clemans on marketing: confessions and misdemeanors

Trench Marketing.

A bunch of us were waiting in line for cabs outside the Palace Hotel in downtown San Francisco. 

Late for dinner at the Elite Cafe. 

A limo driver pulled up and gave us a deal. We jumped in, along with a stranger going our way. She turned out to be the international marketing manager for Bare Escentuals cosmetics. 

After querying us about the make-up products we currently use, she offered to send us samples. 

"I am always looking for new customers to try the brand and give us feedback".

 We readily agreed. 

True to her word, a big box arrived on Tuesday with four "bareMinerals Get Started Kits" ($59.98 each) and Buxom Big and Health Lip Polish – matched to our individual skin types. 

She now has 4 new customers, one of whom, unbeknownst to her, is a blogger who's telling the world.

Is this just a girl thing? Nope. This is a very smart marketing thing. Adopt and replicate.

Bottle it.

 Because we are launching a handcrafted hard cider, we taste tested (poor us) six competitors. One from France. One from the UK. Four from the US. Hornsby's bested the pack. Why? Most distinctive scent, color, and apple flavor. To be honest, I wasn't rooting for them because they are a subsidiary of Gallo, use artificial flavors, and aren't organic. But, their hard cider, combined with distinctive packaging and a parent company with deep pockets, is thriving.

Everything matters: price, package, product, patience, plan.

She has yellow teeth.

Gotcha! 

This headline for a teeth whitening ad on the American Music Awards home page will surely get click throughs. Know your audience. Place targeted advertising where they congregate. Give it all you've got from the get go.

Clean up your language.

Like the White Rabbit in Alice in Wonderland, we don't have time. Marketing content, no matter the medium, should get to the point. Refine your message to its essence. Revisit 10th grade English. Read Hemingway.

Content Pointers:

• Summarize at the start

• Use shorter words

• Write in the active voice

• Avoid insider idioms

• Jettison stale phrases and metaphors

• Abandon wordiness

• Be clear

• Grammar still matters

• Punctuation sometimes doesn't

• Edit. Edit. Edit.

• Proofread

• Wrap it up

Moodstream: Imagine

During the branding process, we produce experiential imagery-rich moodboards to jump start the creative process and explore new territory. The ultimate goal: developing unique, targeted, improved, stand out brand personalities for our clients. 

Now, with Getty Moodstream we can pump up brand visioning by selecting from a menu of words to create photo and video streams based on emotional tone or mood. 

Get in the mood for blue sky thinking. Experiment with Getty Moodstream for fresh ideas and to create virtual sensory experiences in seconds. 

Red Stripe vs 10 Cane Rum

There is no competition. Each knows its audience and delivers the goods. Red Stripe is an inexpensive brew in stubby bottles that quenches the thirst of boys into men, while Caribbean 10 Cane Rum, owned by LVMH, brings to mind white linen suits and mixology. In the world of packaging, pick your poison and jump.

Packaging to Plant.

Pangea Organics'  packaging states, "Out of the box and into the garden." Imbedded in their 100% post-consumer molded fiber box, are medicinal herbs that grow when soaked and planted. Super wow. Branding, design, messaging, packaging, and actions all line up.  

Warts and all.

I am finally weighing in on Dell's Ideastorm. As of this date, the Dell Community has contributed: 8,949 ideas, promoted 615,131 times, and posted 69,456 comments. Dell heads directly to the citizens for input on the next generation of products, and asks for feedback – warts and all. A prime example of selling without selling. Outstanding.

And though 2007 was a tough year, Dell always comes out swinging.

Starbucks takes a page from Dell and is now turning to their customers for ideas, reviews, and feedback. Will the coffee klutch give Starbucks the edge they need to stem the downturn?

Power to the people. Good for all.