Marketing Thoughts by Domus Inc.

Volkswagen deserves kudos for creating an integrated campaign that spans traditional and new media in ways that support and enhance each other, while effectively working towards a classic marketing goal. Basically, Volkswagen is trying to own the word “fun” in consumers’ minds – VWs are fun, driving VWs is fun, VW is a fun company – and they’re doing a pretty good job laying claim to that brand position.

First VW started their “Fun Theory” campaign. This includes a number of experiential locations that entice people to choose a fun option that also coincides with useful behavior (walking stairs instead of an escalator, throwing trash in receptacles instead of littering, etc.). These locations have, in turn, become the basis of much local and worldwide PR. Moreover, videos of people experiencing the VW locations have been the basis of viral internet videos and other social media sites.

Finally, VW has complemented its “Fun Theory” campaign with its ubiquitous “Punch Dub” television advertising. Look at one of those commercials and one of the first words that comes to one’s mind is “fun”.

VW is successfully marrying a broad array of communication outlets with its one common brand positioning goal. They’re a textbook case study for how it should be done.

Domus is a marketing communications agency based in Philadelphia. For more information, visit our web site at http://www.domusinc.com.

Hershey Co. just announced its first quarter financials and they show impressive growth in sales and market share gains. Nt coincidentally, they are also a full year into a major advertising push following years of muted spending.

In today’s world, where marketers are looking for – and expecting – immediate returns on investment on their marketing dollars, Hershey provides another example of the importance of taking a longer term view of marketing efforts. Insistence on high targets for click-through rates, numbers of fans/followers, comments, etc., is not the wisest approach for every campaign. Brand building requires time and patience.

Domus is a marketing communications agency based in Philadelphia. For more information, visit us at http://www.domusinc.com.

Apple’s iPad had an impressive launch, and many people believe it has the potential to be a game changer in the way we consume media. But possibly more important than the iPad is Apple’s introduction of iAd, its new mobile advertising network. The iAd platform will enable dynamic ads that can be viewed from within Apps, allowing the user to return to the App when finished with the ad – no more jumping off to an advertiser’s web site. Apple plans to share the revenue stream from these ads with App developers (60% to Apple’s 40%).

Think about how many people have been conditioned NOT to click on ads for fear that they will take them away from what they’ve been doing, bring them to a site that generates annoying pop-ups, download a virus, etc. Think about people’s trust in Apple. And think about 4 billion apps – and counting – already downloaded. This might be a massive revenue stream for Apple and App developers. But it might also be one of the most engaging ad platforms for advertisers.

Marketers should take note, though. Apple users expect something special from their Apple products, and that will include the ads that they see run on their Apple products. So, plan to advertise, but plan to make your ads a step above the rest.

Domus is a marketing communications agency based in Philadelphia. For more information, visit us at http://www.domusinc.com.

Last month we we had a post titled Marketing Lessons from Games and Sports. In it we discussed the necessity of thinking through our marketing moves, including asking what will our competition – the other “player(s) – do in response?

Nike’s new Tiger Woods commercial featuring the voice of his late father (timed for the opening of the 2010 Masters) is another good case study for that post, but with a twist. In that post, we referenced the potential response of the the competition, but in today’s social media world, you and the competition aren’t the only players in the communications game. The rest of the world – customers and non-customers alike – are also players. So, it is just as important to consider what these other “players” will do.

As it turns out Nike put out an ad showing a silent Woods staring at the camera while the disembodied voice of his deceased father asks if he learned anything. Separate from the question as to whether this ad was effective in its direct communication, I wonder whether Nike thought through the next moves of the other players, specifically the universe of consumers. Immediately after the ad aired, in addition to negative comments throughout the internet, video parodies of it started appearing. Nike might say that they hoped for this (generating buzz), but I’m not so sure that they hoped for all of it; otherwise, why are they now making youtube pull the commercial parodies, invoking copyright infringement?

Below is an original posting of one of the parodies on youtube.

Domus is a marketing communications agency based in Philadelphia offering advertising, public relations, digital, and social media marketing expertise in an integrated approach based on sound, classic principles of marketing. For more information, visit us at http://www.domusinc.com.

Advertising Age is reporting that AT&T is “undertaking an ambitious rebranding effort under the banner of “Rethink Possible” to reposition itself as a “lifestyle company”. In other words, AT&T is implicitly declaring that it is losing the marketing positioning battle in the minds of consumers and wants to try something else to retain and gain customers.

Similarly, last month, Comcast decided to rebrand itself “Xfinity”. (“Simply put, XFINITY is about offering our customers more — more HD, more speed, more choice and more control over their services…”) Or, alternately simply put, Comcast is feeling the pinch of Verizon Fios’ competition and wants to try something else to retain and gain customers.

Interestingly, in both situations a company who has faltered in delivering upon the promise of its stated brand position decides to fix the problem by rebranding itself to a new position instead of improving upon its original promise. And just as interestingly, in both situations, the faltering company is being aggresively challenged in the marketplace by a company who dedicates more resources and commitment to delivering its brand promise better and better – and correspondingly communicating its success.

It doesn’t take a marketing genius to determine the better strategy for companies to mimic – especially in this age when consumers communicate with each other faster and more effectively than any one company can do on its own. Continue to invest in your brand promise – improve your product, improve your service, improve your delivery – and then your marketing communication efforts have legitimacy. On the other hand, no matter how many times you rebrand, if you don’t have the commitment to invest in your brand promise (whatever that may be), you’ll continue to come up short.

Domus is a marketing communications agency based in Philadelphia offering advertising, public relations, digital, and social media marketing expertise in an integrated approach based on sound, classic principles of marketing. For more information, visit us at http://www.domusinc.com.

Burger King used to position themselves somewhat traditionally as the number two brand (competing with number one, McDonald’s) – we try harder (“Have it Your Way”), we’re better (“Whopper Virgins” taste test), etc. But their new television commercial doesn’t seem to fit. In it, their “King” breaks into McDonald’s headquarters to steal the recipe for their sausage McMuffin. The ad ends with the announcer saying, “It’s not that original but it’s only a buck.”

Although brands often offer short-term promotions, this time Burger King is intentionally making a point to compare themselves to McDonald’s, and using price as the only comparison point. In fact, they try to imply that it’s the same offering (hence, stealing the recipe), just cheaper. When did Burger King go from claiming that they offer a better product and service to being cheaper?

Domus is an integrated advertising, public relations, digital, and social media marketing agency based in Philadelphia. For more information, visit us at http://www.domusinc.com.