zondag 28 november 2010

What about Generation Y?



A lot of people claim that iconic brands are generation-specific, they tap into the desires and needs of a generation in order to appeal to the mass. Because it has been proved in the past that brands have to stand the test of time before they can be labelled iconic, we can now only predict which relatively new brands eventually will gain iconic status. Therefore it is interesting to take a closer look at today’s generation Y. This generation turns out to be very individualistic, they don’t need role models as much as the previous generations. Thanks to the internet and the many social networks they can build their own ideas, they are encouraged to be innovators instead of imitators. Following this line of thought we can narrow it done to certain kind of brands, like google, facebook and apple that represent this generation’s need to easily available information. But let’s not forget about the ‘old’ iconic brands. By reinventing themselves, they can remain relevant to the current evolutions in society and keep existing next to the new brands.  

Eline Van Lombeek

vrijdag 26 november 2010

Import stop due to brand image

Ramon van Gennip the holder of the license to distribute Lonsdale clothing in Belgium will stop it’s distribution. What began as successful business of one of the best known brands in the world of boxing with a turnover of around 1.2 million euro in Belgium, is going to end. Van Gennip is fed up being associated with racism and fascism, due to the news and media growing association of the brand with Neo-Nazis and right-wing groups, mainly in Belgium, Netherlands and Germany. His Dutch colleague importer Ronald Krijger is not giving up despite of the problems, but will sit with an advertisement agency and try to bring back the original image of the brand, while continue selling.

http://www.fromeuropewithlove.net/belgian_importer_drops_lonsdale.htm

Hristov.D

donderdag 25 november 2010

How to manage a brand in China?

To manage European brands in China the article mentions two approaches:
The first one says you should copy every element of the brand from the European market to the Chinese market and only change the original text in Chinese characters. But because cultural differences influence this type of branding, this approach is not much used.
The second one mentions you have to change everything to the local culture. Unfortunately this approach is very expensive so a better way would be the middle way: keep the possible things and change what’s necessary.
But how do you know what to change en what to keep?
Here is the example given for Finnish products. Professor Zhenyi Li studied what would be the right approach to brand these products. He found out that the approaches above-mentioned are not what the Chinese people expect. They want to see the original brand image so they can associate the product with the country-of-origin.
Although the Chinese market has cultural differences with the European market, it’s not that every product should be adapted to their culture.
Thaïsa Van Haesebroeck

https://jyx.jyu.fi/dspace/handle/123456789/13223

woensdag 24 november 2010

MARTINI® Advertising Returns to U.S. Television After 25-Year Hiatus

Martini, the foremost name in Italian winemaking, announces its return to broadcast television in the US after 25 years. The brand returns to television to make a lasting impression for the celebratory holiday season. 
Filmed on location in Rome, the new television advertisement depicts the essence of Martini, featuring a stylish Italian woman carrying a golden bouquet of balloons, individually delivering the balloons to each guest at the terrazzo, while reinforcing the legendary and iconic Martini image by delivering much more: the sense of joy everyone wants to be a part of.
Celio Romanach, Brand Managing Director of Martini, says, since its inception, Martini has been known for its outstanding advertising campaigns. Because of that, it has evolved into a marketing icon symbolizing fine Italian taste and culture.
Martini has gained a reputation for capturing the essence of the times in its advertisements. With memorable jingles and seductive TV spots, Martini represents surprising and evocative moments everyone would like to be a part of.
Wouter Bouman

dinsdag 23 november 2010

'Cultural codes' connecting with Kiwi buyers

Advertising experts say the number of companies highlighting their “kiwiness” is on the rise.
A lot of New Zealand-themed advertisements for companies like Kiwibank, 2degrees and Mitre 10 show "Kiwi branding" is back in vogue as New Zealanders become more confident in themselves.
Anthropologists found seven “cultural codes’’ in the New Zealand psyche. Things like their relationship with the land and their sense of independence and freedom. Ads that hit those cultural codes connect the kiwis, and sells the product.
Humour and mateship also worked, as did a certain masculinity.
David Thomason, planning director at Draft FCB Auckland said brands like L&P, Speights, Steinlager and Mainland had all successfully capitalised on these codes. Even Telecom had returned to Kiwi branding after creating a powerful advertisement some years ago of a homesick expatriate putting a pohutakawa beach scene on her wall.

Wouter Bouman
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/4343690/Cultural-codes-connecting-with-Kiwi-buyers

zondag 21 november 2010

Popular Abercrombie and Fitch


Abercrombie and Fitch is a brand that is different in a social en cultural point of view.

The fifth paragraph attracted my attention the most. It says that people get inspired when you wear something of Abercrombie and Fitch. The success of the brand caused that the clothes have become an expression of social status.A&F is also not just a store. The brand is a culture on his own. They differentiate from other stores in many ways: when you enter an A&F store loud music and the typical perfume comes to you and the sales assistants, all looking like models, are dancing. Because there aren’t many stores in the world, there are always long queues to enter the shop. At the entrance girls can also have a photograph with one of the male models, which you don’t see in other clothing stores.
In conclusion I can say that I think Abercrombie and Fitch is a good example of socio cultural branding. This article confirms that and many teenagers would do that too.

Thaïsa Van Haesebroeck

http://www.prlog.org/10640369-popular-abercrombie-and-fitch.html

Welcome to the iconic side of life



Iconic brands possess specific characteristics which differ them from other well-known brands in our daily life. Gaining iconic status can translate in becoming a more powerful brand and is therefore top priority on the list of every marketer. Though, the rather low number of iconic brands proves that changing a brand into an icon is not something that is easily done.
First of all, the brand has to address desires, anxieties or cultural tensions existing in a society. In that way,  people will feel a strong connection between the brand and themselves. Then, they have to create a myth that allows people to escape reality: answer their desires and leave their anxieties behind. Finally, after a period of time the brand becomes the myth. The people will associate the brand with a lot more than the product it represents, it becomes an icon.  To further increase the awareness of the brand, marketers can also think of an easily recognizable design for the logo of the product.

Eline Van Lombeek