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branding • November 3, 2010
PR Lessons From The 2010 Election
No matter how you feel about the results of the 2010 midterms, it’s been an interesting election season. Start with a stagnant economy, add a soured electorate, pour on the tea party activists, and it’s a bitter brew, at least for incumbents. The election also offers lessons for communicators. Here’s what marketing and PR pros […]
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branding • October 11, 2010
The Gap’s New Logo: Bad Fit Or Savvy PR Move?
It almost seemed like a PR stunt. When the Gap replaced its iconic logo with a new visual identity, Gap-watchers were not just alienated. They seemed to take it personally. It was as if a fortyish suburban dad suddenly hired a downtown stylist. Branding experts decried the Helvetica font with its tech-y box as “lazy,” and fashion bloggers rejected […]
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branding • July 14, 2010
What Nicknames Say About Brands: Chevy, Meet The Y
A brand nickname is a little like a viral video. No matter how badly you want it, planning alone won’t make it happen. It has to come about naturally. I’m not talking about mere abbreviations, like AmEx or P&G. I mean real nicknames…those insider-y monikers that make us feel cool because we drive a Beamer […]
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branding • May 9, 2010
Disaster Branding: How BP’s Green PR Backfired
Quick, which company was responsible for the catastrophic natural gas leak in Bhopal, India, the worst industrial accident in modern history? What about the corporation that created the infamous toxic brew known as Love Canal in Niagara Falls, New York? Man-made disasters are usually named, and remembered, for their locations. That won’t be true in the case of the recent […]
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branding • April 9, 2010
When Brands Try To Be Cool (Part 2)
Brands trying to be cool is an obsession of mine, and I’ve noticed how they seem to come in clusters. The latest rash of high-stakes rebrandings is in cable and Internet services. In February, Comcast renamed its TV, Internet and phone services as Xfinity. The PR picture wasn’t pretty. Bloggers and branding experts pounced on […]
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