No Turn On Red

Missed this last week due to the holiday, but I wanted to share a link to Beth Harte’s excellent post called Want to Figure Out Your Social Media Plan? Consider a Plan. It’s an excellent primer on developing a business plan for social media and setting clear goals in order to measure ROI. Not only is the post informative, but it has spurred a great conversation in the comments on different ways to define and measure ROI with a social media plan. I’ve just skimmed through the comments, but I know I have a lot to read and digest tonight.

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Over at ecommr, we’ve been adding e-commerce elements related to Black Friday. Head to ecommr to see a roundup of the different banners, homepage landing, and e-mails that retailers are using to promote their Black Friday specials. More will be added as we come across them.

As a related note, it appears (to me) that retailers are being more aggressive in their marketing for Black Friday, with earlier campaigns and with more detail. Normally, promoting specific price points for comes right before Thanksgiving. But this week has been filled with “online previews”, television commercials, and e-mail marketing that seems to be more aggressive and detailed than years past. Retailers are trying to step up their game in order to capture a larger piece of the shrinking sales pie.

Walmart and Target both have their Black Friday ads online and featured prominently on their homepages. Kohl’s even has an entire section on their site that allows customers to browse the Black Friday ad and make a printable shopping list.

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Some stories that are on my radar this morning:

McDonald’s is testing no-brand marketing in Japan by opening a store without any of the colors, logos, or branding of their traditional stores. Supported through non-traditional marketing such as hand outs, viral campaigns, and a unique website, the store offers two menu choices and that is it. Intriguing concept and I wonder how long it is until we see that more often in the United States. Jon Sykes also shares his thoughts on this campaign.

Linda at Get Elastic has a very informative post about the benefits of pushing educational content, rather than sales promotions, in e-mail. In Should Retail Email Sell or Inform? An A/B Split Test Case Study, she provides a look into an study into different types of e-mails that were sent out from a retailer and provides concrete information on ROI, conversion rates, and sales results. Summary is, content is king and the e-mails that were focused on educational content and information performed better than the sales oriented e-mails. Good information for all retailers.

Over at CNBC, Cindy Perman writes about the impact the economy is having on second hand and consignment shops. Some intriguing sales numbers from Goodwill and quotes from consignment store owners that reflect the uptick in sales and traffic they are seeing this holiday season. At least someone is seeing positive gains this season.

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Cocaine energy drink is a drink marketed by Redux Beverages, LLC. Last month, it was announced that the FDA had issued a warning letter to them suggesting that it was not proper to market an energy drink under that name with the slogan “a legal alternative”. In response to mounting pressure against the drink name, the drinkmaker said that it was ceasing distribution of the Cocaine energy drink and shortly after announced that they would be renaming it as Censored.

As I wrote last month, this was the first time I had ever heard of the drink. I agree that the name of the drink was quite silly and they were trying to build a brand about something controversial without actually investing the time to build an lasting brand. It was a horrible attempt to be edgy.

Last night, while at my local deli, I noticed that they still had several cans of the energy drink. I figured I would give it a try to see if maybe, just maybe, there was something there. If the drink is great, maybe the company can spin the band press and use that level of awareness during the rebranding. All PR is good PR, right?

But boy, is this drink putrid. I’m sorry, I’ve drank a lot of energy drinks and weird sodas, but this one was pretty nasty. I couldn’t even finish the can without getting heartburn, so I put it down and moved along.

Maybe the drinkmaker was right to try to brand themselves in an edgy, controversial way in order to gain marketshare. It’s obvious they don’t have much else going for them. The product, in this case, seems like an afterthought. It’s almost as if the brand was conceived of first and then the product was developed.

Lesson learned: develop a great product first and build a brand around that. Focus on what sets you apart from the competition and what you deliver to the customer. Don’t rely on a gimmick when sculpting your brand, today’s consumers are too smart for that and eventually, they will move on.

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Boy, do I feel like an idiot.

Yesterday I wrote about the new Sobe Energy Coolatta at Dunkin Donuts. But you know what I didn’t realize? In my multiple mentions of the word “coolatta” in that post, I spelled it wrong every time. Stupid me.

