tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2814519313723364302024-03-13T19:31:28.023-07:00Debbie Laskey's BlogWelcome to Debbie Laskey's commentary about BRANDING, MARKETING, LEADERSHIP, SOCIAL MEDIA, EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT, and CUSTOMER EXPERIENCES. Debbie has worked in high-tech, the Consumer Marketing Department at Disneyland Paris in France, nonprofits, and insurance. Expertise includes strategic planning, brand development, marketing plans and audits, competitive positioning, websites, corporate communications, public relations, employee engagement, customer experiences, and social media marketing.DebbieLaskeyMBAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04110969252778614500noreply@blogger.comBlogger605125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-281451931372336430.post-49589614633392698562024-03-11T08:00:00.000-07:002024-03-11T08:00:00.155-07:00Marketing News of the Week: Oscars and More<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5wE_c5wSqjp0MDROtyZMNlRTK5ABpiEd2QnVwG4TeZnnF_KGZ5TngdxTi07yVlqIV9y3FSVQoeM2l-dRvlKP4Q_HMVVnqfK2YpadbPxe7WcFSgvRfnIox1GXvkAughfq00AWmD-XebMFFsfo7-ltcBVRjr1q7l1HNcXrli8I-LQyfbiwTkD2dHkK4ktc/s838/3%20-%20Marketing%20News%20-%203-11-2024.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="820" data-original-width="838" height="277" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5wE_c5wSqjp0MDROtyZMNlRTK5ABpiEd2QnVwG4TeZnnF_KGZ5TngdxTi07yVlqIV9y3FSVQoeM2l-dRvlKP4Q_HMVVnqfK2YpadbPxe7WcFSgvRfnIox1GXvkAughfq00AWmD-XebMFFsfo7-ltcBVRjr1q7l1HNcXrli8I-LQyfbiwTkD2dHkK4ktc/w283-h277/3%20-%20Marketing%20News%20-%203-11-2024.JPG" width="283" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>Oscars, Oscars, and more Oscars. Sure, the little gold statue made news this week, but there was some other marketing news too.<br /><b><br /><span style="background-color: #f1c232;">OSCAR CEREMONIES</span></b><br />According to MarketingDive, "Disney Advertising sold out of advertising inventory for ABC’s Oscars telecast Sunday. The film awards show’s 96th ceremony attracted brands representing 17 categories, including apparel, automotive, consumer packaged goods, entertainment and healthcare. Airbnb, Dunkin’, Procter & Gamble, Pfizer, Southwest Airlines and Walmart were among some of the brands who advertised. Healthy demand is a sign that advertisers continue to value live programming, and the Oscars, specifically, for the event’s ability to reach young, affluent, and multicultural consumers, according to Disney." <br /><br />The "Barbenheimer" cultural phenomenon, the term created for both "Barbie" and "Oppenheimer" that were released last summer was a boon to studios and theaters that are still trying to recover from the post-pandemic slump and convince consumers that making the trip to multiplexes is worth the extra costs over streaming at home.<br /><br />And yet, back to the term BARBENHEIMER...when was the last time that a movie got a different name by competing against other movies? Not in recent memory. Score one for brand marketing. According to Reid Goldberg at Collider, "The Barbenheimer phenomenon has become a global sensation and proven that cross-promotion can benefit competing blockbusters." And also stimulate the economy.<br /><br />Lastly, what do you think of the winners? Did you see all the films nomimated for best picture? Although I saw BARBIE, OPPENHEIMER, and WONKA, I have to admit that the films did not live up to all the hype.<br /><br /><b><span style="background-color: #f1c232;">INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY</span></b><br />March 8th was an important day on the equality calendar: International Women's Day, a global holiday celebrated annually to commemorate the cultural, political, and socio-economic achievements of women. It also brings attention to the women’s rights movement, focusing attention on gender equality, reproductive rights, and violence and abuse against women.<br /><br />First celebrated in 1909 in New York City as "Women’s Day," the holiday was celebrated in 1911 by over a million people in Austria, Denmark, Germany, and Switzerland. International Women’s Day was adopted as a global holiday by the United Nations in 1977.<br /><br />Some brands stood out by their celebrations. Here are a couple: <br /><br />(1) One example was Vermont Teddy Bear, who wrote in an email, "Today, and everyday, we celebrate all women including the hardworking team of fierce females behind our Teddy Bears and Stuffed Animals."<br /><br />(2) Another example was the Los Angeles Dodgers, who shared on Twitter/X a quote from a co-owner and former tennis star Billie Jean King, "International Women's Day puts focus on women and the importance of women in all our lives. Let's focus on our contributions to society and do positive things for all women." <br /><br /><b><span style="background-color: #f1c232;">WOLVERINE and #WOMANMADE</span></b><br />Accoring to MarketingDive, "Boot maker Wolverine is kicking off Women's History Month with a purpose-driven campaign centered around gendered language that undermines inclusivity in the skilled trades, namely the absence of 'woman-made' in the dictionary alongside 'man-made.' The effort includes a Change.org petition that seeks to add 'women-made' to the Oxford English Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, and Dictionary.com. Change.org petitions have remained a playful way for brands to draw attention to purpose-driven campaigns."<br /><br />Lauren King, Director of Branding at Wolverine explained, "In addition to our goal of getting 'woman-made' added to the dictionary, we hope to inspire girls and women around the world to have the confidence to pursue any passion, especially within the skilled trades where women are drastically underrepresented."<br /><br />Also, since statistics show that over half of American homes are sustained by women, yet they remain underrepresented in the skilled trades, Wolverine is partnering with Girls Garage, a design and construction school for girls and gender-expansive youths ages 9-18, and donating $25,000 to the organization. Founded in 2013, Girls Garage is the first-ever design and building workshop for female-identifying youth in the United States.<br /><br />What other recent marketing buzz caught your attention? There's always something happening that impacts marketing, so tune in to #DebbieLaskeysBlog for the scoop!<br /><br />Image Credit: Pantone.<br /><br />Change.org Petition by Wolverine:<br /><a href="https://www.change.org/p/add-woman-made-to-the-dictionary" target="_blank">https://www.change.org/p/add-woman-made-to-the-dictionary</a><br /><br />Wolverine's Woman Made page:<br /><a href="https://www.wolverine.com/US/en/woman-made/" target="_blank">https://www.wolverine.com/US/en/woman-made/</a><br /></p>DebbieLaskeyMBAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04110969252778614500noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-281451931372336430.post-9754621132081557772024-03-08T08:00:00.000-08:002024-03-10T19:32:11.540-07:00Celebrate International Women’s Day with Susan Colantuono<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmI27GDcFxUx9-943-kLjyHMJoEs7Ilw1DQh78758Pmd77UpbXXcLGGOLEDFPNV91CUVF9iUdZye7HKbnvXS7rsWL-gN0fU4hkaX7uvI6L5-IJVcoJpOu2HYumOBr2WmwcmNFl6IAI77NO5VyarHBzGDc06E6KjFoU8YtoZS0bcuLjHmC-AJVR1p9LX3s/s758/3%20-%20Susan%20C%20quote%20-%203-8-2024.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="758" data-original-width="678" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmI27GDcFxUx9-943-kLjyHMJoEs7Ilw1DQh78758Pmd77UpbXXcLGGOLEDFPNV91CUVF9iUdZye7HKbnvXS7rsWL-gN0fU4hkaX7uvI6L5-IJVcoJpOu2HYumOBr2WmwcmNFl6IAI77NO5VyarHBzGDc06E6KjFoU8YtoZS0bcuLjHmC-AJVR1p9LX3s/s320/3%20-%20Susan%20C%20quote%20-%203-8-2024.jpg" width="286" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>Over the last 15 years, thanks to social media, I have had the privilege of meeting inspiring marketing, branding, customer experience, leadership, and social media experts. One of these experts is Susan Colantuono, a leadership expert based in Rhode Island, who has graciously appeared on my blog several times and shared inspiring commentary about leadership and gender equality. Due to Susan's areas of expertise, she is an excellent choice to appear on my blog today.<br /><br />Today, March 8th, is an important day on the equality calendar: it is International Women’s Day, a global holiday celebrated annually to commemorate the cultural, political, and socio-economic achievements of women. It also brings attention to the women’s rights movement, focusing attention on gender equality, reproductive rights, and violence and abuse against women.<br /><br />First celebrated in 1909 in New York City as "Women’s Day," the holiday was celebrated in 1911 by over a million people in Austria, Denmark, Germany, and Switzerland. International Women’s Day was adopted as a global holiday by the United Nations in 1977. <br /><br />To recognize and celebrate today’s significance, I welcome Susan Colantuono back to my Blog. Highlights of our conversation about leadership and gender equality follow a brief introduction.<br /><br />Susan Colantuono is the founder of Be Business Savvy. She is an internationally renowned author, speaker, and mentor/coach. She discovered, developed, and introduced to the world a definition of leadership and four keys that have transformed women’s leadership development and initiatives to close the leadership gender gap - including The Missing 33 percent of the career success equation for women. Her TED Talk entitled, "The Career Advice You Probably Didn't Get" has nearly 4.5 million views.<br /><br /><b>QUESTION: Dictionary.com selected "woman" as its word of the year for 2022, because searches for the word doubled during 2022 when compared to previous years. During the Supreme Court confirmation hearing for Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, she was asked, "Can you provide a definition for the word 'woman'?" She responded that she could not. During 2022, Roe vs. Wade was overturned and women began mass protests in Iran. As this marketing news showed, words matter. What are your thoughts about this word selection, especially today on International Women's Day?</b><br /><br />SUSAN COLANTUONO: First of all, celebrating International Women’s Day is exponentially harder for us in the U.S. than it was two years ago. Like everyone else, I see through my worldview, and right now, my particular worldview has me furious at the Republican war on women in the U.S. As far as the definition of the word "woman," the politicization of it infuriates me.<br /><br />That's why, if pushed, I would say that a woman is anyone for whom giving birth is a possibility and the decision to give birth or not should be a private decision between her and her doctor. I realize that I’m leaving out those who identify and experience the world as women, but do not have a womb. And leaving out women who are infertile. This illustrates the difficulty of attempting to define the word.<br /><br /><b>QUESTION: What do you think Susan B. Anthony would think about the current state of American politics, especially since the The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear former President Trump's appeal of a judicial decision barring him from Colorado's Republican primary ballot in advance of the 2024 presidential election?</b><br /><br />SUSAN COLANTUONO: As you would guess from above, I'd say she’d be appalled. Misogyny (including disastrous media coverage) and Russian interference lost the election for Hillary Clinton in 2016. As a result, women's rights, voting rights, and democracy are all under siege.<br /><br />I follow the legal proceedings closely. It's not lost on me that the twice impeached, 91 times indicted former president is not arguing his innocence on the D.C. charges. His legal maneuvering is all about delaying the trial. The insurrectionist has no business being on the ballot in any state. Don't get me started on the ethics issues with SCOTUS.<br /><br /><b>QUESTION: I wrote a blog post introducing 15 people from history and the modern era who would be MY guests at an amazing dinner party. Who would you invite to YOUR dinner party? No limit to the number of seats at your table! </b><br /><br />(Read the full post at this link: <a href="https://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2022/06/my-amazing-dinner-party-of-15.html" target="_blank">https://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2022/06/my-amazing-dinner-party-of-15.html</a>)<br /><br />SUSAN COLANTUONO: I'm chuckling because my preference for introversion means I would never set a dinner table for 15 guests! So, for my more intimate dinners I would invite:<br /><br />Dinner 1 = 5 former F500 women CEOs including: Anne Mulcahy (Xerox), Indra Nooyi (PepsiCo), Ursula Burns (Xerox), Andrea Jung (Avon), and Denise Morrison (Campbell Soup).<br /><br />Dinner 2 = 5 global business thought leaders: Ram Charan, Renee Mauborgne, Henry Mintzberg, Rita McGrath, and Daniela Amodei.<br /><br />Dinner 3 = 5 historical women: Boudicca, Joan of Arc, Barbara Jordan, Sojourner Truth, and Ruth Bader Ginsberg.<br /><br />I get chills just thinking about sharing a table with these 15 amazing people.<br /><br /><b>QUESTION: When I was in graduate school in the mid-1990’s, one of my tenured professors said to the class, "Women don’t belong in grad school. They belong at home in the kitchen." How would you have responded?</b><br /><br />SUSAN COLANTUONO: If I were as quick on my feet as U.S. Congresswoman Bella Abzug, I'd have replied, "Yes, women do belong in the House...and also in the Senate" - not to mention in grad school as faculty and heading up graduate programs.<br /><br />But, alas, I'm not, so I probably would have just stammered something like, "That’s your biased and unfounded opinion, and I'm not the first to prove you wrong."<br /><br /><b>QUESTION: Marilyn Loden coined the term "glass ceiling" when speaking on a panel at the 1978 Women’s Exposition in New York City. According to the Washington Post, “When her turn came to speak, she thought about how she had been tasked at her company to explore why more women weren’t entering management positions. She had gathered enough data that she felt confident that the problem extended beyond what her colleagues were wearing or saying. Loden explained, ‘It seemed to me there was an invisible barrier to advancement that people didn’t recognize, a glass ceiling.’” While it’s been more than 40 years, the problem persists. Many well-known women have used the term including Hillary Clinton, Madeleine Albright, Aretha Franklin, and Oprah Winfrey. How do you think women can shatter the "glass ceiling?"</b><br /><br />SUSAN COLANTUONO: Let me be provocative here. Women can't shatter the "glass ceiling." But we CAN be prepared to capitalize on opportunities to rise above it and then change the dynamics that create it. But until we're above it, we can't shatter it. Managers (mostly men) create the glass ceiling, and we do women a disservice by calling on us to shatter it.<br /><br />The conversation on women's advancement needs to put greater pressure on managers to end the formal and informal policies, practices and procedures that create barriers to women's advancement. It needs to shift to put pressure on managers to change their mindsets about women and men, leadership, and careers that disadvantage women and advantage men.<br /><br />We need to continue to prepare women to prepare for, ask for, and accept opportunities. We especially need to foster the acquisition of business, financial, and strategic acumen so more women are seen as "partners in the business" and viable candidates for advancement.<br /><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">SHARE THIS: Managers (mostly men) create the glass ceiling, and we do women a disservice by calling on us to shatter it. ~Susan Colantuono #DebbieLaskeysBlog</span></h3><p><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: #fce5cd;">SHARE THIS: We need to continue to prepare women to prepare for, ask for, and accept opportunities. ~Susan Colantuono #DebbieLaskeysBlog</span></h3><p><br /><b>QUESTION: Erika Andersen, a leadership expert and author, wrote, "Great leaders don't do it alone...they get help." What does this quote mean to you?</b><br /><br />SUSAN COLANTUONO: For women, asking for help is a double-edged sword. Some managers will see it as an indication of ineptitude (see mindsets above). So we often have to be careful how we ask. I advise women to make Courageous ASKs - requests that are straightforward and made from a position of strength.<br /><br />That said, every successful man or woman has gotten where they are because other people helped them. The former CEO of Coke, Muhtar Kent, once said at a conference that "asking for help" was a success factor in his career. Anne Mulcahy as CEO of Xerox asked for help with financial acumen from someone in her Finance department.<br /><br />Whether we lead as individual contributors, first line supervisors/team leads, managers at whatever level, or executives - none of us can do it alone and be successful!<br /><br />My profound thanks to Susan for returning to my blog and sharing her inspiring thoughts!<br /><br /><br />Image Credit: Hudson Hintze via Unsplash.<br /><br /><br />Check out previous appearances by Susan here on my blog:<br /><br />Why Mentorship Is Important (July 2023)<br /><a href="https://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2023/07/why-mentorship-is-important.html" target="_blank">https://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2023/07/why-mentorship-is-important.html</a><br /><br />Do You Use Your Voice to Lift Up Women Leaders? (December 2022)<br /><a href="https://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2022/12/do-you-use-your-voice-to-lift-up-women.html" target="_blank">https://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2022/12/do-you-use-your-voice-to-lift-up-women.html</a><br /><br />As We Celebrate 1920, Work Remains to See More Women in Top Leadership Roles (August 2021)<br /><a href="https://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2021/08/as-we-celebrate-1920-work-remains-to.html" target="_blank">https://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2021/08/as-we-celebrate-1920-work-remains-to.html<br /></a><br />Connect with Susan at these links:<br />Website: <a href="https://bebusinesssavvy.com" target="_blank">https://bebusinesssavvy.com</a><br />Website: <a href="https://leadtosoar.network/landing" target="_blank">https://leadtosoar.network/landing</a><br />LinkedIn: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/susancolantuono/" target="_blank">https://www.linkedin.com/in/susancolantuono/</a><br /><br />Here's the link to Susan's TED talk:<br />"The Career Advice You Probably Didn't Get"<br /><a href="https://www.ted.com/talks/susan_colantuono_the_career_advice_you_probably_didn_t_get" target="_blank">https://www.ted.com/talks/susan_colantuono_the_career_advice_you_probably_didn_t_get</a><br /><br />And the Transcript:<br /><a href="https://www.ted.com/talks/susan_colantuono_the_career_advice_you_probably_didn_t_get/transcript" target="_blank">https://www.ted.com/talks/susan_colantuono_the_career_advice_you_probably_didn_t_get/transcript</a></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p><br /></p>DebbieLaskeyMBAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04110969252778614500noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-281451931372336430.post-22769703232334023362024-03-01T09:00:00.000-08:002024-03-01T09:00:00.258-08:00Are You the Type of Leader Who Speaks Last?<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQH5lNoRKKHQRPviSt_SSUuL8IwvhQAx660KTv85IpFqvOZSa8QnYuixSHRXymxNn3b7dF0m-njCjTBhV6ZzGAWYcTWduHtuTrvdJ9MRji1oBddwW5dTyL8RllP59Hcy7Ll3xnI9bEc7gYH03cCtlLtjYCySJsQnf5L18oorlbjXGP154ZUDeDn5xF5wI/s742/3%20-%20Q&A%20with%20Hortense%20image%20-%203-1-2024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="742" data-original-width="630" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQH5lNoRKKHQRPviSt_SSUuL8IwvhQAx660KTv85IpFqvOZSa8QnYuixSHRXymxNn3b7dF0m-njCjTBhV6ZzGAWYcTWduHtuTrvdJ9MRji1oBddwW5dTyL8RllP59Hcy7Ll3xnI9bEc7gYH03cCtlLtjYCySJsQnf5L18oorlbjXGP154ZUDeDn5xF5wI/s320/3%20-%20Q&A%20with%20Hortense%20image%20-%203-1-2024.jpg" width="272" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">If you’re not familiar with the name Hortense le Gentil, get ready to be inspired by some valuable leadership take-aways. She stands out wherever she appears in the digital landscape, whether as a guest writer, her own website, or on Twitter/X (where we met) - and now, here on my blog. Recently, Hortense and I had a discussion about leadership, and highlights follow a brief introduction.<br /><br />Hortense le Gentil is a world-renowned executive leadership coach, speaker, and author. Her coaching work focuses on CEOs and senior executives on their journey from hero leaders to human leaders. She is the author of the widely acclaimed book Aligned, and recently released her latest book entitled, The Unlocked Leader: Dare to Free Your Own Voice, Lead With Empathy, and Shine Your Light in the World. Le Gentil’s thought leadership is informed by 30 years in business, working across industries including media consulting and advertising, and as an entrepreneur. Her thought-leadership has been featured in Harvard Business Review, Forbes, Fast Company, Inc., Business Insider, and ThriveGlobal.com. Le Gentil grew up in France, where she was a competitive show jumper during her youth.<br /><br /><b>QUESTION: You included an inspirational quote in an article for Fast Company: "The most effective human leaders are those who have successfully re-positioned their role from quarterback to coach. Their job is no longer to handle the ball and score points; it is to inspire and support the players to give the best of themselves and make sure they play as a team so together they can score points. In other words, leading requires different attributes and behaviors than managing." Can you please elaborate as to how this plays out in office scenarios where office politics, silos, and big egos exist.</b><br /><br />(Read full article here: “Why leaders should always speak last” at <a href="https://www.fastcompany.com/90965196/why-leaders-should-always-listen-first-and-speak-last" target="_blank">https://www.fastcompany.com/90965196/why-leaders-should-always-listen-first-and-speak-last</a>)<br /><br />HORTENSE LE GENTIL: It's a profound shift from being a "doer" to a "facilitator." In the throes of office politics and strong egos, it's the leader's duty to create an empowering atmosphere where each person feels safe to express themselves and knows that their contributions are valued and heard. This requires a leader to adopt new tools and skills. A clear vision is paramount — as the captain of the ship, you must communicate this vision to your team. You must become adept at listening and understanding – speak less, and when you do, speak last to ensure everyone's voice is heard. Leadership is about understanding what drives you and your team. Be like a real-life Ted Lasso! This is not just a change of actions but a transformation of mindset.<br /><br /></span></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">SHARE THIS: As a leader, speak last to ensure everyone's voice is heard. ~@hortenseleg #LeadershipTip #DebbieLaskeysBlog</span><br /></h3><p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br /><b>QUESTION: Your book is entitled, THE UNLOCKED LEADER. What are three take-aways you hope every reader has?</b><br />HORTENSE LE GENTIL: I hope readers will embrace three key takeaways: first, that being a human leader requires immense courage — it's not a sign of weakness but of strength. Second, I want readers to be able to identify the mindtraps that are holding them back, the places where they're stuck. And finally, the goal is to initiate a mindshift, a change in mindset that opens the door to self-discovery and allows people to begin writing their own story in their own authentic voice.<br /><br /><b>QUESTION: You describe your mission as "helping executives on their journeys from hero leaders to human leaders." Those can be very different types of individuals. What are some of your secrets?</b><br />HORTENSE LE GENTIL: My work guiding executives from hero leaders to human leaders is rooted in empathy. I listen intently, strive to understand their challenges, and help them confront their fears without any judgment. My role is to accompany them on their journey, providing a space where they can be vulnerable, and discover their own authentic leadership style.<br /><br /><b>QUESTION: You are originally from France, and my summer internship during graduate school was in the Consumer Marketing Department at Disneyland Paris. How are corporate cultures different in France (from the United States); and how are leaders different in the two countries?</b><br />HORTENSE LE GENTIL: I hesitate to generalize, however, I've observed that France, with its rich history, tends to be more anchored in the past than corporate culture in the United States. The U.S., with its diverse immigrant heritage, generally exhibits more openness to reinvention. While it's an oversimplification, French leaders tend to lean toward a more traditional "hero" leadership style, whereas. in the United States, there's a greater embrace of "human" leadership approaches. Of course, both countries have a mix of both styles!<br /><br /><b>QUESTION: Which three leaders from business or history inspire you, and why?