Avant Marketing Group

UNIVERSITY CITY IS THE ‘NEIGHBORHOOD TO THE WORLD’

2012-03-03T20:45:00.000-08:00

UNIVERSITY CITY, Mo., March 3, 2012—In celebration of the diversity of University City’s residents and its notably vibrant neighborhood culture, Mayor Shelley Welsch unveiled the City of University City’s new brand identity – “Neighborhood to the World™”—at the city’s “Celebration of Diversity” event on March 3, 2012.

The “Celebration of Diversity” event was held at University City’s Centennial Commons recreational complex and included information booths from dozens of local organizations—all representing the religious and ethnic diversity of the City. The International Folk Dance Association of University City provided a live dance performance for guests and local restaurants provided refreshments.

The new identity is the result of a formalized branding process undertaken by the City that included input from residents, businesses and community leaders.

“Our new community identity, ‘Neighborhood to the World’ captures the true brand essence of University City,” commented Mayor Shelley Welsch. “It embodies both our pride in our neighborhoods and residences as well as the fact that we are one of the most diverse and welcoming communities within the region.”

University City is at the leading-edge of municipal branding as more and more communities understand the importance of identifying their assets through formalized branding. As competition grows to attract residents, tourists, as well as business, branding provides a differentiated identity that assists communities in promoting and communicating their true core assets.

The University City branding effort began in August 2011. City Manager Lehman Walker charged the Avant Marketing Group, the City’s public communications and marketing firm, to develop a renewed identity for the City that would assist in promoting both the opportunities and quality way of life in the community.

“The Avant Marketing Group provided a formalized analytical approach to define our identity,” stated Walker. “Through focus groups, one-on-one interviews and online surveys, the new identity was developed based on community input and will highly resonate with our residents because of its source.”

The market research included focus groups with 39 residents and business leaders, over 25 one-on-one interviews with key community and business leaders, and participation from over 80 residents through an online survey.

Through the research, several key community attributes were identified. University City residents value the City’s central location, its arts & culture, parks & recreation, and the friendliness of the residents. Most importantly, the research identified University City as a vibrant residential community that is diverse, progressive and open-minded.
“Our diversity provides tolerance and an energy that is not found in other communities,” remarked Mayor Welsch. “It prepares us to be a global community and allows us to attract the best and the brightest in both people and business as we continue to grow.”

The new brand identity is consistent with strategies employed by many communities that now understand that the competitive arena is no longer just local or regional, but global in scope.

“While most communities in this area are focused on regional competition, our new brand identity elevates University City to a much higher competitive level,” says Walker. “We have the assets, diversity and progressive mindset to attract investment in our community on a global basis. Regardless of ethnicity or nationality, you will find our community welcoming, a true place to call home. ‘Neighborhood to the World’ is not just a slogan, but an open invitation to both individuals and businesses that are seeking a progressive and eclectic environment in which to live, work or play.”

The new brand identity will begin appearing on City signage and in communications. It will be used in the City’s economic development efforts and as a “calling card” for all marketing and promotional efforts. In addition, the new identity will be featured in several new planned City communications activities including a resident newsletter and website that will assist in the communication needs of residents, businesses, newcomers, tourists and business prospects.

Why Your Annual Marketing Plan Might Be Doomed For Failure

2012-03-01T13:46:00.000-08:00

Okay, we all have been taught that the most effective way to manage business and marketing efforts is through an annual plan that defines objectives, strategies, budgets and schedules. Right?

Unfortunately in today’s dynamic environment, companies that are directing their marketing efforts through an annual plan may find themselves at a tremendous competitive disadvantage…here’s why:

1. This is the type of year where annual sales forecasts are extremely unpredictable. There are certain industry’s that are seeing tremendous growth spurts while others are slowly lagging. In this type of economic environment, sales forecasts are more predictable if done month-by-month versus on an annual basis.

2. Consumer trends (and even business-to-business trends) are reflecting tremendous movement. Adoption is accelerated based on consumer confidence, technological advances and financial security. Add on top of that the guaranteed demographic changes and you will see a market that is dramatically and significantly changing. With several product categories ensured pent-up demand, it’s difficult to estimate when the purchasing floodgates will be opened from an annual basis.

3. Consumer behavior and how we communicate to them is changing as rapidly as the trend lines. Two years ago who would have predicted the number of 50+ consumers subscribing to social media sites or the dramatic decrease in telephone landlines? Marketing communications is more spontaneous and interactive than ever before. A marketing plan developed six months ago might be obsolete in reaching next month’s market.

4. Marketing managers, just like consumers, are hesitant to spend marketing dollars until they have a strong confidence in return-on-investment. No one wants to be caught overspending based on sales. This tendency leads to slow investment at the beginning of the year and accelerated spending in the later part of the year. By managing marketing budgets on an annual basis, you might be under serving your market potential based on this simple fact. This not only eliminates any growth potential but hands over market share points to your competition – particularly new entries into your market.

So how do you plan to stay in pace with the dynamic market?

We suggest companies establish budget parameters on an annual basis, but create specific marketing plans on a quarterly basis. In this way, you have the ability to make critical adjustments that are driven more from immediate marketing and sales data.

The whole point is that market planning should address both short-term and long-term sales objectives. Don’t just be cost-of-sales overhead but create a market plan and environment that is as dynamic as your marketplace. Smart marketers keep pace with the market by identifying the key trends that can be taken advantage of for increased sales and market share.

UNIVERSITY CITY TO UNVEIL NEW BRAND IDENTITY

2012-02-28T15:19:00.000-08:00

UNIVERSITY CITY, Mo., Feb. 24, 2012--The City of University City will unveil its new brand identity at the city’s “Celebration of Diversity” community event on March 3, 2012. The event will be held from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Centennial Commons and is free and open to residents and non-residents.

The celebration will include performances by local groups and musicians, information tables hosted by local organizations and institutions, refreshments and more. A special presentation by Mayor Shelley Welsch will begin at 7 p.m. and will include the unveiling of the city’s new brand identity.

“The new identity is the result of a formalized branding process undertaken by the City that included input from residents, businesses and community leaders,” said Mayor Shelley Welsch. “Our new community identity captures the true brand essence of University City.”

University City is at the leading-edge of municipal branding as more and more communities understand the importance of identifying their assets through formalized branding. As competition grows to attract residents, tourists, as well as business, branding provides a differentiated identity that assists communities in promoting and communicating their true core assets.

The University City branding effort began in August 2011. As part of their assignment, City Manager Lehman Walker charged the Avant Marketing Group, the City’s public communications and marketing firm, to develop a renewed identity for the City that would assist in promoting both the opportunities and quality way of life in the community.

