CK's Blog

Making Sure Your Brands Don't "Boob" With Markets

A business can easily charge more when a person super-sizes their meal. Yet it's not so easy for companies that charge more due to a person's size. And a company can charge higher fees for users needing more bandwidth when hosting multiple Web sites. But it becomes very tricky when a company scales its prices according to personal width.

One certainly pays more for an SUV than a hatchback because the SUV isn’t only richer in features, it’s more robust due to its sheer mass. And we don’t mind paying more for products that are of a genuine (or perceived) higher quality than those of lower stature… just look at the price of any branded product on your local supermarket shelf compared to the generic one it's stacked next to.

In air travel, people now have to pay a premium when toting more of their stuff on the plane, or they get a discount for not using as much cargo space with their luggage. And while that has outraged some, it’s nothing compared to the heat airlines are facing in attempting to charge a higher price of plus-sized passengers that need more than one seat during their flights—even though that airline only has so many seats to sell during any given flight, and cannot otherwise recoup those costs and losses.

And that brings us to the recent debacle on boobs. Or, more specifically, the pricing of some bras supporting them.

British retailer Marks & Spencer, known for its reasonably priced lingerie, began charging more—as much as $3 USD more—for bras sized DD and up. And their brand met with some mighty backlash from their market.Find out the scoop, and all the marketing lessons when facts give way to feelings, over at my most current column at The Daily Fix. Oh don't be a boob... hop on over there right now.

What Marketers Can Learn From The Frozen Food Aisle...

Frozen food is a gamble if ever there was one. Sometimes you luck out and lunch is a 5-minute microwaveable miracle. And other times?

You kick yourself for being so easily seduced by the scrumptious images on the package… since the product inside tastes less like those pictures and far more like the cardboard box it came in.

Enter Greg Ng; the self-proclaimed “frozen food master” who publishes FreezerBurns, a show where eats his way through the frozen foods aisle one box—and one brand—at a time.The show's genius is focusing on an aspect of food reviews that, until now, has been untapped yes is ubiquitous: frozen food.  

But what does frozen food have to do with marketing? And what could these lessons have to possibly do with marketers that don't promote frozen foods? I have all those answers and much more yummy marketing goodness in my current column over at The Daily Fix. 

(Just go here to learn all!)

Everything you wanted to know, but were afraid to ask...

As marketers, data is our friend. We use it as a tool to better understand our target audiences, we leverage it to build strong business cases and we rely on it to help guide where our marketing spend should go, and why.

Many times we pore through the Web to find free research data. Other times we need to pay for reports. Or, when we can’t find relevant data that suits our needs, we retain researchers to conduct a survey. 

But we can’t always afford to do so… especially at a time when our budgets are on the chopping block.

Wouldn’t it be grand if we could tap our collective intelligence and create our own marketing survey while someone else takes care of the expense and the legwork? A research project that that was truly “for marketers, by marketers”? Now we can.

Yep, right here, right now. Hey, there’s no time like the present.

Put on your thinking caps folks, because we’re going to develop 10 of the questions that will be part of a comprehensive survey distributed to over 50,000 marketers—ranging B2B and B2C marketing professionals in large and medium-sized companies and agencies.

Please find out all, add a question or tell us which questions that others have submitted that you most favor... it's all right here.

Sheeple, Kings, Popularity Contests and the Platforms that beget them.

Seems I’ve spent the past week a split personality. On the one side I’ve been promoting the living daylights out of the ego-free, breath-of-fresh-air that is Susan Boyle.

And on the other? I’ve been balking over Ashton Kutcher’s popularity contest that smacks of nothing but a super-sized ego. (No, I really don’t want fries with that.)

But balk as I might--and plenty of opinions have I--Ashton Kutcher's "Twitter Challenge" not only brought him tons of publicity, it gave us all a front-row seats to many marketing lessons. Ironically, in this new dawn of new tools many of the lessons reflect age-old principles.

To learn about the promotion and read my take on all: come join me over at The Daily Fix for my latest column.

(Yes, sheep, kings and egos are involved. Come check it out!)

Hold the Plastic Marketers, Your Markets Want Pure.

In my latest column over at The Daily Fix I'm talking pure, not plastic, and the tremendous benefits of creating platforms that level, not limit, playing fields... by breaking new ground through removing old barriers.

I use the incredible story of Susan Boyle as a prime (pure!) example of this model.

