A few weeks ago I was fortunate to attend the all-company 2013 kick off meeting of a client, The Steve Trautman Co. This Seattle-based client runs a consulting company that has been setting the gold standard in knowledge transfer solutions for the past decade and serves a blue chip client list, such as Boeing, Microsoft, Costco, Nike, Goodyear, Cadbury, Electronic Arts, and others. HeLT began working with The Steve Trautman Co. in 2010 and led the company through a rebranding, using our C.O.R.E.E Brand Positioning process. We repositioned the company’s brand to focus on their leadership in knowledge transfer, changed the company name, streamlined their product offerings, and devised a simple way to present what they do to the marketplace (e.g. introduce their knowledge transfer tools as a simple, 3-step process). We have continued to work with this client to provide on-brand marketing services…. Learn More…
Branded Coffee Mugs & More — a HeLT Client Puts Their Branding to Use, with Results
Rebooting an Iconic Brand: Oreo Cookies in China
[Repost from older blog. Original posting date: Sept. 23, 2008] The case of venerable American company Kraft Foods and their foray into the Chinese market with the top brand in their Nabisco cookie line—the iconic Oreo—is a great example of a crucial tenant of branding: your brand is unlitmately not yours—it’s the world’s.
The Oreo has long been the best-selling cookie in America (a Kraft claim that no one seems to be disputing). It’s now also the best-selling cookie in China—but this wasn’t always so for the tasty two-toned treat. When Kraft Foods first unveiled the cookie to the Chinese in 1996, and then up until 2005, sales were less than stellar. … Learn More…
The Fight for China’s Sole — Adidas, Nike and Footwear Branding Battles
[Repost from older blog. Original posting date: Sept. 12, 2008] Before we leave behind the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics for the ancient news that it is (see post on brand icons here), I want to point out one more of its branding lessons. Let’s look at how two global brand-name sporting appeal and footwear companies, Adidas and Nike, approached this enormous marketing opportunity. What did they do prior to the Games? Something very interesting. They spent untold amounts of R&D time and money developing specialty shoes to be featured at the Beijing Games. Nike unveiled 28 pairs, Adidas 27. And, both companies outfitted thousands and thousands of Olympic athletes with their new designs, free of charge. Here’s the kicker: most of these shoes will never make it to the mainline consumer. Many never seeing the light of day in retail stores—they will only be sold online. So if neither of these global companies expected to sell many equestrian, rowing, or wushu shoes, why all the effort and fuss?… Learn More…