</b><br />HORTENSE LE GENTIL: The leaders who inspire me include Gandhi, for his inspiring story of abandoning a life of comfort and embarking on a journey to deeply understanding the heart of his country before leading it to change. In terms of business leaders, I find two particularly inspiring: Satya Nadella, for his humility and ability to transform the culture of Microsoft informed by personal experiences; and John Donohoe, who exemplifies resilience and empathy, creating a narrative of success through collaboration. Each of these leaders showcases the power of human leadership to inspire and enact meaningful change.<br /><br />My gratitude and appreciation to Hortense for appearing on my Blog and for sharing her inspiring leadership insights.<br /><br />Image Credit: WordSwag and Hortense le Gentil.<br /><br /><br />Connect with Hortense at these links:<br />Website: <a href="https://www.hortenselegentil.com" target="_blank">https://www.hortenselegentil.com</a><br />The Unlocked Leader Book: <a href="https://www.hortenselegentil.com/theunlockedleader" target="_blank">https://www.hortenselegentil.com/theunlockedleader</a><br />LinkedIn: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/hortenselegentil" target="_blank">https://www.linkedin.com/in/hortenselegentil</a><br />Twitter/X: <a href="https://twitter.com/hortenseleg" target="_blank">https://twitter.com/hortenseleg</a><br />Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/hortenselegentil/" target="_blank">https://www.instagram.com/hortenselegentil/</a><br />Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/hortenselg/" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/hortenselg/</a></span></p>DebbieLaskeyMBAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04110969252778614500noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-281451931372336430.post-5204815276466827902024-02-29T09:00:00.000-08:002024-02-29T09:00:00.133-08:00Does Your Brand Celebrate Leap Year?<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirEAuEtBhYAG2AqgHtGlZthmPg2FcAXjFHsKHkN9mFB95t5zrLLsbCO3rLGCoZnFCu_Id5lIx4H8y1hMZ4uBaIxE5wGhqLKk0KjYPw8elWxA6pee0XrdaapEiVLdShd-UjZPjorGMpmwdA0pP3DLgX_VavqLOix-KCr24sJHKQHG3ujrjH_sv-lhKOaVI/s616/2%20-%20leap%20year%20-%202-29-2024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="616" data-original-width="538" height="340" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirEAuEtBhYAG2AqgHtGlZthmPg2FcAXjFHsKHkN9mFB95t5zrLLsbCO3rLGCoZnFCu_Id5lIx4H8y1hMZ4uBaIxE5wGhqLKk0KjYPw8elWxA6pee0XrdaapEiVLdShd-UjZPjorGMpmwdA0pP3DLgX_VavqLOix-KCr24sJHKQHG3ujrjH_sv-lhKOaVI/w296-h340/2%20-%20leap%20year%20-%202-29-2024.jpg" width="296" /></a></div><p></p><p>The rarity of February 29, also known as Leap Day causing the year to be referred to as a Leap Year, appears on the calendar every four years and has long inspired marketers to get creative.<br /><br />But first, a little history about the day. According to PieceofCakeMarketing, "The tradition of adding an extra day to the calendar during leap years, specifically on February 29th, has its origins in Roman superstitions. It was considered an inauspicious day for many activities. Some Romans believed that it was a day of bad luck, which led to the tradition of avoiding major events, such as, marriages and business transactions on that day. Today, Leap Day serves the practical purpose of keeping our calendar in sync with the Earth’s orbit."<br /><br />Here are some promotional themes for your brand to use on Leap Day:<br /><br />(1) Leap Day happens once every four years, so use "once every four years" messaging<br /><br />(2) February 29 is an "extra day" in the month, so customers can take advantage of "extra" savings<br /><br />(3) Since Leap Day is the 29th day of February, promote a product or service at the $29 price point or offer $29 off a regular price; offer free shipping with a minimum of $29 spent; highlight products or services with "29" in their prices (e.g., $299, $2,900, etc.), or if appropriate, promote a "buy one and get two for $29"<br /><br />(4) Add the concept of "leaping" into your brand messaging, e.g., "leap into" the spring fashion collection, garden accessories, etc.<br /><br />(5) Because of the association between Leap Day and frogs (hence the term "leap"), incorporate a leaping frog into your marketing promotions<br /><br />(6) Add a new hashtag to your marketing, e.g., #LeapDay2024<br /><br />(7) Offer ridiculous promotions for your lucky customers with birthdays on February 29th - the chance of someone having this rare, once-every-four-years birthday is only 1 in 1,461<br /><br />(8) Make a difference/Pay it forward: In some cultures, it is considered a tradition to perform acts of charity or kindness on Leap Day. People might make an extra effort to help those in need, donate to charity, or engage in random acts of kindness. Perhaps, your leadership team might close the office early in order to do volunteer work.<br /><br />Who are some brands with Leap Day promotions this year?<br /><br />The Seattle Kraken hockey team will play the Pittsburgh Penguins in a special "Leap Year Night" presented by Pitchbook on February 29.<br /><br />Jeremiah's Italian Ice, the premiere frozen dessert brand based in Orlando, Florida, is "hopping" back through time during February with its new Leap Back campaign, designed to celebrate the brand's journey over the past three decades by giving back to its guests. The brand's first-ever Leap Back campaign includes a full month of promotions for J-List loyalty members, culminating in a Leap Day celebration at all locations, with throwback pricing of $0.96 treats all day long for J-List members to honor the year it all began: 1996 (another Leap Year).<br /><br />Home Run Inn, Chicago's very own thin crust pizza, announced a National Pizza Day offer for those with a Leap Year Birthday of February 29th. To mark the holiday, Home Run Inn will give away FREE pizza for a year, to the first 29 leap year babies whose birthday is on February 29. To redeem the offer, the first 29 customers must present a valid ID showing their birthdate as February 29 to Home Run Inn's Instagram page (https://www.instagram.com/homeruninn/) by 11:59PM CST on February 29th to receive 12 frozen classic crust pizzas on the house. This offer is valid from February 9 through February 29, 2024.<br /><br /><b><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Who could forget what Zappos did to celebrate Leap Day in 2016?</span></b><br /><br />Zappos asked fans and customers to sign the petition to make Leap Day a national holiday. According to Digiday, Zappos gave "all of its employees a paid day off in hopes of inspiring employees and consumers to #TakeTheLeap and use it to do something they’ve always wanted to do."<br /><br /><b><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">And who could forget what Krispy Kreme did to celebrate Leap Day in 2020?</span></b><br /><br />According to FoxNews, "Krispy Kreme announced its new nationwide delivery program to launch on February 29 with partner DoorDash to facilitate delivery from nearly all of its 350-plus U.S. locations, to folks within 10 miles of a doughnut shop. And because this promotion launches on Leap Day, Krispy Kreme is planning to send special deliveries to hospitals' maternity wards within the delivery range. To receive the doughnuts, families or staffers at those hospitals are required to share news of their Leap-Day deliveries, using hashtag #KrispyKremeSpecialDelivery and tagging @KrispyKreme on Twitter and Instagram."<br /><br />Dave Skena, Chief Marketing Officer of Krispy Kreme, explained, "Krispy Kreme doughnut delivery is pretty sweet, and so are Leap Day babies. Using 2020’s extra day to make the leap to national delivery, while celebrating Leap Day babies, will be a fun moment for our brand and fans."<br /><br />Some final words from PieceofCakeMarketing, "February 29th provides a golden opportunity to think creatively and connect your product or service with the spirit of leap day. With thoughtful planning and execution, your campaigns can earn valuable media coverage, drive user engagement, and foster brand loyalty."<br /><br />So what will your brand do to leap apart from the competition on Leap Day?</p><p><b><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">SHARE THIS: February 29 provides a golden opportunity to think creatively and
connect your product or service with the spirit of #LeapDay. ~@POCakeMarketing #DebbieLaskeysBlog</span></b><br /><br /><br />Image Credit: Home Run Inn and Jeremiah's Italian Ice.</p>DebbieLaskeyMBAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04110969252778614500noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-281451931372336430.post-33055638968386100462024-02-28T09:00:00.000-08:002024-02-28T09:00:00.144-08:00Recent Marketing News: Product Launches, Banking, Social Media and More<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5EdKfbl6bQ-OqP5_3N5c-ftxtHje-CSgSHM0GhN2YgJX5rOYVWElfhyphenhyphen7qu7DFVcGit8wiqVNZY62fWUscQ1PpUsrZ8W92GpUj8Fbt-Ka3l0yt9Sw2EAycSr_JrIoTTObs8IhxnXzScRHUw8ifPX_6KgHmFepJWu7pLezuAw60HFTKah71j7XRrm8Ouak/s536/2%20-%20Marketing%20News%20of%20past%20few%20weeks%20-%202-28-2024.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="342" data-original-width="536" height="204" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5EdKfbl6bQ-OqP5_3N5c-ftxtHje-CSgSHM0GhN2YgJX5rOYVWElfhyphenhyphen7qu7DFVcGit8wiqVNZY62fWUscQ1PpUsrZ8W92GpUj8Fbt-Ka3l0yt9Sw2EAycSr_JrIoTTObs8IhxnXzScRHUw8ifPX_6KgHmFepJWu7pLezuAw60HFTKah71j7XRrm8Ouak/s320/2%20-%20Marketing%20News%20of%20past%20few%20weeks%20-%202-28-2024.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>During the past few weeks, there were news stories that reflected new product launches, personal branding, corporate sponsorship, and more.<br /><br /><b><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">TIGER WOODS NEW BRAND ANNOUNCEMENT</span></b><br />Remember the marketing news discussed here on this blog back on January 22nd? I wrote, "Golf legend Tiger Woods and Nike ended their advertising partnership that began in 1996. According to Tiger, "Over 27 years ago, I was fortunate to start a partnership with one of the most iconic brands in the world. The days since have been filled with so many amazing moments and memories...Phil Knight's passion and vision brought this Nike and Nike Golf partnership together, and I wanted to personally thank him." I asked, "Does this mean that another co-branding and advertising partnership is on the horizon?"<br /><br />Well, less than two months later, here's the announcement according to GolfWeek: "The worst-kept secret in golf was officially unveiled: Tiger Woods and TaylorMade have partnered to launch a new premium active-lifestyle apparel and footwear brand. According to TaylorMade CEO David Abeles, "This was not an endorsement, but instead, a full-blown, unequivocal partnership with Tiger...We're going to sunrise a brand, Sun Day Red, as a standalone business."<br /><br /><b><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">COCA-COLA'S NEW FLAVOR</span></b><br />Coca-Cola has launched its newest flavor, Coca-Cola Spiced, to cater to tastes changing along with America's demographics. The company explained that the new Spiced flavor blends the traditional Coke flavor with raspberry and spiced flavors. It will be available both in full sugar and zero-sugar varieties as well as in both cans and bottles. According to Coke's VP of Marketing for North America, Sue Lynne Cha, "Spiced was selected because it's all about being responsive to our consumer preferences. Consumers are looking for more bold flavors and more complex flavor profiles. That's a trend we started to see in food, but also in beverage, and we thought that was a unique space for us to play in."<br /><br /><b><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">POP TARTS</span></b><br />William "Bill" Post recently passed away, and while you may not recognize his name, you will definitely recognize his claim to fame: He was credited with inventing the beloved Pop Tart breakfast treat. He was one of seven children born to Dutch immigrants in Michigan, and at the age of 16, he went to work at the Hekman Biscuit Company. After serving in the military during World War II, he returned to Hekman and worked in various divisions of the business. After 20 years, he was plant manager of Hekman, later known as the Keebler Company, and he invented the concept of "a shelf-stable toaster pastry" that was brought to market in the span of four short months. Pop Tarts made their debut in 1964 with four original flavors: strawberry, blueberry, brown sugar cinnamon, and apple-currant; and today, 60 years later, there are between 20-30 flavors at any time with new flavors constantly in development.<br /><b><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">STARBUCKS PARTNERS WITH BANK OF AMERICA</span></b><br />Starbucks customers who use a Bank of America card will now get additional cash back for their purchases as part of a new partnership between the two companies. However, in order to be eligible for rewards and cash back, a customer must be a member of the Starbucks Rewards program and either use Bank of America online banking or Bank of America Mobile Banking.<br /><br /><b><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">CAPITAL ONE'S PURCHASE OF DISCOVER</span></b><br />Capital One announced that it will acquire Discover Financial Services for $35.5 billion in an all-stock deal; and the deal will close in late 2024 or early 2025. Discover is considerably smaller than the other three major credit card networks in the United States: Visa, MasterCard, and American Express. But with the acquisition of Discover, Capital One will have a major leg up against competing credit card-issuing banks, such as, JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, and Citigroup.<br /><br /><b><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">CHICAGO CUBS' SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN</span></b><br />According to the Daily Mail, "The Chicago Cubs were forced to rapidly change their marketing campaign ahead of the new MLB season after fans claimed its slogan resembled an X-rated term. Four days before their spring-training schedule begins, the Cubs released a promo video on their social-media pages to build anticipation for the 2024 season. However, fans were quick to poke fun at the team for using the hashtag: 'YouHaveToCIt'. What seemed a clever marketing tweak to the phrase 'you have to see it' quickly backfired as several users on X (formerly Twitter) pointed out the rude meaning it could have if read as an unfortunate typo. And after realizing their error, the Cubs later edited their post to include a new hashtag of 'YouHaveToSeeIt'."<br /></p><p></p><p></p><p><b><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL UNIFORMS</span></b><br />When you watch a professional baseball game, do you pay attention to the uniforms? Most of the time, the home team wears white. Other teams, such as the Colorado Rockies, have four different uniform color choices. For the 2024 season, Major League Baseball hired Nike to design new uniforms, and they are being manufactured by Fanatics. However, many players are complaining about the poor quality, the smaller letters and numbers on the jerseys, and the fact that the pants are see-through!<br /><br />According to MLB officials, “The new uniforms improve mobility by providing 25 percent more stretch and will also dry 28 percent faster. The lettering, sleeve emblems, and numbering are less bulky in an attempt to make uniforms more breathable and comfortable.” Players and fans hope improvements are made before Opening Day so that the everyone can focus on the brand (baseball games) versus product packaging (the uniforms).<br /><br /><b><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">EIFFEL TOWER STRIKE</span></b><br />Strikes can impact local economies, and more so, if the people who go on strike work at a tourist attraction. The Eiffel Tower in Paris welcomes nearly 7 million visitors each year and is the defining image of the French capital and the “city of lights” brand. So how can workers who maintain the Eiffel Tower go on strike? Eiffel Tower employees went on strike for six days and demanded changes to the landmark’s business model and better maintenance of the structure, which is showing widespread traces of rust. Since the Paris Olympics are set to begin in July, the 135-year-old attraction will feature prominently (in tourist visits as well as in all forms of media coverage).<br /><br /><b><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">TWITTER REBRANDED – OR DID IT?</span></b><br />How valuable is a name? If you’re a well-known international brand, there is incredible equity, association, and positioning resulting from a brand’s name – think of Disney, Nike, Coca-Cola, to name a few. But in the case of X, other than Elon Musk, who will admit to calling the social platform X? The reality is that most of us refer to the social platform as “X, formerly known as Twitter.” This is certainly not what Musk envisioned when he changed the name in July 2023 and rebranded the platform – especially since the URL continues to be twitter.com and even x.com redirects to the original link. According to Wikipedia, “A few days after the rebrand took effect, an AP Stylebook update recommended that journalists refer to the platform as “X, formerly known as Twitter;” and in September 2023, The Harris Poll noted that the rebranding had not publicly caught on, with the majority of users as well as notable brands still referring to X as Twitter.”<br /><br />According to CNN Business, “Twitter pervaded every part of online life and popular culture. In 2011, the phrase “tweet” was added to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, and “retweet” was added to the Concise Oxford English Dictionary in the same year.” According to Ramon Jimenez, Global Principal at brand consultancy Wolff Olins, “Twitter became one of the few companies with a product experience so unique that its brand name has become synonymous with a behavior. We tweet, we Google, and so on.” <br /><br /><b><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">SUPER BOWL VIEWERSHIP</span></b><br />And, did you hear that an estimated 123.4 million people watched Super Bowl 58 on February 11, 2024, across all platforms? That number was the most-watched American television broadcast in a generation, so large, in fact, that it approached the all-time most-watched television broadcast in the United States set in 1969, when an estimated 125 to 150 million viewers watched the Apollo 11 moon landing, according to ABC News.<br /><br />Of course, we could chalk up the reason for the high viewership to the ads - even though the football game was probably the most exciting of all Super Bowls, since the winner was decided in the final seconds of OVERTIME. But again, there were those $7 million ads!<br /><br />What other recent marketing buzz caught your attention? There's always something happening that impacts marketing, so tune in to #DebbieLaskeysBlog for the scoop!<br /><br /><br />Image Credits: Tiger Woods/TaylorMade, Coca-Cola, and Pop Tarts.</p>DebbieLaskeyMBAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04110969252778614500noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-281451931372336430.post-87147906418381420722024-02-26T09:00:00.000-08:002024-02-26T09:00:00.248-08:00Celebrating Post Number 600 on #DebbieLaskeysBlog!<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkjh4c6E9izsu2XNq-gxW8zn71laJRpYd2_MMeOlvqaTBLshlfcTh3tpLFLi_RXVH-TWxSttxIkYb0id4uRVFcV9RsDfl_u5c-p0ABMPvXvXG9ydaKSUUJlRf74na1Z1W-kmb9cYOtnvEL8D-d0Gz2Lok52HtgNKxiIBalKYAxd91aMMyudN1h8a1n3KU/s714/600%20-%20number%20600%20blog%20post%20%20image.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="606" data-original-width="714" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkjh4c6E9izsu2XNq-gxW8zn71laJRpYd2_MMeOlvqaTBLshlfcTh3tpLFLi_RXVH-TWxSttxIkYb0id4uRVFcV9RsDfl_u5c-p0ABMPvXvXG9ydaKSUUJlRf74na1Z1W-kmb9cYOtnvEL8D-d0Gz2Lok52HtgNKxiIBalKYAxd91aMMyudN1h8a1n3KU/s320/600%20-%20number%20600%20blog%20post%20%20image.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>I have enjoyed writing blog posts and sharing my commentary about marketing and leadership for many years, since 2009 to be exact. Post number 500 was written and published with no trumpets blaring and no big celebration - however, not 600. For post number 600, I've decided to share a recap of my favorite topics, posts, and guest experts. So find a comfortable chair and join me on a journey down memory lane.<br /><br />My first post was published on October 9, 2009, and was entitled, "GM Hired a Woman to Lead US Sales - Yes, a Woman." I vividly recall my discussion with my company's web designer at the time as we discussed this exciting announcement. He suggested that, if I felt strongly about the news, I should start a blog to share my commentary. I did, and my blog is going strong nearly 15 years and 600 posts later.<br /><br />As the URL evolved into the name of the blog, Debbie Laskey's Blog, it was time for a hashtag to also appear, thus, the creation of #DebbieLaskeysBlog in August 2021. It has since accompanied all posts on Twitter/X, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Threads, and Mastodon. <br /><br />As I wrote in November 2009, "Should You Blog? Blogs have been around since the early 1990’s, but should you have one? If you answer YES, then find your voice. If you are an individual, write as you speak and share your expertise. If a company, determine your company’s voice and make sure that the senior management team approves. Second, develop a timeline for updating your Blog. Daily may be too much work – weekly or monthly may be better options. Third, create a strategy for content. Decide on key themes or topics. Future topics will be derived from visitor feedback, and research industry-specific venues for additional ideas. Now, start blogging!"<br /><br />Some memorable posts include the following about brand identity, brand strategy, personal branding, leadership tips, and brand promotions:<br /> <br />*April 2016: When Creating a Product Name, ONE WORD Can Make a Difference <br />*October 2016: Three Branding Lessons from Binge Watching<br />*November 2016: Five #LeadershipTips from the 2016 Presidential Election<br />*November 2016: Six Branding Tips from the LA Auto Show<br />*February 2020: What's Your Favorite Valentine's Day Brand?<br />*April 2020: What's Your Favorite Easter Brand? <br />*April 2021: Does Your Brand Recognize April Fool’s Day?<br />*November 2022: What Brand Stands Out on Thanksgiving?<br />*December 2022: What Are Your Favorite Holiday Ads? <br />*December 2022: Five Personal Branding Lessons from Santa <br />*December 2022: What's Your Favorite Brand the Day After Christmas? <br />*December 2022: What Are the Most Famous Brands on December 31st and January 1st? <br />*April 2023: Don't Fool Your Customers TOO Much on April Fools' Day <br />*December 2023: Happy #NationalChampagneDay <br />*January 2024: "Top 10" New Year's Resolutions for Leaders <br /><br />Beginning in December 2022, I created a weekly series called "Marketing News of the Week." From the health scare of Buffalo Bills Damar Hamlin and the amazing amount of donations to redesigned products promoting the Lunar New Year, these posts provided explanations as to how mainstream news impacted marketing. While intended to be a weekly series, these posts sometimes appear a couple of times a month.<br /><br />As a lifelong fan of reading who has shared a myriad of book reviews on my blog, during the fall of 2023, I created a series called the "Fall Back to Reading Series" and invited 30 leadership, marketing, and customer experience experts to answer the same questions ranging from the three business books that made the biggest impact on their careers to their favorite authors to creative names for a nonprofit to promote reading to children and young adults. Series highlights appeared on my blog on January 31, 2024.<br /><br />Each year while watching the Super Bowl, I also watched the ads, also referred to as the #AdBowl and the #BrandBowl. I sometimes annoyed family and friends because I took notes during the ads and asked my fellow game watchers to quiet down during the ads - not something easily accomplished during the year's most important football game. And then, the following Monday, while football experts played "Monday Morning Quarterbacking" about the game's highs and lows, I always posted my recap of the best (and sometimes worst) ads. To date, I've written 12 of these posts. <br /><br />As a marketing pro, without a doubt, my favorite series has been my annual "Top 10 Marketing Highlights" posts. They were written with a nod to David Letterman for the format and appeared on the first day of each year. To date, I've written 14 of these posts.<br /><br />Starting in 2022, I created an annual series called "(year) Was the Year of #BrandIdentity Changes." In this annual recap published in January, I provided details of interesting brands that either rebranded, changed their logo, changed their name, co-branded, formed an interesting partnership, created a unique hashtag to match a campaign, changed iconic packaging, or in some other way made branding news during the year. So far, I've written two of these posts.<br /><br />Also starting in 2022, I created an annual series called "Words and Terms that Told the Story of (year)." In this annual recap published in January, I shared key words that appeared again and again in news broadcasts as well as the most searched term on Google. So far, I've written two of these posts.<br /><br />Also started in 2022, I created an annual series called "Notable Deaths in (year) and Some Personal Branding Tips." In this annual recap published in January, I shared a list of individuals who passed away the previous year and why they inspired me. So far, I've written two of these posts.