My message? Don't fake and force authenticity---you'll fall flat every time because, no matter your budget, you can't bottle the stuff--focus instead on creating platforms that allow innovation, new products, services, markets and, yes, stars, to be discovered (or uncovered).

Trust me, this world has enough plastic.

The post is here.

(And thanks to Women Unlimited, a site out of the U.K., for also running the piece!)

Just let 'em mess with you already

I'm messin' around over at the Daily Fix blog today. I'm chatting how major media needs to stop messing with consumers...and start letting encouraging them to mess with their stuff (much like MTV has recently announced). Before I make more of a mess here won't you please just go there? (thank you ;-)

Won't You Be My (Really Hot!) Friend?

Today I'm back blogging at "The Fix." I just can't get away from that place. But I'm no longer chatting heavy-metal marketing models (that was yesterday). Nope, today we're talking hot, hard-bodied ones.

I found an interesting marketing strategy that has me equally dismayed...and intrigued. Who needs friends when you can look like you have them? Scratch that. Who needs friends when you can look like you have really HOT ones? Click here for this clever madness.

P.S.: Yes, of course that's me in a bikini. Not.

Bang Your Head (Freely)

Over at "The Fix" I'm talking the Prince of Darkness. Seemed like a good way to shake-up a Monday. OK, you got me, I'm just a metal-head marketer.

Head on over here to learn about some new strategies from an older talent. Maybe an old dog can learn--and teach us--new (marketing) tricks after all.

Oh what the community hath wrought...

It started innocently enough. Well maybe not so innocently...but for a good cause. In my push for promoting socially responsible practices, I learned NYC will be touting an official city condom as part of its impressive marketing strategies to decrease the spreading of STDs and HIV-AIDS.

So I thought why not ask you smart marketers for some great copy for the wrappers to generate more awareness while involving the community? And you guys and gals gave me your best lines, check out the ideas 48 hrs. later:

• My suggestion? "I heart NY...and tonight, I heart you."
• Stephen Denny "conceived" this goodie: "If you can make it HERE, you'll make it anywhere."
• Tammy Strnatka leveraged a fear angle with: "Put on a condom or die!" and "Love Kills". Tammy, I'm afraid.
• Social marketing smartie Nedra Weinreich had 2 goodies: first, "For the Big Apple's Big Bananas" and second "Safe Sex in the City"...to which I say, Carrie & Co. would be proud.
• Drew McLellan also offered not one but two with, "Unless you REALLY love her, wear it." and "The price of not wearing this? Child support."
• Paul Barsch suggested a rubber bracelet, akin to Lance Armstrong's "Livestrong" circlet encouraging waiting with: "Save IT for Marriage"
• Mad Ave'r McHale did the math with: "Suffication + Stuffication = Studfication". McHale, you were listening in class.
• Michelle Mullen advocates different messages and packaging the condoms like the candy hearts at Valentines with different sayings on them like "You're special," "I love you," "I respect you," "I'm a safety girl," "I'm doing a science project and I need your help" "Yes it's a large and it does fit".
• Mark Goren went ALL OUT with designer Ryan Mesheau and made two designs. I've shown one at the top right of this post (snazzy, eh?) but the other one you'll have to hop to his blog for...and it involves Lady Liberty and that's all I'm saying.
• Chris Blackman went "old book" with this thinking..."So let me see if I got this: Back in the Garden of Eden, Eve was offering Adam the Big Apple? Maybe the condoms could be sold with a slogan: "Give in to the Big Apple of Temptation." To which I suggested "Give in (safely) to the Big Apple of Temptation". Eve is grinning, I just know it. Adam not so much.
• And Laurence-Helene suggested colourful badge-type wrappers with a short and punchy message akin to these.
• Vaspers turned a witty tattoo phrase into a safety line with "This doesn't mean I love you."
• Matt Dickman went all double entendre with us touting the benefit angle and, um, you know, in his suggestion of "Live Long."
• Rebecca Edmonston suggested a wrapper with a subway logo and the copy: "The safest ride in NYC."

Please feel free to voice in; but over there so I can keep track of all these goodies. I'll be submitting them to the City later this week--they didn't ask for them, mind you, but when did that stop us from doing great work for a good cause?! Remember, the copy needs a NY angle. You marketers sure are smart (and sexy, to boot).

Note: Artwork above courtesy of Mark Goren and Ryan Mesheau.

Let's get it on marketers...

