Brandeo is an online marketing resource that cuts through the clutter to update you on the need-to-know marketing ideas and insights that help build brands and increase sales.
New Volvo CEO Stefan Jacoby says one major finding of a recent Volvo brand audit is that the company "must redefine its legacy of leadership in safety by not only keeping up structural and design safety in its cars, but also blaze a new trail of safety when it comes to onboard electronics and communications” AdAge Global 3/4/11
The National Pork Board has replaced 25 year tagline "The Other White Meat," with a new tagline: "Pork, Be Inspired,” which the board says goes beyond providing basic information to positioning pork as a versatile ingredient. The new tagline is accompanied by a new logo. Advertising Age 3/4/11
Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream and NBC’s consumer products division has launched “Late Night Snack” in honor of Jimmy Fallon and his Late Night Show. The ice cream combines potato chips, caramel swirl, fudge and vanilla bean ice cream. AdFreak 3/4/11
Apple tops Fortune’s list of the 50 most admired companies from their survey of business people. Rounding out the top five is Google at number 2, Berkshire Hathaway 3, Southwest Airlines 4, and Procter & Gamble at 5. CNNMoney.com 3/3/11
Forrester says the Apple i Pad will claim 80% of the US tablet market in 2011, thanks to a product strategy that cultivates an emotional connection with consumers through an unrivaled app ecosystem, a channel that's a demo lab (The Apple Store) and excellent service from 'real humans.' Forrester Blogs 3/2/11
Super Bowl XLV was the most-watched US telecast of all-time and web hosting site GoDaddy.com saw the largest lift of any website in post-Super Bowl traffic, with a 41 percent increase in unique U.S. visitors during the week following the game compared to the week before. GoDaddy aired two commercials during the game with their 1st quarter ad starring Joan Rivers as the new GoDaddy spokesperson. NielsenWire 3/1/11
United Continental Holdings Inc. plans to launch an "interim" advertising campaign for the combined company on March 8th, and will utilize a new logo combining the United name with the globe used by Continental. Wall Street Journal 2/28/11
Although the AppleiPad has been positioned as a media consumption device, not for an enterprise environment, there are reports estimating that 65-80% of Fortune 100 companies have deployed or piloted the device. Túaw 2/14/11, All Things Digital 2/14/11
A British Airways passenger who was afflicted with bed bugs during an overseas flight, “was so furious about the way staff dealt with her complaint that she set up a website with photo proof of her experience.” Daily Mail 2/25/11
Nokia’s decision to utilize Microsoft’s Windows Phone as their primary platform will help Microsoft to achieve scale and provide Nokia with differentiation in the competitive mobile phone market. But most new phones won’t hit the market until 2012. Forrester Blogs 2/14/11. Currently the dominant mobile platforms are iPhone, Android and Blackberry.
Anheuser-Busch, the makers of Budweiser says the MLB is demanding higher fees for a multi-year extension of its exclusive sponsorship but the MLB disagrees. Anheuser-Busch has asked a federal judge to make the April agreement binding and to block the MLB from negotiating with any other brewer.NESN.com 11/12/10
J.C. Penney Co. earnings rose 63% in its fiscal third quarter as the department store chain due to strong reception to new exclusive brands such as Liz Claiborne and MNG by Mango. Los Angeles Times 11/12/10
Wendy Thomas, the Wendy’s brand namesake and daughter of founder Dave Thomas is being featured in a promotion for a test cheeseburger called Dave's Hot 'N Juicy Cheeseburger, named after Mr. Thomas. Advertising Age 11/12/10
As part of a comeback, Crocs is rolling out higher-priced shoes that include flip-flops and high heels. To emphasize the comfort of its brand, its traditional clog is an advertising character that gives foot massages. Forbes 11/11/10
Its new styles are what the company wants to emphasize as it navigates a turnaround. The company just reported solid third quarter revenue that was up 30% from the year-ago period to $216 million with strong gains across multiple retail channels. This year, in fact, may be its first profitable one since 2007McKee Foods’ Little Debbie brand has launched an eight month 20-city tour by Airstream to increase sales and also double the ranks of Facebook followers to more than one million. New York Times 11/10/10
Mr. Goodwrench, the mechanic who served as the symbol of GM's dealer service brand for 37 years will be dropped Feb. 1, replaced by "certified service" brands for each of GM's remaining four remaining nameplates that will link buying a car with service. Associated Press 11/9/10
