Marketing that Sucks

This Blog Has Moved

2007-03-20T10:17:00.001-05:00

Please check out the new blog at marketingenious. Check it out now. You won't be sorry.

Presidential Marketing

2007-02-13T11:31:00.000-06:00

I'm on the email list for the Nixon Library. It is a neat place and sometimes they have speakers I like to go see and the email keeps me updated. I just got this email filled with President's Day gift ideas. Maybe I am not as sentimental as most, but I don't typically celebrate, much less exchange gifts for President's Day.

If you are fortunate enough to have people that subscribe to your newsletter, be sure to respect their time and intelligence. Sure I promote myself, but I make sure every message I send is potentially valuable and informative for my very intelligent subscribers.

Come to think of it, the Nixon Library is in California, I should have unsubsribed years ago when I moved back to St. Louis. On the other hand it did give me a great idea for a blog post 8)

Coke Wakes Up with the Extreme Diet Coke & Mentos Experiments II

2006-11-17T11:52:00.000-06:00

On the Marketing that Sucks Blog I mentioned that Coke should embrace the fact that people were making videos about adding Mentos to Diet Coke to create a fuzzy explosion. Looks like they are on the bandwagon and this video contest proves it.

Hot Laptops Could Be Bad for Business

2006-11-17T11:19:00.000-06:00

Don't ask how I found this story: Wired News: This Laptop's Too Hot to Handle

Bad Marketing Equals Cavernous Feel at BLUES Games

2006-11-14T13:39:00.000-06:00

I went to a BLUES hockey game with a friend the other night and he remarked how we could hear the players yelling at each other. We had moved to better seats since there were only about 5,000 fans total. He attributed the ability to hear the players (which is kind of cool) to our upgraded seating position. I said it was because there were was no other noise in the building- like people cheering, talking or breathing. The St. Louis Post Dispatch just did a story where they quote fan Jeff Fitzgerald as saying "It's empty in here." The article focuses on a few factors keeping fans away, one of which is increased ticket prices: 'Checketts said he does not regret raising tickets. "No, I don't," he said. "Because I just believe that we will earn their respect and they will come back. Any negativity about the prices will go away. ... That's how it's always worked wherever I've been. There's always going to be complaining about ticket prices. It's part of the game."' Economics 101 tells you that prices are a function of supply and demand. In what other business would people raise prices for an inferior product (last place in the league) or that had declining popularity (plummeting attendance last year)? The BLUES are saying if the customers (fans) pay more, then they will improve the product (team). This would be like Ford coming out with a terrible car, losing sales, then increasing prices expecting people to pay more for them to correct their mistakes. Don't think there is no competition. There are more entertainment choices than ever. Did you notice how poker replaced hockey on ESPN? There are a lot of suggestions I have for the BLUES, and the NHL in general on how to win back some fans, but let's start simple. Put a winning team on the ice- or at least appear like you are trying to win, before you raise ticket prices. I am a huge hockey and BLUES fan, but if you are lame enough to alienate even die hard fans like me then maybe you should try another business. Go BLUES! PS- Keep an eye out for my online petition to shorten the time between periods. They can do the ice in 6 minutes yet they are taking 17. We can shorten the dead time in games by 22 minutes!

MySpace Predators Could be Undoing of the Internet Giant

2006-10-16T16:44:00.000-05:00

Wired News reports on catching registered sex offenders on MySpace. MySpace says they can not police their users, but if they do not find a way to self regulate the authorities will, or people will leave...

Ugly Ducklings Get New Clothes

2006-10-10T13:33:00.000-05:00

The Anaheim Ducks have a new jersey! Finally after over a decade of wearing a childish logo they have new owners and a new look. But there is a design flaw- the logo is the word Ducks written out across the chest of the jersey. The problem is to fit all of the letters they have to write it smaller (look at all that white space). If you think about it, jerseys need a round or square proportioned logo to fit on the chest. The Ducks are using a rectangle. The D looks like a webbed duck foot- why not use that as the logo? I guess it gives them an excuse to update or offer a turd jersey later and make some more money. In any case this jersey is not as bad as arguably the worst jersey ever- the Wild Wing. Who was the 12 year old that created that monstrosity? (Yes this picture of Wild Wing crashing through the ice was actually the 'logo' on the jersey!) Maybe I am just bitter because the Ducks beat my BLUES last night and they are favored to win the cup. I wouldn't care if the BLUES were wearing burlap if they could finally bring Lord Stanley's chalice to the city. In hockey, and in sports, the best marketing is winning.

