February 9, 2010
The media world is buzzing with the launch of the iPad but it will take some time to decipher if this new product by Steve Jobs and Co. is, in the American vernacular, a ‘game changer’. Jobs has already described his new product as “a dream” and this might not just be marketing hyperbole. The big question seems to be “isn’t this just a big iPhone?.” And when I was able to test-drive one a few days ago (friends in high places) that, too, was my initial reaction. But, after a few minutes I quickly realized, as is often the case, the beauty and execution of the device is pretty stunning.
I am an Apple user, but not a mega-fan, as many are (I don’t walk around evangelizing), so let me send that out right now. What I’m most interested in, about the company, is how they brand and market themselves (but that’s another discussion). When we get back to this device, what strikes me most is the way they have leap-frogged over the current crop of e-readers like Kindle. One of the new, and striking features of the iPad is the download store featuring books to buy, much like iTunes does for music. And the experience is wonderful. Apple has also apparently made deals with the biggest names in publishing (Penguin, Simon and Schuster etc.) which will make the book world very interesting indeed for the next few years.
So, is this a bridge between the smartphone and the laptop? Kind of. But it also offers a strangely unique experience. All of the Apps are there that you’d expect and web browsing, but the feel of it is different and the A4 experience isn’t a hindrance but rather something that feels right. My only reservation is the idea of sitting in a public park with a very expensive gadget on your lap. Can you imagine the spate of muggings that will occur in the next twelve months? I’ll wait ‘til they drop the price enough for the muggers to own one. Enjoy.
Filed under Branding, Business, Business Commentary, Marketing
Tags: Apple, books, Branding, iPad, iPhone, Kindle, Marketing, Steve Jobs
February 8, 2010
If you live in Sweden, as I do, you realize that as a foreigner (American) on Swedish soil I see Scandinavians in a light, culturally, that they often don’t see themselves. To cater to clichés, it is the land of ABBA, Ikea, and of course Saab cars. These things are held dear. Trust me. To poke fun at the sometimes, shoddy craftsmanship or slightly dodgy company politics of Ikea is akin to kicking a Swede in the groin. They love Ikea, wholeheartedly, and the same can be said for Saab. These are their global goliaths, and quite rightly, they’re proud.
So, it has been with great consternation, that everyone I know here in Stockholm has been following the latest details of what I called, until a few days ago, “the Saab story” and are now rejoicing that their once great brand is in hopefully better hands. Spyker, a small luxury Dutch carmaker is the company saving the day for almost 4,000 Swedish jobs, a national treasure, and well, a pretty great car that’s been in production for over seventy years. I think it’s probably fair to say that GM did a pretty poor job of selling a trustworthy and quirky (by American standards) brand to the public – a brand I can imagine wasn’t exactly a priority at GM HQ.
All brands have to paint an immediate picture in one’s mind, even if it’s a negative one. The problem, I think, with Saab is that they have been languishing without a brand presence since GM took over in 2000, and consequently, have been losing money for the Americans year after year. With a little TLC and creativity from their new Dutch parents, this could be a re-born brand and one that can compete on the battlefield of today’s automotive world. I, for one hope so, because I think the Swedes need their icons, and the world could certainly use a better car than GM’s hummer winning over the hearts of the population.
Filed under Branding, Business, Finance, Global Markets, business news
Tags: Branding, car industry, cars, GM, Saab, Spyker, Sweden
February 2, 2010
The six-month battle to secure the goose that lays the golden crème egg (sorry) of Cadbury’s is now over, and the winner is Kraft. This comes after many derisory verbal comments in the press from Cadbury’s, and other suitors like Hershey’s, which have been sniffing around the table also trying to win the proverbial hand of the lady.
What this means for British jobs is uncertain. Kraft has said that it aims to keep the thousands of Cadbury’s employees, but cut jobs at the Uxbridge headquarters. This new partnership will amount to over $50 billion in annual sales for Kraft which will now boast the fabled crème egg and Trident gum amongst its confectionary arsenal. But, what I’m wondering is how this will play out culturally? How does the Oreo cookie and processed cheese sit alongside the priggish chocolates of Cadbury’s?
Already, there have been snide comments from the chocolate snob quarters. The Cadbury family have reacted with “horror” that the “plastic cheese company” has put an end to two hundred years of independent Cadbury history. The great granddaughter of George Cadbury, Felicity Loudon, has lambasted the partnership saying, “They will cut corners, they will sell out. To me they are a plastic cheese company and this is the jewel in the crown.” Ouch. Others, including Cadbury’s chairman and many business analysts, believe the offer is an excellent result for shareholders who will receive 840 pence a share, 500 pence in cash, and the rest in shares.
