An Apple a Day

We found an interesting survey on brands and their influence - the Brandjunkie Awards. The questions were unique ranging from:

What brand would you most like to sit next to at a dinner party?

What brand, if sent back 100 years, would have the biggest impact on the course of history?

Which brand inspires you the most?

If you were to describe yourself as being a brand, what brand would you be?

What brand can you not live without?

What brand is most likely to revolutionize the branding industry in the next five years?

It was not surprising to find that Apple was the top brand for each question.

Apple's brand is great. The Apple logo is clean, elegant, and easily implemented. It didn't start out that way. Apple has altered its logo three time. The current logo is monochromatic. This brand image signals a new era for their expansive enterprise. The Apple brand stands for quality of design and ease of use.

Apple also represents itself as extremely hip and laid back in their Mac vs. PC commercials. I bet every girl would like to date a Mac guy!

Shoot. I wish I would have thought of this sooner (before I was just thirsty for a cocktail)...

So, a girlfriend of mine (girl friend, that is) invited a few of us ladies to the movies for Sex and the City next week.  The idea didn't seem that popular until we decided to change the location to Movie Tavern in Hilliard, Ohio.  Now I think we have 15 girls coming along.  Why?  Because we can dress cute and have martinis while we watch the Hollywood blockbuster!   I just realized I should have proposed a whole ad campaign to Movie Tavern promoting Martini Nights while SATC is playing.  I missed the boat but had to share my wizardry (and possible alcohol problem).

Doritos - Super Cool Interactive Site

You have to check out Doritos web site. It's a production - not a site. Very interactive with music videos, games, and their main site links into many smaller sites and promotions.

Doritos is going high tech partnering with XBOX 360 by creating a Doritos Dash of Destruction game, launched its own You Tube channel, created The Quest, an Indiana Jones type on-line contest that is a challenging way to uncover the newest Doritos flavor and team up with MTV to present a mini dating show inspired by their Spicy Sweet flavored Doritos.

Also philanthropic they add a link to one of the charities they support - dosomething.org.

We gotta hand it to the crunchy chip for it's out of the box techno thinking and using Internet marketing to the max! Not only did we spend quite a bit of time "playing" in their site, we were craving Doritos too. Guess what is on our grocery list!

Network Giants Come Together to Stand Up To Cancer

An announcement was made this morning by the evening news anchors that all three networks - ABC, NBC and CBS are coming together to stand up to cancer. This September 5 at 8p all three networks will host a one hour specialized program on cancer to educate, create awareness and raise funds as well as appearances from some of Hollywood's finest.

Stand Up To Cancer is a program of the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF), a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, and was established by a group of media, entertainment and philanthropic leaders, whose lives have all been affected by cancer in significant ways. Stand Up To Cancer is bringing industry resources -- people, as well as mediums such as television and the web -- to bear in the fight against cancer as never before.

All fund generated will go towards various forms of cancer research. There are various ways to donate on your cell phone, on-line - http://www.standup2cancer.org, through sponsorship, by joining a team, or through a very cool interactive tribute site call Constellation where you can donate $1 or more to add a star in the name of a loved one to the constellation.

We love it when the networks play nice and come together to make a positive impact in the world!

I'd Like To Introduce You To Steward Donor

With corporate dollars dwindling during the economic crunch it is more important than ever to make sure you are creating a strong relationship with each and every donor - corporate and individual.

On the heels of the Columbus Dispatch corporate giving article we feel it necessary to point out the importance of donor stewardship. If you have great donor stewardship you will have great donor retention. It is after all much more expensive to acquire a new donor than it is to renew a past supporter.

There are several ways in which you can work to retain donors and columbus imPRessions can help. But basically it's as simple as treating others the way you'd like to be treated. Create a heartfelt relationship, ask what they want, meet their needs, give good customer service and follow-up.

Follow-up for anyone, but especially corporations, is essential. Corporate sponsors like to see what they got for their money - brand impressions, PR, and marketing benefits. But what keeps them coming back year after year is to see what their funds accomplished and how they personally made a difference.

Unfortunately, non-profits are so busy trying to raise money that when they have a donor committed they tend to move on to the next prospect before showing the committed donor the impactful end result. If the donor doesn't see their difference they don't feel personally connected and most likely will move on to another organization. It can become a very bad cycle, one that is hard to get out of.

Don't let this happen to your organization. Take the time to fully steward your donors - beginning to end. Be sure you are making a good imPRession with all of your donors all of the time. You'll find they will stick around. You'll have a beginning, but there really won't be an end.