The Bigger They are the Harder They Learn

2006-09-07T13:53:00.000-05:00

Columnist David Sheets of STLtoday reported a frustrating experience with Charter Communications and how bad their customer service is. The response was agreement from dozens of angry customers. I get at least 2 pieces of full color advertising pieces from Charter every week. If you really want people to sign up then you need to provide better service and build good relationships (key 5) with your customers. Why don't you use the money you are wasting on mass mailings to provide better service?

Marketing that Sucks #418

2006-08-30T19:57:00.000-05:00

Using arbitrary numbers as though your headline or idea is part of a big list. It was lame a few years ago the first time I saw it. Now it is lame and unoriginal. It sucks. It's annoying. Please stop. Thank you.

As Seen on TV- World Trade Center Commemorative Set 2001-2006

2006-08-30T13:30:00.000-05:00

I've noticed this commercial on TV lately for the World Trade Center Commemorative Set 2001-2006. I looked on the site and here's what they have to say: "The World Trade Center skyline is lavishly clad in gleaming silver miraculously recovered from a bank vault found under tons of debris at Ground Zero. The stunning design of this magnificent September 11th memorial is a 15 mg. of 24 KT gold and 15 mg. of .999 Pure silver clad tribute to all who were lost on that fateful day." Am I the only one who feels sickened by this? What next, cuff links from the silver in my Grandpa's coffin? How is that a tribute?

Diet Coke and Mentos Challenge

2006-08-03T12:36:00.000-05:00


Coke should be taking advantage of this buzz before it loses it's fizz.

Coke Rocks Out- Time Will Tell

2006-08-03T12:34:00.000-05:00

Motley Fool reports on how Coke Rocks Out by inking a deal with Apple to give away iTunes. I think it is too soon to say that Coke is rocking, and this actually shows their reluctance to embrace new media (hence posting on the Marketing that Sucks site). The article goes on to describe how this was done a few years ago by Pepsi, and it did not do well, and that this is only being offered in Britain and Germany. These do not appear to be signs of a company that is waking up and getting marketing 2.0 or even web 2.0. The way marketing messages are distributed has changed. Not only is Coke focusing on an old and tried promotion, they are still going for the mega markets with a message controlled by big players instead of the micro markets with an empowered consumer interacting and sometimes controlling the message. A good opportunity for this came with the Mentos phenomenon: "Even more recently, Coke showed geezer-like tendencies in shunning a popular Internet video showcasing the explosive, spectacular effects of combining Diet Coke and Mentos candies. (Fool Rich Smith believed it was an idiotic move, considering that most companies dream of free word-of-mouth advertising.) It was troubling to think that Coke just didn't get the brave new world of modern advertising, so its iTunes deal is a bit heartening." I disagree. I think Coke still does not get it. They showed their true colors by ignoring the Mentos opportunity. They are being dragged into doing something different. They are trying to do something with new media, but are still afraid to do something new or to allow customers to have the voice. It is understandable coming from a product that has built it's business on mass advertising. For years the only difference in the brown sugar waters on the market was the advertising. Perhaps they think consumers might learn the secret that cola is but a soft drink.

Exterminator's Billboard Kills Marketing Dollars Dead

2006-08-01T12:12:00.000-05:00

I saw this billboard while stuck in traffic. It is hard to figure out what the product is. If you look closely (which is hard to do in this picture, and even harder to do when going the normal 70mph) you can see some dead bugs on the bottom. Aha, this is an exterminator! OK, so now I have solved the mystery of what the company is, but there is no phone # and no web address so how would I contact them? Will this get them some customers? Probably. A better question is how many more customers could they get with a sign that explains what they do and a way to contact them? An even better question is how many more could they get by using the thousands of dollars they blew on the sign with targeted promotions.

