Only bad marketers think more messages mean more effectiveness
Mark RitsonYou might increase total message recall by adding more of them, but you’ll lose credibility, as shown by the World Cup protestor who couldn’t pick one cause.
Mark Ritson – Brand Positioning
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Follow Shania Twain’s lead and make sure product isn’t the forgotten P of marketing
Mark RitsonOur marketing columnist experiences an epiphany on his couch that leads him to revise his opinion of Heinz pasta sauce and the state of modern marketing.
Even if Unilever placates its investors, it still has Ben & Jerry’s to deal with
Mark RitsonWith CEO Alan Jope set to leave, Unilever faces battles not only with investors aiming to deprioritise brand purpose, but with its own Ben & Jerry’s brand, which is suing it for abandoning purpose commitments.
You can’t beat TikTok by becoming its clone
Mark RitsonOur marketing columnist examines the underwhelming response of the major social media brands to the TikTok threat and explores the perils of competitor orientation.
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Tom Kerridge’s prices aren’t a rip-off if they’re what the market will pay
Mark RitsonForget worshipping at the altar of revenue. Marketers who take a leaf out of Tom Kerridge’s book and embrace pricing power will find the surest route to profitability.
Follow The National Lottery’s example: Don’t rebrand, revitalise
Mark RitsonWhen brands struggle, marketers’ first thought is a rebrand or repositioning, but by going back to its roots you can boost sales and retain brand equity cost-effectively.
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John Lewis the landlord? Welcome to brand extension nirvana
Mark RitsonEven if John Lewis cocks up in its bid to rent homes to the masses, the blowback on its department store business will be limited – even non-existent – thanks to the magic of brand extension.
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Damaging brand image is rarely harmful because it matters so little
Mark RitsonMarketers should worry less about their carefully crafted brand image and take more risks because, as brands such as Porsche, Volvo and Ben & Jerry’s show, consumers don’t care about what they stand for.
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Interbrand’s ‘iconic moves’ invite ridicule for the discipline of branding
Mark RitsonInterbrand is a respected name in brand valuation, but its proposal to replace brand positioning with ‘iconic moves’ demonstrates a lack of strategic sense.
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The streaming wars will be the bloodiest battle in marketing history
Mark RitsonSit back, grab the popcorn and enjoy what will surely prove to be the most competitive commercial contest in marketing history.
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James Bond’s latest repositioning is a lesson to brands looking to adapt to a new era
Mark RitsonBy unveiling that 007 will be a black woman in the next James Bond movie, the producers of the franchise have learned a lesson all brands should take heed of – brands that want to stay relevant and true to their identity must continue to evolve.
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Will Carlsberg’s brave new strategy succeed? Probably
Mark RitsonCarlsberg has turned its famous strapline on its head to admit it is ‘Probably not the best beer in the world’, a move that recalls its heritage while achieving a much needed repositioning.
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Distinctiveness doesn’t need to come at the cost of differentiation
Mark RitsonDistinctiveness and differentiation are both integral to brand success so there doesn’t need to be a trade-off between the two.
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A true brand purpose doesn’t boost profit, it sacrifices it
Mark RitsonTime and again companies have proved unwilling to stick to their lofty purpose statements when it costs them money. For purpose to have any meaning, corporations need to put it before profit.
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Don’t just stand for something, stand against your competitors
Mark RitsonThere are two ways to position a brand – ‘about’ something and ‘versus’ something – and the most powerful examples of positioning do both.