i've loved Starbucks from the get-go: everything from their daily drip coffee to the contemporary classic feel of the shop to their perpetually happy employees. i appreciate how they were way ahead of many other brands with their charitable efforts, too. truth be told I would stop by for a morning latte and an afternoon pick-me-up on a daily basis. But, it’s a rare day when I do. Ever since Suze Ormanshook her index finger at me and encouraged an examination of my latte-a-day habit – I too, cut back on my usage. still, I remain a fan of the brand and get over to Starbucks about 2 – 3 times a week.
starbucks has endured a LOT of flak over the years. lately, they’re being dubbed the “poster child for excess.” ‘cuse me? i’m not an expert on the economy or anything, but i don’t think the latte-a-day habit is what got us into this mess, is it? on the list of “excesses” – i think fancy coffees at $2.80 a pop (that’s what I pay. Not sure why the oft quoted $4 drinks are the only ones ever mentioned) are on the lower end of the scale of excess.
it's a sad turn of events, really. not only is the auto industry suffering great hits, one of America's beloved brands is feeling the pain, too.
in the many years that I’ve been in the branding biz, Harley Davidsonhas been lauded as one of the few golden brands – one that remains true to its core essence, and successfully runs with it.
nowadays, HD is suffering from the bad economy like many so other powerhouses. their core audience, baby boomers, have seen their investments and retirement savings hit hard. and now the venerable brand is suffering, too.see this New York Times article for more indepth coverage.
in the interest of full disclosure, my hubs rides a Harley Davidson Road King, so I do have a personal, vested interest in the brand. (that’s us pictured on a ride back in 2004. he rode to Sturgis, and I flew up to join him.)
I heard a short piece on Marketplace yesterday about an Ohio-based apartment company that is offering a "layoff-proof lease" program that will give new renters 60 days of free rent if their jobs are cut. The deal also gives the tenants the opportunity to opt out of their leases if they lose their jobs. I've seen a proliferation of promotions like these recently, and I'm really happy to see that marketers are finding interesting ways to promote their brands in the current economic climate.
Promotions like the ones below can relay more sympathy to consumers than just simply slapping a discount sticker on a product. These efforts truly connect with what's happening to consumers on a personal level.
Not only have these promotions garnered good press, my guess is that these companies will benefit from their benevolence when the economy does recover. The brands are essentially extending their hand and showing a little compassion for people who need it -- and right now that type of gesture counts.
There is an interesting post on the Wall Street Journal's business blog that discusses the rise of "value" in marketing over the selling point, "green." The post states that up until recently, the best way to connect with consumers seemed to be through touting green philosophies. Now that the economic climate has shifted drastically, it seems that value may even trump the green concept.
Companies that can provide both value and green philosophies, like Trader Joe's, should be poised to weather this economic storm well.
With people looking to be thrifty during the Recession, these videos from Depression Cooking with Clara have received a notable amount of coverage from a host of media outlets.
The short videos feature Clara, a 93-year-old grandmother originally from Sicily, as she shows viewers to cook as she did during The Great Depression. The recipes are interesting but, for me, the real appeal is the stories she tells while cooking. Her anecdotes are engaging and charming; she gives us a glimpse of what it was like to grow up during a thoroughly difficult time.
The blog's author discusses ethnographies that were conducted for Tesco. It seems that when the company was doing research on how to introduce the Fresh & Easy market concept to the US, they made some mistakes in the research stage. Their definition of an ethnograhy was too narrow, so their methods didn't dig deep enough. The mistakes hurt what could have been a strong showing for the brand.
- posted by Hillary Hempstead image credits: tanakawho
Trend Sage is a collection of thoughts, ideas, and observations from two Account Planners in different time zones. One is exploring life on the west coast, while the other is investigating all the Midwestern heartland has to offer. We share a love of good design and good cupcakes, but we don't share a brain.