I don’t feel so bad, since I am currently the number one Google search result for “sobe coolata” and that has actually driven a bit of traffic to this site. Welcome!

Maybe this post will put me towards the top of the results for “Sobe Energy Coolatta” or “Sobe Coolatta”, with the proper spelling!

There’s some more information about the new drink at QSR Magazine (of course they spelled the name right!) and also an official website, that doesn’t seem to have much to it right now, at Coolatta.com.

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I am a loyal Dunkin Donuts drinker. I’ll usually stop in to one of the (many) local locations twice in a day. I like my coffee with extra cream and extra sugar. I don’t care if coffee snobs look down on this, I love my Dunkin Donuts.

Last week, Dunkin Donuts announced that they were launching a new website, MyIcedCoffee.com, today. Partnering with MapQuest, the site has a driving direction application that will let you know where the nearest Dunkin Donuts are along your trip. More coverage is available from the Boston Globe.

Judging by the few addresses I put into the application, they seem to be rather liberal with the locations that they are coming up with. From Point A to Point B, I know of 3 Dunkin Donuts that I pass but the application provided me with the addresses of 2 Dunkin Donuts that would require me to turn off my route. Technically speaking, I think that this website is bloated and too flash intensive. It’s well designed but it takes a few seconds to learn how to navigate. The driving direction portion of the site isn’t intuitive to get to. But, they’re giving away $10,000 and I’m sure people will look around.

The underlying branding message is there, though, and that’s important. Dunkin Donuts needs to keep reinforcing the notion that they are the drink that you will grab every day. Coffee while running errands, Coolatas at the beach, Smoothies at the kids baseball game. Being able to find out where Dunkin Donuts is while you travel reinforces this notion. Just because you aren’t home, doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the coffee you like.

In my travels across the country, Dunkin Donuts is something I have looked for. I’ve started my days with my favorite coffee whenever I can. I was suprised to find a Dunkin Donuts during my recent vacation to Aruba. This website, bloated as it may be, is something I will look at when I am planning my upcoming Summer getaways.

When walking into Dunkin Donuts today, I saw that they’ve also unveiled their new marketing campaign with Rachael Ray. She was unveiled as the spokesperson in March, but the extent of her marketing involvement seems to have been slim until this point. Now, her photo is now slathered all throughout the store. There has been a commercial playing with her on television, but I wonder if now there will be more to come.

My worry is that Dunkin Donuts is going to get away from the branding message that works for them. Coffee your way, I think is what they say. They have to keep that idea strong in people’s mind. Rachael Ray will increase their visibility, but they can’t rest on that. I don’t want to see Dunkin Donuts settle for a campaign that basically says, “Rachael Ray likes Dunkin Donuts and so should you”. Consumers are smarter than that.

In addition to the new marketing, they’ve unveiled some new drinks and new donuts.

To the left, my friends, is the new Sobe Energy Coolata from Dunkin’ Donuts. Don’t be turned off by the neon greenness, it is actually refreshing. The Sobe Energy Coolata is one of the new drinks they’ve unveiled. It has a cherry citrus flavor and I am enjoying that. Their Smoothie was my go-to drink of the summer of 2006, Coolata could be my go-to drink for this Summer.

That is, until the nutrition information is posted for this drink and I find out exactly how much sugar I am consuming.

Key Lime and Lemon donuts are now featured to compliment the Berry Berry donut the chain started featuring a few weeks back. I was asked, “Would you like to try one of our new donuts?” when I ordered my coffee today.

Dunkin Donuts is trying to kick the summer off in high gear. I just hope that they continue a multi-channel, multi-faceted approach to their marketing campaign. They can’t rest on the superstar spokesperson, but she doesn’t hurt.

When everything comes together, this could be a very good season for Dunkin Donuts.