My city's got me talking sex. What, you thought I wouldn't talk sex on my blog? Actually, you're right. Why post on sex here when I can push the limits with a larger audience over there?  Especially since those readers would love to hear about something other than The Book Club--though I contend books are very sexy subject matter, too.

Oh, and in my push for promoting socially responsible practices I'm also asking for your ideas on copy for branded condom wrappers. Yeah, you read that last sentence right. So let's brainstorm and get, uh, ballsy.

I'm no tease, you needn't hold out any longer--just hop on over to "The Fix" and let's talk (safe) sex. C'mon, let's just do it already...

Open for Biz, Bookworms.

Alas I've broken my silence and I'm chattin' up a storm over at Group Review. Oh right, maybe you haven't heard: our Book Club's Group Review is officially O.P.E.N. for biz, baby!

Yes, it's a party. And yes, this party rocks 24/7. I was wonkin' out there late last night...but I didn't have many people to wonk out with. I thought to myself: is it my fate to be a lonely bookworm?  Is it prom all over again where I dance all (gulp!) alone? Is everyone at some other book club ganging up against me?

Then I remembered I jumped the gun...it wasn't open yet. D'oh!

If you're a bookworm then, besides being really cool, you need to go here to learn about getting into the party--and yes, if the Host asks you to dance you have to humor her. If you're not a member and want to check it out you can also go here to learn about it--but since you're not logged in you can't participate. Woe is you...

...but don't fret, you can still join in! As long as you're up for chatting the themes of Citizen Marketers and this groovy new Web 2.0 World, I cordially invite you to crash our party. Please do drink responsibly and mind your manners.

C'mon admit it, aren't you just the slightest bit interested what's going on over there, just a little?

P.S.: Dear Blogosphere: A week or so from now I'll be back to my normal blogging self and won't talk the Book Club for many weeks. Girl Scout's honor.

Book Club Or BUST! (A long, strange trip to Group Review)

One week away from our Book Club's first Group Review--hitting next Wednesday, January 10th--and, being a NYC girl without a car (the subway is my SUV), I've had to get pretty creative to ensure I'll be to the party on time...

My journey chronicles: hitch-hiking in Times Square; meeting up with some of the Big Apple's rowdiest bookworms; getting in hot water with my southern momma; getting picked up by the National Guard--and sailing the seven seas. Pretty much in that order.

Oh, and a whale is involved. I ask you, readers: what half-decent story doesn't involve a whale?

Want the scoop and all the pics? You needn't hitch a ride, just follow this link to The Daily Fix. With the eventful journey I've been through, surely you won't let a girl down and will have your book read, right? Yeah, I knew I could count on you fine marketers :-).

Now hop on over here for one heck of a tale.

P.S.: Yes, you can still sign-up! You'll just need to get your paws on a copy of "Citizen Marketers", get it read by next Wednesday (it's a quick read) and drop an email saying "I'm in!" to bookclub@marketingprofs.com. "See" you next week...bookworms rock!

What's up at WOMMA...and what's with all the games?

What's that you say...you wanna know what's happening at WOMMA? Marketers as far as the eye can see, ethics as the battle cry, a cadre of terrific speakers, awards for WOM well done--and even a heated game of 'Rock, Paper, Scissors'. 

I've never played Rock, Paper, Scissors before. I know it's weird because, well, all 500 attendees told me as such. But those boys didn't kick my butt...the highlights (and some sound bites) are over at The Fix.

And speaking of games bloggers play--what's up with Tim pummeling my inbox with long e-mail threads and everyone "tagging" me while I'm running around WOMMA like a little chicken trying in earnest to meet everyone, go to everything, report back to all and increase my Book Club's membership?

First Gavin tags me (that little bugger from down under), then Ann wants to tag me--but can't cuz Gavin beat her to the punch--and then Cam tags me...again! What, now instead of revealing 5 fun factoids I gotta reveal 10? No way, Jose. Surely there must exist a statute of limitations on this. For all of you new to "blogger tag," I understand it's a revolving game--in which strangely I'm somehow "it" a lot--whereas a blogger who is tagged must reveal 5 things about themselves they've not yet shared...and then they pass the torch to 5 more.

Guys if I can't get back to you until later this week it's not that I'm taking a few days to hang with my sister in D.C., I'm just ignoring you :-).

