Posts Tagged ‘competitive advantage’
Thursday, June 9th, 2011
Steven Sessions was invited to be interviewed by Chris Kelso on Talk Radio 650AM in Houston Texas to discuss Marketing. This is the full transcript of the live broadcast on June 8, 2011.
(Welcome to “The Price of Business,” I’m your host Chris Kelso, we appreciate your tuning in to “Talk 650” powered by CBS radio, right now, someone I really, really want to talk to is Steven Sessions with the Sessions Group – Steven how you doing?) “Good Chris, thank you for inviting me.”
(Let me ask you to tell our listeners (more…)
Tags: brand, brand equity, Branding, building a valuable brand, business strategy, communications strategy, competitive advantage, influencing purchase decisions, marketing strategy
Posted in Branding, Marketing | 35 Comments »
Wednesday, June 30th, 2010
When should a company increase marketing spending? Most companies during a recession think it is wise to reduce marketing budgets to save money, and the drop has been extreme as spending plunged 12.3% — the largest annual drop ever, more than three times more severe than the next worst drop of 3.9% in 1991.
But 26 of the top 100 marketers bucked the trend and boosted 2009 . 70% of those spending more saw a U.S. sales increase – double the success rate of those who reduced their spending according to (more…)
Tags: Advertising, brand equity, brand value, Branding, business strategy, communications strategy, competitive advantage, influencing purchase decisions, Marketing, marketing strategy
Posted in Advertising, Marketing | 1 Comment »
Friday, March 26th, 2010
What to do when faced with declining sales.
Sales in the “refreshment beverage” category are falling. The segment includes colas, energy and sports drinks, juices and bottled water. In 2009, for the second year in a row, sales were down. Down 3.1 percent according to a survey by Beverage Marketing Corp. This represents a steeper decline than was 2008. And there was one unusual statistic: (more…)
Tags: asset, brand equity, Branding, business strategy, choosing a name, communications strategy, competitive advantage, influencing purchase decisions, marketing strategy, rebranding
Posted in Branding, Naming | 3 Comments »
Tuesday, March 2nd, 2010
In today’s marketplace a Brand is one of the very very few sustainable competitive advantages a company can own. Credit Suisse research shows an index of companies spending at least (more…)
Tags: asset, brand, brand value, Branding, business strategy, competitive advantage, competitive marketplace, evaluating brand value, Marketing, marketing strategy
Posted in Branding, Marketing | No Comments »
Friday, January 29th, 2010
Why is Branding important?
Now we can see the value of a branding investment. If Toyota ever struggled to determine the value of spending money over the years to build a brand in the competitive automotive marketplace, it is suddenly becoming clear. With the revelation that 2.3 million cars must be recalled and tested for a potentially deadly flaw – their sticking accelerator pedal. This in addition to the recent recall of 4.2 million Toyota and Lexus automobiles, the car manufacturer is getting a clear revelation of the precise (more…)
Tags: brand, Branding, building a valuable brand, communications strategy, competitive advantage, competitive marketplace, evaluating brand value, Toyota
Posted in Branding | 11 Comments »
Sunday, January 17th, 2010
Houston made the short list of cities under consideration for the 2012 Olympic Games but ultimately lost out in the final culling. But then, regarding the 2016 Olympics, Houston didn’t even make the short list. This despite having the best collection of physical assets and excellent leadership. In 2006 I wrote an article for the Houston Business Journal about this Olympic site selection review.
U.S. Olympic Committee Board Chairman Peter Ueberroth said of Mayor Bill White and Harris County Judge Bob Eckels, “They were spectacular. They were in a class by themselves in terms of administration. They were just so far ahead of any other city, it wasn’t close. … (more…)
Tags: brand, Branding, business strategy, communications strategy, competitive advantage, competitive marketplace, evaluating brand value, Marketing, Olympics, rebranding
Posted in Branding | 6 Comments »
Thursday, December 31st, 2009
The risks and rewards of “Profiling.”
Profiling has become a “dirty word” in America. Probably because of its association with the practice of “racial profiling.” Indeed, in a perfect world people would not be judged by appearances. Of course this is no perfect world but with laws against it and public opinion all across the country firmly opposed to it, do we still see it in operation? Does it provide some unique benefit to those employing it? A benefit that we cannot replace?
The terrorist attack on September 11, 2001 forced a debate. And December 2009’s two incidents involving Nigerian Muslims on Delta flights to Detroit have renewed the debate. (more…)
Tags: Branding, communications strategy, company representation, company symbol, competitive advantage, competitive marketplace, influencing purchase decisions, managing identity, Profiling
Posted in Branding | 11 Comments »
Friday, November 7th, 2008
Originally published in the Houston Business Journal, November 7, 2008
The catastrophe brutalizing the banking industry is at the forefront of both the news and main street conversations around the world. A Gallup survey measuring consumer confidence in banks taken in late September showed an unprecedented drop from 40% in mid-July and is the lowest level in thirty years. Only 21% of consumers polled are confident in U.S. banks today. This erosion of confidence (more…)
Tags: Advertising, bank marketing strategy, Branding, communications strategy, community bank, competitive advantage, influencing purchase decisions, Marketing, rebranding
Posted in Advertising, Branding, Marketing | No Comments »
Thursday, June 29th, 2006
Originally published by the American Bankers Association, June 2004, also published by the Brandchannel and the Houston Business Journal. It was also published by several Asian websites and the Belgian Management and Marketing Association.
Wachovia Corp. has agreed to purchase competitor SouthTrust Corp. Hibernia Corporation acquired Coastal Bancorp, Inc. J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. is cleared to absorb Bank One Corp.
Whew! Banking is no longer boring.
The Chase merger will form the second-largest bank in the United States, with $1.12 trillion in assets. For Chase, this requires a significant investment in new signage, business cards, letterhead, envelopes, displays, imprints on about 51 million credit cards, etc. There will be employee issues and expenses as well.
And consider the thousands of other banks providing the same service: How will they compete? How can they compete? (more…)
Tags: bank marketing strategy, banking, Branding, business strategy, communications strategy, competitive advantage, competitive marketplace, local bank, Marketing, marketing strategy
Posted in Branding, Marketing | 10 Comments »
Friday, February 7th, 2003
Originally published in the Houston Business Journal, February 2003
The penalty that businesses pay when they ignore the power and value of strategic branding is usually fatal, especially when facing savvy competitors. This is true even if they are the category leader.
Attention Kmart Shoppers! The bankrupt discounter is ending its 40-year presence in Houston, closing all 17 area stores and eliminating hundreds of jobs as the nationwide chain sheds low-performing stores. The giant retailer, formerly one of the best known in the U.S., announced this past week it would shutter another 326 stores and lay off 37,000 workers nationwide. It is a classic example of a company failing to comprehend the critical need for competitive positioning in a highly competitive economic environment.
(more…)
Tags: Branding, business strategy, communications strategy, competitive advantage, competitive marketplace, influencing purchase decisions, managing identity, Marketing
Posted in Branding | 3 Comments »