Amazon has beat out Walmart to acquire Quidsi Inc., the parent company of Diapers.com for $540 million. Bloomberg.com 11/7/10
Bolstered by the success of the 2010 Winter Olympic Games, Canada has been named by FutureBrand as the most respected country brand in the world. VancouverSun.com 11/6/10
ConAgra Foods’ frozen meals brand Marie Callender’s is presenting mealtime as a respite from the day's worries in a campaign themed "Time to Savor" that portrays the brand's products as comfort food. Adweek 8/29/10
Asian models have been added to represent the brands of Estee Lauder and Maybelline to appeal to the fastest-growing market in the world. SifyNews 8/28/10
A study of YouTube videos for tobacco brands including Marlboro, Benson and Hedges and Winston, says most had pro-tobacco content, using themes like celebrities and movies, sports, music or archival footage (such as an ad using the Flintstones smoking Winston cigarettes), and noted that some videos seemed to be professionally made. A World Health Organization treaty requires participating countries to ban all forms of tobacco advertisements and sponsorships but YouTube is a user-generated site that is not regulated for content control. Pagingdrgupta.com 8/27/10
Federal regulators are looking at Google Inc.'s plans to buy travel technology company ITA Software Inc., which could position Google to compete with travel brands Expedia, Travelocity and Orbitz. Huffingtonpost.com 8/27/10
Two teenagers are suing Facebook, claiming their names and images were sold to advertisers without parental permission as part of a Facebook feature that allows members to ‘like’ a service or product. Facebook broadcasts likes to the user's friends. Huffingtonpost.com 8/27/10
Apple has set the date of its next "big announcement" for Sept. 1. Speculation is that the company will unveil a cloud-based music service. Brandweek 8/27/10
Nissan's Infiniti luxury brand plans to launch its first performance sub-brand in December, a version of its G coupe, to compete with BMW's M-series, Cadillac's V-series and Mercedes-Benz's AMG. Detroit Free Press 8/26/10
Japanese fast-fashion brand Uniqlo has named Charlize Theron and Orlando Bloom global brand ambassadors for its new “Made For All” philosophy. The company’s new tagline, emphasizes its commitment to provide clothing for everyone, regardless of nationality, age, occupation or gender People 8/26/10
Google has rolled out the “Call Phone” feature to all US Gmail users enabling them to call people directly on their phones. The service is free for calls in the US and Canada for the remainder of 2010. Gmailblog 8/26/10
RIM falls to 17-month low as India plans to ban BlackBerry messaging services Aug. 31 unless RIM resolves concerns the smart phones could be used for terrorist attacks or other illegal activities. Bloomberg 8/26/10
Toyota Motor Corp. and General Motors Co. are recalling 1.3 million 2005-2008 model vehicles because of engine stalling complaints. Autonews.com 8/26/10
Tiffany & Co. is launching a collection of handbags in a dozen U.S. stores on Sept. 1.The move will help Tiffany to drive sales through accessibly priced goods while maintaining the brand’s luxury image. WSJ.com 8/26/10
GM is launching the Chevrolet Cruze in September. As part of GM’s effort to achieve long term profitability the Cruze will be priced higher than previous compacts. WSJ 8/26/10
Four Points by Sheraton has reached a milestone of 150 properties in 24 countries.The Four Points’ brand positioning of “uncomplicated comfort” and value has helped the brand become one of the fastest growing brands within the Starwood portfolio. MarketWatch 8/25/10
American Eagle Outfitters Inc. plans store closings and layoffs in the wake of weaker margins, higher overhead and losses related to its failed Martin + Osa chain. The company points to inconsistent business trends and unpredictable consumer behavior as contributors to losses. WSJ 8/25/10
McDonald’s has named Steve Easterbrook evp, global chief brand officer, a new position at the fast-food giant. Reuters 8/24/10
Sweet ‘N Low is introducing a new campaign to relaunch the brand to consumers and differentiate it in an increasingly crowded category. NYTimes 8/23/10
A good friend has released Teleporter, a travel quiz game for the Apple iPhone and a fun, virtual way of traveling the globe. With challenging questions, scenic photos and entertaining YouTube videos about travel destinations worldwide, Teleporter is designed for people who love travel and want to learn more about fascinating places and people on the 197 million square miles that make up Earth.
The Application is available in the Apple App store in iTunes, in both a free and premium version.
