Trends
Global branding, design and consumer trend observations from In-a-Nutshell
Campbell's soup labels redesigned using neuromarketing
According to a recent article in The Wall Street Journal, Campbell Soup Co is making some major changes to the iconic labels of its condensed soups.
The changes are the culmination of a two-year effort by Campbell to figure out how to get consumers to buy more soup.
Campbell's used the results of neuoromarketing-based research to develop labels for four, colour-coded categories such as “taste sensations” in orange and “classic favorites” in light brown.
Monday, 01 March 2010 07:13
Building social networking communities for brands
Six years ago, Douglas Atkin wrote a book, "The Culting of Brands: turn your customers into true believers". In recent article in Forbes, he says that since then, brand communities and the technologies that are enabling them have mushroomed, and so it is time for a review. He investigates how brand communities are being built - what strategies are being used and how companies are using social platforms such as Facebook and Twitter.
He argues that engaging directly with consumers is the new normal: the ubiquity of social-networking tools has created an expectation of accessibility not just from friends and colleagues, but from companies too. But the real reason to go beyond conventional broadcast media, and even beyond constant engagement to the Holy Grail of community, is to create commitment in an environment that predisposes people to capriciousness.
"Being a fan or follower is not the same as being a member of a community," he writes. "Membership delivers a whole higher degree of commitment. It also demands a whole other level of engagement from participants and, consequently, a deeper appreciation by the community leader of their responsibilities."
To help understand the responsibilities of a community leader or enabler, he lists the key "ingredients" of a real cult - or community:
Monday, 01 March 2010 06:57
The state of the internet
I have just come across a very interesting infographic illustrating the stae of the internet today.
The focus is on exactly who uses the Internet, and how often. It breaks things down by gender, age, income level, and nationality. It even serves up average broadband speeds for both landline and mobile users.
Tuesday, 16 February 2010 16:42
Dove Men+Care
The men's personal-care market is growing. It is dominated by Axe and Old Spice in the USA.
Unilever hopes to change this with the launch of Dove Men+Care line. It will be its biggest brand launch in 2010. It is also Dove's first product range designed for men.
But according to Brandchannel, the problem for Dove, which has also hindered Nivea and L’Oreal, is that brands with a more feminine association have failed to make significant inroads against more “manly” brands. Since 2004, Dove’s branding has centred on its “Real Beauty” campaign.
When Unilever first announced it was launching its new Dove Men+Care line with a commercial during Super Bowl XLIV, industry watchers questioned whether making a costly, 30-second ad buy was the right strategy. However, it seems the move has paid off for Dove, at least, according to initial ad buzz results.
Tuesday, 16 February 2010 16:28
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