“The Avant Marketing Group provided a formalized analytical approach to define our identity,” stated Walker. “Through focus groups, one-on-one interviews and online surveys, the new identity was developed based on community input and will highly resonate with our residents because of its source.”

The market research was a community-wide engagement effort and included focus groups with 39 residents and business leaders, over 25 one-on-one interviews with key community and business leaders, and participation from over 80 residents through an online survey.

The new brand identity will begin appearing on City signage and in communications. It will be used in the City’s economic development efforts and as a “calling card” for all marketing and promotional efforts. In addition, the new identity will be featured in several new planned City communications activities including a resident newsletter and website that will assist in the communication needs of residents, businesses, newcomers, tourists and business prospects.

What is Planned for 2012?

2012-02-27T08:18:00.002-08:00

What's being planned for 2012? Take three minutes to participate in our confidential online survey about anticipated sales and planned marketing allocations. By participating, you can get a copy of the results. Go to: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/avantbusinessexpectations

Southern Group of State Foresters Selects Avant Marketing Group for Forest Products Marketing Coordination

2012-02-22T14:48:00.000-08:00

St. Louis, Missouri/February 22, 2012 – The Southern Group of State Foresters (SGSF) has selected the Avant Marketing Group to coordinate its Forest Products Marketing. The SGSF is a non-profit organization made up of State Foresters from 13 Southern States, Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

According to Mike Zupko, Executive Director of SGSF and Chair of the SGSF Services, “Avant’s experience and expertise in the timber and building products categories will assist in the marketing efforts of our organization.”

Mark Vogel, Avant Senior Partner will lead the project management efforts for this initiative.

The SGSF mission is to provide leadership in sustaining the economic, environmental, and social benefits of the South's forests. The group of State Foresters works together to identify and to address existing and emerging issues and challenges that are important to southern forests and citizens. More information about the organization can be found on its website: http://www.southernforests.org.

Avant Marketing Group is a market planning firm located in St. Louis, Missouri. The experienced group of professionals provides market research and planning with specialization in enterprise brand development, market communications, market segmentation, channel strategies and new product development.

Avant Case Study: Tiryaki Agro

2012-02-22T07:56:00.000-08:00

In terms of food and grain processors, you may know the brands ADM, Bunge and Cargill, but have you ever heard of Tiryaki Agro?

The Avant Marketing Group was challenged with the assignment to rebrand Eastern Europe's leading food processor. Tiryaki started its commercial activities by opening up a lentil processing facility. After 30 years, Tiryaki is today a leading agri-business and food company that operates over 80 countries around the globe. Tiryaki is Turkey's biggest private sector company and exporter in the agro foods industry, buys grains, pulses, dried nuts and oil seeds from growers, transports them, processes them to food manufacturers who market them to consumers at retail. As an agricultural commodities company, Tiryaki provides a pathway by which products grown by farmers are turned into the foods that are served worldwide.

Strategically located at a key crossroad of trade for emerging economies, Tiryaki sources food from over 25 countries and export to more than 80 countries on five continents. Tiryaki is also the world's biggest certificated organic wheat exporter and the top player in the pistachios market.

Avant was challenged to develop a new corporate identity for Tiryaki. Using our proprietary Brand Development Process, we conducted market research with company leadership, employees and customers. This resulted in defining a formal Brand Platform.

Key elements of the new Tiryaki Brand Platform included its Vision, Mission and Shared Values that resonate with all stakeholders.

Vision -- To become a regional power in our industry, targeting the Mediterranean, Black Sea, Middle East and North Africa regions.

Mission -- To contribute to the sustainability and easier supply of the basic foods for the economic and healthy nutrition of both present and future generations.

Values -- Diligence, honesty, reliability, fairness, modesty, challenging.

Our assignment took us to Istanbul (administrative headquarters) and Gaziantep (operations headquarters) to conduct the work. Cultural and language differences always make assignments more complex, but Avant drove deep into both the Turkish and company cultures to complete this assignment.

The new brand identity can be viewed at http://www.tiryaki.net.

In terms of a Brand Essence that resonates with both employees and customers, Avant developed the Turkish term, "iyi insanlar. Bereketli topraklar." In English, the Brand Essence simply translates to "Good People. Good Earth."

We would like to thank Tiryaki for this assignment and allowing us to gain tremendous insight into their organization and the agricultural commodities markets of Eastern Europe. We would also like to thank Pro Wolfe Partners who collaborated with us on this project and is responsible for the graphic logo design.

The next time you snack on a pistachio, you now know the "Good People and Good Earth" that is most likely behind the product.

For more information about Avant's Brand Development Process or about our "Living the Brand" brand management approach to marketing, please contact us at http://www.avantmarketing.com.

Another Avant Success Story -- Solutia Sold to Eastman Chemical

2012-01-27T14:32:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to Solutia and Jeff Quinn and his team on the announcement of Solutia's sale to Eastman Chemical Co. Eastman will pay Solutia investors $22 in cash and 0.12 of an Eastman share for each of their shares. The cash and stock offer, valuing Solutia shares at $27.65 each, is 42 percent higher than Solutia's recent closing price.

See full article at:
http://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/blog/2012/01/sale-of-solutia-is-quinns-story-too.html?surround=etf&ana=e_article

Avant had the opportunity to assist Solutia in developing its new brand identity in 2010. The "team of 100 employees" that was set up to bolster morale and to spread the Solutia gospel was part of Avant's "Living the Brand" training that included train-the-trainer workshops in St. Louis, Shanghai, Sao Paulo and Brussels. All 3,000 employees celebrated the brand launch and attended workshops around the globe.

Solutia is another example of how proper brand development investment pays dividends.

Seasoned Market Researcher Joins Avant Marketing Group

2012-01-19T06:32:00.000-08:00

(January 19, 2012 – St. Louis, MO) – The Avant Marketing Group is pleased to announce the addition of Jim Kramer to its market research and planning staff.

Kramer comes to Avant Marketing from Market Probe where he held the position of Vice President – Account Management for 12 years. He will be responsible for Avant Marketing’s research and analysis functions in the areas of consumer, business-to-business, and agriculture and animal health research.

“Jim is a great complement to our existing staff,” commented Mark Vogel, senior partner. “His immense knowledge and experience will assist us in our continued efforts to provide unmatched research and planning for our diverse group of clients.”

Kramer received his BA and MBA from the University of Wisconsin – Whitewater. His experience includes quantitative and qualitative research with both domestic and international projects.

Avant Marketing Group is a market planning firm located in St. Louis, Missouri. The experienced group of professionals provides market research and planning with specialization in enterprise and municipal brand development, market segmentation, channel strategies and new product development.

Kramer can be reached at kramerj@avantmarketing.com or by visiting the firm’s website at http://www.avantmarketing.com.