<br /><br />Also starting in 2022, I created an annual series called "Barbie Made News in (year)." In this annual recap published in January, I provided details of the Barbie dolls released by Mattel during the year to celebrate important women and their accomplishments. Of course, during 2023, the blockbuster film made news. So far, I've written two of these posts.</p><p>From February 2013 through June 2014, I served as a writer for the "IBM Midsize Insider Program," and many of my posts during that time were written about marketing and social media put into perspective for midsize businesses. Those specific posts appeared first on IBM’s website, and once live, they then appeared on my blog.</p><p>Over the years, my blog has received some much-appreciated recognition. As a result of my posts, I was invited to be a "Featured Contributor" to Business2Community.com, and I wrote unique posts specifically for that online community. In addition, my blog was included in the BRANDING category in James Strock's SERVE TO LEAD BLOGS LIST in 2021 and also in the Center for Management & Organization Effectiveness TOP LEADERSHIP BLOG LIST in 2014.<br /><br />Lastly, 18 experts (authors/speakers/coaches) graciously appeared on my blog in Q&A formats several times. I'd like to give a BIG shout-out with applause to them now: Erika Andersen, Melanie Bell, Julia Carcamo, Susan Colantuono, Doug Dickerson, Amy Diehl, Kevin Eikenberry, Joni M. Fisher, Lee Goldberg, Mark Herbert, Rebecca Herold, Shep Hyken, Eric Jacobson, Jim Joseph, Michael McKinney, Katherine Spinney, James Strock, and Ron Thomas. These individuals have made a long-lasting impact on my blog and on me, and for that, I am incredibly grateful.<br /><br />Writers often talk about writer's block or looking at a blank piece of paper with a big question mark. But this recap has shown that when you view the world through "marketing-colored glasses," then writer's block is not an issue. There are just too many marketing-related topics to write about. I wish to thank you for joining me on this trip down memory lane and for continuing to read my posts. See you next time on #DebbieLaskeysBlog - for post #601 and beyond!<br /><br /><br />Image Credit: Debbie Laskey.<br /></p>DebbieLaskeyMBAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04110969252778614500noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-281451931372336430.post-56766296252363952662024-02-20T09:00:00.000-08:002024-02-20T09:00:00.447-08:00 Inspiring Tips to Celebrate #NationalLeadershipDay!<p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQe4PFRyTMYbhBMzbLmUrrlZ-6tq5qYd2uUVWqo2ojAr18CZ-LJhWGCJVfFIBPTwUVpNyb0PU7Sf96HH3p4BDImCoaZZivkOrp7WXKvqxAi72tgwkawj840ktnJCkwQFY8oUuAlkJA_CbocoiCVp3Ri2QddldRFjTG8z-otk4n3kTy_I_XmJd1W1SKXks/s1080/erika-andersen-quote.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQe4PFRyTMYbhBMzbLmUrrlZ-6tq5qYd2uUVWqo2ojAr18CZ-LJhWGCJVfFIBPTwUVpNyb0PU7Sf96HH3p4BDImCoaZZivkOrp7WXKvqxAi72tgwkawj840ktnJCkwQFY8oUuAlkJA_CbocoiCVp3Ri2QddldRFjTG8z-otk4n3kTy_I_XmJd1W1SKXks/s320/erika-andersen-quote.jpg" width="320" /></a> </p><p></p><p>Today, February 20, is National Leadership Day. According to National Day website, "The aim of National Leadership Day is to inculcate the values of leadership in each one of us. A good leader not only leads but inspires those around him/her/they to be the best versions of themselves. Anyone can be a leader — you just have to show up and encourage others to do the same...We know that an organization is only as good as its leaders, which means that having empathetic and just leaders at the top who lead by example creates an environment in which everyone is inspired to be their best."<br /><br />Therefore, today is an especially appropriate day for Erika Andersen to appear on my blog for a conversation about leadership. I’ve had the pleasure of knowing Erika for many years, and she first appeared in a Q&A on my blog in 2011. She is the founding partner of Proteus, where she and her colleagues support leaders at all levels to get ready and stay ready to meet the future. Erika advises senior executives and also shares her insights through her books, speaking engagements, and social media. In addition to her latest book, Change from the Inside Out, she is the author of four previous best-selling books: Be Bad First, Leading So People Will Follow, Being Strategic, and Growing Great Employees. Erika is also a popular leadership blogger at Forbes.com, and the creator and host of the Proteus Leader Show podcast.<br /><br /><b>QUESTION: One of your inspiring quotes is, "Great leaders don't do it alone...they get help." What are some tips for new leaders in order to embrace this concept of collaboration?</b><br />ERIKA ANDERSEN: One thing that gets in the way of collaboration for new leaders is that they’ve often been socialized to think that "Leaders should have all the answers." Allowing yourself to get curious as a new leader – about your team, their likes and dislikes, their skills – is a pretty gentle first step toward collaboration. For example, when you’re meeting with your folks, either individually or as a group, ask curious questions: "What should I know about you as a team?" or "What do you think are your/our most important strengths?" or "How can we best help each other succeed?"<br /><br />And how you respond is even more important than asking the questions. Listen carefully, and make sure you understand – either by asking clarifying questions, or by summarizing what you’ve heard to make sure you’ve got their main points. If you immediately dismiss or disagree with what you’ve heard, without considering it, that sends a strong message that you aren’t really interested in or open to what they have to say.<br /><br />After making sure you’ve understood, ask them how you might incorporate their insights and opinions into the work you’ll be doing together. For instance, if a team member says, "I think one of our biggest strengths is that we look for ways to overcome even difficult obstacles," you might respond, "How do you think we could use that strength in reaching our current goals?"<br /><br />Voila, you’re on the path to collaboration.<br /><br /><b>QUESTION: In a post you wrote for Linkedin, "This is the first time in history that four distinct generations are together in the workplace: Boomers, Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z." What are some insights to help everyone work together?</b><br /><br />[Post referenced: <br />What Planet Are You From? Five Ways To Get Along With People Who Aren't Like You<br /><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/erikaandersen/2015/05/06/what-planet-are-you-from-5-ways-to-get-along-with-people-who-arent-like-you/" target="_blank">https://www.forbes.com/sites/erikaandersen/2015/05/06/what-planet-are-you-from-5-ways-to-get-along-with-people-who-arent-like-you/</a>]<br /><br />ERIKA ANDERSEN: I think three of the five approaches I suggested in the article you’ve referenced are particularly helpful when working cross-generationally.<br /><br />First, realizing that other people are not you. It might sound silly, but when we’re dealing with people who have different assumptions or outlooks, we tend to filter their responses as though those people are us. In other words, that their responses mean the same thing as they would if we were saying or doing them. An example: a few years ago, I was coaching a Gen X executive, who was very irritated with an extremely smart and ambitious Millennial employee. He had asked her how he could become a vice president, and she was complaining to me about it.<br /><br />I asked, "Why do you think he was asking you that?"<br /><br />She responded, "Because he thinks he should get promoted right away, and that’s just ridiculous – he’s just been promoted to manager." <br /> <br />I then said, "Maybe that’s what you would have meant by that, if you’d asked the same question at his age. And I’m betting you never would have asked it." <br /><br />"Darn right," she grumbled.<br /><br />I proposed, "But what if he was asking something very different. Millennials are used to being able to get all the critical information they need online, and he may be frustrated about the lack of a clear path to get from where he is to where he wants to be. He may just be asking for that pathway."<br /><br />She acknowledged the possibility, and they went on to have a good conversation.<br /><br />Leveraging complementarity vs. similarity is also an important tool in working with other generations. For example, Boomer and Gen X bosses can take advantage of most Gen Z employees’ knowledge of and comfort with AI and other forms of technology, and work with those younger employees to figure out how to best incorporate those technological advances for better and faster results. <br /><br />Millennial managers - and now even newly-minted Gen Z managers – can leverage Boomer and Gen X team members’ experience and connections in an organization or an industry to smooth difficult negotiations and avoid unseen pitfalls. <br /><br />I’d encourage managers to do this "out loud," perhaps, by having a meeting where each person can share how they think the team could benefit from the strengths, skills, or knowledge they bring as a result of their age and the environment in which they grew up. <br /><br />I predict people will find out a lot of interesting and useful things about each other, and it will also help to promote the final approach: starting from neutral. Unfortunately, one of the most common responses to differences between generations is to assume that different means WORSE. This seems to have been happening for most of human history: witness this quote from Socrates: "The children now love luxury; they have bad manners, contempt for authority; they show disrespect for elders and love chatter in place of exercise."<br /><br />If you can make a habit of saying to yourself, "This person sees things differently than me – I want to find out more about why," instead of "This ____ (fill in the generational blank) is so wrong/bad/unprofessional," then you’ll be well on your way to figuring out how to work with great people of any age.<br /><br /><b>QUESTION: You wrote a post for Forbes comparing great leaders to movie heroes. Who are some recent movie heroes that demonstrate effective leadership?</b><br /><br />[Post referenced: <br />What Do Great Leaders And Movie Heroes Have In Common?<br /><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/erikaandersen/2015/07/20/what-do-great-leaders-and-movie-heroes-have-in-common/" target="_blank">https://www.forbes.com/sites/erikaandersen/2015/07/20/what-do-great-leaders-and-movie-heroes-have-in-common/</a>]<br /><br />ERIKA ANDERSEN: My husband and I rarely watch movies these days, but we do watch a lot of TV! There are so many really well-made shows these days, and we especially like good science fiction.<br /><br />One show we’ve been enjoying is Strange New Worlds, the most recent show in the Star Trek franchise. I’ve really been enjoying Captain Christopher Pike, as played by Anson Mount. One thing I’ve noticed is that Mount, in contrast to earlier versions of the show - particularly the original with William Shatner – is much more vulnerable. He lets his crew know when he’s struggling with a decision, and invites their input. He’s also much more likely to listen when a crew member who he respects disagrees with him.<br /><br />I find this heartening, because I believe that TV and movies tend to reflect the beliefs and mores of popular culture, and what this says to me is that we, as a culture, are generally starting to be open to more collaborative and egalitarian approaches to leadership (back to your initial question!) </p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: #fce5cd;">SHARE THIS: TV and movies tend to reflect the beliefs of popular culture, and what this says to me is that we, as a culture, are generally starting to be open to more collaborative and egalitarian approaches to leadership. ~@erikaandersen #Leadership #DebbieLaskeysBlog</span></h3><p><br /><b>QUESTION: What inspiring leadership books have you read recently?</b><br />ERIKA ANDERSEN: A wonderful book, and one that I’d recommend highly, is "Speaking While Female," a compilation of 75 largely unknown speeches by American women over the past four hundred years. It was compiled and published by Dana Rubin, a speaker, coach, and consultant who runs the Speaking While Female speech bank. The speeches are inspiring, riveting, insightful, thoughtful and unexpected, and the book is one step toward redressing the imbalance in what we are all taught about who are/were the important figures in American History.<br /><br /><b>QUESTION: Lastly and sadly, Associate Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor passed away in December 2023. How did she embody effective leadership to you?</b><br />ERIKA ANDERSEN: Justice O’Connor was so thoughtful. Even though she was considered primarily a conservative, she ended up being a swing vote because, often, based on her research into a case and its issues, would vote with the more liberal judges. <br /><br />As the first woman on the Supreme Court, she focused on demonstrating that a woman could be as effective as a man in that role, and although she didn’t draw attention to herself as a woman on a regular basis, she quietly and firmly stood up for herself when necessary. For example, two years after she joined the Court, The New York Times wrote an editorial that mentioned the "nine men" of the SCOTUS. She wrote a letter to the editor, reminding the newspaper that the Court was no longer composed only of men.<br /><br /><br />My gratitude to Erika for sharing her leadership insights to make us ALL better leaders!<br /><br />Image Credit: Debbie Laskey's design showcasing Erika Andersen's vision.<br /><br />Connect with Erika at these links:<br />Website: <a href="https://erikaandersen.com" target="_blank">https://erikaandersen.com</a><br />Website: <a href="https://www.proteus-international.com" target="_blank">https://www.proteus-international.com</a><br />Books: <a href="https://erikaandersen.com/books" target="_blank">https://erikaandersen.com/books</a><br /><br />Check out Erika’s previous appearances here on my blog:<br /><br />FALL BACK TO READING SERIES – Featuring Erika Andersen (October 2023)<br /><a href="https://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2023/10/fall-back-to-reading-series-featuring_01710409622.html">https://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2023/10/fall-back-to-reading-series-featuring_01710409622.html</a><br /><br />How Magic and Happiness Impact Leadership (April 2023)<br /><a href="https://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2023/04/how-magic-and-happiness-impact.html">https://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2023/04/how-magic-and-happiness-impact.html</a><br /><br />Tips to Become “Change-Capable (May 2022)<br /><a href="https://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2022/05/tips-to-become-change-capable.html">https://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2022/05/tips-to-become-change-capable.html<br /></a><br />Three Leadership Secrets: Build Consensus, Be Open to Challengers, and Delegate (May 2021)<br /><a href="https://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2021/05/3-leadership-secrets-build-consensus-be.html">https://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2021/05/3-leadership-secrets-build-consensus-be.html</a><br /><br />Review of: Leading So People Will Follow by Erika Andersen (October 2019)<br /><a href="https://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2019/10/fall-back-to-reading-with-12-thought.html">https://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2019/10/fall-back-to-reading-with-12-thought.html<br /></a><br />Leadership + Strategy = Amazing Employee Experience (November 2018)<br /><a href="https://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2018/11/leadership-strategy-amazing-employee.html">https://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2018/11/leadership-strategy-amazing-employee.html</a><br /><br />Review of: Be Bad First by Erika Andersen (October 2018)<br /><a href="https://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2018/10/fall-reading-recap-leadership-branding.html">https://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2018/10/fall-reading-recap-leadership-branding.html</a><br /><br />Are You the Type of Manager or Leader YOU Would Follow? (January 2014)<br /><a href="https://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2014/01/are-you-type-of-manager-or-leader-you.html">https://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2014/01/are-you-type-of-manager-or-leader-you.html</a><br /><br />Want to be Nicknamed Strategy Guru? (July 2011)<br /><a href="https://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2011/07/want-to-be-nicknamed-strategy-guru.htm">https://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2011/07/want-to-be-nicknamed-strategy-guru.htm</a><br /><br /></p>DebbieLaskeyMBAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04110969252778614500noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-281451931372336430.post-76525271979577235962024-02-15T09:00:00.000-08:002024-02-15T09:00:00.142-08:00My Favorite Marketing Terms<p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjak-qbDpXn9lLjtWYI1h3VzyIwGiWl6Lyimgn_3BHiJHGY62Cto4ZdBvE_QF1xKyvoh56YmXb0VyUjQizPcELC2LpLrLz9XM5nvFUQ8V5d6NQGOKQbhTUeMHT86u2ukHmzNb90Oo_SvLjhmp5WTj9d6wbDzsVO0iudtpMt0EHkJAWuuVdNQDV15GmjoBQ/s614/2-%20marketing%20terms%20-%202-15-2024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="614" data-original-width="536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjak-qbDpXn9lLjtWYI1h3VzyIwGiWl6Lyimgn_3BHiJHGY62Cto4ZdBvE_QF1xKyvoh56YmXb0VyUjQizPcELC2LpLrLz9XM5nvFUQ8V5d6NQGOKQbhTUeMHT86u2ukHmzNb90Oo_SvLjhmp5WTj9d6wbDzsVO0iudtpMt0EHkJAWuuVdNQDV15GmjoBQ/s320/2-%20marketing%20terms%20-%202-15-2024.jpg" width="279" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>While marketing may be a single bullet point in your regular leadership team meeting agenda, how much time does your team actually apply to marketing your products or services? With all the buzz surrounding social media, traditional marketing has taken a back seat, and that’s a shame.<br /><br />All types of business – whether B2B, B2C, or non-profit – should spend the time and effort to understand all elements that fall within the marketing pie, and one important piece of the marketing pie includes the terms that appear again and again.<br /><br />While marketing dictionaries exist in print and online, here are my five favorite marketing terms:<br /><br /><b>BRAND PERSONALITY:</b><br />With so many brands in the marketplace and so much noise as a result of social media, now marketers treat brands as if they had personality traits. When brands are given human personality traits, such as, creative, friendly, happy, etc., brands quickly stand apart from the crowd.<br /><b><br />UNIQUE SELLING PROPOSITION (USP):</b><br />Years ago, people joked that if they had two minutes in an elevator with Bill Gates, they had to be prepared to articulate their company’s competitive advantage or their personal brand in two minutes or less in what became known as an "elevator pitch." The elevator pitch has gone the way of the Ford Edsel, and in its place, we now have the unique selling proposition. What makes a company unique? Why should a company stand apart from the competition? Why should a company be an industry leader? And for personal brands, for example, what makes Taylor Swift different from other singers?<br /><b><br />SOCIAL LISTENING:</b><br />Sprout Social has a wonderful definition: "Social listening involves analyzing conversations and trends related to your brand. These include conversations relevant to your company, competitors and industry at large. Insights from these conversations are used to make informed marketing decisions. Social listening is about more than tags and @mentions. Sure, listening involves acting on direct feedback from people. But it also involves reading between the lines."<br /><br />Here's a breakdown of social listening:<br />(1) Who is your audience?<br />(2) What does your audience want?<br />(3) When is your audience engaging with you?<br />(4) Where is your audience active and engaged?<br />(5) Why does your audience talk about you?<br />(6) How can you better serve your audience?<br /><br /><b>CALL TO ACTION:</b><br />Everyone in a marketing capacity should always sing this tune and provide this reminder. For every campaign, initiative, strategy, you must always have a call to action to attract prospective customers. Here are some examples: Subscribe now. Download this case study today. Complete this survey now. Sign up to receive a free gift today.<br /><br /><b>KEY PERFORMANCE METRICS (KPMs) (also Key Performance Indicators or KPIs):</b><br />This term is so important that it should be on the mind of every business person each and every day. All marketing campaigns must be evaluated to determine the return on investment. How many click-thru’s to your main website or campaign-specific landing pages resulted from emails? How many leads came as a result of tradeshow attendance or telemarketing? How many likes appeared on your Facebook page? How many mentions and retweets appeared on Twitter/X? How many of your videos were uploaded on YouTube? How many sales resulted from your social media activities? Don't implement any marketing campaign without first knowing how you're going to measure it's success.<br /><br />What are your fave marketing terms? Please chime in and share.<br /><br /><br />Image Credit: Stuart Miles via FreeDigitalPhotos.net.<br /><br />To read more:<br />Glossary of Branding Terms:<br /><a href="https://brandsbyovo.com/glossary-of-branding-terms/" target="_blank">https://brandsbyovo.com/glossary-of-branding-terms/</a><br /><br />Branding Glossary - How Brands Are Built:<br /><a href="https://howbrandsarebuilt.com/branding-glossary/" target="_blank">https://howbrandsarebuilt.com/branding-glossary/</a><br /><br />The Ultimate Marketing Dictionary of Terms and Definitions<br /><a href="https://coschedule.com/marketing-terms-definitions" target="_blank">https://coschedule.com/marketing-terms-definitions</a><br /><br />The Ultimate A-Z Dictionary of Marketing Terms:<br /><a href="https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/inbound-marketing-glossary-list" target="_blank">https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/inbound-marketing-glossary-list</a><br /><br /></p>DebbieLaskeyMBAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04110969252778614500noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-281451931372336430.post-66571458363016361672024-02-12T09:00:00.000-08:002024-02-12T09:00:00.145-08:00Monday Morning Quarterbacking the Ads from Super Bowl 58<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY0FxsbtRcvYz793fggw5HDEqruEhuQs6VhsAQo_YMPWn3eb2Qvye7M42AVK5sV5-vKZBW51noegQuyYdCe7msntsXf_xbt354IbiCAbGTfkZCMhz4ZOPV4Z1pr_aZaC3RXs977dxrqEkEXvAsG8DNT2MFagz1C9DamS8TiYLfTVPsI8oMIjinf4mpTVI/s1056/super%20bowl%20image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="828" data-original-width="1056" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY0FxsbtRcvYz793fggw5HDEqruEhuQs6VhsAQo_YMPWn3eb2Qvye7M42AVK5sV5-vKZBW51noegQuyYdCe7msntsXf_xbt354IbiCAbGTfkZCMhz4ZOPV4Z1pr_aZaC3RXs977dxrqEkEXvAsG8DNT2MFagz1C9DamS8TiYLfTVPsI8oMIjinf4mpTVI/s320/super%20bowl%20image.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>What do you remember from Super Bowl Sunday? This year, the game went down to the final seconds in overtime yet, so for football fans, the game was a genuine contest. But for marketers and those who watch the game for the ads, there was not as much excitement.<br /><br />There was no ad similar to Apple’s 1984 ad. There was no ad that was as memorable as Budweiser’s post-9/11 ad from 2002 with the kneeling Clydesdales. There were no animated Coca Cola polar bears, and there was no Tweet memorable enough to rival Oreo’s "dunking in the dark" from 2013. And one thing to note for this year's batch of ads: no brand mentioned the Covid-19 pandemic, which was a complete reversal from the ads during the 2021 game.<br /><br />According to CBSNews, "This year's crop of Super Bowl ads featured dozens of top brands, from Anheuser-Busch's iconic Clydesdales to Uber Eats' spot featuring Jennifer Aniston and Victoria and David Beckham...This year's advertisers are not only spending $7 million to buy half a minute of airtime, but are also opening their wallets to secure stars like Jennifer Aniston and Snoop Dogg, as well as on glitzy productions. And many companies post their ads ahead of the Super Bowl, hoping to build buzz and capture attention."<br /><br />According to Aimee Picchi, "Super Bowl ads command a premium because the game is typically the most-watched media event of the year. That gives brands a chance to reach more consumers at one time than anywhere else, and many companies use the opportunity to trot out new products or introduce a new slogan. There's another reason why brands are so willing to pay up: About 3 in 4 people say they are actually excited to watch the ads during the Super Bowl. Families and friends typically watch the game together, and often talk about the spots as well as the game itself — a discussion that can carry over at work the next day, experts say."