What’s a brand? These days, what makes brands strong or not strong? I’ve been thinking and writing about that a bit, but I don’t think I’ve ever quite conceptualized it as well as Derek Thompson does in this article in The Atlantic. We’re all talking about the importance of “community.” The article describes a couple […]
The Cult of Your Brand? Read More »
It was a lot of years ago when I first started reminding you not to focus just on your gross margin percentage, but your gross margin dollars as well. Then, in 2009, with the recession in full swing, I got all excited about Gross Margin Return on Inventory Investment (GMRII) after Cary Allington at Action Watch
What Does the Data on Our Target Market Say About Your Business Strategy? Read More »
I went to the Snowboard Industry Conference. I had fun. I learned stuff. I talked to people. I drank beer. I made a speech. Uh, I made the speech before I drank the beer just to be clear. During that speech there were three pieces of information I want to pass on to you. It’s not that the rest of the speech
The Economy, Value of Brands, and Relationship between Brick and Mortar and Online Read More »
Shortly after I posted my article on Quiksilver’s annual results, a reader of mine sent me this brief article (thanks YKW!). Here’s another article on the same subject with a little more information (don’t be confused because it has the same picture). Basically, what they say is that “Nike and Adidas recently dealt an additional blow to
Speaking of Brand Retail Strategies….. Read More »
If you’re a homeowner, you know that you can never complete your project list. All you can do is try to keep it from getting longer. At our house, outside projects are my job and in the Northwest, that means get them done in the summer. In the spirit of shortening the list, I stopped by a
I read a lot of stuff. From time to time I come upon something I want to share with you. Often I hold on to it until it fits into something I’m writing. But at this point, I’ve got a few articles I’ve been saving that it’s just time to spring on you in the hope you might
Miscellaneous Stuff; Not Your Typical Market Watch Read More »
The more I think about it, the less I feel I know for sure. I know the internet and brick and mortar are changing each other, that brands are becoming retailers and retailers brands, that easy information and product availability is making most products commodities at some level, that brands are really pushing product extensions, and
Trying to Think About the Junction of Retail, Brands and the Internet. Read More »
I came across this a few weeks ago (actually, my wife sent it to me and if I don’t give her credit, I’ll hear about it), but have been busy reading quarterly filings. Heinz, it seems, has introduced what it considers to be upmarket ketchup blended with balsamic vinegar. Read the article here. No, no, no, there’s no
Heinz’s New Ketchup; New Product Introductions and Social Media Read More »
I’ve been chanting for the last few months, and maybe longer, that our current economic environment represents a great opportunity for new and smaller brands. At an ASR seminar in September, somebody actually, finally, asked me, “What do you mean by that exactly?” My answer was that if you were a specialty retailer, and were still
Opportunities for new Labels and Small Brands. What, Exactly, Should You Do? Read More »
Probably both. It’s not like brands haven’t been coming and going for years beyond count in skateboarding. Historically, there have been two categories of new brands. The first was the truly new company started by some skaters who wanted in on a burgeoning industry that just happened to be something they loved. The second were the new brands
Look! New Brands. That’s Great! Or These People Are Crazy. Or Both. Read More »