The Power of the Right Branding

2011-11-30T08:07:00.000-08:00

We commonly come in contact with companies that are frustrated with their new business development. They blame the lack of budget for their woes and wish they could increase brand awareness to attract prospects. They all make the similar comment, "If prospects only knew what we offer and how good of job we do for our customers -- we would have great sales growth!"

For some, it is not a matter of marketing budget but the lack of proper branding. Without the proper brand positioning, your product and superior performance could be your best kept secret.

Your brand provides you with the most impact and visibility regardless of the size of your advertising budget. From the sign on your office door, the front lobby receptionist to every customer contact, your brand gives you the opportunity to tell the world who you are and what you are all about. If your brand does not do that in a differentating way with conviction, it's time for you to revisit your brand platform.

Powerful brands do not need to be that complexed. Take for example the law firm Levenfeld Pearlstein. With its website as an important marketing channel, this law firm expresses its "reason for being" as simply "Unusually Good". The positioning promotes a tone and personality not normally associated with lawyers. It offers a promise as well as it sets the bar for performance for each and every employee.

The Avant Brand Development Process provides enterprises with the ability to define the correct Brand Platform that perfectly tells your story to the world. Not only does the process maximize your brand impact and communications, but it truly becomes the "rallying cry" that promotes high performance within your organization.

Be looking for the new brand identities for two clients in one of our favorite categories -- municipalities. The new brand identities for Salinas, California and University City, Missouri are scheduled for launch in early in 2012. Both brands are focused on increasing city affinity with residents while attracting prospects in both the residential and business categories.

Is the Penn State Brand Too Tainted for Bowl Selection?

2011-11-26T09:45:00.000-08:00

We all feel the disgrace caused by the scandal at Penn State. For many, Saturday College Football is a few hours of sanctuary from real life issues. When that sanctuary is invaded, it affects us all.
With its winning season, Penn State is bowl eligible. But from a branding standpoint, would it be good judgment for any bowl committee to invite a school that is under such scrutiny? Would any major bowl inherit the negativity that currently surrounds the school and athletic program?
This will be a hard decision for any bowl committee. From a financial standpoint, Penn State is a good choice. It is one of the largest schools in the Big Ten and its fan base travels well -- a bowl invitation would ensure a solid revenue and income base for the bowl venue.
Yet, with the ongoing investigation and potential cover-up, how can any bowl committee invite a school that will not only put it on the sports page but also on the front page with further scandal exposure?
Bowl committees should keep in mind that the players did nothing wrong. They deserve to be rewarded for a winning season – particularly making it through the turmoil that they faced this year. Second, the moral and ethical standards of an institution are not fully destroyed by the actions of a few. There is no group of people more disgraced than Penn State Alumni. The shameful actions of a few are shared by many – that is a basic law of brand affinity – you share in both the good and the bad attributes when you establish that affinity. But an institution’s standards and ethics do remain and must be reinforced by all who call Penn State home.
The current scandal should not negate Penn State from bowl play. It can provide the school the opportunity to reinforce its high standards and moral substance and declare to everyone that the institution is stronger than the actions of a few. It would also provide Penn State the opportunity to donate its bowl revenues to a deserving child abuse organization or charity.

There is a need for quality institutions to believe in. A quality Penn State brand is needed for its students, its alumni and by all of us who may not share in the value of the Penn State institution, but in the institution of collegiate academics and athletics.

Avant to Assist Veterans with Market Planning Assistance

2011-11-11T06:39:00.000-08:00

St. Louis – Nov. 11, 2011 – The Avant Marketing Group, a market planning firm in St. Louis, has established an assistance program for veterans returning from military service who are interested in establishing their own entrepreneurial businesses.
“Returning veterans are finding the job market tough,” states Avant partner, Mark Buckley.
“U.S. troops who fought in Iraq and Afghanistan are faced with an alarmingly high jobless rate of 13.3 percent. While the economy is showing signs of improvement, finding a job is still difficult for many veterans. Many may elect to investigate the opportunities in starting their own business or expanding a family business and we want to help,” commented Buckley.
While there has been additional emphasis in the hiring of veterans with tax incentives for businesses, there is little assistance for a veteran who wants to plan his own business after returning to civilian life.
The Avant Marketing Group will offer market and business planning advice to those veterans. Through consultation with the firm, a veteran can receive business and marketing advice including market analysis, brand positioning and initial strategic plans to assist business development efforts.
Returning veterans can contact the Avant Marketing Group through its web site: www.avantmarketing.com.
The Avant Marketing Group was founded in 2004 and serves both domestic and international clients with brand development, market planning and research. The firm recently relocated offices to 6 The Pines Court, Suite E in St. Louis, Missouri.

Avant Moves Offices

2011-11-04T07:51:00.000-07:00

To better serve the growing demands of our customers, Avant Marketing Group has relocated its offices in the St. Louis area. The new facility now offers more capacity for both qualitative and quantitative research personnel.

Both our address and telephone numbers have changed:

New Address: 6 The Pines Court, Suite E, St. Louis, Missouri 63141

New Telephone: 314.576.7700 Fax: 314.576.7707

Rebranding Project Underway; How Will Salinas' Image Change?

2011-10-05T06:45:00.000-07:00

FROM KION-TV...

SALINAS, Calif. - For more than a year, we've been telling you about Salinas' push to change the city's image. In January, the city council hired a company based in St. Louis Missouri to start the process. In June, the company sent out survey questions to find out what local people think of the city's image, but since then, silence, at least publicly. Now, a KIONquestion about the efforts to rebrand Salinas… "What exactly is the Avant Marketing Group doing to change the image of Salinas? We found out a new brand for the city could roll out for the start of 2012.

"For being a St. Louis ad firm, they really, really nailed Salinas well," said Salinas Councilwoman Kimbley Craig.

And you may wonder... how so? Salinas Councilwoman Kimbley Craig said the Avant Marketing Group came to Salinas last week with results from June's survey, focus groups, and one on one interviews to get a better understanding of what Salinas is about. On the live line, Avant Marketing said it received great response from the community.

"Very consistent response from Salinas citizens and residents and it really showed us that a lot of people have great pride in your community," said Mark Vogel, Avant Marketing.

As for the results of what Avant found, Councilwoman Craig said she couldn't release those details yet because it's still in the working phase, "We have a couple of tweaks that we've asked them to go back to the drawing board with to make sure that they capture the full essence of Salinas before we roll it out in full. But ultimately, we're really excited about the project and they've done great work thus far."

For more information, including video story go to: http://www.kionrightnow.com/story/15618243/rebranding-project-underway-how-will-salinas-image-change

AVANT TO LEAD UNIVERSITY CITY’S MARKETING & PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS

2011-06-28T08:06:00.000-07:00

University City, MO (June 28, 2011) University City has selected the Avant Marketing Group, a St. Louis-based market planning firm, as the consultant for various aspects of public communications, media relations and marketing for the City.