<br /><br />Jura Liaukonyte, marketing professor at Cornell University's SC Johnson College of Business explained further, "This shared experience can amplify the emotional resonance of advertisements, making them more memorable and effective. When viewers watch the Super Bowl, they are not just passive recipients of content — they are engaged in a communal event."<br /><br />This quote from Landor Associates is timeless and worth repeating: "Here are three tips to help you, your dad, or even your football-crazed grandma decide which brands scored a touchdown with their commercials: Is the ad on-brand? Will you remember the brand tomorrow? And, does the ad speak to the times?”<br /><br />Without further ado, here were the ads that stood out to me from this year’s group:<br /><b><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">DOVE: </span></b>The theme of this ad was to support, encourage, and empower female athletes. The hashtag was #KeepHerConfident.<br /><br /><b><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">DUNKIN: </span></b>This ad featured actor Ben Affleck, his friend Matt Damon, and his wife Jennifer Lopez. Since Affleck had appeared in previous ads for this brand, the appearance continued his brand storytelling and humor.<br /><br /><b><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">BEST FOODS MAYO: </span></b>This ad featured a cat who became famous by saying MAY-O instead of meowing. For cat fans, this was a very amusing and memorable ad.<br /><br /><b><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">KIA: </span></b>A young female ice skater wanted to skate in front of her father and someone else who was represented by an empty seat at a skating rink. It turned out that the girl's grandfather was in a wheelchair at home and unable to attend the performance at a rink. So the girl's father drove her to the grandfather's home and hooked up his EV9 vehicle to strands of lights to create a beautiful rink in front of the house. The girl and her father brought the skating performance to the grandfather, thanks to the EV9. This ad tugged at the heartstrings.<br /><br /><b><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">BUDWEISER: </span></b>The brand's famous Clydesdale horses made a return appearance and also featured a dog, who helped guide the horses through the snow to make a beer delivery. While the horses and dog are wonderful brand ambassadors, this ad was not as memorable as previous ads.<br /><br />Also, there seemed to be lots of movie ads, more than in previous years. However, I am looking forward to WICKED THE MUSICAL, the next Minions installment, the Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, and the next installment of Kung Fu Panda.<br /><br />During the game, while sharing posts on Twitter/X, the following brands stood out with their posts: Pantone, National Park Service, Library of Congress, and Elmo. If you missed their posts, check them out.<br /><br />A few timeless words from Jacques de Cock, a faculty member at the London School of Marketing: "The Super Bowl is a phenomenon unsurpassed in the world. It is one of the few national social events, which is also why social media traffic during the game is so high...What is also remarkable is that advertising is not viewed as something to skip but is seen by 77 percent of viewers as part of the entertainment, and therefore, more watched and engaged with than any other television advertising during the year."<br /><br />A famous brand stood out in New York City and also on Twitter/X for those around the world:<br /><br /><b><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">EMPIRE STATE BUILDING: </span></b>During the game, the building changed the color of its lights based on which team scored a touchdown, and at the end of the night, the top of the Empire State Building was lit up in red to celebrate the game's winner, the Kansas City Chiefs!<br /><br />Today, the official countdown begins for Super Bowl 59, scheduled for February 9, 2025, at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, the 11th time that New Orleans has served as host city. Will we see an ad or two that will go down as the best of all time? We'll have to wait and see.<br /><br /><br />Image credit: Pantone.<br /><br /><br />To read any of my previous Super Bowl ad recap posts, search #DebbieLaskeysBlog using the term “super” to access all the links.<br /><br />To watch all the ads from Super Bowl 58, here’s the link:<br /><a href="https://sports.yahoo.com/super-bowl-commercials-grading-the-best-and-worst-of-the-2024-games-ads-161907255.html " target="_blank">https://sports.yahoo.com/super-bowl-commercials-grading-the-best-and-worst-of-the-2024-games-ads-161907255.html </a><br /></p>DebbieLaskeyMBAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04110969252778614500noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-281451931372336430.post-3467655814926212682024-02-10T09:00:00.000-08:002024-02-10T09:00:00.263-08:00Happy Lunar New Year!<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAItOfXOweEo3HVdCNleWwEDO1wkHkBsuhkBEh5KDJAwIh6QURZOj0PK09YIJ-EI2WcdKWkaBTAOOEjFCRznVEMOrRDaA5B51fN4g8HOXoJ6VzGwoH-59U1URzKtnvao71wJR1LlmuifO5UljRAPnTXpdb4X6Oi4wd583BvHKCYRAJxEGPQ61ElR0ZluI/s840/lunar%202024%20image.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="840" data-original-width="840" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAItOfXOweEo3HVdCNleWwEDO1wkHkBsuhkBEh5KDJAwIh6QURZOj0PK09YIJ-EI2WcdKWkaBTAOOEjFCRznVEMOrRDaA5B51fN4g8HOXoJ6VzGwoH-59U1URzKtnvao71wJR1LlmuifO5UljRAPnTXpdb4X6Oi4wd583BvHKCYRAJxEGPQ61ElR0ZluI/s320/lunar%202024%20image.JPG" width="320" /></a></div> <p></p><p>Gong hei fat choy, or translated into Cantonese: "Wishing you great happiness and prosperity."<br /><br />2024 is the Year of the Dragon and is celebrated by Chinese, Vietnamese, and Korean cultures around the world beginning today.<br /><br />Will your brand add a dragon or the color red into your logo, mascot, promotions, or communiations? Here are some brands that are participating in the festive celebrations:<br /><br /><b><span style="background-color: #fce5cd;">BARBIE</span></b><br />Mattel unveiled its 2024 Lunar New Year Barbie doll. According to Mattel, "Barbie is enchanting in a traditional xifu costume, inspired by the beauty of Peking Opera, a cultural treasure of China and often performed to celebrate Lunar New Year and other Chinese holidays. Her elegant robe in lucky red with a colorful peony print symbolizes good fortune. Her dramatic water sleeves are used to create beautiful hand motions and expressions on stage. The look is completed with an ornate headdress with peony accents and cyan blue shoes with pink poms."<br /><br /><b><span style="background-color: #fce5cd;">CLINIQUE</span></b><br />Clinique's make-up line stood out with festive red packaging on its "dramatically different mosturizing lotion" and "cheek pop highlighter."<br /><br /><b><span style="background-color: #fce5cd;">CHARLOTTE TILBURY</span></b><br />Charlotte Tilbury released a limited-edition Luxury Palette in celebration of Lunar New Year. This iteration of her best-selling eyeshadow quad, entitled Queen of Luck, features highly-pigmented golden pink, warm terracotta, and champagne gold hues. <br /><br /><b><span style="background-color: #fce5cd;">PAT MCGRATH</span></b><br />Pat McGrath released a limited-edition Bronze Borealis New Year Edition, which features four bronze and copper hues. These shades deliver saturated color in a single swipe.<br /><br /><b><span style="background-color: #fce5cd;">DISNEY</span></b><br />A plush version of Mickey Mouse dressed as a dragon was available for sale, and clothing was also available featuring other familiar characters dressed as dragons.<br /><br /><b><span style="background-color: #fce5cd;">HELLO KITTY</span></b><br />Hello Kitty unveiled a red holiday-themed "Pineapple Cakes" gift box.<br /><br /><b><span style="background-color: #fce5cd;">HONOLULU COOKIE COMPANY</span></b><br />Honolulu Cookie Company unveiled a "Year of the Dragon" green cookie gift box featuring a dragon and a large red pineapple.<br /><br /><b><span style="background-color: #fce5cd;">POTTERY BARN</span><br /></b>Pottery Barn designed a white and red "Lunar New Year Dragon Lazy Susan."<br /><br /><b><span style="background-color: #fce5cd;">KATE SPADE</span></b><br />Kate Spade launched a Lunar New Year collection featuring dragon motifs on everything from handbags to dresses to dragon-inspired jewelry pieces.<br /><br /><b><span style="background-color: #fce5cd;">TIMBERLAND</span><br /></b>Timberland’s Lunar New Year collection features boots blending the brand’s classic design with unique dragon-themed elements. The Timberland Heritage 6-inch lace-up boot, crafted from Timberland premium leather, is available in red for men and black for women.<br /><br /><b><span style="background-color: #fce5cd;">MACY'S</span></b><br />Macy's home department unveiled a red and gold "Lunar New Year Dragon Teapot and Cups Set."<br /><br />According to Marca.com, "In the Chinese worldview, the dragon is not perceived as a fearsome creature, but as a divine being that bestows power and good fortune. It is associated with positive characteristics, such as, wisdom, vitality, nobility and benevolence. He represents primordial strength, prosperity, courage and renewal."<br /><br />According to ChinaHighlights.com, do not give a clock or watch as a Chinese New Year gift. "Clocks and watches symbolize running out of time. This is especially an uncomfortable reminder for seniors. Giving a clock or watch as a gift is the biggest no-no in Chinese culture."<br /><br />Next year, the Year of the Snake will begin on January 29, 2025. So, clothing and make-up brands, start counting the days!<br /><br /><br />Image Credits: Mattel, Clinique, and The Walt Disney Company.</p>DebbieLaskeyMBAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04110969252778614500noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-281451931372336430.post-2801965189159398282024-02-08T09:00:00.000-08:002024-02-08T09:00:00.135-08:00Review of REEL MARKETING<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYUXiFfpNO1b8EDeCN9HkXwO_Sy8imgGoS8aWuFQmd58Dz7Yy1kHjxARlEZCrv0k-_sCw5_KytIEx2pYD_HiGhMP48dZW2Ji_U_ruDq6DShVdAidlMB1JZH80axoa397lgY_ohGcAnLb2Wrei5OufqfM5fr7eNVKDZYyPb1qOdZyweHEDgcA8m4OMvWS0/s672/reel%20marketing%20-%20cover%20image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="646" data-original-width="672" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYUXiFfpNO1b8EDeCN9HkXwO_Sy8imgGoS8aWuFQmd58Dz7Yy1kHjxARlEZCrv0k-_sCw5_KytIEx2pYD_HiGhMP48dZW2Ji_U_ruDq6DShVdAidlMB1JZH80axoa397lgY_ohGcAnLb2Wrei5OufqfM5fr7eNVKDZYyPb1qOdZyweHEDgcA8m4OMvWS0/s320/reel%20marketing%20-%20cover%20image.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p>I "met" Julia Carcamo on Twitter (now X) back in 2012. Since we were both marketing professionals with a passion for brand-building, marketing communications, and advertising, we decided to collaborate in a "She Said, She Said" format discussion about the 2012 Super Bowl's ads in posts that appeared on each other's blogs the Monday following the game. We followed that initial collaboration with several others throughout the years.<br /><br />Recently, Julia published a book called REEL MARKETING, THE ART OF BUILDING A CASINO BRAND. As she explained, "After years of building and refining casino brands, I've been able to codify the process under five pillars for casino branding. This quick read is a valuable primer for anyone responsible for developing casino brands that will resonate with guests, team members, and stakeholders today and into the future. My wish is that you fall in love with branding in the same way I did."<br /><br />Julia began her analysis of brand marketing by providing a checklist that will look familiar to most marketers:<br />(1) Start with WHY.<br />(2) Research your target audience.<br />(3) Develop your positioning.<br />(4) Create your brand identity.<br />(5) Develop your online and offline messaging.<br /><br />However, Julia elaborated with what she referred to as "Jules Rules of Branding," that can actually be applied to brands in any industry:<br />(1) Know your audience/target/market.<br />(2) Brands are built from the bottom up - how well does the team member journey mirror the brand experience for customers/guests/stakeholders.<br />(3) Operationalize your brand - create a culture for your internal stakeholders, your employees, who need to understand your brand promise in order to be effective brand ambassadors.<br />(4) True brand programs share DNA - be selective and only offer the things that make sense to your brand.<br />(5) Make your brand iconic - iconic brands become symbolic of something more than a mere product.</p><blockquote><b style="background-color: #fce5cd;">"Your brand is what the world - outside of the four walls of your casino - thinks of you. Brands tell the world what you stand for with every color, word, and image you use. Effective branding makes you memorable, so guests can easily find you...But branding takes time. It takes effort. Creating an engaging brand can assist you in reaching your business's highest potential, but it takes strategy and vision. Thinking that slapping a logo everywhere and calling it a day is the opposite of strategic branding."</b></blockquote>For brands, such as, casinos and others in the leisure, hospitality, and entertainment industries, the brand experience is critical for building successful brands. This is why employees and team members (also referred to as cast members in Disney-speak at Disney theme parks) must combine their culture and brand into a single set of values. Successful brands in these industries create a memorable and positive brand experience, also referred to as a customer experience.<br /><p></p><p></p><blockquote><b style="background-color: #fce5cd;">"When team members are engaged with the brand, they will think and act "on brand." Team members become your best brand ambassadors because their belief in the brand promise is deep and emotional. They make decisions by thinking of what is right for the brand in the long-term rather than choosing what will produce short-term results...Internal branding is less about a logo an colors and more about a philosophy that will focus team members and your operations. It is centered on the company culture and promises to guests, team members, and partners, creating a passionate army of ambassadors. Although it has a slightly different focus, it is still an integral part of your external branding."</b></blockquote>And lastly, how important is sound when creating a brand? Think about the "dun-dun" sound heard in the introduction to television's Law & Order franchise shows. You immediately know that "it's time for a story ripped from the headlines." The sound is reminiscent of a jail door slamming and is legally protected by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.<br /><br />What is the most recognizable sound in the casino industry? If you answered "the sound of slot machine coins falling into the tray" to signify winning, then you're correct. However, the industry transitioned to coinless machines. So, since customers/guests wanted to HEAR a winning sound, the sound of "winning" was engineered into slot machines. <br /><br />According to Charles Taylor, the John A. Murphy Professor of Marketing at the Villanova School of Business and Senior Research Fellow at the Center for Marketing and Consumer Insights in Pennsylvania, "Sonic branding can be defined broadly as the strategic use of sound as a part of a brand identity."<br /><br />Other examples of memorable audio or sonic logos include:<br />(1) "I wish I were an Oscar Mayer Wiener"<br />(2) State Farm: "Like a good neighbor"<br />(3) Folgers: "The best part of waking up"<br />(4) Netflix: "Ta-dum"<br />(5) T-Mobile: series of notes<br />(6) MGM films and television: lion roar<br />(7) THX: "The Audience Is Listening" with sound<br /><br />My applause to Julia for capturing the key elements in building a memorable brand and for sharing them in a concise manner. My advice: read her book and take lots of notes!<p></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: #fce5cd;">SHARE THIS: When team members are engaged with the brand, they will think and act "on brand." ~@jccarcamo #brandbuilding #DebbieLaskeysBlog</span></h3><p style="text-align: left;"><br /><br />Read Julia's and my original collaboration (February 6, 2012):<br />Which of the Super Bowl Ads Do You Remember? <br /><a href="https://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2012/02/which-of-super-bowl-ads-do-you-remember.html" target="_blank">https://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2012/02/which-of-super-bowl-ads-do-you-remember.html</a><br /><br />Read about Brand Experiences and Customer Experiences:<br />Want Your Brand to Soar Above the Competition? Learn from 6 Amazing #BrandExperiences (April 2, 2018)<br /><a href="https://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2018/04/want-your-brand-to-soar-above.html" target="_blank">https://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2018/04/want-your-brand-to-soar-above.html</a><br /><br />Read "The Need To Be Heard: Why Sonic Branding Is Growing In Importance" on Forbes:<br /><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/charlesrtaylor/2023/07/31/the-need-to-be-heard-why-sonic-branding-is-growing-in-importance/?sh=59b11c27673a" target="_blank">https://www.forbes.com/sites/charlesrtaylor/2023/07/31/the-need-to-be-heard-why-sonic-branding-is-growing-in-importance/?sh=59b11c27673a</a><br /><br />Connect with Julia at these links:<br />Website: <a href="https://www.jcarcamoassociates.com" target="_blank">www.jcarcamoassociates.com</a><br />Twitter/X: <a href="https://www.twitter.com/jccarcamo" target="_blank">@jccarcamo</a><br />LinkedIn: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/j-carcamo-&-associates" target="_blank">https://www.linkedin.com/company/j-carcamo-&-associates</a><br />Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/jcarcamoassociates" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/jcarcamoassociates<br /></a><br /><br />Image Credit: Julia Carcamo.</p>DebbieLaskeyMBAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04110969252778614500noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-281451931372336430.post-48863971626066037672024-02-06T09:00:00.000-08:002024-02-06T09:00:00.136-08:00Marketing News of the Week: TV Show News, Facebook, and More<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3Tm3lXtG258lWx9sYMMsbMWx0kyOrhGylDmUDrJdSUFbe2qquZJz0YKd1ooopm2IcRo0FtiDjQU91AQyBNrtJ7gjVZ4OwhAuaNhI1qZSAKKaBs1dJgqM8GdNaOvSWMrbw9mEgxqVX2FMr9MCEFj_J92ovTWVx-dI4n_k9tozkJPhZKffyrVZXLkaXEpA/s670/2%20-%20Marketing%20News%20of%20the%20Week%20-%20image%20-%202-6-2024-.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="608" data-original-width="670" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3Tm3lXtG258lWx9sYMMsbMWx0kyOrhGylDmUDrJdSUFbe2qquZJz0YKd1ooopm2IcRo0FtiDjQU91AQyBNrtJ7gjVZ4OwhAuaNhI1qZSAKKaBs1dJgqM8GdNaOvSWMrbw9mEgxqVX2FMr9MCEFj_J92ovTWVx-dI4n_k9tozkJPhZKffyrVZXLkaXEpA/s320/2%20-%20Marketing%20News%20of%20the%20Week%20-%20image%20-%202-6-2024-.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>This past week, there were news stories that reflected brand positioning, personal branding, social media, customer experience, advertising, and more.<br /><br /><b><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Sam Waterstone's Departure from Law & Order</span></b><br />If you're a fan of this famous Dick Wolf TV dynasty, you know who epitomizes the law: Sam Waterstone's character, Manhattan District Attorney Jack McCoy. Since 1994, and in more than 400 episodes, his personal brand was consistency and honesty. The show's introductory sounds "dun-dun" just won't sound the same without Jack McCoy in the head office.<br /><br /><b><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Jon Stewart Will Return to The Daily Show</span></b><br />Famous Comedian Jon Steward will return to The Daily Show each Monday night as guest host beginning after the Super Bowl. According to Howard Anglin of The Hub, "Stewart’s return starts with one big advantage over his whilom proteges: he can be funny. Another advantage is that he actually seems to care about normal Americans. His charity work, for example, is mostly in support of veterans and first responders. Finally, and most promising for anyone hoping for something more than a weekly court jester for the DNC, Stewart has a cranky independent streak that means he can sometimes surprise."<br /><br /><b><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Facebook Celebrates 20th Anniversary</span></b><br />According to Euronews, "Facebook is now two decades old. And despite its slow descent into cultural irrelevance with younger generations, it remains the largest social network in the world. Today, Facebook counts over 3 billion active monthly users – a third of the world’s population. But Facebook’s age is starting to show, and like many people you may know, it’s veered way off course from its original goal – to bring people together (for free) and help friends keep in touch. Scroll through Facebook today and you’ll find less posts from your actual friends and more sponsored ads harassing you to purchase things you searched for once on the internet, fake news articles with thousands of comments from conspiracy theorists, and old family friends documenting every aspect of their lives in blurry photographs and cringey captions."<br /><br /><b><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Customers Sour on Self-Checkout</span></b><br />Do you like self-checkout at stores? Do you use self-checkout? According to a new study by researchers at Drexler University published in the Journal of Business Research, "Regular checkout featuring a human cashier makes customers more loyal to a store and more likely to revisit in the future than self-checkout. The study comes as some companies remove self-checkout machines and others adjust their self-checkout operations. Customers feel more rewarded by a store and feel like they were treated more valuably when using regular checkout because it involves less effort and cashiers handle the scanning, bagging, and payment process, the researchers found. Regular checkout also makes people feel that they are receiving the service they are entitled to as customers, the study found."<br /><br />In addition, a survey from hospitality product provider Tensator revealed that 33 percent of retail shoppers chose not to complete a purchase because of a bad experience with a self-service kiosk.<br /><br />Consider how these negative experiences - where customers would like to pay and complete transactions - can affect a brand experience.<br /><br /><b><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">King Charles III Receives Cancer Diagnosis</span></b><br />According to a statement released on the Royal Family's website: "During The King’s recent hospital procedure for benign prostate enlargement, a separate issue of concern was noted. Subsequent diagnostic tests have identified a form of cancer. His Majesty has today commenced a schedule of regular treatments, during which time he has been advised by doctors to postpone public-facing duties. Throughout this period, His Majesty will continue to undertake State business and official paperwork as usual. The King is grateful to his medical team for their swift intervention, which was made possible thanks to his recent hospital procedure. He remains wholly positive about his treatment and looks forward to returning to full public duty as soon as possible. His Majesty has chosen to share his diagnosis to prevent speculation and in the hope it may assist public understanding for all those around the world who are affected by cancer."<br /><br />It is surprising that cancer organizations around the world did not take this opportunity to promote cancer awareness, cancer screenings, etc.<br /><b><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Budweiser Clydesdales</span></b><br />And if you're eagerly looking forward to this weekend's Super Bowl in order to watch the very expensive ads, according to the premier magazine of the west, Cowboys and Indians, "Budweiser and the iconic Clydesdales are back with a timeless message of resilience, determination, and coming together over a beer. The spot is rooted in the scenes, storylines, and on-screen magic that shaped the brand’s legacy as one of the top advertisers of all time."<br /><br />What other marketing news stood out to you?<br /><br />What will be the marketing buzz next week, keeping in mind that everyone will be talking about the Super Bowl ads on Sunday and all next week. And don't forget to swing by #DebbieLaskeysBlog the day after the big game for my annual review of the ads!<br /><br /><br />Image Credits: Michael Dwyer/The AP (Facebook) and Anheuser-Busch. <br /><br />To read about the history of the Budweiser Clydesdales:<br /><a href="https://www.anheuser-busch.com/about/clydesdale" target="_blank">https://www.anheuser-busch.com/about/clydesdale</a></p>DebbieLaskeyMBAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04110969252778614500noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-281451931372336430.post-39116801000453488132024-02-05T09:00:00.000-08:002024-02-05T09:00:00.148-08:00Review of ORGANIC SOCIAL MEDIA<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEDPrnx-Dc0Oyqu0mBPbNJA3XvL6hG27kJgWgJIZNdiE14WFLl2B-PeKMcd-GIF43tP3h8lXUrW9ObQGgNRmcFnn4NCjf-bTjezlocGu74EBKd7N56kaVMxw_LsrjTmxe4AWcKXZq1QEGM9BBcne4yYIJ4QGilmyhkoE-s12gSxK3LSMC__jG9pZcAYRM/s670/jenny%20li%20fowler%20-%20book%20cover.