I'm not sure it needs to cost the budgeted $20 million...but Strategic Name Development's Bill Lozito is on it when he opines that Australia has ridden the Crocodile Dundee image long enough.
However, it sounds (at least from Bill's post) that this is more of a nation branding initiative to spur investment than a tourism marketing initiative. And that probably makes a lot of sense.
But, I gotta scratch my head at the concepting behind the idea of launching the new brand in February alongside an advertising campaign that channels the Jackman-Kidman movie "Australia."
Which a) didn't do well at all at the box office (though it seems to be picking up steam as a rental) and b) seemingly offers up a stereotypical (if not highly stylized) image of Australia in the days before World War II.
And that communicates the present-day investment opportunities in Australia, errr, how?
If you've ever been by an Apple store (especially in a mall) you're probably amazed at the sheer number of consumers milling about, trying out the most elegant of today's technology. The Apple Store has become one of the most amazing of all retail (and branding) success stories.
Word out of the Evil Empire has it that it plans to begin opening Microsoft retail stores in close proximity to Apple Stores.
I'll wait while you scratch your head furiously.
I know this strategy works well for fast food...but that's because the product is so interchangeable. Fast food is a commodity for all but the most fanatic.
Apple products vs. Microsoft products? Ummm...not so much.
The concept of Microsoft stores makes a lot of sense, if they execute the strategy correctly. But putting them next to Apple stores? Sounds like a recipe for humiliation.
Brand Identity Standards are pretty important. I mean, if you go to all that trouble and expense to develop an identity, wouldn't you want the guys in the sign department to, ummm, you know, go along with the program?
Click image to enlarge...and chuckle.
Not sure how I missed this...but the Miami Dolphin's stadium will be known as LandShark Stadium this coming season in a deal with Jimmy Buffett.
LandShark Lager (a tip of the hat to his party-friendly song "Fins") is Buffett's recent foray into the beer market. And now, a year later, he has stadium naming rights. Simply amazing.
But, apparently not for long. Word has it that the NFL isn't too keen on having the 2010 Super Bowl in a stadium named after guys that prowl bars looking to get laid.
Why is it that nobody seems to have a sense of humor anymore?
Thanks to Strategic Name Development for the catch.
Best Western has a image problem. Because of its corporate operating structure, it is more difficult for the mothership to yank the flag of an embarrassing property than with most hotel brands. Thus, the adage of "one bad apple" rings pretty true.
They've just taken their lemon (I know I'm mixing my fruits here) and made a marvelous lemonade with this video for their BusinessPlus program.
Last I checked, the video had been viewed over 21,000 times on several YouTube posts.
Thanks to Steve Hall at AdGabber for the catch.
I know that I'm not alone in my puzzlement over why General Motors would kill Pontiac. I understand the need to streamline the number of brands under the GM banner. But close shop on the one brand that consistently stood out among the others with the most unique designs of the bunch? The one line that still produced muscle cars?
Honestly, when was the last time anybody drooled over a Buick?
Apparently, that would be every day. In China.
A great post in Tim Manners' Reveries today chronicles the way dealers in Pennsylvania are dealing with the loss of the iconic brand. In it, the owner of Arnold Chevrolet says, "GM sacrificed Pontiac to save Buick. It's all about the Buick market in China, which comes at the expense of American jobs."
I guess it all makes sense...and yet it doesn't.
The Northwest gates at all the hubs have fully transitioned from red to Delta blue. The NWA Flight attendants are wearing chic new uniforms. First class passengers are enjoying new drink selections (Heineken and Woodford Reserve) in sensational heavy glass tumblers.
And earlier this week, I flew my first NWA plane sporting a new exterior paint job. I'm sure they'll get to the NWA logos on the bulkheads in short order.
While I know all this transition is inevitable, I wonder about next winter in the north. For, didn't Northwest paint the tails of their jets red so they could find them in the snow?
Oh, well...I guess there's still enough red there to do the trick.
Unless the snow is really deep.
Say what you will about Pepsi's new font, they just so nailed their signage opportunity at the New York Mets' new ballpark.
As Reveries' Tim Manners points out, it's "kind of strange to go to all the trouble of building a new stadium so that it looks like an old stadium (i.e., Ebbets Field), only to erode the effect by plastering it with a bunch of 21st century logos. The lone exception to this disconnect, surprisingly, is Pepsi."
Especially because they've just rolled out their new one.
While nobody else seems to understand the opportunity to go retro, Pepsi so does.
Photo courtesy of Gary Wong.
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