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Democrats favored firing Comey before they were against it. Republicans scurried to avoid taking a position. The White House was leaking in torrents. Washington insiders roiled the swamp with eddies of spin. The press hyperventilated in major scandal mode. But what did regular Americans make of it all? Not so much, it turns out. Data …
Pro Trump or Anti Trump–American Opinion on Firing Comey Read More »
NBC News interviewed me about the trolling of the Ivanka Trump brand. Seems like “fake reviews” are joining “fake news” as a thing. The consumer is savvy enough to tell the difference. As I told NBC, the trolling of all Trump brands is likely to continue as a dissatisfied segment of the electorate works out …
Amazon Review Trolling Ivanka Trump Brand–NBC Interview Read More »
Zika • Recession • Security • Doping Scandals • Brazilian Politics & Public Apathy I will be on the panel of the Marketing Executives Networking Group’s panel discussion on the marketing challenges of the Rio Olympic Games RSVP by Thursday, JULY 28, noon at http://members.mengonline.com/e/in/eid=421 Photo I.D. required for building entry. Many issues are plaguing the …
Uh No, Not Business as Usual at the 2016 Olympics: Marketing Executive Networking Group Read More »
Can the Chipotle brand recover with recent company marketing moves? Chipotle Mexican Grill’s sinking sales and falling share prices follow a bacterial outbreak that sickened customers in at least 11 states. When news of widespread food poisoning at the “food with integrity” restaurants first broke, the internet filled with rumors of a chain-wide shutdown. Those …
Brian Williams personal brand as a trusted news anchor is damaged beyond recovery. I’ve long been fascinated by “personal brands,” and the power of an individual to create and project a reputation that persuades. While such brands are powerful, they are also uniquely human. When the human fails, the brand can fail, too. In the …
Watergate tops most top ten US scandal lists, which may explain the ubiquity of the ___-gate naming meme for scandals. Gruber-gate is only the latest in a long list of scandals with “gate” in the name. Scandal Naming–The -Gate Construct The -gate construct for scandal naming got its start shortly after Watergate and Nixon’s impeachment …
Branding Scandals: Gruber-Gate and Gate Scandal Naming Since Watergate Read More »
Brand sponsorship requires a rush to judgement. Though Adrian Peterson has not been found guilty of a crime, brands can’t afford to serve as a backdrop to the drama of indictments and investigations. Radisson’s brand did literally serve as a backdrop to yesterday’s press conference by Vikings general manger Rick Spielman as he discussed child …
Adrian Peterson and Vikings Brand Sponsorship: Guilty Until Proven Innocent Read More »
Yesterday, GM announced yet more recalls that brought the total number of vehicle call-backs to an all-time record. The damage to an already hurting brand–see “Switchgate”–is incalculable. The idea of a “new GM” is taking a beating. Toyota suffered similar negative press several years ago, but the strength of its brand, built over decades, helped …
GM Smashes Its U.S. Recall Record and the Idea of a “New GM” Read More »
Will the News of the World fiasco hurt the News Corp brand? I doubt it, for the same reasons that brands like Martha Stewart and Michael Vick have bounced back. While the hacking has slowed down the business side of News Corp., most notably in its bid for BSkyB, and criminal charges for top execs …
News Corp. Brand Will Survive News of the World’s Demise Read More »
Brand investments are smart spending when done right. The March 2011 issue of Success magazine features the article “Spend Your Way to Prosperity,” with recommendations for the best initial investments entrepreneurs should make. The article includes a quote from Merriam Associates on spending money upfront to protect your brand with a trademark and by owning …
Merriam Associates in Success Magazine: Brand Investments Read More »