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(873, 1, '2018-09-24 19:23:39', '0000-00-00 00:00:00', 'By Rachel K.\n<a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/alg_portman_galliano.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-2568\" title=\"alg_portman_galliano\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/alg_portman_galliano.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"485\" height=\"327\" /></a>\n\nLast week, John Galliano was swiftly removed as the head of Christian Dior after a video surfaced of his anti-Semitic rants in a Paris restaurant. Now, as one who is Jewish (and just as a human being), I was outraged by his behavior on a few different levels. But as a brand person, I also thought: No John Galliano at Dior? <a href=\"http://www.brandchannel.com/home/post/2011/03/02/Damage-Control-Diors-Galliano-Response.aspx\" target=\"_blank\">He IS Dior</a>!\n\nThe recent trend of Chief Creative Officer or CEO as brand ambassador has been going on for a while now. In fact, several of these individuals have such a hand in the shaping of the brand that their names are virtually synonymous with the brand. Whereas the head of a company used to remain somewhat anonymous (e.g. <a href=\"http://blogs.forbes.com/augustturak/2011/03/07/the-missing-elephant-in-the-bedroom/\" target=\"_blank\">Jack Welch</a>), today’s brand gatekeepers are front-and-center. They even go so far as reaching out directly to customers – through corporate communications, blogs and tweets – to forge relationships.\n\nTake Millard “Mickey” <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Millard_Drexler\" target=\"_blank\">Drexler</a>, for example. As the head of J. Crew, he and his Executive Creative Director, <a href=\"http://fashionista.com/2010/07/five-keys-to-jenna-lyons-success/\" target=\"_blank\">Jenna Lyons</a> have turned the company around, making it a brand worthy of a $3 billion buyout. Every time I buy something from J.Crew.com (too often to admit), I get a beautifully printed note from Mickey, printed on thick, cream-colored cardstock, thanking me for my purchase and assuring me of J. Crew’s high standards of quality. (Tell that to my last cardigan, the buttons of which popped off after a few cleanings.) The first time I received such a note, I read it very carefully, anxiously awaiting a line informing me of some 25% off discount. But no…it’s just a personal note from Mickey, thanking me for my patronage. I also recently received such a note from Russ Gaitskill, the CEO of Garnet Hill, the online and catalog company that sells beautiful bedding and housewares. Now, whereas I know who Mickey Drexler is (namely due to a huge <a href=\"http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2010/09/20/100920fa_fact_paumgarten\" target=\"_blank\">New Yorker profile</a> I read a few months ago), I had ZERO knowledge of Russ, so getting a note from him with my order (okay, okay, I’m a huge online shopper) held little weight. But still…it was a nice, personal touch, and obviously an effort by this company to woo me back for more purchases.\n\nOther highly recognizable brand ambassadors include <a href=\"http://people.forbes.com/profile/reed-krakoff/20645\" target=\"_blank\">Reed Krakoff</a>, who has turned around Coach in the past decade and who is so popular that he recently launched his own, eponymous, non-Coach brand, and <a href=\"http://racked.com/archives/2011/01/10/simon-doonan-ousted-from-creative-director-position-and-promoted-to-creative-ambassadoratlarge.php\" target=\"_blank\">Simon Doonan</a>, who is now Creative Ambassador-at-Large of Barneys (and was for years a virtual face of the brand). And these days, more people think of <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karl_Lagerfeld\" target=\"_blank\">Karl Lagerfeld</a> when they hear the name Chanel than they do of Coco herself.\n\nOf course, as Galliano – Lagerfeld’s arch-rival – has proven, this complicated CCO/CEO relationship can backfire in a big way. Dior, the jewel in the crown of the LVMH fashion empire, now finds itself without its star designer, who has been with the house since 1996 and has, in the past 15 years, further elevated the reputation of the brand. Fashion world forecasters are saying that the house will do just fine, and that the runway piece of the business is just a small percentage of the overall sales. But one can’t help but wonder what Dior will look like in the next CCO’s hands.\n\nAnd back in the <a href=\"http://business.blogs.cnn.com/2011/03/02/charlie-sheen-dior-and-galliano-when-your-brand-rests-on-one-man/\" target=\"_blank\">pre-Sheen</a>, pre-Galliano weeks of early February, another super-strong personality, Peter Arnell, got fired from the agency that bears his name by holding company Omnicom. Not only that…but his <a href=\"http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1356595/Peter-Arnell-New-Yorks-worst-boss-loses-job-replaced-WIFE.html?ito=feeds-newsxml\" target=\"_blank\">WIFE was appointed as the new chief executive</a>! So technically, Arnell can remain Arnell…but there’s no question that the company has been tarnished by Peter’s shenanigans (and awful business decisions) in recent years (the horrendous <a href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJ4yF4F74vc\" target=\"_blank\">Tropicana rebranding</a> comes to mind).\n\nBut it’s also been proven that hearty, well-established brands CAN bounce back from such scandals. Why, just take a look at the company of Mr. Arnell’s close friend, Martha Stewart. In 2005, after spending five months in prison, and despite predictions that the situation would end her media empire, Martha launched a <a href=\"http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/06_45/b4008076.htm\" target=\"_blank\">comeback campaign</a>, and her company is now stronger than ever. She took lemons and turned them into lemonade in her trademark style, and continues to be a decisive and inspiring leader. I doubt the same will happen for Nazi-sympathizer Galliano, but his scandal – and Martha’s turnaround – are lessons to be heeded by the J. Crews and Garnet Hills of the world.', 'When brands lose their ambassadors', '', 'draft', 'open', 'open', '', 'when-brands-lose-their-ambassadors', '', '', '2018-09-24 19:23:39', '2018-09-24 19:23:39', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/?post_type=thinking&#038;p=873', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(874, 1, '2011-03-15 21:06:43', '2011-03-15 21:06:43', '<a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/LucilaBlog.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-2072\" title=\"LucilaBlog\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/LucilaBlog.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" /></a>\r\n<a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/checking-in1.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-2629\" title=\"checking-in1\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/checking-in1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"500\" height=\"302\" /></a>\r\n\r\nI don’t know if you’ve noticed, but a ton of companies have popped up in the past few years that bank on people’s desire to broadcast their whereabouts. Unfortunately, a lot of these applications make it more confusing than necessary to do just that, begging the question, “What’s the point?”\r\n\r\nThe first time I ever used Facebook’s \"Check In\" application was when I was sitting at an airport in Argentina. It wasn\'t the best experience since, ironically enough, Facebook couldn\'t track down my location and I got an error message. The next (and only other) time I used it was when I discovered a really neat movie theater where the waiters brought food to your seat. I jumped on FB Check-In to let my friends know about it, but as soon as I did, FB shared with me all the other people that had also checked in and were only a few feet from me. That weirded me out, because I had no desire to let strangers in such close proximity know about my whereabouts and all my information.<a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Facebook-check.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-2618 alignright\" title=\"Facebook check\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Facebook-check.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"147\" height=\"215\" /></a>\r\n\r\nAnother popular check-in company is Foursquare, which markets itself as a location-based mobile platform to help you \"explore\" your city. As opposed to Facebook, where you simply broadcast your location, Foursquare turned the whole idea of “being found” into a game, by allowing you to become the \"mayor\" of the location(s) you frequent the most and to collect an array of badges. But the whole concept, while unquestionably creative, ultimately left me feeling confused.\r\n\r\nAnd tons of other companies – such as  <a href=\"http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/5_check-in_apps_to_check_out.php\" target=\"_blank\">GetGlue, Shopkick, Foodspotting, Gowalla &amp; Tunerfish</a> – have also jumped onto this trend with targeted niches that allow you to not only share where you are, but what music you’re listening to and what TV show you’re currently watching.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/CheckingCo1.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-2616\" title=\"CheckingCo\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/CheckingCo1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"499\" height=\"130\" /></a>\r\n\r\nAll this seems a bit vain to me, but there are certain times when these applications are used for more than egotism. <a href=\"http://japan.person-finder.appspot.com/?lang=en\" target=\"_blank\">Google’s Person Finder</a> is currently being used to help locate victims of the horrific earthquake and tsunami that occurred in Japan. This user-populated search tool, in which people can post their location and report their status, was also set up for disasters in Haiti, Chile and New Zealand.\r\n\r\nIn these cases, it’s pretty amazing that technology can be used to find missing people; as of Monday afternoon, Google helped track down about 162,200 records. Can Facebook or Foursquare make such a claim? <a href=\"http://www.google.com/corporate/tenthings.html\" target=\"_blank\">Google’s first core principle</a> for all its offerings is \"Focus on the user and all else will follow.\" They put their customers first and foremost, are quick on their feet in times of crisis and keep impressing people with their numerous projects. The company’s use of their software for <a href=\"http://www.google.com/crisisresponse/\" target=\"_blank\">humanitarian causes</a> should be an example to the rest of these \'check-in\" programs, whose applications just end up making me a little more lost.', 'Getting Lost in Being “Found”', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'getting-lost-in-being-found', '', '', '2018-09-24 19:23:37', '2018-09-24 19:23:37', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/getting-lost-in-being-found', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(875, 1, '2011-03-28 14:51:23', '2011-03-28 14:51:23', '<a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/JenniferDanielsBlog.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-2679\" title=\"JenniferDanielsBlog\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/JenniferDanielsBlog.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" /></a><p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/FGNV02P05_13.35421.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-2689 aligncenter\" title=\"FGNV02P05_13.3542\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/FGNV02P05_13.35421.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"449\" height=\"302\" /></a></p>\r\nGrape Bubble Yum used to be my favorite, though my “hey, my parents aren’t looking,” non-sugarless choice was Watermelon <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bubblicious\" target=\"_blank\">Bubblicious</a>. <a href=\"http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20110207006326/en/Bazooka-Candy-Brands-Launch-Organic-Snack-Food\" target=\"_blank\">Bazooka</a> had the best instant flavor that disappeared way too fast (and the best comics with silly riddles at the bottom). <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chiclets\" target=\"_blank\">Chiclets</a> made a cameo in my Halloween trick-or-treat bag. Trident, either the cinnamon or original flavors, is what I chewed on the airplane going to visit my grandparents in Florida every year, simply because that’s what Mom and Dad had on them. Spearmint Orbit is what I now pick up at Duane Reade when I need a pop of mint.\r\n\r\nI’m talking, of course, about gum. It’s been with me since my parents deemed me old enough to chew it (sugarless, of course). At the time, the options were fairly limited. It came in a stick or in a shorter, thicker rectangle form, and it only came five pieces to a pack. But today, the gum aisle has literally popped with an explosion of brands, flavors, shapes, sizes and benefits. Even a quick scan of the shelves at your local bodega will bring you face-to-face with more options than you ever thought imaginable for a product that is, on average, only one inch.\r\n\r\nWhen this gum insanity reached such a fever pitch, I can’t be sure. I DO know that gum not only comes in enough options to keep you chewing a different variation every day for two months straight,  but that it will also continue to astound you for as long with its packaging structures and designs. Whereas the standard gum package contained five long sticks or five short sticks and had an exterior that was fairly bland, today’s packages are resealable, with two levels of ten pieces each, eye-catching cover patterns and jaw-dropping flavors. There really is something for everyone:\r\n\r\nFeeling bold and heroic?\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Stride.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-2663\" title=\"Stride\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Stride.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"107\" height=\"68\" /></a>\r\n\r\nFeeling semi-mainstream with a penchant for whiter teeth?\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Orbit.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-2665\" title=\"Orbit\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Orbit.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"128\" height=\"91\" /></a>\r\n\r\nFeeling mysterious and adventurous?\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/51.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-2667\" title=\"5\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/51.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"93\" height=\"71\" /></a>\r\n\r\nFeeling like dessert?\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Trident1.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-2671\" title=\"Trident\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Trident1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"137\" height=\"94\" /></a>\r\n\r\nFeeling like being a kid again?\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Bubblicious.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-2673\" title=\"Bubblicious\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Bubblicious.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"173\" height=\"55\" /></a>\r\n\r\nDon’t like what you see? Make your own! Fans of EXTRA sugar-free gum can now create and purchase personalized packs featuring their photos and designs via Wrigley\'s first-ever custom-packaging offer, <a href=\"www.MyExtraGum.com\" target=\"_blank\">MyExtra</a>.\r\n\r\nAs you can see, manufacturers have been consistently pushing the envelope when it comes to flavors, shapes and benefits. But the truth is that what was first patented as modern chewing gum here in New York back in 1869 contains, for the most part, the same ingredients as our fancier-packaged versions today: chicle (or rubber), sweeteners, flavors and colors. In the late 1800s, there were only two brands really competing for your business. Now, gum is a product literally bursting with innovation across more than twenty brands. And while it is one of the smallest products on the market, the branding of each 2” x 3” pack is speaking volumes about a rectangle that has to do a lot of shouting to get you to buy it at your local bodega.\r\n\r\nHave you also been recently wowed by chewing gum? Or do you think we are about to reach the gum “bubble” – and if so, which brands will fall by the wayside when it bursts? Has a tiny pack no bigger than your business card made an impression on you for its design or flavor offerings, so much so that it made its way into your shopping bag? Just some things to chew on. (And in case you were wondering, it won’t sit in your stomach for seven years if you swallow it.)', 'Something to Chew On', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'something-to-chew-on', '', '', '2018-09-24 19:23:38', '2018-09-24 19:23:38', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/something-to-chew-on', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(876, 1, '2011-04-08 17:48:59', '2011-04-08 17:48:59', '<img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-2827 alignnone\" title=\"BrianBlog\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/BrianBlog-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" />\r\nBranding is a team sport, and one of the star players is the consumer. If you don\'t attempt to know your consumers, you can\'t build great brands together. Several weeks ago I had the opportunity to travel to Shanghai to learn from Chinese consumers. As part of my field research, I walked as far as I could and took as many pictures as I could to get a feel for the city and the people. My goal was to have a fraction more understanding when approaching the development of meaningful, relevant brands. At the end of my travels I find myself back at the beginning, faced with the realization that there is so much more to learn beyond the conspicuous contrasts of modern and traditional, megalithic and minuscule, and Eastern and Western. I can\'t wait for the next opportunity and my next lesson.  Enjoy the snaps!\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #888888;\"><em>Click on the pictures to view the sideshow, then click the arrows that appear to the left and right of each slide.</em></span>\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2780\" title=\"header2\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/header2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"539\" height=\"425\" />\r\n\r\n<a class=\"lightbox\" title=\"METRO CITY MALL. You might expect Shanghai to be filled with big futuristic skyscrapers and crazy-looking shopping malls shaped like Biosphere and you\'d be completely right.\" href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/13.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-2746 alignnone\" style=\"margin-right: 14px;\" title=\"METRO CITY MALL. You might expect Shanghai to be filled with big futuristic skyscrapers and crazy-looking shopping malls shaped like Biosphere and you\'d be completely right.\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/13.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"140\" height=\"140\" /></a><a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/21.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-2743\" style=\"margin-right: 14px;\" title=\"NEAR RUIJIN ROAD (No.1) And, there are also plenty of smaller, random everyday moments to be found just walking down the street. I personally found the latter much more interesting from a cultural perspective and hope you do too.\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/21-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"140\" height=\"140\" /></a><a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/15.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-2772\" title=\"PUBLIC ART: However, lest I get all Disney on you, there are some You Don\'t See That Everyday things that caught my attention for being a bit, well, foreign.\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/15-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"140\" height=\"140\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/3.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-2748\" style=\"margin-right: 14px;\" title=\"UNIVERSAL CELL PHONE CHARGER\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/3-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"140\" height=\"140\" /></a><a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/4.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-2750\" style=\"margin-right: 14px;\" title=\"CHAIR DISTRIBUTION\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/4-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"140\" height=\"140\" /></a><a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/5.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-2752\" title=\"STREET FRUIT\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/5-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"140\" height=\"140\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/7.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-2756\" style=\"margin-right: 14px;\" title=\"GRAFFITI\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/7-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"140\" height=\"140\" /></a><a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/8.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-2758\" style=\"margin-right: 14px;\" title=\"BAMBOO SCAFFOLDING\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/8-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"140\" height=\"140\" /></a><a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/9.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-2760\" title=\"SCAFFOLDING THAT LOOKS LIKE BAMBOO\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/9-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"140\" height=\"140\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/10.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-2762\" style=\"margin-right: 14px;\" title=\"FAST FOOD\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/10-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"140\" height=\"140\" /></a><a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/112.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-2822\" style=\"margin-right: 14px;\" title=\"FAST FRESH FOOD\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/112.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"140\" height=\"140\" /></a><a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/bank3.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-2853\" title=\"TRUTH IN BRANDING\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/bank3-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"140\" height=\"140\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/131.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-2768\" style=\"margin-right: 14px;\" title=\"BRAND EXPERIENCE TRAINING\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/131-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"140\" height=\"140\" /></a><a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/14.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-2770\" style=\"margin-right: 14px;\" title=\"CHINA\'S ANSWER TO DIESEL\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/14-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"140\" height=\"140\" /></a><a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/6.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-2754\" title=\"GRATUITOUS MONKEY SHOT\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/6-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"140\" height=\"140\" /></a>', '72 Hours in Shanghai', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', '72-hours-in-shanghai', '', '', '2018-09-24 19:23:36', '2018-09-24 19:23:36', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/72-hours-in-shanghai', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(877, 1, '2011-04-14 21:14:01', '2011-04-14 21:14:01', '<img class=\"size-full wp-image-599 alignnone\" title=\"DavidW_Blog_Thumb_nb\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/DavidW_Blog_Thumb_nb-e1271789991691.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" />\r\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2875 alignnone\" title=\"Duds_intro\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Duds_intro.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"500\" height=\"356\" />\r\n\r\nInspired by Joe R.\'s recent post called, \"<a title=\"Growing Up Brand\" href=\"http://cbxblog.com/?p=2411\" target=\"_blank\">Growing Up Brand</a>,\" I started thinking about brand names of yesteryear. Two of the visuals in his post were of \"<a title=\"Corn Pops\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corn_Pops\" target=\"_blank\">Sugar Pops</a>\" and \"<a title=\"Honey Smacks\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honey_Smacks\" target=\"_blank\">Sugar Smacks</a>,\" sinfully sweet cereal brands that I\'ve enjoyed my fair share of over the years. Joe mentioned that \"Sugar was not a dirty word back then.\" Having \"sugar\" in the name was no doubt a smart decision at the time; it clearly said that these are sweet products that would immediately appeal to kids. Today, though, I just don\'t think a name like that could be created and sold through the system. First of all, <a title=\"Breakfast High in Sugar Proven Bad for Children  Read more at FYI Living: http://fyiliving.com/research/breakfasts-high-in-sugar-proven-bad-for-children/#ixzz1JXAt9Zgc\" href=\"http://fyiliving.com/research/breakfasts-high-in-sugar-proven-bad-for-children/\" target=\"_blank\">no one is bragging about sugar content</a>, and secondly, the process of branding and naming has changed dramatically over the years. Brand names are now often focus grouped, chosen by management consensus and legal availability.\r\n\r\nIn other words, names are safer these days.\r\n\r\nProduct brands and subbrands often go with generic descriptors masked as brands by add-on suffixes. Thanks to Oscar Mayer\'s successful Lunchables brand, we now have \"ables\" in every section of the grocery. Salad dressing called \"Pourables?\" No shit.\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-2878\" title=\"ables_all\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/ables_all.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"500\" height=\"506\" />\r\n\r\nThere\'s nothing horribly wrong with names today, but perhaps they wouldn’t be so safe if there weren’t so many checks and balances in today’s world. Let’s face it: Some of the quirky names of yesteryear simply wouldn’t get through the system if they were being introduced for the first time today. Here is a look at three brand names that no consultancy, brand manager or focus group would ever allow to appear on shelves. Not for nothing, they happen to be great names.\r\n<h3><strong>Mister Salty</strong></h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-2883\" title=\"Salty_New\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Salty_New.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"500\" height=\"338\" />\r\n\r\nMister Salty has been around since at least the early 70\'s and often appeared in commercials as a sailor made of pretzels. Similar to Sugar Pops, using the word \"Salty\" seemed like a great idea at the time, I\'m sure. I thought this brand was phased out until I saw them in my kitchen as part of a pretzel and cheese snack pack.\r\n\r\nActual name: <strong>Mister Salty</strong>\r\nHypothetical focus grouped name: <strong>Mister Wholesome Snackers</strong>\r\nAn even worse name: <strong>Mister Sodium</strong>\r\n<h3><strong>Milk Duds</strong></h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-2884\" title=\"MD_New\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/MD_New.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"500\" height=\"310\" />\r\n\r\n<a title=\"MILK DUDS Candy\" href=\"http://www.thehersheycompany.com/brands/milk-duds/candy.aspx#/1928\" target=\"_blank\">Milk Duds</a> have been around since 1926 and legend has it that F. Hoffman and Company in Chicago was trying to make a perfectly round candy. When they came out lumpy, an employee called the batch \"duds\" and the name stuck. I love this name and it still sounds unique.\r\n\r\nActual name: <strong>Milk Duds</strong>\r\nHypothetical focus grouped name: <strong>Milk Wonderfuls</strong>\r\nAn even worse name: <strong>Milk Blunders</strong>\r\n<h3><strong>Dress Barn</strong></h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-2885\" title=\"DB_NewStore\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/DB_NewStore.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"500\" height=\"376\" />\r\n\r\nDress Barn has been around since 1962 and began in Stamford Connecticut. In 1983 they went public and now have over 700 locations. How is this possible? It\'s a barn full of dresses. Is no one self-conscious walking in the door?\r\n\r\nActual name: <strong>Dress Barn</strong>\r\nHypothetical focus grouped name: <strong>Value Dress Boutique</strong>\r\nAn even worse name: <strong>Dress Trough</strong>', 'Names You Couldn\'t Name', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'names-you-couldnt-name', '', '', '2018-09-24 19:23:38', '2018-09-24 19:23:38', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/names-you-couldnt-name', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(878, 1, '2011-04-27 17:44:52', '2011-04-27 17:44:52', '<img src=\"file:///Users/lise/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/moz-screenshot.png\" alt=\"\" /><img src=\"file:///Users/lise/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/moz-screenshot-1.png\" alt=\"\" /><img src=\"file:///Users/lise/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/moz-screenshot-2.png\" alt=\"\" /><img src=\"file:///Users/lise/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/moz-screenshot-3.png\" alt=\"\" /><img src=\"file:///Users/lise/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/moz-screenshot-4.png\" alt=\"\" /><a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/MegAsaro_Blog.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-2925\" title=\"MegAsaro_Blog\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/MegAsaro_Blog.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" /></a>\r\n<a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/IMG_2396.jpeg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-2919 aligncenter\" title=\"IMG_2396\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/IMG_2396-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"410\" height=\"300\" /></a>\r\nMy 23-month-old son knows and loves Barney, Elmo, Mickey, Dora, Diego, Grover. He is learning his<a href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAnz4yRDxGE&amp;feature=related\" target=\"_blank\"> letters and numbers on Youtube</a>. And he is constantly grabbing for my iPhone. But, all the while, there is this little voice in me wanting him to unplug, play and be free, explore, get bored even. It is in that quiet time that the human mind explores and creates.\r\n\r\nUnfortunately, he had no say in the matter. Defined as those born 2000+, “Binary Generation” members have their birth dates written in code and their brains learning how to interact with a world increasingly driven by technology.  Today’s tykes, like my son, are as <a href=\"http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/toddlers-tech-screens-created-equal/story?id=11910667\" target=\"_blank\">iPhone obsessed as their parents</a>, if not more so.  Maybe it is because of its intuitive nature, or maybe it is because of the number of apps that cater to toddlers, but it makes me wonder: what is the technology tipping point?\r\n\r\nI vividly remember my first piece of technology in the 70’s. It was called Blockbuster and I played it so much, the touch pad deteriorated into a bumpy wasteland. In the 80’s, my relationship with technology heightened to learning how to use a computer, F-1 here, F-4 there. Old school indeed but exciting, not so much.\r\n\r\nNowadays, technology is both ubiquitous and inviting, always within touching distance. As a child of the 70’s, I had a lot of freedom. The doors were never locked and a spud game was usually on in the neighborhood. Today’s kids are practically exposed to technology in the womb and communicate via screens more than face to face. For The Binary Generation, technology is omnipresent in their homes, the schools, cars, everywhere.\r\n\r\nNow, I love technology as much as the next guy but, I also fondly remember vegging out for hours in front of the boob tube or playing my beloved Blockbuster. In those moments, one doesn’t truly engage. The connection is more of a falsehood, programmed and calculated, not real and human.\r\n\r\nWhich is why, when my son cries “compuper, compuper!!”, I know what I’m up against as a parent. But, as branders, I believe we also carry a responsibility to deliver on experiences in the products we market. Humans crave technology but what will resonate in the memory banks of today’s kids? A facebook post or running around outside with their friends? Only the future will show us what hours of passive engagement does to a developing mind. My instinct is that members of The Binary Generation will be our guinea pigs.', 'The Binary Generation', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'the-binary-generation', '', '', '2018-09-24 19:23:38', '2018-09-24 19:23:38', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/the-binary-generation', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(879, 1, '2018-09-24 19:23:37', '0000-00-00 00:00:00', '<a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/Sandra_blog_thumb_nb-e1271783381536.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-595 alignnone\" title=\"Sandra_blog_thumb_nb\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/Sandra_blog_thumb_nb-e1271783381536.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" /></a> by S. Creamer\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2947 alignnone\" title=\"sandraMain2\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/sandraMain2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"500\" height=\"274\" />\n\nHow should American beauty companies approach the copious business opportunities that await them in Asia? What is the right mix of regional vs. global branding? These are just a few of the questions weighing heavily on marketers’ minds right now, and they will be broached at the <a href=\"http://www.hbaexpo.com/home\" target=\"_blank\">HBA Global Expo</a> – held June 28th to the 30th – during a session titled <a href=\"http://www.hbaexpo.com/international-track-04\" target=\"_blank\">China, Japan, Korea: East Asian Markets</a>. CBX will appear at this session along with a panel of other experts.\nBeauty companies sell their products to help women achieve a dream appearance and lifestyle. (And of course, make money.) The way these companies go about doing so varies greatly from country to country and continent to continent, and depends on cultural norms. There’s no doubt that the East is influenced by the West, most notably by the fashion and entertainment industries (not surprisingly, we see this influence most strongly in Japan). But while consumers in Asia are turning more to plastic surgery, such as eyelid and breast enhancements, an analysis of recent beauty imagery of mass and prestige products in Asia shows the perceived aspirations around beauty are still very feminine and innocent. Take these visuals for example:\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2954 alignleft\" title=\"Korea1\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Korea1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"148\" height=\"195\" />\n\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2955 alignleft\" title=\"Korea2\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Korea2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"148\" height=\"195\" />\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2953 alignleft\" title=\"Korea\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Korea.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"80\" height=\"56\" />\n\nKOREA: The image on the left shows innocence through little makeup and the bucolic setting. The image on the right shows a more empowered woman, who still has an innocent expression, but because the man is seductively close, she displays more power and confidence.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2957 alignleft\" title=\"China1\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/China1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"148\" height=\"195\" />\n\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2958 alignleft\" title=\"China2\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/China2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"148\" height=\"195\" />\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2956 alignleft\" title=\"China\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/China.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"80\" height=\"56\" />\n\nCHINA: I liked these images because of the similar poses and the different effect. These photographs show a demure subject, each looking away from the camera. The one on the left is for a hair care brand, and the woman looks innocent and optimistic. The one on the right shows a mysterious glow around a beautiful and delicate woman. Both of these women convey different perspectives on virtue.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2960 alignleft\" title=\"Japan1\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Japan1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"143\" height=\"191\" /><a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/japan21.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-2964\" title=\"japan2\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/japan21.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"146\" height=\"191\" /></a>\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Japan2.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-3001\" title=\"Japan\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Japan2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"80\" height=\"56\" /></a>JAPAN: Japan is an interesting (and slightly disturbing) example, because of the overtly girl-oriented image of beauty. On the one hand, a girl is the epitome of innocence, yet a woman dressed as a girl suggests playful fun to a woman and a fantasy for a man. In this case the ad is targeted at women, but perhaps the appeal to men is the reason the trend is so appealing. Interestingly enough, premium products haven’t made the move yet toward overt sexuality. Rather, there continues to be evidence of softness and delicateness.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nSo while Western cultural influences, like more overt display of sexuality, are starting to influence beauty communication, but haven\'t taken a strong foothold yet. This is just one of the many considerations that beauty companies and ad agencies should keep in mind when targeting the Asian consumer market. ?', 'Beauty is as Beauty Does', '', 'draft', 'open', 'open', '', '', '', '', '2018-09-24 19:23:37', '2018-09-24 19:23:37', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/?post_type=thinking&#038;p=879', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(880, 1, '2011-05-09 18:23:52', '2011-05-09 18:23:52', '<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-3026 alignnone\" title=\"GreggLipmanBlog\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/GreggLipmanBlog.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" /> By Gregg L.<a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Royal_wedding_3.jpg\"></a></p><p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Royal_wedding_3.jpg\">\n</a>Two weeks ago, the world watched in awe as Prince William married his love, Kate Middleton. And I did, too.  During the spectacle, I couldn’t help but think about the brand that is the royal family, and how Kate, William and Harry are ushering in a whole new phase for the royals. So, since I’m in the branding game, I decided to write down the names of the brands that came to mind when I thought about the key players in Friday’s big event. I also threw Princess Diana into the mix as well (RIP), because goodness knows her presence was strongly felt at the wedding. She, like her son’s new bride, fares well on this chart, as opposed to yawn-inducing Prince Charles, the equally boring Camilla and the fuddy duddy Queen (who we have to say, looked pretty good in her yellow suit and hat). What do you think of my choices?</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Royal_wedding_31.jpg\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-3044\" title=\"Royal_wedding_3\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Royal_wedding_31.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"629\" height=\"324\" /></a></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #999999;\"><em>Click the image to enlarge</em></span></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</p>', 'Here Comes the Brand', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'here-comes-the-brand', '', '', '2018-09-24 19:23:37', '2018-09-24 19:23:37', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/here-comes-the-brand', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(881, 1, '2011-05-18 20:26:35', '2011-05-18 20:26:35', '<a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/RachelK.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-3065\" title=\"RachelK\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/RachelK.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" /></a> By Rachel K.<a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/ob-free-tampon-sample.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-3063 aligncenter\" title=\"ob-free-tampon-sample\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/ob-free-tampon-sample.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" /></a>\r\nLast week I went to my local Walgreens to buy tampons, and was stunned to see my favorite brand, <a href=\"http://www.obtampons.com/en/index\">OB, back on the shelves</a>. Several months ago, Johnson &amp; Johnson mysteriously pulled OB products without so much as a peep about why they were doing so. The brand I’d been so loyal to since high school was gone virtually overnight.\r\n\r\nI wasn’t the only one bummed out by <a href=\"http://prescriptions.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/12/22/the-case-of-the-missing-o-b-tampons/\">OB’s disappearance</a>. Thousands of women took to the Internet to bemoan this occurrence (and demand an explanation), and soon boxes of the product were selling on <a href=\"http://shop.ebay.com/i.html?_from=R40&amp;_trksid=p5197.m570.l1311&amp;_nkw=ob+tampons&amp;_sacat=See-All-Categories\">eBay</a> for nearly three times their original cost. So when I saw OB Tampons back on shelves, my first thought was, “Well, should I really be buying a product that was pulled when I have no idea why?” But I ignored the voice in my head screaming “No!” simply because I was thrilled to have the brand back. And so I purchased a box, brought it home, and decided to let sleeping dogs lie.\r\n\r\nYes, I am SO brand loyal to OB that I was willing to overlook the fact that the product might have been tampered with and/or hazardous simply because I felt other products on the market weren’t nearly as good.\r\n\r\nBut because I am the type of neurotic who makes Woody Allen look stoic, my brand loyalty lasted for all of an hour. Soon I was back on the Internet, looking to see if J&amp;J had offered an explanation for their actions, lest I be giving myself terminal cancer by using the tampons. Zilch. Nada. Nothing online that offered any insights into the company’s actions. And so I turned a blind eye and kept the product. And will go ahead and buy it again.\r\n\r\nIn an article Gregg recently penned entitled, <a href=\"http://www.mpdailyfix.com/you-never-write-you-never-call/\">“You Never Write, You Never Call: Some Advice from Mom to J&amp;J,”</a> he advised the company on how to heal the wounds of the past year (in which it recalled 22 products, including more than 300 million bottles of medicine) by remaining true to its company credo of honesty. Johnson &amp; Johnson still hasn’t come out and explained why OB Tampons disappeared from shelves, and they may never. But my guess is that the company’s silence is not deterring women like me from buying the products. Which is shocking, yes… but also a testament to the strength of the brand. <strong> </strong>', 'To OB Or Not To OB: That Is The Question', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'to-ob-or-not-to-ob-that-is-the-question', '', '', '2018-09-24 19:23:39', '2018-09-24 19:23:39', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/to-ob-or-not-to-ob-that-is-the-question', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(882, 1, '2011-06-01 18:21:14', '2011-06-01 18:21:14', '<a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/KarenSmith_Blog.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-3085\" title=\"KarenSmith_Blog\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/KarenSmith_Blog-300x299.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" /></a>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/tree-falling1.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-3084 aligncenter\" title=\"tree-falling\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/tree-falling1-300x240.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"445\" height=\"355\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nRecently, a client asked me what it took to get innovation through to activation. Insight-driven idea – check. Consumer validation – check. Alignment with strategic objectives – check. But many times, great ideas just languish on the shelf, never making it out of the concept phase. If innovation happens, and no one listens, is it truly innovation?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Pckg_Mkt_FridgePack_article_pic.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-3087 aligncenter\" title=\"Pckg_Mkt_FridgePack_article_pic\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Pckg_Mkt_FridgePack_article_pic-300x249.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"249\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThe name of the game is synergies. It takes a village to raise an idea – marketing, operations, sales, legal, finance, plus a route to market that sets the idea up for success, and a strategy that everyone can understand. When I helped launch the <a href=\"http://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/stories/2002/08/05/story5.html\" target=\"_blank\">Coca-Cola Fridge Pack</a> in 2003, all the right elements were in place:\r\n\r\n-    A strong consumer insight. We’d done a packaging <a href=\"http://www.marketresearchworld.net/index.php?option=com_content&amp;task=view&amp;id=3696&amp;Itemid=78\" target=\"_blank\">A&amp;U (Attitude and Usage)</a> study that led us to a number of insights, including the fact that consumers wanted an easier way to store and use soft drink packages in the refrigerator. They couldn’t tell us how to solve the problem, but they could tell us what they wanted.\r\n-    A convergence of business needs. The Coca-Cola Company had just invested heavily in <a href=\"http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0UQX/is_9_66/ai_92725133/\" target=\"_blank\">packaging innovation insights</a>, and was looking for a return on that work. There was a bottler who had extra production capacity and who was open to investing. And there was a supplier who had ideas in the pipeline that met the consumer objective.\r\n-    An irresistible story. Once upon a time, there was a package that fit more easily in the fridge, generated huge consumer interest, and was proven to increase sales while improving consumer perception of the brand.  I literally walked the halls of Coca-Cola, carrying a sample of the package and a deck of talking points about the positive impact to the business, getting people excited about the idea, and collecting team members along the way.\r\n-    A senior evangelist. We had the support and ear of the president of Coca-Cola North America, as well as the head of the bottling organization. We were making a game changing move, and having senior teams on board reinforced our goals and helped rally the idea within the organization. Everyone knew it was a priority, not just a project.\r\n-    A compelling solution with few compromises. We had a structural design that worked well, both as a strategic solution and as an operationally sound solve.  Consumers overwhelmingly told us that they preferred the new design of the Fridge Pack over the existing square box, and in-market results backed up this information. Best of all, it worked the way it was supposed to work.\r\n-    A partnership of marketing, manufacturing and suppliers. We had an engaged, highly cross-functional team, from the earliest stages of the project and from the top down, that was willing to provide resources, support and help break down barriers to success.\r\n-    A great story for retailers. Who isn’t looking for new news? And Coke had the advantage of strong retailer partnerships. The launch of the Fridge Pack required complete overnight store resets in the early markets. We were able to build a story around increases in sales, margin and consumer interest that enabled the bottler to sell the package in (taking on new slotting fees), and convinced retailers to agree to the resets. Without that partnership at the retailer level, the whole project would have come to a grinding halt.\r\n-    A scalable small market test.  We were able to launch in one market in a repeatable way, testing communications, packaging structure, consumer preference and perception, giving us guidance for how to execute a larger launch. Test results within the initial markets gave Coca-Cola the confidence to move forward and lead the charge in launching nationally.\r\n-    Realistic objectives that helped us eat the elephant. As a team, we knew that launching the Fridge Pack with a brand as large as Coke, in a system that produces millions of packages a year, was a daunting task. By working with small markets at the outset, setting attainable but challenging goals for the launches, and then measuring and reporting regularly on results, we were able to demonstrate success, account for corrections and build a compelling story for a broader launch.\r\n\r\nThere’s no shortage of great ideas. But as this proves, ideas need someone with them in the forest in order to be heard.', 'If a Tree Falls in the Woods…', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'if-a-tree-falls-in-the-woods', '', '', '2018-09-24 19:23:37', '2018-09-24 19:23:37', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/if-a-tree-falls-in-the-woods', 0, 'thinking', '', 0);