KISS that old logo goodbye

2006-07-25T09:47:00.000-05:00

Advertising Age reports that the Indy Racing League has parntered with Gene Simmons of KISS for marketing help. His first piece of advice to Indy? "Your logo sucks." Hey not everyone knows how to represent themselves like you gene- you are the master of merchandising. Attendance is already up 20%. Maybe this should be posted on the Marketing that Rocks site!?

St. Louis BLUES Hockey Team Uses Paid Guerilla Marketing

2006-07-23T21:05:00.000-05:00

Have you heard the phrase "you know just enough to be dangerous?" I think this story in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch is a good example. Earlier in the year the advertising firm Schupp created a buzz by having the Cardinals stolen from billboards to get publicity for the baseball team. I mentioned this on my Marketing that Rocks Blog earlier in the year, with the caveat that I may need to change it to the Marketing that Sucks blog if they tick people off. Well, that day is here. It seems like the mainstream media are a little gruff over these episodes. I think the headline is a clue: "Web site for Blues fans is ad firm's latest hoax." Fool me once I guess. The Post does not sound amused by this latest campaign. They report: "I'm just one Blues fan and the idea of The Blue Revolution is to include all fans," declares a blogger on www.thebluerevolution.com. But the site and its blogger are nothing more than a marketing tool for the hockey team, a fact hidden on the Web site and in Schupp's campaign so far." The reason blogs are so popular is because they are created by real people. It is an alternative to the mainstream media AND advertising. There have been some others who have tried this in the past and been persecuted off the net (see Scoble's book Naked Conversations for examples). I have mixed feelings because I admire Schupp for trying something bold and different, but it is at the expense of unsuspecting viewers. Perhaps the blogosphere will be kind to Schupp for their efforts, but if it is then the blogosphere will lose its credibility, and power.

Watching Your Global Manners

2006-07-18T06:19:00.000-05:00

Valerie Roberts shares Global Manners: Hilarious Etiquette Goofs: " In business, language errors occur very often. For instance, when General Motors was marketing the Nova. In Latin America, Nova literally means, doesn't go. When the Swedish product, the Electrolux vacuum cleaner, came out in the US they advertised that their product, 'sucks', not knowing that the word also had a slang meaning. The Perdue chicken slogan, 'It takes a tough guy to make a tender chicken' came out in Spanish as, 'It takes a macho guy to make a chicken affectionate'. Last but not least, the slogan, 'Come alive with Pepsi' appeared in South East Asia as 'Pepsi brings your ancestors back to life.'" You are reaching more people than you think through the web. This is another reason why a good logo is so important- it is global. You do not need to translate a logo like you do a company name or slogan. What are you telling your global customers?

Rebates Suck

2006-07-11T20:48:00.000-05:00

Why can't companies just give you the discounted price instead of making you jump through hoops? The usual response I hear is "companies know people won't fill rebates out and it saves them money." If companies are using a promotion to gain customers and build relationships (keys 4 and 5 of The Seven Keys to Marketing Genius) then pissing people off is not a good idea. Look at this pile of crap my wife was trying to fill out. She was scurrying around a pile of boxes and nearly cut her pinky off with an exacto knife trying to remove a bar code. All the while thinking bad things about the people that were making her do this. Even if you can not give as much of a discount- people would prefer the promotional discount up front over these cat and mouse shenanigans. Rebates suck!

Marketing that Sucks for all to See

2006-07-07T10:49:00.000-05:00

The Web Coach: Donna Payne shares a funny sight: "I was driving home last Friday and out of the corner of my eye, I saw this sign that said "My boss told me to change this sign so I did." Have you been tempted to do the same thing to your boss? I know I have. In fact sabotage is very common in the workplace. Usually it takes the form of apathy, poor customer service, or stealing. The funniest part is that the sign has not been changed. Maybe the owner believes that all publicity is good publicity- I disagree. Ask Britney if pictures of her endangering her baby have been good for her career. Are you giving your employees a reason to sabotage you? Are you sabotaging your boss? If so, why not figure out a way to do your job to your own satisfaction or go somewhere else? In the end the guy that made the sign is hurting himself the most.

