60 Second Impact
October 2005
| Contents 60 Second Articles |
| 60 Second Articles October 2005 -- Estimated Reading Time: 60 Seconds per Article Click here to send this to a friend 60 Second Articles 1. New and Improved: How Many Blades Does it Take to Get a Good Shave? 2. Wrong Impression Marketing: Hybrid Cars Are Hot; The Savings Are Not 3. Sony's One Hit Wonder: Remembering the Walkman 4. What Will They Think of Next Department: A Donald Trump Ringtone 5. Changing With the Times: Ask Jeeves Says to Butler, "You're Fired" 6. Aflac Duck Beats Out Ronald McDonald and the Energizer Bunny 7. The 60 Second Close: Why in the world would I hire a marketing consultant? ********************* 1. New and Improved: How Many Blades Does it Take to Get a Good Shave? • In a move to halt declining sales, and to possibly upstage Schick's four blade Quattro razor, Gillette has announced to the world that it takes five blades for men to get a good shave! • The company promises that with the introduction of their new Fusion razor, five blades will give one a whole new shaving surface that delivers significantly less irritation and more comfort by squeezing the blades 30 percent closer together. • Will the male shaving population believe this hefty promise, or are they content to stay with their two and three blade razors that most are currently using? Will the day come when we see Schick introduce a 10-blade razor? • Hopefully, Gillette has done their homework by asking their customers their preferences in advance of their product development efforts. The answer to this question will become obvious in the upcoming months. ********************* 2. Wrong Impression Marketing: Hybrid Cars Are Hot; The Savings Are Not • Toyota's success in the hybrid vehicle market, selling over 53,000 Prius cars, has forced other major auto manufacturers to play catch-up in this new category. (A hybrid vehicle has both an electric motor and a combustion engine, and the vehicle uses whichever power source is most appropriate at any given moment.) • With today's high gas prices, there is a common perception that hybrid cars can save consumers thousands of dollars at the pumps. • When evaluating fuel savings, consumers must keep in mind that hybrid cars cost an additional $4,000 to $9,000 more than those cars with regular engines. • Regardless, we predict this trend towards driving a more environmentally friendly car to continue. Most car purchases have never been about logic, and that isn't going to change anytime soon. ********************* 3. Sony's One Hit Wonder: Remembering the Walkman • Twenty years ago, the Sony Walkman was today's iPod. It was the first "toy" that enabled consumers to enjoy the freedom of listening to music on the go. • From the Walkman came the Walkman TV, and more unique products that made Sony the worldwide leader in electronics. • Today, Sony has fallen miserably behind in televisions, watching Samsung Electronics Co. rake in profits from popular flat-panel TVs. Apple Computer's iPod players now dominate the handheld-music market that Sony's Walkman once ruled. • What happened to Sony? One can point to a number of areas, but the bottom line is a lack of future vision. Sony's fall from grace can happen to any company that is not prepared to change with the marketplace and exhibit a talent for looking into the "crystal ball." ********************* 4. What Will They Think of Next Department: A Donald Trump Ringtone • With the demand for new ringtones booming and generating huge revenues for record companies, celebrities are now getting into the financial action. The Donald Trump ringtone will be introduced next month, with The Donald announcing, "Why not answer your phone, you could be missing out on some really big business." • Trump is not the only celebrity to offer sayings. Pop star Christina Aguilera is among several artists who are also offering spoken ring tones. ********************* 5. Changing With the Times: Ask Jeeves Says to Butler, "You're Fired" • As a result of a corporate takeover, the genteel and chubby butler that has been the face, image, and brand of search engine giant Ask Jeeves, has been ousted. • In a move to upgrade its search engine and become more competitive with Google and Yahoo, company research indicated that users associated the butler with earlier versions of the Ask Jeeves search engine technology, which was strictly designed to field inquiries in the form of direct questions. • "This research shows that continued use of the character as the prominent symbol of the brand may inhibit people from recognizing that our search engine has changed," the company said in a statement. ********************* 6. Aflac Duck Beats Out Ronald McDonald and the Energizer Bunny • The Aflac Duck was enshrined on Madison Avenue's Walk of Fame in New York, as one of America's favorite advertising icons. • Even though it made its national debut less than five years ago, the Aflac Duck beat several veteran competitors, including Ronald McDonald and the Energizer Bunny for a spot on the Walk of Fame. • For a company that was previously unknown, the Duck has generated more than 90 percent brand recognition for Georgia-based Aflac since its launch in 2000. (Source: Atlanta Business Journal) ********************* 7. "Why in the world would I hire a marketing consultant?" • To learn something key about your business that will make all the difference in the world. • To have someone on your team that is not negatively influenced by your company culture. • To help you get things done that are absolutely vital to your business that your current team can't seem to get done. • To help guide you through the changes that have kept your company from meeting your objectives. • If you're a CEO, CMO, or CSO, give us a call today to have a candid conversation about using Intelligent Marketing Solutions to better harbor the knowledge that is probably already within your company. Best Wishes Chris Lambrecht Come visit our website! |
