Further to our previous post on the verbing of trademarks (as in, I Tivo’ed the show, or I Zappos at work), naming blog Away With Words discusses the issue from a marketing perspective and makes the points that clients often want precisely that: verbable names.
“101 Brand Names, 1 Manufacuturer”
WSJ: “101 Brand Names, 1 Manufacturer” (The pet food recall, highlights the fact that a single manfuacturer may be responsbile for many competitive brands).
“If I Want To Sit On A Couch, I Stay At Home”
This from a member of the Dunkin’ Donuts ‘tribe’, customers whose psychographics guided the brand to position itself as an unpretentious alternative to Starbucks. Also, the tribe convinced the company to change its ‘too stylish’ logo. WSJ: “Dunkin’ Donuts Tries to Go Upscale, But Not Too Far.”
The Most ‘Powerful’ Brands In The World
Via News.com, via Scripting News, a brand consultancy has issued a list of the most ‘powerful’ brands in the world:
1. Google–$66.4 billion
2. General Electric–$61.9 billion
3. Microsoft–$55 billion
4. Coca-Cola–$44.1 billion
5. China Mobile–$41.2 billion
6. Marlboro–$39.2 billion
7. Wal-Mart–$36.9 billion
8. Citigroup–$33.7 billion
9. IBM–$33.6 billion
10. Toyota Motor–$33.4 billion
The methodology
Breakfast of the Gods
The Lords of Breakfast – a re-telling of Lord of the Rings but with breakfast cereal mascots.
Interesting: Recycling by Rebranding
A carbon-neutral conference, Interesting 2007, will re-brand your old schwag, rather than create its own. Via Kottke.
“The American Girl Doll Racket”
The Conglomerate: “I Can’t Believe I’m Defending the American Girl Doll Racket”:
“. . . a young girl on a playdate took her Target knock-off of an American Girl doll to the Manhattan American Girl doll store and was refused the $20 hair salon experience for her nonconforming doll.”
“A Gala Tribute to Global Copycats”
Naseem Javed (branding consultant): “A Gala Tribute to Global Copycats”