Seth's Blog: Channel 608?

2006-06-09T10:53:00.000-05:00

Seth Godin doesn't think being on channel 608 is good for the NHL. On the bright side thousands will now know that the Stanley Cup Finals are going on due to this post.

Your Domain Sucks

2006-05-21T19:57:00.000-05:00

Stoney deGeyter shares some reasons why you should Secure Multiple Domains. Here's a good one: "If you are in a highly visible industry you might want to consider getting yourdomainsucks.com. Several years ago someone put up an anti AOL website at aolsucks.com" I am working on my AAbrokemystroller.com site (because AA broke my stroller and they say it is OK). Maybe I will see if AASucks.com is available. Nah, stoller is more specific.

You Smell Like Play-Doh

2006-05-16T17:45:00.000-05:00

Y0u smell like Play-Doh. Apparently they think this is a good thing. Another example of Line Extension.

King of BBQ's?

2006-05-09T11:15:00.000-05:00

Budweiser Fires Up the Grill With New Sauces, Looks like AB has not learned to avoid the line extension trap. You would think they would have learned their lesson after Eagle Snacks.

In Through the Wrong Door?

2006-05-08T16:12:00.000-05:00

At my local Dierbergs grocer, you better make sure you enter in the right door. If it were my store I would let people come in wherever they want, just as long as they keep shopping.

Want fries with that?

2006-05-07T21:52:00.000-05:00

A new book is more bad news for fast food marketers: globeandmail.com : Want fries with this? I see a polarization happening between mega fat burgers and healthy meals. It makes sense to be one or the other. "Walk in the middle in and get squashed like grape."

Copy that Sucks

2006-05-07T14:29:00.000-05:00

Seth shares a great principle- if you don't have anything to say, don't spend a fortune saying it.

Why Don't Ad Agencies Advertise?

2006-05-04T09:30:00.000-05:00

Simon Sinek asks Why Don't Ad Agencies Advertise?: "Considering that agencies recommend their clients spend 10% of their revenues on marketing, the big four are spending .01% of their combined $29.3 billion in global revenue. Mull that for a second or two." People waste tons of money on marketing because they don't truly understand the process. What they see is the big dollar mass market campaigns like TV, Print and radio. Before spending a dime on promotion (like ads) you must find your advantage, define your purpose and create an image. Your promotions must be focused on building relationships. To see if it is working you must gain feedback, then make changes based on the information you gather. These are the Seven Keys to Marketing Genius.

'Wii' makes the top 10 Weirdest Console Names

2006-05-01T08:12:00.000-05:00

According to PALGN Nintendo's 'Wii' makes the top 10 Weirdest Console Names. I guess they think PALGN is a good name?

KFC TV ad runs 'afowl' in China

2006-04-21T23:10:00.000-05:00

Shanghaiist points us to a big mistake by KFC in China.

Marketing to Sheep

2006-04-17T14:27:00.001-05:00

Take a look at sheep marketing. The good news is, if you can get one the rest will follow the herd.

Her Point Of View Planning Pages at FranklinCovey

2006-04-05T22:27:00.000-05:00

I guess she likes bizarre, sketchy artwork. Why do I see so much advertising aimed at women using this type of look? I think it is ugly, but I am a guy. That's why I have asked several females and polled the ladies in my various classes to ask their opinion. They all say they hate this stuff. My wife dragged me into an Anne Geddes shop the other night. This place is filled with beautiful images of babies, flowers and animals. This is quite a contrast to what marketers seem to think women want to see. What women are they surveying that leads them to believe ugly art is appealing? Anyway, if you want to see the latest example, check out the Her Point Of View Planning Pages at FranklinCovey.

