The Insight on Business News Hour with Michael Libbie is production of Insight Advertising, Marketing & Communications and made possible by: Bindery One - A world class digital print and direct mail facility doing business nationwide www.Bindery1.com ; NatraTurf - Chemical Free Lawns & Gardens start here: www.NatraTurf.com
I Don't Do Politics...
But, I am interested in what goes on and how candidates, and parties, brand themselves. This week the Iowa Republican Party received, yet another, slap aside the head. "The Donald" pulled out of the GOP Presidential Race and pulled out of the June 10th Iowa GOP fund raiser, "An Evening with Donald Trump". It was to have been a gala event and the whole mess speaks volumes about how unfocused the Republican Brand has become. So unfocused that they canceled the event rather than have a back-up. Caught with their pants down? The Party that once lazered in on business, economics & tough talk has become...fringe...more interested in what goes on in the bedroom, the womb and chasing wacko stories like birth certificates. It's been a sad thing to watch and even high ranking Republicans are now saying that unless they find a strong, sensible candidate President Obama is going to sail into victory in 2012...and take out many of the "bright young stars" of the GOP with the win.
OK...One More - Just For Back Up
Yesterday I received the e-newsletter from Iowa State Senator Brad Zahn (R-Urbandale). Brad is a favorite among my Tea Party Friends. Know what...I'm not going to write about it after all. Way too depressing and sad. Let's make some money for your business!
I Didn't Know...LinkedIn Update
LinkedIn held their IPO this week and while that has been the business buzz, here's a quick story from Tech Crunch, we're always finding NEW ways to use the product to boost your professional profile and your company Buzz. Here are "10 More Things You Never Knew You Could Do on LinkedIn" by our friends at the Business Insider. The stock? There is lots of speculation that it's much about...nothing. However that's what they said about Apple Stores ten years ago...
Apple Celebrates Ten Years of Brick & Mortar
About the same time Gateway Computers was struggling with stand alone stores for their "cow brand" Apple made the decision to open up proprietary stores featuring their products. Experts said it wouldn't work. The accepted model was having all kinds of brands in a "Big Box" not stand alone stores. Ten years and 300+ stores later the company continues to roll out flashy well packaged retail outlets. So, what is your take-away from this? What is it about your product or service that screams "different", "up-scale", "unique". Are you spending time and money on creating great products AND great packaging? Or...are you just like everybody else in your particular silo? Think about it...and break out. (photo - Rob van Esch / Shutterstock.com)
I've shared this with you so often that I feel like a teacher on Monday morning. Let's review how your business can stand apart from others and have your content shared with consumers. Three Words: Original, Entertaining, Content. (There he goes again!) But know what? Please do not take my word for it. Have a peak at this article from eMarketer on what you can learn by HOW consumers share content and...what they share. Go on...we'll wait.
Will Memorial Day Move You?
To buy a new car? Talk about weary...this could rank as "The Worst Ad of the Week". Here in Des Moines a local dealership is crowing (and old crow by the way) about how Memorial Day is a day for remembering and for buying a brand new "American made vehicle from our huge stock!". They mix some stirring patriotic music with a call to...buy a car. Please make it go away. I "get it" that many Americans will spend most of the Memorial Day Weekend...doing everything other than remembering and honoring. But being in several wars that have drug on forever, seeing daily kill or wounded numbers mount a "Memorial Day Car Sale" wrapped in the flag seems...desperate. Sorry.
Worst Ad of the Week
We had to do some digging for this one. No, it's not new. In fact, it's very old but it's one of a series of ads we've been posting on our Facebook Pagethat hearken back to a time when we all knew "a woman's place". That, once upon a time, marketers actually ran stuff like this shocking... The "Woman's Place" ad line has been replaced by "The Dumb Husband/Father/Male" line of ads and someday we'll look back at those and wonder, "What the hell were we thinking?". Just an observation.
Thank You and Time is Up
The deal is...I'll research and write for an hour and you take ten minutes to learn a little more about advertising and marketing. My time is up...and I suspect yours too. Thanks for coming by. If you want to stay in touch you can leave a comment here, head to our Facebook Page or on Twitter it's @MichaelLibbie or @InsightADV. Have a great weekend! - Michael
Comments