Corporate Donors may not be as giving - The Columbus Dispatch

The Dispatch has once again brought up (on the front page of Sunday's paper) a very relevant topic for columbus imPRessions... the tough times facing nonprofits when it comes to corporate giving.  With the current economic struggles (man, I am sick of saying that), corporations just don't have the dollars to give to as many charities.  It is more important than ever to stand out from the rest of the nonprofits out there.    Marketing yourself to these corporations has to be well planned.  Creating a menu of options that can be personalized is one of the most important parts of the strategy.  Presenting these options will help the corporation understand where there funds are going and how it is impacting the charity and the community overall.   Clearly marketing is becoming more and more important for nonprofits with the current economic struggles (seriously, that is the last time).  For more insight on how to help stand out, email us at impressions.marcomm@gmail.com.  

Portal Mega Sites Create Focused Niche

Internet portal giants like AOL and Yahoo are moving away from the one place serves all mentality and are creating dozens of niche sites targeted for individuals and their passion points. AOL now offers sites for young men - Asylum, as well as parents, specific music genres, sports and fashion. Yahoo followed suit recently launching Shine for the women 25-54 demographic.


The reason . . . mega portals are not well targeted and material is mass produced for the general public. By creating specific points of interest, or niches, active traffic is driven to the site. Visitors will stay on the site longer creating more click throughs. They will also voluntarily use word of mouth marketing by recommending the site to other viewers with the same interests.


This new direction will attract more advertising revenue for the site because advertisers are more likely to spend their budget on a site that "fits" with their product. Advertisers find the site's niche focused approach appealing because they can tap into each visitor's passion points recruiting more customers. A financial win for everyone.

Blogging for Non-Profits

Some nonprofits are turning to blogs to help craft their messages and encourage more active participation with their organizations. Blogs are a great, inexpensive way to create an interactive community for supporters. It can also act as a virtual billboard sharing the latest news, needs and messages.

Tennessee based non-profit Soles4Souls has successfully used a blog to announce its messages (3-4 times a week) for over three years.

The Humane Society of the United States launched its blog about one year ago. They use their blog to host casual conversation and thought around issues that affect them.

Both organizations have seen firsthand the benefits of blogging. By hosting updated blogs their monthly unique visitors have increased because they are being listed in more Internet and blog searches. Users also have the ability to subscribe directly, by email or RSS feed.

In this modern world of technology with all its online networking opportunities, blogging has become one of today's most popular forms of expression and outreach and some non-profits are beginning to capitalize on the opportunity.

However, some people unfortunately still do not understand blogging and its benefits. We would suggest they quickly get up to speed on this modern means of communication because what use to be considered a simple on-line journal has turned into a growing and profitable networking tool.

Need assistance setting up a blog? columbus imPRessions can help. Contact us at impressions.marcomm@gmail.com

Summer Concert Tour Sponsorships

This summer many national acts will sing their way across the country or be a part of a huge music event in a large city. Along with an entourage, their sponsorships will also be close by their side. Concert sponsorship is big bucks. Sponsors don't just randomly select a musician because they like their music. They spend quite a bit of time performing market research on audience demographics, their interests and habits. They use the concert goers to test market new products, fill out surveys to rate their new brand image and brand awareness and most importantly they prospect for new customers. Very much niche marketing.

We thought it might be interesting to see what artist(s) each sponsor paired up with. Do you think these pairings make a perfect niche match?

Kenny Chesney sponsored by Corona Extra
John Mayer sponsored by Blackberry
Jonas Brothers sponsored by Burger King
Tim McGraw and Faith Hill sponsored by KC Masterpiece and Kingsford
Warped Tour '08 sponsored by Vans
American Idol Tour sponsored by Pop Tarts
Essence Music Festival sponsored by Coca-Cola
Lollapalooza sponsored by AT&T

Looks like a perfect niche match to us.

Put down the mouse and go play with a real mouse!

Okay, so maybe playing with mice is gross, but I probably did that as a kid.  What I am really trying to get at is the need for kids to get outside.  People are constantly trying to figure out what is wrong with kids these days- they are depressed, obese, anxious, hyper, stressed, and who knows what else.  The answer is simple, they need to get outside!  My favorite childhood memories revolve around nature- camping, building forts, digging for clay, fishing, and MUCH more.  The concept of "Nature-deficit disorder" and its affect on children and society is discussed in Richard Louv's book, Last Child in the Woods 

Interestingly, this national bestseller cites Camp Fire USA's Central Ohio Council as an example of how to combat the problem.  The council has a goal of getting 10,000 kids into the woods by 2010.  Camp Wyandot is one of their most popular programs for central Ohio children to reunite children and nature at a week-long camp in nearby beautiful Hocking Hills.  What better way to get kids off the computer and inspire creativity and an appreciation of the outdoors? 