Your Marketing Sucks- New Book

2006-04-05T21:05:00.000-05:00

I love the title! Your Marketing Sucks

Not My NHL

2006-04-05T20:35:00.000-05:00

I've said it before and I hope I don't have to keep saying it, but the marekting for the NHL sucks. Case in point is this slickly produced short film and series of commercials created for the 05-06 season. It starts with a guy that is naked except for his hockey pants stretching out in a room full of candles. He is clearly an actor since he has no scars, especially on the face. The theme is Sun Tzu's The Art of War. Quotations from Tzu's writing are flashed on the screen and a woman reads various lines about warriors and victory. Does the NHL have any idea what a hockey fan is or what appeals to them? Let me clue you in: a naked man in a room full of candles is not it. Is there an emerging Asian hockey fan market that I am not aware of (not that there is anything wrong with that)? The not so Mighty Ducks did the same thing by watering down the hockey product to appeal to a mass, and juvenile audience. Disney used to show cartoons on the big screen as soon as guys started shoving each other on the ice. It's like these guys are ashamed of hockey. If you don't like real hockey then choose another business. Marketing's job is to communicate the best of a product, not try to cover up it's essence with fancy graphics or cartoons. When is the NHL going to wake up and shine a light on the great things about the sport? Hockey is great because it is:

Dangerous
High Speed
Violent
Manly
Played by skilled guys that are dedicated and all of the above

I love hockey so my ultimate goal is to have more access to it, but the NHL's marketing is so poor they are driving away potential audiences and alienating current fans. It's no wonder that networks don't want to take a chance of signing a contract with the NHL. You need to do better NHL, and while writing thank you fans! on the ice is patronizing, it is not enough. If you want I will help you put together a solid marketing plan- I'll even give you the first hour of consulting for free.

Pizza Wars

2006-03-21T13:51:00.000-06:00

Deborah from Athletes4Jesus did not like my critique of their marketing campaign. I understand her being upset, I was not kind to their website or their choice to spend so much on a Superbowl ad. You can read her point of view and my response.

"All Marketers are Liars" - Seth Godin speaks at Google - Google Video

2006-03-20T11:24:00.000-06:00

Want to see the foremost expert on marketing for free? Check this out: "All Marketers are Liars" - Seth Godin speaks at Google - Google Video Make sure you have your notebook ready because Godin has some paradigm shifting statements that will greatly effect your ability to change and improve how you communicate with customers. And if you are wondering if Godin shares his best stuff consider one of his latest blog posts: So, the question: should you put your best song on the free CD? If it's your best song, and it's free, then no one will pay to get it from iTunes. And if it's the best song on the album, maybe no one will buy the album since they already have the song. It's easy to argue that you should hold back the best song, make people pay for that. Until you realize that the >>> button on my CD player works great. If you do marketing, watching this video is probably the best use of your time today.

Marketing Sucks! (and Sales, Too!)

2006-03-18T10:16:00.000-06:00

The new book Marketing Sucks! highlights the problems of an organization that is not aligned. How can the sales people sell when they are on a different page than the marketing department? It is like a car with wheels spinning in different directions, you are not going to go very far. Defining your purpose (Key 2 of the 7 Keys to Marketing Genius) is essential for success.

When Sucks Rocks

2006-03-14T15:36:00.000-06:00

Gismoz and Gadgets has won several awards for using the "S" word in their marketing: "The harsh words egismoz has for big box stores are being heard. egismoz recently won six Gold Addy Awards from the Ann Arbor Ad Club and a Silver Caddy Award from the Detroit Creative Directors Council for their Look What I Got campaign and with the new Big Box Stores Suck advertisements, Bond expects even more industry recognition." I'm sure the Marketing that Sucks blog is next on the list.

Quiz shows you if your marketing sucks

2006-03-14T15:13:00.000-06:00

Besides having an effective business, you don't want to be featured on this blog so check out Veronika Noize, the Marketing Coach's Marketing Quiz to see if your marketing sucks.