Avant will focus on enhancing the City’s stance on issues, programs and initiatives while fostering a climate of civic involvement and excitement throughout the community.

Specifically, Avant will develop a new brand identity for University City that will be an integral part of an overall communications plan targeted to both residents as well as outside audiences.

“We conducted a competitive review of professional firms interested in providing services to the City,” stated Lehman Walker, City Manager. “We were strongly impressed with Avant’s brand management capabilities that are supported by their professional communications and marketing experience.”

Part of the initial process involves interviewing city residents in regard to their perceptions of the community. Residents who are interested in participating in this portion of the project should contact the Avant Marketing Group directly via email at: ucity@avantmarketing.com.

The City of University City, Missouri, is a 100 year-old inner ring suburb abutting the City of St. Louis with a population of 35,000 and is surrounded by established municipalities.

The Avant Marketing Group conducts market planning, market research and marketing communications for a variety of clients including municipalities, associations, corporations and product brands. Its brand development process has been employed with organizations in the United States, Asia, South American and Europe.

"What Do You Want To Sell More Of?"

2011-06-21T08:29:00.000-07:00

Most industries and businesses are seeing an uptick in sales, but are certainly not at a "robust" point in business growth. Business management is seeking ways to maintain the current momentum and many focus on customer acquisition to keep the sales going.

Though customer acquisition should always be part of the marketing mix, businesses need to be reminded that the largest sales growth is always accomplished through existing customers.

The Pareto Principle -- also known as the 80-20 Rule states that, for many events, including sales increases, roughly 80% of the effects come from 20% of the causes.

Italian Economist Vilfredo Pareto first made this observation in connection with population and wealth of Italy's land where 80% was owned by 20% of the population. He then conducted surveys on a variety of other countries and found to his surprise that a similar distribution applied.

With few exceptions, the 80-20 Rule applies to business in the following manner:
-- 80% of your profits come from 20% of your customers
-- 80% of your complaints come from 20% of your customers
-- 80% of your profits come from 20% of the time you spend
-- 80% of your sales come from 20% of your products
-- 80% of your sales are made by 20% of your sales staff

In a slow-growth economy, it may be more important to focus on your existing customer base versus investing heavily in customer acquisition. "Share of Customer" is vital according to the 80-20 Rule, and truly defines the difference between a sales plan and a marketing plan. Basic market plan components including brand development, product and price position, and efficient distribution strategies all should point to the satisfaction and increased business of your current customers.

Finally, there is a little known effect that the 80-20 Rule creates in business...as you increase "Share of Customer" and current customer satisfaction the "20 percent" obviously grows in terms of sales. But in addition, you will find the remaining "80 percent" of your sales mix increasing proportionally. This is due to brand position and direct or indirect endorsement of your products or services from existing customers.

In short -- focus on the "20" and the "80" will follow -- a great strategy in a slow-growth economy.

AVANT MARKETING & PROWOLFE WIN TURKISH BUSINESS

2011-06-09T08:31:00.000-07:00

The Avant Marketing Group and ProWolfe Partners, both St. Louis, Missouri firms, have been selected by Tiryaki Agro, Istanbul, Turkey, to develop a new corporate brand identity.

Avant will provide its strategic market research and brand development process to develop a new brand platform. ProWolfe will create all brand design and identity materials.

Tiryaki Agro is ranked 90^th on Fortune Turkey’s “500 Largest Companies” survey based on net sales. It is the 40^th fastest growing company in Turkey, based on export figures, and ranks 22^nd among companies with the highest increase in sales volume.

Tiryaki focuses on the production, processing and delivery of food products and ingredients including grains, pulse, nuts, oil seeds and feed in over 80 countries with five separate production facilities and offices in six cities. The company has 25 warehouses and utilizes a logistics system comprised of more than 200 vessels, 30,000 containers and 10,000 trucks. Tiryaki’s operational capacity for 2010 was 2 million tons.

The Avant Marketing Group is a market planning firm with a focus on brand development for both enterprises and product management. ProWolfe Partners is a design communications firm with extensive experience in corporate brand communications.

Avant Wins Top Honors at IABC Awards

2011-05-27T12:35:00.000-07:00

The 2010 Mahindra "Tough As Texas" marketing campaign received the "Award of Excellence" at the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) Bronze Quill Awards held in St. Louis.

The campaign, developed and implemented in collaboration with Cambium Creative, featured an integrated advertising campaign for Mahindra Texas Dealers. The communication strategy was focused on promoting the durability and superior performance of Mahindra Tractors. The entire campaign was capped off with a 1,000-mile tractor drive across Texas with proceeds benefiting The Children's Miracle Network and the Houston Children's Hospital.

The successful planning and implementation of the program with Mahindra Texas Dealers resulted in significant market share gains across the state.

Avant continues to assist Mahindra USA in its marketing efforts with regional programs in the Southern States as well as in the Northeast.

Avant Assists Mahindra In Initiating Recovery Relief Program For Tornado Stricken Areas

2011-05-25T08:09:00.000-07:00

Avant Marketing Group assisted Mahindra USA in the development and deployment of the Mahindra Recovery Relief Program. With this program, dealers in tornado-stricken areas have the ability to release Mahindra Tractors from inventory to assist in damage cleanup.

Tractors have been deployed in the Southern States as well as in Southwest Missouri where tornadoes have ravaged communities.

"It is extremely gratifying to be associated with a client that is truly committed to the welfare of its dealers and their communities", stated Avant Senior Partner Mark Vogel. "Within hours after the first major destruction in the South, we assisted Mahindra in developing the program components and communications to initiate this program."

The program offers key Mahindra Tractor models with front-end loaders and grapple hooks that are ideal for damage clean-up. Tractors are deployed to local community disaster assistance organizations to assist in the efforts.

Avant to Co-Present at May St. Louis BMA Luncheon

2011-04-21T08:35:00.000-07:00

Senior Partner Mark Vogel and Solutia's Director, Planning & Coordination Emily Bealke Parenteau will co-present "What's Branding Got to Do With It -- Solutia's Case Study and the Importance of Branding with B-to-B Enterprises" at the upcoming St. Louis BMA May Luncheon.

Details:

Date:       Thursday, May 12
Times:     11:30               Registration and Networking
               12:00 -- 1:00     Program followed by Q&A
Place:      Spazio Westport, 12031 Lackland Rd.

Website: http://www.bma-stl.org/

The presentation will provide the details of the comprehensive market research, brand platform development, brand identity transformation and Avant's Living the Brand Training that was employed by Solutia in developing its new global brand identity. With over 3,000 world-wide employees, Solutia utilized the Avant process and completed a successful brand launch late last year. Emily Bealke Parenteau will provide an overview of Solutia's previous brand and identity issues as well as review the components of the successful brand launch. Mark Vogel will detail the step-by-step process used by Solutia to develop a new Solutia brand platform and identity that is truly reflective of the corporation's brand values and position for future growth.

