Archive for Branding
Delta Needs a New Brand Name for “Economy Comfort” Class
Posted by: | CommentsImagine my surprise as I was about to take my seat on a Delta flight yesterday and walked by “Economy Comfort” seats in the first couple of rows in the economy section. The words were spelled out in large letters on the front of each seat back.
My first thought was, is my seat in the “Economy Uncomfortable” section of the plane?
Delta Has a Branding Problem
What about my comfort?!
Who on earth thought up this name for seats that give you 4 inches more leg room and 50 percent more recline? Over the years airlines have developed various seat configurations and classes of travel — first class, business and economy — to satisfy customers and rake in more money.
But it sends the wrong signal to the passengers in regular economy that they are headed to a seat for a cramped and uncomfortable ride.
Reader reviews are generally positive about these seats (on Delta and partner KLM), but passengers have an expectation of comfort, without having to pay extra for it.
The Reports of Blogging’s Death are Greatly Exaggerated*
Posted by: | CommentsWell, you’d think blogging was definitely on the way out for companies, based on a new study, 2012 Inc. 500 Social Media Update.
Although USA Today pretty much wrote off blogging in its coverage of the results, it did quote Scott Monty, head of social media at Ford Motor, as saying that engaging blogs can serve crucial marketing goals — especially executives out to establish expertise in their industry.
CMOs Interviewed
The Center for Marketing Research at the University of Massachusetts surveyed the chief marketing officers of Inc. Magazine’s 500 fastest growing companies to learn how their adoption of social media has changed since 2011.
The big news, according to the study, is that CMOs are turning to new platforms and tools including Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, texting, downloadable mobile apps and Foursquare.
If you study the chart below, you will see that blogging has been increasingly successful as a social media strategy over the past three years, reaching 92% in usage even as its adoption as a social media tool drops. Blogging is still widely used by advertising and communications companies, less so by government agencies. Oddly, this was the first study including LinkedIn, which showed up at 73% usage, just behind Facebook’s 74%, which topped the list.
Read More→
Why Can’t Graphic Designers and Their Clients Ever Agree?
Posted by: | CommentsI decided to ask designer and blogging buddy, Dennis Salvatier, this question — having worked with many designers over the years. Here is our conversation.
Jeannette: I’ve worked with many graphic designers over the years. These are designers whose work I’ve really admired. Strangely, though, when working on a project, some designers do not seem to grasp that the objective of the work is usually to sell a product or service. Sometimes, they fall in love with a design and try to sell it to the client even if doesn’t work.
By the way, I love my company logo design and masthead. A designer with whom I’ve worked on other projects created it. And I love your work, Dennis. But why is there this disconnect between design studios and their clients?
Dennis being playful
Dennis: Thanks, Jeannette. The biggest problem with the client/designer relationship is that there is rarely a conversation about the relationship itself. Roles need to be defined before any work is done and that is the responsibility of the designer.
A good designer starts the conversation, but a great designer provides a design brief. This is a short questionnaire that includes questions about the brand, competitors, target market, budget and goals. Read More→
The 5 Essential Qualities for a Technologist’s Personal Brand
Posted by: | CommentsTechnologists are perhaps the least aware of all employees of the value of having a personal brand.
More important to them is getting a project done on time, completing development, going from test to production or ensuring the business has signed off on requirements.
Transcending Boundaries
Frank Faeth
Technologists need to transcend the perceived narrow boundaries of their job descriptions and develop a brand that communicates the value they add to the organization.
Today, brands are no longer the sole domain of companies. An individual’s brand is just as critical in promising value and trust to others in the company.
Tom Peters, the well-known author of “In Search of Excellence,” writes: “What is it that my product or service does that makes it different?” Translating this into personal branding, what do you do as a provider of technology services that makes you stand out and compel someone on the business side to work with you? Read More→