Napsterization: The Content Crisis

2006-03-08T10:05:00.000-06:00

Napster was a huge paradigm shift for marketers- turning the distribution model on it's head. Technology has created disintermediation, which means the mediators who made millions by controlling content were left out in the cold. The same process is happening in every industry that relies on the control of information for their livlihood. This article by Demir Barlas describes what is happening in publishing: "Today, content distributors are afraid of public choice and want instead to beat it into temporary submission with advertising. This is not a secret strategy. Hollywood executives talk quite openly about 'saturation' marketing aiming only to get a handful of gullible viewers in to see a terrible movie on its opening weekend. If enough rubes see the movie, it doesn't matter that it sucks, or that no one will remember it in three weeks' time. It's all a hustle. Except on the Internet. Here, you choose. Google Books and Amazon actually do put the world's literature on an equal basis, and this is what probably bugs the hell out of Newton. He wants a kind of Nineteen-Eighty Four world in which a handful of oligarchs control screens, minds, and programming, and the Web is like that hammer-throwing woman in Ridley Scott's Apple commercial from 1984." Beware Doctors and Lawyers- your next and I can't wait to see what you try to do about it.

Suck Free TV

2006-03-08T09:45:00.000-06:00

The campaign for Suck Free TV is very creative. You have to admire the idea that sucking is a bad thing and using it as a rallying cry (just like the Marketing that Sucks blog).

The Perils of Rebel Fashion Marketing

2006-03-06T08:46:00.000-06:00

Hey, it's tough to dress in rebel style these days. The black and white scarves ala Arafat have been popular, but now that Hamas is in power, what do you wear? This is the question raised by Frida Ghitis: You could try the red shirts of Venezuela's Hugo Chavez, or the everyman jacket of Iran's Ahmadinejad. But, when the wind is blowing in Amsterdam, you need more, and an Arafat kaffiyeh runs the risk of confusing your public. Does black and white mean you don't support Hamas? And if you don't support Hamas, does that mean you have forsaken the Palestinian cause? It's so tough being a rebel! Ah, the perils of associating your fashion marketing with terrorists.

What Happens to Bad Marketers

2006-03-03T07:21:00.000-06:00

Nobody likes Marketing that Sucks (unless it is the name of a fun and informative blog like this one). For the record Dilbert rocks!

A Bear of a Divorce

2006-03-01T22:18:00.000-06:00

In the Seven Keys to Marketing Genius I caution about partnering with others. Not that strategic partnerships are a bad idea, but they should not be entered into lightly. A partnership is like a marriage. Take the case of the Brown Bear Car Wash. They were making big money by partnering with gas station chains, but saw their family name and business deteriote. Money isn't everything. According to the article: Taking back the company has been a huge endeavor for the Odermats and their employees. You have to wonder how many people would take back a company that had such internal problems when they could just sit back and collect money from a profitable lease agreement. "Some people wondered why we would want to take the company back given the terms of the lease, which were lucrative for us," Lance says. "We told them money's not everything, but Brown Bear is everything to us." Partners beware.

Does the Marketing Buzz for Origami Suck or Rock?

2006-03-01T14:38:00.000-06:00

This post by Nate Anderson asks the magical question. Origami is Microsoft's answer to the ipod. Anderson says: As for whether Origami "sucks" or "rocks," we'll reserve judgment until we've seen the final specs (and find out if it will be a unit or a platform). With Microsoft promising that the new product will "change your life," they have certainly set the bar high. The next few weeks will show us whether they can deliver, and whether the marketing campaign was a good idea—or a good idea gone wrong. Check back to see if this gets filed under Marketing that Sucks or Marketing that Rocks.

Me Watch this Stupid Show? No Deal, NBC

2006-02-27T19:54:00.000-06:00

NBC drove me crazy while watching the Olympics with non-stop ads for their new show Deal or No Deal. I watched some of it before, but seeing these ads over and over made me realize what a stupid show it is. They don't even have to answer any questions to win money, besides the one question in the ubiquitous title. Now I am blogging instead of watching the show and can proudly say no deal!

