How the Sonos Brand Promise Was Betrayed by a Tone Deaf Upgrade
Upgrades should be a marketing opportunity. But as Sonos recently learned, there are pitfalls to evolving your offering at the expense of existing products.
How Russell Wilson Sold B2B Big Data in Amazon’s Football Commercial
Amazon’s commercial airing during NFL playoff games makes it easy to catch on to the benefits of its B2B big data offering.
The Marketing Genius Behind Apple’s ‘Sent from my iPhone’
With the default email signature “Sent from my iPhone,” Apple created millions of brand advocates.
Mariah Carey’s Christmas Miracle
How Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas is You” became the first holiday song to hit #1 in more than half a century.
When Star Wars Sold an Empty Box
Before Cabbage Patch Dolls, Tickle Me Elmo, Furbies and the Wii U, the must-have holiday gift was … an empty box.
Growing a Market for Ugly Produce
A surprising amount of marketing goes into selling fruits and vegetables. Some brands see opportunity in challenging traditional produce beauty standards.
Presidential Turkey Pardons are Good PR
The annual pardoning of the Thanksgiving turkey tradition includes much more marketing history than many would believe.
How Smart Marketing Primed the U.S. for The Beatles and Beatlemania
Today, the Fab Four’s success feels like a foregone conclusion. But Beatlemania was brought to life through a major marketing push and a bit of lucky timing.
The Blair Witch Project may not be Real, but its Marketing Impact Sure Was
After 20 years, it’s hard to believe people actually thought The Blair Witch Project was real. The found footage horror movie’s innovative and powerful viral marketing campaign is largely to thank.
How Three Brands Latched on to the Viral Event That is “Storm Area 51”
The recent Area 51 ‘raid’ was a marketing juggernaut. Here are our top three picks for prime examples of how social and viral marketing can be used to add your brands voice to cultural (and intergalactic) conversations.
Why Doritos, Diet Coke and Cadbury are Stripping the Words Out of Their Logos
Some of the world’s most recognizable brands have recently taken to tweaking their established identities to send a different message to their audiences.
How to Market a Chicken Sandwich
When Popeye’s entered the competitive world of chicken sandwiches, it was smart to think about how the competition would react — especially on social media.
The Marketing Lesson in the Sprinkles vs. Jimmies Debate
What do you call those little sugary ice cream and cake toppings? In marketing, the importance of using the right words goes beyond tomayto, tomahto.
The Story Behind Flamin’ Hot Cheetos Marketing
Lots of people assume that the best marketing ideas can only come from professional marketers. Richard Montañez is proof that’s not always the case.
Fitbit B2B Marketing Takes the Lead
Fitbit’s successful expansion into B2B sales and marketing offers key lessons on developing a strong, consistent brand purpose.
How NASA’s Marketing Strategy Got Us to the Moon
Many don’t realize the role NASA’s bold marketing strategy played in making Neil Armstrong and company the first humans ever to set foot on another world.
VW’s Electrifying New Marketing Push
Most brands would never consider marketing campaigns focused on past failures. Yet that’s exactly what Volkswagen is doing.
How Marketing Put the Philly in Philadelphia Cream Cheese
Philadelphia Cream Cheese has never been produced, developed or packaged in Philly. So why’s it called Philadelphia Cream Cheese?
Naturdays Offer a Refreshing Update to Natural Light’s Marketing
Keeping up with consumers’ changing tastes means not forgetting the customers who made you successful in the first place.
The Pride in Subaru’s Marketing
How Subaru’s smart marketing targeted lesbian drivers, creating countless loyal customers in the process.
Why LaCroix Fell Flat with Consumers
LaCroix’s recent dip in sales offers lessons in maintaining a brand after making a marketing splash.
Behind The Grateful Dead’s Marketing Know-how
A tight marketing strategy isn’t the first thing people think of when it comes to the Grateful Dead. Maybe it should be.
The Marketing Behind Minty Toothpaste
There’s a reason most toothpaste is mint-flavored – and it has almost nothing to do with keeping your mouth clean.
The Marketing Legend Behind Those ‘I Hate Steven Singer’ Billboards
You may recognize the “I Hate Steven Singer” billboards and might know what they’re selling. But you probably don’t know the marketing story behind them.
Why is the Financial Times Pink?
In 1893, The Financial Times started printing on light salmon-pink paper. It was the most significant branding step the company would ever take.
Marketing The Buck Club – A Golf Course that Doesn’t Exist
The Buck Club, with no members and no course, is one of the most talked about locations in the entire golfing community.