Introducing Our New Logo

Compliments of Greenshag Design & Marketing we would like to unveil our new and improved columbus imPRessions logo (drum roll please) . . . . .

Thanks so much to Dave Vance for creating this great design!

Race for the Cure - Koman Columbus

Race for the Cure Columbus - another successful event!

In my opinion Race for the Cure is an event all non-profits should use as a model. Not because of the millions of dollars raised or the record breaking number of participants - although that is something to admire. What makes this event a stellar model for all non-profits is their event sponsorships.

Race for the Cure creates a tier of sponsorship levels. It has a national presenting sponsor and national series sponsors at the tip of the tier. Everything else follows down from their. The rest of the levels is up to the local city. Koman Columbus tiers exceptionally well. They secure a local presenting sponsor, Grocer, Team Challenge and Pink Diamond sponsors, then quite a few Platinum, Gold, Silver, and Bronze sponsors. They have Media sponsors (ALL network TV stations, radio, cable), as well as special friends, pink light and street corner sponsors.

Not only do they offer various sponsorships for any donor type, but proper benefits and brand imaging are given based on the type of sponsorship. Also, by securing media sponsorships early in the planning they are creating an inventory which appeals to sponsors. This approach is what will secure the most sponsors, make the most money, make the most impact and will keep them coming back year after year keeping retention rates high.

Another thing that keeps sponsorship retention high . . . immediate recognition. The next day Koman Columbus thanked every sponsor, and supporter in a full page ad in the Sunday Dispatch listing out each sponsor in their prominently placed tier.

Nicely done Koman Columbus and congrats on another successful Race for the Cure!

Juice Wars Creates Fruit Fusion

Move over Jamba Juice, Starbucks and McDonalds are about to throw their hat in the smoothie ring. How is Jamba Juice fighting back? They have teamed up with Dole for a cross-marketing promotion, fusing their two brands together. Both brands have similar attributes - nutrition and health. They make the perfect marketing pear - I mean pair (sorry for the fruit joke).


Millions of Dole bananas are now in western US supermarkets with a sticker reading: "I want to Jamba". The sticker directs people to co-branded web site, where Jamba and Dole offer smoothie recipes and encourage visitors to post their own. Dole will focus on pushing bananas, strawberries and pineapple products via recipe cards in stores throughout Jamba's network. The alliance gives Jamba exposure in supermarkets and Dole presence in the restaurant channel. By fusing their brands together they are exposed to customers they were never able to reach before, a win-win for both brands.

Smart move Jamba. Looks like you easily beat McDonalds and Starbucks in Round 1.

MTV's Virtual Community Makeover

MTV has given their virtual community Think MTV a makeover. This community has been improved to give young people a place to become informed, be heard, and take action on the issues that matter most to them.

Think was built and launched with the support and expertise of the Case Foundation, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Goldhirsh Foundation and MCJ Amelior Foundation.

Non-profits are encouraged to sign up. Mobilize young people to your cause, create awareness, share your latest news and info, and move your issues forward in a uniquely pro-social space. Leverage the power and reach of the most highly recognized youth brand in the world.



See what non profits organizations have already signed up to be heard.

Don't donate in haste; study charity first - Columbus Dispatch

This article in Sunday's Dispatch is well-timed and helpful to donors considering our current economic state.  It's a tough time to give, so when we do, we want to make sure it's making an impact.  

Youth Advocate Services was mentioned as having 90 cents of every dollar going towards its programs that deal with "some of the most vulnerable youth and families."  ...That is powerful, but where is your website Youth Advocate Services?  A quick google search came up empty.  This is when a PR plan could really assist a charity such as YAS.  If your charity or business receives publicity, it is important to be prepared, especially online.  The public may immediately want to find the charity's website (easily), learn more, get involved or donate online.   But with nowhere to go online, the potential donor could be lost forever.   

Sex and the City and the Brand Leaches

No, that's not the title of the long-awaited Sex and the City: The Movie which hits the big screen on May 30th. It's actually a sarcastic attempt at pointing out the numerous amounts of brand partners that have teamed up with this summer blockbuster. The partner brands are included in the film in ways that range from mentions in lines of dialogue to numerous appearances on screen.