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San Fransico Business Times, via MSNBC, has an article looking at new strategies being employed by the denim maker, Levi’s (see: Seeking a stylish strategy, Levi’s tries on girls’ jeans). Looking for a way to expand their market share and regain their position as a market leader, Levi’s is better look at styles they offer and rolling our new retail locations:

Opening its own stores is one way Levi’s can counter changes in the wholesale market, analysts say. It has already opened seven of a projected 20 stores in 2007. There are 45 U.S. stores now open.

“If you are an apparel supplier, it is imperative that you develop your own retail stores to protect your business,” said Howard Davidowitz, chairman of Davidowitz & Associates Inc., a national retail consulting firm. Though Levi’s still has an 80 percent share in department stores, “You can’t put your faith in department stores, who are pushing brands less and less and private label more and more.”

Retailers, like Kohl’s and JCPenney, have been aggressively pushing their private label brands over the national brands that were the cornerstones of their stores. This is not a trend unique to these mid-tier retailers, as this private label push is seen all throughout the retail spectrum. This doesn’t mean that iconic, national brands like Levi’s are going to disappear from stores anytime soon, but it does mean that they have to adapt to the marketplace and become more self-sufficient.

I’ve been to the Levi’s store in Atlantic City and it’s great. Every style of denim that one would be looking for is there, with great visual merchandising and one of the best denim presentations you will find anywhere. Levi’s knows how to create a destination shopping experience and make themselves look good.

These store fronts work in conjunction with the department stores that already carry Levi product. The department stores will, typically, serve as a means for the masses to pick up the go-to Levi styles, like the 501, 505, and 550. The Levi storefront reenforces the iconic nature of Levi and enhances awareness of the premium offerings that they have, including the $260 Redwire iPod jeans.

While Levi’s still has a good presence in department stores, I wonder how much of the overall denim has shifted away from department stores (and the Levi brand) and towards teen retailers such as Abercrombie & Fitch and American Eagle. I have to imagine that it has been a signifigent share.

The increased retail locations work well for Levi’s. They will increase brand awareness and drive bottom line results. But they still have to stay on top of the game, as far as trend and style, and it appears that they are:

For men, she’s chasing what she calls a “scene stealer,” a college-aged guy who’s fashion aware and spends more on clothing. His female counterpart is another that Levi’s is “aggressively pursuing.”

To reach these consumers, Zakem has overseen the design of a “slouch fit” jean for men that combines skate and urban cultures with a loose fit in the hips and seat but a tight fit at the lower leg. For women there’s a “perfectly slimming” jean that has a girdle-like technology in the waist.

Zakem said she will seed the coasts with these products, and if they succeed, they will work their denimmy way into the heartland and less edgy retailers.

The most important part of that section is how they say that they will seed the market with these new designs. Trends are important in fashion, but will make or break apparel makers depending on how they react to them. I don’t think that denim makers have seen the payoff in the skinny jean trend like they did with the boot cut/destroyed denim look of just a few years ago.

I am most excited about the growth of retail store locations by Levi’s. As I’ve already said, I think they are a great destination shopping experience. Excellent merchandising and visual presentation is something every shopper needs to see more of.

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Recently, I wrote about the new Sears marketing plan and slogan, “Where It Begins”. Today, a Google search for “sears + ‘where it begins’” returns an article from AdWeek first and my website second.

Good thing for Sears, I was generally positive about the new slogan and marketing campaign. Imagine if I was negative and ripped it apart.

As a retailer, do you know what your customers are really saying about your brand online?

Are people reacting favorably to your marketing strategy? To you Summer clothing line? To your latest sale prices?

Are people discouraging others from going to your store because of a bad experience? Because of a short tempered cashier they encountered? Because of the ugliness of your new dresses? Because your return policy sucks?

I can bounce across the web right now and show you a Facebook page where a guy is showing off the new polo he bought from Abercrombie & Fitch.

I can show you a forum where people are talking about the perceived lack of training the cashiers exhibit at Sears.

I can even pull up a Myspace group where employees are talking about mistreatment from management at Kohl’s.

This information is out there. It’s freely accessable. I know where to find it and I’m not alone in that.

If you, as a major retailer, are ignoring this information, you are giving away valuable information that could help you grow your brand, increase your sales, and make the changes that you need to make in order to compete better.