It’s true that Kraft will have to generate money to deal with its debt of acquisition, and that will mean cost cuts, but nevertheless the investors and shareholders have spoken. As for the ‘quality’ of Cadbury’s vs. Kraft? After living in the UK for half my life, as an American, I can say, without reservation or a hint of jingoism, that dairy milk, crème eggs, and Cadbury’s flake are RUBBISH!
If you want real chocolate, get it from Belgium. End of discussion.
Filed under Business, Business Commentary, Food and Beverage
Tags: Business, Cadbury, Felicity Loudon, George Cadbury, Hershey, Kraft, partnership, Trident, UK
January 26, 2010
After reading a lengthy article about Wal Mart and just how large of an operation it is (the world’s biggest retailer, by far), I realized one of the more interesting items in the piece concerned their attempts to spread ‘the word’ globally. It’s taken the marketing department years to understand that (unlike American politics) you can’t just pick up and move the idea of Midwestern, blue collar thriftiness to say, South Korea and expect it to fly. They’ve had to adapt to South America, China, and India by changing their name on the storefront, and more importantly, their products to suit the locale – they’ve had to appeal by stealth and adapt to the local culture.
Starbucks Coffee is apparently doing something similar. In a bid to appear more neighborhood-oriented and bespoke (you know, the kind of businesses that don’t exist anymore because the world is run by about six corporations), they’ve dropped their name and are road-testing a new identity – that is until the coffee snobs of Seattle find out who’s behind their new favorite hangout and firebomb it. Despite the fact that cynics will despise this move by both companies to ‘sneak one in’, isn’t this the nature of free enterprise-expansion. Businesses that don’t modify, adapt and move with the culture around them, die. Now, to ask whether Wal Mart or Starbucks are exploitative, greedy, and avaricious? Of course they are. Not to say it’s morally right, but that’s the nature of expansion whether it’s hidden behind a re-brand or is an overt money grabber. To expect anything less from a multi-national company is to be naïve and expect that growth and altruism can somehow make bedfellows. If you can name one (and don’t say Google), please let us know, and we’ll put forth their names for sainthood. Until then, everyone has the right to patronize or not the above establishments. One is called free market, and the other free choice.
As western businesses scamper to get into the pockets of the Chinese, perhaps they should think about another emerging economic giant, and one that actually spends money on consumer goods: 
The 
The days of satellite dishes, cable boxes, stereos, CD’s, or any clutter are over. Soon we’ll all be living in empty white rooms with just a white laptop and a futon. I imagine these spaces in the near future to look something like a cross between a scene from Woody Allen’s ‘Sleeper’ and a John and Yoko album cover from 1972. I’m not sure if this is a good thing. As the world gears up for the unveiling of the new 
Walking around Stockholm at the weekends, I occasionally see an office light on and someone hunched over a computer, when technically, they should be home having a personal life. The first thought is always, ‘wow, what an industrious person to be here at this hour.’ Then, as you look voyeuristically at their screen from the sidewalk you realize, invariably, that they’re on 
February 9, 2010
Apple Issues ‘The Game Changer’?
I am an Apple user, but not a mega-fan, as many are (I don’t walk around evangelizing), so let me send that out right now. What I’m most interested in, about the company, is how they brand and market themselves (but that’s another discussion). When we get back to this device, what strikes me most is the way they have leap-frogged over the current crop of e-readers like Kindle. One of the new, and striking features of the iPad is the download store featuring books to buy, much like iTunes does for music. And the experience is wonderful. Apple has also apparently made deals with the biggest names in publishing (Penguin, Simon and Schuster etc.) which will make the book world very interesting indeed for the next few years.
So, is this a bridge between the smartphone and the laptop? Kind of. But it also offers a strangely unique experience. All of the Apps are there that you’d expect and web browsing, but the feel of it is different and the A4 experience isn’t a hindrance but rather something that feels right. My only reservation is the idea of sitting in a public park with a very expensive gadget on your lap. Can you imagine the spate of muggings that will occur in the next twelve months? I’ll wait ‘til they drop the price enough for the muggers to own one. Enjoy.
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Filed under Branding, Business, Business Commentary, Marketing
Tags: Apple, books, Branding, iPad, iPhone, Kindle, Marketing, Steve Jobs