I’ve mentioned before my somewhat unfashionable admiration for the supermarket giant Tesco… …and lately they do seem to have slipped a little. From the US debacle of “Fresh and Easy”… …to lagging sales and profits. There are some serious concerns that they have ended up in the worst of all business positions…”stuck in the middle”. […]
Positioning And Marketing – The Joy And The Hurt Of It
“The tai-pan is always alone, that being the joy and the hurt of it.” – from “Noble House” by James Clavell One of the most powerful concepts in marketing is the idea of “positioning”… …put simply, “owning” an idea in the mind of the consumer. For example, in the world of cars, BMW for most […]
Not Every Award Is Helpful In Your Advertising
The discipline of marketing and advertising is hardly new. The classic text on direct response marketing, “Scientific Advertising” was published as long ago as 1923. So it is something of a puzzle as to why large companies, who spend large sums on their marketing, often make what appear to be elementary blunders. A recent case […]
Perils Of Product Proliferation In Marketing
Wonderful cartoon from “marketoonist” Tom Fishburne to kick off 2012… “Product proliferation” or “line extension” is one of the biggest mistakes made in the conventional marketing arena… …and there are useful lessons for direct response marketers. Line extension sounds such as sensible and logical strategy. The justification is usually along the lines… 1. It’s a […]
Marketing Lessons From The Demise Of General Motors
You’re most probably aware that on June 1, General Motors filed for Chapter 11 protection from creditors, triggering “the biggest industrial bankruptcy in history”. (There’s a good briefing in “The Economist” – “The Bankruptcy Of General Motors”.) Hard to believe now, but GM was once seen as a paragon of managerial and business excellence. Alfred […]