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(883, 1, '2011-06-09 19:02:33', '2011-06-09 19:02:33', '&nbsp;\r\n<em><a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/JenniferDaniels.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-3108\" title=\"JenniferDaniels\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/JenniferDaniels.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" /></a> </em>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThe opening credits for a TV show is like its three-minute elevator pitch, during which you can sell a viewer on what the show is all about, who the star is and what the feel of the show will be. Today an audience has eighteen other things going on when they sit down to watch TV (and that’s even if they are watching it on scheduled time, as opposed to via a DVR). How do you really grab a new audience’s attention? Brand the heck out of your series!\r\n\r\nToday’s shows use a variety of design methods that go above and beyond what used to be a “typical” intro. The majority of shows from the ‘70s, ‘80s, and ‘90s follow one of two formulaic systems. Either they have staged film roll of each actor doing “normal character” things with his/her name in a traditional font over the visual, or they show clips from episodes for each main character in the series with one piece of music over it all and again, with bland white typography over each frame. This is best shown here in classic ‘80s sitcom, “<a href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zPfZVSgpclw\" target=\"_blank\">Who’s The Boss</a>.”\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/tony-danza.png\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-3111 aligncenter\" title=\"tony danza\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/tony-danza-300x208.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"488\" height=\"336\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThese days, producers and directors have gotten a lot more creative with their intros. Gone are the days of showing the actors in situ. Now it’s all about setting the tone for the show with some moody film reel as in former drama “<a href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYAe0qwg9Yw&amp;feature=related\" target=\"_blank\">Six Feet Under</a>.”\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/6-feet.png\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-3112 aligncenter\" title=\"6 feet\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/6-feet-300x200.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"490\" height=\"327\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nEven the continuity between screens are a lot cleaner – sometimes it’s just one pan and highly graphic (only three colors) as shown below in adventure/comedy series, “<a href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3jfrzbyIJA\" target=\"_blank\">Chuck</a>.”\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Untitled.png\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-3114 aligncenter\" title=\"Untitled\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Untitled-300x199.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"487\" height=\"322\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAnd again, showing the actors faces? Not even necessary when your heavy hitters are Jon Hamm and your plotline is all about an artistic office in the ‘60s as in “<a href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WcRr-Fb5xQo\" target=\"_blank\">Mad Men</a>.”\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/ft.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-3115 aligncenter\" title=\"ft\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/ft-300x219.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"487\" height=\"354\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAll in all, I think TV shows have realized the importance of making a good first impression and uniquely “branding” themselves to the new TV audience – a group whose attention span is much shorter than it has even been. So I beseech you to resist fast-forwarding the next time you DVR a show, and pay close attention to the opening credits. What do you think? Better than “Who’s the Boss?”\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;', 'TV Shows Start Thinking Out-of-the-Box', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'tv-shows-start-thinking-out-of-the-box', '', '', '2018-09-24 19:23:39', '2018-09-24 19:23:39', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/tv-shows-start-thinking-out-of-the-box', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(884, 1, '2011-06-16 17:28:25', '2011-06-16 17:28:25', '<img class=\"size-full wp-image-3137 alignnone\" title=\"LucillaTessi_Blog\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/LucillaTessi_Blog1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" />\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Twitter-It.jpg\"></a><a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Twitter-It1.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-3140\" title=\"Twitter It\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Twitter-It1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"298\" height=\"204\" /></a></p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nLately, many brand names have shifted into the realm of verbs. They’re used in our common vocabulary and it only took a little while for them to become the norm. This has happened more frequently to companies in the online space.\r\n\r\nA perfect example of this is Google. When someone says  “Google it”, it’s pretty well understood that you should get on the Internet, go to the search engine Google and use it as an encyclopedia. Another example is Facebook. “Facebook me,” really means look me up on the social networking site Facebook and send me a message or post on my wall.\r\n\r\nHow and why does this happen? Usually consumers are the ones who choose what companies get “<a href=\"http://www.namedevelopment.com/blog/archives/2011/05/how_to_verb_up_.html\" target=\"_blank\">verbed up</a>.” We live in a society that likes speed and taking shortcuts. It’s quicker to say “I’ll Skype you tonight,” than having to let them know they should have their computers on because they’re going to video chat you later. <a href=\"http://www.nationmaster.com/encyclopedia/Neologisms\" target=\"_blank\">Neologisms</a>, which are newly coined words, terms or phrases, tend to happen in rapidly changing cultures where information can be easily accessed and shared.\r\nAnd what better embodies such a culture than the Internet?\r\n\r\nTwitter is an exceptional example of a company that took this trend and ran with it. Instead of having Twitter become the verb of writing your message, they created the term “<a href=\"http://www.differencebetween.net/technology/difference-between-twitter-and-tweet/\" target=\"_blank\">tweet</a>.” This generated a sort of double exposure for the company. Not only did Twitter control the vocabulary being used on their website from the beginning, they also got brand loyalty from their consumers. Users that would say “I’ll Twitter it,” were quickly redirected to the correct phrase: “You’ll tweet it.”\r\n\r\nWhether companies like it or not, “<a href=\"http://www.nationmaster.com/encyclopedia/Verbification\" target=\"_blank\">verbification</a>” will continue to occur. What will be interesting to see is which brands will take advantage of it, and how. But undoubtedly, creating a simple vocabulary for consumer communication can get a company a front row seat in the marketplace.', 'Twitter It', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'twitter-it', '', '', '2018-09-24 19:23:39', '2018-09-24 19:23:39', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/twitter-it', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(885, 1, '2011-06-28 13:21:51', '2011-06-28 13:21:51', '<a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/DavidW_Blog_Thumb_nb-e1271789991691.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-599\" title=\"DavidW_Blog_Thumb_nb\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/DavidW_Blog_Thumb_nb-e1271789991691.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" /></a>\r\n<a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/GasIsTrue.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-3208\" title=\"GasIsTrue\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/GasIsTrue.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"490\" height=\"266\" /></a>\r\n\r\nI often encourage strategists and designers to hold on to design material that inspires them or may help as reference on future projects. Tags, invitations, clippings, packages, annual reports...they are all valuable resources. I try to collect stuff from every project I work on and then add it to the pile. This inspiration can come from literally anywhere, so it helps if your eyes are always on the lookout. I still find that magazines are one of the easiest and best ways to get a quick view of the world.\r\n\r\nMagazines are relatively cheap and flimsy, so you don\'t feel bad ripping out their pages. Most importantly, new issues come out every month, enabling them to capture the cultural and visual feel of the moment. New ad campaigns, new products, points of view and color trends, photographic styles, typefaces -- these can all be found in a single issue.\r\n\r\nI know, I know. There\'s a thing called the World Wide Web out there. I\'ve heard of it, and I am an avid user. Google Images, Flickr, FFFFOUND, siteinspire, The Dieline. And they are updated several times a day, if not up-to-the-minute. There are a million sites out there, and they\'re all valuable.\r\n\r\nHowever, there is something invaluable about discovering material on your own, rather than having it curated for you and meant to be viewed by thousands, sometimes millions, of people. Not exactly personal, eh? I guarantee you that if ten designers picked up the same magazine and ripped out five pages, everyone would have a different take. That is powerful.\r\n\r\nIt is important to have inspiration that speaks to you. You get to decide what\'s important, what is good and bad design, what is truly inspiring. You get to judge a logo in its natural habitat, and a typeface in use, a color palette from an unexpected place.\r\n\r\nOf course, everyone finds different things inspiring. Here are some clippings I\'ve had for years that I keep coming back to from project-to-project:\r\n\r\n<em>Click on the pictures to view the sideshow, then click the arrows that appear to the left and right of each slide.</em>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Magazine21.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-3185 alignnone\" title=\"Magazine2\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Magazine21-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a><a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Magazine31.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-3186 alignnone\" title=\"Magazine3\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Magazine31-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a><a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Magazine41.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-3187\" title=\"Magazine4\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Magazine41-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Magazine51.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-3188\" title=\"Magazine5\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Magazine51-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a><a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Magazine61.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-3189\" title=\"Magazine6\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Magazine61-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a><a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Magazine71.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-3190\" title=\"Magazine7\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Magazine71-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Magazine81.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-3191\" title=\"Magazine8\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Magazine81-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a><a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Magazine91.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-3192\" title=\"Magazine9\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Magazine91-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a><a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Magazine101.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-3193\" title=\"Magazine10\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Magazine101-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">&nbsp;</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Magazine8.jpg\"> </a></p>', 'Keep Magazines Alive!', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'keep-magazines-alive', '', '', '2018-09-24 19:23:38', '2018-09-24 19:23:38', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/keep-magazines-alive', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(886, 1, '2011-07-05 20:53:05', '2011-07-05 20:53:05', '<a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Geoff.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-3226\" title=\"Geoff\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Geoff-e1309894577653.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" /></a>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Main-Photo-For-Blog.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-3227\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Main-Photo-For-Blog-300x224.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"466\" height=\"347\" /></a>\r\n\r\nOver the last few years an interesting phenomenon has been sweeping across Manhattan and spreading to other boroughs like Brooklyn and Queens. It is a new kind of culture; a culture that is satisfying the rumbling of everyone’s tummies.\r\n\r\nThe people responsible for this culture have decided to not follow a traditional route nor stay in one location for a lengthy period of time.  These people are our beloved Independent Food Truck Vendors, and there are more than 30 of them in Manhattan alone. And those of us who are food lovers have become part of the culture.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/group-of-food-trucks1.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-3229\" title=\"group-of-food-trucks1\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/group-of-food-trucks1-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"466\" height=\"310\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWhat is it about these trucks that has us searching on Twitter and Facebook for their locales? Is it an internal drive to be one of the select few to discover their location, like a character in some Hardy Boy or Nancy Drew mystery novel?  For those of you who are not familiar, I invite you to do a Google search.\r\n\r\nThese savory and sweet vendors each have something in common: they specialize in one particular kind of food.  In some regards they have a monopoly on the market.  No two trucks are alike.  Their owners follow a similar path to branding as the one we at CBX do when establishing a brand for our clients.  Each truck is branded with its own identity, and the colors, graphics, words and logos are all selected with the intention of differentiating the brand.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Big-Gay-Ice-Cream-Truck.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-3230\" title=\"Big Gay Ice Cream Truck\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Big-Gay-Ice-Cream-Truck-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"466\" height=\"349\" /></a>\r\n\r\nThe cost of entry into the market is slightly different than brick and mortar restaurants or CPG brands. Because the market is not (yet) saturated like, say, the snack food category or corner bodega, one can create a food truck to one’s own liking.  Take, for instance, grilled cheese.  <a href=\"http://gorillacheesenyc.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Gorilla Cheese NYC</a> sells a plethora of variations on this childhood favorite. Another truck, the <a href=\"http://dt-works.net/\" target=\"_blank\">Dessert Truck</a>, has dedicated this craft to making restaurant-worthy confectionery delights. And they are one of the few trucks that has expanded into a brick and mortar location. The storefront on the Lower East side has allowed them to extend their line, something not so easy to do in a grocery store (there’s no battle for shelf space here).\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Dessert-Truck.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-3231\" title=\"Dessert Truck\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Dessert-Truck-300x199.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"466\" height=\"307\" /></a>\r\n\r\nEarly June marked a momentous occasion for foodies nationwide: the first food truck in the USA received a liquor license. <a href=\"http://www.peranyc.com/tacosatcentralpark.html\" target=\"_blank\">The Pera Turkish Taco Truck</a>, parked outside the Tavern on the Green in Central Park, will now serve beer, wine and cocktails. There is one catch: those wanting to consume an adult beverage with their taco can only do so in a small seating area. Still, could this be a sign for trucks to come? Can they take market share away from restaurants that aren’t mobile? Only time will tell.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/truck-big.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-3232\" title=\"truck-big\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/truck-big-300x199.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"466\" height=\"308\" /></a>\r\n\r\nBottom line: You cannot deny that the food truck category is growing and expanding. As establishing a brick and mortar location is becoming ridiculously expensive in NYC, independent food proprietors are turning to trucks to create and sell their mouth-watering delights.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Schnitzel-and-Things.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-3237\" title=\"Schnitzel and Things\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Schnitzel-and-Things-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"197\" height=\"148\" /></a><a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Sweet-Treats.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-3238\" title=\"Sweet Treats\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Sweet-Treats-300x180.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"253\" height=\"148\" /></a>\r\n\r\nPerhaps this post will inspire you to open your own truck. Read the article from the link below; it gives a nice estimate on the costs incurred: <a href=\"http://bit.ly/hOLkGF\" target=\"_blank\">http://bit.ly/hOLkGF</a>. You can also contact the <a href=\"http://www.nycfoodtrucks.org/\" target=\"_blank\">NYC Food Truck Association</a> for more information.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;', 'Keep On Truckin’', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'keep-on-truckin', '', '', '2018-09-24 19:23:38', '2018-09-24 19:23:38', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/keep-on-truckin', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(887, 1, '2011-07-14 16:05:05', '2011-07-14 16:05:05', '<img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-3257\" title=\"Back Camera\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Erin_Fosbenner-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" /> <img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-3258\" title=\"MelissaFeudi2\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/MelissaFeudi2-e1310654494232.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" />\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-3256 aligncenter\" title=\"grandmothersfair\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/grandmothersfair-300x180.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"456\" height=\"271\" /></p>\r\nLast weekend, Erin and I visited the Renegade Craft Fair in Williamsburg in search of inspiration from the young and creative artisans that have sprung up all over Brooklyn.\r\n\r\nTraditionally, crafts have held a unique place on the scales of imaginative art-making: they’ve conveyed family, community, and cultural stories that are at times intimate, decorative, sociological, and spiritual. And craft museums and fairs have been capsules offering a glimpse and insight into old craft-making, and craft art. (It takes a big history buff to relate and look past the “surface-bore.”)\r\n\r\nIn my teens, I always got excited about trips to the local art fair, then crazy disappointed at what I discovered: a buffet of ceramic butterflies, tie-dyed everything, made-for-the-kitchen wooden signs with clichéd family idioms, and all the rest. But Erin had a different memory. For her, crafts shows were reflections of her grandmother’s home and filled with surprise – chests of beautiful, handmade, and original trinkets and things.\r\n\r\nSo on this weekend, at Renegade, there we were, Melissa and Erin, a counter-balance of positive, and negative arts-and-crafts psyches, and this is what we found: refreshingly original crafts booths and displays (outrageously different than what any mall could offer up), terrariums housing mini-people, stuffed puppets, and watch-jewelry. Our visit made me think of something else. In our age of everything digital and over-reproduced, we’re desperate to find anything rare, pure, unique, and imperfect. The recent success of make-and-sell community Etsy proves this. Etsy has begun to chip away at the strongholds of more premium brands because our culture today has begun to reject the fake, homogeneous, and cold presence of the digital consumer experience and longs for something different, something that breaks the habits of creative recycling routines and pushes the level of invention.\r\n\r\nBig, traditional brands can learn from Etsy and from arts and crafts fairs. To separate themselves from the pack, they should strive to be different, original and reject the mass duplication and rehashing of tired old trends. After all, anyone can get a billion prints of something made, but something made once? Now that’s worth something – even a trip to Renegade.\r\n\r\nCheck out our photos to see some highlights of our awesome finds.\r\n\r\nOh, and Erin – she was right after all.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/300-11.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-3299\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/300-11-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a><a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/3001.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-3300\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/3001-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a><a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/5707895155_8b3b4bf4ae_o1.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-3301\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/5707895155_8b3b4bf4ae_o1-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/fox-print-photo1.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-3269\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/fox-print-photo1-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a><a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/grizzlybear.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-3270\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/grizzlybear-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a><a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/il_570xN.154729791.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-3271\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/il_570xN.154729791-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/il_570xN.220061090.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-3272\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/il_570xN.220061090-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a><a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/il_570xN.231845185.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-3273\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/il_570xN.231845185-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a><a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/il_570xN.232255282.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-3274\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/il_570xN.232255282-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/il_570xN.243059784.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-3275\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/il_570xN.243059784-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a><a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/image1.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-3276\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/image1-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a><a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/img_1669.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-3277\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/img_1669-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/IMG_2075.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-3278\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/IMG_2075-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a><a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/IMG_2077.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-3279\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/IMG_2077-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a><a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/IMG_2083.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-3280\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/IMG_2083-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/IMG_2088.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-3282\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/IMG_2088-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a><a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/IMG_2089.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-3283\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/IMG_2089-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a><a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/IMG_2091.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-3284\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/IMG_2091-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/IMG_2096.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-3285\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/IMG_2096-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a><a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/IMG_2099.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-3286\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/IMG_2099-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a><a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/IMG_2100.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-3287\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/IMG_2100-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/IMG_2111.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-3288\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/IMG_2111-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a><a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/IMG_5817.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-3289\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/IMG_5817-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a><a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/photo-e1307628184633.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-3290\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/photo-e1307628184633-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Screen-shot-2011-07-13-at-Wednesday-July-13-2011-2.10.17-PM.png\"><img class=\"alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-3291\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Screen-shot-2011-07-13-at-Wednesday-July-13-2011-2.10.17-PM-150x150.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a><a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Screen-shot-2011-07-13-at-Wednesday-July-13-2011-2.12.31-PM.png\"><img class=\"alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-3292\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Screen-shot-2011-07-13-at-Wednesday-July-13-2011-2.12.31-PM-150x150.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;', 'Renegade Craft Fair', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'renegade-craft-fair', '', '', '2018-09-24 19:23:38', '2018-09-24 19:23:38', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/renegade-craft-fair', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(888, 1, '2011-07-20 19:09:35', '2011-07-20 19:09:35', '<a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/KarenSmith_Blog.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-3333\" title=\"KarenSmith_Blog\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/KarenSmith_Blog-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" /></a>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIn this highly digital, instant gratification, give-me-the-wow world, these brands show that the human touch can still bring value. We all want to find that emotional sweet spot, so to speak, where we tug at consumer’s heartstrings and make them wonder how they ever lived without us.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWeber – the joy of grilling\r\n\r\nhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxLZBop2rBU&amp;NR=1\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nBall Canning – the possibilities you have\r\n\r\nhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXkoN9mDycU\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nColeman – bringing people together\r\n\r\nhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gW2b7o2QLvo&amp;feature=player_embedded\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;', 'The Emotion of Function', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'the-emotion-of-function', '', '', '2018-09-24 19:23:38', '2018-09-24 19:23:38', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/the-emotion-of-function', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(889, 1, '2011-07-27 17:31:06', '2011-07-27 17:31:06', '<em><a href=\"../wp-content/uploads/2011/06/JenniferDaniels.jpg\"><img title=\"JenniferDaniels\" src=\"../wp-content/uploads/2011/06/JenniferDaniels.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" /></a> </em>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI can’t believe it––I’m losing my maiden name in a month. I’m about to get married and have decided to take the family name of my soon-to-be husband (“Curulli” – not as easily pronounced nor as easily spelled as a coworker recently reminded me). Names and naming have always intrigued me but with my nuptials on the horizon, I’ve begun to think about them even more.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAs someone who loves to name everything that comes into her home – pet fish, plants, even furniture – I’ve always loved learning about the ideas behind stories and the stories behind names as they relate not only to the branding of products and businesses, but people. Names become the first “introduction” to people before you meet them. “Beatrice,” for example, conjures up a different persona than say “Brandy.” I’m amazed by what parents name their children because of this. They may or may not be giving their offspring a certain predisposition to act a certain way or go into a certain field, solely based on the name they choose: Would they become the person they are without their name? Did their name determine their calling in life?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThe following examples are of surnames that make me wonder if I will morph into whatever a “Curulli” is.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[UPDATE: Just googled it; it has no meaning beyond its Italian origins that I could find, which leaves me to remain the “Daniels” that I have always known and been.]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWe will never know if names make the people but here are some examples of those that exemplify what I have been talking about, what scientists call “<a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nominative_determinism\">nominative determinism</a>.”\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"text-decoration: line-through;\"> </span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Usain Bolt</strong>\r\n\r\n<em>Olympian and reigning world record holder in the 100 meters and 200 meters</em>\r\n\r\n<strong><a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/usain-bolt-m.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-3354 aligncenter\" title=\"usain-bolt-m\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/usain-bolt-m-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"270\" height=\"270\" /></a>\r\n</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong> </strong>\r\n\r\n<em> </em>\r\n\r\n<em> </em>\r\n\r\n<em> </em>\r\n\r\n<strong> </strong>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Larry Speakes</strong><em> </em>\r\n\r\n<em>Former acting spokesman for the White House under President Ronald Reagan</em>\r\n\r\n<strong><a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Larry.png\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-3345 aligncenter\" title=\"Larry\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Larry-150x150.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"270\" height=\"270\" /></a>\r\n</strong>\r\n\r\n<em> </em>\r\n\r\n<em>\r\n</em>\r\n\r\n<em> </em>\r\n\r\n<em> </em>\r\n\r\n<em> </em>\r\n\r\n<em> </em>\r\n\r\n<em> </em>\r\n\r\n<strong>Chris Moneymaker</strong><em> </em>\r\n\r\n<em>Professional poker player and world champion</em>\r\n\r\n<strong><a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/chris.png\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-3346 aligncenter\" title=\"chris\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/chris-150x150.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"270\" height=\"270\" /></a>\r\n</strong>\r\n\r\n<em> </em>\r\n\r\n<em>\r\n</em>\r\n\r\n<em> </em>\r\n\r\n<em> </em>\r\n\r\n<em> </em>\r\n\r\n<em> </em>\r\n\r\n<strong>Margaret Spellings</strong><em> </em>\r\n\r\n<em>Secretary of Education under President George W. Bush</em>\r\n\r\n<strong><a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Margaret.png\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-3347 aligncenter\" title=\"Margaret\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Margaret-150x150.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"270\" height=\"270\" /></a>\r\n</strong>\r\n\r\n<em> </em>\r\n\r\n<em>\r\n</em>\r\n\r\n<em> </em>\r\n\r\n<em> </em>\r\n\r\n<em> </em>\r\n\r\n<em> </em>\r\n\r\n<em> </em>\r\n\r\n<em> </em>\r\n\r\n<em> </em>\r\n\r\n<strong>Dallas Raines</strong>\r\n\r\n<em>Chief Meteorologist at station ABC7 in Los Angeles who’s also earned many accolades for his work</em>\r\n\r\n<strong><a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Untitled.png\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-3348 aligncenter\" title=\"Untitled\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Untitled-150x150.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"270\" height=\"270\" /></a>\r\n</strong>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<em> </em>\r\n\r\n<em> </em>\r\n\r\n<em> </em>\r\n\r\n<em> </em>\r\n\r\n<em> </em>\r\n\r\n<strong>Robert Gates</strong><strong>\r\n</strong>\r\n\r\n<em>Former Secretary of Defense under former President George W. Bush and President Barack Obama</em>\r\n\r\n<strong><a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Robert.png\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-3349 aligncenter\" title=\"Robert\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Robert-150x150.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"270\" height=\"270\" /></a></strong>\r\n\r\n<em>\r\n</em>\r\n\r\n<em> </em>\r\n\r\n<em> </em>\r\n\r\n<em> </em>\r\n\r\n<em> </em>\r\n\r\n<em> </em>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;', 'What’s In a Name?', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'whats-in-a-name', '', '', '2018-09-24 19:23:39', '2018-09-24 19:23:39', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/whats-in-a-name', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(890, 1, '2011-08-09 21:18:14', '2011-08-09 21:18:14', '<a href=\"../wp-content/uploads/2011/05/RachelK.jpg\"><img title=\"RachelK\" src=\"../wp-content/uploads/2011/05/RachelK.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" /></a>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-3384 aligncenter\" title=\"bg_banner\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/bg_banner1.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"566\" height=\"67\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nDear <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pret_%28sandwich_shop%29\" target=\"_blank\">Pret a Manger</a>,\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThere’s something I’ve been keeping to myself for a while now, quite possibly since the first time we met, about seven years ago. But after our last rendezvous – during which one of your cashiers complimented my dress, and offered me a free ice tea – I just need to make my feelings clear.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIn a nutshell, you are the bomb, Pret a Manger.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYour beautiful, subtle branding. Your streamlined, perfect packaging. Your delicious, fresh sandwiches. Your friendly, conversational voice. Your warm, down-to-Earth, happy staff. Your simple “M.O.”: Pret creates handmade, natural food, avoiding the obscure chemicals, additives and preservatives common to so much of the \'prepared\' and \'fast\' food on the market today.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-3389 aligncenter\" title=\"Pret-and-Eat_1635498c\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Pret-and-Eat_1635498c.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"460\" height=\"288\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThe first time I visited one of your stores was in a London Tube station, seven years ago. How could a tiny convenience store be so good-looking, and feature fresh, tasty food to boot? This was something I hadn’t experienced in America, and I was floored. Yes, I’ll have a Prawn Sandwich! Yes, I’ll have a Fresh Lemonade! Yes, I’ll have a Yogurt Pot! Yes, I’ll have a Love Bar!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWhile all your items looked terrific in their streamlined, bare bones packaging, I braced for the way they would actually taste. To my surprise, your food was actually good. Damn good. And fresh. It was love at first bite.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nOne day a few months later, I was meeting a friend who worked near Macy’s. “Wanna have lunch at Pret?” she asked.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nPret? My Pret? In America?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n“There’s one around the corner,” she said. We went, and it was just as good as the one in the London Tube station.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWhich is why I was shocked when America didn’t fall in love with you as instantly as I did. Every time I mentioned your stores to friends, they either hadn’t heard of you or hadn’t tried you yet. How could they not be seduced in the same way I was, I wondered? Was I blowing things out of proportion?\r\n\r\nIt turns out that Americans – and particularly New Yorkers, who are used to food made at a counter, in the model of the archetypal New York delicatessen – weren’t ready for the idea of pre-packaged food. In recent years, however, “the company educated the American consumer on the value of its freshly prepared food, which is made in on-site kitchens before being boxed and displayed,” according to Clive Schlee, Pret’s chief executive. It also changed its product mix, increasing the number of soups it sells and focusing on filter coffee rather than more elaborate drink options for which customers have to wait on line. They’ve even dropped the “a Manger” on the name – perhaps because it is too exotic, or confusing? – and now go by the more minimalist “Pret.” Mr. Schlee admitted that the chain’s story wasn’t right for the US consumer, but since they’ve adjusted the model, they’ve been met with success.\r\n\r\nThat success was evident during two different visits I made to new <a href=\"http://www.pret.com/us/\" target=\"_blank\">Pret</a> stores, one in Union Square and the other on West 23<sup>rd</sup> Street, not far from CBX. In them, the vibe was festive, the employees were happy, and people were practically fighting to get to your fresh salads and sandwiches.\r\n\r\nSo now, apparently, the secret is out, my beloved Pret. But hopefully our relationship will remain the same, and you will continue to feel “prêt a moi” – made for me.\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-3391 aligncenter\" title=\"heart\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/heart.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"315\" height=\"377\" />', 'A Love Letter to Pret a Manger', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'a-love-letter-to-pret-a-manger', '', '', '2018-09-24 19:23:36', '2018-09-24 19:23:36', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/a-love-letter-to-pret-a-manger', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(891, 1, '2011-08-15 18:35:52', '2011-08-15 18:35:52', '<a href=\"../wp-content/uploads/2010/02/Sandra_blog_thumb_nb-e1271783381536.jpg\"><img title=\"Sandra_blog_thumb_nb\" src=\"../wp-content/uploads/2010/02/Sandra_blog_thumb_nb-e1271783381536.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" /></a>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Untitled1.png\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-3409\" title=\"Untitled1\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Untitled1.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"432\" height=\"324\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWalking through Chicago O’Hare the other day I noticed a cute pop-up style shop for a fancy looking, seemingly imported chocolate brand called <a href=\"http://www.vosgeschocolate.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Vosges</a>. Much to my surprise, the back of the Mo’s Bacon Bar featured the story of the founder, <a href=\"http://www.womenonbusiness.com/katrina-markoff-named-woman-of-the-year-by-american-express-and-entrepreneur-magazine/\" target=\"_blank\">Katrina</a>, as well as her inspiration for the recipe and her company.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI checked the production location, expecting to see an exotic French address, given that Vosges is a department in northeast France. But alas! Vosges is from Chicago in the good old US of A!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nSo what can we learn from a Midwestern candy entrepreneur about branding? The answer is – a lot!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThe overall branding makes Vosges seem exotic, artisanal and giftable, with an underlying nod to indulgent luxury mixed with approachability. This combination is what makes the brand stand out.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nLet’s take a quick look at how Vosges does this in five easy steps.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nStep 1: Use a foreign name, real or made up.\r\n\r\nLet’s be honest. Anything French that is related to food sounds tasty. Chocolate has long been part of the French elite, with King Louis XV eating it regularly at breakfast, and we have the French to thank for that irresistible treat, the chocolate croissant! Plus, the made-up name (intended to look Scandinavian) worked really well for Haagen-Dazs, so why not?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nStep 2: Use supporting design elements.\r\n\r\nThe website conveys 19<sup>th</sup> century aesthetic and fonts with extravagant flourish, and the logo uses that 19<sup>th</sup> century French “metropolitain” font. The choice of purple signals luxury, and the gifting packaging (stripes, bows) suggest indulgence.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nStep 3: Leverage language to the fullest.\r\n\r\nThe linguistic elements of the brand include prolific adjectives for embellishment, such as the description that “dark chocolate surrounds the molten, salt-spiked, soft caramel center.” Every aspect of the language makes the taste experience sound delectable.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nStep 4: The product must support the brand objective (duh!).\r\n\r\nIn this case, Vosges uses exotic ingredients, some of which are imported (better stated – “flown in”) from far away countries, even if they might be ordered online and Fedexed in. Far away ingredients sound better paired with country of origin, like African rooibos tea, Tibetan goji berries, or even an appealing adjective, like the more common sweet Indian curry. Heck, even “local” ingredients sound exotic, like Michigan cherries or Black Hawaiian sea salt. All of these elements combine to form an air of excitement. However, part of the uniqueness of Vosges is conveyed through the pronunciation guide of the exotic ingredients (e.g., the phonetic spelling of “Oaxaca”). It’s not so fancy that you are looked down upon for not knowing how to pronounce what’s inside.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nStep 5: Include a compelling story that connects with consumers.\r\n\r\nThe Vosges brand story is one of the unique aspects of the brand. Katrina shares her personal story and is pictured on the packaging itself, lending an intimate feel to the brand. This makes the chocolate seem real, hand-made -- not like something manufactured by a large corporation but by an actual human being! Plus she is promoting causes she cares about, which makes her seem like a good person who is not just out to make money. We live in an age where we want to know about people’s personal lives, so it is intriguing, compelling and refreshing to see this on a chocolate bar.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;', 'From France (Er, I mean Chicago) With Love, Home Grown VOSGES Brand Gets It Right', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'from-france-er-i-mean-chicago-with-love-home-grown-vosges-brand-gets-it-right', '', '', '2018-09-24 19:23:37', '2018-09-24 19:23:37', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/from-france-er-i-mean-chicago-with-love-home-grown-vosges-brand-gets-it-right', 0, 'thinking', '', 0);

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(901, 1, '2011-11-01 16:26:11', '2011-11-01 16:26:11', '<a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/JoshuaBooks_blog.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-3708\" title=\"JoshuaBooks_blog\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/JoshuaBooks_blog.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" /></a>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWhen October rolls around, most think about carving pumpkins and dressing up in costumes. But for a diehard NFL fan like myself, pink has replaced Halloween’s iconic black and orange as the unofficial colors of the month.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Untitled1.png\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-3699 aligncenter\" title=\"Untitled1\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Untitled1.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"263\" height=\"394\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIn partnership with the American Cancer Society, the National Football League is wrapping up their third annual “A Crucial Catch” campaign. This national platform enhances Breast Cancer Awareness both in and out of stadiums, urging women aged 40+ to undergo annual mammogram screenings.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nDuring this month players and coaches have been wearing exclusive pink apparel ranging from hats and jerseys to towels and cleats. Referees are flipping commemorative coins and ribbon stencils hug the 50-yard line every Sunday. Special game balls, along with on-field authentic apparel are being auctioned off (<a href=\"http://www.nfl.com/auction\">www.NFL.com/auction</a>) to benefit the American Cancer Society.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nSimilar to all TV infomercials, but wait - there’s more! The NFL has also partnered with corporate sponsors P&amp;G, PepsiCo, Barclays, and others to launch strategically targeted campaigns. New York quarterbacks Eli Manning and Mark Sanchez teamed up with PepsiCo to meet Breast Cancer survivors and convey to a national audience the inspiration they received in this video (<a href=\"http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-videos/09000d5d821bb07c/Eli-Manning-and-Mark-Sanchez-team-up-to-help-fight-breast-cancer\">Please mind the ad</a>).\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Untitled2.png\"></a><a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/crucial-catch-banner-large.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-3720\" title=\"crucial catch banner large\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/crucial-catch-banner-large.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"480\" height=\"263\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIn the sports video game world, Madden NFL is the most highly anticipated release of the year. Millions of kids and adults reserve copies and pick them up at midnight on the night of the launch, just to play a few games hours before the rest of the world. The most popular feature in Madden NFL is the “Franchise Mode.” Gamers are given the ability to play the actual 2011 NFL season schedule with their favorite team. So what did I find out a few weeks into my franchise with the New England Patriots. Yup, you guessed it: the players, referees, and coaches are fully garbed in pink gear. Is Madden NFL the right target audience? No. Does it create a buzz and topic of conversation between all ages of gamers? Yes.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n“A Crucial Catch” is now three years strong, and growing exponentially. The NFL has done an unbelievable job marketing the strategic partnership between the NFL and National Breast Cancer month. Other than non-melanoma skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in the United States. It is remarkable how many media outlets “A Crucial Catch” has touched…so kudos to the NFL, an organization that, while already dear to my heart, has become even more so thanks to this campaign.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;', 'A Crucial Catch', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'a-crucial-catch', '', '', '2018-09-24 19:23:36', '2018-09-24 19:23:36', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/a-crucial-catch', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(902, 1, '2011-11-10 18:00:38', '2011-11-10 18:00:38', '<img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-4827\" title=\"Sandra_web\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Sandra_web.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"60\" height=\"60\" />\r\nIt has snowed in Manhattan already and it is only October. Add to that the fact that I am incredibly lazy and hate the cold, and you get a person who is not exactly excited for winter. That is why I love three technology brands that have made, and will continue to make, my life much easier and more enjoyable, no matter what the weather.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Number 1:</strong><a href=\"http://www.freshdirect.com\"> FreshDirect</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/SandraBlog_Fresh_Direct_11072011.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-3727 alignnone\" title=\"SandraBlog_Fresh_Direct_11072011\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/SandraBlog_Fresh_Direct_11072011.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"333\" height=\"91\" /></a>\r\n\r\nFreshDirect is such a smart web site. The company knows that people don’t want to go out and shop, and they know people don’t plan ahead for food, so this brand makes it easier to do both. I can order my entire week’s worth of meals and have it delivered simply by clicking a button. For one, it is like having one of those fancy meal diet home delivery services, for much less money. I order salads, soups, healthy snacks, stir frys, fruits and vegetables, and it is always so convenient. I sometimes have the delivery scheduled as my wake up call – when they knock on my door I get up. Best of all, I can easily order from my iPhone, so boring work meetings are much more productive! (Just kidding, CBX).\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Number 2:</strong><a href=\"http://www.logitech.com/en-us/speakers-audio/wireless-music-systems/devices/5745?WT.mc_id=AMR_DR_Test_Q3_FY12_SERP&amp;WT.srch=1&amp;ci=0\"> The Logitech Squeezebox Touch</a>\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-3738\" title=\"SandraBlog_Logitec_11072011\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/SandraBlog_Logitec_110720111.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"137\" height=\"99\" />\r\n\r\nThe tagline for the Logitech Squeezebox Touch literally says “discover a world of music,” and it indeed helps you do just that. I bought this from Amazon and within minutes of setting it up music came back into my life with a vengeance. Using this small device, I stream music wirelessly with the touch of a finger from my laptop to my speakers, and suddenly my apartment is filled with the latest music, talk radio, news or my existing music collection. I can even use it to stream the sound of “rain falling outside” and sleep like a baby all night long. Divine. I am a music lover once again.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Number 3:</strong><a href=\"http://www.apple.com/appletv/\"> Apple TV</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/SandraBlog_AppleTV_11072011.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-3729 alignnone\" title=\"SandraBlog_AppleTV_11072011\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/SandraBlog_AppleTV_11072011.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"269\" height=\"192\" /></a>\r\n\r\nI abandoned cable when I moved to Manhattan, instead opting for Blockbuster’s mail-order DVDs, but ultimately I ditched that too. And once the bed bug epidemic hit some theatres in the city, I thought,  “Forget it! There must be a better way.” I then found Apple TV, which advertises “now there is always something good on TV.” Apple TV has delivered on that insight in a very clever way. With a box that fits in the palm of my hand and rests neatly near my TV, I can control my programs with my iPhone and watch any content I want to, or just stream my photos from Flickr for the viewing pleasure of my guests (assuming they’re as interested in my recent trip to Bangkok as I am!). I disliked paying over $100 for unused programming and truly felt there wasn’t really anything good on TV except for a few choice options. Now I can watch only what I want to. The sleek black box fits right in with my other electronics and the usability makes watching downloaded content so much easier and more comfortable. It’s yet another reason to love Apple.\r\n\r\nThanks to these technological inventions, I will have enough food and entertainment options to hunker down comfortably during what is starting to be a long, arduous winter. So, bring it on, Mother Nature! I’m good, no matter what you have in store.', 'Brands I Love: Three Technology Brands That Make My Life Easier', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'brands-i-love-three-technology-brands-that-make-my-life-easier', '', '', '2018-09-24 19:23:37', '2018-09-24 19:23:37', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/brands-i-love-three-technology-brands-that-make-my-life-easier', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(903, 1, '2011-12-05 14:30:04', '2011-12-05 14:30:04', '<a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/RachelK.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-3065 alignnone\" title=\"RachelK\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/RachelK.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" /></a>\r\n<a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Target1.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-3814 aligncenter\" title=\"Target1\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Target1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"432\" height=\"324\" /></a>\r\n\r\nIs it me, or does the new Target “Fresh” advertising campaign leave you feeling a little flat? I have walked by countless ads in subway stations, and driven by billboards on the BQE and West Side Highway, and for the life of me, I just can’t get over how bad they are.\r\n\r\nLet me clarify: By other brand standards, these ads would be fine – vast improvements, perhaps. They feature beautiful photography, Target’s trademark use of white space, and clean messaging. But because I have such high expectations for Target’s campaigns (and also because I am a copywriter by trade), I’ve been hypercritical about what I’m seeing. I guess my criticism says a lot about Target. How many brands consistently put out award-winning advertising campaigns, ones that make you want to immediately run out to the store and buy the latest products and capsule collections (see my past blog, “<a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/?p=3605\" target=\"_blank\">Missoni Madness</a>”)? The fact that they consistently inspire such excitement in consumers is precisely what makes me wish they’d tried a little harder with these ads.\r\n\r\nBut let me give you a little history. Target launched the <a href=\"http://pressroom.target.com/pr/news/target-offers-a-handpicked-selection.aspx\" target=\"_blank\">campaign</a> in 2010, keeping some of the copy lines universal while customizing others for specific cities, as Target started offering fresh food in their stores there.\r\n\r\nThe fresh campaign hit the New York metropolitan area this summer, and suddenly it seems like it is everywhere. The general lines, such as “Get ready, Get fresh” (or sometimes just, “Fresh”) are okay, but certainly not up to par with what I’ve come to expect from Target. And some of the more specific lines – like the one on a billboard on the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway that reads, “From the Sound to the Bay” left me perplexed for hours. What exactly does that mean? Clearly they are not insinuating that bananas and spinach come from the Long Island Sound?