Ads That Suck

2006-02-26T22:47:00.000-06:00

This Blog does not suck: Ads That Suck

How Not to Win Fans

2006-02-26T16:00:00.000-06:00

The St. Louis Blues hockey team has been struggling all season and continues to deal away their star players. It may make sense for the organization, but quotes like this in the St. Louis Post Dispatch don't sell tickets: "Two weeks ago, general manager Larry Pleau said that he expected the club to struggle next season, too, before turning the corner in 2008. " Management has been quoted as saying they are trying to trim payroll to attract a buyer for the team. That makes sense, but what about someone like me who bought season tickets? I guess they are not concerned about their image with the people that are paying the tab from game to game.

How Smart is Google?

2006-02-25T11:24:00.000-06:00

Apparently the Google ad software is not that smart. Google has been automatically placing an ad for the Fusion Razor by Gillette at the top of this site. The reason is because of my post about the Fusion. The problem is that I say how lame it is. So Google can read keywords, but it lacks comprehension.

Don't Eat the Brown Fries

2006-02-20T11:16:00.000-06:00

McDonald's is being sued for having wheat and milk products in their french fries. Are people upset that there is something healthy in there? No, the problem is that they were questioned in the past if the fries were safe for people with food allergies and McDonald's said yes. Which one is worse, that they knew and lied, or that they did not know what they were serving?

Is Sony's Game Over?

2006-02-19T20:31:00.000-06:00

Sony's launch of the PS3 gets delayed further with each article I read. New reports have it slated for Late 06 or early 07. XBox 360 already created a huge lead by launching before Christmas and Sony falls further behind with every passing day. By the time they launch the PS3 it may be obsolete. Reports also say it may cost Sony $900 to produce, that means even with lower shelf prices on the units, games will be expensive for a long time for Sony to make up their losses. Besides disappointing potential customers, Sony is taking a beating in the press. That's sucky marketing synergy.

Gillette's (con) Fusion

2006-02-19T18:14:00.000-06:00

What 12 year olds came up with the ad for the new Gillette Fusion razor? Probably the same geniuses responsible for spending millions to promote it during the Superbowl. Is this ad supposed to appeal to grown men that shave? "A unique idea together with technology creates Fusion," says the ad. Wow, that's compelling copy. And why do you need for 5 blades? Because, al a Spinal Tap, you can have 4 blades and that's great, but this takes it up to the next level. I also don't understand why a vibrating razor is a good thing. Is this for people who like to cut themselves while shaving? Or perhaps it's a counterbalance for people with trembling hands, if you can calibrate it just right. If you still have to know more, check out the Flash movie on their site. If Gillette is able to throw around marketing dollars like this, throw some my way- I cost less than a Superbowl ad.

How Not to Give a Presentation

2006-02-17T16:26:00.000-06:00

Add this to the collection of posts about people being bored by PowerPoint presentations. If you give presentations using PPT please read this for the sake of you and your audience. How Not to Give a Presentation

Quick Logo Clinic

2006-02-16T11:31:00.000-06:00

Check out this 5 minute clinic on the importance of logo design from the experts at Fortune Magazine. They rate the 4 latest big business logo changes. What do you think about these latest logo makeovers by the big boys?

Zero Credibility

2006-02-15T09:49:00.000-06:00

Netzero made headlines by providing free Internet service. They spent millions on Superbowl ads a few years back promoting your rights to free Internet access. The name made sense and was a perfect fit- back then. Now they charge a minimum of $9.95 a month for Internet service, and have charged for their service the past few years. Why did they not change their name? Not only does it not fit, it is a reminder of how they have not lived up to all the promises they made. This is a good case of how NOT to brand.

NBC's No Look Olympics

2006-02-13T11:11:00.000-06:00

Are you looking for the program guide for the Olympics? I hope you want to know who won before you see the event. If you go to the NBC page there are big headlines announcing the winners of the events to be aired later. If they were smart, they would make a special link and warn you that there are spoilers- that is they are going to tell you who won. And good luck trying to find the program guide- it is in a random list of links on the bottom of one of the pages (but not this page -warning there are spoilers). I understand if I go to a news page they will probably have headlines and news of who won, that's why I did not go to a news page. I went looking for the program guide, but instead had my evening ruined. I think NBC forgot that they actually want people to watch their station.

