Archive for July, 2009

Taking it to the Streets

Posted by Julie | July 31st, 2009


I love New York.

A few days ago I was walking in Soho down Broadway during lunch. The streets were packed with shoppers, and tourists and the atmosphere was almost carnival like.

In the space of one single block there were:

Two Hollister lifeguards” (shirtless, buff young men in orange shorts) standing in front of the store

One drag queen on a treadmill in the window of Ricky’s beauty supply shop

One person with a tray standing out sampling chicken sandwiches in front of Miro sandwich shop.

All of this activity causing consumers to pause, smile, and more than likely enter a few stores they might not have been planning on.

It made me wonder why in these somewhat dire times more brands aren’t going the extra mile to turn the retail shopping experience into well…an experience – and not just a transaction.

The trend towards retail as experience is nothing new. In fact it’s been in full force for a few years. Just duck into the M&M’s store in Times Square and you will see it in all its power and glory.

But lately it feels like a lot of retailers are pulling back from this. No doubt because the economy. But does it really cost that much more to deploy a few people street side (instead of having them hang around in an empty store)?

Maybe.

But I got to believe its worth it.

With the economy in a slump, online retailing so easy, and today’s stores full of “noise” around sales and “drastic reductions” – maybe it’s time to invest in some light-hearted, old-fashioned street entertainment.

Step right in folks and see the bearded lady….or the buff surfer…or the even buffer drag queen.

What have retailers really got to lose by spicing things up?

That’s my point of view. What’s your twist?
Are your favorite brands taking it to the streets?

Category: Customer Relations, Inspiration, Risk Taking

(The Too Easy) Brand Break-up

Posted by Julie | July 29th, 2009


A few months back I wrote a post about ending relationships with brands.

I suggested that brands showed their true mettle not just in the acquisition phase. But also when customers wanted to terminate the relationship.

Being able to say “goodbye” with grace and no hard feelings is a sign of a healthy relationship – both in the romantic and real world.

Well last week I got the chance to put this theory to test.

I “broke up” with my Health Club (Equinox in Soho).

Well, I was already for a fight…I had heard from a friend that they would give me a hard time.

Well much to my surprise, they didn’t.

In fact they made it almost too easy.

The friendly girl at the desk upon hearing my request asked me to fill out a simple form.

She politely told me about the 45 day cancellation period, pro-rated my remaining week in September, and took quick payment for it on my credit card.

And that was that.

In less then 2 minutes, our 3+ year relationship was over.

Almost as an afterthought she asked me “why” I was terminating.

When I told her it was too expensive, she filled this in out on the form and actually agreed with me by saying… “tell me about it.”

I don’t know if I stumbled about the one Equinox employee who was not trained to fight to the death to keep a member.

Or if this is really there brand policy.

Or if I don’t fit the profile of the typical Soho member (e.g 25 year old super model) so they were glad to be rid of me.

But it left me a bit perplexed. And strangely let down.

I was happy to not have to fight. But at the same time I figured my membership was worth a bit more to them. No?

Some attempt at price negotiation? A thank you for my years of patronage? A free water bottle?

Nope, nothing. It was like we hadn’t been involved those past three years.

I think there is probably a happy medium between making it overly difficult for consumers to dis-engage and making it too easy.

That’s my point of view. What’s your twist?
Have you had a similar “brand break-up” experience?

Category: Customer Relations

Favorite Summer Brands

Posted by Julie | July 27th, 2009



It finally feels like summer. Sunny skies (mostly) and warm nights with gentle breezes.

It’s time to celebrate the brands that make summer…well feel like summer.

Here are a few of my favorites:

1. Beer. I’m not a big beer drinker most of the year. But there is something about hot summer nights and some of my favorite summer foods (e.g. lobster, cheeseburgers, fried Ipswich clams) which down right begs to be accompanied by a cold one.

My favorite is Sam Adam’s Summer Ale. Here’s a list of some other recommended summer beers that I came across.

This list could use a bit of updating…so feel free to recommend.

If you are looking for a non-alcoholic summer beverage- nothing beats an Arnold Palmer (1/2 lemonade, ½ ice tea).

2. Mr. Softee Trucks ice cream. There’s something downright Pavlovian about hearing that distinctive music. It makes all kids ages 2- 82 come running. Since 1956 Mr. Softee has been serving up summer one scoop at a time .

3. Bug Spray. If there are mosquitoes lurking about, they will find me. Often I am that one person in a crowd besieged by bites, while everyone else enjoys their time out doors oblivious to the min-menaces. Growing up I hated bug spray particularly the smell of it. But I find the folks at Off Family Care have made some advances. I particularly like the smell and feel of Tropical Fresh Off and my brother swears by the Off Towelettes.

4. Water Parks. When it’s hot, there’s nothing better than a water park to combine some thrills with cooling spray. Two I really like are Six Flags Great Adventure New England in Agawam Mass (actually pretty clean and manageable for a big park) and Splash Down Beach in Fishkill NY (small and particularly good for young kids). My only warning about Six Flags, you will not be able to get that Venga Boys song out of your mind (“We like to party…).