\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-3815\" style=\"margin: 2px;\" title=\"Target2\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Target2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"185\" height=\"185\" />\r\n\r\n“Cut ‘em some slack,” you’re probably saying right about now. But my ranting is really just a word of warning to Target. Part of the reason why the Fresh campaign is on my radar in the first place is because of the terrific work CBX has done this year with Duane Reade and Walgreen’s, both of which have already ramped up their <a href=\"http://www.csnews.com/article-drugstores_continue_to_expand_fresh_foods-2111.html\" target=\"_blank\">fresh offerings</a>. So while Target has been a big box leader for many years, I think the retailer will likely need to look over its shoulder a little more frequently now that drugstores are infringing on their territory. In the meantime, I will keep my eyes peeled for its holiday advertising campaign, which is almost guaranteed to be awesome.', 'Fresh? I\'m not sure about that', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'fresh-im-not-sure-about-that', '', '', '2018-09-24 19:23:37', '2018-09-24 19:23:37', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/fresh-im-not-sure-about-that', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(904, 1, '2011-12-15 20:57:24', '2011-12-15 20:57:24', '<img class=\"size-full wp-image-3226 alignnone\" title=\"Geoff\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Geoff-e1309894577653.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" />\r\nThe face of retail has been changing for quite some time. As consumers we are fortunate to have multi-channel opportunities to purchase nearly every product imaginable. Thanks to the wonderful world of the digital space, E-commerce has brought harmony to those not wanting to enter a brick and mortar location to purchase a product. It has also put products not readily available at local stores within arms (or even fingers) reach. <a href=\"http://www.emarketer.com/blog/index.php/tag/how-many-people-shop-online/\" target=\"_blank\">Emarketer.com</a> says that 72.6% of Internet users will buy online in 2011, so we know this is a growing area of interest.\r\n\r\nGiven that we’re in a digital world, most of us are likely to be online more than just a few times a day. (Of course, not during <a href=\"http://www.cbx.com/\" target=\"_blank\">CBX </a>hours...) That’s where Facebook comes in. A few years ago the social networking site launched an E-commerce platform. They are allowing brands to sell their goods on their site. Brands can sell there products in two different ways: either directly on the site – as with <a href=\"http://www.facebook.com/gillette#!/gillette?sk=app_286257878071394\" target=\"_blank\">Gillette</a>, <a href=\"http://www.facebook.com/HeinzKetchup?sk=app_132952096748314#!/HeinzKetchup?sk=app_132207330134745\" target=\"_blank\">Heinz</a> and <a href=\"http://www.facebook.com/walmart?sk=app_262720793769871\" target=\"_blank\">Walmart</a> – or by bringing you to another site by clicking a link featured on the brand’s Facebook page, as with <a href=\"http://www.facebook.com/pampers?sk=app_223092957716189\" target=\"_blank\">Pampers</a> and <a href=\"http://www.facebook.com/Macys#!/Macys?sk=app_187865291301756\" target=\"_blank\">Macy’s</a>. If you “like” any of the sites, you will receive special offers, either on the page or via a pop-up site. Take a look at these pages:\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Heinz1.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-3840 alignnone\" style=\"margin-right: 5px; margin-left: 20px; margin-bottom: 15px;\" title=\"Heinz1\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Heinz1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"175\" /></a><a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Pampers2.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-3841 alignnone\" style=\"margin-right: 5px; margin-left: 5px; margin-bottom: 15px;\" title=\"Pampers2\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Pampers2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"175\" /></a><a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Walmart1.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-3842 alignnone\" style=\"margin-right: 5px; margin-left: 20px; margin-bottom: 15px;\" title=\"Walmart1\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Walmart1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"175\" /></a><a href=\"../wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Macys1.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone\" style=\"margin-right: 5px; margin-left: 5px; margin-bottom: 15px;\" title=\"Macy\'s1\" src=\"../wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Macys1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"175\" /></a>\r\n\r\nThe question for us as a branding agency is, how does packaging play out in the social media space? When a brand comes to us for a packaging redesign, we now need to design products to be successful across all media, not just on a 3-D shelf. I think it’s time for internal marketing departments to realize that perhaps packaging should not just be shrunken down and slapped on a Facebook page – let’s look at this new Facebook platform as an opportunity to create an online-specific version of its packaging.', 'The changing Face(book) of retail', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'the-changing-facebook-of-retail', '', '', '2018-09-24 19:23:38', '2018-09-24 19:23:38', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/the-changing-facebook-of-retail', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(905, 1, '2011-12-21 17:04:00', '2011-12-21 17:04:00', '<img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-4857\" title=\"DaveW_web\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/DaveW_web.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"60\" height=\"60\" />\r\n<a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/DavisGillette.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-3873 alignnone\" title=\"DavisGillette\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/DavisGillette.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"678\" height=\"323\" /></a>\r\n\r\nBrands continually add new ingredients, flavoring and benefits to their products in order to get consumers to think they are new, different and worthy of their dollars. They know that consumers respond to innovation; they want “new news.” But for certain categories, there’s only so far they can go with innovation.\r\n\r\nThis idea struck me this morning as I was shaving, because let’s face it (pun intended): the need state of that category hasn’t changed in about a thousand years. Hair grows on face. Man solves problem by shaving hair off of his face. Hair still grows at the same speed. The desired effect hasn\'t changed. Comfort has always been an issue, which is why – while you used to buy aftershave to soothe your skin --  shavers now have lubricant built in. And whereas there used to only be one blade, now there are five, plus an extra one on back for precision (and yes, the extra blades DO make a difference). Unfortunately, no one can really own the idea of how many blades there are. So where to now? <a href=\"http://www.gillette.com/en/us/home.aspx\" target=\"_blank\">Gillette</a> already tried putting a battery in their shaver and had to settle a class action lawsuit challenging their claims as false.\r\n\r\nThe truth is, razors don\'t really need to be that different – which is why brands have made this into what I call a “confusion category.” Too much overcompensation to make every aspect of a product seem innovative only serves to confuse the consumer. To see what I mean, take a look at these offerings from  <a href=\"http://www.bicworld.com/en/products/categories/4/shavers\" target=\"_blank\">Bic</a>, <a href=\"http://www.schick.com/us/index.shtml\" target=\"_blank\">Schick</a> and Gillette. Notice how many brands and trademarks are layered on each product.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\">BIC® Comfort 3® Advance™ shavers</span>\r\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> BIC® Soleil® Bella™ scented shaver</span>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Bic_1_1.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-3881 alignnone\" title=\"Print\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Bic_1_1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"433\" height=\"295\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\">Schick® Xtreme3® FITstyle® refresh shavers</span>\r\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> Schick® Quattro® Titanium® Trimmer shavers</span>\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-3882 alignnone\" title=\"Print\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Schick_1_1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"433\" height=\"639\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\">Gillette® Fusion® ProGlide™ Power razor with MicroComb™</span>\r\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> Gillette® Venus® Spa Breeze™ razor</span>\r\n<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> Gillette® Fusion® ProGlide™ Hydra Smooth™ Shave Gel</span>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Gillette_1_1.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-3885 alignnone\" title=\"Print\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Gillette_1_1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"433\" height=\"254\" /></a>\r\n\r\nSeveral other “confusion categories” come to mind: toothpaste, laundry detergent and cold remedies, to name a few. Is it really necessary for certain brands to force innovation? Or do you think it’s all leading to a dulling of these brands, instead of making them stand out on shelves?', 'Confusion Branding, or, My Brands Have Brands', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'confusion-branding-or-my-brands-have-brands', '', '', '2018-09-24 19:23:37', '2018-09-24 19:23:37', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/confusion-branding-or-my-brands-have-brands', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(906, 1, '2012-01-06 17:04:11', '2012-01-06 17:04:11', '<img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-4815\" title=\"Lucila_web\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Lucila_web.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"60\" height=\"60\" />\r\n<a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Barbie1A.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-3925 alignnone\" title=\"Barbie1A\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Barbie1A.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"232\" /></a>\r\n\r\nEvery time a brand comes out with a new product, I’m interested in how far they’ve pushed the envelope. Is it just a new variation on the product, or a completely new take? The brands that interest me the most are the ones influenced by pop culture and willing to take risks. These brands tend to play up a more edgy side and are not afraid to stir up controversy.\r\n\r\nFor example, take the Tokidoki Barbie that came out last October. Described as a “funky fashionista,” she has a bright pink hairdo and tattoos all over her neck and back, and is sporting leopard-print leggings and a mini skirt. Pretty scandalous, I’d say. Not surprisingly, there was an uproar from parents who claimed it was a bad example for their children; Mattel responded by saying that the doll isn’t necessarily marketed to all audiences. In a poll taken by the <a href=\"http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/18/tokidokis-tattooed-barbie_n_1018598.html\" target=\"_blank\">Huffington Post</a> asking if they would buy the doll for their child, almost 50% said, “Absolutely, It’s just a toy,” while 30% said the stark opposite, “Never. I don’t like the tattoos.” Personally, I was impressed that Mattel pushed the envelope with the doll. Today’s girls want to see empowered women who aren’t afraid to express themselves, which is exactly what Tokidoki embodies. And I’m pretty confident that young girls know the difference between fantasy and reality – or have parents who can teach them about that difference.\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-3921 aligncenter\" title=\"Barbie2\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Barbie21.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"245\" height=\"152\" />\r\n\r\nAnother brand pushing the envelope – and which has done so for the past three decades – is Ben &amp; Jerry’s. I’m sure you’ve heard about their latest “limited batch” ice cream flavor, “Schweddy Balls.” Funny, but sort of gross, don’t you agree? The company has always been known for clever names like Phish Food and Cherry Garcia, but the latest introduction – named for an SNL skit from 1998 starring Alec Baldwin – has gotten a lot of (deserved) attention. Some are boycotting the ice cream, saying that the brand has turned something as innocent as ice cream into something vulgar and inappropriate. A <a href=\"http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/nationnow/2011/09/is-ben-jerrys-schweddy-balls-r-rated-ice-cream.html\" target=\"_blank\">spokeswoman</a> for Ben &amp; Jerry’s said they weren’t trying to offend anyone, just trying to have a sense of humor. Interestingly enough, this limited edition flavor might become end up becoming a permanent member of the B&amp;J family because of all the attention it’s received.\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-3922 aligncenter\" title=\"Barbie3\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Barbie3.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"299\" height=\"242\" />\r\n\r\nThe last brand to get my kudos for taking risks is SnackWell’s – yup, Snackwell’s. The brand launched a new ad campaign and packaging early last year, and they’ve taken a very different approach to their indulgent but calorie-limited treats. The ads, which feature women in leather stiletto-heeled boots and on motorcycles, shouts attitude.   The packaging has also been updated with a green that pops off the shelf and tiger print strips in an array of colors. The new products and reintroduction was inspired by sales that have been lagging since their initial success in 1995. Since the new portion control treats are no longer 100-calories (but rather 130 and 150), the new tagline, “Be bad. Snack well.” makes perfect sense.\r\n\r\nThese brands, and several others out there, prove that when introducing a new product or changing up an existing one, brands need to know their audience and how relevant the product will be for them. Not everyone wants the edginess, but if done correctly, it can pay off big time in the long run.', 'Push It Real Good', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'push-it-real-good', '', '', '2018-09-24 19:23:38', '2018-09-24 19:23:38', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/push-it-real-good', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(907, 1, '2012-01-16 21:43:32', '2012-01-16 21:43:32', '<img class=\"size-full wp-image-3065 alignnone\" title=\"RachelK\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/RachelK.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" />\r\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-3944 aligncenter\" title=\"target-broccoli\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/target-broccoli.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"425\" height=\"325\" />\r\n\r\nJust a few weeks after my blog post about Target’s disappointing Fresh campaign, I noticed that the retailer replaced the ads with brand new ones. Did they read my blog, I narcissistically wondered/secretly hoped? (A CBXer with a close friend in senior management at Target said that his friend actually sent my blog to muckety-mucks at the retailer.) More likely/almost certainly, the company was reacting to broader criticism, and whipped out a 2.0 version of the campaign within just a few months of the first launch.\r\n\r\nAnd I am happy to report that this new campaign is MUCH more impactful than its predecessor. Not only is it better looking from a purely aesthetic perspective – it is also totally on brand for Target. In one of the split-screen ads, an adorable little girl (who could be a mini Solange Knowles) gives a disapproving glance at a plain piece of broccoli at left, while at right, we get a beautiful shot of Target’s private label shredded cheddar cheese. Right there, you have the attitude, lightheartedness and slight edge that have given Target such widespread appeal. I’ve only seen a few more ads from the campaign, but they are all equally as successful.\r\n\r\nLast week, Target fired Weiden+Kennedy as its lead ad agency and is bringing most of its design work in-house, farming out occasional campaigns to boutique agencies. I wonder if the Fresh campaign played any kind of role in that decision. Regardless, it will be interesting to see how future campaigns are affected by the shift moving forward. As a long-time Target fan, I’ll be watching with bated breath.', 'Now That’s More Like It', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'now-thats-more-like-it', '', '', '2018-09-24 19:23:38', '2018-09-24 19:23:38', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/now-thats-more-like-it', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(908, 1, '2012-01-27 16:14:15', '2012-01-27 16:14:15', '<img class=\"size-full wp-image-3226 alignnone\" title=\"Geoff\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Geoff-e1309894577653.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" />\r\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-3963 alignnone\" style=\"margin-right: 5px;\" title=\"Geoff2\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Geoff2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"215\" height=\"123\" /><img class=\"size-full wp-image-3962 alignnone\" style=\"margin-right: 5px;\" title=\"Geoff1 copy\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Geoff1-copy.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"215\" height=\"123\" />\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-3964 alignnone\" style=\"margin-right: 5px;\" title=\"Geoff3\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Geoff3.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"215\" height=\"123\" /><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-3965\" title=\"Geoff4\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Geoff4.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"215\" height=\"177\" />\r\n\r\nWhen I’m seeking solace and peace of mind, I like to go to the grocery store and walk down each food aisle, perusing new products. (Believe it or not, this has the same effect for me as an hour of yoga…and is a lot less strenuous.) As I approach my golden years, I notice that my sense of taste has changed, as well as my interest in certain products. I’m no longer drawn to the mass-produced and overly processed cookie and chip aisle. No…my loyalties now lie with the true BFY–or “Better For You” foods.\r\n\r\nLike most people I know, I tend to opt for fresh products and seasonal goods instead of those languishing behind the freezer doors. While I do enjoy some of these products on occasion, I will rarely choose a frozen meal over a fresh meal.\r\n\r\nThe frozen meal tundra is no longer dominated by overly processed foods. Players big and small have emerged in an attempt to compete with the Lean Cuisines and the Bertolli’s out there. I applaud the smaller, growing stars, whose BFY frozen meals actually taste like food and offer something slightly different. These are products you would be proud to serve to your friends and even children, knowing you can pronounce the majority of the ingredients.\r\n\r\nI strongly believe that the frozen food category presents a huge opportunity to manufacturers and marketers The brands above are one’s for us to watch and apply our learning’s to future work. I find the newer products often have a compelling story to tell, and it is up to us as branding specialists to figure out the best way to tell that story.\r\n\r\nOn that note, I invite you to visit your local non-specialty grocer store and see if you notice the change happening among us.', 'Things Are Heating Up', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'things-are-heating-up', '', '', '2018-09-24 19:23:39', '2018-09-24 19:23:39', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/things-are-heating-up', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(909, 1, '2012-02-02 15:54:28', '2012-02-02 15:54:28', '<img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-4823\" title=\"Meg_web\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Meg_web.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"60\" height=\"60\" />\r\n<img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-3999\" title=\"Christian-Louboutin-Red-Soled-Shoes\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Christian-Louboutin-Red-Soled-Shoes.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"582\" height=\"217\" />\r\n\r\nCan a brand “own” a color? While traveling on business recently, I actually had time to read the entire paper, from front to back. As a working mom of a toddler, a true luxury, I assure you.\r\nAnyway, I was enthralled by an article that started with the question, “<a href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/22/opinion/sunday/louboutin-and-the-little-red-litigious-shoes.html?_r=1&amp;scp=1&amp;sq=little%20red%20shoes&amp;st=cse\" target=\"_blank\">Can you trademark the color red?</a>”.\r\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-4000 alignright\" title=\"dorothy1\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/dorothy1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"137\" height=\"119\" />As some of you may know, last year Christian Louboutin attempted unsuccessfully to stop YSL from selling red-soled shoes, claiming infringement of its “federally registered Red Sole Mark.” YSL shot back with “Dorothy is the original,” as in,  The Wizard of Oz. Classy stuff.\r\nMore importantly, the court’s answer was essentially that color is functional, meaning that it is a tool to which all designers should have access. But, the article also goes onto say that Burberry’s famous plaid is theirs and theirs alone. A contradiction of terms…or is a pattern more “ownable” than a chinese red, the official shade of the red sole itself?\r\n\r\nI would beg to differ on both accounts. Ask anybody to close their eyes and say the first thing that comes to mind when you say Target or Coke. Inevitably, they will say “red” over the bullseye or the bottle, right? That is because color is the most potent design tool at our disposal, deeper than symbol, deeper than pattern. It taps into emotions that most of us didn’t even know we had about,say,  purple vs. periwinkle. Colors have universal meaning, cultural meaning, physiological reactions and yes, personal reactions. It is downright scary how many people choose a color in a professional arena, based on personal bias.\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-4009\" title=\"Christian_louboutin_sues_fashion_house_vs_Yves_Saint_Laurent_spring_2011_fashion_news_Noirlettes\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Christian_louboutin_sues_fashion_house_vs_Yves_Saint_Laurent_spring_2011_fashion_news_Noirlettes.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"151\" height=\"133\" />Anyway, let me ask again: Can a brand “own” a color and what exactly does that mean? The Louboutin brand has become equivalent with the red sole through their legacy and style, and the shoes have come to represent a key piece of the Wall Street power suit uniform. Below is a Louboutin and a YSL -- which would you choose? Call me a purist, but I know the real thing when I see it.', 'A Well-Heeled Debate', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'a-well-heeled-debate', '', '', '2018-09-24 19:23:36', '2018-09-24 19:23:36', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/a-well-heeled-debate', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(910, 1, '2012-02-15 18:24:39', '2012-02-15 18:24:39', '<img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-4847\" title=\"Brian_web\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Brian_web.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"60\" height=\"60\" />\r\n<img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-4020\" title=\"Colbert1\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Colbert1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"434\" height=\"245\" />\r\n\r\nSince this is an election year and media coverage is everywhere, I’ve been paying particular attention lately to the way that the candidates brand themselves. But more and more, I find myself thinking about the branding savvy of one of those unexpected “candidates”, Mr. Stephen Colbert.\r\n\r\nThere’s something to be learned from everyone. Yes, even a faux-pompous, faux-journalistic pundit like Colbert can impart gems of branding wisdom.\r\n\r\nMaybe you <a href=\"http://on.fb.me/wQaaV5\" target=\"_blank\">love</a> him. Or <a href=\"http://wapo.st/AqzjW4\" target=\"_blank\">hate</a> him. Or think he’s making a <a href=\"http://reut.rs/ABXPK9\" target=\"_blank\">mockery</a> of our political process. Or maybe you’re just being <a href=\"http://wapo.st/AqzjW4\" target=\"_blank\">grumpy</a>.\r\n\r\nUnlike brands that get their priorities mixed up and simply talk about how valuable they are, Colbert has figured out how to make his way into people’s lives in more thoughtful, meaningful ways. And, that, is really our job as a brand agency: to allow people to discover a brand’s value because it of its inherent value, rather than persuading people to connect with brands.\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-4021 aligncenter\" title=\"Colbert2\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Colbert2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"432\" height=\"263\" />\r\n\r\nHere some examples of Colbert’s “brand engagement tactics” that are bringing him closer to real people:\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://on.wsj.com/Ame9N0\" target=\"_blank\">Be Real</a>: Going before the actual Federal Election Committee as a citizen to petition the creation of his Super PAC – for real.\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-4022 aligncenter\" title=\"Colbert3\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Colbert3.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"434\" height=\"218\" />\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://wapo.st/zMfEJJ\" target=\"_blank\">Get Involved</a>: Aiming to influence the Ames Straw Poll in Iowa by running ads in support of “Rick Parry with an A for America”\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-4023 aligncenter\" title=\"Colbert4\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Colbert4.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"434\" height=\"242\" />\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://lat.ms/xKGzg\" target=\"_blank\">Take a risk</a>: Nearly succeeding in purchasing the naming rights for the South Carolina Republican primary: <strong><em> </em></strong>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><em>“The Colbert Super PAC South Carolina Republican Primary.”</em></strong></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"></p>\r\n<a href=\"http://bit.ly/A0dJMX\" target=\"_blank\">Be provocative</a>: Getting people to vote for a candidate that had dropped out of the campaign.\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-4024 aligncenter\" title=\"Colbert5\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Colbert5.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"427\" height=\"292\" />\r\n\r\nFunny? Crazy? Questionable? These are the wrong questions. Instead, ask yourself if he further deepened the bond he has with his “consumers”, attracted new consumers, demonstrated his brand values in action, and allowed his consumers to participate in the process.\r\n\r\nHere are a few lessons we can learn from Colbert (and impart to our clients):\r\n\r\n- Go beyond the shelf (and expected media tactics) and risk entry into the real world inhabited by actual people.\r\n\r\n- If you say something is in line with your brand’s value, then do it. If not, it’s just air.\r\n\r\n- Involve, engage and invite people to add to your story.\r\n\r\nGood brands live and die by their actions. And nobody in the media world does this better than Stephen Colbert.<!--more-->', 'What Can Brands Learn From Stephen Colbert?', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'what-can-brands-learn-from-stephen-colbert', '', '', '2018-09-24 19:23:39', '2018-09-24 19:23:39', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/what-can-brands-learn-from-stephen-colbert', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(911, 1, '2012-02-22 02:14:19', '2012-02-22 02:14:19', '<img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-4835\" title=\"Josh_web\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Josh_web.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"60\" height=\"60\" />\r\n<img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-4086\" title=\"beats-by-dre-studio-color\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/beats-by-dre-studio-color.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"504\" height=\"352\" />\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/?p=3995\" target=\"_blank\">Meg’s blog</a> about Christian Louboutin’s use of the color red got me thinking about another product that has recently benefited from color branding: headphones.\r\n\r\nEight years ago, Apple’s iPod TV commercial changed the way consumers see music. The dark silhouettes dancing against bright colored backdrops brought the contrasting white iPod and ear-buds to life.\r\n\r\nHere is just one of iPod/iTunes ads run by Apple in recent years:\r\n\r\nhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NbYT7x2ZKmk&amp;feature=related\r\n\r\nApple marketed products under the rainbow logo for more than twenty years until 1998, when a corporate identity rebrand introduced the monochromatic/white color scheme. This change sparked a revolution in the iconic nature of their products.\r\n\r\nAfter the iPod was introduced in 2001, white headphones became a virtual status symbol, and a badge of insider knowledge. Pinpointing the opportunity to brand this accessory was a stroke of genius (like so many other strokes of genius that can be credited to Apple), And thanks to Apple, the headphone craze has exploded internationally, as innovative branding has transformed a utilitarian necessity to a form of self-expression.\r\n\r\nLiving and working in New York City makes it difficult to let trends go unnoticed. Which is why my ears perked up when I started hearing about a new brand of headphones, ones which are not Apple white but – like Mr. Louboutin’s famous soles – red.\r\n\r\nMonster Cable Products launched the “Beats by Dre” headphones in 2008, named for Dr. Dre, the famous music producer and artist. This relationship instantly gives the headphones cache in the music world, a vote of approval if you will. Sound quality aside, what makes these headphones resonate with consumers is the consistent branding of a red cord and a recognizable logo.\r\n\r\nNot to mention, high profile athletes such as LeBron James wear their player-exclusive Beats in pre-game warmups for the world to see. Even international DJs can be seen sporting them at shows and festivals. Music videos from LMFAO to Lil Wayne have “Beats by Dre” product placement.\r\n\r\nWhile other demographics may prefer a trusted, established brand like Bose or Marshall, the younger generations of society have learned to idolize popular culture, which is why having Dre’s stamp of approval means major bucks for the brand. These headphones don’t come cheap -- “Beats by Dre” range from $89.99 to $459.99 – but the variety of price levels allows for music enthusiasts to find a perfect price point. I have to admit, I bought a pair of $89.99 iBeats when my left iPhone earbuds drowned in a glass of H2O, and I now hear elements of songs I never heard before.\r\n\r\nAnd Beats by Dre isn’t stopping at red. In a recent commercial that ran during the Super Bowl, they highlighted headphones in a variety of candy colors:\r\n\r\nCheck out the new Beats by Dre commercial that launched Super Bowl weekend:\r\nhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktBEEsCQYLM\r\n\r\nI look forward to seeing what brand will jump into the headphones ring next, and also to seeing what products will next benefit from color branding. What product do you think is ripe for the rainbow?', 'The Color of Sound', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'the-color-of-sound', '', '', '2018-09-24 19:23:38', '2018-09-24 19:23:38', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/the-color-of-sound', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(912, 1, '2012-03-06 17:33:49', '2012-03-06 17:33:49', '<img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-4819\" title=\"JenC_web\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/JenC_web2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"60\" height=\"60\" />\r\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-4104 alignnone\" title=\"lego-set\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/lego-set.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"500\" height=\"302\" />\r\n\r\nAs an aspiring designer who grew up without cable, I loved playing with games and toys especially those that involved building and creating. So of course, the Legos (in all of their primary--colored glory) was a huge part of my childhood. My brother and I would spend hours building pirate ships and castles, putting together palm trees,  positioning armor on miniature yellow men, and waiting to hear that tiny “click” that meant they were ready for battle. Sure, I might have been somewhat of a tomboy growing up on a street with almost all boys my age, and though I was not without love of Barbies, pinks and purples or painting my nails, I could still build a Lego airplane with the best of them. <img class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-4106\" title=\"Lego1\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Lego1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"212\" height=\"286\" />\r\n\r\nGiven my own childhood experiences, I’m more that annoyed by some of the marketing strategies aimed toward children’s toys today, an age with much less gender divide than even  in the 80s. Are marketers still that concerned over which children’s group should use their products? Apparently so, because Lego made a huge misstep a month ago when it did just that : after decades of advertising gender-neutral products and advertising a toy to young creative minds, they threw out their business model and went to a dark, 1950s-era kind of place where girls play in the kitchen and boys play outside. Lego decided to make a pink/purple Lego line called “Friends” that builds a “Butterfly Beauty Shop,” “Olivia’s House,” and a “City Park Café,” among others. All of which are meant for sitting around – not swashbuckling like they do on the pirate ships or defending like they do in the castles.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-4107 aligncenter\" title=\"Lego2\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Lego2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"438\" height=\"292\" /></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">I realize that many products aimed at children segment their market by gender – Barbie vs. GI Joe is one example-- but they have been doing this since their toys came into being. Lego has been around for ages as creative fun for both boys and girls, no matter the color. Why then suddenly it market one new segment only to girls (they even list “Girls” as a product category on their website along with “books,” “games” and “vehicles”) and differentiate products with an obvious “female” color? Are they suggesting that their current line is only for boys and that these new “Friends” are now what girls should be buying? In this day and age do we really need to overtly market and colorize to just one gender? Shouldn’t a strong brand image negate the need for gender-specific marketing?</p>\r\nI want to hear from parents and female former Lego builders what you think about this new product line and marketing campaign. Has Lego given in? Do we need to gender-colorize toys in 2012? I know that although my nieces love their Disney Princesses (which makes me cry a little on the inside). But if I were to buy them Legos for their next birthdays, I’d walk right past the beauty parlors and head straight for the castles.', 'Why We Don’t Always Need to Make it Pink', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'why-we-dont-always-need-to-make-it-pink', '', '', '2018-09-24 19:23:39', '2018-09-24 19:23:39', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/why-we-dont-always-need-to-make-it-pink', 0, 'thinking', '', 0);
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(913, 1, '2012-03-14 18:16:22', '2012-03-14 18:16:22', '<img class=\"size-full wp-image-3065 alignnone\" title=\"RachelK\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/RachelK.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" />\r\n<img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-4145\" title=\"FiftyShades\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/FiftyShades.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"569\" height=\"237\" />\r\n\r\nIf you’re a woman of a certain age (or the boyfriend/partner/husband of that woman), there’s a good chance you’ve heard about “50 Shades of Grey\", the literary sensation that has been called “Mommy porn” and “Twilight for grownups.” Several women in our office (who shall go unnamed) have read this book recently, and will not shut up…I mean, will not stop talking about its erotic content.\r\n\r\nAs a writer, a mother and woman pushing “a certain age,” I’m definitely skeptical about this book, namely because I am always skeptical of hyped-up literature. But as a branding professional, I have to confess that I am totally impressed by the way that this book is being marketed to consumers.\r\n\r\n“50 Shades” was originally published by a tiny independent press in Australia, and the print distribution was extremely limited, leaving bookstores deprived of copies. Whether or not this was a deliberate ploy of the writer and publisher I’m not sure, but the fact that “<a href=\"http://www.amazon.com/Fifty-Shades-Grey-L-James/dp/1612130283\" target=\"_blank\">50 Shades of Grey</a>” was initially hard to find (and therefore expensive) gave it the same limited edition cache that has made signature collections (like the recent <a href=\"http://www.hm.com/us/marni\" target=\"_blank\">H&amp;M for Marni</a>) so coveted and sought out on eBay. They adhere to a simple marketing formula: The less available the product, the more people want said product.\r\n\r\nOf course, “50 Shades” is now available on eReaders like the Kindle, the Nook and the iPad, and the fact that women can read their erotica discreetly is another reason why this book has become such a phenomenon. Now, the person sitting next to you on Metro-North need not know why your cheeks are blushing so profusely, and why you are asking, “Is it hot in here?” while wiping sweat off your brow. In the past, women may have hesitated to purchase a book by Jackie Collins or Sidney Sheldon due to fear of being labeled “a sex-deprived housewife”; today, there is no shame, simply because people have no idea what you are reading.\r\n\r\nIt also seems that there has been a deliberate grassroots campaign for the book, headed up by a few handpicked “tastemakers” who are appearing on TV shows and in well-placed articles. Lyss Stern, the founder of <a href=\"http://divamoms.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Divalysscious Moms</a>, has talked about the book on local news stations and in a recent NY Times article (“It’s relighting a fire under a lot of marriages,” she was quoted as saying). These women are virtual ambassadors of “50 Shades of Grey,” and are preaching the gospel about the book in any way they can.\r\n\r\nAll of this has triggered an unbelievable amount of chatter for “50 Shades” on Facebook, Twitter and numerous blogs (many of them mommy-focused). According to a VP of marketing for Barnes &amp; Noble, conversation about the book online has fed many of the sales. “I think this shows very clearly what the blog network can do,” said Patricia Bostleman. “The word-of-mouth so thoroughly outpaced the availability.”\r\n\r\nBut that won’t be the case for long, as distribution rights to the book were just sold to <a href=\"http://vintage-anchor.knopfdoubleday.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Vintage</a>, a division of Knopf Doubleday. Publishing executives are comparing the anticipation of the newly printed books with the hoopla that surrounded “The DaVinci Code” and “Eat, Pray, Love,” and I can’t help but wonder: Once “50 Shades” is more visible and accessible, will it still have the same allure? Will there be a “50 Shades” backlash? Perhaps, but with Hollywood producers engaged in bidding wars for the movie rights, it’s unlikely that “50 Shades of Grey” is going anywhere soon, which is testament to a few smart marketing executives working behind the scenes…somewhere.', '50 Shades of…Marketing Brilliance', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', '50-shades-ofmarketing-brilliance', '', '', '2018-09-24 19:23:36', '2018-09-24 19:23:36', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/50-shades-ofmarketing-brilliance', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(914, 1, '2012-03-26 17:56:13', '2012-03-26 17:56:13', '<img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-4158 alignnone\" title=\"JohnFarrar\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/JohnFarrar-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" />\r\nLike many Americans, I’ve been paying closer attention to politics recently. Unlike many other observers, I’m following each politician’s policy platform and the font they choose to express those beliefs. The Obama campaign changed the political design landscape in 2008 by leveraging the sophistication, clarity and accessibility of brands like Target and Apple. The consistency and the professionalism of that campaign was an order of magnitude beyond campaigns that came before. Obama’s logo expertly used design elements that brands since the late ‘90s had used to signal new thinking. Limited use of color, simple lowercase typography – sometimes with unexpected capitalizations – and simple geometric icons were reminiscent of transparent, accessible brands that looked easy as opposed to overtly marketed.\r\n\r\nHow have the campaigns of 2012 reacted to this changed design landscape? I’ve noticed the Obama team has jettisoned Perpetua and added square serifs to the sans-serif Gotham typeface. I’ve noticed a lot of campaigns copying the superficial appearance of Obama’s logo but with generally less finesse. And I was surprised that none of Mitt Romney’s more conservative competitors have embraced a return to more traditional campaign logos with strong emphasis on strong typography and flag imagery. Meanwhile, the trends march on as exemplified in Apple’s much blogged about recent return to a rainbow logo. I look forward to seeing if any of the candidates “chomp” that design trend for their campaigns (logical choice is cool kid Obama, but only time will tell).\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-4216\" title=\"JohnBlog1\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/JohnBlog1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"299\" height=\"137\" />\r\n\r\n01. The Obama 2008 campaign logo with original customized Perpetua font and after refinements to the type. The web-site and all other materials used the san-serif font Gotham.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-4217\" title=\"JohnBlog2\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/JohnBlog2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"297\" height=\"144\" />\r\n\r\n02. Apple went from Rainbow to monochrome in 1998.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-4219\" title=\"JohnBlog3\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/JohnBlog3.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"445\" height=\"282\" /></p>\r\n03. Brands signaled new thinking by using accessible typography, often with eccentric capitalization for a ‘twist.’ It’s also notable how many use a lowercase “i”. It was also common to use a simple monogram icon, often with a fun twist. Method gets extra credit for making an ‘m’ look like a lowercase i.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-4221\" title=\"JohnBlog4\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/JohnBlog4.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"147\" height=\"147\" />\r\n\r\n04. In 2012 Obama is using a modified Gotham with square serifs specially commissioned by the typographers Hoefler and Frere-Jones. Could this be signaling more stature and experience after four years in office?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-4222\" title=\"JohnBlog5\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/JohnBlog5.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"600\" height=\"107\" />\r\n\r\n05. Many campaign logos have followed in the Obama campaign’s footsteps. Cuomo and Romney read “uomo” and “omney” Yikes! Huntsman’s logo is minimal but in a more old-school corporate style.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-4223\" title=\"JohnBlog6\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/JohnBlog6.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"601\" height=\"124\" />\r\n\r\n06. Did Mitt’s competition miss an opportunity to signal more authenticity or conservative bona fides by sticking with more traditional imagery and type treatments?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-4224\" title=\"JohnBlog7\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/JohnBlog7.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"483\" height=\"137\" />\r\n\r\n07.On the Republican side only Ron Paul’s logo has a high level of design sophistication. Is this because of his greater appeal to young voters?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-4225\" title=\"JohnBlog8\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/JohnBlog8.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"483\" height=\"144\" />\r\n\r\n08. Does Apples use of a rainbow logo signal another twist in logo trends that brands and campaigns will have to respond to in 2016?', 'Politics and Perpetua*', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'politics-and-perpetua', '', '', '2018-09-24 19:23:38', '2018-09-24 19:23:38', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/politics-and-perpetua', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(915, 1, '2012-04-04 17:45:03', '2012-04-04 17:45:03', '<img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-4274\" title=\"David_Horowits\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/David_Horowits.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" />\r\n<img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-4258\" title=\"edd460\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/edd460.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"460\" height=\"276\" />\r\n\r\nThis week I visited “50 Books, 50 Covers,” the AIGA’s annual exhibition of the year’s best book design that explicitly challenges the familiar expression “Don’t judge a book by it’s cover.” Of all the product packaging I buy, there’s none I notice, appreciate and enjoy more than the packaging of a book. A book’s packaging—its cover, as well as binding, paper, typeface, and ink—have always been part of how books communicate their message. And when well executed, it can capture, express, elevate, interpret, and enliven the contents within.\r\nAt its finest, a book cover is actually the first “interpretation” that the reader encounters of the author’s work, and it provide clues to the setting, the character personalities, mood, and themes he or she finds within. But, you ask….aren’t physical books dead?\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-4245 alignleft\" title=\"DavidH_cover1\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/DavidH_cover1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"129\" height=\"178\" />It’s true that as e-readers proliferate and the percentage of books bought and read digitally increases, we do and will continue to own and read fewer paper books. Ironically, the digital transmutation of the publishing world may end up creating a niche for the book-as-object, as paper books appear to us less as commodities and become more elevated, creative and cherished art forms. As a result, publishers, authors and artists will be challenged to push the boundaries of book design in new and exciting directions. Below are several of my favorite covers from the AIGA exhibition, ones that hint at the ways publishers and designers are already addressing the challenge to give printed books a renewed beauty, meaning and relevance:\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-4249\" title=\"DavidH_cover2\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/DavidH_cover2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"138\" height=\"209\" /> <img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-4250\" title=\"DavidH_cover3\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/DavidH_cover3.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"138\" height=\"209\" /> <img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-4251\" title=\"DavidH_cover4\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/DavidH_cover4.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"148\" height=\"198\" />\r\n<img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-4252\" title=\"DavidH_cover5\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/DavidH_cover5.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"154\" height=\"197\" /> <img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-4253\" title=\"DavidH_cover6\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/DavidH_cover6.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"123\" height=\"185\" />\r\n\r\nMoving forward, the physical books we own and read will work harder in transforming their content into fully immersive visual, spatial and tactile experiences. They will become more cherished objects and more intimate expressions of our identity.\r\n\r\nI actually think this is a very exciting time for book design. One visit to the AIGA exhibit and you’ll see just how promising the future is, and what a unique challenge awaits the designers, authors and readers of actual, physical books.', 'Judging a Book By Its Cover', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'judging-a-book-by-its-cover', '', '', '2018-09-24 19:23:38', '2018-09-24 19:23:38', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/judging-a-book-by-its-cover', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(916, 1, '2012-04-13 17:34:47', '2012-04-13 17:34:47', '<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><img class=\"alignnone  wp-image-4838\" title=\"Eliza_web\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Eliza_web.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"60\" height=\"60\" /></p><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-4291\" title=\"Heart-stethoscope\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Heart-stethoscope.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"490\" height=\"245\" />\r\n\r\nMy whole life I’ve been a spaz—so naturally, I’ve wound up in a few too many emergency rooms. After a recent stint waiting three hours for what was ultimately a positive prognosis (thankfully), I began thinking about the hospital experience from a branding perspective. Have you ever heard people casually talk about hospitals in their everyday conversations? If so, has it been positive? In my experience, the answer is no.\r\n\r\nSo are we then to assume that hospitals don’t care about branding? No; in fact, hospitals are now paying more attention to the way they brand themselves than ever before. Lately, this has most noticeably played out in the naming process, which is perhaps the most visible and immediate way for them to change brand perception.\r\n\r\nTake <a href=\"http://www.browardhealth.org/bgmc/\" target=\"_blank\">Broward General</a> Medical Center, the country’s oldest hospital, for example. Now encompassing more than 30 facilities, Broward General is hoping to change its image as a public hospital by honoring brand over history and changing its name to ‘<a href=\"http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/04/09/2739387/hospitals-to-become-broward-health.html\" target=\"_blank\">Broward Health Medical Center</a>.’ By losing “General” in the name, they intend to downplay the perception that Broward General is a public hospital. They also plan to do away with the “medical center” descriptor in three of their other public hospitals. Basically, they’re striving to expand their reach by broadening the name, while leveraging the Broward equity across multiple facilities.\r\n\r\nUnfortunately for Broward General (or Broward Health), it appears that not everyone in the Broward camp is on the same page. David Pietro, a hospital commissioner, recently announced, “I have a real problem with this. So do many of the doctors.” His concern stems from the familiarity the “General” name has with its community.  Moreover, Dr. Carrie E. Greenspan, an obstetrics and gynecology doctor said, “Members of the community, particularly if they are new to the area, will not understand what ‘Broward Health - Coral Springs’ means. It could be a clinic, a medical office building, a laboratory, a diagnostic facility.”\r\n\r\nWhile branding decisions can’t accommodate everyone, this staff reaction doesn’t bode well for the long-term success of the name. Contention so early suggests it will only be an uphill battle from here – and for a rebrand to be successful, every associate needs to be a brand ambassador.\r\n\r\nBut Broward staff members should consider themselves lucky, as some other hospitals are making even bolder naming changes. These include ‘Central DuPage Hospital’ and ‘Delnor Health System,’ which are uniting to become ‘Cadence Health’;  ‘Catholic Healthcare West’ changing its name to ‘Dignity Health,’ and ‘Provena Health’ and ‘Resurrection Health Care’ combining to become ‘Present Health.’ But one look at top hospitals like The Mayo Clinic and Memorial-Sloane Kettering make it clear that a name alone cannot reposition a hospital’s brand.\r\n\r\nNike wouldn’t be ‘Nike’ without equating athletics to life and life to athletics. Apple wouldn’t be Apple without making innovation accessible for all people. In other words, name brands can’t exist without a strong positioning and a consistent culture across all touchpoints. So, the bigger question when it comes to hospital branding is, “How can a hospital who’s associated with disease, fear, and frustration align itself with joy, warmth, and comfort?” I’m not sure going from “General” to “Health” is going to do that heavy lifting…but at least it’s a start.', 'What\'s In A Name: Hospital Edition', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'whats-in-a-name-hospital-edition', '', '', '2018-09-24 19:23:39', '2018-09-24 19:23:39', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/whats-in-a-name-hospital-edition', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(917, 1, '2012-04-19 18:19:14', '2012-04-19 18:19:14', '<img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-4815\" title=\"Lucila_web\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Lucila_web.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"60\" height=\"60\" />\r\n<img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-4322\" title=\"LucilaApril2012_1\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/LucilaApril2012_11.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"454\" height=\"238\" />\r\n\r\nThere are many components to a brand, everything from a logo to a color palette to a positioning statement. These things fit together like a nice little puzzle and create one strong brand voice. And the more I started thinking about the metaphorical voice of a brand, the more it got me thinking about the literal one as well – as in, the voice-overs that brands use in their commercials.\r\n\r\nWhile many commercials feature unknown voice talent, today many of the ads we see are voiced by celebrities. For example, actor Billy Crudup has been the voice of the famous <a href=\"http://http://www.creditcardcommercials.com/mastercard/gas-station-priceless-with-billy-crudup/\" target=\"_blank\">Mastercard Priceless commercials</a> for at least a decade. George Clooney voices countless commercials, including ones for Chevy. Most of us recognize James Earl Jones’ voice in seconds. Even Jon Hamm of “Mad Men” does voiceovers.\r\n\r\nIn fact, having commercials with celebrity voice-overs seems to be the norm these days, no matter what the category. By lending their voices to these commercials, these actors in turn become brand ambassadors, even if they are not actually on camera, Their off-camera personalities, political beliefs and day-to-day happenings inevitably have a bearing on what the companies they represent stand for.\r\n\r\nA perfect example of this is the Aflac fiasco of 2011. Gilbert Gottfried got axed as the voice of the Aflac duck after posting controversial comments on his Twitter account about the Japanese earthquake and nuclear crisis. As a result, the duck’s voice was suddenly silenced – literally. Aflac’s first commercial after the firing was a take on a <a href=\"http://www.adweek.com/video/aflac-silent-movie-123978\" target=\"_blank\">silent black and white film</a>. Did you pick up on that?\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-4328\" title=\"LucilaApril2012_2\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/LucilaApril2012_2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"447\" height=\"223\" />\r\n\r\nAllstate is a great example of how a company took their “voice” to the next level. In their commercials of recent years, they show actor Dennis Haysbert – who formerly played the President of the United States on hit show “24” – telling people in his deep and memorable voice how trusted you can feel with Allstate. In the company’s most recent commercials, they put a different spin on the campaign by showing actors opening their mouths to speak, with Haysbert’s voice coming out, in turn giving a wink to viewers who might miss Haysbert’s presence in the ads.\r\n\r\nhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DquD5dg4HMo&amp;feature=relmfu\r\n\r\nDo celebrities like Clooney, Haysbert, John Hamm and others find it insulting to be kept off camera in these commercials? Well, whereas you might think this is a low point in the careers, the truth is that actors are usually VERY open to this easy pay.\r\n\r\nHave you ever thought about what a particular voice communicates? Which actors’ voices make good brand ambassadors and why? Check out the commercials below and see if you can identify who is speaking. Do you think they’re a good match for the brand?\r\n\r\n<strong>Nasonex:</strong>\r\nhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrUF3JzD9P4&amp;feature=results_main&amp;playnext=1&amp;list=PL8FE0DDAE36B50FEE\r\n\r\n<strong>Duracell:</strong>\r\nhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIcRJGA_6eE\r\n\r\n<strong>Tropicana:</strong>\r\nhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbFGV-Rg53Q', 'Heard But Not Seen:  Voiceovers and Branding', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'heard-but-not-seen-voiceovers-and-branding', '', '', '2018-09-24 19:23:37', '2018-09-24 19:23:37', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/heard-but-not-seen-voiceovers-and-branding', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(918, 1, '2012-05-08 21:13:12', '2012-05-08 21:13:12', '<a href=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Josh_web.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone  wp-image-4835\" title=\"Josh_web\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Josh_web.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"60\" height=\"60\" /></a>\r\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-4365 alignnone\" title=\"Josh1\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Josh11.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"225\" height=\"225\" /><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-4370\" title=\"Josh3\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Josh31.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"225\" height=\"225\" />\r\n\r\nThe $1B acquisition of Instagram by Facebook a few weeks ago is testament to how valuable digital space is in the 21st century. Brands of all different natures are jockeying for additional awareness across a multitude of social networks. 50 million users have downloaded Instagram, for free – and that’s not stopping anytime soon, gaining approximately five million more users per week. Like Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest, Instagram has become a creative vehicle for communication and interaction, globally.\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-4354 alignleft\" title=\"Josh2\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Josh2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"193\" height=\"289\" />Everyone from Kim Kardashian to Cole Haan to the Boston Celtics have Instagram accounts. I recently attended a concert series called Cosmic Opera that ran a contest in which Instagram users who tagged #CosmicOpera and posted theatrically dressed photos of themselves at the show could win tickets to future concerts. And thanks to the application, I can wake up on Monday morning knowing that electronic music artist Skrillex ate mashed potatoes and asparagus on his tour bus in Dublin at three AM, then smoked a cigarette.\r\n\r\nAll this begs the question: Does having an identity (like Skrillex or Cosmic Opera or even Joshua Books) in the digital space make you a “brand,” and are your Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Instagram, Pinterest, and LinkedIn accounts extensions of your master umbrella-brand?\r\n\r\nI believe the answer is, yes.\r\n\r\nUploading an image to Instagram freezes time. Using a hashtag connects your story to your brands in the digital space. In a sense, we are transcending the way traditional marketing has operated. Sharing these photographs makes the brands and the stories we tell real, relevant, and current.\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-4368\" title=\"JoshMainpic\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/JoshMainpic1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"194\" height=\"277\" />After using Instagram extensively for six months, I have built up a portfolio of over 400 photos and 150 followers, half of whom I don’t even know. Although these users do not pay to witness my above-average-iPhone-4S-camera-skills, they are investing their own time to follow me and include my photographs on their Instagram “timeline.”\r\n\r\nFor their viewing pleasure, they have essentially bought my brand.\r\n\r\nWhich leads me to another question: If we really all are brands, who are we selling ourselves to? Friends? Family? Popular Culture? Employers? Mark Zuckerberg? Or are we just channeling our creative curiosities that Instagram has helped us discover?\r\n\r\nFeel free to discuss amongst yourselves (and your Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, Pinterest, and LinkedIn followers). And by the way, the W Hotel is holding the first ever <a href=\"http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/01/instagram-spotlight_n_1464457.html\" target=\"_blank\">NYC Instagram Exhibtion</a> this month.', 'Instagram or Instabrand?', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'instagram-or-instabrand', '', '', '2018-09-24 19:23:37', '2018-09-24 19:23:37', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/instagram-or-instabrand', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(919, 1, '2012-05-25 18:06:04', '2012-05-25 18:06:04', '<img class=\"size-full wp-image-3065 alignnone\" title=\"RachelK\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/RachelK.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" />\r\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-4394 alignnone\" title=\"RachelKash_Blog1\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/RachelKash_Blog1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"500\" height=\"334\" />\r\n\r\nThe other day, I got a postcard in the mail from the women’s clothing retailer Eileen “<a href=\"http://www.eileenfisher.com/EileenFisher.jsp\" target=\"_blank\">Eileen Fisher</a>?” I said, semi-mortified. “Do I look like the type of woman who shops at Eileen Fisher?” And then, after a pause, I thought, “Yup, I guess I AM of the type of woman who shops there.”\r\n\r\nI’m turning 40 in a few months, and while I still fancy myself part of the <a href=\"http://www.urbanoutfitters.com/urban/index.jsp\" target=\"_blank\">Urban Outfitters</a> generation, the truth is, I’m slowly aging out of the demographic with which I most relate. Case in point: I found myself literally trapped inside a romper in an Urban Outfitters dressing room recently, and realized that everything in that store made me look like I was on the show “GIRLS” (and not necessarily in a flattering way).\r\n\r\nIt’s a cruel moment of truth when we realize that we’re not as young, or hip, or desirable to brands, as we used to be. My husband (age 42) recently <a href=\"http://www.mtv.com/shows/i_just_want_my_pants_back/series.jhtml\" target=\"_blank\">wrote a show that ran on MTV</a>, and I wrote a mass email to our friends asking them to tune in. When Dave saw the email, he said, “You realize MTV doesn’t care about our friends watching – they want 18-34 year olds.” Wait a minute…weren’t we still 34? Or at least, close enough?\r\n\r\nNo. And the truth is, from a brand perspective, I DO find myself buying things I once considered for “old people.” I stock up on more Advil and Claritin than I used to (not to mention, saline spray and BreatheRight nasal strips for clogged nasal passages). I watch out for my weight and eat <a href=\"http://froyoyogurt.com/\" target=\"_blank\">FroYo</a> instead of full-fat ice cream. I use eye cream and facial moisturizer by the boatload. And every once in a while, I DO like something I see in the window of Eileen Fisher.\r\n\r\nBut thank goodness, most brands today tend to appeal to everyone, so I don’t have to necessarily feel my age. Apple has become one of, if not the, most recognizable brands in the world by appealing to two-year-olds and 92-year-olds alike. Babies and Baby Boomers wear Converse sneakers. My son and I both drink <a href=\"http://zico.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Zico Coconut Water</a> at breakfast.\r\n\r\nSo, as my birthday looms large, the good news is that nobody falls into such cut-and-dry demographic groups anymore. Personally, I’m never gonna stop trying to be hip and young-seeming – and thanks to the universal appeal of most brands these days, it seems like I’ll never have to.', 'Who do they think I am?', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'who-do-they-think-i-am', '', '', '2018-09-24 19:23:39', '2018-09-24 19:23:39', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/who-do-they-think-i-am', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(920, 1, '2012-05-31 20:27:45', '2012-05-31 20:27:45', '<img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-4833\" title=\"TinaM_web\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/TinaM_web.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"60\" height=\"60\" />\r\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-4415 alignnone\" title=\"TinaM2\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/TinaM2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"443\" height=\"244\" />\r\n\r\nMemorial Day has come and gone, which means summer has officially kicked off. With three full months of sun and sand ahead of us, there is one thing that pops into a girl’s mind more than anything – looking great in that itsy bitsy bikini.\r\n\r\nAnd who doesn’t want to enjoy a cool cocktail when basking in the glory of summer sunshine? I‘ll tell you who, people who know how many calories are in those frozen concoctions. It’s actually terrifying to look up how many calories are in a restaurant’s margarita, so I won’t go there, because thankfully, <a href=\"http://bethenny.com\" target=\"_blank\">Bethenny Frankel</a> already did.\r\n\r\nBack in 2009, Bravo’s reality TV star, made a small “branding attempt” on her show, “The Real Housewives of NYC”, to get the word out about her self-named “Skinnygirl Margarita”. It all started with her refusing to order the margarita shown on a restaurant’s drink list, and then rattling off her own low-cal ingredients for the bartender to mix up. That TV plug was the start of something great, because just two years later, Beams Spirits purchased <a href=\"http://www.skinnygirlcocktails.com\" target=\"_blank\">Skinnygirl Cocktails</a> for a not–so-skinny $1OOM.\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-4421\" title=\"TinaM1\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/TinaM1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"141\" height=\"90\" />\r\n\r\nBeam saw the opportunity to appeal to the female market that wants to feel like they can get a buzz on and still fit into their skinny jeans the next day. Beam also knew that the phenomenon was much bigger than the margarita.\r\n\r\nSkinnygirl Cocktails now includes a red, white and rose wine, sangria, flavored vodkas, and a new ready-to-drink Piña Colada that just launched this past spring.\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-4422 alignleft\" style=\"margin: 5px;\" title=\"TinaM3\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/TinaM3.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"181\" height=\"245\" />So what’s all the hype about? It’s more than just good branding - it’s about promoting a lifestyle. Bethenny also created <a href=\"http://skinnygirlshapers.com\" target=\"_blank\">Skinnygirl shapewear</a>, cleanses, juice drinks, workout DVDs…the list of healthy lifestyle paraphernalia is never-ending. She has proven she is one smart cookie (who clearly isn’t eating any). Women want to be able to sit down after a stressful day at work and enjoy a cocktail that won’t completely erase their workout at the gym that morning. And even if you haven’t worked out, the Skinnygirl brand can provide you with slimming lingerie to replace your lack of treadmill time. Bethenny is a genius.\r\n\r\nSure, there are critics out there who are crying that this is just another brand promoting the unattainable model thin physique, but I dare to disagree. At the end of the day, a high-cal alcoholic drink is not worth the extra sit-ups, but a 100 calorie glass of confidence sounds right up my alley, so I’m choosing skinny.', 'So Rich, So Skinny', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'so-rich-so-skinny', '', '', '2018-09-24 19:23:38', '2018-09-24 19:23:38', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/so-rich-so-skinny', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(921, 1, '2012-06-06 15:56:55', '2012-06-06 15:56:55', '<img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-4823\" title=\"Meg_web\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Meg_web.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"60\" height=\"60\" />\r\n<img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-4457\" title=\"The_Scream\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/The_Scream.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"461\" height=\"309\" />\r\n\r\nA picture is worth a thousand words or, if you are Edvard Munch’s painting, The Scream, 120 million dollars US.\r\n\r\nYowsa!\r\n\r\nWhy IS the value of The Scream so astronomical? What makes it the second most recognizable piece of art, behind the Mona Lisa? Put another way, from what is the value earned? The paint? The canvas? The artist? I would wager it is in the potency of the idea. This argument illustrates that the value of an image can be immeasurable when embodying a cultural moment, one that will never truly be experienced again.\r\n\r\nTo quote the Sotheby’s catalog, “An icon of global visual culture, The Scream is instantly recognizable. Since its creation at the turn of the 20th century, the haunting composition stands as the visual embodiment of modern anxiety and existential dread, referenced by everyone from Andy Warhol to The Simpsons.”\r\n\r\nOnly by reflecting the cultural landscape at the turn of the century in a truthful way did Munch make his work universal, tapping into our collective psyche. An Expressionist, he captured the epitome of the modern condition, conveying the underlying anguish and fear of what was to come. In 1895, the world was changing rapidly, starting the wheels in motion that brought us to today. The writing was on the wall for those who were willing to read it.\r\n\r\nWe at CBX believe in decoding – understanding the MEANING behind an image, what it stands for, what feelings it elicits. Only when we understand that, can we leverage this meaning and be purposeful in our visual choices.\r\n\r\nSo, how best to represent a brand? Word or Image? Deep question, but I think the answer is clear.', 'Visual Currency', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'visual-currency', '', '', '2018-09-24 19:23:39', '2018-09-24 19:23:39', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/visual-currency', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(922, 1, '2012-06-22 16:02:02', '2012-06-22 16:02:02', '<img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-4829\" title=\"Gregg_web\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Gregg_web.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"60\" height=\"60\" />\r\n<img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-4477\" title=\"facebook-afp\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/facebook-afp.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"447\" height=\"312\" />\r\n\r\nI have to confess – part of me was pretty happy that Facebook got pummeled a few weeks ago in the press (and on Wall Street).\r\n\r\nOh snap…I said it.\r\n\r\nDon’t get me wrong, the internet is an AMAZING thing. Yes, companies like Apple, Google, Facebook and the like have completely changed and continue to change the way we obtain and share information. Yes, they have impacted how we interact as humans, and well, how we interact with machines. Yes, they have affected how we live our lives...\r\n\r\nAnd to be fair, I\'d be a hypocrite if I didn\'t admit that technology in all its forms hasn\'t to a significant degree changed my life for the better, providing more information and opportunity than ever before.  But the irony to me is, the young entrepreneurs who rule the technosphere—the rebel upstarts who were going to change the world for the better—have created a self-fulfilling prophecy. A world in which openness has created conflict, efficiency has created waste, and where connectivity has turned....creepy.\r\n\r\nUltimately these companies have evolved to support their own vision of the world. While the utility of technology may be a benefit (sometimes not), make no mistake—these companies are in it for themselves. Which wouldn\'t be so bad if they were running legitimate companies – meaning ones with business plans that include profit. Pretty easy to run a business that doesn\'t make money (I love you Apple). The average Facebook user is on the site about 15.5 hours per month (I found that info rather quickly...thank you, Google.) That\'s just Facebook, folks. Let\'s add Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, spam jokes on the email, a few games of Angry Birds, watching two dudes on You Tube making bacon lasagna, searching Groupon for 50% off what I don\'t need....whaddya think....am I moving north of 30-40 hours for the month, easy?\r\n\r\nAnd that\'s not counting the technology I utilize for actual work. Yes, Mr. Romney and President Obama....the American workforce, who you will argue works more hours than anywhere else in the world, and whom you will claim is more productive than any other worker in the world, spends a full quarter of the work month building digital farms and sports bars (and paying real money for computer-animated bar signs)!\r\n\r\nSpeaking of money, don’t think for one second that these seemingly “free” services are actually gratis. They have just found – or are currently looking for – ways for you to use, and become dependent upon, their own devices...not a whole lot different from the drug dealer who gives away “the first taste” for free. (Yup…I just compared Facebook to crack – and I can’t imagine I’m the first one to do it.) If you believe that finding revenue isn’t part of the equation, and that they’ve created these services simply for your enjoyment, well – I’ve got a bridge I’d like to sell you (wink wink). Remember, \"the greatest trick the devil ever played was making us think he didn\'t exist.\"\r\n\r\nI know what you’re thinking right about now: Gregg is writing this blog as a warning for us not to use Facebook during our work day! Far from it, actually. I’m just having a nice old-fashioned rant, the kind you might see on a Facebook status update. But while we estimate that the CBX staff spends up to 20% of its workday on non-work-related internet based things, the truth is, I think that these outlets do ultimately make our staff more attuned to our business, which as a branding agency is to provide a lens to clients in reflecting pop culture. Creativity is derived from input, so there is value in spending some time exploring and engaging. Hey, look, I just spent my break writing this blog. So feel free to spend a few minutes browsing the family photos of that old girlfriend or boyfriend whom you haven’t seen in 15 years (if you liked them that much, wouldn’t you still be in touch?). Just remember when you’re surfing Facebook: Mr. Zuckerberg is watching you, and figuring out how to add to his billions.', 'The Road to Hell is Paved with Good Intentions', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'the-road-to-hell-is-paved-with-good-intentions', '', '', '2018-09-24 19:23:39', '2018-09-24 19:23:39', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/the-road-to-hell-is-paved-with-good-intentions', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(923, 1, '2012-07-18 16:04:03', '2012-07-18 16:04:03', '<img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-4827\" title=\"Sandra_web\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Sandra_web.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"60\" height=\"60\" />\r\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-4514 alignnone\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/talbots.jpg\" alt=\"Source: Reuters\" width=\"460\" height=\"350\" />\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">After many months of negotiations, Talbots has become the latest victim/beneficiary of a <a href=\"http://www.foxbusiness.com/industries/2012/05/31/ending-lengthy-debate-talbots-lands-13m-takeover/\" target=\"_blank\">$193M takeover</a>. This is good news for a brand that needs to match the takeover with a makeover.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Today’s <a href=\"http://www.talbots.com/online/landing/landingPage.jsp?landingPage=google_july2012&amp;intcmp=20120625_julygoogleonlinecat_fromcatpage\" target=\"_blank\">Talbots catalog</a> lacks excitement and energy. See the fossilized images below.</p>\r\n<img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-4508\" title=\"SandraTalbot2\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/SandraTalbot2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"457\" height=\"313\" />\r\n\r\nMy mother shops at Talbots and she’s in her 70s. Late 70s. That’s not exactly a recipe for success (no offense mom). On the upside, even preppy and conservative can look cool these days. Just look at what Bill Cunningham snaps for the New York Times. Enough said.\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-4509\" title=\"SandraTalbot3\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/SandraTalbot3.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"455\" height=\"352\" />\r\n\r\nIf I were running Talbots I would reshape them based on an inspiration of looking like the cool mom of the <a href=\"http://www.jcrew.com/index.jsp\" target=\"_blank\">J.Crew store</a>. Over the past couple of years, J.Crew has updated the classic preppy and conservative with a fun, minimalist and modern vibe that comes to life in the displays and merchandise selection. They have made preppy aspirational again.\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-4510\" title=\"SandraTalbot4\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/SandraTalbot4.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"447\" height=\"324\" />\r\n\r\nLet’s be honest, we’ll always have the prepsters with us. They will always read the <a href=\"http://www.alibris.com/booksearch.detail?invid=11302469335&amp;qwork=4809897&amp;qsort=&amp;page=1\" target=\"_blank\">Preppy Handbook</a>.\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-4511 alignleft\" style=\"margin-left: 4px; margin-right: 4px;\" title=\"SandraTalbot5\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/SandraTalbot5.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"145\" height=\"221\" />\r\n\r\nBut they are growing up and need a store that will grow with them. Talbots should definitely take a look at this as an opportunity for where to take the brand and store experience.', 'Takeover Plus a Makeover', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'takeover-plus-a-makeover', '', '', '2018-09-24 19:23:38', '2018-09-24 19:23:38', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/takeover-plus-a-makeover', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(924, 1, '2012-07-30 13:35:13', '2012-07-30 13:35:13', '<img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-4825\" title=\"Lulu\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Lulu.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"59\" height=\"59\" /> \r\n<img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-4537\" title=\"tumblr_m5z8p7Aj7L1rppp24\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/tumblr_m5z8p7Aj7L1rppp24.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"500\" height=\"304\" />\r\n\r\nNothing makes me laugh quite like a #whatshouldwecallme .gif that mirrors my roommate’s reaction to <a href=\"http://whatshouldwecallme.tumblr.com/post/27457629392/when-im-driving-and-someone-touches-my-radio\" target=\"_blank\">someone changing her 90’s playlist in the car</a>, or one that calls to mind the feeling of selfish despair, after I have discovered that my last single friend in New York City found a new boyfriend .\r\n\r\nThere is something so on point and discerning that .gif provides, other than filling the void of bland text humor. Not only has the self-deprecating theme of whatshouldwecallme.tumblr.com allowed thousands to relate on a more personal and honest premise through animated visuals, it has also inspired so many people to re-blog these notorious .gifs, possibly distilling a “truer self” along the way.\r\n\r\nThe flood of new .gif based Tumblr sites:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>dontsonsultme.tumblr.com</li>\r\n	<li>howdoiputthisgently.tumblr.com</li>\r\n	<li>wheninnewyorkcity.tumblr.com)</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nare essentially branding situations rich in emotional context through visual personas and facial idiosyncrasies. These .gifs run the gamut of highlighting our <a href=\"http://whatshouldwecallme.tumblr.com/post/23276564565/when-i-check-my-symptoms-on-webmdhttp://\" target=\"_blank\">darkest hours</a>, <a href=\"http://whatshouldwecallme.tumblr.com/post/26093788225/waking-up-early-but-then-realizing-its-a-saturday\" target=\"_blank\">daily victories</a>, and <a href=\"http://whatshouldwecallme.tumblr.com/post/27318239353/when-i-burn-my-hands-while-curling-my-hair\" target=\"_blank\">subtle annoyances</a>, entertaining “a day in the life” spectacle that most of us can identify with.\r\n\r\nFrom the beginning of mankind, we have attributed complex meaning to facial expressions, an extraordinary and progressive trait unique to human beings. Expressions have always served as a chief social device for emotional connectivity with others, be it our desire to influence others or reflect our innermost feelings. This human quality alone may play a key role in the attractiveness of these sites as we relive and share feelings of joy or humiliation…We are all fallen to the tendency of the seven deadly sins, so why not laugh about it?\r\n\r\nThe success and excitement of animated .gifs is two-fold: they challenge the face-to-face disconnect between people that technology has created, and their content is chock full of emotional relevance surrounding an event or situation…No wonder .gifs, a digital space that was popular in 1995, is having such a colossal comeback.\r\n\r\nAs for brands, .gifs present an excellent opportunity to capitalize and expand on visual voice. They bring to light the power of expression and the importance of situational relevance for people. How can brands dial up expression in their visual voice so that it is engaging across all platforms? Are there certain elements of design that are highly associated with human traits, or trigger deeper rumination? With regards to brand positioning, can we create influential meaning around a situation or experience that is not necessarily a concrete idea or concept?.Exploring the holistic and human experience that .gifs provide may spark ideas for branding.', 'Branding in a gif.fy', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'branding-in-a-gif-fy-2', '', '', '2018-09-24 19:23:37', '2018-09-24 19:23:37', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/branding-in-a-gif-fy-2', 0, 'thinking', '', 0);
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(925, 1, '2018-09-24 19:23:38', '0000-00-00 00:00:00', '<img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-4158\" title=\"JohnFarrar\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/JohnFarrar.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" /> By John F.Bold Graphic Techniques Stand Out on the Road, On Shelf, and Online\n\nApproaching the Holland Tunnel from New Jersey recently, I noticed something unusual (other than the $8 toll): BP had done something to stand out from the crowd of gas stations that line the approach to the Tunnel. By framing only a portion of their logo on the sign above the station, BP\'s makes an impactful statement that draws motorists\' attention upwards as they whiz toward New York (Image 1) Traditionally, altering a logo has been a corporate design no-no. A company’s logo was a symbol of its stature and was to be treated as precious object.\n\nI was struck by a similar decision Coke had made in their limited-edition Diet Coke package from last fall. (Image 2) Taken together, these are two examples of trends in Corporate and Packaging Design that have designers using bold graphic techniques that until recently were more common in editorial, book and information design.\n\nHere are three examples of these trends and why I think they will continue to be attention-getting and relevant to audiences moving forward.\n\n01.    Dramatic Cropping and Energized Negative Space\nCropping a familiar logo can maximize visual impact in limited spaces and crowded environments. Additionally, bold shapes and colors are energized when juxtaposed against dramatic negative space. Finally, the framed edges create dramatic new tensions, and obscuring part of the design grabs attention and compliments the visual sophistication of viewers by assuming they can fill in the missing pieces – or, at least, pick up and turn the package. (images 3/ 4)\n\n02.    Prominent Editorial-Style Typography\nSetting type on packages and logos in simple bold paragraphs (images 5/6) or by using editorial touches like a period on a logo or underlining a brand name (images 6/7) stands out in its simplicity and implies a ‘story’ behind the brand. Setting type in a minimally customized text font in a simple but bold configuration appears fresh and without being overly stylized. (image 8)\n\n03.    Color Coding, Numbering, and Scientific Notation\nBrands have often used colors and numbers to differentiate products; these recent examples have isolated or emphasized these graphic devices to reinforce ease of use and straightforward customer experience. (images 9/10) Scientific and typographic notational devices like parenthesis, superscript/subscript and abbreviation signal similar seriousness of purpose, perhaps without even having any practical\nsignificance. (images 11/12)\n\nWhere do these trends come from? Graphic flatness, typography and scientific appropriation have been trends in fine art for 30 years.  (images 13-16) And book and editorial designers have employed graphic techniques like dramatic cropping and experimental typography to create viewer interest. (images 17/18) Recently, designers like Andrew Kuo and Nicholas Felton (image 19/20) have appropriated the look of science to map their personal lives, thereby creating entertaining parody and ironic dissonance between style and subject matter. A gridded, clean arrangement of cropped images is quickly becoming a graphic standard in the layout of social media (images 21/22)\n\nWhere are they going? Taken together, these trends have increased the visual sophistication of audiences. They have created an expectation that brands want to be perceived as game-changers that will employ adventuresome graphic techniques that stretch category conventions. They also indicate to consumers that these brands speak the language of design and customer experience and not just selling and marketing. As Apple has proven, this can create a desired brand and product in today’s market.', 'The Look of Progress', '', 'draft', 'open', 'open', '', '', '', '', '2018-09-24 19:23:38', '2018-09-24 19:23:38', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/?post_type=thinking&#038;p=925', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(926, 1, '2010-04-28 09:30:01', '2010-04-28 09:30:01', '<img class=\"size-full wp-image-678\" title=\"Christina Papale_Blog_Thumb_nb\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/Christina-Papale_Blog_Thumb_nb1-e1271798258107.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" /> By Christina P.\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-577\" title=\"JCrewarticle pict\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/JCrewarticle-pict.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"500\" height=\"300\" />\n\nTimex® … Redwing® … Levi’s® … quintessentially American brands that in their current state fall within a spectrum of relevancy.  They all have the polish (or valuable tarnish) that age gives them.  And J.CREW is banking on it with a co-branding strategy that rehashes classic items—hence, brands—nearly from the dead to pepper its own brand with a skewed, vintage authenticity that actually (gulp) works.\n\nJ.CREW may not own 100 years of brand cache or iconic pieces built into the American lexicon, but they know their audience well.  By exclusively reissuing classic apparel and accessories from here and across the pond—hello Belstaff® and Baracuta®—J.CREW is post-modernly celebrating the borrow with a bizarrely fresh “In Good Company” collection.\n\nMaybe you’ll fall in love with the reissued pieces, or maybe you’ll fall for J.CREW’s oddly charming and transparent brand honesty.  There’s never been a more authentic approach at something so completely inauthentic.', 'J. CREW says it&#039;s the company you keep', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'jcrew-says-its-the-company-you-keep', '', '', '2018-09-24 19:23:38', '2018-09-24 19:23:38', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/jcrew-says-its-the-company-you-keep', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(927, 1, '2010-04-14 16:05:15', '2010-04-14 16:05:15', '<a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/JasonH_Blog_Thumb_nb1-e1271797755263.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-672\" title=\"JasonH_Blog_Thumb_nb\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/JasonH_Blog_Thumb_nb1-e1271797755263.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" /></a> By Jason H.\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-499\" title=\"ipad-cart\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/ipad-cart.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"447\" height=\"333\" />\n\nFull disclosure: I don’t get the iPad.  I am an early adopter, tech-savvy creative type who used to worship exclusively at the <a href=\"http://www.apple.com/\">Altar of Jobs</a> AND does not froth at the mouth like so many of my ilk.  I won’t go into it here, but I am pretty much in line with Jeff Jarvis’ <a href=\"http://bit.ly/bKkuG6\">blog entry</a> on the subject.\n\nAs someone who spends his day thinking about retail and brands though, I am fascinated.  All my colleagues in media saw the (obvious) opportunities for them and had one pre-launch.  But I think there is an opportunity here for those of us who build brands and ask people to shop in our stores.  As brand creators and marketers, it’s our job to tell a story that drives awareness and creates engagement.  Check—no new news there.  Assuming the iPad (AND <a href=\"http://www.engadget.com/2010/01/06/the-hp-slate/\">HP Slate</a> AND <a href=\"http://gizmodo.com/5514989/google-preparing-ipad-rival\">Google Tablet</a>) are harbingers of a sea change in how we consume media and interact with the world, we have a clear need to be on that platform in full force.\n\nThese 1st gen devices signal the arrival of “Interactive TV.”  No longer an elusive chimera tethered to a remote, the multi-touch tablet revolution will allow us to interact with content in a way that TV producers have pitched, since I had a <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newton_%28platform%29\">Newton</a>, but have never been able to fulfill.  What shoes is Serena wearing?  Tap them, find out and get three options to buy them.  What else happens in the Biggest Loser house when I am not watching (carry it with you 24/7 to know and learn more about their sponsors).  It’s like the promise of the web with a natural input device (your fingers) and extreme portability to boot.\n\nIt gets even more fun in-store as the ultimate retail tool (especially when the cheaper version with a camera comes out in the spring).  Put it on a stand and it’s interactive signage.  Attach it to a cart and it’s a navigation and promotion aid.  Hand it to a salesperson and they can show you all the different styles, check inventory, show you how it would look on you (need the camera though, right?) and check you out.  It makes even bricks and mortar retail personal, customizable and interactive.  It’s a consumption device today, and as a computer geek, it bums me out.  But as humanity ultimately asserts itself, let’s all look out for how it can make our commercial experiences in the real world more personal and more fun.', 'iPad Bites Man', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', '497-2', '', '', '2018-09-24 19:23:37', '2018-09-24 19:23:37', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/497-2', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(928, 1, '2010-04-15 16:33:23', '2010-04-15 16:33:23', '<img class=\"size-full wp-image-676\" title=\"Rick Fox_blog_thumb_nb\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/Rick-Fox_blog_thumb_nb-e1271798170415.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" /> By Rick F.\n<object classid=\"clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000\" width=\"450\" height=\"270\" codebase=\"http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0\"><param name=\"allowFullScreen\" value=\"true\" /><param name=\"allowscriptaccess\" value=\"always\" /><param name=\"src\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/5NTRvlrP2NU&amp;hl=en_US&amp;fs=1&amp;\" /><param name=\"allowfullscreen\" value=\"true\" /><embed type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" width=\"450\" height=\"270\" src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/5NTRvlrP2NU&amp;hl=en_US&amp;fs=1&amp;\" allowscriptaccess=\"always\" allowfullscreen=\"true\"></embed></object>\n\nThe first questions that come to mind: Is this an ad for Nike, or an ad for Tiger Woods? And is there a difference? Can the two companies succeed without each other? And what is success anyway?\n\n[media-credit align=\"alignright\" width=\"160\"]<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-528\" title=\"image-1-for-outrageous-golf-outfits-gallery-494008109\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/image-1-for-outrageous-golf-outfits-gallery-494008109-227x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"200\" />[/media-credit]\n\nThough Tiger has introduced an entirely new generation of golfers to the game, there has been <a href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/21/nyregion/21golf.html\">no recreational growth in a decade</a> (More Americans Are Giving Up Golf<em>, New York Times</em>, Published: February 21, 2008). However, from the standpoint of profit and ratings, the sponsors grew, <a href=\"http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20100413/media_nm/us_golf_masters_television\">the TV audience grew</a>, and <a href=\"http://www.golfblogger.com/index.php/golf/comments/analyzing_increase_in_pga_tour_purses/\">the purses grew</a>...a lot. Ian Poulter has more <a href=\"http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/pictures/2009/07/29/pretty-in-pink-stars-dressed-in-pink-115875-21556209/\">pink pants</a> because of Tiger.\n\nAn advertisement\'s success, however, can be measured by many different criteria, most notably today seems to be \"<a href=\"http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/02/04/super-bowl-beer-commercia_n_437112.html\">is this ad memorable</a>?\" The rationale is, if it ain\'t memorable, then you have no chance, no matter how compelling your message. With companies like <a href=\"http://www.cavemanscrib.com/\">Geico,</a> built on the once frowned upon concept of <a href=\"http://advertisingforpeanuts.blogspot.com/2008/02/confounding-borrowed-interest.html\">borrowed interest</a>, it is no wonder why ads today often have little to do with a brand\'s product or service.\n\nThe Tiger supporters will tell you, \"Here is a guy who is sincere in his admission of guilt, and is humbly showing you in a touching, 30-second black &amp; white.\"  On the other hand, the critics, who are always more vocal, will say, \"this is a classic exercise in exploitation for capital gain.\"\n\nBorrowed interest or not, I have not forgotten that Tiger Woods is sponsored by Nike, nor have I forgotten what a tremendous athlete he is. (After all <a href=\"http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/golf/chi-100412-masters-bits,0,1896068.story\">he came in 4th at Augusta</a>, and was consistently in contention).\n\nSo back to this Nike spot. It\'s as simple as, \"hey, we\'re talking about it, right?\"  I think <a href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/26/magazine/26SCHOTT.html\">Marge Schott</a> would agree.', 'Who is Tiger Woods?', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'who-is-tiger-wood', '', '', '2018-09-24 19:23:39', '2018-09-24 19:23:39', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/who-is-tiger-wood', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(929, 1, '2010-04-21 13:48:48', '2010-04-21 13:48:48', '<a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/DavidW_Blog_Thumb_nb.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-599\" title=\"DavidW_Blog_Thumb_nb\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/DavidW_Blog_Thumb_nb-e1271789991691.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" /></a> By David W.<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Marketers have long been renaming and reclassifying products that are underperforming.  Instead of phasing out unwanted products or overhauling factories, smart branding can help convince consumers that products are new and beneficial.  Not that long ago, nonfat milk was called “skim milk” and low fat cookies, “diet cookies.”  Ugh, who wants a diet cookie?  Here are my top 5 favorite recent product reclassifications of once-unloved products:</p>\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-618\" title=\"Crossover\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/Crossover1_11-e1271856104638.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"500\" height=\"225\" />\n\nActual Description: Station Wagons\nReclassified Name: Crossovers\n\nCrossover to what?  Middle age?  Soccer practice?  They\'re not as boxy as they used to be, but they are what they are.  Station wagons.  Available from Porsche and BMW all the way down to Honda, these cars are all over the road.\n\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-624\" title=\"Netbooks1_1\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/Netbooks1_1-e1271791697503.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"500\" height=\"235\" />\n\nActual Description: Laptops with minimal features\nReclassified Name: Netbooks\n\nIs this really a whole new category or just a watered down laptop?  We’ll have to wait and see as the shelf life of netbooks may be short, depending on how popular the iPad and other tablets become.\n\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-625\" title=\"Smoothie1_1\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/Smoothie1_1-e1271791783866.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"500\" height=\"246\" />\n\nActual Description: Milkshakes\nReclassified Name: Smoothies\n\nSmoothie sounds healthy right?  Ok, there are some smoothies out there made exclusively from fruit, but more and more these things are filled with fat and calories.  Jamba Juice\'s Chocolate Moo\'d Smoothie, for example, has been ranked the Worst Drink in America with 166 grams of sugar.  That’s as much sugar as 4 cans of coke!\n\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-627\" title=\"JuiceWater1_1\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/JuiceWater1_1-e1271794602508.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"500\" height=\"217\" />\n\nActual Description: Watered Down Juice\nReclassified Name: Juice and Water Blend\n\nJuice and water brands like Apple &amp; Eve built themselves on being 100% juice.  Recently however, juice has been getting a bad rap for its sugar contents.  So, several juice makers are touting Juice and Water blends.  Even the word \"blend\" make these drinks sound special.\n\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-628\" title=\"BreakfastCookies1_1\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/BreakfastCookies1_1-e1271794651160.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"500\" height=\"178\" />\n\nActual Description: Cookies\nReclassified Name: Breakfast Cookies ­- Are you kidding me?\n\nAs a parent, these things infuriate me.  Should anyone really be eating a \"Double Chocolate Chunk\" cookie for breakfast?  How about breakfast cake or breakfast ice cream?  Do we really need to fabricate a new usage occasion for desserts?', 'Dude, You Just Bought a Station Wagon!', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'dude-you-just-bought-a-station-wagon', '', '', '2018-09-24 19:23:37', '2018-09-24 19:23:37', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/dude-you-just-bought-a-station-wagon', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(930, 1, '2010-05-03 13:40:27', '2010-05-03 13:40:27', '<a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/JasonH_Blog_Thumb_nb1-e1271797755263.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-672\" title=\"JasonH_Blog_Thumb_nb\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/JasonH_Blog_Thumb_nb1-e1271797755263.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" /></a> By Jason H.\n<a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/rear-window.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-745\" title=\"rear window\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/rear-window.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"500\" height=\"300\" /></a>\n\nWe picked this up just now from Fast Company, <a href=\"http://www.rearwindowmedia.com/\">Rear Window Media</a>\n\nThis has to be one of the least intelligent uses of technology for generating awareness that we have ever seen.\n\nCan you imagine the litigation that will ensue from crashes caused by distracted drivers?  What\'s next, advertising on the rear view mirror?', 'Information Wide Load', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'information-wide-load', '', '', '2018-09-24 19:23:37', '2018-09-24 19:23:37', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/information-wide-load', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(931, 1, '2010-05-07 13:16:00', '2010-05-07 13:16:00', '<a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/JasonH_Blog_Thumb_nb-e1271797663335.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-671\" title=\"JasonH_Blog_Thumb_nb\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/JasonH_Blog_Thumb_nb-e1271797663335.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" /></a> By Jason H.\n<a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/article_photo1.jpg_full_600.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-824\" title=\"article_photo1.jpg_full_600\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/article_photo1.jpg_full_600-e1273179341200.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"500\" height=\"333\" /></a>\n\nDISCLAIMER: I am looking to you dear reader, to fuel my idea tank.\n\nSee, here’s the thing. I was born (professionally at least) right between the digital revolution and the current renaissance in retail design. I am comfortable talking social and know my way around an endcap. In the last week, I have clipped coupons, received tweeted sales in my twitter feed and have had friends and bots alike recommend things that they think I may want or need. I am steeping in all of it and yet none of it seems complete. Which leads me to the next series of blog entries for me in this space (I am pulling a @Kristof here): what’s important to you at the intersection of brand, media and bricks &amp; mortar? Use the comments to let me know and expect some opinions to flow in the coming weeks.\n\nAs fuel for the fire, here are my top 3 head scratchers:\n\nAugmented Reality portals that bridge my real world experiences with the terabytes of data and opinion online. I can’t have a cheat sheet of all my online research every time I go to buy something. Why can’t I take a geo-tagged photo of a UPC code and leverage all the great tools online to enrich my offline experience?\n\nA shopping social. Lot’s of bytes have been expended on this topic, yet no killer app, what gives? We’re all crazy busy these days and (unfortunately) I only get to interact with some friends online. I want to see in-store apps that enable the kind of (over)sharing I have come to expect in my life.  When I pick-up a bottle of shampoo in the drugstore, the shelf should detect me and retweet my friend Suzie’s comment about how it turned her hair green. My FB Friends and tweeps are my style council—I need them everywhere!\n\nStore folks—get to really know me.  A few weeks ago, the head tailor at Tom Ford in Las Vegas gave me a tour of the entire store. He knew (because I had told him) that I was just looking but he extended himself to me and got to know me. There are other sales people out there (interestingly, mostly apparel) who listen to me and even though I am not buying now, they get better and better with every interaction about showing me stuff I like, calling at the right time, etc. Then there are a lot of other sales people out there (mostly financial services and insurance) who can’t take a hint.  Incessant calls, pitches I neither want nor need, totally fake chumminess—BLECH! Lose My Number!!  Anyway, the rest of my sales universe (food, stuff for the kids, sporting equip, consumer electronics, travel) could learn from the tailor at Tom Ford. Spend some time with me—person to person. It doesn’t need to be deep and you won’t be my BFF but when the time comes for me to need your product or service guess where I\'m gonna go?  Use the great permission-based tools I have subscribed to online to build a real relationship with me offline.\n\nSo there\'s my rant for the day. And now its up to you to let me know what’s on your mind.  I’ll be digging in more on my examples in the coming weeks and I hope to be exploring what you write in the comments as well.', 'Help me, Help you!', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'help-me-help-you', '', '', '2018-09-24 19:23:37', '2018-09-24 19:23:37', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/help-me-help-you', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(932, 1, '2010-05-20 16:20:57', '2010-05-20 16:20:57', '<a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/lucienv2.