Football Hall Of Fame Announces Finalists For Advertisers

2006-02-11T20:47:00.000-06:00

Is this a joke or the real thing? It's hard to tell sometimes. The fact that it is in the Onion is the only way you can know the answer.

Corporation's New Logo Changes Everything

2006-02-09T11:24:00.000-06:00

Logo design is an inside out approach, not the other way around. Most companies want a new logo, brochure or web design to improve business, but are unwilling to examine the deeper issues or make changes where they are needed. This parody from the Onion captures the idea perfectly. Corporation's New Logo Changes Everything The Onion - America's Finest News Source

Cecil Whittaker's Cheap Pizza and Worse Service

2006-02-08T16:03:00.000-06:00

Looking on their website it says: "If Your Pizza Box Doesn't Say 'Cecil Whittaker's' You Paid Too Much For Your Pizza!" Is this the best thing they can say about their product? Not really a competitive advantage- nor what most people want to think about when eating. But wait it gets better- I just tried to order the $2.99 Tuesday night Customer Appreciation Pizza. After calling about 25 times to a busy line I got through. I felt like I won a radio contest. But then I was put on hold. My wife was going to pick it up in half an hour (they take about 6 minutes to make, I know as a former Domino's Pizza driver), but she said it would take 45 minutes- no exceptions. So I decided to spring for the extra delivery fee, but that would take around 90 minutes to deliver. I guess cheap pizza tastes good too when you have to wait an hour past dinner time. So instead of gaining a new customer (I had not ordered from here before), they just annoyed the Dickens out of me and wasted 2o minutes of my time. And I am still hungry! Where's that #for Domino's?

Athletes4Pizza?

2006-02-07T14:10:00.000-06:00

Commmercials aired in St. Louis (and maybe other cities) during the Superbowl directing people to the Athletes4Jesus website. This is one of the worst websites I have ever seen. I wonder how much they spent sending people to this site. They should have spent some of that money on web design. Not only does this purple and teal page look cheesy, complete with rotating 3D Jesus fish/cross, the first place it asks you to click is on a Domino's pizza ad. Contrast this with another site (the link is on the Athletes4Jesus page which is one redeeming quality) for the Pujols Foundation. The opening Flash on this site almost had me crying (I said almost). If I seem to be too harsh, you may be right, but I explain my distaste for these sub par displays of Christianity in more detail in the preview to my book (read it free). Christians should be leading the way in excellence, not representing God as second class or lame. Usually the producers of this type of inferior content cry poverty, which is a valid argument, but since these guys were advertising during the Superbowl they can not make that claim. Maybe they borrowed the money and need to sell Domino's pizza to pay for it.

BOB GARFIELD REVIEWS THE SUPER BOWL ADS

2006-02-06T16:32:00.000-06:00

The Ad Age expert tells you the hits and misses for Superbowl XL. BOB GARFIELD REVIEWS THE SUPER BOWL ADS Also take a look at this chart to see what it costs for these beauties: http://www.adage.com/news.cms?newsId=47636 Note: You may need to register (it's free) to view content on this site.

Marketing that Rocks

2006-01-30T13:49:00.000-06:00

Not all marketing sucks. Believe it or not, there are good examples of marketing out there. Learn, but don't copy. Marketing that Rocks

The 101 Sucky Marketing and Business Moves of 2005

2006-01-30T13:22:00.000-06:00

Let's start this blog off with a bang. Here it is, the much anticipated (and dreaded by those listed) Business 2.0 101 dumbest moments in business. You can read 'em and weep, or read 'em and learn. Since you are smarter than the computer in War Games I think you really learn from the mishaps of others. Business 2.0: 2005's 101 Dumbest Moments in Business

The New Marketing that Sucks Blog- Post #1: Why?

2006-01-30T10:46:00.000-06:00

I know you are asking why would you want to see marketing that sucks? Great question, you are so perceptive. The answer is so you can learn from the big dollar mistakes of your competition. Stay tuned as I begin to chronicle marketing that truly sucks.