11 for 11 : Brand & Marketing Trends for 2011

By Dr. Robert Passikoff
Author Ursula Le Guin wrote that “legends of prediction are common throughout the whole Household of Man. Gods speak, spirits speak, computers speak.” What Ms. Le Guin left out were consumers. Consumers speak too. Volumes if you know how to read them.
Predictive loyalty metrics allow marketers to decipher consumers’ emotions, expectations, and [...]

Duplicating Brand Success, Xerox Moving Up

By Robert Passikoff

As seen in many product categories , copier brands find themselves in a state of flux. To begin with, there is the more accurate description of what today’s copiers actually are, however, that remains a mouthful; “multi-functional product office copier” doesn’t exactly roll trippingly off the tongue. And that’s just the copier side [...]

The Good Brand Spokesperson

By Robert Passikoff
L’Oreal announced a new addition to their roster of celebrity spokespeople this week, signing actress Julianna Margulies as a new ambassador and celebrity face for the brand. Ms. Margulies currently stars in the critically acclaimed TV series “The Good Wife,” for which she won a Golden Globe and SAG award for her portrayal [...]

Reflections on Brand Beauty

Vacation is over and everyone is looking to return to work trim and healthy, aglow with the radiance of the Summer sun. Everybody wants to look their best heading into Fall, naturally, or with the aid of beauty products.

Gross-Out Food Wars

It started with KFC’s bun-less “Double-Down,” two pieces of fried chicken with a burger in the middle. Next came Friendly’s “Ultimate Grilled Cheese Burger Melt” - a hamburger between two grilled-cheese sandwiches.

Decision Day for LeBron

By Dr. Robert Passikoff
LeBron James will end an unprecedented free-agent frenzy tonight by revealing whether he will remain with the Cleveland Cavaliers or sign elsewhere. James will announce his future NBA plans during a one-hour special on ESPN at 9PM, Thursday. Proceeds for sponsorship for the special will be going to the Boys and Girls [...]

It’s a Capital Mistake To Theorize Before One Has Data

It’s a Capital Mistake To Theorize Before One Has Data. And Sometimes When You Do!
By Robert Passikoff President, founder Brand Keys
The first part of this column title comes courtesy of Sherlock Holmes. The second part comes from Brand Keys. We’ve been warning clients for years about the enormous difference between what consumers think and what [...]

The Limits of Loyalty - BP’s Oil Spill

By Robert Passikoff
BP has spent years positioning itself as a friend of the environment, an energy company that goes “beyond petroleum,” a company that pledged to find cleaner ways to produce fossil fuels.
They’re the company with the environmentally friendly green and yellow sunburst logo. That logo has stood along American highways as an avatar for [...]

Earth Day - Top 25 “Green” Companies

By Robert Passikoff
Forty years after the first Earth Day, greater pressure is being applied to brands to address environmental problems along with the problems of dirty clothes, financial services, technology, and convenient, quick- serve meals.
Yes, more consumers hear the phrases “fuel-efficient,” “organic,” “energy-efficient,” “natural,” “green,” and “sustainable” more these days, consumers are on to all [...]

Advertisers Fumble ROI with Super Bowl Ads

By Robert Passikoff
62% of Advertisers will Fumble ROI
Not all programs are right for all brands, even if it happens to be the Super Bowl. The 8th annual Super Bowl Engagement Survey, conducted by Brand Keys, Inc, reports that when it comes to the monetary return advertisers will get on their advertising investments in the Super [...]