How Octavius Updated His Brand After the Ides of March
When Octavius changed his name to Augustus, the rebrand sent a powerful message about how he planned to rule the Roman Empire.
Why Netflix Spent $25 million on its Roma Oscars Campaign
Netflix’s $25 million Oscar campaign for its film Roma shows how even great brands have to work to stand out for industry awards.
The Marketing Lesson Behind ‘Dewey Defeats Truman’
The “Dewey Defeats Truman” headline is perhaps the most well-known newspaper screw up of all time. But its real marketing lesson is about how (and when) brands talk to their audiences.
Competing Documentaries Offer 3 Fyre Festival Marketing Lessons
The Fyre Festival was supposed to be known as the ultimate escape — a private island getaway of luxury and indulgence. It’s now known as a prime example of over-the-top marketing gone awry.
Tide Washed Away a Crisis Thanks to a House of Brands Marketing Structure
You don’t have to be a multi-industry conglomerate to benefit from building a game plan for how your products and services interact.
What Would You Do With a Super Bowl Ad?
What if you had a Super Bowl commercial? If you had one minute in front of millions of potential customers and prospects, how would you spend it? What would you say about your offering? What would you focus on?
New Gillette Ad Invites Controversy While Elevating Brand Purpose
When Gillette released a new ad condemning toxic masculinity, the brand knew it was igniting controversy. But it’s ultimate goal is something deeper.
How Mastercard Keeps Its Brand Fresh and Current
With a loyal customer base and a global name, Mastercard’s choice to update its logo keeps it fresh and relevant for the digital age.
How Sears Stole Christmas With Its Content Marketing
Families across the U.S. waited all year for catalogs to arrive in the mail to start their holiday-season shopping, Sears banked on their Christmas Wish Book.
Everybody Knows ‘Got Milk?’ — Does that Make it Successful?
The Got Milk? campaign was a runaway success by every measure – except the one that actually matters. It didn’t drive people to drink more milk.
How Campbell’s Conquered Holiday Marketing with Green Bean Casserole
Campbell’s can attribute the staying power of green bean casserole at Thanksgiving to a few key holiday marketing ingredients: consistency, simplicity and just a dash of nostalgia.
MoviePass Marketing Tries to Win Back Customers with Cute Puppies
The MoviePass marketing team violated fundamental rules around delivering bad news to customers when it hid behind a cute puppy picture in a recent email.
The Myth and the Marketing Lesson Behind The Infamous War of the Worlds Radio Broadcast
Reports of mass panic in the streets following the 1938 War of the Worlds radio broadcast had more to do with warring media outlets than Martian invaders.
How Guinness Book of World Records Makes Other Brands More Newsworthy
When Guinness Book of World Records wanted to reach new customers, it stuck to its brand promise and helped other companies make their stories more newsworthy.
How PETA Used Newsjacking to Connect its Message to A Star is Born
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) awarded Bradley Cooper its prestigious Compassion in Film Award. If you haven’t heard of the award, there’s a good reason why – PETA just created it.
What is Newsjacking? 3 Best Practices for B2B marketers
While some people may not recognize the name, newsjacking is an established marketing tool. Here’s how B2B marketers can make the most of it.
Why is Branding Important? 3 Brand Strategy Lessons from Coca-Cola
What marketing lessons can other brands learn from Coca Cola?
Dickies Went from Worksite to Runway by Staying True to its Brand
When industry trends offer opportunities to reach new customers, companies have to strike the right balance between updating their brand and retaining the fundamental values that helped them stand out in the first place.
How Crock-Pot Reclaimed its Brand after This is Us Created a Crisis
This is Us returns for season 3 on Tuesday, Sept. 25, at 9 p.m. After fans blamed a character death in last season’s finale on Crock-Pot, the brand created a clever campaign to reclaim its story.
How Waffle House Embraces its Connection to Dangerous Weather Events
Weather officials work to predict and quantify the dangers of a hurricane based on wind speeds using the Saffir-Simpson Wind Scale. But media and citizens often turn to The Waffle House Index.
Why Nike’s Controversial New Ad Fits with its Brand
Nike is a company that’s never been afraid to ruffle a few feathers. Its most recent move seems to be paying off.
From Dilly Dilly to Philly Philly — How Bud Light Capitalized on an Epic Marketing Gift
What happens when your nonsensical ad slogan happens to rhyme with the city that just won the Super Bowl?
Creating an App that’s Worth It
Simply chasing the latest trendy platform is an expensive and resource-intensive approach to finding new ways to reach customers.
Arm & Hammer Offers a Lesson in Making Boring Marketable
How do you keep a 170-year-old brand fresh?