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="644" data-original-width="670" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEDPrnx-Dc0Oyqu0mBPbNJA3XvL6hG27kJgWgJIZNdiE14WFLl2B-PeKMcd-GIF43tP3h8lXUrW9ObQGgNRmcFnn4NCjf-bTjezlocGu74EBKd7N56kaVMxw_LsrjTmxe4AWcKXZq1QEGM9BBcne4yYIJ4QGilmyhkoE-s12gSxK3LSMC__jG9pZcAYRM/s320/jenny%20li%20fowler%20-%20book%20cover.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p>I "met" Jenny Li Fowler on Twitter (now X) a few years back. Fast forward to the present. The covid happened, of course, I had to mention that since the pandemic impacted life for all individuals and marketing communications for all brands. Jenny appeared on my blog in a Q&A in April 2022, and recently, she became a published author. Jenny's commentary is always enlightening, so when I heard about her new book, I knew I had to read it. But first, a few words about social media.<br /><br />In many of my previous roles as marketing manager, marketing director, and marketing consultant, I've also served double-duty as social media manager for nonprofits, large for-profit companies, and emerging brands. While responsible for social media posts, I have been the voice of strategy for my brands, meaning that I have always explained to senior leadership teams, boards of directors, and sales teams that the voice for all posts must be consistent with the brand, the theme of the posts must be consistent with all other marketing messaging, and above all, a social media strategy must be in alignment with the overall brand marketing plan.<br /><br />With that in mind, what social media posts or campaigns stand out? To me, the most memorable posts took place during the Super Bowl on February 4, 2013, when there was a power outage at the beginning of the game's third quarter. The following Tweets, that appeared on Twitter, were posted soon after the power went off and demonstrated that these social media teams understood social media, marketing, and their brand positioning:<br /><br /><b>Oreo:<br />Power out? No problem. [Photo: You can still dunk in the dark.]<br /><br />Lowe’s:<br />Hey dome operators at the Big Game, there are a few Lowe’s nearby if you need some generators.<br /><br />PBS:<br />This might be a good time to think about alternative programing. #SuperBowlBlackOut</b><br /><br />Now, let's talk about Jenny Li Fowler's book, ORGANIC SOCIAL MEDIA - HOW TO BUILD FLOURISHING ONLINE COMMUNITIES. First, a little about Jenny Li Fowler. She is the director of social media strategy at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and is in charge of developing and executing Institute-wide social media initiatives and campaigns. She provides social media consultation and direction for more than 200 departments, labs, and centers; and manages the Institute’s flagship Twitter/X, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn accounts. <br /><br />Jenny explained in the book's preface, "This book is for both rookie social media managers as well as seasoned social media professionals. It gives new managers a structure to build a social media strategy and tips to succeed in the position, and veteran professionals a unique perspective on navigating the challenges of the job and steps to advance the position."<br /><br />Here were (what I considered to be) the stand-out questions posed by and written by Jenny:<br /><br />What's the difference between strategy and tactics?<br /><br />Why should your brand define your lane?<br /><br />What are some reasons that people follow social media accounts?<br /><br />What are Jenny's "Six M's of Social Media?"<br /><br />Is your audience currently on that new platform?<br /><br />Listening is a form of engagement.<br /><br />Always explain the WHY behind your brand.<br /><br />Don't plan content too far in advance.<br /><br />Do you conduct a competitive analysis of your competitors' social platforms?<br /><br />Since every member of the C-Suite wants to talk about metrics, Jenny wrote, "Numbers can't speak for themselves; it's the stories we build around them that are compelling or misleading...Just because a metric is large doesn't necessarily mean it's impressive or positive. The opposite is also true - just because a number is small doesn't mean it's not impressive."<br /><br />An important section of the book explained the many roles comprising a social media team - since these roles are no longer performed by only one person: "Director of strategy; Twitter/Facebook/LinkedIn specialist; writer; photographer; videographer; graphic designer; animator; and data scientist." <br /><br />And Jenny reminded readers that when mainstream news stories become the buzz on social media, before your brand enters the discussion, ask yourself these important questions. If not, your brand may find itself in an unexpected crisis:<br />(1) Does it fit your brand's voice or tone?<br />(2) Does this content support your social media strategy?<br />(3) Have you posted similar content before? If yes, how did it perform?<br />(4) Is it related to your brand or organization in any way? Is it a stretch?<br /><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: #fce5cd;">SHARE THIS: Good content will always attract an audience. Content that entertains, is relatable, or adds value. ~@TheJennyLi #SocialMediaTip #DebbieLaskeysBlog</span></h3><p><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: #fce5cd;">SHARE THIS: Social media is not always the most effective mode of communication for the audience you're targeting. ~@TheJennyLi #SocialMediaTip #DebbieLaskeysBlog</span></h3><p><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: #fce5cd;">SHARE THIS: Social media is not a one-size-fits-all communication tool. ~@TheJennyLi #SocialMediaTip #DebbieLaskeysBlog</span></h3><p><br />Jenny ended her book, "As long as social media exists, there will be a need for people to manage it and, like all professions, it will evolve...It will be interesting to see what social managers go on to do. There have been a lot of articles written on how social media managers are the next CMOs, but I think there are also many opportunities for social media strategists in the internal and strategic communications space."<br /></p><p>Two points that Jenny discussed toward the end of the book have remained with me because they have dramatically changed the world of social media. When I added social media marketing to my resume in 2009 (by creating personal accounts on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, and a blog on Google's Blogger before working on accounts as part of my professional marketing roles), I can personally say that these two issues were not part of the social media landscape. However, fast forward to today, and it seems that everywhere you look, there is hate-speak, trolls, bullies, and misinformation. In addition, when HR professionals promote "work-life balance," they are definitely NOT talking about the lives of people who work in social media. The Internet never sleeps, and the news cycle is 24/7/365.</p><p>What do you think? Is a social media manager who lives and breathes a brand's promise and handles its digital communications ripe for becoming a future Chief Marketing Officer? Or, is the person in this role destined for a lifetime of brief posts on Twitter/X, Facebook, Instagram, etc.? The future of any social media manager is defined by what he/she/they achieve/s for their brand - and the tools found in Jenny Li Fowler's book will, without a doubt, assist in the individual's success. My advice: read the book and be inspired!<br /><br /><br />Read Jenny's Q&A on this blog (April 11, 2022):<br />Social Media Campaigns and Storytelling<br /><a href="https://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2022/04/social-media-campaigns-and-storytelling.html" target="_blank">https://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2022/04/social-media-campaigns-and-storytelling.html</a><br /><br />Connect with Jenny at these links: <br />Twitter/X: @TheJennyLi<br />LinkedIn: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennylifowler" target="_blank">https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennylifowler<br /></a><br />Image Credit: Amazon.</p>DebbieLaskeyMBAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04110969252778614500noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-281451931372336430.post-23746208175847072662024-02-01T09:00:00.000-08:002024-02-01T09:00:00.136-08:00The Best Book I Read in 2023<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVQR0_foSZst9-t0kOrqxacWUkmrZ9pBqV68UBS7eSabGhDQloYtj9UsZ-MEYgNwlxjJMZEC3s4ip57KPO1kIN-6C7Dj3zP_yxKQBuPW3zNCHmI4tyg-MmI4uNOqfhnc2SylJ6h5WrDhIxCmue8coRWgrWcRszovXIEdsvWRbIVq_-H0N08g3auIRLU9A/s676/2%20-%20Best%20book%20of%20the%20year%20-%202-1-2024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="628" data-original-width="676" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVQR0_foSZst9-t0kOrqxacWUkmrZ9pBqV68UBS7eSabGhDQloYtj9UsZ-MEYgNwlxjJMZEC3s4ip57KPO1kIN-6C7Dj3zP_yxKQBuPW3zNCHmI4tyg-MmI4uNOqfhnc2SylJ6h5WrDhIxCmue8coRWgrWcRszovXIEdsvWRbIVq_-H0N08g3auIRLU9A/s320/2%20-%20Best%20book%20of%20the%20year%20-%202-1-2024.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p>Did you read a lot of books last year? I recently reviewed the list of books I purchased from Amazon and local bookstores and realized I read 50 works of fiction during 2023. This means that, during 2024, I have set a goal of more than 50. And Goodreads has made it easy by providing a hashtag for the project #GoodreadsChallenge.<br /><br />Before I look through my "must-read" books - both fiction and nonfiction - and my "it would be nice to read" list, I wanted to take a few moments to reflect on my favorite book of 2023.<br /><br />I may have been late to the adventure, but I read REMARKABLY BRIGHT CREATURES in late-2023. Simply put, it was a wonderful book, but before I dive in with my reasons, I would like to extend a shout-out of gratitude to Melanie Bell and her Leaders Who Fiction book club for the recommendation to read the book and the virtual discussion that took place in late-November.<br /><br />I don't want to provide any spoilers because I believe everyone should read the book, so I will share a brief overview: An elderly lady meets an octopus, makes friends with an octopus, and meets her extended family.<br /><br />Naturally, there is much, much more to the story, but I don't want to slip up and give away any of the exciting layers. And the title has an interesting twist too. Suffice it to say that this story will remain with me for a very long time.<br /><br />According to an article in The New York Times, "Shelby Van Pelt, a former financial consultant, first had the idea that morphed into the novel in 2013, when she took a fiction writing workshop at Emory University in Atlanta. One of the assignments was to write a short story from an unusual perspective, and she came up with an acerbic octopus who was bored and frustrated by his confinement in an aquarium. Her teacher pulled her aside and suggested she build something larger around the character, and she began writing vignettes about the octopus."<br /><br />So, if you have not yet read this book, add it to the top of your MUST READ LIST. You'll be glad you did!<br /><br /><br />Article in The New York Times:<br /><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/30/books/remarkably-bright-creatures-shelby-van-pelt.html">https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/30/books/remarkably-bright-creatures-shelby-van-pelt.html</a><br /><br />Interview with the LA Public Library:<br /><a href="https://www.lapl.org/collections-resources/blogs/lapl/interview-author-shelby-van-pelt">https://www.lapl.org/collections-resources/blogs/lapl/interview-author-shelby-van-pelt</a><br /><br />If you'd like to join the next Leaders Who Fiction virtual book club meeting, check out @LeadersWhoFiction on Instagram for details.<br /><br /><br />Image Credit: Amazon.</p>DebbieLaskeyMBAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04110969252778614500noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-281451931372336430.post-62089728586231390622024-01-31T09:00:00.000-08:002024-01-31T09:00:00.253-08:00Highlights of My #FallBacktoReadingSeries<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9UJmskLwUhAmwoLrg_YeUl3GRlfbSW2K_midyOkUZWpzYgJAbFRVxYUx0EzXJHYnNm-z1oHXJ5x8K_s9hX1_-X1F0NHvDFvAY9gjpZ5M4GD9VNCLfijIXG7SrNhlhIBPsMkb6zyOgMwMdg99tevqPmc4bE3h39nZ58QORum61fbQ-PMrfMk4fht-45xI/s534/fall%20back%20to%20reading%20series%20-%20highlights%20image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="530" data-original-width="534" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9UJmskLwUhAmwoLrg_YeUl3GRlfbSW2K_midyOkUZWpzYgJAbFRVxYUx0EzXJHYnNm-z1oHXJ5x8K_s9hX1_-X1F0NHvDFvAY9gjpZ5M4GD9VNCLfijIXG7SrNhlhIBPsMkb6zyOgMwMdg99tevqPmc4bE3h39nZ58QORum61fbQ-PMrfMk4fht-45xI/s320/fall%20back%20to%20reading%20series%20-%20highlights%20image.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Last fall, because reading has been my lifelong hobby, and I wanted to know what books other people considered life-changing, I featured a series with the same questions posed to 30 marketing, leadership, and customer experience experts. The series was inspirational, informational, and amazing. If you missed any of the posts, two lists of the experts and their reading recommendations follows below. Also, something to note, which books appeared more than once during the #FallBacktoReadingSeries?<br /><br />First, though, let's recall my two fave quotes about reading:<br /><br />"If you give a person a book, you give him the world." ~Kristin Harmel<br /><br />"For you unlock magic that is hidden within, and opening the cover is how you begin. Oh, all the worlds and the places you'll see; when you hold a book, you hold the key." ~Caroline Derlatka<br /><br /><p></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: #fce5cd;">QUESTION: WHICH TWO OR THREE BUSINESS BOOKS HAVE MADE THE BIGGEST IMPACT ON YOUR CAREER?</span></h3><p>Eric Jacobson:<br />*Compassionate Leadership: How to Do Hard Things in a Human Way by Rasmus Hougaard and Jacqueline Carter<br />*The Leadership Test by Timothy R. Clark, Ph.D.<br /><br />Dennis Geelen:<br />*The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey<br />*The 5 Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni<br />*Built To Sell by John Warrillow<br /><br />Mitch Pisik:<br />*The Seven Secrets of Influence by Elaina Zuker<br />*The Art of War by Sun Zu<br />*The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli <br /><br />Shep Hyken:<br />*The Experience Economy by Joe Pine and Jim Gilmore<br />*In Search of Excellence by Tom Peters and Robert Waterman<br />*Moments of Truth by Jan Carlzon<br /><br />Joseph Michelli, Ph.D., C.S.P.:<br />*The Experience Economy by Joe Pine and Jim Gilmore<br />*The Fred Factor by Mark Sanborn<br />*Dare to Lead by Brené Brown<br /><br />Erika Andersen:<br />*Good to Great by Jim Collins<br />*Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman<br />*The Speed of Trust by Stephen M. R Covey<br /><br />Susan Friesen:<br />*The Code of the Extraordinary Mind: 10 Unconventional Laws to Redefine Your Life and Succeed on Your Own Terms by Vishen Lakhiani (for mental health)<br />*Dressing Your Truth: Discover Your Type of Beauty by Carol Tuttle (for personal branding)<br />*The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don't Work and What to Do About It by Michael E. Gerber (for business systems)<br /><br />Rebecca Herold:<br />*How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie<br />*The U.S. federal NSA/NCSC Rainbow collection of manuals on evaluating "Trusted Computer Systems"<br />*The Cuckoo’s Egg by Clifford Stoll<br /><br />James Strock:<br />*The Effective Executive by Peter Drucker<br />*Dynamic Administration: The Collected Papers of Mary Parker Follett<br />*Collected Essays and Lectures by Ralph Waldo Emerson<br /><br />Gail Robertson:<br />*The Wealthy Barber by David Chilton <br />*The Tao of Twitter by Mark Schaefer <br />*High Performance Habits: How Extraordinary People Become That Way by Brendon Burchard <br /><br />Leanne M. Dzubinski:<br />*If You’ve Raised Kids, You Can Manage Anything by Ann Crittenden<br />*Sex and the Office by Kim Elsesser<br />*Switch by Chip and Dan Heath<br /><br />David Beaumont:<br />*Grit by Angela Duckworth<br />*Mindset by Carol Dweck<br />*Everybody Matters by Bob Chapman <br /><br />Katherine Spinney:<br />*Quiet by Susan Cain<br />*First Break All the Rules by Curt Coffman and Marcus Buckingham<br />*The Renaissance Soul by Margaret Lobenstine<br /><br />Stacey Danheiser:<br />*Strengthsfinder by Tom Rath<br />*Everybody Writes by Ann Handley<br />*The Challenger Sale by Brent Adamson and Matt Dixon<br /><br />Dr. Natalie Petouhoff:<br />*Cluetrain Manifesto by Christopher Locke, David Searls, and David Weinberger<br />*The Experience Economy by Joe Pine and Jim Gilmore<br />*When More is Not Better by Roger Martin<br />*Bold by Peter Diamandis (threw in an extra!)<br /><br />Suzanne Huber:<br />*Awaken the Giant Within by Anthony Robbins<br />*Super Attractor by Gabrielle Berstein<br />*Fierce Conversations by Susan Scott<br /><br />Deborah Connors:<br />*Building The Bridge As You Walk On It: A Guide for Leading Change by Dr. Robert Quinn<br />*Conversations Worth Having: Using Appreciative Inquiry to Fuel Productive and Meaningful Engagement by Jackie Stavros and Cheri Torres<br />*The Truth About Burnout: How Organizations Cause Personal Stress and What To Do About It by Christina Maslach and Michael P. Leiter<br /><br />Michelle Redfern:<br />*No Ceiling No Walls by Susan Colantuono<br />*Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg<br />*Stop Fixing Women: Why Building Fairer Workplaces Is Everybody's Business by Catherine Fox<br /><br />Gregory Kennedy:<br />*Art of War by Sun Tzu<br />*Ogilvy on Advertising by David Ogilvy<br />*Only the Paranoid Survive by Andy Grove<br /><br />Michael McKinney:<br />*The Unconscious Conspiracy: Why Leaders Can’t Lead by Warren Bennis<br />*The Age of Discontinuity by Peter Drucker<br /><br />Joni M. Fisher:<br />*Create Your Writer Platform by Chuck Sambuchino<br />*Publicize Your Book: An Insider's Guide to Getting Your Book the Attention It Deserves<br />*Guerrilla Marketing for Writers: 100 Weapons for Selling Your Work by Jay Conrad Levinson, Rick Frishman, and Jay Larsen<br /><br />Kim Scaravelli:<br />*Secrets of Closing the Sale: For Anyone Who Must Get Others to Say Yes! by Zig Ziglar<br />*You Are Here: Discovering the Magic of the Present Moment by Thick Nhat Hanh<br />*Atomic Habits by James Clear<br /><br />Joseph Lalonde:<br />*How to win friends and influence people by Dale Carnegie<br />*48 Days To The Work You Love by Dan Miller<br />*Platform by Michael Hyatt<br /><br />Doug Dickerson:<br />*Full Steam Ahead: Unleash The Power Of Vision In Your Work And Your Life by Ken Blanchard and Jesse Lyn Stone<br />*The Ideal Team Player: How To Recognize And Cultivate The Three Essential Virtues by Patrick Lencioni<br />*The 360 Leader: Developing Your Influence From Anywhere In The Organization by John C. Maxwell<br /><br />Lee Goldberg:<br />*Telling Lies for Fun and Profit by Lawrence Block<br />*Adventures in the Screen Trade by William Goldman<br />*Storytellers to the Nation by Tom Stempel<br /><br />Russel Lolacher:<br />*Start With Why by Simon Sinek<br />*The New Rules of Marketing and PR by David Meerman Scott<br />*How to Win Friends & Influence People by Dale Carnegie<br /><br />Ludmila Praslova:<br />*How to Win Friends & Influence People by Dale Carnegie<br />*Out of the Crisis by Edwards Deming<br />*Winning with Underdogs: How Hiring the Least Likely Candidates Can Spark Creativity, Improve Service, and Boost Profits for Your Business by Gil Winch<br /><br />Rosye Cloud:<br />*Meditations by Marcus Aurelius<br />*Deep Work by Cal Newport<br />*Antifragile by Nassim Nicholas Taleb <br /><br />Kevin Eikenberry:<br />*Flawless Consulting by Peter Block<br />*In Search of Excellence by Tom Peters and Bob Waterman<br />*The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey<br /><br />Debbie Laskey:<br />*Built to Last by Jim Collins<br />*Managing Brand Equity by David A. Aaker<br />*In Search of Excellence by Tom Peters and Robert Waterman<br /><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: #fce5cd;">QUESTION: WHAT BOOK DID YOU READ IN HIGH SCHOOL OR COLLEGE THAT, TO THIS DAY, YOU STILL REMEMBER VIVIDLY?</span></h3><p style="text-align: left;">Eric Jacobson:<br />*The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien<br />*The World According to Garp by John Irving<br /><br />Dennis Geelen:<br />Brave New World by Aldous Huxley<br /><br />Mitch Pisik:<br />*The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli<br /><br />Shep Hyken:<br />*The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand<br /><br />Joseph Michelli, Ph.D., C.S.P.:<br />*A Man’s Search for Meaning by Victor Frankl<br /><br />Erika Andersen:<br />*To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee<br /><br />Susan Friesen:<br />*Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand<br /><br />Rebecca Herold:<br />*The Call of the Wild by Jack London<br />*White Fang by Jack London<br /><br />James Strock:<br />*Selected Poetry and Prose by Samuel Johnson<br /><br />Gail Robertson:<br />*The Diviners by Canadian author Margaret Laurence.<br /><br />Leanne M. Dzubinski:<br />*Native Son by Richard Wright<br /><br />Katherine Spinney:<br />*The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas<br />*All the King’s Men by Robert Penn Warren<br /><br />Stacey Danheiser:<br />*7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey<br /><br />Dr. Natalie Petouhoff:<br />*To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee<br /><br />Suzanne Huber:<br />*The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho<br /><br />Deborah Connors:<br />*Mindfulness by Helen J. Langer<br /><br />Michelle Redfern:<br />*Lucky by Jackie Collins<br /><br />Gregory Kennedy:<br />*The Difference Engine by William Gibson and Bruce Sterling<br /><br />Michael McKinney:<br />*Reilly’s Luck and Sitka by Louis L'Amour <br /><br />Joni M. Fisher:<br />*Andromeda Strain by Michael Crichton<br /><br />Kim Scaravelli:<br />*Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse<br /><br />Joseph Lalonde:<br />*Star Wars books<br />*The Bible<br /><br />Doug Dickerson:<br />*The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway<br /><br />Lee Goldberg:<br />*Fletch by Gregory MacDonald<br /><br />Russel Lolacher:<br />*Hamlet by William Shakespeare<br /><br />Ludmila Praslova:<br />*The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas<br />*poetry of Robert Burns and Mikhail Lermontov<br />*The Soul Enchanted by Romain Rolland<br /><br />Rosye Cloud:<br />*The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas<br /><br />Kevin Eikenberry:<br />*See You at the Top by Zig Ziglar<br /><br />Debbie Laskey:<br />*The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas<br />*An Enemy of the People by Henrik Ibsen<br />*The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli<br /><br />Which books have you read from these lists? And which books are you going to check out? Much gratitude to all the participants in my #FallBacktoReadingSeries!<br /><br />I enjoyed this series so much - and hope you did also - that it planted a seed for a future series. Thanks to one of this series' participants, Joseph Lalonde, who sparked the initial idea, my #SpringLeadershipSeries will begin on March 20th and continue until June 20th. Tune into #DebbieLaskeysBlog and on Twitter/X, Instagram, and Threads for details.<br /><br />And in the meantime, as I like to say, happy reading!</p><p><br />Image Credit: Debbie Laskey.<br /></p>DebbieLaskeyMBAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04110969252778614500noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-281451931372336430.post-90608020025327543652024-01-29T09:00:00.000-08:002024-01-29T09:00:00.129-08:00Food Branding News of 2023<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5DG-uyCRvlQCzzhMa5mmfkkmwSrjMUSuErx72wKIFkuisOc5atEDUJD6kYaOzg09S8CwGDXs0zfVWGCGmCMvdZHO2nxRAKEg8LqYMhrz6MPetZLyDHFjcYsWZPNZ7Ig7dGnzST8QF_BlcxR-ev2PflA1GOQBAb8E7nT9NHi8BkYttPzxZtI1jVTdml6g/s672/1%20-%20Food%20Branding%20News%20of%202023.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="520" data-original-width="672" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5DG-uyCRvlQCzzhMa5mmfkkmwSrjMUSuErx72wKIFkuisOc5atEDUJD6kYaOzg09S8CwGDXs0zfVWGCGmCMvdZHO2nxRAKEg8LqYMhrz6MPetZLyDHFjcYsWZPNZ7Ig7dGnzST8QF_BlcxR-ev2PflA1GOQBAb8E7nT9NHi8BkYttPzxZtI1jVTdml6g/s320/1%20-%20Food%20Branding%20News%20of%202023.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>While there were countless brands that made news during 2023 due to name changes, logo changes, and entire brand refreshes, how many FOOD brands can you recall that transformed themselves?