Kraft (KFT) seeks to reinforce the ‘fun’ positioning of its Ritz brand to appeal to a younger audience with a new spot entitled “Tailgate,” to run prior to the Super Bowl. BrandWeek 1/9/09
Sony (SNE) produces "Make Dot Believe," a :90 cinema spot that positions the brand as having the ability to make anything you can imagine real. See spot at AdFreak 1/8/09
Imaging brand Polaroid has signed a “multi-year strategic partnership...[that] brings together one of the world's most iconic brands with today's fastest rising musical artist and cultural trendsetter." The company says they will be partnering with Lady Gaga to “bring new and exciting products to the next generation." AdWeek 1/7/09
Nestle Hot Pockets have signed a multi-year sponsorship and product integration deal with Professional videogame organization Major League Gaming. AdWeek 1/7/09
Despite opting out of the Super Bowl for a second year, FedEx (FDX) says that sports has “paid some significant dividends over the years.” The company participates in several sports via the Orange Bowl, NFL, the NBA, PGA Tour, FedExCup and Nascar. AdWeek 1/7/09
A new brand campaign for Procter & Gamble’s (PG) Tide detergent communicates how “Tide enables its loyal users to dress for success, to impress or just for fun.” The strategy attempts to differentiate Tide from lower-priced alternatives in a commoditized category. New York Times 1/7/09. It has been reported that P&G introduce 30% more new products this year than last to avoid price-cutting. Promotion of the company’s premium brands, including Olay skin cream, as well as Tide, is planned as a way to “smooth the way for new products.” Wall Street Journal 1/7/09 (requires subscription.)
Expedia (EXPE) is positioning its brand as the site that offers "more choices" and "more savings." A debut spot uses shows multi-dimensional building blocks being used to create the “perfect girl’s weekend.” BrandWeek 1/7/09
The Weatherproof Garment Company is running a controversial billboard showing President Obama wearing one of their coats on his visit to the Great Wall of China last November. The company also promoted “The Obama Jacket” on its website. New York Times 1/6/09. UPDATE: Billboard Featuring Obama is Coming Down
Apple (AAPL) has purchased Quattro Wireless, a mobile advertising company. Most analysts believe that Apple is less interested in profiting from ads than in providing a way for developers who build applications for the iPhone, or a future Apple tablet, make money. New York Times 1/5/09
The Saab and Saturn brands could be headed for oblivion; GM put them up for sale as part of its bankruptcy reorganization in early 2009, but has been unable to find buyers. MSNBC.com 12/30/09
For the first time in 23 years, Pepsi (PEP) ads won’t appear during the Super Bowl. The company plans to place more emphasis on online marketing. Associated Press 12/18/09
The Coca-Cola Company (KO) is partnering with Paramount to develop a line of licensed apparel, glassware and holiday gift items for next year’s 65th anniversary of the movie, It’s a Wonderful Life. Brandweek 12/5/09.
Procter & Gamble (PG) is taking its Tide Swash national this month via e-retailers Amazon (AMZN) and Drugstore.com. Swash targets young professionals and college students by providing a way to refresh and remove wrinkles from clothing without hitting the laundromat. Brandweek 12/5/09
The American Family Association says several brands, including Barnes & Noble, Best Buy, CVS, Kroger, Office Depot, Radio Shack and Victoria’s Secret, do not do enough to recognize Christmas companywide. Brandweek 12/5/09
Bloomberg LP has completed its purchase of McGraw-Hill's (MHP) BusinessWeek magazine. The BusinessWeek issue that came out Dec. 4 sports the new logo. Mediaweek 12/4/09
Charmin has rolled out its fourth annual luxury public restrooms, containing Kohler products, televisions and iPods, in New York City's Times Square. As part of the promotion, "bathroom ambassadors" will blog, Facebook and tweet about the nuances of 'going.'"Brandweek 12/4/09
Pepsi (PEP) has launched Shoppepsi.com, an interactive store where consumers can shop for contemporary and vintage collectibles, accessories and apparel, and read the latest Pepsi news. Brandweek 12/4/09
Puerto Rico is reviving a campaign that was a hit in the 1950’s, to provide “a refreshing change from the traditional sun and surf and palm trees ads you’ve seen from the Caribbean.” The new campaign incorporates photography from the 1950’s campaign for which David Ogilvy wrote the copy. NYTimes 12/3/09
AT&T’s (ATT) has withdrawn a lawsuit accusing Verizon Wireless (VZW) of misleading consumers with ads that show maps with white or gray for places that AT&T does not have 3G coverage. The company complained the maps implied that AT&T had no coverage of any kind. A judge earlier rejected AT&T’s request to temporarily block the Verizon ads saying that while they could be described as “sneaky,” or “simply clever,” they were “literally true.” NYTimes.com 12/2/09
McDonald's (MCD) is swapping its traditional red backdrop for a deep hunter green to promote a more eco-friendly image in Europe. Some franchises in Great Britain and France are already using the new color scheme; about 100 German McDonald’s restaurants will make the change the end of 2009. Businessweek 11/23/09
Best Buy’s (BBY) Twelpforce consists of 21,100 employees who respond to customer tweets about consumer electronics via Twitter. To date, the Twelpforce has delivered advice in the form of 12,314 tweets to its 13,398 followers. Brandweek 10/31/09
