destination,” according to Joe Magnacca, the company’s president of daily living products and solutions. Its flagship stores showcase its new […]
brand as business bit: “A strong concept that has the potential to evolve into a brand” is among the five criteria for a successful fast casual restaurant concept, according to Don Fox, CEO of Firehouse Subs. Speaking at an education session at the National Restaurant Show earlier this week, Don shared his insights about growth. […]
What makes a store more than a store? What makes a breakthrough brand experience at retail? These are questions that companies with brick and mortar assets wrestle with as they continue to lose share to online competitors or to those with mobile capabilities (smart phone-enabled mobile commerce as well as IRL roving mobile units and […]
(Here’s my newest Brand Experience Brief — insights and analysis from my audits of new and interesting retail or restaurant concepts.) It’s always interesting to see how product companies create retail experiences for their brands. That’s why I’m eager to share my download on the LEGO store. It’s a solid experience for the LEGO brand, but they […]