<br /><br />Here's a recap of the memorable food industry brands that made marketing news during 2023:<br /><br />1. Ronzoni announced that it would discontinue its star-shaped pasta. (January)<br /><br />2. Pepsi announced that it would discontinue Sierra Mist, a lemon-lime flavored soda that had been available for 24 years, in favor of a newer drink to compete against rival Sprite. (January)<br /><br />3. Dunkin' announced that it would discontinue a popular drink, the "Dunkaccino," a mixture of coffee and hot chocolate. (March)<br /><br />4. Kraft Singles got a major makeover that featured a refreshed logo and new packaging. The redesign was to address the number one complaint from customers: "the inability to easily open the clear wrapper." (May)<br /><br />5. Oscar Mayer's Wienermobile got a new name: the "Frankmobile." (May)<br /><br />6. Burger King went "Hollywood" with the launch of the "Spider-Verse" Whopper on a RED bun. (May)<br /><br />7. Pepsi launched its first-ever condiment called Pepsi "Colachup." (June)<br /><br />8. To celebrate National Mustard Day on August 5, Skittles candy partnered with French's Mustard to create a limited-edition mustard-flavored fusion of candy called "Mustard Skittles." (July)<br /><br />9. The battle for the "Taco Tuesday" trademark ended as Taco John's ended its dispute with Taco Bell. (July)<br /><br />10. Rao's Homemade may be synonymous with Italian food and products, but the brand turned its attention to fashion and created limited-edition, luxury leather handbags in two styles: The Marinara and The Vodka Arrabbiata. (July)<br /><br />11. Starbucks' pumpkin spice latter beverage celebrated its 20th anniversary. (August)<br /><br />12. Music group Metallica launced the first-ever, guitar-shaped ice cream bar with a portion of the sales allocated toward the band's charitable foundation, All Within My Hands. (September)<br /><br />13. Pringles announced a new collaboration with The Caviar Company, which paired the iconic chips with high-end caviar. The limited edition partnership was created due to the popular TikTok trend, which saw users adding a dollop of caviar onto Pringles. According to Mauricio Jenkins of Pringles, "From TikTok reviews to reality TV housewives, the nation is craving Pringles and caviar. Our partnership with The Caviar Company not only embraces the trending snacking behavior in an approachable manner, but expertly curates our beloved crisp flavors with this seafood delicacy for a Pringles tasting experience unlike one you’ve ever had before." (September)<br /><br />14. Red Lobster's "Endless Shrimp" deal was so popular that it was forced to end. (November)<br /><br />15. Kraft's Mac & Cheese launched a new dairy-free alternative called "Kraft NotMac&Cheese." Kraft partnered with NotCo, a company that makes plant-based foods to create the mac and cheese alternative, which was in response to the growing hunger for "better for you" products from American consumers. (November)<br /><br />16. Denny's opened its first drive-thru in California. The first 100 customers received a custom mug and free coffee for a month. (November)<br /><br />17. China, a nation of tea drinkers, now has more branded coffee shops than the United States, according to a report by World Coffee Portal. (December)<br /><br />18. For National Cookie Day, Subway restaurants unveiled a "footlong cookie" in advance of the national launch of the oversized cookie in January 2024, when it will occupy a permanent spot on the chain's menu in all U.S. locations. (December)<br /><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: #faa7df;">And for those of you who are ice cream fans, let's not forget the pink Barbie-themed ice cream creations launched by both Cold Stone Creamery and Pinkberry to coincide with (and to promote) the summer's blockbuster!</span></h3><p><br />Did these changes cause you to purchase more or less? Did these changes stand out in your mind? Were they good strategic decisions? What other food brands stood out as a result of their branding changes during 2023?<br /><br /><br />Image Credits: McCormick and Co. and PepsiCo Beverages North America. <br /></p>DebbieLaskeyMBAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04110969252778614500noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-281451931372336430.post-55949721943765245312024-01-25T09:00:00.000-08:002024-01-25T09:00:00.135-08:002023 Was the Year of #BrandIdentity Changes<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi93wFlAtZyXuKBJ_ZKe-qwCwSsbdsMc-C-n6RVb9LX5h_g62rEhCGh7-gt8Kx4IPqwx3J_b2GZrG8RzgSlSoqdhiIwb21-AUi9bsjw7GJFwBSrJVOzclDHudf5_bBJAPs5O55hyphenhyphenaTrx8Vt94S1xrW-d2Ww-xY_U_80h1ozVdi7rZMkgN4cDZRvoWQFVXA/s680/1%20-%20Brand%20Identity%20Changes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="680" data-original-width="666" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi93wFlAtZyXuKBJ_ZKe-qwCwSsbdsMc-C-n6RVb9LX5h_g62rEhCGh7-gt8Kx4IPqwx3J_b2GZrG8RzgSlSoqdhiIwb21-AUi9bsjw7GJFwBSrJVOzclDHudf5_bBJAPs5O55hyphenhyphenaTrx8Vt94S1xrW-d2Ww-xY_U_80h1ozVdi7rZMkgN4cDZRvoWQFVXA/s320/1%20-%20Brand%20Identity%20Changes.jpg" width="313" /></a></div><p></p><p>Was your brand in the news during 2023? If not, don’t despair. There were many other brands that made headlines during 2023.<br /><br />Here’s a recap of interesting brands that either rebranded, changed their logo, changed their name, co-branded, formed an interesting partnership, created a unique hashtag to match a campaign, changed iconic packaging, or in some other way made branding news during 2023. What stood out as memorable to YOU?<br /><br /><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: #fce5cd;">BRAND IDENTITY AND PERSONAL BRANDING:</span></h3><p>1. Museums began to re-brand ancient Egyptian remains. According to CNN, "They are among the most popular exhibits in museums worldwide, with a name so resonant, that blockbuster films have been built on it. But some museums in Britain are now using words other than 'mummy' to describe their displays of ancient Egyptian human remains. Instead, they are adopting terms such as "mummified person" or the individual's name to emphasize that they were one living people." Who says words and language don't have power? (January)<br /><br />2. In January 2023, a little-known football player made news. After the nation watched Buffalo Bills player Damar Hamlin collapse on the field during a Monday Night Football game between Buffalo and Cincinnati, everyone held their breath. In an unprecedented sight, players on both teams kneeled and prayed together. Broadcasters were speechless, fans on the stands and watching on television knew something terrible had happened, and the game eventually was stopped. Hamlin recovered, but while everyone waited for news, all teams changed their Twitter profiles to Damar's name and number, and the hashtag #PrayersforDamar trended. Fans made donations to show their support, and the amount raised was $9 million. This event was even bigger than the Super Bowl. (January)<br /><br />3. Queen Elizabeth's fourth child and third son, Edward, received a new title from his brother, King Charles III: the title of Duke of Edinburgh - which had been his father's title. (March)<br /><br />4. In less than four months, Damar Hamlin was fully cleared to return to football. During his recovery, he visited Congress to advocate for better access to automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in schools. His survival is widely credited to the rapid use of CPR a defibrillator on the field. Damar became an ambassador for heart health and a symbol of a united nation. (April)<br /><br />5. Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced the "Keep it Fresh" marketing campaign for Michigan. The campaign's goal was to show that her state offered businesses an opportunity for growth, visitors a "Fresh Take" on life, and people a home to build a rewarding life and career. (April)<br /><br />6. King Charles III officially became the British monarch due to his coronation. It was anticipated that his wife would be known as Queen Consort, however, her official title became Queen Camilla. (May)<br /><br />7. Johnson & Johnson's Kenvue spinoff hit the IPO market; formerly the Consumer Healthcare Division and proprietor of brands such as Band-Aid, Tylenol, Listerine, Neutrogena, and more. (May)<br /><br />8. During the summer, a new name was coined from the two titles of much-anticipated movies, BARBIE and OPPENHEIMER. According to Wikipedia, "BARBENHEIMER was a cultural phenomenon preceding and surrounding the simultaneous theatrical release of two films, Barbie and Oppenheimer, in July and August of 2023. The word is a portmanteau of the films' titles. The strong contrast between Barbie, a fantasy comedy by Greta Gerwig about the fashion doll Barbie, and Oppenheimer, an epic biographical thriller by Christopher Nolan about physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer, scientific director of the Manhattan Project, prompted a comedic response from Internet users, including memes and merchandise. Polygon described the two films as "extreme opposites," and Variety called the phenomenon "the movie event of the year." Due to the marketing buzz for both, movie-goers purchased tickets to attend both movies on the same day, something not seen with such interest in the past. (July)<br /><br />9. The Twitter brand continued to evolve under the ownership of Elon Musk, and in July, the social platform's name became a single letter, X. Also, users no longer Tweeted, but instead, posted. Unfortunately, most media professionals continued to refer to the platform as "X, formerly Twitter." (July)<br /><br />10. Two new terms appeared following the tragic implosion of the Titan submersible: extreme travel and dark travel. (July)<br /><br />11. In a year known unofficially as the "the year of the strike," President Joe Biden joined striking auto workers on the picket line. (September)<br /><br />12. By law, support animals are allowed in hotels, restaurants, shops, and more, however, "Support Alligator Wally" was denied entry into the Philadelphia Phillies baseball stadium. (September)<br /><br />13. A survey by VISIT SWEDEN, a tourist agency, found that 50 percent of respondents could not tell the difference between Sweden and Switzerland, therefore, both countries decided to make a joint PSA to showcase their differences. (November)<br /><br />14. The Trump International Hotel Waikiki announced that it would join Hilton and no longer have the former President's name attached to it. In February 2024, the 38-floor hotel will be called the Wakea Waikiki Beach, as part of the Hilton LXR collection of high-end resorts. (November)<br /><br />15. US Steel, once the world's largest corporation, agreed to sell itself to a Japanese company. (December)<br /><br />16. A painting of Oprah Winfrey was unveiled at the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery. (December)<br /><br /><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: #fce5cd;">LOGO REDESIGNS:</span></h3><p>1. Nokia refreshed its logo to remind the world that it is no longer a phone company. The new logo built on the heritage of the old logo but made it contemporary and digital to reflect the new brand identity. (February)<br /><br />2. Pepsi launched a new logo. (April)<br /><br />3. LG refreshed its logo and will continue to use its tagline of "Life's Good." (April)<br /><br />4. Smirnoff, the world's number one vodka brand, launched new positioning by championing its global campaign called "WE DO WE," to celebrate "the magic of WE that's created when different people, ingredients, and flavors come together." (June)<br /><br />5. Following the Twitter rebrand to X, the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) used the rebrand as a force for good in a memorable post: "Protect our wildlife, before it's too late" and included the evolution of the Twitter birds (from 2006,2007, 2009, 2010, and 2012) and ended with the letter X. (August)<br /><br />6. Johnson & Johnson changed its logo. (September)<br /><br />7. The NHL banned pride tape from being placed on hockey sticks, which set off a backlash from players and fans. (October)<br /><br /><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: #fce5cd;">PACKAGING REDESIGN:</span></h3><p>1. Online giant, Amazon, shuttered its philanthropic arm, AmazonSmile. Customers could no longer designate a charity to receive a small portion of sales. (February)<br /><br />2. Toblerone bars, which are sold in over 100 countries, can no longer be called Swiss chocolate because the brand's US owner moved some production out of Switzerland. Therefore, the Matterhorn mountain has been removed from its packaging. (March)<br /><br />3. A Harriet Tubman Monument replaced a Christopher Columbus Statue in New Jersey. (March)<br /><br />4. The World Health Organization (WHO) announced the end of the global Covid health emergency three years after it was first declared. (May)<br /><br />5. Want to travel to the European Union? A new Europe visa will be required in 2025, called the ETIAS. (July)<br /><br />6. During all the hype leading up to the Barbie movie and after the movie's release, the color pink led a cultural rally cry for women's empowerment. In addition, the large use of the color in the movie's set designs led to a global shortage of Rosco's signature shade. (July)<br /><br />7. The Situation Room inside the White House was renovated. (September)<br /><br />8. Amazon's Prime Video announced that it would begin including ads but would charge users to avoid them. (September)<br /><br />9. In response to #4 above, the CDC announced that it would no longer distribute COVID-19 vaccine cards. Does this mean that they will become valuable collector items? (October)<br /><br />10. Netflix announced that it would open brick and mortar locations. Will visitors purchase merchandise to promote its programming or simply sit on couches and watch its programs? (October)<br /><br /><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: #fce5cd;">STRATEGIC BRANDING CAMPAIGNS:</span></h3><p>1. Post-pandemic consumers are different. They want to do business with companies that align with their values. According to Wharton marketing professor Americus Reed, "The biggest message is to not make the mistake of thinking the brand is just simply the tagline, the logo, the colors on the website...After three years of disruption, anxiety, and worry, shoppers are no longer content to buy on price, style, or convenience. They want a deeper connection with companies." (Throughout 2023)<br /><br />2. Several news organizations, such as NPR, stopped using Twitter/X due to lack of "Fake News" safeguards. And several large brands stopped advertising on Twitter/X due to owner Elon Musk's politics, handling of Twitter/X employees, and lack of content controls. (Throughout 2023)<br /><br />3. GM became the top-selling car in America, retaking the title from Toyota. (January)<br /><br />4. Frontier Airlines offered free flights to adopters of adorable kittens from Las Vegas. (January)<br /><br />5. Hillary Rodham Clinton joined Columbia University as global affairs professor at the School of International and Public Affairs. (January)<br /><br />6. As a result of the Covid pandemic, urgent care centers popped up all over. (January)<br /><br />7. Leading up to Super Bowl 57, the M&M's brand made a big deal that actress Maya Rudolph would take over for the colored spokescandies, who were taking a break from their promotional duties, which always included participating in a memorable ad during the Super Bowl. In the days leading up to the Super Bowl, the name of the candy was changed, the inside of the candy was changed, and to be honest, it was hard to keep up with all the drama, But then, at the end of the Super Bowl, the spokescandies held a news conference, and all was right with the world: The candies/characters/brand ambassadors announced their return. (According to MarketingWeek: "Research has shown that, done well, there is evidence to suggest mascot characters are more likely to attract new customers, grow market share and even reduce price sensitivity.") (February)<br /><br />8. Finland, the world's happiest country for the last six years, hosted a four-day happiness masterclass in June. (promoted in March)<br /><br />9. Finland joined NATO, dealing a blow to Russia over the Ukraine war. (April)<br /><br />10. Mattel unveiled a Barbie doll with Down syndrome. (April)<br /><br />11. Tesla announced that it would advertise for the first time. (May)<br /><br />12. The FinanceBuzz insurance company offered a new job with a salary of $1,000: "the official Fast and Furious Claims Adjuster." The objective was to keep track of all damages from every car crash during all 10 movies in the series. (May)<br /><br />13. Mattel honored Hollywood icon Anna May Wong with a Barbie doll in its "Barbie Inspiring Women Series." (May)<br /><br />14. TV game show host Pat Sajak announced his retirement will be effective following the conclusion of his 41st year on the show mid-2024. Ryan Seacrest was introduced as his replacement with letter-turner Vanna White continuing on the show until 2026. (June)<br /><br />15. Meta's competitor to Twitter/X was called Threads and launched to record-setting numbers of users, alas, to Mark Zuckerberg's disappointment, the usage numbers have declined since launching, because, according to BusinessInsider, "Twitter became popular as a place to stay informed and get access to critical information. Meta wants Threads to be a hangout space for lifestyle brands and influencers instead of a newstand." (July)<br /><br />16. Due to the Maui wildfires, a Hawaii tourism official said, "If you want to help,. keep your trip and travel to Maui to spend money to help fuel the recovery." (August)<br /><br />17. First-of-its-kind law in Illinois enacted to penalize libraries that banned books. (August)<br /><br />18. Small supermarket chain Trader Joe's announced that it would not add self-checkout lines to its stores because "they were not consistent with the store's brand culture." (August)<br /><br />19. Football pro Tom Brady became a strategic advisor to Delta Airlines. (September)<br /><br />20. The U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission agency filed a trademark application for "America 250." Guess who will have a big party on July 4, 2026? (Answer: everyone in the USA!) This means big marketing opportunities for all brands. According to Rosie Rios, Commission Chair, "America’s 250th anniversary is about more than reflecting on our past, it’s about honoring the contributions of individuals who built this country, the innovations that put this country on the map and a man on the moon, and imagining what the next 250 years might look like for our children and the generations to come." (September)<br /><br />21. Crayola, the crayon company that began in 1903, a subsidiary of Hallmark Cards, announced the launch of Crayola Flowers, an online flower shop that will sell bouquets and boxed flowers. In addition, there will be a fundraising component whereby 10-50 percent of every sale will be donated to a participating charity chosen by the customer. Nonprofit organizations will also be able to use the floral storefront as part of their own fundraising campaigns. According to Warren Schorr of Crayola, "The idea is to extend the Crayola brand into the flower industry in a slightly different way. Instead of just selling flowers when they're needed, why not unite this idea of color and creativity with spreading kindness." (September)<br /><br />22. The U.S. Supreme Court finally adopted an ethics code. How effective will it be? Time will tell. (November)<br /><br />23. The Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team hoped to create a dynasty by signing two legendary players: Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto. (December)<br /><br />24. Tesla recalled two million vehicles to limit use of Autopilot feature after nearly 1,000 crashes. (December)<br /><br /><br />With all these changes, one wonders if brands that don’t make changes have staying power. Do logos need to be refreshed every so often? Do brand names need to change every so often? How do these changes impact brand equity and customer/fan/stakeholder recognition? These are important questions before considering, planning, and executing strategic branding changes.<br /><br />What brand will make news during 2024? Another recap will appear here on this blog in January 2025!<br /><br /><br />Image Credit: Bright Pink Agency.<br /><br /></p>DebbieLaskeyMBAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04110969252778614500noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-281451931372336430.post-16602177248733324782024-01-22T09:00:00.000-08:002024-01-22T09:00:00.134-08:00Recent Marketing News: Product Packaging, Brand Transparency, and More<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha75G_eefaLVHMx7pqsK4Rn38aWdHtnTPwmn7r7z8v89kE4r-UenHQ2mvXO03aNuePdEK6kb_BD_xT_ra-RdifyTKp0R9nkMuPSEQ6LH_spJ-gdtWbn6TfUf1Yih4qIovjsV0ADKYAK7xonmdRl0gvZHv_CZNSSCTikHzsY04BKA_KIwr9RAaQORTYoKU/s571/1%20-%20Marketing%20News%20of%20the%20Week%20-%201-23-2024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="432" data-original-width="571" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha75G_eefaLVHMx7pqsK4Rn38aWdHtnTPwmn7r7z8v89kE4r-UenHQ2mvXO03aNuePdEK6kb_BD_xT_ra-RdifyTKp0R9nkMuPSEQ6LH_spJ-gdtWbn6TfUf1Yih4qIovjsV0ADKYAK7xonmdRl0gvZHv_CZNSSCTikHzsY04BKA_KIwr9RAaQORTYoKU/s320/1%20-%20Marketing%20News%20of%20the%20Week%20-%201-23-2024.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>This past week - okay, during the past few weeks - there were news stories that reflected product packaging, new product launches, personal branding, brand transparency, advertising, corporate sponsorship, and more.<br /><b><br /><span style="background-color: #fce5cd;">TROPICANA'S LIMITED EDITION PACKAGING</span></b><br />While Artificial Intelligence, also known as AI, was on everyone's mind at the recent Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, (remember, it was the word of the year for 2023 according to Collins Dictionary), one company did not want it anywhere near its brand. Tropicana, the top-selling orange juice brand, released limited-edition bottles with a slight change to its name. On the bottles, the letters "A" and "I" were removed from the name so that it showed as "TROPCN." According to a company press release, the marketing campaign highlighted the "fact that there is nothing artificial, and never has been anything artificial" in the orange juice.<br /><br /><b><span style="background-color: #fce5cd;">BARBIE'S "WOMEN IN FILM" COLLECTION</span></b><br />Most likely inspired by the "Barbie" blockbuster film that appealed to movie fans of all ages during the summer of 2023, Mattel announced that its annual "Career of the Year" collection would feature a slate of film-related occupations including a film director, a studio executive, a cinematographer, and a movie star. </p><p>While Barbie has worked in more than 250 professions, the annual "Career of the Year" dolls highlight positions in which women are under-represented. According to Mattel, the dolls "inspire imaginations with endless possibilities."<br /><br />In 2023, Mattel's "Career of the Year" collection represented "Women in Sports" and included a general manager, a coach, a referee, and a sports reporter. And in 2022, Mattel introduced the "Eco-Leadership Team" and included a Chief Sustainability Officer, a Conservation Scientist, a Renewable Energy Engineer, and an Environmental Advocate.<br /><br /><b><span style="background-color: #fce5cd;">DEFENSE SECRETARY LLOYD AUSTIN'S DISAPPEARANCE</span></b><br />Defense Secretary Austin had health scares and needed surgery, however, he did not inform his boss, in this case, the President of the United States. What would have happened in the case of an international emergency? Several days went by before President Biden was informed. (Can you imagine having a personal health situation and not informing your boss?) While brands understand transparency, this situation was a lesson in personal branding transparency. Furthermore, this situation resulted in a new procedure at the White House whereby all Cabinet Secretaries are to notify the President when they are unable to perform their duties. A memo was distributed. (Can you imagine???)<br /><br /><b><span style="background-color: #fce5cd;">ALASKA AIRLINE'S DEFECTIVE DOOR AND TRAINING</span></b><br />Did you hear about the door that fell off the Alaska Airlines airplane? Airplane disasters are not the news anyone wants to hear. But no one wants to hear about defects on airplanes. How can Alaska Airlines and airplane builder Boeing turn this negative news around? Time will tell with this story - it depends on the reason for the defective door. <br /><br />However, once the cabin pressure changed due to the door flying off the plane, the crew attempted to close the cabin crew's door (it opened due to the change in pressure). Unfortunately, they DID NOT KNOW that the door was supposed to open and remain open. Who trains flight crews???<br /><br /><b><span style="background-color: #fce5cd;">TIGER WOODS AND NIKE</span></b><br />Golf legend Tiger Woods and Nike ended their advertising partnership that began in 1996. According to Tiger, "Over 27 years ago, I was fortunate to start a partnership with one of the most iconic brands in the world. The days since have been filled with so many amazing moments and memories...Phil Knight's passion and vision brought this Nike and Nike Golf partnership together, and I wanted to personally thank him." Does this mean that another co-branding and advertising partnership is on the horizon?<br /><br /><b><span style="background-color: #fce5cd;">MICROSOFT VERSUS APPLE</span></b><br />Microsoft became the most valuable publicly-traded company. Time will tell if this has any marketing consequences.<br /><b><br /><span style="background-color: #fce5cd;">OLYMPICS ANNOUNCES BEER SPONSOR</span></b><br />The International Olympic Committee signed Anheuser-Busch InBev as the first beer brand in the 40-year history of its sponsorship program. Corona Cero, the zero-alcohol version of the Corona brand that is ranked second most valuable worldwide in the brewing industry, will be the "global been sponsor of the Olympic Games."<br /><b><br /><span style="background-color: #fce5cd;">SUBWAY'S SIDEKICKS</span></b><br />What goes best with a foot-long sandwich? How about a foot-long cookie? Subway announced in a press release that its new Sidekicks menu will feature "a collection of three new foot-long snacks: a foot-long cookie, a foot-long churro, and a foot-long pretzel, all costing between $2-$3." The company partnered with Auntie Anne's to create the pretzel and Cinnabon to create the churro.