In exchange, the brands will help publicize the movie with commercials, posters, sweepstakes, viewing parties, events in stores, contests, ticket giveaways and even products with labels inspired by "Sex and the City." They are heavily targeting women aligning with brands that appeal to women, extending the movie's footprint.

Some of the movie brand partners include:

Skyy vodka, Bag Borrow or Steal, which rents handbags and jewelry online; Coty fragrances; Glacéau Vitaminwater, sold by Coca-Cola; the Mercedes-Benz USA division of Daimler; and the jeweler H. Stern.

Steve and Barry's stores which sells Jessica Parker's "Bitten" collection will sell "Sex and the City" tees and tanks. The shirts come with phrases like "I'm with Mr. Big" and "I (Heart) Sex and the City," as well as images of the characters from the TV series.

Looks like everyone is winning this summer by leaching onto this blockbuster!

Oil Company's PR Spin is Making Me Dizzy

With gas and oil prices higher than ever and record high oil company profits consumers rightfully are getting pretty fed up! Will launching a PR campaign make you understand or will the spin make you feel nauseous? If you read this article you might feel that latter. Especially when they cry that their industry makes less money than food and beverage companies, or even technology companies like Apple Inc.

Boo Hoo. I don't think their PR campaign is working.

Last Minute Meaningful Mother's Day Ideas

Mother's Day is tomorrow. Give a meaningful gift to your mother, grandmother, someone who has been like a mother or honor a mother who is no longer with you.

Before the day has come and gone you still have time to give a thoughtful gift that will make a difference. Give an on-line honorary or memorial tribute gift. After an extensive Internet search I found some non-profits that offer special Mother's Day giving on-line opportunities:

• Alzheimer's Association
• American Cancer Society
• American Diabetes Association
• Breast Cancer Awareness
• Make-A-Wish
• St. Jude

I was surprised at how little I found and how much I had to dig through search engines to get what I did find. In the day of technology and the Internet I'm not sure why more non-profits do not market a Mother's Day on-line campaign. Creating a campaign around such a heartfelt holiday would be easy to do and very lucrative too! Maybe they should think about it for next year. It sure would make a good imPRession!

Marketing Wines With Artistic Labels

Wine labels are they art, a marketing tool or both?

Wine labels have a certainly changed over the years - not only their look, but their purpose. In the early days, most labels were rectangular in shape and included only one or two colors briefly illustrating the name of the winery. With the bland design all bottles blended together on the shelf. Today, wine labels burst from the shelves standing out because of bold colors, vibrant art and torn, warped shapes.

Why has there been so much change and focus on the label? Because nothing is as important to a wine's brand's identity as its label. One would think that the juice's nectar is the most important. That's not completely true. Because, today's consumers can't help but link their feelings about what is in the bottle to what is on the bottle. Therefore, in today's highly competitive world market, the wine label is more crucial than ever.

Some wineries a creating labels with a pull off tab so you can remember a good bottle. Brilliant idea!

Nuts About Southwest

I came across Southwest Airlines blog and found myself feeling torn about it. Here is why:

- It is a fun site to look at with a witty title.  Its fresh, with multimedia aspects: polls, youtube postings, comment areas, etc.  The blog is a great way to get to know the company and their high morale, fun-loving workforce.  It really could give consumers the feeling of personally connecting with the company.

And I hate to be a pessimist, but:

- It is clear Southwest is jumping on the social networking train, blogging about how great Southwest Airlines is, how fun it is to be a part of the team, promotions, awards, blah, blah.  Yes, there is a fun poll about the airline's nuts but who cares.  Is this really what a blog is supposed to be?

I guess my overall reactions is:  I like it but I feel like a sucker because of it.  Thoughts anyone?

Free Gas - Chrysler's New Marketing Tool

Beginning today, Chrysler starts a new marketing promotion - "Let's Refuel America".

This promotion guarantees a lock in gasoline prices for anyone who buys a Chrysler vehicle. How do you ask? For purchasing a new Chrysler vehicle, ranging from new compacts, crossovers and minivans to full-size diesel-powered pickup trucks, consumers receive a pre-paid gas card that could be used to cap fuel prices at $2.99 per gallon for the next three years.

