Category Archives: Brand Awareness

The Pantone Color of the Year for 2016

POSTED BY: Arleen, FILED AS: Brand Awareness, ON: Friday, December 4th, 2015

pantone-color-of-year-2016

Serenity and Rose Quartz

The Pantone color of the year for 2016 is a blend of two refreshing and subtle colors; a huge contrast to last year’s Marsala. This is the first time they used two colors instead of one.

“With the whole greater than its individual parts, joined together Serenity and Rose Quartz demonstrate an inherent balance between a warmer embracing rose tone and the cooler tranquil blue, reflecting connection and wellness as well as a soothing sense of order and peace,” says Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute. Continue reading →

5 Tips for Writing Catchy Taglines and Slogans

POSTED BY: Arleen, FILED AS: Brand Awareness, Branding, ON: Saturday, November 7th, 2015

slogans-popular

Catchy taglines and slogans are so important to your brand. A tagline has a lot of weight to carry meaning it has to say such much in so little words. Your slogan or tagline has to say what you do, what makes you different and why you are great at it.

The Importance of Catchy Taglines and Slogans

Taglines are important because they are everywhere your logo is including printed promotional products. The right slogan can make anything go from appearing to be mediocre to extraordinary. Second to your logo your tagline is the next most noticeable component of your brand. A great slogan is important because it captures what you want your brand to look like, feel like and be about. The biggest challenge of a memorable slogan is that it has to be short, sweet and simple yet say it all. Successfully catchy taglines are so memorable that I bet if you thought about it you would be surprised at how many you know. Here are some examples from big brands: Continue reading →

Promotional Branding Trends of 2015

POSTED BY: Arleen, FILED AS: Brand Awareness, ON: Saturday, January 3rd, 2015

As we enter a new year it’s a good idea to take a quick look at promotional branding trends and predictions.  Google defines the word trend as “a general direction in which something is developing or changing.” These trends can influence the way we choose to brand our businesses in 2015.

share-a-coke

Share a Coke: Australia www.coca-colacompany.com

Personalized Promotions are In

Personalized promotions are the way to go. Today’s consumer is looking for personal attention and customized experiences. Making that connection with your customers is a definite way to build brand recognition. The Coca-Cola Share a Coke campaign is a great example. They took 250 popular names and words such as family, mom and dad then printed them on Coke cans and bottles so that people could search for their name or their friend’s name in the cooler.  Asics created miniature 3-D replica models of marathon runners. Continue reading →

Why Departmental Branding within Your Brand is Helpful to Customers

POSTED BY: Arleen, FILED AS: Brand Awareness, ON: Saturday, October 25th, 2014

 

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Have you ever thought about all of the elements that make up a brand? A brand is a name, a symbol, a term or any other feature that identifies what a business provides. A brand represents a promise, an expectation, a perception, a personality and so much more. A company as a whole possesses a brand, however, there are also many pieces to a company. This is where departmental branding can come into play. Continue reading →

Shark Tank Judge Daymond John’s Success Through Branding

POSTED BY: Arleen, FILED AS: Brand Awareness, ON: Sunday, June 22nd, 2014

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Daymond John – Founder of FUBU Apparel and Judge on ABC’s Shark Tank

Daymond John, a judge on ABC’s Shark Tank, is the founder of apparel brand FUBU. FUBU is worth $350 million. In April he shared his success story at the Advertising Specialties Institute Show in New York. He shared key points on his success through branding in which we can all learn from and use in our personal and business brands. He is a true inspiration.

Daymond John was born and raised in New York City. John loved hip-hop music and wanted to make his mark on the industry. However, he knew that he didn’t have any musical talent. So he found a way to standout and started an urban apparel company. He was able to bring his company from just an idea to a popular and memorable brand. His apparel company and brand is highly sought after. John’s success through branding did not come overnight. Continue reading →

How to Launch a Successful Publicity Stunt Like Placing a Mustang Atop of The Empire State Building

POSTED BY: Arleen, FILED AS: Brand Awareness, ON: Monday, April 21st, 2014

Ford-Mustang-on-Empire-State-Building

Did you see the Mustang on top of the Empire State Building? Just this past week Ford Mustang pulled off a very successful publicity stunt. To celebrate their 50th anniversary they introduced the new 2015 Ford Mustang on top of the Empire State Building. They strategically placed a car onto the observation deck of the landmark building just like they did 50 years ago.

Talk about a captivating new product launch! The car seemed to have appeared out of nowhere the morning of April 16th and the news was all over it. Spectators and journalists where packed onto the deck cheek to cheek like a pack of sardines to see new vehicle.