<br /><br /><b><span style="background-color: #fce5cd;">APPLEBEE'S PROMOTES DATE NIGHTS</span></b><br />Applebee's will offer a limited number of subscription date night passes for $200. The pass will cover a year of weekly date nights starting on February 1 and ending on January 31, 2025. The pass is valid 52 times and will only cover up to $30 of food and non-alcoholic beverages. Alcohol will not be included.<br /><br /><b><span style="background-color: #fce5cd;">BURT'S BEES NEW FLAVOR</span></b><br />Burt's Bees teamed up with Hidden Valley Ranch salad dressing to create a lip balm with the flavor of ranch dressing and buffalo wings. According to CNN, the lip balm sold out immediately.<br /><br /><b><span style="background-color: #fce5cd;">MANDATE FOR CURSIVE HANDWRITING</span></b><br />Beginning in January, a new law took effect in California requiring schools to teach cursive writing in first through sixth grades. This is a good thing because it introduces the art of cursive writing to young people (who are always glued to their electronic devices), some may actually become fans of calligraphy and art.<br /><br />What other marketing news stood out to you?<br /><br />What will be the marketing buzz in the next few weeks, keeping in mind the Super Bowl ads are a only a few weeks away?<br /><br /><br />Image Credits: Tropicana and Barbie.</p>DebbieLaskeyMBAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04110969252778614500noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-281451931372336430.post-14699610560407998872024-01-17T09:00:00.000-08:002024-01-17T09:00:00.134-08:00Barbie Made News in 2023<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibysmC7shximyXiOlhWp_DODnFzMiHLyr1VqI_5rsimhdpw2L7nr9UEzMWvAUsiFfl1jEzoggppmQCcuH7hi7Qr3eaLu5QSsXeteH06PKcoE4ShIdqbEcn3_qY08UbvWiEJAhX4QQOE77BlT7L6vnCnrtWbaqYaLK9WLiNuCJxkhIukneBce_yRwAIFFA/s606/1%20-%20Barbie%20Made%20News%20in%202023%20-%201-17-2024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="542" data-original-width="606" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibysmC7shximyXiOlhWp_DODnFzMiHLyr1VqI_5rsimhdpw2L7nr9UEzMWvAUsiFfl1jEzoggppmQCcuH7hi7Qr3eaLu5QSsXeteH06PKcoE4ShIdqbEcn3_qY08UbvWiEJAhX4QQOE77BlT7L6vnCnrtWbaqYaLK9WLiNuCJxkhIukneBce_yRwAIFFA/s320/1%20-%20Barbie%20Made%20News%20in%202023%20-%201-17-2024.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>During 2023, Barbie made news, actually LOTS OF NEWS ranging from recognition of some inspiring women to a blockbuster movie. This post serves as a recap and a celebration.<br /><br />Mattel’s Barbie has become one of the world’s most popular dolls. Introduced in 1959, the Barbie doll owes its success to adapting to the ever-changing markets of various cultures and countries by launching Barbie dolls of shapes, colors, and sizes, and customization to the inhabitants of certain regions. Because Barbie has often been criticized for representing an unattainable beauty ideal for girls and women, the doll has evolved both in style and shape over the years.<br /><br />The Barbie brand also honors pioneering women from throughout history. According to Mattel, "Barbie recognizes all female role models. The Inspiring Women Series pays tribute to the incredible heroines of their time; courageous women who took risks, changed rules, and paved the way for generations of girls to dream bigger than ever before."<br /><br />Here are some interesting facts you may not know about Barbie. Her full name is Barbara Millicent Roberts. Since her inception, she has had 200 different careers. Around the world, a Barbie doll is sold every three seconds, and March 9 is celebrated each year as National Barbie Day.<br /><br /><b><span style="background-color: #fce5cd;">2023 Career Collection - Women in Sports - September 2023:</span></b><br />Barbie's 2023 Career of the Year lineup honored women making strides toward equality in sports. The four featured dolls included a general manager with an official ID badge; a coach holding a playbook and megaphone; a referee equipped with headset, whistle and flag; and a sports reporter with microphone and notebook. According to Mattel, "The Career of the Year collection is an annual special release that features dolls in culturally relevant and aspirational roles in fields where women are under-represented."<br /><br />According to Mattel's press release, "Women have been working toward greater gender equality in sports for decades, but still in 2023, women only make up 25 percent of U.S. college level head coaches, and only 30 percent of global sports participants are women. This year, our Career of the Year lineup highlights four careers in the sports industry to encourage girls to pursue involvement in sports and increase opportunities for girls as the next generation of empowered women."<br /><br />In addition to this collection, Mattel announced its partnership with Voice in Sport, an online community and advocacy group for women and girls in sports, offering research, mentorship, and other resources.<br /><br /><b><span style="background-color: #fce5cd;">Barbie Signature - Tribute Collection - Maria Felix - August 2023:</span></b><br />On the National Day of Mexican Cinema, the legacy of Maria Felix as one of the best actresses of the Mexican Golden Cinema was honored with a limited edition doll. Since 1943, her name gained relevance after her participation in the film, El Penon de las Animas, or translated into English, The Rock of Souls. According to doll designer Carlyle Nuera, "An incomparable beauty with ambition, intelligence, drive, and a social conscience, María Felix was a Mexican movie star whose performances in film captivated audiences across the world. She used her fame and influence to advocate for positive change across Mexican and Latin societies. Barbie honors this cultural icon with a doll that glimmers in an elegant gold and black gown and shines with ornate oversized jewelry.”<br /><br /><b><span style="background-color: #fce5cd;">Barbie Inspiring Women Series - Celia Cruz - September 2023:</span></b><br />To celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, the legacy of Celia Cruz was honored with a Barbie doll. Her doll featured a stunning blond wig styled in an elegant high bun complemented by a necklace, long earrings, and distinctive gold dancing shoes.<br /><br />According to Mattel, "A dazzling performer of many genres of Afro-Caribbean music, Celia Cruz had a powerful contralto voice, energetic stage presence, and a unique style that endeared her to fans from different nationalities and across generations. One of few women to succeed in the male-dominated world of salsa music, the "Queen of Salsa" performed for more than five decades and recorded more than 50 albums. She garnered more than 100 worldwide recognitions, multiple platinum and gold records, three GRAMMY awards and four Latin GRAMMY awards, three honorary doctorates, the Presidential Medal of Arts, and a star on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame."<br /><br /><b><span style="background-color: #fce5cd;">Music Series Barbie - Stevie Nicks - October 2023:</span></b><br />To celebrate Stevie Nicks' 75th birthday, Mattel honored her with a Barbie doll. According to Entertainment Weekly, "The Fleetwood Mac frontwoman's doll features Nicks in a beguiling black dress with chiffon statement sleeves inspired by the iconic dress she wore on the album cover for the band's 1977 album Rumours. The spellbinding look is completed by a golden moon necklace, knee-length black boots, and a tambourine with cascading ribbons. Nicks' doll is part of Mattel's Music Series Barbies, joining the ranks of Gloria Estefan, David Bowie, Elvis Presley, Elton John, and Tina Turner, who have all been honored with their own Barbies." <br /><br /><b><span style="background-color: #fce5cd;">Barbie Inspiring Women Series - Wilma Mankiller - November 2023:</span></b><br />Wilma Mankiller was a fierce advocate for Native American and women's rights, and the first female Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation. As a social worker, she worked to empower indigenous communities, which earned her the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1998, the highest civilian honor, from President Bill Clinton. Two of her many accomplishments included a decline in the infant mortality rate and a rise in educational achievement in the Cherokee Nation. Mattel worked with Mankiller's family and friends to design the doll, which is dressed in a turquoise dress with striping to represent the four directions of a compass: north, south, east, and west. <br /><br />And of course, there was <b><span style="background-color: #fce5cd;">the blockbuster that appeared in movie theaters on July 21, 2023</span></b>. Directed by Greta Gerwig and starring Margot Robbie, the Barbie movie definitely made its mark on Hollywood and beyond. Here is one of the movie's stand-out moments:<br /><br />"Gloria's (America Ferrera) moving monologue is one of the film's most powerful quotes. Gloria describes the immense expectations and the unfair standards that females are subjected to in order to be viewed as desirable and liked by others. During the scene, Barbie has an emotional moment confessing how she feels she is not good enough for anything. Gloria tells Barbie how she is so beautiful, and it kills Gloria that Barbie doesn't think she is good enough. Gloria continues by saying, "I'm just so tired of watching myself, and every single other woman tie herself into knots so that people will like us."<br /><br />What inspirational women would you like to see transformed into a Barbie doll? Tune in next January to see who Mattel honors during 2024.<br /><br /><br />Image Credit: Mattel.</p>DebbieLaskeyMBAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04110969252778614500noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-281451931372336430.post-91824862135559053412024-01-15T09:00:00.000-08:002024-01-15T09:00:00.139-08:00Notable Deaths in 2023 and Some Personal Branding Tips<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdal45l6pWC0kmYTk9l2Nl-pGp2Sll549JMRQJCO_PnGhfXT51PC7FPYjUM-vuD31V3PpnJKHSVRIqU5-1yaGAJzGV88b9hJGhShF6mQ0eFIs6JXfQhE8kTTl5HS3qvu2nSwPHpjO8S5V40lIt6T5-X2otvaOoVbNo9mQiGoEtlRYsFv_r4oWtyNxWgKE/s674/1%20-%20Notable%20deaths%20-%20image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="632" data-original-width="674" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdal45l6pWC0kmYTk9l2Nl-pGp2Sll549JMRQJCO_PnGhfXT51PC7FPYjUM-vuD31V3PpnJKHSVRIqU5-1yaGAJzGV88b9hJGhShF6mQ0eFIs6JXfQhE8kTTl5HS3qvu2nSwPHpjO8S5V40lIt6T5-X2otvaOoVbNo9mQiGoEtlRYsFv_r4oWtyNxWgKE/s320/1%20-%20Notable%20deaths%20-%20image.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>While many notable deaths occurred during 2023, we were left with a myriad of personal branding tips. Join me in learning from the legacies of these eight inspiring individuals.<br /><br /><b>SENATOR DIANNE FEINSTEIN</b><br />With an inspiring climb from Stanford University to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors to Mayor of San Francisco to United States Senator, Feinstein was the epitome of effective leadership and women's empowerment.<br /><br />PERSONAL BRANDING TIP: Political service can be an admirable life mission. Embrace it and make positive change.<br /><br /><b>JIMMY BUFFET</b><br />While music critics were never kind to Buffet, his fans embraced his "It's Five O'clock Somewhere" lyrics and beach lifestyle. His evolving brand began in 1985 and today includes restaurants, resorts, clothing, home décor, food, beer, tequila, and even a retirement community. His music was also turned into a musical, "Escape to Margaritaville," which debuted on Broadway in March 2018 and ran for 124 regular performances, followed by a national tour.<br /><br />PERSONAL BRANDING TIP: If a brand's or personal brand's message resonates with fans or followers, it doesn't matter if industry critics like it.<br /><br /><b>TINA TURNER</b><br />A singer, songwriter, and actress, Tina Turner was known as the "Queen of Rock 'n Roll." She rose to prominence as the lead singer of the husband-wife duo Ike and Tina Turner before launching a successful career as a solo artist. During the 1980's, she launched "one of the greatest comebacks in music history." Her 1984 multi-platinum album Private Dancer contained the hit song "What's Love Got to Do with It," which won the Grammy Award for Record of the Year and became her first and only number-one song on the Billboard Hot 100. At 44, she was the oldest female solo artist to top the Hot 100. In 1994, she began living in Switzerland, and relinquished her American citizenship after obtaining Swiss citizenship in 2013.<br /><br />Daphne A. Brooks, a scholar of African-American studies, wrote for The Guardian: "Tina Turner merged sound and movement at a critical turning point in rock history, navigating and reflecting back the technological innovations of a new pop-music era in the 1960's and 1970's. She catapulted herself to the forefront of a musical revolution that had long marginalized and overlooked the pioneering contributions of African American women and then remade herself again at an age when most pop musicians were hitting the oldies circuit. Turner's musical character has always been a charged combination of mystery as well as light, melancholy mixed with a ferocious vitality that often flirted with danger."<br /><br />In October 2022, Mattel released a Barbie Signature Music Series Tina Turner Doll. As Mattel explained, "She went from singing as a young girl in her rural church choir in Nutbush, Tennessee, to becoming the legendary performer hailed as the undisputed “Queen of Rock 'n Roll.” Barbie celebrates the unprecedented music career and journey of Tina Turner. She is a Grammy-winning, chart-topping singer, and one of the best-selling recording artists of all time. The doll, designed by Bill Greening, commemorated her smash hit “What’s Love Got to Do With It,” and the design is inspired by the iconic outfit Tina wore in the music video."<br /><br />PERSONAL BRANDING TIP: Tina Turner epitomized reinvention. She could have ended her musical career when she divorced Ike Turner. However, she reinvented herself, created a solo career, and became the "Queen of Rock 'n Roll."<br /><br /><b>LISA MARIE PRESLEY</b><br />Daughter of music superstar Elvis Presley, Lisa Marie was his only child. Although she attempted having a singing career and married four times, she never attained the type of star power her father had, but she managed his home, Graceland, and musical legacy with pride and was also a philanthropist who supported many causes during her lifetime.<br /><br />PERSONAL BRANDING TIP: One does not have to define his/her/their role in the world by living in someone else's shadow. Brands can, and must, define their own roads to travel.</p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: #fce5cd;">SHARE THIS: Your personal brand is what makes you unique. It's what sets you apart from others and helps you stand out. ~Jessica Thiefels #personalbranding #DebbieLaskeysBlog</span></h3><p><b>SUZANNE SOMERS</b><br />An American actress, author, and businesswoman in the health and wellness industry, Suzanne Somers became famous in the television role of Chrissy Snow on Three's Company (1977–1981) and later as Carol Foster Lambert on Step by Step (1991–1998). She wrote more than 25 books, including two autobiographies, four diet books, and a book of poetry. She was also well known for advertising the ThighMaster, an exercise device. <br /><br />While her battle for equal pay on Three's Company might have been humiliating, it was also ground-breaking. She said, "Man did I love being Chrissy Snow. I am really proud of creating that dumb blonde because she had a moral code. She was lovable. Most people don't realize that Chrissy Snow, from Three's Company, was the first feminist. I was the first one in television who asked to be paid commensurate with the men because I was on the number one show and had the highest demographics of any woman in television and yet all the men were being paid 10 to 15 times more than me. So my contract was up, I renegotiated and I was fired for asking."<br /><br />ABC refused to give in to her demands, and the network slowly began nudging Somers out of the show until she was finally fired when her contract ended after the fifth season.<br /><br />She didn't let television executives set her back for too long, however, and went on to a profitable Las Vegas residency before putting her entire focus toward building a fitness brand centered around one of the world's most coveted pieces of exercise equipment: the ThighMaster. Somers admitted she made almost $300 million from the device alone.<br /><br />PERSONAL BRANDING TIP: Suzanne Somers was the embodiment of the saying, if you have lemons, make lemonade. She was a pioneer in women's equality and the fight for equal pay for equal work.<br /><br /><b>CINDY WILLIAMS</b><br />Half of a successful television duo during the late 1970's, Cindy Williams' alter ego was Shirley Feeney. The TV show, Laverne and Shirley, was a big hit, however, similar to Suzanne Somers and her role in the TV show Three's Company, Williams did not want to be typecast in future acting roles.<br /><br />PERSONAL BRANDING TIP: Sometimes, being known as one thing or for one thing can be a positive attribute. Don't knock it.<br /><br /><b>ROSALYN CARTER</b><br />Wife of Jimmy Carter for more than 70 years, she was an American writer, activist, and humanitarian who served as the First Lady of the United States from 1977 to 1981, as the wife of President Jimmy Carter. During her decades of public service, she was an advocate for women's rights and mental health. According to Wikipedia, "During her husband's administration, she supported his public policies as well as his social and personal life. To remain fully informed, she sat in on Cabinet meetings at the invitation of the President."<br /><br />PERSONAL BRANDING TIP: Rosalyn was supportive to her husband, during their time in the White House and afterward. Support can be very inspiring.<br /><b><br />SANDRA DAY O'CONNOR</b><br />When Ronald Reagan was running for the Presidency in 1980, he pledged to nominate the first woman to the United States Supreme Court. Once he became President, the time had come. He nominated Sandra Day O'Connor from Arizona, and the rest is history.<br /><br />PERSONAL BRANDING TIP: Despite the fact that Sandra Day O'Connor was unable to get a law firm job as a lawyer due to her gender following her excellent work at the Stanford Law School (she graduated in the top ten percent of her class), she did not give up. She went to work for the San Mateo County District Attorney's office. She offered to work for no salary and without an office and shared space with a secretary. And then, as the first woman appointed to the United States Supreme Court, she had to deal with chauvinism that few can imagine during her tenure on the Court from 1981 to 2006. O'Connor said that she felt a responsibility to demonstrate women could do the job of justice. She faced some practical concerns, including the lack of a women's restroom near the Courtroom. She referred to herself as FWOTSC, first woman on the Supreme Court. Her sense of purpose, respect for her jobs, and professional demeanor throughout her lifetime led to her incredible successes. Those are qualities any brand can embrace.<br /><br />After reflecting on this list, I note that more women appeared. Was this intentional, or did more women make an impact during their lifetimes? Perhaps, women are finally getting much deserved recognition for their accomplishments and impact.<br /><br />What personal branding tips did YOU learn from people we lost during 2023?<br /><br /><br />Image Credit: Macky Technologies.</p>DebbieLaskeyMBAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04110969252778614500noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-281451931372336430.post-12848511913440419912024-01-12T09:00:00.000-08:002024-01-12T09:00:00.129-08:00Marketing News of the Week: Danish Queen Margrethe, Pandas, and Starbucks<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb4zIBcIWLAR01Hur3rR77CRK5DsaNzmPDLPK2JtiE3ogcNMwtErWGE1S-D8jWvM3gYtH8Z_963yqthM1gOaSKgo9k8HKJzQwVUlDLnHwkqfmS6_-GBxDi_yeD8MvM4eERQArwGR5Xz7zYdwG9mQ3tWnsOlVQURjxF3jc2sSojSEL8RaYCU6I5eN_dqls/s674/1%20-%20Marketing%20News%201-12-2024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="586" data-original-width="674" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb4zIBcIWLAR01Hur3rR77CRK5DsaNzmPDLPK2JtiE3ogcNMwtErWGE1S-D8jWvM3gYtH8Z_963yqthM1gOaSKgo9k8HKJzQwVUlDLnHwkqfmS6_-GBxDi_yeD8MvM4eERQArwGR5Xz7zYdwG9mQ3tWnsOlVQURjxF3jc2sSojSEL8RaYCU6I5eN_dqls/s320/1%20-%20Marketing%20News%201-12-2024.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>This past week, there were news stories that reflected personal branding, brand ambassadors, brand positioning, and brand storytelling.<br /><br /><b><span style="background-color: #fce5cd;">DANISH QUEEN MARGRETHE</span></b><br />After nearly 52 years on the throne, Queen Margrethe of Denmark made a surprising announcement in her traditional New Year's Eve speech broadcast on Danish television on December 31, 2023. While there has not been an abdication in Denmark in nearly 900 years, she said that she would abdicate her role on January 14, 2024, after a reign lasting exactly 52 years. At age 83, she will hand over the throne to her son, Crown Prince Frederik, and she will continue to be titled as "Her Majesty." After the death of Britain's Queen Elizabeth II last year, Margrethe became the longest-serving monarch in Europe.<br /><br />Denmark's royals have a limited role under the country's constitution, with power resting with parliament. However, monarchs serve as important ambassadors for the country of Denmark throughout the world and also sign off on new legislation.<br /><br /><b><span style="background-color: #fce5cd;">PANDAS</span></b><br />According to NPR, "Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said that the U.S. and China must insist on peaceful coexistence and transcend their differences like both countries did when they established diplomatic relations 45 years ago this week. He also promised that giant pandas would return to the U.S., and specifically California, by the end of the year."<br /><br />Giant pandas that had resided in Memphis and Washington, D.C., returned to China last year, and many feared that China would stop lending pandas to American zoos due to tensions between the two countries, so this news is exactly what American zoos, and especially California zoos wanted to hear.<br /><br />Pandas are excellent ambassadors for China, pandas, and wildlife conservation.<br /><br /><b><span style="background-color: #fce5cd;">STARBUCKS</span></b><br />According to USA Today, "You might want to get your hands on the winter pink "Starbucks x Stanley cup" sooner rather than later. The limited edition 40-ounce quencher released nationwide on January 4 in Starbucks stores at Target locations have already sold out...People have flocked to Target since the cup's release, arguing with one another, waiting in long lines, camping out overnight to get a chance to purchase the cup as soon as the store opened." While the cup sold exclusively in Target for $49.95, there are some on eBay starting at $200.<br /><br />This type of news is not good for Starbucks. Why would a brand want to release a product that sells out immediately and causes chaos at stores?<br /><br /><b><span style="background-color: #fce5cd;">PRODUCT PRICING NEWS</span></b><br />In other marketing news, Carrefour, one of France's biggest supermarket chains, will stop selling PepsiCo products because they are too expensive. According to CNN affiliate BFM-TV, stores are displaying a sign alongside Pepsi, Lay's chips, Quaker cereals, Lipton teas, and more products that reads: "We are no longer selling this brand due to unacceptable price increases. We apologize for the inconvenience." Carrefour will also pull products from its stores in Italy, Spain, and Belgium.<br /><br />What other marketing news stood out to you this past week?<br /><br />What will be the marketing buzz next week? Tune in to read all about it.<br /><br />Image Credits: Keld Navntoft via Getty Images (of Queen Margrethe), Katherine Feng (of the pandas), and Starbucks.<br /><br /></p>DebbieLaskeyMBAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04110969252778614500noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-281451931372336430.post-73857855457102349772024-01-10T09:00:00.000-08:002024-01-10T09:00:00.148-08:00Words and Terms that Told the Story of 2023<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWsLGRrkzj4aZsOLlW9TVnqoXfJib8Oz-zPFwqmWih_mKnaBcRzXhSLKIkncFi-ORsqog_Oj3lAdB1Z6k89NXPrn8PiSXN6in3YyiXcz7zxIdP6dLRlacMTisDNQGu0xnyWTAkJ2tWUgYpZBgRc1Ev4qGiowmEXKUAwReggEoy0orkG2uq04p6Lca95ZI/s668/1%20-%20Words%20and%20Terms%20image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="616" data-original-width="668" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWsLGRrkzj4aZsOLlW9TVnqoXfJib8Oz-zPFwqmWih_mKnaBcRzXhSLKIkncFi-ORsqog_Oj3lAdB1Z6k89NXPrn8PiSXN6in3YyiXcz7zxIdP6dLRlacMTisDNQGu0xnyWTAkJ2tWUgYpZBgRc1Ev4qGiowmEXKUAwReggEoy0orkG2uq04p6Lca95ZI/s320/1%20-%20Words%20and%20Terms%20image.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> <p></p><p>While many marketing and news commentators (including this blogger) have talked about the books, films, people, color, and notable deaths that made news during 2023, let's not forget the memorable words and terms that told the story of 2023.