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-727\" title=\"lucienv2\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/lucienv2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" /></a> By Lucien E.\n[media-credit align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"449\"]<a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/1.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-918\" title=\"-1\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/1-e1274366039731.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"449\" height=\"299\" /></a>[/media-credit]\n\nLast week, BP issued a statement saying that they were close to a solution that could halt the seemingly uncontrollable <a href=\"http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/subjects/o/oil_spills/gulf_of_mexico_2010/index.html?inline=nyt-classifier\">oil spill</a> in the Gulf of Mexico that has horrified the world – yours truly included – since April 20th. This catastrophe, which occurred at an offshore drilling rig and killed 11 people, has caused more than 200,000 gallons of oil <em>per day</em> to leak into the waters near Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida, and is on track to eclipse the Exxon Mobil oil spill in terms of size. The damage of such a spill will be felt for years, and will unquestionably affect the economics of the Gulf Coast.\n\nFrom a marketing standpoint this is very, very bad news for BP, especially because it has spent the better part of the last 10 years trying to evolve its public image. Their campaign began in 2000 with the unveiling of a new global brandmark – a sunburst of green, yellow and white – that was intended to symbolize dynamic energy in all its forms. As a designer I loved this mark; it became the envy of the petroleum community for conveying a friendly, accessible, and green message. In a press release announcing the new design, the group said that BP stood for the company’s new aspirations: “better people, better products, big picture, beyond petroleum.”\n\nBut the company never really went “beyond petroleum” (and was anything but green), and now, thanks to the Deepwater Horizon fiasco, BP stands for something entirely different: BIG Problem. Not just for the Gulf…but for the world and future generations as well. How can the company possibly recover, now?\n\nPerhaps, the only way for BP to recover from this devastating natural disaster is to metaphorically “die” (like so much wildlife in the Gulf) or to reinvent itself, and its mission, under a new name just as the Phillip Morris Companies did in 2003. Having endured decades of legal battles and (dare I say rightly deserved) bad press, Phillip Morris had wished to emphasize that its business consisted of more than tobacco; at the time, it owned an 84% stake in <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kraft_Foods\">Kraft</a>. So they re-branded themselves<sup> </sup>under the name Altria—Latin for \"high\"—accompanied by a brightly colored, abstract brandmark, projecting a friendly image to the public.\n\nBut if BP does go that route, I suggest that they take it one step further and consider embracing alternative forms of energy. That way, they really will move “Beyond Petroleum,” which would be a very, very good thing for them…and the rest of the world.', 'BP = Big Problem', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'bp-big-problem', '', '', '2018-09-24 19:23:37', '2018-09-24 19:23:37', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/bp-big-problem', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(933, 1, '2010-05-26 19:37:57', '2010-05-26 19:37:57', '<a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/LaurenL_blog_thumb_nb1-e1271782659529.jpg\"> </a><a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/LaurenL_blog_thumb_nb1-e1271782659529.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-593\" title=\"LaurenL_blog_thumb_nb\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/LaurenL_blog_thumb_nb1-e1271782659529.jpg\" alt=\"By Lauren L.\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" /></a> By Lauren L.\n<a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/manifesto_en.jpg\"></a><a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/lulu.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-948\" title=\"poster_E_red_2008\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/lulu.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"500\" height=\"300\" /></a>\n\nToday, I got a Lululemon gift card from a good friend. She knows that I’m an avid runner and practice yoga, so seeing as how Lululemon makes \"technical clothing for yoga, dancing, running, and most other sweaty pursuits,\" it seems like an ideal gift. But at the risk of sounding ungrateful, it’s not.  The brand really turns me off.\n\nNow before I say why, let me preface review by saying that I know a lot of people who love their <a href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/26/magazine/26FOB-consumed-t.html\">lulu</a>.\n\nThey claim that no pants fit better, no tank tops are more breathable, and that no workout clothes are more stylish.  Admittedly, I’d probably notice a difference and look cuter if I traded in my $20 Danskin leggings for a pair of $98 Lululemon Astro Pants, but I can’t bring myself to buy into the holier-than-thou, preachy Lululemon brand.  Case in point, the Lululemon <a href=\"http://www.lululemon.com/about/culture\">\"manifesto\"</a>.\n\nWhen you enter a Lululemon store or website, you’re immediately bombarded with their message.  Phrases from the manifesto such a \"Write down your short and long-term goals four times a year… Goal setting triggers your subconscious computer, \"Dance, sing, floss and travel,\" or \"Successful people replace the words \'wish,\' \'should\' and \'try\' with \'I will,\'\"  are scattered across all their brand touch points— their website, store windows, shopping bags, etc.  They’re unavoidable and annoying.  Maybe it’s just me, but I want workout clothes, not an unsolicited diatribe on how to live my life.\n\nWhich brings me to my larger point. The idea of a \"lifestyle\" brand has become a goal for many brands.  These brands want to become an icon for a way of life, to be the next Apple or Ace Hotel.  To accomplish this, I often say that brands need to have a point of view—to stand for something—in order to connect with consumers.  Here is where I think Lululemon has gone too far.  They’ve crossed the line between having an opinion to being downright bossy, and as result, come across as a brand that is trying too hard to be a “lifestyle” brand.  Instead of feeling authentic and inspiring, the brand feels contrived and patronizing.  It’s a thin line, but it’s there—and for me it means the difference between love and hate.', 'A thin line between love and hate: a watch out for “lifestyle” brand wannabes', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'a-thin-line-between-love-and-hate-a-watch-out-for-lifestyle-brand-wannabes', '', '', '2018-09-24 19:23:36', '2018-09-24 19:23:36', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/a-thin-line-between-love-and-hate-a-watch-out-for-lifestyle-brand-wannabes', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(934, 1, '2010-06-02 16:51:18', '2010-06-02 16:51:18', '<a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/Ty_blog_thumb_nb-e1271796922229.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-654\" title=\"Ty_blog_thumb_nb\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/Ty_blog_thumb_nb-e1271796922229.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" /></a> By Ty T.\n<a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/whifpressphotocropped.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-972\" title=\"whifpressphotocropped\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/whifpressphotocropped.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"500\" height=\"300\" /></a>\n\nIf you\'re like me, you buy a bar or bag of chocolate with the intent of rationing it throughout the week. But in reality, you sit down and eat the whole thing at one time. A stop at <a href=\"http://www.dylanscandybar.com/\">Dylan\'s Candy Bar</a> in NYC introduced me to Le Whif - little pieces of heaven.\n\nIf you\'re the type of person who craves chocolate every day, Le Whif is the answer for you. Created by Harvard professor <a href=\"http://artscience100k.org/people/index.html\">David Edwards</a>, Le Whif is a chocolate inhaler that allows consumers to enjoy all the treats they can handle for zero calories. The gadget allows users to breathe in chocolate to curb cravings and satisfy their sweet tooth. It\'s a new, delicious way to eat by breathing! By inhaling the chocolate through the whif, the little bit of powder that ends up on your taste buds gives you all the flavor that a chocolate bar would—minus the calories. The current slate of Le Whif flavors include chocolate, chocolate mint, and chocolate raspberry—and all are less than a single calorie.\n\nSo, indulge your guilty pleasures without putting on any weight. In addition to the chocolate whiffers, you can actually purchase coffee Le Whifs, too. A new way to experience coffee and getting a bit of the caffeine high without the need for a Venti cup. Where will \"whiffing\" go next?\n\nVisit David Edwards\'s <a href=\"http://www.davidideas.com/\">site</a>.', 'Le Whif-Chocoholic&#039;s Dream Without the Calories', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'le-whif-chocoholics-dream-without-the-calories', '', '', '2018-09-24 19:23:38', '2018-09-24 19:23:38', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/le-whif-chocoholics-dream-without-the-calories', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(935, 1, '2010-06-09 19:45:35', '2010-06-09 19:45:35', '<a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/lucienv2.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-727\" title=\"lucienv2\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/lucienv2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" /></a> By Lucien E.\n<a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/TideHangers.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-995\" title=\"TideHangers\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/TideHangers.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"500\" height=\"300\" /></a>\n\nProcter &amp; Gamble.  The very words conjure up an immediate image of well, enormity. Behemoth-ness.\n\nI don’t even think that’s a proper word but if it were, it would be a most appropriate descriptor of the scale of this particular company. P&amp;G has a portfolio of consumer, household and personal care brands that is seemingly without end (the company can boast over <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Procter_%26_Gamble_brands\">20 brands</a> that have sales of over a billion dollars a year, 20!).\n\nYou reading this. I bet there are no less than 5 P&amp;G products within 50 feet of you right now. You have Duracell batteries in your remote. Yeah you do. I know you do. And there isn’t any way you don’t have a P&amp;G product in your laundry room, kitchen or medicine cabinet at this very moment. So when you are that huge. That dominant. No no, that UBIQUITOUS. What do you do to keep your relevance to a customer base that while very global is also becoming more and more savvy and specific in their needs and wants? How do you, a company that’s been in business for nearly 200 YEARS generate some buzz and interest? Knowing how easy it for consumers to now tune out any and all advertising? (P&amp;G is the world’s biggest advertiser by the way, often spending up to 5 BIILLION dollars a year on advertising, according to the most recent AdAge figures.) By smartly and utilizing your reach to cater to people in a much more accessible and therefore convenient way.\n\nRevolutionary? Actually, yes.<!--more-->\n\nThe idea of bypassing the middleman and selling products directly to the consumer is really unheard of for a NON-RETAILER of the magnitude of P&amp;G. Check out the <a href=\"http://www.pgetore.com/\">P&amp;G online store</a>.\n\nNot only does that platform enable the company to offer a plethora of familiar and trusted brands at more than competitive prices (The Tide on the site is a full $3 cheaper than what I can find at my local drug store), but it also substantiates the idea of a planet-sized company being able to give a little something back to their customers, especially in times of (continuing) financial uncertainty and perhaps more importantly, doing it on their terms and in the places where they already are.\n\nImagine being able to order almost all P&amp;G products while waiting on a subway platform or before you board an airplane? It worked spectacularly well for <a href=\"http://www.worldtvpc.com/blog/netflix-online-movies-expansion-continues-iphone-app/\">Netflix</a> and<a href=\"http://www.ilounge.com/index.php/news/comments/freshdirect-app-lets-nyc-users-order-groceries-from-their-iphone/\"> FreshDirect</a>. Why not for P&amp;G?  And why should Unilever or J&amp;J or Kraft not be working around the clock to develop a similar site?\n\nOnce the P&amp;G store concept is fully rolled out – the website only went online about 3 weeks ago – consumers will start to clamor for it. It’s too practical for them not to. I am of course not predicting the early demise of the convenience/supermarket/drugstore, but really feeling pretty good about having another option that reflects my (and I bet millions of other urban/suburban/country dwellers alike) lifestyle.\n\nP&amp;G did not stop there! In addition to the estore, they are also in the early stages of testing and rolling out <a href=\"http://www.tidedrycleaners.com/\">Tide branded brick and mortar laundromats/dry cleaners</a> (Literally. The buildings are literally made out of bricks. All in Kansas so far).\n\nPretty cool right?\n\nNow this, my friends, is an idea that should have been executed a LONG time ago. It makes utter and complete sense to me. Tide dwarfs all other laundry detergents in sales and has for decades running. It is one of the most trusted brands in the country. Not only that, but P&amp;G also has a (pun intended) ‘laundry list’ of laundry and complimentary cleaning brands at their disposal to create a whole universe of spotless whites and vivid colors, of flawless alterations, leather cleaning and I kid you not, wedding dress preservation, all with 24 hour access.\n\nNow that’s effective branding and the kind of simple initiative that can indeed revitalize a 1000lbs gorilla like P&amp;G. I wonder if it would be doable to connect through Kansas to drop off and pick up my laundry now? Hmmm. Food for thought indeed.', 'We’re Not in Kansas Anymore – Are We?', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'were-not-in-kansas-anymore-are-we', '', '', '2018-09-24 19:23:39', '2018-09-24 19:23:39', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/were-not-in-kansas-anymore-are-we', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(936, 1, '2010-06-17 20:43:59', '2010-06-17 20:43:59', '<a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/Rick-Fox_blog_thumb_nb-e1271798170415.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-676\" title=\"Rick Fox_blog_thumb_nb\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/Rick-Fox_blog_thumb_nb-e1271798170415.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" /></a> By Rick F.\n<a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/Sohio.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1027\" title=\"Sohio\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/Sohio.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"500\" height=\"299\" /></a>\n\nWhen I discovered my latest blog entry would be published in mid-June, I thought there was no way that another article on <a href=\"http://www.bp.com/bodycopyarticle.do?categoryId=1&amp;contentId=7052055\">BP</a> could still be relevant. Well, unfortunately, I was wrong.\n\nAmazingly, BP continues to oversaturate, among other channels, the news cycle.  In the past few months, heated discussion and debate have honed in on BP’s <a href=\"http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-06-16/bp-dividend-off-the-table-on-obama-spill-demands-update1-.html\">dividends</a>, its seemingly out-of-touch <a href=\"http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/video/bp-ceo-gulf-oil-spill-10537587\">CEO</a>, and the <a href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gh76oepKFc8\">US government response</a> to the environmental crisis in the Gulf.\n\nToday, I chime in with another angle to this tragic saga: differentiating BP as ‘commodity’ from BP as ‘brand.’\n\nWhile growing up in Cincinnati, I remember seeing a gas station that sat at the bottom of a hill near my house called <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standard_Oil_of_Ohio\">Sohio</a>, Standard Oil of Ohio; it didn’t get any more American than <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_D._Rockefeller\">Mr. John D. Rockefeller</a>. And in the early-1990s, long after its merger with a company called British Petroleum, this once-quaint Sohio station became BP. Its new green &amp; yellow sign couldn’t have appeared more foreign. So much for good ‘ol (or, is it good oil?) Americana.<em> </em>\n\nThe product remained the same, but the brand experience had changed completely. Inevitably, over time, this new BP station became my brand. I bought my first set of baseball cards, filled up my first tank of gas, and picked up my first six-pack right there. Am I alone in my attachments to the BP brand experience? Will other American consumers abandon this behemoth altogether? As an all-encompassing brand, I would argue, yes—BP is clearly in big trouble with consumers like me—but as a petroleum product, it is relatively safe.\n\nSo does BP the brand actually matter? Maybe.\n\nLike the three T’s (Tylenol, Toyota, and Tiger), BP has work to do.  It is, however, lucky to be in a business that is almost completely driven by price and real estate, not brand.  Interestingly enough, <a href=\"http://www.prwatch.org/node/9038\">BP has survived disasters in the past</a> and just last year, was again ranked the <a href=\"http://www.bp.com/genericarticle.do?categoryId=9018984&amp;contentId=7056128\">#1 petroleum brand in South Africa</a>. And what about the other notable case study in oil company hubris and resuscitation? In 1989, following the Exxon Valdez oil spill in Alaska, 20% of Exxon’s customers staged a “boycott,” and yet <a href=\"http://www.marketwatch.com/story/bp-brand-under-stress-professors-say-2010-06-11?reflink=MW_news_stmp\">only 3-7% stopped</a> frequenting it.\n\nIn a country full of “save money, live better” shoppers, BP will likely continue to capture our wallets, without having to capture our hearts and minds.  But I think I’ll buy my baseball cards elsewhere.', '4 Dead in Sohio', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', '4-dead-in-sohio', '', '', '2018-09-24 19:23:36', '2018-09-24 19:23:36', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/4-dead-in-sohio', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(937, 1, '2010-06-23 19:34:31', '2010-06-23 19:34:31', '<a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/DavidW_Blog_Thumb_nb-e1271789991691.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-599\" title=\"DavidW_Blog_Thumb_nb\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/DavidW_Blog_Thumb_nb-e1271789991691.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" /></a> By David W.\n<a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/LG_Soap.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1066\" title=\"LG_Soap\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/LG_Soap.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"500\" height=\"300\" /></a>\n\nSo I was cleaning out our basement the other day and at the bottom of a box that hadn\'t been scavenged in at least 10 years, I found an unopened package of soap. Irish Spring? Ivory? Dove? Nope. None of the above. This soap was branded LG.\n\nHmmmm. Like my television is an LG? Think back. Would I buy soap made by LG? Would it get me clean? What would it smell like? What do I know about LG and why would their soap be better than Irish Spring soap? Those Irish Spring people really know soap. They\'ve been making it for as long as I can remember. I know LG for technology and electronics. As a matter of fact, I\'m thinking that nothing branded “LG” better ever get too close to my bathtub.\n\nThis recent find got me thinking about the notion of Brand Stretch. Brand Stretch is the ability for your brand\'s associations to migrate to products and services not traditionally offered by your brand and make them feel believable to consumers. Brands are all about associations, and each brand is the sum of their particular associations. Those associations can be anything: industry, market, price point, quality, durability, expertise, graphics, heritage, the list is endless. So theoretically, if a company can make a new product that builds on several of their brand associations, they should be able to successfully stretch there.\n\nHere are a few of my favorite examples of Brand Stretches that go beyond the brands’ primary categories:\n\n<table>\n<tr>\n<td><a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/Armani.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1060\" title=\"Armani\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/Armani.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"500\" height=\"300\" /></a></td>\n</tr>\n\n<tr>\n<td style=\"padding-bottom: 20px;\"><font color=\"#808080\"><i>Armani selling style through private residences and a hotel</i></font></td>\n</tr>\n\n\n<tr>\n<td><a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/SkinCare.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1062\" title=\"SkinCare\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/SkinCare.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"500\" height=\"300\" /></a></td>\n</tr>\n\n<tr>\n<td style=\"padding-bottom: 20px;\"><font color=\"#808080\"><i>Evian and Aquafina selling purity through skincare</i></font></td>\n</tr>\n\n<tr>\n<td><a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/Cat.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1064\" title=\"Cat\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/Cat.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"500\" height=\"300\" /></a>\n</tr>\n\n<tr>\n<td style=\"padding-bottom: 20px;\"><font color=\"#808080\"><i>Caterpillar selling toughness through boots</i>\n</font>\n</tr>\n</table> ', 'Stretch it out', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'stretch-it-out', '', '', '2018-09-24 19:23:38', '2018-09-24 19:23:38', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/stretch-it-out', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(938, 1, '2010-07-08 20:51:04', '2010-07-08 20:51:04', '<a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/Karen-Smith-blog1-e1278536954548.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1125\" title=\"Karen Smith blog\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/Karen-Smith-blog1-e1278536954548.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" /></a> By Karen S.\nI just saw the latest installation in the California dairy campaign.  This particular spot deviates from from the tongue-in-cheek talking cows bit and takes on a more nostalgic angle.  In this newest iteration, we experience the story of California farmers, up close and personal––the smell of the hay, the rhythms of the farm, the faces behind the brand.  It’s all about the local farmers, their love for their farms and their craft.\n\n<a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/National-brand-1.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1103\" title=\"National brand 1\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/National-brand-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"499\" height=\"272\" /></a>\n\nFrito-Lay did the same thing last year, showcasing potato farmers in a little friendly competition over which state had the best potatoes.  While you aren’t privy to the farmers’ names, you feel their pride in their work, and in their home state.  As a viewer, you get that they not only care a lot about the quality of their crop, but are happy to play a part in making Lay’s chips.\n\n<a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/National-Brand21.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1134\" title=\"National Brand2\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/National-Brand21.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"500\" height=\"276\" /></a>\n\nKashi is taking a slightly different approach, introducing us not to the real people behind the brand, but to the people behind the food. These are people who are passionate about flavor, health, nutrition, as well as the brand. Kashi lets us know that their philosophy of “seven whole grains on a mission” isn’t just lip service but actually a way of life for the people who work there.\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/National-Brand-4.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1142\" title=\"National Brand 4\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/National-Brand-4.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"480\" height=\"300\" /></a></p>\nSo why does this personal and personable approach to branding work? A couple of reasons come to mind.  As the local movement in food grows, mass manufacturers are at a distinct and undeniable disadvantage. Nothing can compare to visiting the local farmer’s market and actually meeting the farmer who raised the chicken who laid the egg this morning that you’ll have for breakfast tomorrow. He’ll talk at length about the types of chicken, feed quality, and yolk color, and buyers feel like they’re not only getting a fresher product, but are contributing to the local economy in a real and visible way. It makes commerce a more personal transaction.  Brands who can create that local, crafted feeling remind us of the real people behind the food that we eat, and make us feel like someone cares about what goes into it.\n\nA second reason?  While the story about a group or a company is “news,” the story about an individual is human interest, particularly if it’s a person from our neighborhood.  We’re curious about the lives of others, and having a real live person--someone like “us”--as the face of the brand is more emotional and compelling than talking cows.  We’re especially interested when the face we see comes from our neck of the woods, like our friends in the Frito-Lay commercials.  We’re proud of our home states and our home cities, and cheer for the local guy.  These “local” connections make us feel like we’re part of the story, and that the brand understands who we are.\n\nIt’s a whole new twist on “think global, act local.”', 'National brands, Local faces', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'national-brands-local-faces', '', '', '2018-09-24 19:23:38', '2018-09-24 19:23:38', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/national-brands-local-faces', 0, 'thinking', '', 0);
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(939, 1, '2010-07-15 19:27:25', '2010-07-15 19:27:25', 'By David K.\n<a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/lebron_james_witness.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1153\" title=\"lebron_james_witness\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/lebron_james_witness.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"500\" height=\"300\" /></a>\n\nWhen exactly did our beloved ballers become viewed, <em>exclusively</em>, as BRAND?\n\nWas it 1984, when David Falk took a lanky, Carolina Airness into the endorsement stratosphere and turned Swoosh into fan-crazed sacrament?  (The same birth year, I might add, of another mind-controlling, trance-inducer—the first Mac. Maybe Orwell had it right: Is it too far-fetched to cast corporate marketers in the role of “Big Brother?”) Or, was it much, much later—July 8, 2010—at the altar of ESPN’s <em>The Decision</em>, the Net Generation’s re-enactment of Greek myth-temple worship masquerading as slam dunk reality TV?\n\n“I’m taking my talents to South Beach,” revealed LeBron James on the program, officially driving a stake into the aortas of the Cleveland faithful.  With that, a bewildered 10 million viewers were then lured into a bath of brand-baptism following his on-air announcement—10 minutes of some peripheral, some explicit brand exposure on the tube, the equivalent of roughly <a href=\"http://adage.com/article?article_id=144882\">$3 million of comparable broadcast-exposure value</a>. VitaminWater, the University of Phoenix, and Bing, were just a few.\n\nReactions to LeBron’s logorama-confessional have been swift and critical: <a href=\"http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=aw-lebrondecision070910\">“the Championship of Me</a>,” “<a href=\"http://www.vanityfair.com/online/daily/2010/07/lebrons-decision-to-avoid-the-path-of-greatness.html\">sycophantish idolatry,”</a> and “<a href=\"http://dailyme.com/story/2010070800000205/ethan-j-skolnick-contender-lebron.html\">arrogant exercise</a>,” were but a few, and downright genteel compared to Cavs owner Dan Gilbert’s <a href=\"http://www.cleveland.com/cavs/index.ssf/2010/07/gilberts_letter_to_fans_james.html\">LeBron-thrashing rant</a>.\n\nAnd we have Maverick Carter to thank. Carter, LeBron’s boyhood friend and overseer of everything LeBron-and-brand, is widely credited with growing and solidifying LeBron’s stakes in major brand players—Bubblicious, Upper Deck Cards, Microsoft, McDonald’s, State Farm—while honing a golden laser towards the ultimate global cash cow: the Chinese Market. He’s also partly responsible for hatching ESPN’s bumbling spectacle. In other words, Carter is an unapologetic brand man, and the brand’s the thing. But maybe in this case, as the public and media backlash have shown, that posture became the problem. “<a href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/08/sports/basketball/08sandomir.html\">We created this monster, and [LeBron’s] just playing along</a>,” ESPN’s Jackie MacMullan observed (as noted in the <em>New York Times</em>). And as one NBA official concluded, as quoted by sports writer Adrian Wojnarowski, “[LeBron’s] brand is [bleep] now. He’s destroyed everything.”\n\nLeBron James—Akron-bred wunderkind, high-flying, otherworldly acrobat, dust-throwing charismatic and local hero—\'Bron the <em>human being</em>, wasn’t apparently enough, so he (we?) destroyed his brand instead. But does that even matter? When we make brands of everything, including the over-branding of people (who, contrary to marketers\' fantasies, are individuals first, not merely entities), we trade humanity and virtue for our thirst for the transactional kill.\n\nOr, let me risk professional ridicule and steal from the playbook of fictional brander and mega-agent <em>Jerry Maguire</em>, who incidentally took one primary client, like Maverick Carter, and went all the way, albeit in a more soul-saving, only-in-a-movie kinda way. Here’s my corollary to Jerry’s original mission statement: in the quest for branding athletes/celebrities/stars (read: people), how about toning down hype, minimizing myth … how about <em>less branding</em>.\n\nSometimes, there\'s a great cost to be paid for human brand perpetuation: an audience gets fed otherworldly illusion, then winces when that illusion comes back down to earth as merely mortal, embodying—not just projecting—both vice and virtue (recall Nike god Tiger Woods). Is it any surprise then that we’ve lost the ability to differentiate brand from human being, or, brand values from human values? Are we doomed to live in an age where that division has long since blurred?\n\nNo, it\'d be better to let some brands die, I think. In LeBron’s case, his hometown “brand” faced a quick burial. But the potential winners in the grander sweepstakes would be us, the fans, and we, the people … the only witnesses that matter.', '‘Bron Brand Bumble', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'bron-brand-bumble', '', '', '2018-09-24 19:23:36', '2018-09-24 19:23:36', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/bron-brand-bumble', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(940, 1, '2010-07-29 19:57:48', '2010-07-29 19:57:48', '<a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/BrianBlog.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1180\" title=\"BrianBlog\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/BrianBlog.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" /></a> By Brian M.\n<a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/Brand-Exp.-when-local-is-not-enough.png\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1166\" title=\"Brand Exp. when local is not enough\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/Brand-Exp.-when-local-is-not-enough.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"496\" height=\"299\" /></a>\n\nI say “Brand Experience” and You say <a href=\"http://bit.ly/9Ixrzb\">this</a>, <a href=\"http://bit.ly/9ZiNOs\">that</a>, and <a href=\"http://bit.ly/czjmFn\">other things</a> which partly to mostly confuse me.<em> Yes, And</em><strong>,</strong> none of the above is possible if a brand can’t deliver. Consider one case … <em>literally</em>. At first glance it might read like a tired tale of the now clichéd brick and mortar struggling to stay in the game against the click and order set. <em>“Technology Once and for all Conquers Humans.</em>” Nah, it’s more than that.  After all, you can still fail online – <a href=\"http://bit.ly/9FWwBf\">even if you\'re Google</a>. (In fact, it’s easy to blame technology when maybe the story is just another chapter in <em>“Humans: Getting in Our Own Way for Millennia.”</em>) So, I see it as a question of focus. Not, ‘Do what you do well’, but, ‘What do you do, really?’ Here’s the lowdown:\n\nFADE IN ON: Me. A typical morning. I am not at home cozily luxuriating over the choice between a drive to the local big box and a visit to a virtual wonder world. I am simply a guy who needs a book—right away—whose immediate instincts tell him, “<em>Get off your butt and walk down the street if you need it now.</em>” Right.  I’ll call first.\n\nMonday\n\n<strong>9:00 AM</strong> Me calling Barnes &amp; Noble <em>… “You have reached….store hours are 10:00AM…”</em>\n\n<strong>10:42 AM</strong> (Let’s give’em a chance to sip some coffee first)\nMe: Hey I am looking for this book.\nB&amp;N: Uh, we don’t have it in stock.\nMe: How soon?\nB&amp;N: The closest one is in Illinois, so……\nMe: (Soooooo? Not soon, then.)\nB&amp;N: A week?\nMe: Is that the soonest?\nB&amp;N: Uh, yeah.\nReally? There are no copies at the Upper East Side location? What about Fifth Ave? Queens? Newark? Philly?!\nI am bewildered.\nWith four floors worth of books they didn’t have room for one small book weighing in at 7.2 ounces, less than an inch thick? It’s not like I was looking for the <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gutenberg_Bible\">rarest book</a><strong> </strong>in the world. And really, the next closest copy was in Illinois? Should I just call Illinois directly?\nIt’s time to give the disembodied machines (and the very real behind-the-scenes people) a chance.\n\n<strong>10:51 AM</strong>\nMe: Skeptical that Amazon is going to be able to do much better than the behemoth down the street.\n<em>&lt;Click&gt; &lt;click&gt;, Cliiiiiick&gt; Click?!&gt; &lt;clikclickclcikclcicklcickcl&gt; CLICK!</em>\nTranslation:\nAmazon: Here’s the book you are looking for and here are your delivery options, oh by the way if you order it in the next 13 minutes we guarantee delivery today. So……what do you think?\nMe: Heck yes.\n\n<strong>10:52 AM – 5:15 PM</strong>\nMe checking the delivery status every five minutes. Can they really do this? Can they really pull this off? I need a Tums.\nIn an age where we have the ability to monitor every piece of communication and make it look like a real person is reading your email … I‘m skeptical that there really is a live human on the other end of the “Submit” button who is going to take my request seriously – and DO something about it.  “Yes, we did <em>say</em> we’d get you the book today, but <em>you’re</em> the one who was gullible enough to have believed us.”\n\n<strong>5:16 PM</strong>\nMe: Despair. The great experiment has failed. Close that tab on my browser, it’s over. There’s no need to track the <em>&lt;sniff&gt;</em> guaranteed delivery anymore.\n\n<em>Brand meltdown or consumer meltdown?  Stay tuned for the ending to my book-hunting misadventures.  Yes, you’ll have to wait a week … but every experience is worth waiting for, is it not?</em>', 'Brand experienced: When local is not enough (Part 1 of 2)', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'brand-experienced-when-local-is-not-enough', '', '', '2018-09-24 19:23:37', '2018-09-24 19:23:37', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/brand-experienced-when-local-is-not-enough', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(941, 1, '2010-08-04 16:11:12', '2010-08-04 16:11:12', '<a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/BrianBlog.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1180\" title=\"BrianBlog\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/BrianBlog.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" /></a> By Brian M.\n<a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/BN-same-day-delivery.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1214\" title=\"BN same day delivery\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/BN-same-day-delivery.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"500\" height=\"200\" /></a>\n\n<em><span style=\"color: #808080; font-size: 9px;\">(...) This is the continuation of last week\'s blog article \" Brand experienced: When local is not enough\" by Brian M. This is part 2, part 1 should be read first (...) </span></em>\n\nI guess I am not too upset—it’s to be expected. I mean, how can some intangible entity do better than a flagship store full of people less than a ½ mile away who have access to the inventory of <a href=\"http://bit.ly/9p9Oko\">11 other stores</a> within a 10 mile radius?  It would have been superhuman.\n\nEven so there are opportunities for both Amazon and B&amp;N to think bigger about who they are and how much more they could mean to consumers like me:\n\nAmazon has the opportunity to become a new iteration of the personal shopper—the logistics alone for this are huge, but by celebrating the human element , not the algorithmic one, it offers a great moment to make a real connection.\n\nSlap <a href=\"http://bit.ly/eTgFo\">RFID tags</a> in the boxes and make the processes trackable in a more concrete, personal way. It’s one thing to watch the transaction-abstraction of the slow but steady progress of a UPS or Fedex package making its way across our interstate system and networks of warehouses and shipping facilities by reading about each handoff taking place at strange hours of the day.  It would be another brand experience entirely if you could watch a little blinking dot move down your local streets and avenues as it gets nearer and nearer your desk. Maybe the name of the guy carrying your book pops up with a picture and a link to his Facebook profile. It could help Amazon stand out a little bit more as online purchases might themselves be considered a commodity (Overstock.com, theFind.com, Shop.com, Google Shopping, PricerGrabber.com, not to mention eBay, craigslist, ShopIt and any retailer’s online destination.) We all really like Amazon because it works so swell—now maybe there is a way to <em>love</em> it.\n\nB&amp;N, on the other hand, <a href=\"http://www.matthewferrara.com/rssfeed/failuremindset/\">obviously</a> has an opportunity to rethink its logistics, the priorities of its customer care, and what value 8 Manhattan locations brings. Clearly it has a lot of books, both in Illinois and right down the street, but is it really a bookstore? The big thing it should consider: what does it want to be? My bet is that it sells less coffee than Starbucks, fewer books than Amazon, and fewer chotchkies than well, <a href=\"http://www.tchotchkes.com/\">these guys</a>. Is it a case of being everything to everyone? Struggling to find an analogue place in a digital world? Or, is it just a case of not being as relevant as it could?\n\nWhat if B&amp;N re-imagined itself as more than a purveyor of books, nooks, coffee, etc.  because purveying doesn’t seem to be its strong suit, and instead focused on being the trusted curator of the very real and powerful ideas contained in all those books and discussions over coffee? Forego quantity (and alacrity for that matter) for quality and meaning and relevance.\n\nHost debates. Reintroduce the soapbox. Be the unofficial corporate sponsor of the 1<sup>st</sup> Amendment. Be a little controversial. Get people talking. Be the place where ideas start and notions take hold. Be the place where innovation happens, start-ups are started, political careers are launched. Be a place people want to go to be inspired.\n\nWhat if B&amp;N found that it had more in common with the local public library or traditional <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penny_University\">coffeehouses</a> that it does Amazon?\n\n5:29 PM\n\nBook. Here on my desk. Decidedly before the end of a New York day.\n\nGranted it’s NYC—you can get <a href=\"http://bit.ly/dsNq2Z\">anything delivered</a> to your door, but Barnes, really, being outdone in your <a href=\"http://bit.ly/bW9qcy\">own backyard</a>?\n\nPlus with the population <a href=\"http://pubs.usgs.gov/circ/2004/circ1252/fig.2.gif\">densities</a> of cities growing, I am guessing this same-day expectation is going to become less of an NYC–esque experience and more generally an urban one.\n\nThe real irony is that the people at Amazon have probably read the <a href=\"http://amzn.to/aJHB1i\">book</a> I was looking for but the people at B&amp;N have not.\n\nScore:\n\nHumans who innovate to deliver on a promise—with or without technology: 1\n\nHumans who use bureaucracy as an excuse not to innovate: 0', 'Brand experienced: When local is not enough (Part 2 of 2)', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'brand-experienced-when-local-is-not-enough-part-2-of-2', '', '', '2018-09-24 19:23:37', '2018-09-24 19:23:37', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/brand-experienced-when-local-is-not-enough-part-2-of-2', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(942, 1, '2010-08-11 18:41:12', '2010-08-11 18:41:12', '<a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/Sandra_blog_thumb_nb-e1271783381536.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-595\" title=\"Sandra_blog_thumb_nb\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/Sandra_blog_thumb_nb-e1271783381536.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" /></a> By Sandra C.\n<a href=\"http://cbxblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/Samsung.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1252\" title=\"Samsung\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/Samsung.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"465\" height=\"337\" /></a>\n\nIn 2008 Samsung rolled out <a href=\"http://www.intomobile.com/2008/11/20/samsung-rolls-out-115-mobile-phone-charging-stations-in-us-airports/\">115</a> mobile charging stations in three major airports, and since then, launched many more elsewhere. But beacon-like high-tech stationis equipped with only four plugs. In the spirit of <a href=\"http://www.hulu.com/watch/124874/saturday-night-live-update-snooki-and-the-situation\">SNL’s Weekend Update</a> segment, <a href=\"http://www.hulu.com/watch/56636/saturday-night-live-really-michael-phelps\">Really</a>!?! I have to ask. Really!?!\n\nAren’t these charging stations actually more annoying because they are always, always occupied? I realize it’s not Samsung’s responsibility to provide outlets in airports, but, they could at least make a valiant effort to truly serve a function while fulfilling their desired marketing goals.\n\nEach kiosk boasts only four plugs, and there is usually only one near each gate if you’re lucky. With some laptops and the occasional phone needing over <a href=\"http://www.apple.com/batteries/\">two hours</a> to charge, four plugs for a stream of 200+ passengers hardly seems helpful.\n\nSo the lucky few who crowd around these kiosks are like greedy cows at a trough, while the rest of us remain annoyed because it’s usually impossible to plug in your device.\n\nAdmittedly, when you do find that vacant outlet, it’s marvelous since most airplanes are just barely starting to provide widespread power outlets in flight.  So maybe <a href=\"http://www.samsung.com/us/\">Samsung</a> just needs to redesign the kiosk to better meet consumer demand, since ultimately, this complaining, travel-weary consumer is actually grateful for any gesture at all.', 'The Most Annoying Marketing Freebie Ever', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'the-most-annoying-marketing-freebie-ever', '', '', '2018-09-24 19:23:38', '2018-09-24 19:23:38', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/the-most-annoying-marketing-freebie-ever', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(943, 1, '2012-08-30 17:46:54', '2012-08-30 17:46:54', '<img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-4823\" title=\"Meg_web\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Meg_web.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"60\" height=\"60\" /> \r\n<img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-4594\" title=\"100207_sex01_400X400\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/100207_sex01_400X4001.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"460\" height=\"337\" />\r\n\r\nI’m a classic Gen X’er: a latchkey kid turned cynical parent. One comforting constant of my past (make fun of me, please) is TV. I just love it all, from PBS to USA. Thankfully, a little goes a long way for me these days.\r\n\r\nWhen I click past MTV, wanting so much to ‘get it’, it occurs to me that I’ll be turning 45 next year and slowly becoming obsolete, at least culturally speaking. Heck, even looking at the top songs on iTunes, I only recognize half and choose to listen to 70’s love songs instead, a true indulgence.\r\n\r\nSo, it begs the question: Just how generational is culture?\r\n\r\nAs one example, I look to HBO’s passing of the mantle from Candace Bushnell - \"Sex and the City\" - to Lena Dunham - \"Girls\". While both shows recount the trials and tribulations of four women living in NYC, the similarities end there. Or do they? It’s no secret that \"Sex and the City\" is a classic Gen X vehicle. All a bit edgy, not quick to trust but quick to judge. <img class=\"size-full wp-image-4598 alignleft\" title=\"hbo-s-girls-is-the-best-new-tv-show-of-2012-470x313\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/hbo-s-girls-is-the-best-new-tv-show-of-2012-470x313.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"465\" height=\"308\" />\r\n\r\nWith <a href=\" http://www.hbo.com/girls/index.html\" target=\"_blank\">\"Girls</a>\", the characters seem like vessels for a broader cultural account of what it means to be a Millennial (spoken from the POV of a Gen X so please, take it with a grain of salt). A strong sense of narcissism is at play in \"Girls\", but these characters are younger by comparison, too – twentysomethings to the largely thirtysomethings of \"Sex and the City\". As a result, they are on a steeper learning curve. More entertaining for us, more challenging for them. And unlike \"Sex and the City\", these girls appear to come from a more exclusive monied world and have connections (in real life as well FYI), so their egos seem stronger, less afraid of failure.\r\n\r\nWhen <a href=\"http://movies.nytimes.com/2010/05/27/movies/27sex.html?pagewanted=all&amp;_moc.semityn.seivom\" target=\"_blank\">\"Sex and the City 2</a>\" came out, it flopped on many levels. The franchise had clearly lost its steam and the glitzy, gold-laden world they lived in seemed like a fairy tale that stung like an insulting slap to the face amid a recession that still lingers to this day. They were not lockstep with culture, something so important to us at CBX as we work diligently to retain brand relevance for our clients. \"Girls\" fills that cultural void with a hyper reality of grit and mistakes, STD’s and leechy husbands. They celebrate the desperation of their lives instead of hiding it. With \"Sex and the City\", there was a sense of embarrassment to their struggles, a posturing of sorts. Is it too much of a leap to say \"Girls\" is the post-recessionary \"Sex and the City\"? Culture is a mirror; we see realities whether we want to or not.\r\n\r\nDo I relate? Sure, a bit. Am I entertained? Most definitely.\r\n\r\nIt is important not only to know your audience’s stats but what makes them tick. We have a definition for culture here at CBX: where motivations and opportunity fuse in mass behavior. Only once we understand consumer need and what is culturally satisfying that need do we see how to fill the void. This void does not begin and end with demographics  but lies along a spectrum of emotion that helps tell a much deeper and interesting brand story.', 'Just How Generational is Culture? From &quot;Sex and the City&quot; to &quot;Girls&quot;', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'just-how-generational-is-culture-from-sex-and-the-city-to-girls-2', '', '', '2018-09-24 19:23:38', '2018-09-24 19:23:38', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/just-how-generational-is-culture-from-sex-and-the-city-to-girls-2', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(944, 1, '2012-09-10 16:37:36', '2012-09-10 16:37:36', '<img class=\"alignnone  wp-image-4821\" title=\"Andrew_web\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Andrew_web2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"60\" height=\"60\" />\r\n<img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-4644\" title=\"1805585_com_americangi\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/1805585_com_americangi.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"451\" height=\"300\" />\r\n\r\nRecently, my five-year-old daughter dragged our family to the American Girl doll store.\r\n\r\nFor those of you who don’t know, the American Girl brand sells traditional dolls , and creates detailed, historical backstories that bring their character to life. Each doll is given a realistic set of circumstances that she faces along with a larger biography that includes the historical period and geographic location in which she lives. In addition, each American Girl doll reflects a distinct personality and carries a specific belief system that guides her through her world.\r\n\r\nWhat makes American Girl so successful is its creation and promotion of modern day mythology, where characters serve as role models and embody narratives that teach real lessons and immerse their audience of young girls in a very deep experience from a tender age. And what\'s most impressive about the American Girl brand is that they treat their young customers with the utmost respect. They don\'t hide the difficulties or pains of real life. More than just wanting a dream house or a convertible, these characters have real issues to deal with, whether it be living through the Depression or being an African-American child during the Civil War.\r\n\r\nThe worlds created for and by these characters are absorbing, with enough depth and detail to engross child and parent. The characters act as protagonists to shepherd the audience through a realistic and sometimes scary but exciting world. Each American Girl is a safe guide that allows these young consumers like my daughter to experience and navigate a world where there are problems to be confronted and overcome.\r\n\r\nMarketers should take note of American Girl’s success: Your future customers will be much more demanding in terms of brand storytelling. While some brands of today can get by or even succeed by focusing on taste, provenance or ingredients, future audiences will need to be engaged with the character of the\r\n\r\nbrand. The choices consumers make will be increasingly more intertwined with the choices that brands make when bringing their products to market.\r\n\r\nThe toys of today are not just playthings but tools to train our youth on how to become consumers. Their interactions with brands teach lessons that will last a lifetime. And if American Girl can teach us anything, it’s that companies in the future will be judged not by the color of their packaging but the content of their character.\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-4647\" style=\"margin: 3px 3px;\" title=\"Books about Rebeccah\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Books-about-Rebeccah-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"200\" /><img class=\"alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-4650\" style=\"margin: 3px;\" title=\"Lilah\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Lilah-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"200\" /><img class=\"alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-4649\" style=\"margin: 3px;\" title=\"Family Tree\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Family-Tree-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"200\" /><img class=\"alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-4651\" style=\"margin: 3px;\" title=\"Rebeccah\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Rebeccah-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"200\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;', 'What We Can Learn From Playing With Dolls', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'what-we-can-learn-from-playing-with-dolls-2', '', '', '2018-09-24 19:23:39', '2018-09-24 19:23:39', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/what-we-can-learn-from-playing-with-dolls-2', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(945, 1, '2012-09-19 21:33:23', '2012-09-19 21:33:23', '<img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-4817\" title=\"Crosby_web\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Crosby_web2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"60\" height=\"60\" /><p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Like the saying goes, houses are money pits. New houses are deeper pits. Having recently moved into a new house, I’ve been spending a lot of money. Doing my part to drive the economy. Now, I understand why retailers savor new house formation, because it really does drive a lot of purchases. Here’s a sampling of what I have bought in the last three weeks: a drill, hangers, lamps, a vacuum, light bulbs, lots of light bulbs, an ironing board and iron, a thingy to hang up the iron and ironing board, towels, beach chairs, sheets, a couch, stools, outdoor cushions, towel racks, rug pads, a step stool, window blinds…okay, are you tired of this list? So am I, to be sure.