5. A Great Summer Read. What’s summer without a great book to read on the beach or curl up with at night in the hammock under a summer sky? Here’s a few of my recent faves:

An American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld

Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpa Lahiri

Mary (Mrs. A Lincoln) by Janis Cooke Newman

Olive Kitteridgeby Elizabeth Strout

One summer experience I miss is the Drive In Movie.

I used to love to pile in the station wagon with my family and go to the movies. The sound was usually horrible, and we almost always fell asleep before the end.

But it felt so exotic to be doing something so familiar as watching a movie somewhere unexpected, like the great outdoors.

I’m lucky in that my town in Westchester shows movies outdoors a few times in the summer. Last week, I got to watch Madagascar 2 with my 8 year old on a beautiful summer night.

A friend of mine in Louisville has created her own neighborhood outdoor movie tradition with a laptop, a projector and lots of happy kids.

Summer is a unique time to slow down and take advantage of these seasonal treats. Don’t let it pass you by. It will be back to school and September before we know it.

That’s my point of view. What’s your twist?

What brands and experiences define summer for you?

Category: Favorite Brands

Zappos and Amazon Sitting in a Tree

Posted by Julie | July 23rd, 2009


Congratulations to the folks at Zappos who have just been acquired by Amazon.

This is a great validation on Zappos’ unwavering focus on customer care – which they passionately describe as “spreading happiness.”

Here is a letter from Zappo’s CEO Tony Hsieh to his employees.

This is one of the best pieces of internal communication I have seen:

- It maintains the unique Zappos’ tone of voice, even when discussing “corporate stuff” like deal terms
- It addresses employees top questions/concerns head on
- It presents the new “Uber boss” (Jeff Bezos) in a friendly, informative, and visual way

Zappos is a great example of a company that really “walks the talk”, staying true to their brand promise and personality in all aspects of everything they do.

That’s my point of view. What’s your twist?
What do you think of this deal?

Category: Brand Personality

Six Pixels of Separation

Posted by Julie | July 22nd, 2009

A few weeks ago I attended a presentation by Mitch Joel @mitchjoel in advance of his book launch for “Six Pixels of Separation”.

A few people have asked me about it, so I decided to summarize my key take-aways.

The sub-title of the book is “Everyone is Connected. Connect your Business to Everyone.”

This is not really a new message. But it’s still a relevant one.

I found Mitch to be a good presenter, engaging with a lot of interesting factoids, and a fair degree of (Canadian, I believe) humility.

Some of the things I found most interesting:

- There are now more grandparents on Facebook then high school students (according to Mitch and PC Magazine 7.6.09)

- 40% of the moms in the US are on MySpace. This is because My Space has been around long enough that these College students now have their own kids (Note: I find this one a little hard to believe that they would not have migrated off to Facebook…).

- A negative review on the web will actually convert better than a positive review because it lends an air of authenticity to the review. Mitch gave an example of looking for a basic camera to take pictures of his child. One review said something to the effect of “this is not going to help you take award winning photos, but it’s great for capturing the kids” and this sealed the deal for him.

- “Your brand isn’t what you say it is. It’s what Google says it is”. This quote was attributed to Chris Anderson, the editor of Wired Magazine.

In addition to these interesting facts, the core message that I took away is that the days of throwing out a message in mass media are over. Hoping to catch .2% of the population that are actually in the market and/or interested in your product at that time just doesn’t make sense.

It’s better to harness the power of digital media and get smaller audiences that are 100% open and interested in what you have to say.

Here are the messages that he used as the summary of his presentation.

#1 Think in terms of audiences, not psychographics or demographics
#2 Everything is “with” and not “instead of” (e.g. there is still a place for traditional tactics, just augment it)
#3 Don’t be fleeting. Build share and grow it. Stay the course.
#4 Earn the right to get your users out of “lurker mode” (e.g. to become active, not passive)
#5 It’s attitudinal, not generational. People can share similar passions across age groups.
#6 Upload a video to You Tube. Join the conversation. Do something now!

If you want to learn more about Mitch or the book Check out Mitch’s blog

The book comes out in September.

That’s my point of view. What’s your twist?
How are you connecting your business to everyone?

Category: Social Media

The Personal/Professional Brand Gap

Posted by Julie | July 20th, 2009

What happens when there is a gap between your personal and professional brands?

Lately there’s been a lot of buzz (and no doubt a fair amount of confusion)about the concept of personal brand.

The best definition I have found so far is from BNET Business Dictionary that defines “Personal Brand” as “the public expression and projection of an individuals identity, personality, values, skills and abilities”.

And while there is a recognition that the personal and professional brands are separate entities, I think they should at least work in sync.

