The Consumer Connection Roundup features the top articles and blogs that catch the attention of the Motista Team each month on issues and events related to consumer connection.
Here are the most noteworthy articles on marketing and advertising trends from the month of August. If we missed any articles that you thought were especially provocative, please share them with us in the comments section.
Articles of the Month for August:
- Rebranding 101 by Nick Nanton and J.W. Dicks, Fast Company – The authors of this article contend rebranding is an arduous task, and one that shouldn’t be done often, if at all. They highlight the top five steps in the rebranding process, and we’d like to emphasize “understand your market.” If you’re rebranding, typically, you are looking to better connect with consumers, so it’s absolutely essential to research your market and understand your audience. Otherwise, you might find out that your rebranding effort misses the mark.
- Which retailers will Hurricane Irene help, and which will it hurt? by Natalie Zmuda, AdAge – Hurricane Irene hit the East Coast hard, and it was interesting to watch the news and hear from friends and family on the East Coast (Motista is based in San Mateo, California). We were intrigued by photos from grocery stores of empty shelves, and it was comforting to hear that stores like Home Depot and Lowe’s kept their doors open past regular hours of business to make sure that their customers had the supplies that they needed to feel safe. Building these types of connections can turn someone into a lifelong customer.
- Steve Jobs and the impact of clarity by David Martin, Forbes – You can’t do any type of roundup for the month of August without mentioning the resignation of Steve Jobs from Apple. Steve is a once-in-a-generation genius who not only understood how to build complex technological products, but he’s also changed how we think of brands. He never tried to change consumer behavior or even be a “brand” steward, but instead adapted products to meet the consumer’s needs. In doing so, he built the most powerful brand in the world and revolutionized many aspects of daily life.
- Apple must protect brand post-Jobs by Tanya Irwin, MediaPost – While we had to pay homage to Steve Jobs, we also have to acknowledge the big white elephant in the room – what is Apple going to do post-Jobs? Apple still has a strong trajectory with cash reserves in excess of $75 billion and is in the capable hands of Tim Cook. As long as the company continues to adhere to the values established during the Jobs era, such as building products for the everyday consumer, Apple will remain successful.
- For marketers, it’s raining men by Mercedes Cardona, CMO.com – “Even as many marketers and retailers continue to refer to the consumer as ‘she,’ they have realized men are a bigger factor in household-buying decisions and have begun more efforts to reach out to that demographic.” Men often have very different views and motivations. Marketers will be wise to learn what motivates men differently from women if they want to capitalize on this trend. Our recent retail study provides an initial glimpse into gender differences in retail motivations.
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