</p>\r\nWhat’s interesting and noteworthy is that I bought all of this stuff online. It’s not that I’m just now waking up to the fact that you buy things on the Internet, but it’s that I spent so much money and none of it was spent on traditional retailers. Retailers rely on people-like me-but I went Prime. Amazon Prime. With free shipping, even the most mundane of goods were easier and cheaper to buy through Amazon. From tennis balls to totem poles, with just one click, they delivered them to me. The thing is, I am just one of five million other “primers.” And the group is growing at more than +50% a year.\r\n\r\nThat spells a heap of trouble for big box retailers who are paying rent on hundreds, if not thousands, of expensive locations and doling staff salaries to run those stores. Just ask Best Buy, JCPenney, Sears, Rite Aid, Staples. If I don’t have to, I don’t want to drive, park and search the aisles of warehouses (which have the ambiance of a hospital, by the way) to get what I can get cheaper, easier – and delivered! – from Amazon.\r\n\r\nDoes this mean our Main Streets and malls will become ghost towns? No, but most likely there will be a very painful transition for many unless they start selling goods, and especially experiences, which we can’t get anywhere else. To get me offline, my downtown will have to have places like a wine store that lets me taste before I buy. Or a hardware store with old wood floors that creak and crotchety men who will tell me what kind of latch to get and how to apply varnish correctly. It may be all in my head, but that hardware store I still drive to takes me back to some vague Jimmy Stewart-esque movie where the world was nicer, simpler and cozier. That’s something that I can’t get on Amazon – even with my Prime membership.', 'I Went Prime', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'i-went-prime', '', '', '2018-09-24 19:23:37', '2018-09-24 19:23:37', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/i-went-prime', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(946, 1, '2012-09-14 13:34:04', '2012-09-14 13:34:04', '<img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-4819\" title=\"JenC_web\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/JenC_web2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"60\" height=\"60\" />\r\n<img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-4682\" title=\"ImageJenn1\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/ImageJenn1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"450\" height=\"450\" />\r\n\r\n<em><span style=\"color: #808080;\">No two uniforms alike!</span></em>\r\n\r\nFirst off, let me say how much I love the Olympics—I love the national spirit it induces, I love the competition, I love watching athletics at their purest form. However, a few weeks ago, while catching highlights of the 2012 Summer Games in London, I noticed something that I did NOT like about these Olympics (shocking, I know), and specifically, about the American athletic apparel: There was no consistency in their uniform design.\r\n\r\nAs a designer, I found myself watching more of the events just to see if my observations held true. Sadly, they did.\r\n\r\nDiving, swimming, gymnastics, track &amp; field, volleyball (beach and indoor), soccer – none of these teams shared a consistent logo, color, pattern or anything else on their uniforms. How could this be? How could the “United” States of America have no unifying brand mark? Okay, so two sports had semi-similar uniforms: men’s track &amp; field and men’s basketball. Their jersey logos seemed to reflect the same font, only laid out in different directions (see below top right photo and above top right photo).\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-4683\" title=\"ImageJenn2\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/ImageJenn2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"449\" height=\"449\" />\r\n\r\n<em><span style=\"color: #808080;\">Just three little letters marching to the beat of their own drum</span></em>\r\n\r\n“USA” was used in about eight different fonts and arrangements. Sometimes red was the dominant uniform color, sometimes blue (which ranged from navy to royal) and sometimes white. While I understand that different sports are sponsored by different companies (e.g., Speedo for swimming, Adidas for gymnastics), these companies still receive artwork for their apparel. And our dear old flag—well, Betsy Ross might have been upset to see that it was not used nearly as often as she might have thought.\r\n\r\nI find it hard to believe that there are no brand guidelines for Team USA. I’m not arguing that each sport’s uniform should’ve been a carbon copy of another, but there could’ve been at least a suite of apparel designs to choose from. Sure, we’re “the land of the free” but free should not imply “do whatever the heck you want with your uniform, just make our country proud.” Am I crazy to think that we can unite these United States? Has the Olympics Committee tried to no avail? Or am I just a designer at a brand agency who craves a semblance of consistency?\r\n\r\nI’d like to think that I’m not just moderately nuts, and that by the time the Winter Games roll around in 2014, I’ll be seeing some consistent branding across Team USA’s uniforms, speed skaters and downhill skiers alike.\r\n\r\nBut I won’t be holding my breath.', 'Where Did the “United” Go?', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'where-did-the-united-go', '', '', '2018-09-24 19:23:39', '2018-09-24 19:23:39', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/where-did-the-united-go', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(947, 1, '2012-09-26 19:33:50', '2012-09-26 19:33:50', '<img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-4815\" title=\"Lucila_web\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Lucila_web.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"60\" height=\"60\" />\r\nThe London Games was an extraordinary spectacle, to say the least. The Opening Ceremonies—from Her Majesty’s 007 helicopter mission to the grazing sheep in the stadium—poked fun at the host nation’s eccentric and quirky stripes. But what about the real stars of the show, the athletes?\r\n\r\nWe saw some new faces, and some familiar ones we’ve come to love, who represented their countries with grit and grace during competition. But the Games were not without its fair share of scandalous news—the Chinese Badminton team losing matches on purpose; soccer goalies cursing out other players; Olympians who rebelled against Rule 40 that prohibited athletic participants from appearing in advertising during the Games. Not to mention, all the supposed “hook-ups” going on in the Olympic village!\r\n\r\nBut now that the games have been over for a good month, my eyes turn to the after effects of the athletes-turned-celebrities. Which ones have and will work to turn themselves into brands and cash in? Can a person BE a “brand?” There is mixed opinions about this. Some argue that one needs to be able to physically purchase and own a “brand” for the individual to be labeled as one; others believe it’s more about what the “brand” is offering or the experience it’s providing. I tend to side with the latter.\r\n\r\nTake, for example, the Fierce Five gymnasts who grabbed the spotlight after the Games with their whirlwind media tour in NYC and elsewhere (they’ve been since seen on a variety of talk shows and even introduced Alicia Keys at the MTV Video Music Awards in Los Angeles). These girls have spunk, energy and are idolized by millions of girls everywhere Together, they have formed a collective brand that has great potential to succeed and inspire. But in the case of the gymnasts, <a href=\"http://mckaylaisnotimpressed.tumblr.com/http://\" target=\"_blank\">McKayla Marone</a>, we can also see what a little indiscretion can do to your image and how it can ultimately harm “brand value.”\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-4713\" title=\"LucilaOlympic2\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/LucilaOlympic2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"431\" height=\"262\" />\r\n\r\nAmerican swimmer and 11-time Olympic medalist Ryan Lochte has also been all over the place in the media landscape—everything from his love interest in Blake Lively to his appearances at this fall’s New York Fashion Week to partying with Prince Henry in Las Vegas—and is an interesting test case for brand development. At this point, he’s really not delivering any type of consistent brand message. Consumers and fans aren’t really sure what they should expect from him, and thus haven’t developed a personal connection to him. Lochte might do well by modeling his brand strategy after more established star athletes like <a href=\"http://dbcollaboration.hm.com/\" target=\"_blank\">David Beckham</a>, who’s been known for his, well um, good looks (his brand endorsements have consistently cast him in roles that showcase his “assets”). Tennis star Maria Sharapova is another. Known for being friendly but intense on court, Sharapova recently launched a line of candies called <a href=\" http://www.sugarpova.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Sugarpova</a> to reflect her personality and image.\r\n<img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-4714\" title=\"LucilaOlympic3\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/LucilaOlympic3.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"431\" height=\"188\" />\r\nUltimately, a brand may not need to be something tangible. A person can act as “brand” as long as he or she positively conjures a memorable set of images and feelings, and can forge a personal connection between herself and her consumers. Just having status alone won’t cut it. Look at Martha Stewart or Oprah. They have to work hard to manage their brand identities and perceptions. It’ll be fun to see in the next few months which 2012 Olympians can successfully transition from athletes to celebrities to effective brands. This might be the biggest spectacle of them all.', 'Personal Branding and the 2012 Olympics', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'personal-branding-and-the-2012-olympics', '', '', '2018-09-24 19:23:38', '2018-09-24 19:23:38', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/personal-branding-and-the-2012-olympics', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(948, 1, '2012-10-03 15:34:47', '2012-10-03 15:34:47', '<img class=\"wp-image-4809 alignnone\" title=\"TinaM_web\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/TinaM_web.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"60\" height=\"60\" />\r\nIf you are a fashionista and a designer at a brand agency, there are two things you look forward to every year: the visual tease of fall’s New York Fashion Week and the <a href=\"http://www.refinery29.com/color-trends\" target=\"_blank\">Annual Color Forecast</a> by Pantone.\r\n\r\nOver the years, I’ve watched color decisions being made for countless package designs, from private label potato chip bags to plant food. So when Pantone comes into my life in the form of fashion, I’ve earned the right to get a little excited.\r\n\r\nFor decades, color forecasting has gone hand in hand with the fashion industry. In the 19th century, American fashion designers traveled to Paris to snatch up color cards that were issued by French textile mills. That tradition may be the reason why fashionistas today constantly reference Paris runways when gossiping about color.\r\n\r\nWho can forget the rant about Cerulean Blue that Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep) gives in \"The Devil Wears Prada\"? She single-handedly embarrasses Andy (Anne Hathaway) for thinking that two blue belts looked exactly the same. The fact is, the average consumer would make the same mistake. The color Cerulean Blue, in fact, was birthed in an Oscar de la Renta gown in 2002, copied by countless designers and then, as Miranda quips, “trickled on down into a tragic Casual Corner.” Priceless.\r\n\r\nThat scene brings me to the importance of Pantone’s pick of the “it” <a href=\"http://racked.com/archives/2012/09/06/snooze-monaco-blue-is-pantones-top-color-for-spring-2013.php\" target=\"_blank\">color for 2013</a>: “Monaco Blue”(Pantone 19-3964). And to Andy and the similarly color-challenged—no,  Monaco Blue isn’t “just another shade of navy.”  It’s a color that’s taking center stage on its own.\r\n\r\nMonaco Blue popped up everywhere at <a href=\"http://www.mbfashionweek.com/photos_and_videoshttp://\" target=\"_blank\">Fashion Week</a>. Dior showed loose military jackets for men, Hervé Léger designed structured shift dresses and Monique Lhuillier created peplums all splashed with this color.\r\n\r\nHervé Léger was paired with the winning color in Pantone’s Fashion Color Report for Spring 2013. The designer believes blue grounds fashion collections together because of its versatile tone. Meanwhile, color forecasting experts predict the demure color will speak to the value of practicality in today’s culture.\r\n\r\nWhether it is versatile or practical, Monaco Blue will make a splash this coming year. The fashion designers have had their fun; now it’s up to the rest of us to see how successful this color can be.  My take is that Monaco Blue is a new spin on a classic color. It’s a great staple that works well with almost anything. Ten years from now, when you’re digging through the sales rack or looking through old package designs, remember what I told you! I wouldn’t want to embarrass you, Miranda Priestly-style, with a speech on the birthplace of Cerulean Blue, or Monaco Blue for that matter.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-4750\" title=\"TinaMonaco2\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/TinaMonaco2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"432\" height=\"451\" />\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-4751\" title=\"TinaMonaco3\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/TinaMonaco3.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"189\" height=\"310\" /><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-4763\" title=\"Tina5\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Tina5.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"250\" height=\"318\" />', 'The Devil Wears Monaco Blue', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'the-devil-wears-monaco-blue', '', '', '2018-09-24 19:23:38', '2018-09-24 19:23:38', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/the-devil-wears-monaco-blue', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(949, 1, '2012-10-26 19:10:40', '2012-10-26 19:10:40', '<img class=\"alignnone  wp-image-4857\" title=\"DaveW_web\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/DaveW_web.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"60\" height=\"60\" />\r\nHaving worked on \"Store of the Future\" gas station projects all over the world, I often encounter similar professional scenarios: Clients have an existing network, an old design and a need to attract new consumers to get more out of their existing one. They all want “a store design,” “forecourt design,” “new food offer” or “site plan” that “needs to start rolling out next year but also will need to be relevant in 10 years.” In other words, they want a store of the future.\r\n\r\nI love these projects. They are ambitious and necessary to help gas station companies and brands evolve. Reinvention is sometimes a goal, but moving the business is always a must. As creative director, one of the first things I aim to do is open a client’s eyes. After all, they may know their business inside and out and still not be students of the world. I caution them with this: \"If you want to reinvent the idea of a gas station but all you look at are other gas stations, you\'ll probably end up with a gas station.\" For example, if we were organizing a best-in-class tour, we’d begin with visits to Wawa, Sheetz, Litro, Topaz and Repsol (that is, if we can make it around the world). But there is much more to learn by looking outside the industry as well.\r\n\r\nAll companies need to ask themselves the same questions: How do we speak to our consumers? How is our business organized? Why are we developing these technologies? The good news is that someone else may have already figured out the answer, or at least the approach. And often, it comes from an unexpected place.\r\n\r\nWhile we plan and design stores, car washes and everything else at a gas station, I’d like to hone in on a few eye-opening, non-gas station innovations that we can learn from when thinking about forecourts:\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong>Sonic Drive-In</strong>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-4988\" title=\"Sonic\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Sonic-chain-to-rekindle-drive-in-eatery-nostalgia-in-Toledo-area1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"140\" height=\"100\" />What we can learn: Layout and Flow\r\nThriving Sonic locations can have, at times, more than a dozen cars pull up in a covered area, order food, be entertained by carhops or have the choice of patio seating or a drive-thru. And they do it all seamlessly.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Toll Booths</strong>\r\n<img class=\"wp-image-4989 alignleft\" title=\"e-zpasslane\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/e-zpasslane1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"140\" height=\"100\" />What we can learn: Customization\r\nMotorists drive through E-ZPass lanes in upwards of 40 miles per hour. Can we leverage today’s sensors to reveal which drivers are at our pumps, how much gas their car needs, what music they like and what type of fuel they purchase without having them take out their wallets?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Fabric Architecture</strong>\r\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-4990 alignleft\" title=\"Fabric-Architecture\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Fabric-Architecture-01.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"140\" height=\"100\" />What we can learn: Material\r\nIf your station is located in a warmer climate and doesn\'t need to contend with snow, fabric architecture might be an interesting architectural trend to consider. It’s stable, cost-effective, and makes a bold brand statement.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Airport Hangars</strong>\r\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-4992 alignleft\" title=\"Airport\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/16a2655.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"140\" height=\"100\" />What we can learn: Canopy Design\r\nWho said a canopy has to have columns in the middle? If airplanes can maneuver around in these structures, so can cars and trucks.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>NYC Subways</strong>\r\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-4993 alignleft\" title=\"Subway Sound\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/subwaySound.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"140\" height=\"100\" />What we can learn: At Pump Experience\r\nThe New York MTA is piloting a large, touchscreen kiosk that gives subway station alerts, information, news, local maps and third party apps. Sound like something your customers would want to experience while filling up? Yup.\r\n\r\n(Innovation can also be inspired by the past. \"Reach New York\" is an installation from 1996 – and still active today – where simple motion sensors linked to musical sounds let waiting passengers on subway platforms entertain themselves and each other.)\r\n\r\n<strong>Arby\'s</strong>\r\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-4995 alignleft\" title=\"Arbys\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/ArbysSign1.033.033.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"140\" height=\"100\" />What we can learn: Main ID sign\r\nThis isn\'t just an ordinary sign but a sentence about the brand that screams at the top of its lungs. It\'s got personality and impact and gusto. I love it.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nClearly, I’m only talking about the forecourt here. Inspiration for store design, layout, food service, technology and customer service are around us, everywhere. My advice to oil companies: Get out there and look the other way. Then, and only then, will you truly be a “store of the future.”', 'Gas Station of the Future? Better Look the Other Way', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'gas-station-of-the-future-better-look-the-other-way', '', '', '2018-09-24 19:23:37', '2018-09-24 19:23:37', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/gas-station-of-the-future-better-look-the-other-way', 0, 'thinking', '', 0);
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(950, 1, '2012-11-06 21:07:43', '2012-11-06 21:07:43', 'It’s Election Day – and frankly, thank goodness. I mean, could you possibly take one more day of all the mudslinging, badmouthing and overall bad sentiment perpetuated by this election? More than anything, I’ve been sort of fascinated by how the candidates have chosen to build their brands this election. From my point of view, what it’s boiled down to is a game of celebrities versus billionaires.\r\nIn one corner, we had Obama and his celebs. I’m not gonna deny that it was sort of exciting to get an email from <a href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ypdF5Q73Nbo\" target=\"_blank\">Sarah Jessica Parker</a>, and then from Beyonce, then one from Anna Wintour inviting me to have dinner at her house (“Hell yes!” would be my RSVP), then the one from her majesty Oprah, and lastly, from Julianne Moore, just a few days after she won the Emmy. Here they all were, writing me (seemingly) personal emails, urging me to “make my voice heard” and support President Obama for President.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/photo.jpeg\"><img class=\"alignleft  wp-image-5215\" title=\"photo\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/photo-300x222.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"344\" height=\"255\" /></a>It’s no secret that <a href=\"http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20645380,00.htmlhttp://\" target=\"_blank\">Hollywood</a> is liberal, and that many of today’s hottest actors – Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Gwyneth Paltrow and Madonna among them – have been working hard to see that Obama gets reelected. But while companies have been using celebrities to endorse their products for years, I think there’s something slightly icky about their getting involved in my politics. First of all, I don’t think every celebrity out there shares my exact same values, and we certainly don’t have the same amount of money in our bank accounts. Secondly, while several of them have been very savvy in their career moves (nice move, Ben Affleck, transitioning from actor to director), they certainly don’t all have reputations for being the sharpest tools in the shed. And while I can’t deny that I am wooed by images of the President dancing with Bruce Springsteen, it also makes me feel like he’s having famous people do his heavy-lifting for him.\r\n\r\nThen, in the other corner, we had Mitt Romney. He may not have had celebrities promoting him – unless you count Clint Eastwood and his chair – but he certainly had the big bucks. Sheldon Adelson, the 12th wealthiest man in America, vowed to give as much as $100 million to keep a Republican in office (and as a result, received a <a href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3wYU3jprTI\" target=\"_blank\">hilarious proposition from Sarah Silverman</a>). Donald Trump, another big Republican supporter, not only donated his riches but also his outlandish commentary (and awe-inspiring hairdo) to seeing that Obama doesn’t spend four more years in the White House. The relatively new “Super Pacs” brought in hundreds of millions of dollars in donations, often coming from individual donors, for Romney. And Wall Street has been largely anti-Obama since the president came down hard on the banks – at least in their opinion – after the sub-prime disaster of 2008. Unfortunately, it seems that all this money has resulted in is vicious TV commercials and slanderous ads for Republican candidates.\r\n\r\nAt the end of the day, I believe the best way to create a presidential brand isn’t by having billionaires OR celebrities do your shilling; it’s by coming out fighting with the best ammunition you have – your actions and beliefs. So on this 2012 Election Day, you can either vote with the brand endorsed by celebs, or the brand endorsed by billionaires. Or you can just do what people have been doing for hundreds of years, which is to vote with your heart. That’s what I just did, and it feels pretty darn good.', 'Celebrities VS. Billionaires 2012', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'celebrities-vs-billionaires-2012', '', '', '2018-09-24 19:23:37', '2018-09-24 19:23:37', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/celebrities-vs-billionaires-2012', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(951, 1, '2018-09-24 19:23:36', '0000-00-00 00:00:00', 'It’s not hard to point out what brands do right during the best of times. But what separates those brands that successfully make it through the worst of times?\r\nI’ve been thinking lately about the recent falls from grace by two powerhouse athlete brands: Tiger Woods and Lance Armstrong.  One cheated on his wife (a lot). The other cheated in sport. On its face, we should be much more offended by and ready to drop the athlete brand who cheated to win. After all, as an athlete brand, violating the most fundamental codes of fair play and sportsmanship seem to be much more problematic than infidelity (okay - LOTS of infidelity) off the field.\r\n\r\nBut in the case of Lance Armstrong, that doesn’t seem to be what’s happening. I am struck by how many yellow bands I still see, firmly secure, on the wrists of so many. Why?\r\n\r\nOne reason could be that most people really just don’t care that much about cycling as a sport. It’s simply not as popular and mainstream as golf (I mean, how many other cyclists can you name?). If you don’t care about the sport, then you don’t care if someone is cheating in it.\r\n\r\nYou could also argue that we’ve become so cynical and desensitized as a society to doping in professional sports that we assume everyone is doing it and therefore it’s just not that big of a deal. Fair enough.\r\n\r\nBut there’s also something fundamentally different in the way that the Tiger Woods and Lance Armstrong brands are built that I believe makes one much more vulnerable to personal failing than the other: One brand was built on a promise and the other was built on a purpose.\r\n\r\nThe Tiger Woods brand is built purely on the promise of his ability to win PGA majors and on the image of him as a well-grounded family. We’ve seen the obvious problem with this model when that promise is broken – we no longer believe in the brand the way we used to. Now winning is the only thing there is. And unless Tiger is doing that all the time, it’s hard to find a reason to stick with the brand. Since the scandal broke, six corporate sponsors (Tag Heuer, Gillette, Gatorade, Accenture and AT&amp;T) have dropped him.\r\n\r\nLance Armstrong, on the other hand, built a brand that was larger than his talent, his trophies and even himself. Instead of a one-dimensional promise, LIVESTRONG is a brand built from a belief in life, energy, focus and the strength that comes with unity. It has a clearly defined purpose to inspire people to come together to fight cancer until there is no more cancer left to fight.\r\n\r\nLance’s story and athletic ability may have provided inspiration, but the brand was never just about him or his trophies. It was about a hero’s journey and fighting seemingly insurmountable obstacles in life. And it was an invitation for others who believe in that fight (whether directly affected by cancer or not) to join the brand.\r\n\r\nSo it’s no surprise the yellow bands are still on the wrists of so many people – even after the fallout from the doping scandal. For the supporters of Lance, there seems to be a new, more compelling fundamental rule – it’s not even about HOW you play the game that matters, but rather WHY you play.\r\n\r\nLIVESTRONG enthusiasts didn’t just buy a promise. They joined a purpose bigger than themselves. As a result, they now represent the brand just as much, if not more, than Lance. And they don’t look like they’re giving up on themselves anytime soon.', 'A Tale of Two Brands', '', 'draft', 'open', 'open', '', '', '', '', '2018-09-24 19:23:36', '2018-09-24 19:23:36', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/?post_type=thinking&#038;p=951', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(952, 1, '2012-11-15 20:25:48', '2012-11-15 20:25:48', '&nbsp;\r\n<a href=\"http://www.twitter.com\">Twitter</a> did it. So did <a href=\"https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/instagram/id389801252?mt=8\">Instagram</a> and <a href=\"http://fab.com/\">Fab</a>. Some of the most successful technology startups in recent memory have one thing in common: They’ve applied principles of creativity, innovation and design to their process in order to arrive at a winning idea.\r\n\r\nIf you’re wondering what’s in these companies’ secret sauces, just know that the ingredients are exactly what we practice in the creative agency world. Here are some centered design principles used by recent Silicon Valley startups to turn their brands into huge successes.\r\n\r\n<strong>#1. Don’t be afraid to create a beautiful experience.</strong>\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-5404\" title=\"Fab\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Sandra1Fab.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"87\" height=\"80\" /><img class=\"wp-image-5405 alignright\" title=\"Sandra2table\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Sandra2table.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"168\" height=\"293\" />Fab was originally a niche social networking site, but they later pivoted based on a single insight: People want beautiful design in their everyday lives.\r\n\r\nThe fact that we are multisensory creatures should be a lesson to brands: When developing a new idea, prioritizing how design can enhance the overall experience is key to success. This might encompass the website experience itself, or the presentation of that experience (e.g., the look, tone, and feel of any and all of the brands’ visual elements). Fab capitalized on this fact, as did Pinterest, and both became online sensations as a result.\r\n\r\nKey takeaway: When thinking about how to innovate your brand, design should play a key role from the outset\r\n\r\n<strong>#2. Know what you are good at and build on that asset.</strong>\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-5406 alignleft\" title=\"Sandra3screen\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Sandra3screen.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"132\" height=\"204\" />Instagram famously started as a Foursquare-like copycat called Burbn. But by watching and listening to users, Burbn found that their users were taking advantage of the app’s photo-sharing feature and not much else. Recognizing they were savvy at enabling users to take and share photos, they scrapped the original concept and rebuilt it to be the best photosharing app it could be.\r\n\r\nKey takeaway: Knowing what you are good at is the first step to building something consumers love. Building on what drives users to your brand is a terrific starting point for making something even better—don’t chain yourself to your first idea.\r\n\r\n<strong>#3: Validating new ideas can be quick and painless.</strong>\r\n\r\n<img class=\" wp-image-5407 alignright\" title=\"Sandra4bridge\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Sandra4bridge.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"153\" height=\"270\" />Twitter started out as Odeo, which was essentially a podcasting company. But when they realized podcasting was a dead end offering, they began ideating around what else they could do, and be.\r\n\r\nThe company held rapid-fire ideation sessions where they listened to their staff members’ ideas and realized several of them as low-fi prototypes.\r\n\r\nHere are the future multi-millionaires in action:<img class=\" wp-image-5408 alignleft\" title=\"Meeting\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Sandra5meeting.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"169\" height=\"106\" />\r\n\r\nThe site that eventually grew into Twitter was tested by only 50 people for qualitative feedback.\r\n\r\nKey takeaway: Ideation sessions can help brands quickly come up with concepts that can be prototyped and tested, sometimes with just paper sketches. All you have to do to test them is “get out of the building” and talk to people. And keep in mind, it doesn’t have to be a huge, significant number of users to let you know you’re onto something.', 'How to Innovate Like a Successful Startup', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'how-to-innovate-like-a-successful-startup', '', '', '2018-09-24 19:23:37', '2018-09-24 19:23:37', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/how-to-innovate-like-a-successful-startup', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(953, 0, '2018-09-24 18:19:22', '2018-09-24 18:19:22', '', 'Are-Amazon-Prime-perks-worth-cost-QL283KT5-x-large1-1', '', 'inherit', 'open', 'closed', '', 'are-amazon-prime-perks-worth-cost-ql283kt5-x-large1-1', '', '', '2018-09-24 18:19:22', '2018-09-24 18:19:22', '', 945, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/app/uploads/2018/09/Are-Amazon-Prime-perks-worth-cost-QL283KT5-x-large1-1.jpg', 0, 'attachment', 'image/jpeg', 0),
(954, 0, '2018-09-24 18:19:22', '2018-09-24 18:19:22', '', 'Queen-Elizabeth-Prachute1-1', '', 'inherit', 'open', 'closed', '', 'queen-elizabeth-prachute1-1', '', '', '2018-09-24 18:19:22', '2018-09-24 18:19:22', '', 947, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/app/uploads/2018/09/Queen-Elizabeth-Prachute1-1.jpg', 0, 'attachment', 'image/jpeg', 0),
(955, 0, '2018-09-24 18:19:23', '2018-09-24 18:19:23', '', 'TinaMonaco111-1', '', 'inherit', 'open', 'closed', '', 'tinamonaco111-1', '', '', '2018-09-24 18:19:23', '2018-09-24 18:19:23', '', 948, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/app/uploads/2018/09/TinaMonaco111-1.jpg', 0, 'attachment', 'image/jpeg', 0),
(956, 1, '2012-11-27 21:32:49', '2012-11-27 21:32:49', 'As a girl I was a massive Wonder Woman fan. I was particularly entranced by the idea of the utopian Paradise Island – the girl-only home to Wonder Woman and her Amazon sisters. According to the Wonder Woman story there were no men allowed on Paradise Island, but I always imagined that they kept the men around, housed in pens, and just let them out to mow the lawn and fix stuff.\r\nI am not alone in my fascination with utopias. It is actually an American phenomenon. We love the utopian ideal in this country. America was, early on, perceived as a utopian destination for Europeans – verdant, uncorrupted, and free. And America became a hotbed of utopian experimentation: Shakers, transcendentalists, socialists, free-sexers and free-thinkers.\r\n\r\nIt is partially the pro-utopian DNA in us that fuels our love affair with brands in this country. It is not a coincidence that the vast majority of the great global brands are American. Great brands, like utopians, offer the promise of an emotionally enriched, fundamentally better life – in other words, use this brand and your life will be better and different! For an Axe believer that means you can go from being a skinny kid with acne to a constantly-getting-laid-girl-magnet. Is there a better definition of utopia for the teenage boy? Starbucks actually puts us in charge of the utopia. The brand lets us each enjoy a few moments of complete sovereignty. I imagine the fantastic feeling of command I get when I order my half-caff Americano is eerily similar to the way I would feel were I to order the peasants taken to the dungeon and given only gruel. Well, maybe that’s just me.\r\n\r\nPerhaps the perfect founding metaphor for the relationship between branding and our utopian urge are brands that were literally birthed from utopian communities: Oneida flatware, the brand that sprang from the Oneida religious commune of the mid-nineteenth century and Amana, the corporate outgrowth of a Lutheran-inspired utopian community.\r\n\r\nAt CBX, we actually harness this utopian thinking to explore the power of brands. When developing a Brand Purpose, for example, we think about a brand’s vision for a better world – often in utopian terms -- and then show how the brand is pivotal in bringing this world into being. This grandeur of ambition is critical to driving consumer connection. People want to connect with brands that are trying to do more than just create shareholder value -- they want to connect with brands that have a meaningful role in, and make a meaningful contribution to, the world.\r\n\r\nWe recently undertook this exercise when working with the Independent Filmmaker Project (IFP). We created a utopian IFP world. And through that exploration we saw that opportunities to tell stories were paramount, which helped lead us to a Brand Purpose driven by the idea of creating “successful personal storytellers.”\r\n\r\nSo the next time you are trying to get your head around a brand, ask yourself what kind of world that brand would build. And let’s hope it’s a world where the men get let out of the pens more frequently.', 'Branding and American Utopianism', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'branding-and-american-utopianism', '', '', '2018-09-24 19:23:37', '2018-09-24 19:23:37', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/branding-and-american-utopianism', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(957, 0, '2018-09-24 18:19:23', '2018-09-24 18:19:23', '', 'FutureGas_1-1', '', 'inherit', 'open', 'closed', '', 'futuregas_1-1', '', '', '2018-09-24 18:19:23', '2018-09-24 18:19:23', '', 949, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/app/uploads/2018/09/FutureGas_1-1.jpg', 0, 'attachment', 'image/jpeg', 0),
(958, 0, '2018-09-24 18:19:24', '2018-09-24 18:19:24', '', 'Obama2012-1', '', 'inherit', 'open', 'closed', '', 'obama2012-1', '', '', '2018-09-24 18:19:24', '2018-09-24 18:19:24', '', 950, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/app/uploads/2018/09/Obama2012-1.jpeg', 0, 'attachment', 'image/jpeg', 0),
(959, 1, '2012-12-06 20:26:29', '2012-12-06 20:26:29', 'Kanye West is a lot of things: self-centered pop icon, hip-hop groundbreaker, Taylor Swift hater, boo of Kim K. And who can leave “fashion visionary” off that list?\r\nAfter his infamous MTV Music Awards debacle involving Swift, Kanye wisely retreated from the scene, at least for a while, and moved to Rome to accept an internship with the fashion giant Fendi. It was a move that wasn’t completely unexpected. Kanye had already made a well-documented foray into fashion with sneaker design, launching the highly coveted Air Yeezy 1 and 2 for Nike, and later, inking a two-year deal with Louis Vuitton footwear.\r\n\r\nBut his biggest fashion coup came in the fall of 2011, when he enlisted internationally renowned Givenchy designer Riccardo Tisci to design the album art for \"Watch the Throne\", his much-hyped album collaboration with Jay-Z.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><img class=\" wp-image-5518 aligncenter\" title=\"LuxuryBrand2\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/LuxuryBrand2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"587\" height=\"461\" /></p>\r\n<img class=\" wp-image-5519 aligncenter\" title=\"LuxuryBrand3\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/LuxuryBrand3.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"593\" height=\"393\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nDuring the \"Watch the Throne\" Tour (I attended two different dates) Kanye and Jay-Z, both sported Givenchy tees designed by Tisci, who had also designed the concert sets and marketing collateral. These tees, featuring stars, bold type and Kanye’s distorted visage, couldn’t be farther from the streamlined $2,500 handbags for which Tisci has become known. Still, they inspired a whole line of wear for Givenchy steeped in the hip-hop vein: <img class=\"size-full wp-image-5520 aligncenter\" title=\"LuxuryBrand4\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/LuxuryBrand4.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"589\" height=\"589\" />\r\n\r\nCelebs began donning the Kanye-inspired Givenchy line, including this vest worn by New York Giants wide receiver Victor Cruz (it bears a striking resemblance to the concert tees and album art).\r\n\r\n<img class=\" wp-image-5522 aligncenter\" title=\"LuxuryBrand5\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/LuxuryBrand5.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"593\" height=\"395\" />\r\n\r\nSome argued that a French luxury fashion house “going hip-hop” could tarnish the brand’s status, but Tisci knew better. Priced between $400-800 an item, the Givenchy tees, sweatshirts and vests maintained their luxury status at a premium price point, ensuring that they were targeted for (and acquired by) true tastemakers, not 17-year-old Kanye fans.  Tisci also stayed true to the design facets – stars, chain links, flowers and animals – that put him on the map in the first place.\r\n\r\n<img class=\" wp-image-5523 aligncenter\" title=\"LuxuryBrand6\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/LuxuryBrand6.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"588\" height=\"341\" />\r\n\r\nOf course, the 17-year-olds covet these items, too -- and in a few years, they will be the tastemakers.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><img class=\" wp-image-5524 aligncenter\" title=\"LuxuryBrand7\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/LuxuryBrand7.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"589\" height=\"389\" /></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><img class=\" wp-image-5525 aligncenter\" title=\"LuxuryBrand8\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/LuxuryBrand8.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"584\" height=\"584\" /></p>\r\nFashion collaborations are nothing new, with fashion houses such as Versace, Martin Margiela and Missoni forging partnerships with such retail chains as H&amp;M and Target. Givenchy’s collaboration with Kanye opened the brand up to an entirely new audience (and profits). And it looks like Tisci may not be stopping there; last week, rumors of a possible H&amp;M and Givenchy collaboration had the Internet blowing up like, well, a hip-hop concert.  Who knows, maybe Tisci will bring in his good buddy Kanye as designer.', 'A Luxury Brand Gets a Good Rap', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'a-luxury-brand-gets-a-good-rap', '', '', '2018-09-24 19:23:36', '2018-09-24 19:23:36', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/a-luxury-brand-gets-a-good-rap', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(960, 0, '2018-09-24 18:19:24', '2018-09-24 18:19:24', '', 'band.photo_-1', '', 'inherit', 'open', 'closed', '', 'band-photo_-1', '', '', '2018-09-24 18:19:24', '2018-09-24 18:19:24', '', 951, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/app/uploads/2018/09/band.photo_-1.jpg', 0, 'attachment', 'image/jpeg', 0),
(961, 0, '2018-09-24 18:19:25', '2018-09-24 18:19:25', '', '201271-instagram-logo1-1', '', 'inherit', 'open', 'closed', '', '201271-instagram-logo1-1', '', '', '2018-09-24 18:19:25', '2018-09-24 18:19:25', '', 952, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/app/uploads/2018/09/201271-instagram-logo1-1.jpg', 0, 'attachment', 'image/jpeg', 0),
(962, 1, '2012-12-21 21:11:41', '2012-12-21 21:11:41', 'If you haven’t heard of Johnny Manziel yet, you will. On December 8th, the 20 year-old from Texas A&amp;M became the first freshman in college football history to win the Heisman Trophy. In a country where football is a religion, the kid with an arm of steel and a heart of gold represents a salvation for a sport still reeling from the aftermath of the Penn State tragedy, and the public controversies surrounding on-field concussions. Manziel represents a return to a squeaky clean Friday Night Lights brand of ball. His Aggie fans have even nicknamed him Johnny Football for goodness sake! It doesn’t get any more squeaky clean than that. And everyone wants a piece of the Johnny Football brand— from the NCAA to the university to the sport’s marketing machine at large. But who will win?\r\nIn November of 2011 the Johnny Football name was registered for trademark with the USPTO office for a variety of goods and services. Was it registered to Johnny himself? Nope. It was registered to Kenneth R. Reynolds Family Investments, an entity that appears to be attempting to pirate the trademark by taking advantage of an opportunity NCAA bylaws provide. The NCAA strictly forbids student-athletes from receiving compensation (beyond their athletic scholarships) for the duration of their collegiate careers. Furthermore, their athletic scholarships can\'t exceed the cost of tuition and fees, room and board, and books. Ironically, the cost of a thirty-second spot during the NCAA Men’s Final Four comes in at around $1.2 million, according to Bloomberg.com. Unfair to the players? Maybe. Okay, probably.\r\n\r\nBut here’s where things get murky. Can we really consider a trademark a profit? Like any brand name, the Johnny Football trademark is an asset that you build value in over time. Sure, it can help your brand build loyalty and command premium pricing in the future, but it’s not as simple as a paycheck. Moreover, by holding the Johnny Football trademark hostage in the short-term, the NCAA is hurting Manziel’s ability to profit from his own brand in the future, long after his college career is over. Instead of higher education increasing one’s earning potential, it’s actually diminishing it in the case of NCAA players like Johnny Manziel. It’s like the NCAA doesn’t want players to stick around after their freshman year anymore.\r\n\r\nLet’s take for example Anthony Davis, a one-and-doner from the University of Kentucky and this year’s No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft. You may remember Davis from his signature eyebrows, or should I say, eyebrow (singular). Davis trademarked his distinctive unibrow by registering the phrase “fear the brow” with the USPTO in June 2012. But if you look closely, you’ll see the same phrase was also registered to a company called Blue Zone, a sports outlet in Lexington, Kentucky back in 2011. So who would the Trademark and Patent Office support? The answer is actually a little surprising. In the US and most other countries, the law protects those who are the first to use a trademark, not the first to register. In order to have rights to the trademark, you have to use it publicly in association with a good or service. It’s what prevents companies from gobbling up all the good names and taglines for fictitious products and services that they’ll never launch just to keep their competition from having them. In this case, because Blue Zone was the first to use the “fear the brow” trademark, they actually may have rights to it under the strictest interpretation of the law. So for now, it looks like Davis and his brow are safe. But by preventing other players like Johnny Manziel from using their own nicknames and likenesses in the short-term, the NCAA could prevent them from being able to use them when they go pro.\r\n\r\nIt’s the complicated reality of collegiate and professional sports today that didn’t used to matter. It’s hard to imagine, but no one wanted to “be like Mike” when he was a North Carolina Tar Heel. Wilt wasn’t “Wilt the Stilt” when he was a Kansas Jayhawk. And Deion didn’t become “Neon Deion” until he left Florida State. But for Johnny Manziel, Anthony Davis and other freshman phenoms, their brands are created the second they start school. Currently the Manziel family is working with Texas A&amp;M to protect the trademark (as well as his eligibility). Only time will tell who will prevail in the battle over Johnny Football.', 'The NCAA and the Tricky World of Trademarks', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'the-ncaa-and-the-tricky-world-of-trademarks', '', '', '2018-09-24 19:23:39', '2018-09-24 19:23:39', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/the-ncaa-and-the-tricky-world-of-trademarks', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(963, 1, '2013-01-09 21:57:48', '2013-01-09 21:57:48', 'It’s 2013, and time to set those New Year’s resolutions. But why stop at the individual ones? Every brand, whether a mom-and-pop store or a Fortune 500 company, should also be setting goals for the new year. So even if you fail to cut down on the red meat and hit the gym, at least your brand has a fighting chance to succeed with the following five resolutions:\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>1. Lose Weight and Get Fit</strong><a href=\"http://www.creativereview.co.uk/cr-blog/2007/april/kate-moss-the-brand\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignright  wp-image-5781\" style=\"margin-top: -3px; margin-bottom: -1px;\" title=\"BrandNewYearImages\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/BrandNewYearImages-013.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"340\" height=\"245\" /></a>\r\n\r\nEven brands can get love handles. But unfortunately, theirs aren’t the type that can hide behind a winter sweater. So this year, do something about it. Pick up your Shake Weights and start Jazzercising!\r\n\r\nStart by imagining your ideal brand body image, the core of what your brand stands for. Then take a look in the mirror and get rid of everything else that doesn’t reinforce that image. Do away with embellishments on your graphics, cut down on bloated sub-brands and hit the stair stepper to whittle down claims and messaging communication.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>2. Organize your Home</strong><a href=\"http://www.casestudyinc.com/apples-four-quadrant-product-grid\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-5782\" style=\"margin-top: -3px; margin-bottom: -1px;\" title=\"BrandNewYearImages\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/BrandNewYearImages-023.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"333\" height=\"331\" /></a>\r\n\r\nLike a newly purchased, vacant home, your brand starts off empty and clean. Over time, however, clutter builds and rooms get disorganized (maybe you’ve even put an addition on the house). Some brands need just a little spring cleaning while others desperately need to make a cameo on and episode of Hoarders. Either way, 2013 is a perfect time to get organized.\r\n\r\nTake a look at your brand home. Do you have overlapping products, features or offerings? Can you get rid of one and make the other stronger? Can they merge? How about your segmentation? Your brand segmentations or sub-brands function as the rooms in your home. These rooms can have distinction, but they should all feel as if they’re under the same roof. Embrace brand feng shui!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>3. Spend More Time with Family and Friends</strong>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://twitter.com/twelpforce\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignright  wp-image-5783\" style=\"margin-bottom: -1px;\" title=\"BrandNewYearImages\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/BrandNewYearImages-034.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"340\" height=\"245\" /></a>Marketing is no longer a one-way street, and people can no longer be labeled as “just consumers.” They’re part of your brand family, so take the time to reach out and connect with them.\r\n\r\nYour brand family’s ideas, joys and frustrations will give you valuable insights and help you steer your brand in the right direction. For instance, only someone close to you is going to alert you to that spinach stuck in your teeth. So whether it’s through Facebook, Twitter or an entirely new social medium, start engaging with the people who use your brands. And don’t forget to call your mother.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>4. Try Something New</strong><a href=\"http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324731304578189323042824276.html\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-5784\" style=\"margin-top: -3px; margin-bottom: -1px;\" title=\"BrandNewYearImages\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/BrandNewYearImages-044.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"340\" height=\"245\" /></a>\r\n\r\nDon’t emulate, innovate. All too often, brands are content with “me, too,” playing it safe and sticking close to the pack. Trying something new means taking risks, but choosing to do nothing can also be a risk, so don’t let that stop you.\r\n\r\nIf you play it too safe, how can you expect to be a leader in your field? It is important, however, to stop short of recklessness. Innovations can be large or small, but they need to be formulated and implemented responsibly. That means figuring out if what you’re setting out to do fits with your brand persona. Trying something new for stunt daredevil Johnny Knoxville would be quite different than for renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>5. Don’t Fall Back into Old Habits</strong><a href=\"http://www.underconsideration.com/brandnew/archives/follow-up_windows_8.php\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-5785\" style=\"margin-top: -3px; margin-bottom: -1px;\" title=\"BrandNewYearImages\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/BrandNewYearImages-054.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"340\" height=\"245\" /></a>\r\n\r\nAfter working your way through your 2013 goals, take a good look at your progress. Your brand now looks fit and trim, organized, socially connected and innovative, so don’t fall back into old habits! This is perhaps the most important New Year’s resolution of them all.\r\n\r\nWhen February 1st rolls around, 90% of the people who signed up for a gym membership in January  are nowhere to be found. Don’t let your brand be among the dropouts! Keep improving and creating a more positive and engaging brand experience, one that you can carry through many years to come.', 'A Brand New Year\'s Resolution', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'a-brand-new-years-resolution', '', '', '2018-09-24 19:23:36', '2018-09-24 19:23:36', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/a-brand-new-years-resolution', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(964, 1, '2013-01-15 21:13:13', '2013-01-15 21:13:13', 'SoulCycle, Reebok, Equinox… Oh, My!\r\nSo New Year’s came and went—as did our resolutions. I think we can all begrudgingly confess to having put more gym time on our lists. It’s the redheaded stepchild of all resolutions. Most loathe the thought of including it but feel obligated to anyway. Yet, year after year, while resolutions have stayed the same, the gyms have changed.