Big name dieting systems and supplements are using big celebrities to tout their products’ waist-trimming benefits. But at the end of the day, is all this name throwing (and big spending) really benefiting the advertisers’ specific brand? That’s what Businessweek asked Grant Johnson for its Bloomberg Lifestyle report.
Last week I was fortunate enough to head south to Kentucky and tour several bourbon distilleries with a group of bourbon aficionados. That point is crucial to understand. Most of the individuals (10 in our group) who toured together have a very high “bourbon IQ.” They know how it is made, what the differences in mash bills (recipes) are, what aging in barrels does to the products, etc. We toured six distilleries: Buffalo Trace, Four Roses, Wild Turkey, Jim Beam, Willet and Maker’s Mark.
What does it mean when something works? I mean really works? I’ve had plenty of cars that “worked”; unfortunately they worked my checkbook harder than they did as transportation. I’m driving one now as a matter of fact. Just because they are running does not mean that they work efficiently. It’s the same way for too many marketing programs today.
With the sun still low in the sky, the United States Supreme Court announced its ruling on the much debated Affordable Care Act. In a 5-4 decision, the Court ruled that the majority of the bill would be upheld as it is currently written. Writing the opinion of the Court, Chief Justice Roberts cited the power of Congress, outlined in the Constitution, to levy taxes and subsequently enforce a penalty for refusal to do so. In essence the “mandate” as it has been deemed, was upheld by the Court as were the numerous other provisions dealing with pre-existing conditions and children remaining on their parents insurance into their late twenties.
The most common question I get from people I meet has to be “What is marketing that’s measurable?”
Of course, we all know what the phrase means, but what people are really asking me is “come on now, you can’t track and measure your advertising and marketing, so how do you do it and what’s the gimmick?”