This is the fourth in a series of short posts related to The CMO Agenda research. Informed by recent CMO conversations and CMG Partners‘ collective experience helping top marketers develop marketing strategy, we have compiled a list of seven ideas or jump starters for further conversation. These are meant to spark discussion, ideas, and action as we all enter a difficult 2009.

The transparency and accountability of brands is increasing as new uses of the Internet drive the democratization of voice — shifting knowledge and control from marketers to consumers. This trend is forcing marketers to adopt non-traditional methods of brand management to ensure the brand is consistent not only in communications but through all customer touch points. As one CMO put it, “everything we do communicates.”

If you believe that the true definition of a brand lies with the perceptions of consumers not with the marketing leaders, then the extreme brand management practice would be for consumers to drive the expression of the brand. Well maybe not, but this is exactly what the maker of Skittles has done (knowingly or unknowingly).

In March, Skittles re-launched their website, which used social media tools for content: Twitter for “Chatter”, Facebook for “Friends”, Wikipedia for “product information” and YouTube for “Media”. This was heralded by some and refuted as a circus trick by others (see a previous post for my take).  Unfortunately, I have not been able to find information on the performance of the campaign.

This example, whether good or bad, does provide a new theory for brand managers and bring to reality the old phrase “a brand is what others say about you, not what you say about yourself.” How will you begin to renew your brand management practices to align with consumer voice?

Mirror post at alanhart.wordpress.com

This is the second in a series of short posts related to The CMO Agenda research. Informed by recent CMO conversations and CMG Partners‘ collective experience helping top marketers develop marketing strategy, we have compiled a list of seven ideas or jump starters for further conversation. These are meant to spark discussion, ideas, and action as we all enter a difficult 2009. 

True differentiation is increasingly hard with faster moving markets and better-educated shoppers. This means the task of constantly exploring whether your products and services stand out in the mind of the consumer is critical.

How will you differentiate for the long-term?

Forecasting the “death of the American Brand” as one CMO said, forces you to think about the private label explosion and house brand strength by the likes of Target and big chains. These house brands are successful because very little separates them from the old standards.

This trend is happening in everything from CPG to Computers to Insurance. Dell rode the wave as it commoditized the PC market, which now tries to find a sure footing again. Even service markets like insurance are seeing this trend as GEICO and Progressive lead the charge to commoditize auto insurance and drive down prices — even large cost-ridden competitors are following them in this practice.

In this tough economic market, for many the first reaction is to discount or attempt to push value and rationale messaging, but marketers need to understand the long-term impact. It is time to reassess the market and understand current strategic impacts to make decisions and trade-offs on how your company can differentiate in a unique way.

Mirror post at alanhart.wordpress.com

I recently heard a CMO refer to the “Death of the American Brand” as a casualty of the economic pressures and challenges facing marketers, a strong statement indeed.  The comment sparked some great conversation and I continued thinking on the subject.

Are we going to see American icons, like Tony the Tiger and the Jolly Green Giant disappear from store shelves to be replaced by private-label, “generic” looking brands?  Or will decisions like Tropicana’s to revert to its long-standing package design ensure the “American Brands” live on?

My first reaction was no way will we see the brands we grew up on change that dramatically.  Then this morning, after reading an article that referred to the recession changing the supermarket aisles I started to think a little differently.  I thought about my own shopping habits and realized that I was contributing to that brand demise by leaving Toucan Sam’s Fruit Loops on the shelf and tossing a bag (not a box) of Lowes Foods Frosted Fruit O Fun in my grocery cart.

What will be the ultimate outcome?  Will we see more and more brands opt for the private-label look? Will the American Brand die?  I have to think that the cost conscious consumers may be leaving Tony of the shelf more often and Tropicana could possibly regret their decision… I’m curious, what do you think is the fate of “American Brands”?

I had to share this ad that a colleague was raving about — thanks Erin!

The Bottom Line:

Target in this commercial holds true to their “Expect More. Pay less.” tagline. I am really impressed with the positive emotional message of how this value consciousness, we all are facing with the economy, can be an adventure of experience. Really classy and elegant versus the other brands out their hammering the rational side of savings. Target has something here we all can learn from.

Note: dual post from my personal blog The Ramblings of One Man…