Smart marketing move Chrysler! Chrysler is simply using niche marketing to appeal to consumers. They found a hot niche market and a product to entice a specific group of potential customers. A niche market is a group of people with a common interest like a hobby, social background or problem. A problem, like crazy high gas prices!

Chrysler has refocused its marketing strategies to capture on something that is affecting everyone both financially and emotionally. A great idea, but we'll see how it pays off in a month. This promotion runs through June 2, 2008.

When Franchise Branding Becomes a Crisis Situation

Today, Papa John's corporate had to apologize for the Lebron James t-shirt stunt. . . .


''The decision to do this was made by a local Washington, D.C., Papa John's operator without approval of Papa John's corporate,'' the company said in a statement. ''Nonetheless, we believe this was in poor taste and sincerely apologize to Cavalier fans and LeBron James.''

If a franchised outlet degrades the franchise mark or brand name it can hurt the entire company. Looks like Papa John's is feeling this hurt, at least in Ohio.

Looking at the Papa John's Pizza franchise page the operational structure is spelled out. Teams of experts are there to provide resources, and marketing strategies are in place beginning with the corporate level all the way to the regional level.

The Regional Marketing Directors provide support and assistance to franchisees in marketing plan development, assist with local store marketing efforts, evaluate and analyze marketing effectiveness and, in general, are a resource for franchisees for all marketing and advertising needs. They work closely with co-ops to help align regional marketing efforts with our national plan. They also assist with media planning, purchasing, and analysis.

Makes you wonder who decided to disregard corporate policy and do their own thing. Brand structure is very important and it must be followed. This lack of respect for the policy has become a crisis situation for Papa John's corporate. Now instead of being proactive, Papa John's corporate needs to be reactive. They are handling the situation with class and are doing what they can to save their brand. If handled properly this will soon become tomorrow's news. But for now, I'm sure someone in the D.C. regional area is feeling the heat.

Regional offices can all learn from this Papa John's case study. Brand strategies, standards and rules are made to protect not only the brand, but you too.

Papa John's and Damage Control

Cleveland Cavaliers star player Lebron James was the target of a marketing maneuver gone bad. Papa John's Pizza took part in the creation of a t-shirt that included Lebron's number, the word "Crybaby" and the Papa John's logo. Washington Wizard fans wore, waved or taunted the Cavs with the shirts.

Although, the stunt didn't work since the Wizards were beat moving the Cavs forward in the play-offs! Another reason the shirts didn't work is because Cavs fans are angry and are boycotting the pizza chain.

To apologize, Papa John's will sell Cleveland residents a large, one-topping pizza for 23 cents on Thursday. The 23 is an homage to James' jersey number. The company also will donate $10,000 to the Cavaliers Youth Fund.

Too little too late? Did this stunt damage the Papa John's brand image? Not sure who made the t-shirt call, but I bet Papa John's corporate in Louisville, Kentucky isn't too happy!

Can you see the resemblance?

In honor of Cinco de Mayo and because we haven't done this is such a long time . . . .

Brad Pitt and Benicio Del Toro, Si?

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

It's About Bees

Haagen-Dazs is taking Jerry Seinfeld's "Bee Movie" to new heights! There is a honey bee crisis and Haagen-Dazs is coming to the rescue!

Haagen-Dazs ice cream uses natural ingredients and bee pollination is essential for over 40% of their delicious flavors. Through a cause marketing campaign with their new limited edition flavor, vanilla honey bee, Haagen-Dazs will donate profits in support of honey bee and sustainable pollination research programs at Pennsylvania State University and the University of California at Davis.

They are also raising awareness through on-line education programs and community service days where employees will spends days creating bee-friendly gardens. Find out how you can help or send a beemail to your friends.

Another great brand doing a great thing for the environment.

Good, old fashioned PR

Global warming, gas prices, crime, war.... yes, it is all a part of reality, but it doesn't have to be the only headlines in the newspaper.  (The paper?-- that is SO wasteful!)  Okay, the online news site.  Organizations and businesses have been getting free publicity by using heartwarming stories of helping others since the beginning of time, but it's not a trend. Using the power of human interest is still a great way to stand out (and it's something to feel good about, even if there is a small hidden agenda).  

Some examples:

• The kickball league (another hidden agenda) that recycles cans after every game and has an annual fundraiser "Kickin' it for Kids"- charity tournament.   
  
• The corporation that sends monthly care packages to US troops in Iraq.
• The grocery store that is unlike a corporation because the manager delivers groceries to their sick and elderly shoppers. 

Spread some good news and make a good imPRession on the community!