Be key free with Ford

Ford's Key Free Technology, a simple way of unlocking your car without any keys, rather the car automatically unlocks upon detection within a certain proximity.

But how do you depict the value of this technology? the time savings, ease of use etc?
Well all Ford did was create an App that allowed you to use your smartphone to log in to your social accounts Facebook, Twitter etc via Bluetooth. Just put in your log in details and once, and the phone does the rest whenever its within proximity of the desktop!

What I love about it is that it is amazingly simple, useful and still depicts the value of the technology all while staying to the true essence of the product... a genius idea!

The Return of the Infomercial: What makes beer taste good?, Sex tips,Safe driving & more...

In my last post I mentioned about how Ikea have are phasing out their 100 watt bulbs and are now only selling their energy saving ones to display their commitment to the environment also along in line with California's state wide ban on the 100 watt bulb. But this change does not come easy as it involves educating consumers about the benefits and features of energy saving bulbs. This approach has been found quite favorable by many brands who have now taken to educating consumes about benefits in their product category, rather than just promoting their own brands. The return of the Infomercial?

This type of advertisement was used by the beer makers Samuel Adams in the US, in which they educate consumers that Beer tastes better when it comes in brown bottles, and fortunately for them all their beer is available in brown bottles. So is this truly for the benefit of the consumer or the brand? or do they both win?

This is also used in educating people for social benefits. One major problem in the States (and elsewhere) is
texting while driving, and to combat this the auto industry is coming up with a range of solutions which includes having an array of gadgets, hands free of course, on the dashboard to help, such as Chevrolet's voice to text feature which  enables you to access social media via voice controls.But is this enough? Often enough people have to be educated about the benefits and dangers of such devices, and one such example is Ford's campaign in US high schools to educate about safe driving.

Sometimes educating people is the best way to gain new customers. P&G have created a new microsite targeted towards men in which they educate them in virtually everything from money to career, relationships & sex etc. Through this they hope to create a central destination for men to go to when need information and they wish to discuss matters, a segment which has high growth potential. In the past, these type of sites have usually been targeted towards women, but now there is a growing realization that men would find these sites useful and they would use them, so men are not that different after all....But what does P&G hope to gain from this? Besides the fact that they offer products in all these areas and experts on the site would recommend their brand over others, thus creating a brand community of followers. P&G also offer a range of household products, and since men are increasingly active participants it can be hoped that their loyalty will extend to these brands as well. Check out the website: Man of the House

Brand Extensions

Consistency is not always the name of the game, Virgin being a prime example. Although the Vigrin brand did not make it into the top 100 of Interbrand's list, it does deserve a special mention. It is one of the most well known brands operating within various industries, and while its in-consistency might send other brand enthusiasts reeling, it's one of the few that has been able to successfully pull off brand extensions, which are different from their core. 

Recently Virgin announced the global expansion of their Virgin Hotels which they are developing for the high-end traveler. These 4 star hotels will be targeted for the luxury business traveler and will be currently located in North America. More details about the project can be found in Silverstein's article Branson's next move.

The reason for Virgin's success, while I touched on it before, is got to do with their positioning and overall image, which is not based on functionality, but rather emotions such as fun, excitement, daring etc.. which according to Branson appeal to their chosen consumer segment or as they are termed the 'creative class' who can relate to the values of the company....so in other words who does not like to have fun? therefore allowing Virgin to expand into any segment where this is probable. 

Speaking of brand extensions, RIM have decided to enter into the world of tablet computers with a launch of their very own version, into an already crowded market. Is this a bid by RIM to support its brand by creating product extensions for wider appeal? Most likely the tablet would be purchased by existing Blackberry loyalists, and by hooking their customers on they would be following a similar path to Apple; and their creation of a fan base. This is quite a stretch for them, as most of their other competitors are technological companies who have previous experience in IT, unlike RIM for whom this would be a first, but while it is a stretch, playing devil's advocate one can argue that RIM stands for efficiency and effectiveness combined with innovation of mobile technology which is exactly what they will be achieving through the tablet. More information can be found in the article RIM readies answer to i-Pad (why is everything compared to the i-Pad??? a better differentiation is needed). 

Starbucks on the other hand is committed to protecting their trademark which involves suing other brands who copy their distinctive style, color and design of the logo, even if their small cafés who claim innocence. Although there is more to a brand than just its logo, like for Starbucks, its quality coffee, atmosphere etc. they are compelled to protect their rights. Always a tricky decision...what would you do?

Samsung as part of their promotion of the Galaxy Tab, have launched a YouTube video depicting the features of the product ... makes me wonder why couldn't Amazon do the same for the Kindle rather than changing their distribution strategy? 

On a final note Ford have released an app on the iPad to promote the 2011 Fiesta, which highlights the vehicle's features, connectivity and accessories. This is a rather dismal attempt by Ford, as the potential of social media is astounding, so by using it as as an online catalog is only a drop in the ocean.....when the limit is only your imagination.