\r\n\r\nIn New York City—a place once synonymous with prohibition, Studio 54, Times Square strip clubs and overall indulgence—gyms were a rarity. Today, they’re no longer just for the fitness obsessed. They say more about us than Facebook, LinkedIn or OkCupid.\r\n\r\nChoosing a gym is about as personal as choosing a doctor or church. No longer just an experiential brand, gyms have become your personal brand. They shape how you wake up in the morning and how you go to bed at night. You loathe it. You love it. You pay your dues. And you keep coming back.\r\n\r\nWhen I first moved to NYC as a naïve, spirited and broke college grad, I envied those who held the magical card that granted them access through the glamorous entryways of Equinox, Health &amp; Racquet, Reebok Club and Soho House. My options, however, based solely on price, were limited to New York Sports Club (which was still a stretch), Crunch, and Boom. And naïve, I was—opting for a yearlong membership to New York Sports Club.\r\n\r\nYears later, due to stubborn loyalty, I’m still a member. It might be because New York Sports Club is the Starbucks of all gyms—I can’t go 10 blocks without one at my disposal. Or, maybe I feel like I’ve devoted too much of my time to the brand to give it up. Whatever the reason, my loyalty today is more questionable than ever. Boutique gyms are popping up everywhere. And not just their retail spaces but their cult-like followings, stylish apparel and social prestige.\r\n\r\nSoul Cycle, with its exclusive classes, bags, t-shirts, and general coolness, and CrossFit, with its warehouse-style, invite-only hardcore sessions, are two of many. Even Lululemon, which has in-store classes, pop-up sessions, and their  ‘Shit Yogis Say’ YouTube channel, is giving me second thoughts on my blind devotion. Yes, I may just want to be a yogi, but is it too late?\r\n\r\nWhat’s clear at NYSC is their lack of tribe. Rarely do I meet someone gushing about the gym or wearing branded apparel. NYSC doesn’t seem to get that gyms are no longer just a place to sweat—they’re now a social venue, as shown by Equinox’s cafes and Crunch’s quirky dance classes. Reebok, once exclusively a sneaker and apparel brand, now stands for NYC gym exclusivity and <a href=\"http://reebok.sportsclubla.com/services\" target=\"_blank\">offers use of its unique Paul Labrecque Salon &amp; Spa</a>. Even less pricey gyms like Planet Fitness understand the “new gym normal.” Its rec<a href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/03/business/media/planet-fitness-sheds-aspirational-approach.html?_r=0\" target=\"_blank\">ent ad campaign mocks fitness crazed folk</a> and totes its “judgment-free zone.”\r\n\r\nSo, what does this mean for us? Whether spinning, lifting tires, pole dancing or yoga is your thing, there’s a gym for you. But remember, choose wisely.', 'It’s a jungle gym out there', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'its-a-jungle-gym-out-there', '', '', '2018-09-24 19:23:38', '2018-09-24 19:23:38', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/its-a-jungle-gym-out-there', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(965, 1, '2013-01-24 17:06:42', '2013-01-24 17:06:42', 'A recent trip to Kitty Hawk proved to be a lesson on how pioneering inventors make their innovations real. The Wright Brothers changed the course of history. Through insight, mechanical ingenuity and sheer determination, they brought people into the realm of flight. The world got smaller the day they flew.\r\nHere are 6 key takeaways from Wrights’ innovations for any marketer:\r\n\r\n<strong>1. Be Driven, Not Intimidated</strong>\r\nOrville and Wilbur were not the only ones who were working on powered flight. Many had come before them, and contemporaries had raced to see who could figure it all out first. Early pioneers also had to experiment with (and on) their new equipment themselves. Failure often meant death. Get it wrong once and you might not get a second chance. But rather than be intimidated by these consequences, the Wrights drew more fuel for their fire, giving their work an urgency to help other would-be aviators.\r\n<em>Failure is more than \"not an option;\" it\'s a motivator.</em>\r\n\r\n<strong>2. Build On What You Know</strong>\r\nOrville and Wilbur\'s fascination with flight began as children with a wind-up toy helicopter. They later made their living building bicycles, giving them a skill set in manufacturing, mechanics and fabrication. They also became self-sufficient, often building new machinery when none suited their needs. This proved invaluable when it came time to building a machine that had never been seen before.\r\n<em>What you do today should inform and improve what you do tomorrow.</em>\r\n\r\n<strong>3. Don\'t Trust Anyone</strong>\r\nOne of the Wright Brothers’ contemporaries was a German gliding expert named Otto Lilienthal, who had completed over 2,000 documented glider flights before 1900 and written extensively on rules for successful flight. The brothers used his work as a foundation for their first tests, all of which proved unsuccessful. Turns out, Herr Lilienthal\'s work was wrong––he ended up perishing during one of his test flights. Orville and Wilbur started fresh and came up with the rules of roll, pitch and yaw, the three critical flight dynamic principles that are still used today.\r\n<em>Don\'t rely on experts; become one.</em>\r\n\r\n<strong>4. Allow For Trial &amp; Error</strong>\r\nThough the Wrights lived and worked in Dayton, Ohio, they had to find a location to test their new invention. They sent a letter to the Smithsonian asking for the windiest locations in the country. Though Chicago was at the top of the list, it proved too dangerous for a takeoff or landing. In the end, they chose Kitty Hawk, North Carolina (Kitty Hawk was sixth on the list). Kitty Hawk was windy but also coastal, giving them sand to land on that might help soften an inevitable crash landing.\r\n<em>Plan to make and learn from mistakes.</em>\r\n\r\n<strong>5. Never Give Up</strong>\r\nThe Wright Brothers worked for years before they had a successful flight, pouring all of their financial resources into a task that most thought would never succeed. The summer of 1902 was the year they almost quit. On their way back to Dayton following a glider crash, Orville was quoted as saying, \"Man will fly, but not for a thousand years.\" But after returning home, they got right back to work on their prototype. Twelve months later, they returned to Kitty Hawk and changed the world.\r\n<em>Failure is not when you don\'t succeed but when you stop trying.</em>\r\n\r\n<strong>6. There Is No Finish Line</strong>\r\nThe Wright Brothers\' story does not end after their first flight. They continued to refine their invention, making their plane go higher and faster, and enabling the pilot to have more control. Their early secrecy led to skepticism, with some journalists doubting their claims altogether. Legal wars over patents hurt their public image. They also had to find buyers (not an easy task when nobody in the world had ever been trained as a pilot). Safety problems with later models didn\'t help.\r\n<em>Real innovation is a never-ending journey.</em>\r\n\r\nInnovation is achieved on many different scales, and your challenge may not be to change the course of human history. But the lessons we can learn from those who did may help you reach your goals. Like Orville and Wilbur, the sky might quite literally be your only limit.', 'Learning to Fly: Principles of Innovation', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'the-wright-brothers', '', '', '2018-09-24 19:23:38', '2018-09-24 19:23:38', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/the-wright-brothers', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(966, 1, '2013-01-31 20:56:17', '2013-01-31 20:56:17', 'Social media platforms have begun to undermine conventional marketing strategies for traditional brands as Twitter feeds and YouTube parodies deconstruct and redefine their meaning via the almighty “world of mouth.” Where brand truisms were once decided over an afternoon Scotch with Don Draper, today we find ourselves belaboring over an Instagram hashtag to understand how it has so quickly re-purposed our brand essence without us. Not only must brands now continually keep tabs on their consumers but also on their clear and purposeful messaging across media platforms. If not, they risk having little impact or relevance, no matter how timely their Facebook responses or photo updates.\r\nAnd what about the influence of social media on our own personal brands? The same rules seem to apply.\r\n\r\nThe way corporate brands have sought to convey consistent messaging is similar to the way many millennials have begun to convey their own personal brands. And social media platforms have only fueled our desire to build social capital. The Web is no longer a place where anonymity rules or boorish alter egos come out to play. We now live in it and our identities have become bound and defined by it. Case in point: consider the amount of time we spend filtering Instagram pictures. Earlybird, Lo-fi, or Hefe? Alarming.\r\n\r\nThe world of nonstop status updates have forced us to be strategic and particular about the ways we self promote. How do we stick out? How are we going to be remembered? In the world of social media, lasting impressions are made only if we promote our brand consistently—across Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter, and now (drumroll) Tinder.\r\nNewly formed habits or unpredictable behaviors must be spared in order to leverage our ownable strengths. The Web is too big of a playground for people to showcase multiple areas of expertise. You can’t be seen as the funny friend if your personal media content ranges from self-deprecating humor to high-end fashion. Even more important than owning a descriptor is the integrity that’s at stake (albeit, online) with contradictory tendencies. Human beings are inclined to embrace consistency in their commitments, attitudes and actions in a variety of situations as it strengthens our identities. Nobody wants to bear the scrutiny of  “poser-like” behavior, especially online, where all of our worlds collide.\r\n\r\nFacebook’s imminent launch of “graph search”—a tool that allows users to locate any information relative to their friend’s photos and interests—will be akin to the ease of Googling a restaurant location nearby, and will further expose our online behaviors (assuming this information is shared, of course). These refined search methods will instantly reveal “Photos of Meg, from 2009-2011.” As our interests and online lives become more accessible and inextricable, will the pressure to withstand the creation of different online identities and images increase?\r\n\r\nAs is, our streamlined personalities are becoming self-contained and homogenous, reducing the reality of human complexity to “like” clicks, @ user names, RT’s and getting “linked in.”', 'Filter me this…', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'filter-me-this', '', '', '2018-09-24 19:23:37', '2018-09-24 19:23:37', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/filter-me-this', 0, 'thinking', '', 0);

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(988, 1, '2013-05-22 20:02:09', '2013-05-22 20:02:09', 'It’s 7:30 a.m. and I’m coming off my SoulCycle high, eager to seize the day. As I look around the main foyer of the NoHo location, the sunlit room is all smiles. I am truly in awe of this brand. In just six years Julie Rice has created a multi-million dollar fitness sanctuary; a place where a single class offering has amassed a cult-like following and put Exhale Spa addicts to shame. But why? The ambience is certainly a treat, with Verbena yellow candles infiltrating each room, neon words of encouragement covering the walls, and music playing so loud that the only thing you can focus on is the iconic yellow resistance knob on your bike. Still, this holistic health psyche is not new to the 21st century. Many other brands such as Lululemon and Organic Avenue have appropriated their brand meaning to the marriage of mind and body, a heavy-duty “mental floss” if you will. \nThinking on it more, I realized that SoulCycle has benefited from a cultural branding strategy that speaks to Millennials in a highly relevant way. Where brand meaning in the world of fitness is usually constructed by establishing associations between product and valued functional or emotional benefits (PX90 will transform your abs in three sessions, 60 minutes in an exhale class will give you peace of mind… etc.), SoulCycle has repurposed two cultural expressions that are special to the Gen Y identity - that being our sense of self as a result of growing up in teams, and our yearning for authenticity.\n\nI can still hear echoes of Miss Renkin’s strained voice bellowing in my fourth grade classroom “…a team win is a personal win…a team win is a personal win” as we greedy ten year-olds battled for possession over a science fair trophy. Our class would quickly learn to share this shiny gem and accept equal ownership. Because Millennial life experiences are perpetually understood in the context of a group, most of us have identified our role within group(s) from an early age. Rather than being encouraged to “do our own thing,” we are asked contribute to the clan in a meaningful and distinctive way. \n\nSoulCycle has capitalized on this behavior via class structure and communication. The bikes are situated close together and we all ride to the beat of the music, but this collective journey is tempered by the instructor asking us to focus on our individual energy, as a way of inspiring others. In one way or another, we are asked to feel and contribute to each other’s energy for an optimal ride. Sound cheesy? Don’t judge before you experience it for yourself!\n\nAs the Internet homogenizes culture, Millennials struggle to navigate the tension between individual and collective identity. Our seemingly distinctive ideas become retransmitted and cheapened across social media sites with each mouse click. More than ever, we seek the real and the authentic to resist a “wikification” attack on our personal character. Millennials will continue to invest in SoulCycle because the company markets their instructors as the brand’s most genuine property. Classes are tactful and engaging because of each instructor’s unique delivery of SoulCycle values. Depending on whose class you attend, the music, outfits, tempo and ‘grand narrative’ to motivate everyone will differ. These mini soul tribes that rally around instructors cater to that authentic experience Millennials crave under the larger brand vision…because nothing is more real than what makes us all different.\n\nBecause people override marketing messages in determining brand value today, products and experiences are purchased with the intent to join a brand – not just use it. For classes at $34 dollars a pop, there is every reason for me to spin elsewhere, but my loyalty to SoulCycle (along with many others) speaks to the importance of culture in branding – especially for Millennials.', 'A Culture Found', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'a-culture-found', '', '', '2018-09-24 19:23:36', '2018-09-24 19:23:36', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/a-culture-found', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(989, 1, '2013-05-28 20:43:01', '2013-05-28 20:43:01', '<img class=\"size-full wp-image-6375 alignright\" title=\"SandraPict1\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/SandraPict1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"229\" height=\"339\" />\nMuch like Duane Reade, one of the more defining NYC stores is Ricky’s NYC, the self-described “edgy, ultra-hip ‘beauty shop’ specializing in unique fashion accessories, cosmetics and beauty supplies.” After announcing an expansion in WWD in late 2011, however, updated stores are few and far between.\n\nIn the event Mr. Ricky Kenig, the eponymous founder and creative director, is reconsidering, I’d like to make a suggestion or two from a brand strategy perspective:\n\n<strong>DO acknowledge what defines the brand from a positioning standpoint.</strong>\n\nRicky’s NYC is mainly about beauty care that is a quirky, fun, rainbow of colors and a little risqué. When thinking about modernizing this brand, it’s extremely important to keep in mind what represents its true heart and soul. The original Ricky’s is the retail version of a John Waters movie (like Hairspray) meets the East Village’s (now) vintage retail punk scene from the late 80s.\n\n<img class=\" wp-image-6376 alignleft\" title=\"SandraPict2\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/SandraPict2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"273\" height=\"205\" />\n\nThis combination is what makes Ricky’s different and special compared to Sephora or MAC, especially if consumers are outside of NYC or have never experienced the brand, and need to “get” right away what makes Ricky’s special and unique.\n\nWhich brings me to the next stage: Once you’ve clearly acknowledged who you are and what makes you special, infuse that into the visual elements of the brand identity.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<strong>DO identify what visual elements are iconic to the brand, starting with colors and shapes.</strong>\n\nTwo of the key Ricky’s NYC elements are the shape of the squirting tube and the contrasting fuchsia/teal color combination.\n\n<img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-6443\" title=\"Sandrablog3\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Sandrablog3.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"650\" height=\"148\" />\n\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-6477 alignright\" title=\"SandraPict6\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/SandraPict62.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"50\" height=\"183\" />\n\nI once met the man who helped create Maybelline’s Great Lash Mascara, and the pink and green colors for the pack were chosen because they are opposite colors on the spectrum and stand out. And everyone would agree that in mascara, this color combination is forever associated with the Maybelline Great Lash brand.\n\nThe same could be said for the Ricky’s tube and color scheme. We may not know exactly what is coming out of that package, but we know it’s something that will make us look or feel good. The effect is strong.\n\n<img class=\"wp-image-6381 alignleft\" title=\"SandraPict7\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/SandraPict71.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"210\" height=\"156\" />\n\nThe new logos (glimpses available around NYC and on the web) show a tube-free version with uppercase block silver sans serif for the store name. Before moving away from the tube, it’s important to really understand what consumers identify the brand with and what makes the brand unique from a visual standpoint. (Image: new Ricky’s Logo &amp; Store Front on First Ave. in Manhattan)\n\nAnd lastly, even though it sounds like modernizing is risky, it is a part of staying relevant. But that doesn’t mean you can’t still be who you are.\n\n<strong>DON’T be afraid to modernize and still represent your core brand identity. </strong>\n\nWhen you do, just do it in a way that is authentic to what the brand stands for as well as what is relevant for today’s culture. Ricky’s modernizing strategy doesn’t mean having to look like a better Sephora or MAC store. Below are two examples that might either be works in progress or the final design renderings (found on the web) that could still go further in representing brand\'s core meaning.\n\n<img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-6450\" title=\"Sandra4\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Sandra4.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"650\" height=\"261\" />\n\nIf Ricky\'s had been born in 2013, its visual design might incorporate the vintage, iconic aspects of what made Ricky’s part of NYC culture and lore reimagined with a modernized aesthetic. Based on what I’ve shared, the new look could easily be inspired by a combination of Nylon magazine covers and editorial content meets Katy Perry’s hair, makeup, wardrobe and stage sets meets Jean Paul Gaultier’s Spring/Summer 2013 line (which should look incredibly familiar).\n\n<a href=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/SandraBlog2.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-6439\" title=\"SandraBlog2\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/SandraBlog2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"650\" height=\"435\" /></a>\n\nYou don’t need to and shouldn’t lose your brand when you make it more relevant to today’s consumer, if you have a strong foundation. In this case, what makes Ricky’s worthwhile is still there, in the foundation of the brand. The art and craft of branding is recognizing the foundations, and paying homage to them, while staying in step with the cultural moment.', 'Two DO\'s and a DON’T for Updating an Iconic Brand', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'two-dos-and-a-dont-for-updating-an-iconic-brand', '', '', '2018-09-24 19:23:39', '2018-09-24 19:23:39', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/two-dos-and-a-dont-for-updating-an-iconic-brand', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(990, 1, '2013-06-03 21:03:50', '2013-06-03 21:03:50', 'I love James Bond movies. All of them. Even the bad ones (think anything with Denise Richards or Tanya Roberts). And I have now done something either completely horrible—or fantastic and empowering—by introducing my tween daughters to Bond. We have been trolling the catalog together on Friday nights.\nAnd so it was to my horror that I found myself completely unable to name a whole swath of Bond films, despite the fact that I have probably seen each and every one of them five times or more.\n\nThere were the films that jumped to mind quickly:\n•    <em>Goldfinger</em>\n•    <em>Octopussy</em>\n•    <em>Moonraker</em> (yes, I know, horrible)\n•    <em>Diamonds are Forever</em>\n•    <em>Casino Royale</em>\n•    Even On <em>Her Majesty’s Secret Service</em> (you know, the one with the Bond actor no one can ever remember – it’s George Lazenby, BTW)\n\nAnd then there were the films I just couldn’t call up, although I had the vague recollection that they each had the words Live, Die or Tomorrow somewhere in the title. I even struggled with the recent Daniel Craig offering, <em>Quantum of Solace</em>. I mean, seriously, if you’re going to go there, why not just call it <a href=\"http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/spooky_action_at_a_distance\" target=\"_blank\">Spooky Action at a Distance</a>?\n\nThe difference for me between the memorable and the less memorable is imagery. The Bond titles with words that sparked imagery, creating visual cues, simply stuck better. The highly generic and abstract titles, ones that don’t intuitively connect to an image, or even a sensation, are simply less memorable—less sticky.\n\nThis lesson is not new, but it is one that bears repeating. As marketers we often wade into our naming, copy and other verbal communications with high order ideas, and we use lots of abstract language to get them across. And it is a particular danger in the world of B2B.\n\nSo what is a brand to do?\n\n<strong>First off, talk like a human being</strong>. Imagine that you are talking to another person, not broadcasting a message out to the world.\n\n<strong>Use simple language</strong>.  I love big words. But save “peripatetic,” “precipitous” and “pernicious” for your diary.\n\n<strong>Finally, use imagery – create a mental picture</strong>. Don’t be afraid to use metaphors or similes that connect to the tangible world to help bring your ideas to life.\n\nA quick example: I recently saw a new product offering from Xerox called <a href=\"https://www.mybenefitwallet.com/\" target=\"_blank\">BenefitWallet</a>, a tool to help people manage multiple health accounts. The name does a nice job of leveraging an imagistic metaphor, the wallet, to help communicate that the product is going to help organize things and be intuitive and simple. I’m just guessing here, but this is no doubt going to be stickier than “Health Aggregator,” “SimpliHealth” or any of the other more abstract, on-strategy names that Xerox could have developed.\n\nNow, that is not to say that there aren’t other tools that can be used to create memorability—sometimes sound or other disruptive elements can really help a name or an idea break through. But imagery is a great tool to have in the toolbox. So go forth and be imagistic. And definitely watch <em>You Only Live Twice</em>, even though it has a hard-to-remember name.', 'James Bond and the Power of Imagery', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'james-bond-and-the-power-of-imagery', '', '', '2018-09-24 19:23:38', '2018-09-24 19:23:38', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/james-bond-and-the-power-of-imagery', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(991, 1, '2013-06-14 17:30:28', '2013-06-14 17:30:28', 'Well, it’s over. The most wonderful faux-holiday of the year, National Donut Day, has come to a delicious close. Now that the powdered sugar has settled, let’s take a moment to loosen our belts and reflect on the biggest triumph of this faux-holiday season, the cronut. Part donut, part croissant, all kinds of crazy delicious, the cronut not only stirred all of NYC into a gluttonous frenzy, it also stirred up quite a bit of controversy.  May we present to you the cautionary tale of the cronut, with two valuable lessons brands should know when it comes to defending trademarks and intellectual property? </br><strong>Lesson 1: </strong>Being first to market is a blessing and a curse</br>\nThere’s a lot of debate on who was first to market with the cronut. Most media outlets covering Cronut Watch 2013 attribute the innovation to Dominique Ansel, a humble bakery in Greenwich Village. However, Najat Kaanache, chef at Private Social restaurant in Dallas, Texas, has recently taken to twitter to stake her claim as the true inventor of the cronut. While that social media debate rages, there’s the emergence of the knock-off versions calling themselves doissants, crowbars, or even fauxnuts, all trying to prove that a cronut by any other name can be just as sweet. All of this controversy proves that it’s not only a blessing to be first to market, but it’s also kind of a curse. </br>\nFirst-to-market innovators bear the responsibility for educating consumers. Which is what makes descriptive names like “cronut” so appealing; they help clarify what the heck this flaky fried concoction really is without a lot of additional education. The problem is that these names quickly become generic, and people start using them to describe the category rather than a specific brand. </br>\nLet’s think back to the SillyBand craze that captured our imagination a couple of years ago. “Silly bands” is the descriptor we all use to describe those colorful, adorably shaped rubber bands, but “SillyBand” is also a trademark. While the trademark may force other brands to call themselves FunBand or CrazyBand, it doesn’t force consumers not to call them “silly bands.” And that’s how it happens, the gradual process whereby brands lose their trademarks. It’s a process called “genericide,” where a term no longer stands for a brand but for the category at large. And trademark law is clear—no one can own a generic term. If consumers use a company’s trademarks descriptively for too long, they’ll lose the right to carry the trademark at all. Zipper, Aspirin, Kerosene, Escalator are all victims of genericide. And it looks like the cronut is well on its way to meeting a similar fate. </br>\nFirst-to-market brands that successfully avoid genericide do one expensive but worthwhile task —they invest in two names, not just one. They create an industry category descriptor and a brand name, and continuously message to consumers that they are very different things. At launch, Tivo invested as much in the DVR category name as it did in its own brand name. Same with Intel and microprocessor; Google with search engine; RollerBlade with the in-line skate. It’s a headache, but them’s the breaks when it comes to being first to market. </br>\n<strong>Lesson 2: </strong>A trademark is not a patent</br>\nAnd finally, to close out the conversation on cronuts and branding best practices, let’s offer a quick point of clarification. A trademark is not a patent. While they live in the same intellectual property world, they offer two different kinds of protection. A patent will prevent other brands from making the same product. In the case of a cronut, it would prevent other brands from making any donut-meets-croissant hybrid at all. A trademark will prevent other brands from using the same name for their product. In the case of a cronut, that’s why we see the emergence of doissants and fauxnuts, because Dominique Ansel’s innovation is protected by a trademark, not a patent. That said, patents are very hard to get, and it may be the case that the cronut doesn’t qualify for one. But for any innovation that does qualify, it’s always a good idea to seek trademark and patent protection. </br>\nIn the meantime, the countdown to the next National Donut Day begins (for those counting we have a little under 360 more days to go). ', 'Innovation hurts, donut?', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'innovation-hurts-donut', '', '', '2018-09-24 19:23:37', '2018-09-24 19:23:37', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/innovation-hurts-donut', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(992, 1, '2013-06-20 16:36:39', '2013-06-20 16:36:39', 'After stepping outside of a Lower East Side restaurant one Sunday afternoon, I was struck by a New York moment. It was not my first, nor even my fiftieth, but this brief moment in time struck a chord and composed a beautiful symphony of discovery.\nThe rain felt like water balloons and my umbrella was nonexistent. As I scrambled to hail a cab on Orchard, a bright sign with a two-word logo lockup caught my eye. Reed Space, one of the world’s most innovative boutiques, became my safe haven that day.\n\nAs an enthusiast for this lifestyle brand, I am intrigued by the consumer experience Staple Design, the brand’s originator, has curated at retail. Reed Space is owned and operated by the agency’s founder Jeff Ng, who has expanded the company to three divisions since its inception in 1997: a creative agency, a clothing collection and a commercial store in NYC and Japan. This equation has positioned Staple as one of the more influential and trendsetting brands today.\n\nAfter stepping inside of their retail space for the first time, I found myself enthralled by the very items that Staple Design is NOT widely known for: art, gadgets and accessories. The door opens up to a long narrow corridor; the right wall is lined with book after book sitting atop about one hundred white chairs that are seamlessly woven together as elevated shelving.\n\nThe rest of the store carries a grip of art and merchandise that looks and feels on-brand. Is this surprising? No. Does it represent a best-in-class boutique experience at retail? Yes. Not only does Reed Space have an art gallery next door (Reed Space Annex), the minimalistic store design brings their product offerings front and center. Plush wood sits beneath collections of graphic tees and sneakers. Jackets and button-ups run parallel to the clean white walls that frame this mecca of streetwear.\n\n<img class=\"alignleft  wp-image-6588\" title=\"slide3\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/slide3.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"360\" height=\"270\" />Google.com defines boutique as “a business that serves a sophisticated or specialized clientele.” The under-the-radar nature of these shops is both mysterious and fascinating. Across NYC and abroad, these formats make it a point to go unnoticed to the general public through innovative signage, faux storefronts and unique store locations. The end goal is not to earn extravagant profits but to connect with humans in new, engaging and innovative ways.\n\nReed Space and many other boutiques around the world have become a destination for consumers to discover, learn and educate themselves beyond the very products they purchase.', 'Chic Boutique', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'chic-boutique', '', '', '2018-09-24 19:23:37', '2018-09-24 19:23:37', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/chic-boutique', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(993, 1, '2013-07-03 16:11:39', '2013-07-03 16:11:39', 'We’re celebrating a birthday this week. That’s right, it’s the anniversary of the good ol’ US of A’s independence. It’s a celebratory time when Americans get together and share a strong national ethos of patriotism. It’s a time for questions like, hot dogs or hamburgers, where to see the fireworks and whether or not to take Friday off from work.\nBut while I was pondering these important questions along with the rest of the nation, something interesting on TV caught my eye. Between all those insanely annoying 4th of July discount mattress spots, the Fiat commercial got me to rewind, watch again and really think about what I had just seen.\n\nLet me quickly remind you that Fiat was reintroduced back into the U.S. in 2010. They adopted  the course of using celebrities as a shortcut to popularity, showing us people like Jennifer Lopez, Pitbull and even <a href=\"http://www.nydailynews.com/autos/pop-song-amazing-car-ad-pitbull-sexy-people-music-video-all-out-fiat-commercial-article-1.1350110\" target=\"_blank\">Charlie Sheen</a> (which was either a genius or half-witted decision). And while it’s evident that they’re trying to capture the attention of Millennials, with those spokespeople, they’re clearly struggling to find their image and what they stand for.\n\nFiat’s latest, very strategically timed commercial, portrays Paul Revere galloping through town exclaiming to the townspeople that it’s not the British, but the Italians who are coming. What a revolution for Fiat! They’ve finally embraced where they come from and courageously flaunted it at a time when the nation is being inundated with Americana. They’re leveraging their Italian auto ingenuity and sleek designs.\n\n<img class=\"alignleft  wp-image-6633\" title=\"Lucila2\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Lucila2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"609\" height=\"321\" />\n\nThis leads me to the point that a brand’s identity needs to be authentic and believable. It grows from the foundation and the soul of a company. Shifts in identity can occur over time, but they should always stem from a core truth.\n\nFiat’s relaunch into such an important market, has inevitably faced its fair share of challenges. But it seems as if they’ve finally done some deep soul searching to get the brand right. It’ll be interesting to see if Fiat can stay on brand, as well as Americans’ reaction to the Italian “invasion.”\n\nCheck out the commercial <a href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=do9RSU46HzA\" target=\"_blank\">here</a>.', 'Stars, Stripes and Cannolis', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'stars-stripes-and-cannolis', '', '', '2018-09-24 19:23:38', '2018-09-24 19:23:38', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/stars-stripes-and-cannolis', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(994, 1, '2013-07-03 16:15:16', '2013-07-03 16:15:16', 'Designing a compelling coffee program or retail coffee experience, you need to take into account the entire consumer journey. Everything from need state (Hmmm, I\'m getting tired, maybe I should go somewhere to get some coffee) to decision making (Hmmm, where should I go?) to consuming (Hey, this is good coffee) and connecting (I like those folks at Irving Farms). Depending on how you analyze the journey, there could be dozens of touchpoints along the way that each need to be carefully planned. To illustrate this, let\'s look at one of them.\nWe\'ll focus on something simple. The cup. A coffee cup can be an important tool and appears at a few points along a consumer journey map. Seeing someone with a cup on the street. Seeing the cups stacked in the store. Holding the cup and drinking the coffee, which may even involve reading the cup.\n\nDoes a cup design affect the consumer\'s coffee experience? Of course it does. A coffee cup is an interesting thing. It\'s a package but you don\'t buy it while it\'s on the shelf. It doesn’t need to compete on shelf with other coffee cups. It\'s a purchase reinforcement. It’s like when you buy Eleni\'s cookies online. It\'s the cookies you\'re buying but when you get that box, that incredible box, it reinforces the quality, the taste and the specialness of those cookies. Cups can also feel special, like when you hold a well-designed, double-insulated paper cup where the sleeve is attached and goes from top to bottom. Cups can also communicate. Often there are stories of heritage or origin on the cups. If you\'re sitting for 20 minutes with a cup, chances are you may read what\'s there. Coffee cups can also be status symbols, much like carrying around a Green LOVE juice from Organic Avenue.\n\nYou would think that coffee cups need to show taste appeal and therefore display dark and warm colors, but companies are doing very different things with coffee cups. They can be brand focused, story focused, coffee focused. Coffee cup design should in some way come back to brand strategy but also take consumer journey into account.\n\nSo what color is coffee? Well it\'s brown I guess but not all retailers are following along. I would say coffee definitely isn\'t white but look at Starbucks. They really stand for coffee and they are also a badge brand. People are proud of their Starbucks so they can get away with a logo on a plain white cup. Dunkin is actually missing an opportunity while doing the same thing. An opportunity exists for all brands to deliver an emotional benefit through these coffee cups. Dunkin is wrong for just putting a logo on a cup. It\'s not enough to identify with. Dunkin has rabidly loyal followers but they aren\'t a badge brand. They should be taking advantage of how many impressions they get from their cups and using them thoughtfully. People drink coffee every day and they need a daily affirmation of who we are and who they want to be. Why can\'t a coffee cup deliver that?\n\nHere is a look at some coffee cups that cover a range of strategies. Drink up!\n\n<img class=\"alignleft  wp-image-6618\" title=\"DavidW Blog2\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/DavidW-Blog2-384x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"617\" height=\"1644\" />', 'What Color is Coffee?', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'what-color-is-coffee', '', '', '2018-09-24 19:23:39', '2018-09-24 19:23:39', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/what-color-is-coffee', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(995, 1, '2013-07-25 14:21:00', '2013-07-25 14:21:00', 'Hollywood has gone crazy for camp—camp TV shows, that is. A few weeks ago, two camp-centric shows premiered: the scripted Camp, a dramedy on NBC, and Summer Camp, a reality show featured on USA. In the latter, a group of twentysomethings return to their favorite place on earth to compete for big bucks. Think of it as Survivor with cabins.\r\nIt’s a goofy premise, but I was instantly hooked. I consider the summer camp of my youth to be my favorite place on earth. I went to camp for ten straight summers, from ages 7 to 16. And while my camp was filled mostly with upper middle class suburban kids who didn’t know nitty-gritty wilderness survival from Kumbaya, it was still a heck of a lot more rugged and bare bones than sleepaway camps today, they with their air- conditioned bunks, constant email communication with parents and Color War breakouts featuring celebrities like Rihanna and Jay Z.\r\n\r\nNot surprisingly, because of their hefty price tags (upwards of $10,000 for seven weeks), camps, like universities, are becoming increasingly specialized. There are thousands of different camps out there, with offerings to suit every kind of overscheduled, helicopter-parented, gluten-free, aspiring blogger/basketball player/performance artist. Camps have also gotten super savvy at branding. Many staffs employ people who tweet, blog and post on Facebook about camp activities, as a way to keep parents informed, but more, to spread the word about the awesomeness of their offerings.\r\n\r\nAnd just how awesome ARE they? Here’s a taste of some of the more unique camps out there and just who they are trying to reach with their branding efforts:\r\n\r\n<strong>Plantation Farm Camp</strong>\r\n<strong><img class=\" wp-image-6717 alignleft\" style=\"margin-bottom: -5px;\" title=\"jrthree\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/jrthree.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"260\" height=\"167\" /></strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">What:</span> A sustainable, environmentally conscious camp set on a farm in the Sonoma Redwoods\r\n<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Where:</span> Sonoma, California\r\n<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Target audience:</span> Parents who’ve read The Omnivore’s Dilemma\r\n<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Why:</span> Campers interact with plants, animals and nature and go to the roots – literally.\r\n<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Uniform:</span> Hemp t-shirts, TOMS shoes\r\n<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Camp menu:</span> Raw, whole grain, gluten free\r\n\r\n<strong>Surf Diva\'s All-Girls Overnight Surf Camp</strong>\r\n<strong><img class=\"wp-image-6718 alignleft\" style=\"margin-bottom: -3px;\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/boarding-school-group.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"257\" height=\"160\" /></strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">What:</span> An all-inclusive surf camp for girls\r\n<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Where:</span> San Diego, California\r\n<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Target audience:</span> Girls who’ve watched the movie Blue Crush ten times or more and who think Gabrielle Reece is a goddess\r\n<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Why:</span> Riding the waves is way cool, helps you get in great shape and builds self-confidence for girls who hope to be future Sheryl Sandbergs and Marisa Mayers.\r\n<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Uniform:</span> Quiksilver bikini\r\n<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Camp menu:</span> Bananas, water and lots of carbs\r\n\r\n<strong>Thrill Coaster Tours  </strong>\r\n<strong><img class=\" wp-image-6719 alignleft\" style=\"margin-bottom: -5px;\" title=\"rollercoastercamp\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/rollercoastercamp.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"264\" height=\"177\" /></strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">What:</span> A roller coaster camp. I kid you not.\r\n<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Where:</span> Various cities across America (that have roller coasters, of course)\r\n<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Target audience:</span> Thrill-seekers, acrophobics  Why: This is a teen tour with a spin; kids visit various amusement parks around the country and try out their roller coasters. Plus, they get to travel by luxury bus and stay at Marriott hotels along the way. Not exactly “roughing it.”\r\n<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Uniform:</span> Nothing too revealing, lest you have a wardrobe malfunction on the rides.\r\n<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"> Camp menu:</span> As little as possible; you don’t want to lose your lunch, so to speak!\r\n\r\n<strong>New York Film Academy Camps </strong>\r\n<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Wh</span><strong><img class=\"wp-image-6720 alignleft\" style=\"margin-bottom: -5px;\" title=\"tumblr_lhg34pD3No1qexvix\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/tumblr_lhg34pD3No1qexvix.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"260\" height=\"144\" /></strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">at:</span> camp for teen and tween cinephiles\r\n<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Where:</span> Film-loving cities around the world: New York, LA, Paris, London\r\n<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"> Target audience:</span> Aspiring Scorseses, Tarantinos and Coppolas (Sofia, of course)\r\n<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Why:</span> Because Hollywood’s a competitive place – why not get a head start?\r\n<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Uniform:</span> Hollywood casual, with a digital video camera on your shoulder\r\n<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Camp menu:</span> Whatever you eat, you’ll be ordering it “off the menu.”\r\n\r\nOf course, there are plenty of plain old overnight camps out there, whether they are in Upstate New York, Northern Michigan or Santa Fe, New Mexico. Not all of them sell some kind of fancy hook to get kids packing their bags for the summer. But in this day and age, that certainly can’t hurt. Personally, I wouldn’t mind ditching my husband and kids for two months and trying out that surf camp. Or maybe I’ll just send in an audition tape for season two of Summer Camp.', 'The Branding of Camp', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'the-branding-of-camp', '', '', '2018-09-24 19:23:38', '2018-09-24 19:23:38', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/the-branding-of-camp', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(996, 1, '2013-08-05 19:44:28', '2013-08-05 19:44:28', 'It\'s really hard for consumers to remember most product names, but when companies get it right, it can really help their product gain traction. The companies that launched the brands Swiffer, Snuggie and Fitbit all did it remarkably well.\nIt’s especially difficult in cosmetics, where there can be multiple launches a year in face, eye, lip and nail. When I worked in marketing for a cosmetics brand, I learned that consumers only remember the basics, like colors and shapes. For Maybelline, the iconic Great Lash was memorable because of its contrasting colors of pink and green. But names? They are hard to retain, especially with so many shades to choose from.\n\nMost brands shy away from lengthier names, but they lose the richness and storytelling. The truth is, consumers often remember product or variant names when they touch and engage them. So how does a company solve the problem of ownable names? By enlisting brand, culture and people in the foundation of the name development.\n\nOPI and L\'Oreal are great examples of brands that have and continue to develop brand connections with consumers through unique names. OPI set the bar and others have followed. It must have been a big risk to put a six-word name on a tiny bottle, but it paid off—it\'s now a basic requirement in the nail category to have an interesting, fun and evocative name. When your boyfriend remembers the name of the polish \"Affair in Red Square\" you know they are on to something.\n\nHere is what you can learn from OPI that will help you if you are faced with the task of naming a product. First, stay true to the your brand’s core belief and purpose. In an interview for divinecaroline.com, Suzi Weiss-Fischmann, executive vice president and artistic director at OPI, says she tries to put the essence of the brand in each name. That can be hard with dozens of colors launching at a time. The brand’s purpose is “accessible escape” – the color “I’m really not a waitress” is the all time best seller (making the names is their own sort of brand – see the color below on the Dell laptop chassis).\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">  <img class=\"wp-image-6877\" style=\"margin-left: 50px;\" title=\"Dell opi\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/dell-mini-10-im-not-really_a_waitress_by-opi-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"456\" height=\"341\" /></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Second, consider the cultural context. Weiss-Fischmann says she looks into street fashion, food, music and movies, all of which helps her keep her finger on the pulse of popular culture. She also takes into account fashion and runway trends that are leading and uses them to influence naming. While your brand may not be involved in multiple launches a year, it does pay to take into consideration the cultural movements that are affecting the locus of your brand’s geographic market.</p>\nLastly, you have to consider people, i.e., your specific target consumer. OPI nail color naming really keeps their target in mind as part of the name development process – Weiss-Fischmann says she creates nail color for the average woman, whom she observes as inspiration. This works out well for OPI, helping them stay grounded and understand what the consumer would consider an appealing, accessible escape.\n\nBrands can learn a thing or two about naming from winners like OPI, a leader in the nail category known for its unique and memorable monikers. The added benefit of phrasal names is that they are more ownable because they tell more of a story. Regardless of length, the key things to keep in mind throughout the naming process are how the brand, culture and people play a role in developing the right name for your product and help it stand out from the crowd.', 'Nailed it!', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'nailed-it', '', '', '2018-09-24 19:23:38', '2018-09-24 19:23:38', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/nailed-it', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(997, 1, '2013-08-26 14:28:31', '2013-08-26 14:28:31', 'Music is being consumed in a variety of ways in 2013. From set streams to podcasts and everything in between, technological advancements allow users to have unlimited access to their favorite artists in most, if not all settings. The occasions in which these collections of sonic rhythms are listened to are endless, but live performance still remains the optimal experience.\nA few weeks ago, I attended the Jay Z and Justin Timberlake “Legends of the Summer Tour” at Fenway Park, which sported an incredible and seamless collaboration of two totally different sounds. I wondered why more artists of different genres don’t tour together. In the context of today’s music festivals, I realized they actually do.\n\nAs festival season comes to a close this Labor Day, I decided to analyze the branding strategies and consumers behind a few that I experienced this summer, and a couple that I regretfully missed. With rumors swirling that EDC NY 2014 is moving locations to the campgrounds of Winston Farm in Woodstock (1994 location), these festival productions are starting to come full circle. What is EDC NY you ask? Read on!\n</br>\n<img class=\"wp-image-6933 alignleft\" style=\"margin-bottom: -5px;\" title=\"Music Festival 2\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Music-Festival-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"299\" height=\"160\" /><strong>What:</strong> A mashup  of food, drinks and music, including 85 grub makers, 75 brews, 100 wines and 20 live performances.\n<strong>Where:</strong> Brooklyn, NY (Prospect Park)\n<strong>Target Audience:</strong> Hipsters and Foodies\n<strong>Price:</strong> Free Giveaway Lottery with Preregistration\n<strong>Music Genre(s):</strong> Indie\n<strong>Length:</strong> Two days\n<strong>Why:</strong> Mainstream festivals have become glorified by the media and overpopulated by teenagers. This one flies under the radar in BK and allows first-movers to experience a variety of locally sourced food and beverages.\n</br>\n<img class=\"wp-image-6934 alignleft\" style=\"margin-bottom: -5px;\" title=\"Music Festival 3\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Music-Festival-3.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"297\" height=\"134\" /><strong>What:</strong> Literally, an amusement park set up in stadium parking lots, boasting classic carnival rides like the ferris wheel and the zipper. Add multiple stages of electronic dance music (EDM) deejays and fireworks, and madness ensues.\n<strong>Where:</strong> London, Puerto Rico, Orlando, New York, Chicago, Las Vegas (original site)\n<strong>Target Audience:</strong> First-time ragers hoping to break into the EDM scene\n<strong>Price:</strong> $159 for a one-day pass, $209 for a two-day pass\n<strong>Music Genre(s):</strong> EDM\n<strong>Length:</strong> Two days\n<strong>Why:</strong> Challenged by competitors, Insomniac Events has created an accessible and reasonably priced party. EDC NY was held at Citi Field this year. Las Vegas is a totally different animal with sets starting at midnight and running until six in the morning. Hotel pool parties (not included) own the daytime; most deejays in the festival participate in both slots.\n</br>\n<img class=\"wp-image-6935 alignleft\" style=\"margin-bottom: -5px;\" title=\"Music Festival 4\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Music-Festival-4.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"111\" /><strong>What:</strong> A prestigious, campground-heavy, three-day festival regarded by some as the holy grail of music events. With the festival set against a majestic landscape, attendees get to take in the beautiful California spring climate of the valley.\n<strong>Where:</strong> Indio, California\n<strong>Target Audience</strong>: Hardcore festivalgoers (yes, this a word) willing to travel and shell out a pretty penny to make memories that will last a lifetime.\n<strong>Price:</strong> $399–$783 for one weekend (contingent on camping costs)\n<strong>Music Genre(s):</strong> Rock, Indie, Hip Hop, Pop, Country, EDM\n<strong>Length:</strong> Three days, two weekends, back to back\n<strong>Why:</strong> Because California does everything big, and in this case, since 1999.\n</br>\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-6941 alignleft\" style=\"margin-bottom: -5px;\" title=\"Music Festival 5\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Music-Festival-51.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"297\" height=\"225\" /><strong>What:</strong> Similar to EDC Vegas, ULTRA is a grandiose electronic dance music spectacle. With over 100,000 attendees on any given day, expect overly crowded stages filled with soldiers draped in neon-clad uniforms.\n<strong>Where:</strong> South Korea, Spain, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Croatia, Miami, FL (original site)\n<strong>Target Audience:</strong> EDM Enthusiasts and local teenagers with their parents’ plastic\n<strong>Price:</strong> $399 for a three-day pass\n<strong>Music Genre(s):</strong> EDM\n<strong>Length:</strong> Three days, two weekends, back to back\n<strong>Why:</strong> Debated as one of the best nightlife cities in the world, Miami, the event’s original host city, also promotes professional music conferences associated with the festival. EDM’s popularity has allowed this festival to expand internationally.\n</br>\n<img class=\" wp-image-6942 alignleft\" style=\"margin-bottom: -5px;\" title=\"Music Festival 6\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Music-Festival-61.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"295\" height=\"141\" /><strong>What</strong>: Embodying the same spirit as Coachella, this festival attracts the grungy, get- your-hands-dirty-type of attendee for the country camping experience.\n<strong>Where:</strong> Manchester, TN on 700 acres of land\n<strong>Target Audience:</strong> DIY campers looking to have a good time\n<strong>Price:</strong> $224–$269 + parking passes\n<strong>Music Genre(s):</strong> Indie, Rock &amp; Roll, Hip Hop, Pop, Jazz, Bluegrass, Country, Folk, EDM\n<strong>Length:</strong> Four days\n<strong>Why:</strong> Because bluegrass and knee-slapping tunes need their own local festival!\n</br>\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-6945 alignleft\" style=\"margin-bottom: -5px;\" title=\"Music Festival 7\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Music-Festival-71.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"293\" height=\"189\" /><strong>What:</strong> Overlooking the Manhattan skyline, Electric Zoo attracts tens of thousands of “animals” who come to watch the most popular EDM deejays spin for twelve hours a day. Made Events has put together a festival full of food carts and interactive experiences, and one now regarded as one of the best productions in terms of operational efficiency.\n<strong>Where:</strong> Randall’s Island, NYC\n<strong>Target Audience:</strong> EDM enthusiasts and meatheads looking to flex their muscles in bro tanks one last time on Labor Day\n<strong>Price:</strong> $179 for a single-day pass, $359 for a three-day pass\n<strong>Music Genre(s):</strong> EDM\n<strong>Length:</strong> Three days\n<strong>Why:</strong> Heralded as “New York’s Electronic Music Festival,” this event attracts a strong international presence similar to ULTRA. With 14 afterparties planned all over the city this year, the five-year anniversary production showcases five stages!\n</br>\n<img class=\"wp-image-6946 alignleft\" style=\"margin-bottom: -5px;\" title=\"Music Festival 8\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Music-Festival-81.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"306\" height=\"192\" /><strong>What:</strong> Curated by none other than entertainment mogul Jay Z, this festival has become the main competition to Electric Zoo on Labor Day, luring some of the most talented EDM deejays around. Boasting acts from all genres, Made in America is the best bang for your buck.\n<strong>Where:</strong> Philadelphia, PA\n<strong>Target Audience:</strong> Fans of pop culture\n<strong>Price:</strong> $106 for a one-day pass, $168 for a two-day pass\n<strong>Music Genre(s):</strong> Indie, Hip Hop, Pop, EDM\n<strong>Length:</strong> Two days\n<strong>Why:</strong> Whatever Jay Z touches has turned to gold, and Made in America is no different. It’s rapidly expanding and a boon to the local Philadelphia economy as the summer winds down.\n</br>\nThese festivals are just a handful. Tomorrowland, Lollapalooza, Camp Bisco, Electric Forest and Firefly are others. As you can see by their logos and social media presence, each event is branded to find a niche for music fans. Unique festival equities and artwork are activated on tickets, wristbands, merchandise and the map design. In terms of the actual experience on the grounds, music festivals have grown to be more than just about the music. From silent discos to a glow-in-the-dark exotic animal farm, production companies are exhibiting their complex understanding on notions of audience connection.\n\nThe heart of CBX’s brand strategy is encapsulated in this motto: “Connecting to the lives of individuals is what matters most.” In this case, you can’t just connect to consumers by bringing huge artists to one location; you have to curate an integrated experience as well. Nothing compares to seeing 25 of my favorite artists at one venue.\n\nTo get smart and have a good laugh about all the different types of target audiences, check out this <a href=\"http://www.mixmag.net/words/features/the-new-tribes-of-dance-music-vol-ii-the-us\" target=\"_blank\">link</a>!', 'The Branding of Music Festivals', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'the-branding-of-music-festivals', '', '', '2018-09-24 19:23:38', '2018-09-24 19:23:38', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/the-branding-of-music-festivals', 0, 'thinking', '', 0);
