Branded America

Just a short post for today, but I ran across this graphic and really loved it. It's so true that each state has its main brand that it is known for - whether good or bad. Interesting to think about how brand perceptions influence state perceptions and also vice versa. Are there states that you would not live because of the big brands there? What does it have to say about the state?

Colors and Advertising

Have you ever thought about how color influences your perceptions of advertising as well as companies? Numerous studies have investigated color in terms of psychological reactions and show that colors such as pale pinks and greens are calming, yellows and reds are stimulating, and blues make you sleepy. There was an interesting article in the latest issue of Marketing News that shows the relation between colors and logos.

Yellow logos are associated with optimism, clarity, and warmth (think Nikon, Subway, Best Buy). Orange logos are associated with friendliness, cheerfulness, and confidence (think Nickelodeon, Fanta, Shutterfly, Crush). Red logos are associated with excitement, youthfulness, and boldness (think Canon, Avis, Coke, Kmart). Purples are creative, imaginative, and wise (think Yahoo, Cadbury, Taco Bell). Blues are associated with trust, dependability, and strength (think Facebook, Dell, AT&T, WalMart). Greens are associated with peacefulness, growth, and health (think Tropicana, Whole Foods, John Deer, and BP). Finally, greys are associated with balance, neutrality, and calm (think Apple, Honda, Wikipedia).

Of course, many of these associations don't ring true. Would you really say Kmart is the epitome of excitement, youthfulness, and boldness? Yes, they are trying to get there, but they have a ways to go. Colors are not the driving force of perceptions, but they definitely influence perceptions, especially for a new brand. Something any brand should consider in logo development, branding, advertising, and corporate design.

Komen Fundraising Decreasing

I find the operation of non-profits fascinating. Partly because it is directly in line with my dissertation research examining how charities on product packaging influence a consumer's perception of the product's health, brand perceptions, and charity perceptions. Partly also because non-profits are so needed in our society yet have to look to non-traditional forms of marketing to get the word out about their organization and raise the money needed to operate.

I was reading an interesting article about the Komen foundation the other day (read it here). It talks about how Komen's association with so many for-profit companies (take the KFC "buckets for a cure" campaign as an example) has deteriorated Komen's image. This has led to decreased desire to volunteer with the organization as well as Komen cutting out fundraising events. Non-profits need to stick strong to their values. Yes, money is money, but a cancer research company should not be partnering with a cancer-causing fried fast food joint. Moving away from these values leads to deterioration of brand image and less support - both in man hours and fundraising dollars.

Dollar Shave Club: New Ad

Most people are familiar with the initial Dollar Shave Club ad (view it here if you haven't). It's received over 10 million views on YouTube, capturing much of the attention from the unusual nature of the ad. The ad breaks away from the clutter of traditional ad and leaves you saying "what was that?!?" yet at the same time appreciating a break from the traditional feel of advertising. So where is Dollar Shave Club going from here? They are now stepping into the men's toiletries market further with One Wipe Charlies - essentially men's rear wipes. A humorous new video (watch it here), however I'd like to see them break into this niche market successfully. They would need to create new demand for this product, which I feel is unlikely. Do you really think you'll start to see men carrying around rear wipes with them so they can use these instead of toilet paper? Maybe the new market needs to be murses (men's purses) so they can carry all their new toiletries with them, at least according to the Dollar Shave Club.