In other news from around the 'sphere: I would like to congratulate Paul for his first submission to The Madison Avenue Journal--Paul, I'm all sorts of proud (sniff) and I thank you for taking it easy on me this week. I never thought I'd say that. I'm also sending out props to Tim for going straight to video vis-a-vis a vlog parody of his signature "Daily Drive" posts by a true-blue fan and, ergo, proving my point on the power of parody. Ha! Gratitude to my sake-drinking blog brother Mario for posing an amazing opportunity to contribute feedback to Guy Kawasaki while he crafts his upcoming book. I can't wait (!)...but wait I must as I'm a bit behind.

While I can't play games right now, I will share pics: that's Jackie Huba and moi up there...and Ben McConnell and yours truly over there. They couldn't be nicer (and, to my knowledge, they have not tagged me).

P.S.: I am trying like mad to make good on my real-time polls while at WOMMA but with little headway so far. See, the schedule is back-to-back sessions and I'm not allowed to talk in class. But for a WOMMA rundown just go here.

Marketer with a Mantra.

How do you spend less time chasing leads and more time choosing from them? How do you spend less energy pushing messages at your markets and more time pulling customers to you? Why you use my nifty mantra, of course!

Both my musings...and my mantra..are over at The Daily Fix. Just affirm to go right here.

Whether you're a marketing consultant, marketing director or marketing agency, my mantra applies (psst: prayers help, too). In case you're curious my mantra involves rivers flowing and revenues streaming so flow on over here, dear reader. Namaste :-).

Funny like a clown--laughing all the way to the bank.

Being Halloween (boo!) I focused this week's Daily Fix piece on my favorite costumed company. They don't clown around when it comes to a new breed of innovation and an elaborate, meaningful brand--and they prove the Big Top sure can teach business a LOT about marketing.

With no animal acts (or inhumanity to animals) and no spoken dialogue so global audiences witness "show not tell", Cirque Du Soleil opts instead to push their performers to new heights...and deep-water lows.

But more than any high-wire feat it proves that amazing things happen when you re-engineer the old into the all-new. No more clownin' around for you dear reader...get your fix on right here.

Funny-like-a-clown Factoid: The #1 children's costume this year for boys is Johnny Depp-inspired Pirate Captain Jack. For girls it's a tie between Tinkerbell and Cinderella. All three characters were manufactured by the house of mouse (another creative co. that's also laughing all the way to the bank).

A beauty tip...

Today I'm talkin' beauty over at "the Fix". I'm giving marketers a much-needed makeover. And a tip in responsibility. One that image-driven industries have had coming for a while.

Think "average" doesn't sell? Think again. Think that sexpot over there on the left was a waif? That buxom babe was between a size 10 and 12. It's time to rethink beauty and the messages we're sending today's youth, unless we want our future target markets to all but...disappear.

Follow this pretty little link to my fashion-forward post. Btw, you are the picture of beauty (you have no need for a makeover).

I'm blogging. Riddling, too. (just not here)

Over at "the Fix" am I. No worries, I'll return here soon enough--and shortly, I'll learn how to be in two places at once.

In the meantime, I have a riddle for you: when it comes to social media, why are so many companies having such a hard time getting it right? Armed with budgets, brains and plenty of bandwidth why do so many corporate blogs get panned, while so many blogs run by individuals get praised? Given that hardly any organizations are having success at it, what's so darn hard about social media?

Here's a hint: the answer is really easy...and the answer is right here.

Gettin' my Fix on...

I'll now be blogging over at MarketingProfs: Daily Fix blog, too. It's all sorts of exciting to join the conversation as a contributor (I've been chattin' over there as a commenter for a while). I'm truly over the moon about it. And Lewis, you now have seniority ;-).

What will be there won't be here, meaning, it will be all original CK content all the time. Well, not all the time, but every time I post. I may let you know of a piece I've got over there. Though not always. The element of surprise is far too underrated.

And I'll cover a lot of topics. Like I do here. But there. Got it? Good!

People say bloggers are passionate. That they are. What they don't say is just how generous we are: thanks to everyone for being so generous with your knowledge, time and friendship. Can't tell you how much it means to me and my little blog (btw, that's my blog I'm clutching in my hand as I soar over the moon up there. I wouldn't go to the moon and back without it).

So, see you there. And here.

P.S.: Due to being in the air as much as on land for the next week, it will be a little while before my inaugural post airs over at The Daily Fix. But she's a comin'--and hey, this way I get to surprise you right out of the gate.