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(998, 1, '2013-09-26 15:49:39', '2013-09-26 15:49:39', 'Routine: It’s a sweet spot for brand penetration, with some brands striving to fit into consumers’ daily schedules (Facebook), and others wanting to disrupt it (like Red Bull). However, for those who are part of a couple, it’s a scary word. It can mean a rut, pending breakup, or just uncertainty about the future, and it’s something to avoid at all costs. After all, newlyweds live by their prenuptial advice: Despite being married, never stop dating. So, the pressure is on.\nSlowly but surely, brands have begun to answer this call, beginning with the inception of LivingSocial and Groupon. While not specifically targeted to people in relationships, they’ve become a couple’s best friend, offering promotions that aim to get couples away from their computers and TV screens and focused on each other in creative ways. As a result, it seems the culture has shifted, and brands are speaking more directly and frankly to couples and their respective needs.\n\nThis shift is especially evident in the online dating world. At one time, dating websites were only skewed toward singles, with differing tastes and/or interests, as highlighted in my last article. Now, though, dating sites are popping up and speaking to committed couples in one of three ways: as potential swingers, as those desperate to keep the fire alight, and/or as those simply looking to spice up their habitual dating schedule.\n\nMy research into these sites revealed a few gems. The first is <a href=\"http://www.kupple.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Kupple</a>, described as an “online community for couples seeking friendship, advice, or new restaurants.” Of course, next to this welcome description are two featured articles: “5 Phrases That Can Kill a Relationship” and “Why You Two Don’t Talk Anymore;” also, in bold letters, it reads “This is not a swingers site.”\n\nKupple is very much unlike <a href=\"http://www.swingles.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Swingles</a>, which is described as an “adult dating site for singles and naughty couples.” Plus, it’s a much more open community than <a href=\"http://www.christianswingers.com/\" target=\"_blank\">ChristianSwingers</a>, described as “devoted Christian couples who still want to have an active love life and share it with one another, in good faith!”\n\nThese dating brands, while speaking to specific preferences, don’t necessarily speak the language of 21st century relationships. Today, it’s all about being surprised, getting personal, and disrupting the norm. <a href=\"https://www.datelivery.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Datelivery</a> sings this tune with its birchbox-like approach to making a date at home more than just popcorn and a movie. The subscription services sends the necessary ingredients and instructions for a night at home once a month, ranging from an iron chef pizza challenge to a 70’s themed disco night.\n\nMoreover, <a href=\"http://couples.howaboutwe.com/datebook\" target=\"_blank\">HowAboutWe</a> — formally known for its unique dating platform of spontaneity and ideas — has extended its reach as a site devoted to couples. This site is described as a dating portal focused on “committed couples,” with offerings much like LivingSocial and Groupon, but with the perks of free dates and more unique excursions/events.\n\nEssentially, dating is no longer something for the lonely. Today, it’s very much about sustaining love for the long haul, but what does this say about the bigger picture? Are we so inundated with activities that we have zero energy to come up with our own date ideas? Have we just become lazy? Does relying on an online site make the act of dating less meaningful? How can we compete with a chef-led cooking experience and a private Broadway show viewing? I don’t have an answer yet, but what is clear is that now we all have to up our game — our dating game, that is.\n\n&nbsp;', 'Happily Ever After Online?', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'happily-ever-after-online', '', '', '2018-09-24 19:23:37', '2018-09-24 19:23:37', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/happily-ever-after-online', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(999, 1, '2013-10-03 20:15:37', '2013-10-03 20:15:37', 'Before a wrestling match, I once told my younger boy – who was 5 at the time – that his opponent said he was going to take his toys from him. I’m pretty sure that’s the worst thing I’ve ever done in my life and I immediately decided that wasn\'t how I would coach him in the future.\nI’m one of the head coaches for our town’s youth wresting program, which includes kids in kindergarten through 5th grade. I also coach youth soccer and have coached tee ball as well. Keep in mind, I\'ve never played baseball before but I\'m pretty sure I could coach archery at the kindergarten level. I think back to one of the greatest sports movies of all time, Hoosiers, a movie that actually focused on the coach instead of the players. That coach knew how to get his team to perform beyond their means. What an amazing thing! You see, coaching isn\'t about a coach\'s physical skill, but about the motivation he provides his team.\n\nI\'ve realized that when I started coaching kids, I became a better creative leader at work. A better coach = a better motivator. I\'d like to share with you three rules I\'ve learned from coaching kids that have helped me coach creative teams.\n</br>\n<strong>1. Motivation is Personal</strong><a href=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/1-Bill.jpg\"><img class=\"wp-image-7060 alignright\" style=\"margin-left: -2px; margin-bottom: -3px;\" title=\"1 Bill\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/1-Bill.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"269\" height=\"202\" /></a>\n\nI often tell kids and parents that are thinking of signing up for wrestling, \"If you wrestle tough at home, you get in trouble. If you wrestle tough at matches, people clap for you!\" That usually widens some eyes.\n\nWhen I think of great coaches, I think of great motivators. Phil Jackson and Bill Parcells, both temporarily retired, had two very different styles, but were both great motivators. Phil, they called \"The Zen Master\" because he prepared his players but at game time sat back, didn\'t yell or scream and trusted that his players would work through the tough stretches. Bill Parcells on the other hand was a screamer and made sure everyone on the team knew he was in charge. What both coaches had in common is that they knew how to adjust their style. Bill would go easy on Terrell Owens because he was a superstar that usually delivered and Phil knew if he didn\'t occasionally bark at Kobe Bryant, he (Phil) would get walked on. They knew that each player needed to be motivated in a different way because motivation is personal.\n\n<img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-7063\" style=\"margin-bottom: -3px;\" title=\"phil jackson\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/phil-jackson1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"331\" height=\"187\" />I often talk about design teams like sports teams. There are home run hitters who also strike out, workhorse running backs, pinch hitters, and every other cliché position of which you can think. Everyone needs to be motivated differently. Some creatives need to be told how brilliant they are. \"This is the perfect project for you! You\'re so good at that stuff, you\'ll nail this!\"\n\nSome creatives need to see that you doubt them. \"Hey, this is a tough one. Tough client and I need to know you can handle this on your own.\"\n\nSome even need to be reprimanded. \"Guys, I\'m disappointed. What the hell? This is a big opportunity.\"\n\nUnderstanding which person needs what motivation is the key. It\'s not always easy to figure out and it takes commitment to getting to know your creative team beyond skillset.\n</br>\n<strong>2. Know When to Talk</strong>\n\nWhen you are in a huddle with ten 6-year-olds, you can have 100% control or 0% control. I\'ve found that there is really not a lot of middle ground.\n\nI\'ve always considered myself a bit socially awkward. I\'m not a Type A personality and will never be the first or loudest one talking at a party or dinner table. In what I am proficient, though, and at which I think I am better than anyone, is knowing when I should be the one talking, or when I need to be the one talking. For example, when I\'m in the huddle with the ten 6-year-olds, I need to be the one talking. No hesitation and with complete confidence, strength of voice, and assurance. I will have the game plan and the answers, 110% of the time because, if I don\'t, I\'ll lose them.\n\nThink of that situation at work – in a war room with a creative team that needs guidance, people who need a game plan, and a confident voice. Maybe the project isn\'t going well or there are conflicting opinions in the room. You may be the most senior person or just the one with the most expertise. If no one is speaking or knows what to do next, everyone is looking at you for resolution, the entire group is off track, and there is conflict, then you should be the one talking. You need to be the one talking. You need to be the one motivating.\n</br>\n<strong>3. Sometimes, There is No \"Why?\"</strong>\n\nKids are inquisitive. There\'s always one player who has his hand up the entire time I\'m talking. Kids also like to get you into talking traps where they respond to every answer with another question:\n\n<em>Kid:</em> \"Why does it rain?\"\n\n<em>Adult:</em> \"Because the clouds are full.\"\n\n<em>Kid:</em> \"Why are the clouds full?\"\n\n<em>Adult:</em> \"Because water evaporates.\"\n\n<em>Kid:</em> \"Why does water evaporate?\" … And on and on and on.\n\nWhat I learned from my neighbor, Bill, a Division 1 football player in his younger days, was that sometimes, there is no \"why.\" Sometimes, time is of the essence and the whole team just needs to listen, follow directions, and trust that I have a plan. There are also times in the workplace when the talking, theory, and brainstorming need to end and people need marching orders and to follow the plan to get work out the door:\n\n<em>Coach:</em> \"When you cross midfield, pass the ball to Jack.\"\n\n<em>Player:</em> \"Why do I have to pass the ball?\"\n\n<em>Coach:</em> \"Because Jack is always open.\"\n\n<em>Player:</em> \"Why is Jack open?\"\n\n<em>Coach:</em> \"There is no Why. Pass the ball.\"\n\nThe same applies in creative assignments:\n\n<em>Manager:</em> \"It\'s late and this needs to go out the door. Make it blue. Change the order and get rid of that one.\"\n\n<em>Employee:</em> \"Why?\"\n\n<em>Manager:</em> \"There is no ‘why.’\"\n\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-7061 alignleft\" title=\"David Blog3\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/David-Blog3.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"569\" height=\"320\" />Sports teams, management teams, creative teams … they\'re all so similar: A group of talents coming together, each with their own personality, agenda, and skillset. Understanding what makes people tick and how to motivate them is the most important thing I\'ve discovered about coaching. Not all people realize that managing and coaching isn\'t about them, but about the players, the doers, and the creative-types.\n\n\"If you put your effort and concentration into playing to your potential, to be the best that you can be, I don\'t care what the scoreboard says at the end of the game, in my book, we\'re going to be winners.\" - Coach Norman Dale', 'What Coaching Taught Me About Coaching', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'what-coaching-taught-me-about-coaching', '', '', '2018-09-24 19:23:39', '2018-09-24 19:23:39', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/what-coaching-taught-me-about-coaching', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(1000, 1, '2013-10-16 15:46:18', '2013-10-16 15:46:18', 'I’ve gotten into the habit of reading the New York Times Real Estate section on Saturdays as a gentle form of self-punishment, since I’ll never be able to buy a home here. Along the same lines, a friend suggested I read Joan Didion’s famous 1967 essay about leaving New York, now known as “<a href=\"http://juliaallison.com/goodbye-to-all-that-by-joan-didion/\" target=\"_blank\">Goodbye to All That</a>”.\nAs I read the essay, I laughed and felt closer to the author because of shared memories of the names of places and brands that were part of her life while living in New York City in her twenties, which still exist. Even though Didion’s essay was published forty-six years ago, I still felt a connection to her.\n\nWhat this connection reinforced for me as a marketer and strategist is that companies should think more about the association between brands, shared experiences, and location of origin as a powerful tool. It’s a trifecta and perfect storm all in one: a stronger brand connection is forged when it is linked to emotions from shared experiences and places.<img class=\"size-full wp-image-7115 alignright\" title=\"Sandra1\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Sandra1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"119\" height=\"119\" />\n\nOne name she mentioned was <a href=\"http://www.chockfullonuts.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Chock Full O’Nuts</a>, a brand of coffee that originated in New York City coffee shops. It’s still around, and I felt a smile creep on my face when I read that part of her story since it’s one of the brands we have here in the office.\n\n<img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-7116\" style=\"margin-bottom: -3px;\" title=\"Sandra 2\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Sandra-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"215\" height=\"143\" />If Joan were writing her essay today, some of the local brands she might mention are <a href=\"http://www.rickysnyc.com\" target=\"_blank\">Ricky’s NYC</a> where many of us buy our last-minute Halloween costumes and accessories, or the revamped <a href=\"http://www.duanereade.com\" target=\"_blank\">Duane Reade</a>, with cans of cashews depicting hanging out at a bar or nuts on a subway package, both typical experiences. (Disclosure: CBX designed the Duane Reade store and packaging – hell yeah!)\n\nShe might even mention how the timely <a href=\"http://www.mysportsclubs.com/regions/NYSC.htm?WT.svl=Header\" target=\"_blank\">New York Sports Clubs</a> ads, particularly snarky and relevant, perked her up on a walk to work. Maybe, because of that strong connection and the memories associated with it, she would have felt more compelled to join the club at another city’s location after leaving the city. It would be all because of the strength of the branding and emotional connection to the location.\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-7117 alignright\" style=\"margin-bottom: -3px;\" title=\"Sandra3\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Sandra3.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"117\" height=\"117\" />\nTo sum it up, for anyone questioning living in New York, I understand. Fully 80% of the population probably questions it at one time or another, and there are some great articles that ponder the question, like this amusing one from The Onion titled “<a href=\"http://www.theonion.com/articles/84-million-new-yorkers-suddenly-realize-new-york-c,18003/\" target=\"_blank\">8.4 Million New Yorkers Suddenly Realize New York Is A Horrible Place To Live</a>”.\n<img class=\"alignleft  wp-image-7119\" title=\"Sandra 4\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Sandra-4.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"286\" height=\"188\" />Having lived in many places, I can honestly say the tradeoffs are worth it – so far! However, for marketers questioning the importance and impact of location-based branding, think again: brands most definitely have the capacity to engender an authentic connection to and amongst people through places and shared experiences. I’m reminded of this whenever I savor a cup of Chock Full O’Nuts.', 'Nuts In New York', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'nuts-in-new-york', '', '', '2018-09-24 19:23:38', '2018-09-24 19:23:38', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/nuts-in-new-york', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(1001, 1, '2013-10-24 20:32:46', '2013-10-24 20:32:46', 'The <a href=\"https://www.facebook.com/3PercentConference\" target=\"_blank\">3% Conference</a> was held in San Francisco last week and thanks to my forward-thinking thinking CBX bosses, I got the chance to go. For those who are not familiar with it, the 3% Conference is a forum dedicated to helping women ascend in the largely male dominated led businesses of marketing, advertising and branding. There are lots of women in the lower and mid ranks – but not so much at the top. The name “3% Conference” comes from a widely reported sad statistic that only about 3% of advertising creative directors are women. (I have to assume that this percentage applies to “Executive Creative Directors”; from my experience, the gender disparity is not as great at the CD level.)\nWhat was especially cool about the conference (beyond all the awesome girl power, of course) was that it was not just a conference. It was an invitation to join a movement. The organizers really understand that to create change, a broad swath of people need to recognize a problem, be inspired and take action. So if you are a brand in hopes of creating a movement, consider these 3% principles: \n\n- Choose an iconic way to show visible progress. I love the fact that we can expect the name of the movement itself to change over time and be a visible sign of progress. I can’t wait for the “5% Conference” next year, and then someday, the “50% Conference!” \n\n- Ask for “micro-actions.” The conference organizers and speakers were consistently asking participants to identify what actions they as individuals could undertake in order to help bring the desired future to life. They are asking us all take personal responsibility and be accountable. And by couching the requests in terms of “micro-actions” it helped show that the behaviors were attainable and realistic in scope and scale. \n\n- Create community. Tweeting, Facebooking and face-to-face connections were all highly encouraged. The conference is going on the road, doing a multi-city tour, and will provide more opportunities for participation and additional forums to connect.  \n\n- Provide benefits for the participants.  I won’t throw anyone under the bus but there are lots of brand-led movements out there that ask folks to take action and get engaged but fail to provide the participant with any intrinsic or external rewards. The 3% movement is flush with benefits. The conference provided models, tools and inspiration to advocate successfully for oneself in the workplace as well as some education on self-care. Well done!\n\nIf you are intrigued by the 3% Conference or its mission, I highly recommend checking out the <a href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAvlCs3JU4c\" target=\"_blank\">keynote speech</a> given by Cindy Gallop. She makes a fantastic case for why it is good for women, good for men and good for business when women have a seat at the table. Go ahead, watch it, it’s just a micro-action. \n', 'The 3% Conference', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'the-3-conference', '', '', '2018-09-24 19:23:38', '2018-09-24 19:23:38', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/the-3-conference', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(1002, 1, '2013-10-31 15:17:21', '2013-10-31 15:17:21', 'Halloween has become more than costume contests and candy devouring. It is now an important seasonal marketing opportunity for brands to increase their awareness and resonance with consumers.\nGrowing up in the suburbs of Massachusetts, I ditched my plastic pumpkin for a pillowcase to get my Halloween candy stash. Victory during my pre-teen years, it seems, meant having the heaviest pillowcase full of goodies. Now, three years out of college, living in NYC and world traveled, I’ve taken my intellectual curiosity beyond trick-or-treating gluttony to question the rationale behind Halloween marketing campaigns.\n\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-7203 alignright\" title=\"Josh2\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Josh2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"371\" height=\"279\" />\n\nJust the other day, I approached a cash register at a local Chipotle and caught the word “Boorito” on a sign next to it. And the copy beneath the headline read: “This Halloween come into any Chipotle dressed in costume from 4pm to close, and you’ll score a burrito, bowl, salad, or order of tacos for just $3.” I’ve never associated a holiday full of pumpkins and chocolate with guacamole and fajitas, but sure, everyone loves a discount. Plus, all of the proceeds on Halloween (up to $1,000,000) benefit the Chipotle Cultivate Foundation, “a non-profit organization established by Chipotle Mexican Grill to continue and strengthen its philanthropic efforts,” which, according to the company website, “helps fund initiatives that support sustainable agriculture, family farming, culinary education, and innovation that promotes better food.”\nThe name of this campaign (Boorito) is simple, brilliant and effective; the cause behind it is even better. But when I step back and think about the audience, who is Chipotle really trying to target? Parents who will bring in their kids after school? Millennials headed to a party? Supporters of Chipotle Cultivate? In my view, Chipotle may simply be attempting to throw its hat into the Halloween ring and capitalize on a seasonal marketing opportunity. While the occasion may not call for a burrito, Chipotle is backing the effort in collaboration with its nonprofit foundation, creating a perfectly balanced and executed promotional campaign.\n\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-7205 alignleft\" title=\"Josh3\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Josh3.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"323\" height=\"432\" />\n\nMenscience, a men’s grooming, skin and nutrition retail store in Soho is also banking on the holiday. A window display draped in cobwebs, spiders and pumpkins gives life to the illuminated “Menscience” signage and below it, in a green slime-like font is the tagline “Get Masked!” This is less an ode to Halloween and more a call to action for its in-store facial revitalization capabilities. Since when does men’s grooming go hand-in-hand with Halloween? These days, any holiday is an opportunity to make an extra buck.\n\nBoth of these Halloween branding efforts are unique and impactful in nature, but make me wonder about their ulterior motives. Are they in it to create an additional revenue stream, or attempting merely to stay relevant in the marketplace?\n\nThe methods in which companies communicate have drastically changed since my candy-by-pillowcase days. Social media has forced brands to stay agile and create their own unique voice in the marketplace. Chipotle and Menscience are but two examples that reflect the current state (and challenges) of branding. If companies can extend their message to suit a particular holiday, you can be sure they’re going to seize the day and do just that. I’m all for holiday spirit, especially when it leads to creative branding, and believe this is only the beginning for out-of-category brands attempting to capitalize on a marketing opportunity. The more the merrier! (Oops, wrong holiday.)', 'Scare Tactics', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'scare-tactics', '', '', '2018-09-24 19:23:38', '2018-09-24 19:23:38', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/scare-tactics', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(1003, 1, '2014-01-10 20:22:09', '2014-01-10 20:22:09', 'By Lulu Carter\r\nFor most millennials like myself, college graduation was nothing short of a rude awakening. With entry-level positions few and far between, we were pressured to settle for jobs unrelated to our bigger dreams and couldn\'t help but feel salty about our “over qualifications.” It was a hard pill to swallow after years of building our extracurricular resumes (and being constantly surrounded by people who seemed to have immeasurable faith in us). What was this liberal arts shenanigans we had put ourselves through? The endless exploration to find something that we were passionate about left us with extensive, and now useless, knowledge in postcolonial feminism or the art of Def Poetry Jam.\r\n\r\nBecause fulfilling our parents’ expectations is unlikely for many of us, we use self-deprecation as a way to make light of our lifestyles that have yet to pan out as gloriously as we’d hoped. The popularization of self-deprecating behavior in mass media has given rise to a new female millennial archetype; one that has been adopted as a personal brand by many young women today. She is known for her tendency to humble herself through humor, and has been dubbed by comedian Yael Kohen as “Brooklyn Girl... a well-educated liberal arts grad with a degree in English and no real skill set. Upon entering the real world, she eventually realizes that she has no plan or patience to pursue her dreams but has the endearing ability to laugh at herself.\"\r\n\r\nQuirky and shameless, “Brooklyn Girl”\' has a fast-growing fan base. She plays a lead role in HBO\'s “Girls,” Fox\'s “New Girl,” CBS\'s “Two Broke Girls,” and is the mastermind behind Tumblr\'s celebrated #whatshouldwecallme meme site that boasts over 1,000 retweets per day. Even famous fashion blogger Leandra Medine pays homage as expressed in her memorable title, The Man Repeller.\r\n\r\nIn “Girls,” Lena Dunham arguably plays the most raw and uncut version of this archetype. She embellishes her strange nervous ticks, and her inability to control her weight––occasionally lamenting over the internship that may never turn into a real job. It’s freakishly similar to how my friends and I talk about ourselves.\r\n\r\nStill, the “Brooklyn Girl” archetype, rooted in self-deprecation, is something to question and consider. Making fun of ourselves can be funny and diffuse doubts about the future, but are there repercussions to be had for a twentysomething girl who continually rants about her fears of living alone with twelve cats or being the world’s best 40 year-old intern? How long before these statements become more believable and true in our own minds than we\'re willing to admit?\r\n\r\nAs experts in brand, being tuned in to the \'“Brooklyn Girl” effect is important. While she evolves the playful, witty archetype of The Jester by poking fun at herself to help others have a good time, it may be at the expense of her own self-esteem in the long run.', 'Branding the New Girl', 'For most millennials like myself, college graduation was nothing short of a rude awakening. ', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'branding-the-new-girl', '', '', '2018-09-24 19:23:37', '2018-09-24 19:23:37', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/branding-the-new-girl', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(1004, 1, '2014-01-23 17:44:24', '2014-01-23 17:44:24', 'A few years ago fashion designers and <a href=\"http://http://www.elle.com/runway/pre-fall/pre-fall-2013/\" target=\"_blank\">editorial</a> started labeling collections between summer and fall with “pre-fall” to acknowledge a need state for consumers to bridge the light fabrics and colors before Labor Day with the beginning of colder weather. What I’ve been noticing lately across other industries is how the notion of “pre” state insights is opening up marketing opportunities for hyper-targeted messages and products.<img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-7374\" title=\"Sandra2\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Sandra2.jpg\" width=\"596\" height=\"695\" />\r\n\r\n\r\nThe other day I saw a commercial for <a href=\"http://www.zicam.com/what%27s_a_pre-cold/\" target=\"_blank\">Zicam</a> that talked about how to avoid a “pre-cold.” What. Is. That. But of course, after I got over the ridiculousness of the marketing tactic, I realized that many people share the foreboding of a cold and can feel it before it happens, so it make sense that tapping into that dread could open up opportunities for new products and/or more tailored messaging.\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-full wp-image-7395 alignright\" title=\"Sandra4 copy\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Sandra4-copy.jpg\" width=\"215\" height=\"398\" />\r\n\r\nWhat are some other industries that might take advantage of this “pre” need state?\r\n\r\nBeauty: they have long been doing preparative and anticipatory tactics. Healthy and beautiful hair is one thing, but fighting pre-breakage? Let’s go. We want to avoid split ends and weak hair, so let’s talk that.\r\n\r\nFinance: we know we want retirement funds to grow over time, but what about our investments for “living the life” pre-retirement. Yes, that “pre-retirement” account is coming to an investment fund near you.\r\n\r\nFood: what snack maker doesn’t want to encourage more noshing. We already have the idea of pre-gaming, where presumably you indulge in nachos and beer before you have more nachos and beer. Well, pre-lunch or pre-dinner are two ways to talk about filling the gap before the big meal with something that will stave off hunger but not substitute a meal.\r\n\r\nRetail: it is only a matter of time when we have a pre-Christmas shopping season. I realize that anything before December 25 already qualifies, but since last year stores started Black Friday early, consumers started avoiding lines by going online. It’s only a matter of time when the pre-Christmas period starts right after Halloween.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Sandra5.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft  wp-image-7377\" title=\"Sandra5\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Sandra5.jpg\" width=\"623\" height=\"151\" /></a>\r\nAny company looking to create a new need state that can later be used to sell more need should only look at what anxieties people have or things they try to avoid. For those hypochondriac or disaster scenario planners, “pre” products offer a world of solutions to problems because many are untapped insights that marketers can use to their advantage.', 'The “Pre” Condition', 'A few years ago fashion designers and editorial started labeling collections between summer and fall with “pre-fall” to acknowledge a need state for consumers to bridge the light fabrics and colors before Labor Day with the beginning of colder weather.', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'the-pre-condition', '', '', '2018-09-24 19:23:38', '2018-09-24 19:23:38', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/the-pre-condition', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(1005, 1, '2014-02-04 12:37:45', '2014-02-04 12:37:45', 'If you haven’t had the good fortune lately of experiencing an extreme and adventurous POV video in one of your news feeds, you’re missing out. GoPro, a fast-growing, U.S.-based camera company, is revolutionizing the way people capture life experiences and see the world.\r\nTake this lion safari for example:\r\n\r\n<iframe src=\"//www.youtube.com/embed/MNCzSfv4hX8\" height=\"315\" width=\"560\" allowfullscreen=\"\" frameborder=\"0\"></iframe>\r\n\r\nIn 2002, Nick Woodman, GoPro’s 38-year-old CEO, created a waterproof wrist camera as a way for amateur surfers to photograph their antics riding waves (at the time, only their professional counterparts were professionally photographed). The tiny, portable device became affectionately known as “GoPro.” After selling initial GoPro models out of his van to surf shops all around California, he later raised enough capital to create a smaller, more technologically sound product.\r\n\r\nA budding entrepreneur, Woodman later used his GoPro to hone his video-making skills on the Formula One racetrack. While event staff tried to charge him $100 for a rental and recording fee, Woodman kept recording… and the rest is history.\r\n\r\nToday, the GoPro brand has risen to impressive heights with professionals and novices alike. It has secured high-profile athletic sponsorships with such legendary surfers as Kelly Slater, and remained a favorite among countless content creators on YouTube. It’s even being used for research and fieldwork at the Scripps Institute of Oceanography in La Jolla, CA.\r\n\r\n<iframe width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"//www.youtube.com/embed/HrqXTHCGVEo\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen&gt;&lt;/iframe>\r\n\r\nLast November, 60 Minutes ran a segment on the rapid rise of GoPro and reported on some interesting tidbits. For one, GoPro has achieved nearly the impossible by attracting a self-promoting tribe of brand enthusiasts who are so passionate about their footage that they tag GoPro for the world to see and learn. GoPro has also made the filming of extreme adventures and sports, normally an expensive activity, affordable and accessible. GoPro’s cameras come on average with a $400 price tag and are used by network news programs like 60 Minutes for its efficiency and immediacy.\r\n\r\nWhat’s also noteworthy is how the brand’s been embraced by consumer culture and elevated the way people connect and interact in the age of digital gadgetry. It stands in contrast to the inaccessible, exclusive nature held by some early-entry gadgets.\r\nGoPro videos quickly go viral and become commercials for the brand itself. Even Woodman is amazed on a daily basis to find out how users are using their GoPro in creative ways. “I feel like in a world where we all try to figure out our place and our purpose here, your passions are one of your most obvious guides,” he told Forbes.\r\n\r\nWhat’s next for the brand? Let’s start with a Super Bowl teaser ad that led to this full length video below:\r\n\r\n<iframe width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"//www.youtube.com/embed/dYw4meRWGd4\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen&gt;&lt;/iframe>', 'GoPro: A Marketer’s Dream Brand', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'gopro-a-marketers-dream-brand', '', '', '2018-09-24 19:23:37', '2018-09-24 19:23:37', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/gopro-a-marketers-dream-brand', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(1006, 1, '2014-02-27 22:06:38', '2014-02-27 22:06:38', 'Marketers know that moms are usually the primary shoppers in a household. CBX develops an array of strategic brand design to appeal to these moms. But to really understand our target audience, we need to recognize that the term \"mom\" is no longer gender specific. It\'s a state of mind, an emotional state and a way of life that crosses gender norms.\r\nAs traditionally understood, moms have usually been women. But in today’s world, men have also been filling these “mom” roles. Plenty of men, single or otherwise, deal with the same drivers as women. They may work part time, full time or stay home to take care of the kids (which is a full-time job in itself that doesn\'t get enough credit!).\r\n\r\nWhat women and men both share are the drive and dedication to take care of their families, to use the resources they have at hand to feed, clothe and provide the emotional support that any family unit needs to thrive.\r\n\r\nThis paradigm shift is happening at the same time as the definition of family continues to evolve. Our culture’s understanding of gender roles and marriage are shifting literally in real time. Lines are being blurred and family roles are becoming more open and customizable. Families are defining their own ways of caring for one another. It\'s a beautiful time.\r\n\r\nNonetheless, on a brand level, challenges remain with these fluid definitions, particularly, of “mom.” CBX is constantly engaging consumers across many categories to understand social context and the broader audience. The more we understand the underlying motivators that drive “moms,” the more effectively we can create a deeper meaning for a brand, it role in the larger, cultural context and its purpose for the consumer.\r\n\r\nBrands that continually reevaluate their consumers, not in terms of demographics but their mindsets, have the opportunity to help change how our society thinks about families from the inside out—to appeal to more, to stand for more, to mean more.', '“Mom” is a Mindset', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'mom-is-a-mindset', '', '', '2018-09-24 19:23:36', '2018-09-24 19:23:36', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/mom-is-a-mindset', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(1007, 1, '2014-03-06 15:44:45', '2014-03-06 15:44:45', '2014 marks a significant birthday in my life—all 14,610 days of it. That’s right. Some would refer to this milestone as now being “over the hill,” but I prefer it to be the “starting line” for the rest of my life. Even so, having this 40th birthday under my belt made me reflective, and inspired me to dig through the proverbial mementos of my past in my parents’ attic. I found dusty vintage hat boxes and one of a kind antique tins that my mother never threw away, filled with vintage pictures of a bygone era—pre-braces, frosted bangs, shaved head, pegged Z Cavariccis, XXL Buggle Boy Sweaters, stacks of skateboards, tins of Legos, Topps Garbage Pail Kids, and Wacky Pack stickers. Digging more I came across countless relics of fads from a consumer’s past. It reminded me of how strong a legacy brand has to be in order to withstand the test of time.The brands that we were all raised on and that have transcended generations are the ones that have evolved through the years without losing their relevancy. Every year a handful of these unique brands celebrate their centennial history in some way, shape or form. Whether through advertising, social media, traditional media promotional giveaways, events, sweepstakes, commemorative packaging or on and off-premise activation, utilizing the right touch points can make the difference between just another birthday party and a multi-faceted celebration that leaves a lasting impression on consumers’ hearts and minds.\r\nRecently, a few of my favorite brands have created this type of authentic connection with consumers.\r\n\r\n<strong>Morton Salt Co.: When it Rains, it Pours</strong>\r\n2014 marks one such birthday for Chicago-based Morton Salt Co. You may remember its iconic young girl wearing the yellow rain slicker and umbrella with the tagline, “When it rains it pours.” For 100 years, America has celebrated life’s moments with the Morton Salt Girl—from birthdays and holidays to the every day. This year, Morton Salt is inviting America to celebrate her.\r\nTo commemorate the 100th anniversary of its debut advertisement in the 1914 issue of <em>Good Housekeeping</em> magazine, the salt company is refreshing with specially designed birthday packaging (replete with fireworks), a refreshed girl and logo, parties (Morton will throw 100 parties for consumers in 100 cities over 100 days this year), and partnerships (Chicago\'s Wrigley Field, which also celebrates its 100th anniversary this year, is on tap to host a “Morton Salt Girl Day”). The birthday girl will also be prominently featured on Morton\'s Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest pages, as well as on her very own <a href=\"http://www.mortonsaltgirl100.com\" target=\"_blank\">microsite</a>.\r\nFor those of us who appreciate design subtleties, Morton Salt is also marking this milestone year with the first of many new product innovations: Morton® Garlic Sea Salt, an industry first, and Morton® Sea Salt, Roasted Garlic Sea Salt, and Black Peppercorn Grinders in stylish, tabletop-ready glass bottles. These products will be available nationally in 2014.\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignleft  wp-image-7542\" style=\"margin-bottom: 40px;\" title=\"morton100\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/morton1001.jpg\" width=\"650\" height=\"416\" />\r\n\r\n<strong>Planters: Fresh-tennial</strong>\r\nFor history buffs, the name Amedeo Obici may ring a bell. If not, maybe you’re familiar with the brand he created over 100 years ago, Planters. The nut brand has also been celebrating its anniversary (not just this year but for the last seven years, which Planters referred to as “Fresh-tennial”). The company kicked off festivities by rolling out a limited edition portfolio of can designs by nationally established artists who they commissioned. The series celebrates four areas of American culture— \"Boardwalk,\" \"Baseball,\" \"Circus,\" and \"Times Square\"—and the unique role that Planters has played in making them worth celebrating.\r\nMore recently, Planters created exhibits and collaborated with local communities that played integral roles in Planters’ history. Maybe you’ve seen the Peanut Fest Parades in your hometown with Mr. Peanut as the Grand Marshal, or the Peanut Pals, a nonprofit organization with more than 500 collectors of Mr. Peanut memorabilia, which is hosting various “swap meets” around the country.\r\nMr. Peanut himself is actually just shy of his 100th birthday, and Planters likewise has been using this milestone as an opportunity to become more socially integrated with its consumers. In anticipation of the birthday celebration, Mr. Peanut’s fans were invited to vote on how his outfit should be updated to keep his look fresh, whether by adding a bow tie, pocket watch or cufflinks. This was a great way to allow consumers to get their own skin in the game and feel their personal connection with the brand.\r\nFor road trippers, Planters also introduced the Nut Mobile, which embarked on a cross-country trip stopping at festivals and fairs. Fans were able to take an interactive journey down memory lane using green screen technology to insert themselves into significant moments and events throughout Planters’ and America’s history over the last century. Atlantic City got involved in the action. They carted in a life-sized Mr. Peanut to greet visitors and actually renamed part of their boardwalk, “Planters Way.” Planters has made connections with their fans literally every step of the way.\r\n<img class=\"alignleft  wp-image-7524\" style=\"margin-bottom: 40px;\" title=\"planters100\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/planters100.jpg\" width=\"650\" height=\"379\" />\r\n\r\n<strong>Aston Martin</strong>\r\nThe luxury automobile brand rang in its 100th birthday with a yearlong program of centennial celebrations throughout the UK patronized by tens of thousands of eager owners and enthusiasts in Kensington Gardens, London.\r\nThe program featured “a unique display of some of the finest British sports cars ever made—which included a timeline of highly significant Aston Martin models as well as displays dedicated to the brand’s 50-year love affair with James Bond, its proud motorsport heritage and much else besides—drew exhibitors and visitors from across the UK, and far beyond.\"\r\nThey hosted specially designed driving tours across Europe as well as a host of unique events at the brand’s headquarters, which represented the largest single gathering of Aston Martins in history.\r\nA brilliantly executed unveiling of the CC100 speedster concept car designed for the centennial also matched the cutting-edge technology and expert craftsmanship that Aston Martin stands for. The new model was transported by helicopter and landed gracefully on the rooftop helipad of Burj Al Arab hotel in Dubai.\r\nWhat better way to celebrate a global automotive icon. James Bond could not have done it better if he tried.\r\n<img class=\"alignleft  wp-image-7525\" style=\"margin-bottom: 40px;\" title=\"astonmartin100\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/astonmartin100.jpg\" width=\"650\" height=\"379\" />\r\n\r\nOver the course of 100 years, society, technology, and consumer behaviors have inevitably changed, and in order to last another hundred years, the brands we love will need to work even harder to attract and maintain a loyal customer base. When a brand comes across the rare opportunity to celebrate its legacy with a well choreographed, multi-faceted branded experience, not only is it able to connect with its most loyal consumers, but it may just open the door to a whole new generation of enthusiasts. And what better way to do that than by throwing a really good party.', 'Birthday Branding: Designing a Brand’s Legacy', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'birthday-branding-designing-a-brands-legacy', '', '', '2018-09-24 19:23:37', '2018-09-24 19:23:37', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/birthday-branding-designing-a-brands-legacy', 0, 'thinking', '', 0),
(1008, 1, '2014-03-13 13:09:21', '2014-03-13 13:09:21', 'As my husband and I prepare to become first-time parents in mere weeks (or days!), we’ve wondered about what kind of parents we’ll be to our new baby. What kind of relationship will we have with him/her (and how will this change throughout life)? Parenting, and the challenges it brings, had me thinking about parent brands and the relationships they maintain with their “children.” What’s the nature of these dynamics? Are they defined by the industry they’re in? The following are some examples of parent brands and their kin: <strong>Parents? What parents?</strong> The hands-off parents watch from afar. They let their kids run around with lollipops in their mouths and lit matches in their hands. By butting out, these parents teach their children to fend for themselves and learn to right their own wrongs. This approach works mostly in the child’s favor, allowing them to be their own person and grow into their own without the stress of overbearing expectations. On the flip side, these hands-off parents have no control over their child’s actions and their brand counterparts are no different—take a look at two of the most influential global beauty brands of today, L’Oréal and Estée Lauder. Both seem to be buying up every other beauty brand in sight, and yet don’t necessarily share this information through their advertising or product packaging. There is no sign-off on an <a href=\"www.essie.com\" target=\"_blank\">Essie Nail Color</a> ad that has the L’Oréal logo on it. And Estée Lauder doesn’t flaunt its ownership of Aveda or <a href=\"www.bumbleandbumble.com/index.tmpl#1\" target=\"_blank\">Bumble and Bumble</a>. Each brand has its own look, feel and style and isn’t restricted by the guidelines that might come from their heavily involved “parents.” But if these brands mess up, they’ve got to figure out a fix on their own. <img class=\"wp-image-7661 alignleft\" title=\"EssieADV\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/EssieADV1.jpg\" width=\"651\" height=\"483\" /> <strong>Now you see them, now you don’t.</strong><p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Then we have the kind of parents who guide their children through thick and thin. Whether it’s through a PR ploy or a desire to show off their entire house of products, these brands maintain their parent brands’ sign-off…but not ALL the time. Some months ago, I remember seeing TV commercials for <a href=\"http://www.dove.us/social-mission/campaign-for-real-beauty.aspx\" target=\"_blank\">Dove Beauty</a> and <a href=\"http://www.theaxeeffect.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Axe Body</a> that punctuated the last frame of their ads with the Unilever logo. It was the first time I’d seen parents assert their identity so explicitly. (In product packaging, for example, parent brand logos live on the back of the packaging in a legible size so that anyone who looks can find them [as a consumer, this is a clear signal that Unilever has given its stamp of approval]). Parent brands don’t usually shout their presence from the rooftops, but they are always present to guide their children. <img class=\"size-large wp-image-7658\" title=\"dove11\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/dove11-1024x529.jpg\" width=\"651\" height=\"336\" /></p>\r\n<strong>Hello helicopter parents.</strong>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">And finally, the helicopters. These are the parent brands (not unlike many moms and dads across the country) that can’t seem to get out of their kids’ way. They’re involved in every interaction, every relationship and every step their children take (sometimes even hindering their children from growing into their own because, frankly, they’re ALWAYS there). Take <a href=\"http://www.snackworks.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Nabisco</a>. Any average Joe can tick off products in Nabisco’s portfolio. That’s because Ritz, Oreo, Triscuits and even Swedish Fish are branded with that bright, iconic, red “Nabisco” triangle in the top left corner of their packaging, lest anyone forget the “parent.” This has become a food brand trend— bundling the kiddies together to increase purchasing (i.e., “buy one box of Triscuits and get Ritz half off!”) or brand awareness. Or, to make sure no one ever forgets Nabisco is mom. <img class=\"wp-image-7659\" title=\"screen-shot-2014-03-13-at-5-47-45-am\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://www.cbx.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/screen-shot-2014-03-13-at-5-47-45-am.png\" width=\"650\" height=\"348\" /></p>\r\nWho really knows what kind of parents my husband and I will be (we’re closest, I think, to the Unilevers of the world, where we’ll help guide our child to make the right decisions but step back to allow him/her to flourish on their own). There really is no right or wrong approach. No matter which path we take, all parents, like their brand counterparts, probably have the same goal— to raise smart, independent and self-aware children.', 'Parents Just Don’t Understand… or Do They?', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'parents-just-dont-understand-or-do-they', '', '', '2018-09-24 19:23:38', '2018-09-24 19:23:38', '', 0, 'http://cbx.cappendev.com/thinking/16/parents-just-dont-understand-or-do-they', 0, 'thinking', '', 0);