Starbucks (STBX) will launch a new customer loyalty card program, called My Starbucks Rewards, on Dec. 26, 2009. The program will consolidate Starbucks Card Rewards and Starbucks Gold card. It has no annual fee, allows members to use one registered card (any Starbucks Card) and provides customized rewards, that increase with frequency of use. Chain Store Age 10/30/09
The Federal Drug Administration has notified Proctor & Gamble (PG) that the company’s marketing two of its Vicks-branded over-the-counter medications—Vicks DayQuil Plus Vitamin C and Vicks Nyquil Plus Vitamin C—violate FDA guidelines by portraying products as both a cold medication as well as a dietary supplement. Brandweek 10/30/09
Target (TGT) has cut 85 marketing jobs, about 8% of its 1,100 employees in that department.The recession has hurt Target because much of its revenue comes from fashionable nonessentials such as home decor and clothing. Chain Store Age 10/30/09
To introduce a leather-scented deodorant called Axe Instinct, Unilever (UL) is paying street musicians $1,000 to put up “Axe Instinct” signs, offer free deodorant samples when they play and, a few times a day, sing a ‘ditty’ “Look Good in Leather” that Axe is using in its commercials. NYTimes 10/29/09
Less and less individuals are trying out Bing says a study by online ad network Chitika. In looking at network traffic from August through the first half of October, it appears that although Bing's share of search impressions has declined at a steady rate, the number of users coming through Microsoft's (MSFT) decision engine has declined much more quickly.
In August, over 8% of search engine users and 6.7% of search traffic came from Bing. Since then, however, Microsoft's impressions share has dropped to 5.44%, and the user share has decreased even more significantly, to 6.28%. Chitika, Inc. 10/29/09
Videos posted on YouTube over the past two months featuring “the world’s fastest nudist” show a man, “clad only in running shoes, tube socks, and a strategically positioned frontward fanny pack” running through high-profile locations in New York City. Turns out the viral videos are a campaign for Zappos.The revelation comes too late for CNN and other media outlets who didn’t realize the runner was really an actor and included him in interviews and news stories. NYTimes.com 10/28/09
“United Breaks Guitars” musician Dave Carroll flew United Airlines (UAUA) last Sunday, and guess what? The airline lost his luggage. Carroll was on United because it was the only carrier with service from Canada to Colorado Springs where he had a speaking engagement. United located his luggage and returned it to him---the following Wednesday. NYTimes 10/28/09
Google (GOOG) has launched Campaign Insights, a tool to help marketers determine the incremental change that is directly attributable to online display ad campaigns on brand awareness and user interest. Available for larger display ad campaigns Campaign Insights goes traditional measures of clicks and conversions to calculate the incremental lift in both online search activity and website visits that result from a display ad campaign. BtoBOnline 10/23/09, Google AdWords Blog, 10/19/09
Disney (DIS) is offering consumers who purchased Baby Einstein DVDs their Money back. The Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood says the offer is the result of a complaint they filed with the FTC regarding Baby Einstein’s marketing claims. Baby Einstein says the offer is part of an upgrade package and has nothing to do with the CCFC FTC complaint.Brandweek 10/23/09
Fortune (FO) magazine is dropping from 25 issues a year to 18 in 2010, will undergo a redesign, and focus on more “long-form, deep-dive journalism, great narrative stories,” to gain cost savings and strategic advantage. New York Times 10/23/09
Through Lufthansa’s free MySkyStatus service, fliers on any airline can sign up to have their flight details posted automatically to their Facebook or Twitter profiles, including regular updates about their departure, altitude, location and arrival as they travel. Springwise 10/23/09
Beginning next Wednesday, New York-based daily newspaper, Newsday, will offer limited free content on Newsday.com. Only Newsday and Cablevision Optimum Online subscribers will still have full access; others will need to pay a $5 weekly subscription fee. Clickz 10/22/09
Financial services brands are less effective at building awareness and persuading consumers to become customers says researcher Dynamic Logic. The study says financial services online ads are too text-heavy and could benefit from adding images of people and including fewer details. Clickz 10/21/09
On Wednesday Google (GOOG) reportedly plans to announce a new service that will give users an easy way to learn more about and sample music after searching for information about bands, alsbums and songs. Facebook also plans to integrate music site Lala into its gift store. New York Times 10/21/09
A good friend has released Teleporter, a travel quiz game for the Apple iPhone and a fun, virtual way of traveling the globe. With challenging questions, scenic photos and entertaining YouTube videos about travel destinations worldwide, Teleporter is designed for people who love travel and want to learn more about fascinating places and people on the 197 million square miles that make up Earth. 
ony (SNE)
Expedia (EXPE)