<br /><br /><b>MERRIAM-WEBSTER</b><br />Word of the year was AUTHENTIC, the term for something we're thinking about, writing about, aspiring to, and judging more than ever - and the word saw a substantial increase in lookups during 2023, driven by stories and conversations about AI, celebrity culture, identity, and social media. According to Merriam-Webster.com: "Authentic has a number of meanings including "not false or imitation," a synonym of real and actual; and also "true to one's own personality, spirit, or character."<br /><br />Here were the other words that stood out in Merriam-Webster's dictionary during 2023:<br />* Rizz<br />* Deepfake<br />* Implode<br />* EGOT<br />* X<br />* Indict<br /><br /><b>OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS</b><br />Word of the year was RIZZ, a noun meaning style, charm, or attractiveness; the ability to attract a romantic partner. The word has been credited to YouTuber Kai Cenat.<br /><br /><b>CAMBRIDGE DICTIONARY</b><br />Word of the year was HALLUCINATE. The traditional definition of hallucinate is to seem to see, hear, feel, or smell something that does not exist, usually because of a health condition or because you have taken a drug. The new, additional definition is: "When an artificial intelligence (= a computer system that has some of the qualities that the human brain has, such as, the ability to produce language in a way that seems human) hallucinates, it produces false information. AI hallucinations, also known as confabulations, sometimes appear nonsensical. But they can also seem entirely plausible – even while being factually inaccurate or ultimately illogical. AI hallucinations have already had real-world impacts. A US law firm used ChatGPT for legal research, which led to fictitious cases being cited in court. In Google’s own promotional video for Bard, the AI tool made a factual error about the James Webb Space Telescope."<br /><br />Here were the other words that captured Cambridge Dictionary's interest during 2023:<br />* Implosion<br />* Ennui<br />* Grifter<br />* GOAT (Greatest of All Time)<br /><br /><b>COLLINS DICTIONARY</b><br />Word of the year was AI, a set of technologies that enable computers to perform a variety of advanced functions, including the ability to see, understand, and translate spoken and written language, analyze data, make recommendations, and more.<br /><br /><b>MOST SEARCHED TERM ON GOOGLE</b><br />As of December 2023, the most searched things on Google were "YouTube” and "Amazon." During 2023, the most searched person was Taylor Swift, and the most-asked question on Google was, "How many ounces in a cup?"<br /><br />Here were some terms that arose again and again during conversations and news reports during 2023:<br /><br />CHATGPT: The powerful new AI chatbot tool that has been trained on vast amounts of online data in order to generate responses to user prompts. While it has gained traction among users, it has also raised some concerns, including about inaccuracies and its potential to perpetuate biases and spread misinformation.<br /><br />NEPO BABY: A celebrity with a parent who is also famous, especially one whose industry connections are perceived as essential to their success.<br /><br />CONSORT: Once the United Kingdom's Prince Charles officially became King Charles III at his coronation in May 2023, his wife, the Duchess of Cornwall became known as Queen Camilla. In a branding move that surprised everyone, she dropped the word "Consort" from her title.<br /><br />PETFLUENCER: A person who gains a large following on social media by posting entertaining images or videos of their cat, dog, or other pet.<br /><br />SLOWCESSION: According to Moody's Analytics, despite predictions of a recession during 2023, "The more likely scenario was a slowcession, where growth grinds to a near halt but a full economic downturn is narrowly avoided."<br /><br />As the famous writer Joseph Conrad wrote, "My task which I am trying to achieve is by the power of the written word, to make you hear, to make you feel - it is, before all, to make you see. That — and no more, and it is everything."<br /><br />What words and terms will define 2024? Keep up with the news, and you may find some clues.<br /><br /><br />Image Credit: Elsaspeak.com.</p>DebbieLaskeyMBAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04110969252778614500noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-281451931372336430.post-77537629208706198782024-01-05T09:00:00.000-08:002024-01-05T09:00:00.139-08:00"Top 10" New Year's Resolutions for Leaders<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu8KT8wLk-qfmkwNLbxUxL9HzSZS7bhpBnjJW0xATcbWKrEygOk1PoRjs44Y9oUbPP6r-JdiY3bbVWgKnnGLIdoJxay2KYI4LhXp7XWGc7HzkdBlbfqkRpLbsLg9pDPAFPWlL7EOblQweA38oTi3wdfBMCeel699_pDzSklzpdoadcYoiI_84gofzAF8c/s734/1%20-New%20Years%20Resolutions%20for%20Leaders.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="734" data-original-width="674" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu8KT8wLk-qfmkwNLbxUxL9HzSZS7bhpBnjJW0xATcbWKrEygOk1PoRjs44Y9oUbPP6r-JdiY3bbVWgKnnGLIdoJxay2KYI4LhXp7XWGc7HzkdBlbfqkRpLbsLg9pDPAFPWlL7EOblQweA38oTi3wdfBMCeel699_pDzSklzpdoadcYoiI_84gofzAF8c/s320/1%20-New%20Years%20Resolutions%20for%20Leaders.jpg" width="294" /></a></div><p></p><p>During December, I read an inspiring post entitled, "70 New Year's Resolutions for Leaders" by my friend and leadership expert (and advocate) Eric Jacobson. I wondered how many leaders make a list of leadership resolutions every January. Upon further reflection, I wondered if leaders make such a list, do they actually follow the resolutions? <br /><br />There is no doubt that if a leader adhered to all of Eric's 70 resolutions, he/she/they would become an exceptional leader. But the reality is, that would be nearly impossible to find such a leader. I think sticking to ten resolutions might be hard, but much more likely. So I decided to pull out my favorite ten resolutions. </p><p>With big applause to Eric, here are my "Top 10" New Year's Resolutions for Leaders:<br /><br />1. Don't micromanage.<br />2. Don't be a bottleneck.<br />3. Focus on outcomes, not minutiae.<br />4. Celebrate your employees' successes, not your own.<br />5. Communicate clearly and often.<br />6. Admit your mistakes.<br />7. Encourage individualism and welcome input.<br />8. Encourage personal growth and promote training, mentoring, and external education.<br />9. Volunteer within your community and allow/support your employees to volunteer also.<br />10. Read leadership books to continue your leadership journey.<br /><br />Again, much gratitude to Eric for creating his list and for inspiring me to pick ten. </p><p>The goal of this post was to inspire you to create your own list of New Year's Leadership Resolutions with the hope that you stick to it during 2024.<br /><br />Image Credit: Shutterstock.</p><p><br /><br />Here's the link to Eric's original post - I highly recommend you hang it in a prominent place so that you can refer to it on a regular basis:<br /><a href="https://ericjacobsononmanagement.blogspot.com/2023/12/70-new-years-resolutions-for-leaders.html" target="_blank">https://ericjacobsononmanagement.blogspot.com/2023/12/70-new-years-resolutions-for-leaders.html<br /></a><br />Connect with Eric at these links:<br />Blog: <a href="https://ericjacobsononmanagement.blogspot.com" target="_blank">https://ericjacobsononmanagement.blogspot.com</a> <br />Twitter: <a href="https://www.twitter.com/ericjacobsonkc" target="_blank">https://www.twitter.com/ericjacobsonkc <br /></a><br />Check out Eric’s previous appearances here on my blog:<br /><br />[1] FALL BACK TO READING SERIES – Featuring Eric Jacobson <br />September 25, 2023<br /><a href="https://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2023/09/fall-back-to-reading-series-featuring.html" target="_blank">https://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2023/09/fall-back-to-reading-series-featuring.html</a><br /><br />[2] Let's Celebrate #NationalLeadershipDay!<br />February 20, 2023<br /><a href="https://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2023/02/lets-celebrate-nationalleadershipday.html" target="_blank">https://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2023/02/lets-celebrate-nationalleadershipday.html<br /></a><br />[3] How Leadership Crafts the #EmployeeExperience<br />May 1, 2018<br /><a href="https://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2018/05/how-leadership-crafts-employeeexperience.html" target="_blank">https://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2018/05/how-leadership-crafts-employeeexperience.html<br /></a><br />[4] Leadership Doesn't Have to Be Hard<br />May 3, 2016<br /><a href="http://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2016/05/leadership-doesnt-have-to-be-hard.html" target="_blank">http://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2016/05/leadership-doesnt-have-to-be-hard.html</a><br /><br />[5] The Importance of Mentorships<br />March 11, 2013<br /><a href="http://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2013/03/the-importance-of-mentorships.html" target="_blank">http://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2013/03/the-importance-of-mentorships.html</a><br /><br />[6] The Importance of Training, Customer Connections, and Leadership<br />March 21, 2011<br /><a href="http://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2011/03/importance-of-training-customer.html " target="_blank">http://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2011/03/importance-of-training-customer.html </a></p>DebbieLaskeyMBAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04110969252778614500noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-281451931372336430.post-10684549038795628442024-01-04T09:00:00.000-08:002024-01-04T09:00:00.131-08:00Marketing News of the Week: Snoop Dogg, Year of the Dragon, and Steamboat Willie<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgyRQAds33bd_mKu_95EIcRxwWwAogkmm-Lk3FEJ9oJVUMLQX35Mm_m5MUqjRUBSFdvB43duIJK_DxNCnb1iQFX82gOG4ewzslCRsLTcrX07JO1scxyFucfPEtN2eqrwIZ72DsgU0fvTeJnhoUS0ZFCl_-d7f-3J6uHA73dc5O28JJZIhc1kBALUFvi0Q/s846/1%20-%20Marketing%20News%20-%201-4-2024%20image.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="838" data-original-width="846" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgyRQAds33bd_mKu_95EIcRxwWwAogkmm-Lk3FEJ9oJVUMLQX35Mm_m5MUqjRUBSFdvB43duIJK_DxNCnb1iQFX82gOG4ewzslCRsLTcrX07JO1scxyFucfPEtN2eqrwIZ72DsgU0fvTeJnhoUS0ZFCl_-d7f-3J6uHA73dc5O28JJZIhc1kBALUFvi0Q/s320/1%20-%20Marketing%20News%20-%201-4-2024%20image.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p>Once the ball dropped in Times Square, the new year of marketing news was off and running. Although recent marketing announcements were newsworthy due to their annual end-of-the-year timing: the Pantone color company announced its "Color of the Year for 2024" and TIME Magazine announced its "Person of the Year for 2023," this week's marketing news reflected the strength of personal branding, marketing campaigns based on product imagery, and brand storytelling.<br /><br /><b><span style="background-color: #fce5cd;">SNOOP DOGG</span></b><br />Are you familiar with the rapper known as Snoop Dogg? He has evolved his personal brand from a hip-hop icon to Martha Stewart TV show pal to this week, a "special correspondent" for the upcoming 2024 Summer Olympics from July 26 through August 11 in Paris, France. He will provide his distinctive perspective on the competitions, interview athletes, and also visit historical landmarks.<br /><br />Snoop explained, "It's going to be the most epic Olympics ever, so stay tuned. Let's elevate, celebrate, and make these games unforgettable, smoke the competition, and may the best shine like gold. Peace and Olympic LOVE, ya dig?"<br /><br />According to Huffington Post, "Snoop has undergone a transition over the years from 1990s gangsta rapper to a family-friendly face who has co-starred in a variety show with Martha Stewart, made his own cereal, and partnered with dozens of recognizable brands."<br /><br />According to Molly Solomon, President of NBC Olympics Production, "We don't know what the heck is going to happen every day, but we know Snoop will add his unique perspective to our reimagined Olympic primetime show."<br /><br />Did this announcement surprise you? It speaks to the power of personal branding and the evolution of Snoop's personal brand.<br /><b><br /><span style="background-color: #fce5cd;">YEAR OF THE DRAGON</span></b><br />The Lunar New Year will officially begin in February, but the "year of the dragon" has already begun to appear on products. Harney & Sons tea features the dragon on a special tea tin; Levi's Year of the Dragon collection includes denim tops and bottoms branded with a special red tab on the pocket and a custom leather back patch featuring dragon artwork and gold lettering; Piaget's Lunar New Year collection pays homage to the dragon; Tag Heuer released two limited-edition watches in celebration of the Lunar New Year; Swatch unveiled a year of the dragon watch; and the bakery/cafe Paris Baguette is rolling out a three-dimensional cake in the likeness of a dragon. <br /><br />Will your brand add a dragon to your product packaging, marketing communications, or logo?<br /><b><br /><span style="background-color: #fce5cd;">STEAMBOAT WILLIE</span></b><br />Effective January 1, 2024, an early version of the Walt Disney Company's internally-recognized mascot, Mickey Mouse, that was featured in the 1928 short film, "Steamboat Willie," entered the public domain for the first time.<br /><br />According to CNN, "The good-humored rodent, which has been synonymous with the Disney brand for nearly a century, has grown into one of the most iconic characters in American pop culture. But since U.S. copyright law, last updated by Congress in 1998, allows copyright to be held for 95 years, Disney’s sole claim to the character has officially ended. A Disney spokesperson explained to CNN, 'More modern versions of Mickey will remain unaffected by the expiration of the Steamboat Willie copyright, and Mickey will continue to play a leading role as a global ambassador for the Walt Disney Company in our storytelling, theme park attractions, and merchandise.'"<br /><br />Unfortunately, as a result, at least two horror films featuring Steamboat Willie were announced. We'll see what Disney does if/when they are released.<br /><br />What other marketing news stood out to you this week?<br /><br />What will be the marketing buzz next week? Tune in to read all about it.<br /><br /><br />Image Credits: Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images (Snoop), Behance.net, and LMPC via Getty Images (Steamboat Willie/Mickey Mouse 1928).</p>DebbieLaskeyMBAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04110969252778614500noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-281451931372336430.post-1871517573661019612024-01-01T09:00:00.000-08:002024-01-01T09:00:00.134-08:00Top Ten Marketing Highlights of 2023<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsY9vpLkFCHqCLBiTkr6C5bTT4-NG_ZIS9RJ0750OKvRdVhlS-ZXyFT9UCvFacCjf_od6Ebeaam7KGIQmAA-lGRCcgjOQ7LEIB2gyIuLk9L3KefdADMOXM_jMSBoPyf-whaU1BWO8HguNnmapOCap0eAZehLerXacnYHt5WWK9wRaA6HlduWNaTwBABR0/s604/image%20for%201-1-2024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="595" data-original-width="604" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsY9vpLkFCHqCLBiTkr6C5bTT4-NG_ZIS9RJ0750OKvRdVhlS-ZXyFT9UCvFacCjf_od6Ebeaam7KGIQmAA-lGRCcgjOQ7LEIB2gyIuLk9L3KefdADMOXM_jMSBoPyf-whaU1BWO8HguNnmapOCap0eAZehLerXacnYHt5WWK9wRaA6HlduWNaTwBABR0/s320/image%20for%201-1-2024.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>With 2023 now history, it's time for my annual “Top 10” marketing highlights post – incredible that this is my 14th post featuring annual marketing highlights.<br /><br />What do you remember from the 2023 marketing reel? What stood out as marketing innovation, and what will go down in history that was as memorable as Apple’s 1984 Super Bowl ad? Without further ado, let’s get to it!<br /><br />With a nod and thank you to David Letterman for the format, here's my list:<br /><br /><b>NUMBER 10:</b> During 2023, the Twitter brand continued to evolve under the ownership of Elon Musk, and in July, the transformation was the name to a single letter, X. Also, users no longer tweeted, but instead, posted. How can the new name be effective as a single letter? Will this Twitter/X name change become a timeless branding case study for marketing students like "Intel Inside" was? Unfortunately, for Musk, most media professionals constantly referred to the platform as "X, formerly Twitter."<br /><br /><b>NUMBER 9:</b> In March, the annual Academy Awards took place, but the buzz was not about the awards, but instead, a famous part of the event preceding the show where the celebrities show off their fashion. Instead of a red carpet, a different color carpet was installed outside The Dolby Theatre in Hollywood. According to ABC7, "For the first time in six decades, Hollywood's biggest night is not rolling out the red carpet. The celebrated carpet will be a champagne color. We chose this beautiful sienna saffron color that evokes the sunset, because this is the sunset before the golden hour." I guess we cannot refer to the pre-event festivities as "walking the red carpet" anymore.<br /><b><br />NUMBER 8:</b> While stamps featuring King Charles III's face are now officially on sale to the British public, the new stamps feature a significant break from the past: None of the stamps include a crown. According to royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams, "His preference for a simple image is more contemporary. The Queen wore a diadem and the image of her was internationally recognized. In a different age, the King has wisely chosen a more human image." Even King Charles thinks about personal branding and his image. (April)<br /><br /><b>NUMBER 7:</b> Promoted as Amazon's philanthropic arm and also a significant sub-brand, AmazonSmile launched in 2013 and was a way for users to donate a portion of their sales toward their favorite charities. The appealing tagline read: "You shop. Amazon gives. Support your favorite charity every time you shop." According to CNN, "Amazon will shut down its SMILE charity donation program on February 20, 2023, as the company cuts costs and rethinks its strategy. AmazonSmile donated a small percentage of sales made on eligible purchases to a charity that shoppers chose. In total, $500 million has been donated since the 2013 launch." Will you miss this easy way to donate to your favorite charity? I definitely will. (January)<br /><br /><b>NUMBER 6:</b> Museums are now re-branding ancient Egyptian remains. According to CNN, "They are among the most popular exhibits in museums worldwide, with a name so resonant, that blockbuster films have been built on it. But some museums in Britain are now using words other than 'mummy' to describe their displays of ancient Egyptian human remains. Instead, they are adopting terms such as "mummified person" or the individual's name to emphasize that they were one living people." Who says words and language don't have power? (January)<br /><b><br />NUMBER 5:</b> In April, the barcode turned 50. According to CNN, "The barcode, the rectangle of thick and thin parallel lines seen on nearly every grocery product, package, piece of luggage, and prescription bottle is turning 50 years old. Since its inception, the Universal Product Code (UPC) has become the most prevalent tracking tool for products around the world. Billions of items are scanned everyday around the world, and the laser-powered technology behind UPC's has changed the retail industry in particular." The birthdate of the barcode is celebrated on April 3, 1973, because that was the day that the IBM version created by senior engineer George Laurer was approved as the industry standard. Laurer received no royalties. The first item scanned with a barcode was a package of Wrigley's Juicy Fruit chewing gum for $1.39. Years later, the Smithsonian added a replica of the gum to its exhibition on the history of the barcode.<br /><br /><b>NUMBER 4:</b> In September, the number 25 was significant because three well-known brands celebrated their 25th anniversaries.<br /><br />GOOGLE<br />How many of us remember Alta Vista, Ask Jeeves, or any of the other search engines that existed more than two decades ago? Well, Google survived and has even entered the English lexicon by becoming a verb. Many of us simply say "Google it," when we don't know something. Google is a great case study for marketing students.<br /><br />HARRY POTTER<br />When the Harry Potter series written by J.K. Rowling first appeared, the fantasy and magical plot quickly became a favorite of both children and adults. While it's hard to believe that Harry Potter was first introduced in a book, due to the movies and theme parks created in his honor, the books were so beloved that they inspired both children and adults to embrace reading as a hobby.<br /><br />NETFLIX<br />Many of us signed up for movie DVD's via mail delivery in Netflix's early days. That service ended in September, however, Netflix has evolved into a TV channel alternative with its streaming service and award-winning content.<br /><br /><b>NUMBER 3:</b> Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte (PSL) celebrated its 20th anniversary. According to the brand's website, "Since its introduction in 2003, the iconic beverage has had an influence on the coffee industry, pop culture, and everything in between. The Pumpkin Spice Latte is Starbucks most popular seasonal beverage - having sold hundreds of millions of PSL's - and is enjoyed by customers around the world. In 2022, Merriam-Webster officially added pumpkin spice to the dictionary, defined as a mixture of usually cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and often allspice that is commonly used in pumpkin pie." (August)<br /><br /><b>NUMBER 2:</b> In July, people descended on theaters everywhere to watch the Barbie movie directed by Greta Gerwig and starring Margot Robbie. Here is one of the movie's stand-out moments: Gloria's (spoken by actress America Ferrera) moving monologue is one of the film's most powerful quotes. Gloria describes the unfair standards that females are subjected to in order to be viewed as desirable and liked by others. During the scene, Barbie has an emotional moment confessing how she feels that she is not good enough for anything. Gloria tells Barbie how she is so beautiful, and it kills Gloria that Barbie doesn't think she is good enough. Gloria continues by saying, "I'm just so tired of watching myself, and every single other woman tie herself into knots so that people will like us."<br /><br />Related to the marketing buzz surrounding the Barbie movie that lasted for months leading up to the movie's release, including plot-less trailers and a plethora of merchandise ranging from clothing to shoes to nail polish to dog clothing to martini glasses to recliner lounges (just to name a few), was the power of the color pink plus the run on the actual color itself.<br /><br />According to Smithsonian Magazine, "While building out the set for the new live-action Barbie movie, designers used so much of one particular shade of fluorescent fuchsia paint that they contributed to a global shortage," reported Chloe Malle for Architectural Digest. The bright pink hue used on the set was made by Rosco, a company headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut, that manufactures entertainment-friendly products ranging from paint to projection equipment to flooring.<br /><br />In other related Barbie movie and marketing news, another movie opened the same day, Openheimer, so a new term was created. According to Wikipedia, "Barbenheimer was a cultural phenomenon preceding and surrounding the simultaneous theatrical release of two films, Barbie and Oppenheimer, in July and August of 2023. The word is a portmanteau of the films' titles. The strong contrast between Barbie, a fantasy comedy by Greta Gerwig about the fashion doll Barbie, and Oppenheimer, an epic biographical thriller by Christopher Nolan about physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer, scientific director of the Manhattan Project, prompted a comedic response from Internet users, including memes and merchandise. Polygon described the two films as "extreme opposites," and Variety called the phenomenon "the movie event of the year." Due to the marketing buzz for both, movie-goers purchased tickets to attend both movies on the same day, something not seen with such interest in the past.<br /><br />And finally, drum roll please...<br /><br /><b>NUMBER 1:</b> The Hollywood TV and film industry came to a complete stop during 2023. Both the writers and actors were on strike for a good portion of the year. While both strikes were eventually settled, and both groups returned to work in October (writers) and November (actors), new shows and films were still a figment of the imagination as the year came to a close. From a marketing standpoint, all advertising for blockbuster films did not happen, and advertising for new and returning TV shows did not happen. This was a significant chunk of change that went unspent for ads and red carpet events. Can Hollywood recover? Only time will tell, but thankfully, we can expect to see ads and red carpet events promoting new shows and films in 2024.<br /><br />What would you add to this list? Here's to 2024 and another year of marketing highlights. Happy New Year!<br /><br /><br />Image Credits: Twitter/X, Barbie film, and Royal Mail via The Scotsman.</p>DebbieLaskeyMBAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04110969252778614500noreply@blogger.com0