It took well around six months of planning to get the car to the top of the building. Since a crane cannot reach the heights of the 102-floor sky scrapper and since King Kong wasn’t available, the car had to be taken up in pieces. It was taken up in six pieces by elevator. As soon as the observation deck closed the night before the Mustang team worked overnight to assemble the vehicle onto the corner of the observation deck.

The Mustang sparkled atop the Empire State Building for two days commemorating the 50th anniversary of their debut at the 1964 New York World’s Fair.

How can you plan a successful publicity stunt of your own?

Helpful Tips When You Want to Launch a Successful Publicity Stunt

Strategic Planning

Planning for a successful publicity stunt takes time. Make sure that it is well thought out. Think about the product or service you provide and what makes it most attractive. You want to target the right audience at the right time with the right promotion. If it is going to go off with a hit then the time needs to be put into it before hand. Like the Ford Mustang appearing on the top of the Empire State Building overnight, a publicity stunt may appear as it if happened instantly but in reality a lot of planning was in place behind it.

Create a Budget

A publicity stunt can be costly. If you budget yourself correctly then you can achieve it at a low-cost. However a really good stunt may require an extra investment. It’s up to you to make sure that you plan accordingly so that you can get the best return on your investment. Also, be sure to include a custom giveaway within your budget to really drive your marketing message home.

Promote the Promotion

Start promoting before the actual stunt. No need to reveal your plan, however, you can start with a few hints. Try to peak the interest of your audience so that when it does happen they can’t miss it. Be sure not to give out too many details and spoil the surprise.

Consider Your Reputation

Make ethical decisions. The purpose of a publicity stunt is to call attention to your brand. Make sure it’s positive attention. The last thing you want to do is to do something so outrageous that you end up hurting yourself instead. While planning make sure you get the right permissions and permits to perform.

Don’t go crazy or go crazy! It’s up to you how far you want to go with a successful publicity stunt. It may be as simple as dressing up in costume and standing along the highway or it can be as spectacular as placing a care atop of a skyscraper. There are so many possibilities.

What will your next stunt be? What are some of the most memorable publicity stunts that you have ever witnessed? What are your thoughts about Ford placing a Mustang on the Empire State Building?

A Sweet Way to Stand Out and Get Noticed!

POSTED BY: Arleen, FILED AS: Brand Awareness, ON: Sunday, April 13th, 2014

beyond-ideas-cookies

I’m not complaining, but there is always that one person who likes to bring leftover baked goods into the office. You know what I mean. For example, around any holiday while you are trying to be “good” at every turn there is another treat calling your name? Well, this clever designer used the irresistible temptation for baked goods to her advantage. Continue reading →

The Importance of Packaging

POSTED BY: Arleen, FILED AS: Brand Awareness, ON: Monday, March 31st, 2014

surprise-packaging

I recently decided to order something off my website for my own personal use. When the popcorn popper arrived, I couldn’t wait to open the box. I was happy to see that the product had its own box. However, when I opened the box, there were no directions. Do you pop the corn in the microwave?  With the top up or the top down?  How long do you pop the corn? This irritated me and I thought “so what do my customers think?” Then I decided to randomly order products just to see how they were packaged. You see, I go to trade shows for my trade and reps come by to display their wares but this made me realize that the one thing I don’t see is how the products are packaged. Continue reading →

KFC Attracts Customers on the Go with Promotional Cups

POSTED BY: Arleen, FILED AS: Brand Awareness, Travel Marketing, ON: Wednesday, October 16th, 2013

Consumers like convenience and never before has fast food been so popular. There are drive-thrus so that you don’t even have to leave your car and not just for fast food. I have seen drive-thrus at pharmacies, dry cleaners and even supermarkets. Most Americans usually are on a tight schedule and want convenience where ever they can get it. But convenience is not all they are looking for. It is no surprise to most of us that many Americans are hard pressed to find time for home cooked meals around the dinner table and often turn to fast food as an alternative.

KFC Go Cups

Photo from kfc.com

Although American’s are purchasing fast food in record numbers, more and more they are looking for healthier options. KFC recognized this and made an effort to bridge the gap between fast food and healthy options by introducing their new Go Cups. Designed to fit into just about any car cup holder, the Go Cup holds smaller portions often referred to as “snack-sized” and comes with five different food options. The Go Cup doesn’t only just fit into your car cup holder, it separates the food you ordered; chicken from fries for example. The most interesting fact is that KFC has not only found a way to make their customer’s meal more convenient while they are driving but it also passes on savings to the consumer because the Go Cup meal options cost almost half the price of the least expensive full meal on KFC’s menu. I know, it may sound like I am writing this piece to advertise KFC’s new Go Cup but that is not the case. Reading about the new addition to KFC’s menu caused me think about how often businesses are looking for a way to keep their brand relevant and often the answer is innovation and risk taking, KFC has done both.

Continue reading →