Emily Bealke Parenteau, Solutia
Director, Planning & Coordination

In 2010, Emily managed the re-branding of Corporate Solutia from brand research, new logo development, to global launch. She is a senior marketing communications and branding professional with experience working in global, fast-paced, dynamic organizations. Her background includes international B2B marketing and branding campaign management with particular focus on China, Western Europe and the US Consumer Marketing programs, including the St. Louis Rock 'n' Roll Marathon & Half Marathon title sponsorship.

Mark Vogel, Avant Marketing Group
Senior Partner

Mark Vogel is Senior Partner of the Avant Marketing Group and was Project Leader on the Solutia branding effort.

Avant Begins Work For Salinas California

2011-03-03T14:52:00.000-08:00

Avant has kicked off its brand development project for the City of Salinas, California. Mark Vogel and Kate Lammert attended this week's Council Meeting and Press Conference and met with business and community leaders.

To see press coverage of this week's events, go to the following links:

Print

http://www.TheCalifornian.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/201103011601/NEWS01/110301023

http://www.kionrightnow.com/Global/category.asp?C=203635

Bracing For Higher Costs Of Living

2011-02-24T15:27:00.000-08:00

Over the last 12 months, the food index has risen 1.8 percent with the food at home index up 2.1 percent. Both 12-month changes are the highest since 2009. This is no surprise to anyone that has shopped at the grocery store in the past two weeks.

Typically, manufacturers and retailers tend to hold the line on price increases during an economic downturn, but now, because of the increased cost of cotton, wheat, corn and soybeans, price increases are inevitable on almost everything we use.

On top of food prices, the political unrest in the oil-rich Middle East will nearly ensure that we’ll see gasoline prices in the $4 to $5 range by mid-summer.

From an agricultural marketing perspective, these events are both good and bad. Crop farmers are finally realizing good profits but are faced with a very volatile market and increased energy costs. Livestock producers are reducing stocks, based on high input costs, and will attempt to maintain margins and profits on market prices but with reduced herds. In terms of productive agricultural land values, a record-high $9,000/acre was just paid for corn/soybean land in Central Illinois.

For consumers, everything from food to underwear will inevitably increase in price. Hanes has informed its retailers that they want to reserve the option to employ price increases every 90 days if necessary. Kraft which makes Oreo Cookies, Wheat Thins and Oscar Mayer wieners, has raised prices on more than half its North American products and plans on more increases. The Coalition Against Hunger is predicting that rising prices will drive more families to food pantries and soup kitchens.

This situation is not just limited to the

United States

. Higher food and fiber costs are being felt world-wide. (Note that the initial unrest and uprising in

Egypt

was based on the cost and accessibility of food in that country.)

How will consumers change their purchasing behavior when faced with a higher cost of living? We suggest two dynamics will occur: 1) Less expensive and less nutritional processed food products will increase in demand; 2) Consumers will become even more discretionary in their premium food selections.

From a marketing perspective, several changes will also occur:

Brands will offer products in smaller packages – from half-loaves of bread, 12 oz. packages of cereal to 4 oz. packages of cured bacon
Brands may have to reduce the number of SKUs (a historical first) to focus on the manufacturing efficiencies of their baseline products
Retailers will look to alternative sources for fresh products – including growing their own leafy produce in greenhouses or on the rooftops of their own stores
Premium brands will need to further justify their price and differentiate themselves from the competition

Regardless of what the future holds, it is even now more critical for food brands to stay in touch with their consumers with frequent market research that will lead to successful market planning.

2011 Super Bowl Advertising: Winners & Losers

2011-02-07T06:56:00.000-08:00

Now that the “Title” has returned to “Town” for the Green Bay Packers, how did the Super Bowl commercials score in television’s premier event?

As mentioned in our previous Blog, we evaluate Super Bowl commercial investment from a brand perspective with the following criteria:

Message – have something to say
Right Audience – make sure that the event delivers the right prospects for your product, and in-hand, you are equipped to maximize the increased interest in your brand or product
Right Budget – can you maximize the increased brand awareness and extend it through the marketing year?
Strong Creative – it must compete creatively with other advertisers, entertain as well as getting a strong message across
Has Legs – must have the ability to become a major positioning for your brand beyond Sunday’s broadcast

Here are our top picks from Sunday’s big event:

Winners

1. CHRYSLER (Wieden & Kennedy, Portland OR). Though this 2-minute spot won’t win the popularity contest polls, it was the strongest branding spot of the entire event. The “Imported from Detroit” tagline, the use of Eminem and his 8-Mile soundtrack provided messaging that is right for America at the right time. As we come out of the bad economy, most Americans are more inclined to identify with Detroit than any other city. Chrysler is mapping out a brand territory based on the basic values of Motor City that can be a tremendous platform for product advertising – including the Chrysler 200 – “A car that you don’t have to own to be proud of.”

2. BEST BUY (CPB, Boulder, CO). This commercial is good not because everyone is either an Ozzy or Justin Bieber fan, but because it had a strong message – the introduction of the Best Buy’s Buy Back Program. Even Ozzy Osbourne now has the assurance that his investment in current technology won’t be wasted as technology itself moves forward. 4G, 5G, 6G…10G – Best Buy has you covered.

3. MOTOROLA (Anomaly, New York, NY). Pointing out that Apple has now become “The Establishment”, this spot for the Xoom tablet took the brand equity of the “1984” Apple spot and truly contemporized it. The ad not only gets it competitive statement across, but shows off the product benefits through the story line.

4. BRIDGESTONE (Richards Group, Dallas, TX). Unfortunately this spot aired too late in the game, but could be the best of the bunch from the Dallas Ad Agency. “Carma” featured a life-saving gesture that is later returned by a beaver. We’ll see more of this spot in sports programming throughout the year.

5. DORITOS (Consumer-Generated). The consumer creative competition for Doritos advertising continues to work. Best of the bunch – “The Best Part” where the creepy coworker goes after the Doritos cheese seasoning on his fellow employee’s fingers – those chips have to be good!

Honorable Mentions

GROUPON – As a late entry into the Super Bowl, Groupon assisted their brand awareness through Timothy Hutton setting us up to promote Thai food discount coupons. The spot got everyone’s attention.

VOLKSWAGON – The Mini-Darth Vader was cute and memorable, but will anyone remember that the spot is advertising the VW Passat?

CAREERBUILDER – Maintaining the “I Work With Apes” theme, the spot did a good job of targeting those viewers that are frustrated with their current job – a proven theme.

