It’s in the details

Attention to detail is important in marketing. This is not new news. Editing copy, retouching images, tweaking layouts; these things happen up to the last possible moment before deadlines (and often, after the deadline). But there’s a next step beyond promotional elements that proves when a company truly understands its consumer and its product.

As a newly self-proclaimed packaging nerd, I would venture to say, companies that are innovators in the delivery of their products are the most detail oriented ones out there. Imagine you’re selling snack packs. You go to a grocery store to do some competitive analysis and see shelves and shelves of crinkly bags, embellished images of the product and the word “Organic” as far as the eye can see.

Out with the New, In with the Old

I have never called a trend in my life. I held out on downloading Snapchat until I was sure it was sticking around. I own one romper and it took me two years to find one I liked. I was the last person in the United States to switch from a Blackberry to the iPhone. I’m being overly descriptive so you understand the weight of what I’m about to say…

The 1920s are back. Lawn parties,  below the knee dresses, anything with gin in it and live jazz are seeping from the superficial level of New Years Eve themes to a cultural phenomenon amongst young professionals in cities across the United States.

Picking the Right Place

Back to basics: the 4 P’s of marketing are Product, Place, Price, Promotion. This is the end and the beginning for marketing. Everything we do falls under one of these categories. One of these gets a little less love than the other three, however. ‘Place’ is often lost or forgotten in creative minds because it tends to be more technical. Where should this billboard go up? What stores should the product be sold at? What channel should the commercial run on? These are questions that are supposed to be answered analytically. When it comes to marketing properties and buildings, place is not only extremely analytical, but pricey and risky if handled incorrectly.

The 4 P’s of Alex and Ani

The bracelet industry is an unstable beast.  Charm bracelets that our moms made us collect, tile bracelets from Claire’s, friendship bracelets in the summer, and Pandora bracelets: all proving that trends are always changing when it comes to wrist jewelry.  Currently controlling the market is Alex and Ani.  

Let’s Talk Retail

Back-to-school shopping is in full swing.  The sales, the promotions, that Target commercial with Kids in America playing in the background, all trying to get you to buy their back-to-school gear.

Recently, I was at the mall and was impressed by two mainstream stores that, for a long time now, have surfed the safe wave of knowing that high schoolers and college kids will buy their clothing.  American Eagle and Abercrombie & Fitch are staple brands in this age bracket.  It is easy for companies such as these to get comfortable and complacent in their marketing strategy.  Sure their clothing styles change so the word-of-mouth marketing changes, but the true marketing strategy is left the way it always was.  American Eagle: bright, preppy with an edge, and known for their jeans.  Abercrombie: dark, ‘woodsy’ feel, and known for their smell.