09.10
A few months back I wrote a post about a local coffee (?) joint near my house. The problem with DeSpyro Coffee, from my point of view, was that they were claiming expertise in too many categories at once (coffee, burgers, breakfast, mexican food, gelato, subs, and “grill”), which gives the impression that they’re a jack of all trades, master of none. Maybe that’s fine if you’re a diner or a Jewish deli, but for a place with “coffee” in the name, it would be nice if they’d at least mastered a good cup a’ joe.
The other day I noticed that DeSpyro is now Dukes Burgers. I called, and apparently it is just a name change, with little change to the menu or anything else. The lady I spoke with wouldn’t give me a real reason for the name change.
But here’s the kicker:
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08.27
Instead of blue mountains on a cold beer can, why hasn’t anyone come up with a lid or sleeve for a coffee cup that tells you when it’s no longer so hot that it’ll burn your tongue?
Seriously. Because the sip test is dangerous.
08.14
Came across these the other day at Macy’s. Not Neiman Marcus, where I’d expect Godiva to hawk its fine chocolates. Macy’s.
Apparently Godiva has created a sub-brand called Chocoiste, described on the website as “decadence goes mobile.” Indulgence and convenience aren’t two concepts that go together naturally, but it’s a nice combo to strive for. The risk is that mobility will come at the expense of decadence, leaving your brand standing for the wrong idea—or worse yet, nothing at all. While the creation of a sub-brand helps protect the masterbrand from potential failure, “Godiva” is still pretty prominently featured on this packaging.
As is the phrase “MADE FROM DRIED STRAWBERRIES.”
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08.03
At last Thursday’s sit-down with Henry Louis Gates Jr. and Sgt. Joseph Crowley, Mr. Obama drank a Bud Light. At first, this seems like an obvious choice—American legacy, fewer calories than Budweiser (supporting the preventative aspects of his healthcare plan), and fights his image as an arugula-eating snob. But then I remembered that Anheuser-Busch was acquired by InBev, a Belgian company (not traded on U.S. markets), around this time last year. Wouldn’t you think the president would help stimulate our economy a little by drinking a real U.S. beer? Here are some recommendations for next time. Let me know if you have other ideas…
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07.30
[Originally published on The B2B Brand Debate]
You’ve probably heard by now that Starbucks is abandoning its own brand name at an existing Seattle location, replacing it with the descriptive “15th Ave E Coffee & Tea.” This is part of what may become a nationwide “un-branding campaign,” in the words of the Huffington Post’s Marc Gunther. Starbucks made the announcement weeks ago, and so far, consumer reactions are mixed.
The driving forces behind this decision seem clear: declining sales, due in large part to the global recession (trading in expensive espresso for cheap home-brewed coffee is an easy budget cut for most), and growing resentment due to perceived monopolization—”those unique [local coffeehouses]…being beaten out of business by big nasty Starbucks,” as Kit Eaton put it in Fast Company. These two challenges are in no way specific to Starbucks, and are in fact hurdles frequently faced by many successful brands in a range of industries (Microsoft and Google—including their business-to-business efforts—are two easy examples).
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06.09
My reactions to this airline fold-down tray advertisement for Nature Valley Granola Nut Clusters, in order of occurrence:
- Wow, that is ugly and obnoxious.
- The airlines are really getting desperate for revenue.
- Why would they advertise a snack food that is not available on the plane?
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