PEPSI MAX – Though the consumer-generated format seemed to work better for Doritos, it did produce a stable of good commercials that will continue to get exposure for Pepsi Max in the next few months – a good creative launch for the brand’s national campaign.

Is Super Bowl Advertising Worth It?

2011-01-25T08:02:00.000-08:00

Every year we are asked our opinion in regard to the value of Super Bowl advertising. This year, though the mainstay CPG companies are maintaining advertising on the big event, at least seven advertisers from 2010’s game aren’t returning – including Papa John’s, Intel, Monster, Dr. Pepper, Denny’s, Universal Orlando and KGB. The published cost of a 30-second spot on Fox’s telecast is $3 million.

Companies have always justified the expense for many different reasons – some logical and some merely to feed the ego of a CEO or CMO by participating in one of television’s biggest televised sporting events.

For this year, the non-advertisers have publicly mentioned several reasons for not advertising. Papa John’s strategy is to increase the number of consumers registered on their website by enticing them with free pizza if the game goes into overtime. (Note: Super Bowl Sunday represents the highest sales day for delivered pizza in the United States.) KGB stated that they are shifting to a “social media strategy”, Intel is going in “new directions”, Denny’s has new leadership and a new agency, and Monster.com is “moving beyond building awareness” (looks like they aren’t concerned about maintaining awareness).

The biggest reason why we aren’t seeing any new advertisers is that many marketers have nothing new to say. Nearly all companies have had to downsize their investments in product development and innovation and simply aren’t prepared to launch new ideas into the consumer market.

For the remaining advertisers, Super Bowl advertising can simply be justified on the basis of traditional media analysis that is looking for delivery in both reach and frequency against a general consumer audience. The Super Bowl delivers outstanding viewership only second to the World Cup – global marketers grab these opportunities whenever they can. (Note: Fox sold out the Super Bowl in October – advertisers negotiated a much lower per spot cost or negotiated tremendous value-added making the investment extremely worthwhile.)

With all that said, can the tremendous investment be justified by any marketer beyond a mainstay consumer brand?

Here are our criteria for any marketer thinking about advertising on the Super Bowl:

1. Have something to say. Unfortunately, many marketers make the investment hoping that the advertising creative gains the attention of the audience versus the actual message. The main objective is not to entertain the audience, but to distinctly get your brand, product or service message across supported by good creative. Many advertisers forget this critical point of all successful marketing campaigns.

2. Make sure it’s the right audience. If increased brand awareness with the general audience does not give you an advantage, don’t advertise. Keep in mind that the Super Bowl telecast is a global audience – if you are not investing in your international markets, it may not be a wise choice to advertise. Noting this advice, there are certain considerations that can make a significant impact with niche or trade targets using expensive sports media as a communications tool.

Here’s an example:

Several years ago, we had a client that had produced an impressive television spot and was interested in gaining as much exposure to the spot as possible. Unfortunately, their core target audience was residential builders – not consumers. We developed a unique strategy where we placed one commercial spot on the NCAA Final Four. Before the telecast weekend, we sent a direct mail promotion to the client’s list of 70,000 builders. The call-to-action asked builders to watch the Final Four telecast and when they saw the client’s single commercial, right down the names of the competing teams and the actual score of the game at the time of the commercial on a return reply card. The builder’s card that was randomly selected with the correct teams and score won a free trip to the following year’s Final Four Championship. We received nearly 17,000 entries or a 24 percent participation return. More importantly, a large number of builders were informed that the client had a new advertising campaign to support their marketing efforts. Finally, the increased consumer brand awareness helped launch a successful annual advertising campaign.

3. Make sure it’s the right budget. If a Super Bowl investment accelerates your reach and frequency goals while you still have a budget to maintain frequency after the big game – go for it. Depleting your entire advertising budget on one telecast will not give you the return in terms of brand awareness increases or maintenance.

4. Make sure you can creatively compete. Super Bowl Commercials are now viewed more for the entertainment value than the marketing message. It is a very competitive arena where the majority of viewing consumers automatically become advertising critics. If you are not capable of delivering your brand or product message in a way that stands out from the competition – don’t advertise.

5. Ensure your investment has legs. Since it is a major advertising investment, make sure you also budget for integrated support in terms of channel events, sales promotion, public relations and employee communications. In short, make the most out of your investment and ensure that critical audiences have the opportunity to engage and participate in not just the Super Bowl, but in Your Super Bowl Event.

Mark Buckley Joins Avant Marketing Group

2011-01-20T10:13:00.000-08:00

The Avant Marketing Group announces the addition of Mark Buckley as partner in the market planning and research firm. Buckley has extensive marketing and brand communications experience across a wide spectrum of industries including agriculture and food production, animal health and nutrition, energy, hospitality, financial, manufacturing, technology and government categories.

Buckley complements Avant’s expertise in marketing, creative strategies and business development. Previously, he was founder of Swing Shift Creative, his own marketing communications creative consultancy. He has also held key leadership positions for advertising agencies, design firms and marketing companies including Fiserv, ProWolfe Partners and Osborn & Barr Communications.

Buckley earned his B.F.A. in Graphic Design and Commercial Art from Drake University. He currently sits on the boards of the AIGA/St. Louis Chapter, the Lupus Foundation of America/Heartland Chapter and The Center for Women in Transition.

“We are extremely pleased to add Mark to our expert staff,” commented Mark Vogel, Avant senior partner. “He brings with him a wealth of strategic marketing experience and out-of-box creative thinking that will further assist us in solving client marketing problems.”

Mark Buckley can be contacted at buckleym@avantmarketing.com or by visiting the firm’s website at http://www.avantmarketing.com/.

How Has Your Market Changed?

2011-01-18T08:36:00.000-08:00

There are definitely strong signs that the economy is on a comeback. Marketers, who previously reduced planning and implementation budgets, are now initiating marketing investments focused on growth strategies.

But has your customer or consumer changed their buyer values as a result of the recession?

Research shows that consumers, and even b-to-b purchasers, have redefined their core values. They are making a distinction between wants and needs and are more discriminating in product and brand choice.

Today’s consumers are seeking long-term relationships with their brands that share in those common values.

As Philip Kotler puts it, “The post-crisis consumer, already highly marketing-savvy and armed with the leveling powers of social connection and critique, is now an even more potent and unpredictable force in the marketplace. People are looking for value and values.”

Through this evolution, brands are even more important. Technology now allows us to make purchase decisions not only based on product attributes, but company attributes and values. The marketing firewall between a product’s image and company image has virtually been dismantled.

Marketers can find new forms of competitive advantage by understanding and sharing in the values that have become more important to consumers. With the proper market research and planning, marketers can claim newly defined competitive advantages that meet the economic, functional, economic and social needs of today’s marketplace.