Here are a few examples of personal and professional brand gaps:

Keep reading

Category: Brand Personality, Business Etiquette

Social Networking Etiquette

Posted by Julie | July 17th, 2009


Twitter, blogs, Facebook have made it easier than ever before to network with people who could help you gain valuable advice, insight and connections.

But just because it’s easy to access people, doesn’t mean you should.

Or at least it doesn’t mean you should just reach out without at least a nod to some good old fashioned etiquette rules of the pre 2.0 era.

I am fortunate to meet a lot of interesting people and to be part of a lot of industry events, panels etc. I also genuinely like to connect with people.

But lately I feel like the boundaries of “professional” contact are getting a bit blurry.

I’m not suggesting we go back to an era of formal notes asking for appointments delivered by butlers on silver platters. but I do think a little more etiquette would go a long way.

Mostly, I think good (vs. bad) networking etiquette is a question of respect.

I don’t mean genuflecting or addressing someone formally (although “oh Holy Brand Queen” or “Empress of Blogging” would definitely get my attention). I mean respecting someone’s time.

For example:

At a networking event or conference don’t monopolize someone. Introduce yourself, state your comment/question or desire for a follow up, get your response and then respectfully move on. If there is a line of people behind you waiting to talk to the speaker, acknowledge this and wrap up.

When requesting an exploratory meeting, make it clear in your email exactly what you are looking for. I get a fair amount of vague requests asking for “guidance on my career” or “input on my brand”. You will get a higher likelihood of response if you are specific. e.g. “I was wondering if you could give me some advice on switching from an agency position in packaged goods to client side in the service industry”.

Also do your homework before the meeting and have some ideas on the subject you are looking to get reactions to.

And when you say you only need 30 minutes of someone’s time, then mean it. Whether in person or on the phone, you should be organized enough to get what you need in 30 minutes.

I think a mark of respect is also showing that you value someone’s time by making sure they get something out of it.

Follow up a conversation with a link to an article or a video on a subject that you discussed. Offer to make introductions to people they may find interesting/useful. Leave comments on their blog or share it with others. Twitter about your encounter and help them build their personal brand (something event the most well-known people still constantly work at).

Don’t assume because your need is pressing that they should drop everything to answer it. Don’t send an email asking for a response tomorrow. Do make it easy to respond by clearly stating what you are looking for and giving them the option to first respond by email.

Also if you are looking for a face to face meeting a good strategy is to say that you are going to be in thier neighborhood at a certain time and date and give a few options.

Don’t “friend” a business connection on Facebook unless they suggest it or you clearly have made a personal connection during your meeting.

Try Linked In. It’s more appropriate and allows you to easily keep in touch.

Everyone may seem one click a way. But remember we all have busy lives (personal and other wise) and chances are you are not the only person reaching out to someone.

Reach out with respect, and your response rate will be higher.

That’s my point of view. What’s your twist?
What rules of social etiquette do you follow?

Category: Business Etiquette, Social Media

5 Favorite French Brands

Posted by Julie | July 14th, 2009


In honor of Bastille Day and the French, here’s my take on some favorite French brands.

1. Lacoste

Last week’s Wimbledon men’s final really brought this home to me. There’s Federer all superhuman in his gold Nike gear looking every inch the Tennis God/Machine and there was Andy Roddick in his subdued Lacoste wear embodying the grace and sportsmanship of tennis. He seemed more human, more likable and more about the actual game. Lacoste has had it’s moments of popularity and then some less, but it seems to endure and continue to represent the quiet confidence and love of the game of it’s original namesake, Rene Lacoste.

2. Veuve Clicquot

I have to admit I am partial to champagne in general. But Veuve Clicquot in particular I admire both for it’s delicious bubbly, but also for the way it manages to continue to surprise and delight with it’s iconic orange and beautiful (and often useful) packaging.

3. Pylones

This might seem like a strange choice. A lot of people don’t know that this brand of whimsical household items and kitchen gadgets is actually French. But it is. Pylones (pronounced pee-lone) was founded in France in 1985 by Alan Ceppos and Frédéric Rambaud. What I love about this brand is that it is so whimsical, colorful, and light-hearted (not qualities always associated with the French- with apologies to my French husband and friends). But it literally draws you in the store, and even just passing by the windows in Grand Central every morning makes me smile.

4. YSL

This brand was founded in 1961 but still manages to feel fresh, contemporary and crave worthy. In recent years it’s begun to take itself slightly less seriously with the introduction of more color and whimsy in some of it’s famous patterns. I love what it represents. Timeless, but always contemporary and crave-worthy style.

5. Victor Hugo

A controversial figure but undoubtedly a literary master and a self-described “Free Thinker”. He actually spend much of his life in exile from Paris but was a quintessential French intellectual and writer. Les Miserables (albeit in it’s more digestible Broadway incarnation) remains one of the stories that has touched me the most deeply with it’s themes of love and sacrifice.

Vive La France (and the French brands).

That’s my point of view. What’s your twist?
What French brands are you celebrating this Bastille Day?

Category: Favorite Brands

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