If you, as a major retailer, are reading this information but not interacting with your customers on your own, then you are completely missing the point. Start a corporate blog and encourage discussion, good and bad, on your own website.

Hire an evanglist. Someone who will be the e-face of your company. Someone who will interact with your customers through blogs, forums, and social networking websites. Someone who will drive people to come to your website, to your store, strenghten your brand, and build lasting relationships with your customers.

The answers to what your consumers want are all around us. You just have to look for them and let them know that you are listening.

Other industries are already doing this and succeeding. Why the major retailers in America haven’t jumped on, I don’t know.

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Is Wal-Mart the shot in the arm that VOIP technology needs?

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is adding an array of Skype phone gear to the electronics section in 1,800 stores, bringing the renegade provider of cheap calling over the Internet to a huge mainstream audience.

The dedicated Skype section will feature handsets, headsets and webcams designed to work with Skype, a provider of free and very cheap long-distance calls, including to phone numbers abroad. Wal-Mart will also sell the first prepaid cards for Skype calls to be sold in this country, the companies were announcing Monday.

The new section at more than half of Wal-Mart’s roughly 3,300 U.S. stores will feature Skype-compatible gear made by Motorola Inc., Plantronics Inc., Logitech International SA, Royal Philips Electronics NV and others.

Obviously there are huge positives in this move for Skype. The more doors that they are able to sell in, the more consumers that they are exposed to, the more their sales increase. Although Wal-Mart already offers Vonage products, increasing the VOIP offerings in the retailer will also increase aware of VOIP technology as a whole. Offering a lower cost alternative to major telephone companies, Skype could be a very good fit for the Wal-Mart demographic.

My concern is whether or not the consumer walking into Wal-Mart is going to be able to really find out what Skype and VOIP is about. I’m going to guess that in the majority of cases, they are not. It seems that product knowledge is not a trait that most retailers are pushing on their employees these days. I hope that this really isn’t the case, as Wal-Mart makes a huge push to increase their electronics offerings, but I have my doubts.

More from the Asbury Park Press / Associated Press.

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Think of Sears.

Now think of opening a book and going on a wonderful journey through the pages.

Does it make you think of shopping at Sears?

The retailer has unveiled their new marketing campaign, featuring a book theme that:

[..] suggests that shopping at Sears is like opening a book which tells a never-ending story about possibilities for life at home. It is designed both to recall the Sears heritage and to speak to customers in a way that is relevant to their needs and lifestyles today.

(More information: from Sears’ own press release, AdWeek, and BrandWeek.)

It appears that the intention of the campaign is to invoke thoughts of the retailers’ catalog beginnings.

I saw one of the commercials tonight, for their Mother’s Day sale. I’ll say this, it did catch my eye. It reminds me of recent television campaigns by Macy’s and Target, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Although I don’t know how much ELO’s “Mr Blue Sky” has to do with Sears, I do love that song.

Visually, I do like this commercial. I’ll reserve judgement on the campaign on a whole until I see more of it in action. I think there is something positive with this concept and I’d like to see it work.

Can they execute this marketing package well across print, television, and interactive media while tying this in to the in-store shopping experience?

Last year I wrote about what I saw Sears doing with the Lands End shop concept (see: Sears’ Lands End Shop). At the time I said that I wasn’t sure how exciting the stores were going to be, outside of this new area. I still feel like that today. If this new marketing campaign is successful in bringing consumers back into Sears, what are they going to see? The Sears I have been in lately haven’t been terribly exciting nor inviting.

Once through those doors, are you going to want to spend your money there?

Looking at this as the first step in a turnaround for the retailer, perhaps this is just the first piece. I think Sears has a rich heritage and it is great to see them tapping in to that. If they continue to reevaluate their core competencies and merchandising assortment, maybe they can stop the bleeding that has begun. Same store sales at Sears were down in the first quarter (source), while many other retailers enjoyed hefty gains. Although their profits were up dramatically in 2006, there is only so much bottom line the retailer can slash before things get ugly.

Is 2007 Sears’ year?

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