Avant Marketing Group Named Branding Agency for City of Salinas, California

2011-01-12T16:54:00.000-08:00

Salinas City (California) Council on Tuesday named the Avant Marketing Group to lead a unique campaign set to help the city improve its image.

Citing its strength in experience and more significant track record, city staff and an ad-hoc branding committee recommended Avant Marketing Group over Salinas-based TMD Creative Marketing by Design company.

“They were both good proposals,” said Jeff Weir, economic development director. "But (Avant) had a much stronger proposal.”

Stemming from an idea brought to the council in April, the city sent out a request for proposals to find branding consultants – local and national – willing to lead the effort in marketing the city’s strengths and positive attributes.

According to the scope of project, the initiative will include: conducting research, hosting informational meetings, identifying markets to target, tradeshow development and creating a logo, and addressing negative perceptions, including crime and the perceived “lack of things to do” in Salinas.

Several key advantages for Avant were cited in the evaluation of proposals including the agency’s extensive market research, brand platform components and proprietary “Living the Brand” training which will be implemented with Salinas community leaders.

As The Year Ends...

2010-12-23T09:08:00.000-08:00

2010 marks the end of the sixth year for the Avant Marketing Group. It was a year that gave us opportunity to conduct brand development in the United States, China, Brazil and Europe. We planned and implemented a very successful integrated marketing program in Texas that featured a 1,000-mile tractor drive in support of the Children's Miracle Network and completed several key research projects that will ensure continued marketing success for our clients.

As the year closes, we simply want to thank all our clients who not only have made Avant a continued success, but who challenge us in developing and refining our research and planning techniques to meet their objectives.

What will 2011 bring? We see an enormous demand for market research and planning early in the year. Marketers need to get back "in touch" with the market -- and realize that buyer values have significantly changed through the economic downturn. Nearly all market segments are truly dynamic -- general assumptions cannot ground market strategies any longer.

In some respects, recessions are good for business. It forces us to trim waste and deliver our products and services in the most efficient manner. And regardless what many self-proclaimed "marketing experts" promote, brand investment still defines the winners versus losers as the economy improves. Successful marketers understand the importance of not only investing in product branding, but also understand the visibility of their company's brand making enterprise branding significant as time moves forward.

We want to thank all of our clients for their support in the past six years. Not only do we value our professional relationships, but we also consider our clients good friends.

Have a very blessed and enjoyable holiday. And though it may be one of the most overused phrases in the English language -- May There Be Peace on Earth this holiday season.

Avant Marketing Group and Cambium Creative Launch Sweepstakes Program for the World’s #1 Selling Tractor

2010-12-17T08:51:00.000-08:00

Quick! Which brand has the #1 selling tractor in the word? Did you guess Mahindra? If you did, you are correct! Since 1963, Mahindra’s Farm Sector has maintained its leadership position in the Indian tractor industry and is now the #1 selling tractor company in the world, based on volumes. Mahindra has operations in 35 countries.

The Avant Marketing Group, in collaboration with Cambium Creative, is proud to launch Mahindra USA’s sweepstakes program. Avant and Cambium designed and implemented the sweepstakes program, which involves five Gulf Coast states.

Who is the “Brand Champion” in Your Organization?

2010-12-14T12:13:00.000-08:00

We use this typical brand scenario in our brand workshop presentations:

Imagine you visit a nearby hospital and come upon a maintenance worker mopping the floor of a hallway. You ask the worker, “What do you do for a living?” He responds by saying, “My job is cleaning floors.”

You visit a second hospital and come upon another maintenance worker mopping the floor of a hallway. You ask the same question, “What do you do for a living?” He responds by saying, “I help doctors save lives.”

Which hospital would you say has the better brand orientation? Which hospital would you say has better motivated employees? Which has less employee turnover? Which hospital do you think has the best customer satisfaction?

Many companies and organizations view brand management as only a function of the marketing or advertising departments -- it should be the responsibility of each and every employee in the organization. Brands that “live” within the organization also “thrive” – ensuring that its brand’s promise is being supported with every action of every employee within the organization.

Successful organizations realize that every action is a form of communications that either supports or discounts the brand in the eyes of the customer. True consumer-centric organizations understand the value of ensuring that each and every employee becomes a “brand champion” for the organization.

This “brand champion” philosophy is not only reflected in the organization’s communication, but is also reflected in how employees are evaluated, compensated and promoted.

Do your employees merely “mop floors for a living” or are they truly committed to the mission and values of your brand?

Are You a Brand Fanatic?

2010-12-10T08:03:00.000-08:00

Successful marketers strive to develop “brand fanatics” among its customers. Why? Loyal and fanatical brand enthusiasts are your most cost-effective means of marketing and advertising. Word-of-mouth fanaticism is priceless – each and every customer has the potential of becoming your best marketer of your brand.

But how can you expect your customer to become a brand fanatic if your own organization and its employees don’t reflect that same brand enthusiasm?

Avant has defined four levels of brand relationships:

Brand Awareness – this is simply awareness of your brand without cognizant differentiation. In the 1970s and 1980s, high brand awareness was the only goal of many marketers – the higher the awareness, the higher the potential of increasing market share. Smart marketers realized that though brand awareness did increase interest in the brand, it was more of an “effect” than a “cause” in the true brand relationship with customers.

Brand Advocacy – this occurs when a person is not only aware of the brand, but has a positive perception of the brand but has no brand relationship. This stage normally occurs as a brand is initiated and is a stage in its maturity. Brands that maintain this type of brand relationship with its customers find that their product or service is easily substituted and have not established strong brand loyalty with its customer base.

Brand Affinity – this occurs when a customer personally identifies with the brand. Examples include a person that refers to themselves as a “Ford Owner” or as a “Starbucks Coffee Drinker”. There is strong emotional connection with customers that have high brand affinity – they feel that they are as much of brand as is the product or service itself.

Brand Fanaticism – this is the ultimate brand relationship that few brands ever achieve. Not only do these customers have high brand affinity and loyalty, but they constantly promote your brand to their peers and other potential consumers of your product. They have a tremendous pride in being a consumer of your products – not usually because you have a great product, but because you have a great brand – they have connected on both an emotional and intellectual level through the basic beliefs and values of your brand.

So once again, the critical question is: Can you expect your customers to become brand fanatics if your own employees aren’t enthusiastic about your brand and what it stands for?

The Avant “Living the Brand” approach ensures that all employees in your organization become “Brand Fanatics”. This approach not only ensures that your brand performance lives up to the expectations of market participants, but ensures ongoing brand loyalty and profitability for your company.

Avant Marketing Group Assists Solutia Inc. with New Global Brand Identity

2010-12-07T13:34:00.000-08:00

St. Louis, MO – December 6, 2010. Solutia Inc. enlisted the expertise of the Avant Marketing Group to develop its new global brand identity announced on November 10, 2010.

Avant applied its proprietary brand development process and “Living the Brand Training” to reposition Solutia’s corporate brand identity based on the brand pillars of Ingenuity, Productivity and Performance.

“Ingenuity, Productivity and Performance reflect the strength, vitality and spirit of Solutia as a global market leader, as well as the employees that drive its success,” said Jeffry N. Quinn, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Solutia Inc. “By leveraging our new global Solutia brand, in addition to our product brand names, we will be able to further drive revenue, strengthen relationship with vendors and customers around the world, as well as continue to recruit and retain top employee talent.”

To accomplish this new brand identity assignment, Avant employed its market research expertise in interviewing both employees and customers in over 15 countries to determine “shared brand values” in developing the comprehensive Solutia brand platform. The brand platform was then validated through focus groups on three continents.

In addition, to assist with Solutia’s internal brand launch, Avant conducted its “Living the Brand Training” in St. Louis, Sao Paulo, Shanghai and Brussels. The training emphasized the alignment of employee values with corporate values that leads to improved employee loyalty, satisfaction and productivity.

“The entire Solutia assignment took nearly 12 months,” explained Mark Vogel, Avant senior partner. “It was important to not only identify key corporate values within the Solutia organization, but to also understand how employees in the different cultures relate and identify with those values.”

About Avant Marketing Group:

Avant Marketing Group is a leading St. Louis-based practice specializing in market planning, brand development, and market research throughout global markets. Avant combines the highest level of sophisticated research and an insightful strategic market approach in delivering results for its clients. Founded in 2004, Avant works with leading national and international business-to-business and business-to-consumer clients in over 15 industries. More information is available at www.avantmarketing.com.

Forward Looking Statements
This press release may contain forward-looking statements, which can be identified by the use of words such as "believes," "expects," "may," "will," "intends," "plans," "estimates" or "anticipates," or other comparable terminology, or by discussions of strategy, plans or intentions. These statements are based on management's current expectations and assumptions about the industries in which Solutia operates. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results or achievements to be materially different from the future results or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, those risk and uncertainties described in Solutia's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, including under "Cautionary Statement About Forward Looking Statements" and "Risk Factors", and Solutia's quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. These reports can be accessed through the "Investors" section of Solutia's website at www.solutia.com . Solutia disclaims any intent or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements in response to new information, unforeseen events, changed circumstances or any other occurrence.

About Solutia Inc.:

Corporate Profile
Solutia is a market-leading performance materials and specialty chemicals company. The company focuses on providing solutions for a better life through a range of products, including: Saflex® polyvinyl butyral interlayers for glass lamination and for photovoltaic module encapsulation and VISTASOLAR® ethylene vinyl acetate films for photovoltaic module encapsulation; LLumar®, Vista™, EnerLogic™, FormulaOne®, Gila®, V-KOOL®, Hüper Optik®, IQue™, Sun-X™ and Nanolux™ aftermarket performance films for automotive and architectural applications; Flexvue™ advanced film component solutions for solar and electronic technologies; and technical specialties products including Crystex® insoluble sulfur, Santoflex® PPD antidegradants, Therminol® heat transfer fluids and Skydrol® aviation hydraulic fluids. Solutia’s businesses are world leaders in each of their market segments. With its headquarters in St. Louis, Missouri, USA, the company operates globally with approximately 3,400 employees in more than 50 worldwide locations. More information is available at www.Solutia.com.

###

Is All Research Good Research?

2010-12-07T10:51:00.000-08:00

I recently came across a published report from an advertising & communications agency that conducted research in regard to mobile technology usage in a specific target audience category. The findings were impressive – reflecting that mobile communications is being utilized by a majority of the audience through smart phones and other devices.

I lost interest in the study when I finally realized how the research was conducted – agency staff interviewed 25 participants at a trade show.

Is this valid research? The answer is both yes and no. From a qualitative standpoint, the research can validate potential trends in the category as most qualitative projects can do. However, from a quantitative perspective, the research has no statistical validity since the total population of the target audience is just under 1 million. Can a mere 25 research participants represent the entire category?

The research was obviously conducted by the agency with the specific purpose of promoting its services while positioning the agency as a thought leader in the category. But unfortunately, the report, published as a white paper, loses credibility when the research methodology is in question.

This is a good example of misuse of market research. No true trend lines can be established based on qualitative studies. Qualitative research, including in-depth interviews and focus groups can uncover certain behaviors and perceptions. However, those market trends can only be confirmed through an adequate representation of the target audience in quantitative studies.

Ironically, the above agency is promoting social media and personal communication technologies to reach this specific target audience. It would have been credible research if they used that same technology to survey a large number of participants to provide statistical representation of the target audience.

The important point is to know the limitations of the different research methodologies and don’t embellish findings to attempt to prove your point.

There is no replacement for objective, factual and thorough research. It is critical to understanding the dynamics of your market.

Who Owns Your Brand?

2010-12-06T14:47:00.001-08:00

Profitable companies invest in their brand and do realize tangible value in brand equity that creates an ROI in current and future sales. Companies financially “cash-in” on this equity when the organization is acquired and it usually appears on the balance sheet as “goodwill” and is included in the selling price of the company.

Unfortunately, based on this financial scenario, many companies view their brand as something they own based on this “goodwill” equity that can be realized. Smart brand managers know that this is far from the truth.

We use the term “brand equity” to measure the amount of brand loyalty that our product or service has in the marketplace. A company that has strong brand equity has assurance that there are customers who will continue to purchase its products or services in the future. That is the true definition of a brand’s value. Without the customer loyalty, brands have very little value and are worth not much more than the paper they are printed on.

Smart brand managers view their brand as “owned” by the marketplace – since that is where the equity resides. Without loyal customers, brands have very little worth.

The job of marketers is not to be “brand owners” but to be “brand stewards” – constantly understanding the needs of its customers and ensuring that the brand lives up to the expectations of its true brand owners – the marketplace.

What is Your Definition of Brand Management?

2010-12-02T10:40:00.000-08:00

One of the most ambiguous terms used in business is “brand management”. Certain marketing experts limit the term to the management of the brand communications in advertising and promotion. Advertising agencies generally refer to logo design and taglines executed through consistent creative design and messaging.

By definition, a brand connotes a certain promise to its customer. Marketers now understand the importance of delivering on the brand promise in every aspect of the organization’s operations and behavior. This is truly emphasized today as consumers are seeking as much information about the company behind the product or service as the product or service itself.

Brands must “be alive” in an organization through the values of the organization. Each and every employee must understand the organization’s mission and their role in living up to the brand promise that is promoted through the marketing effort.

Brand management is no longer just the responsibility of the marketing department. Brand values need to guide the actions and communications of all internal brand participants – your entire workforce.