A button

It is quite common to transpose something from the real world to the internet - we are so used to shopping lists, talking to people, cheering, that we just want to have exactly the same experience online. And we transpose it, copying it. But the move Amazon is doing is a bit different - why not to have the "click" experience for online-shopping in the real world?

Amazon's Dash button for shopping is a brilliant example of the internet of things. It allows for a consumer to shop for its usual products in an even simpler way, by-passing the pain of opening your phone / laptop and going to your online store. Here, you just have to click. Easier for Amazon. And simpler shopper experiences lead to higher sales.

For the brands that feature on the buttons, it will also mean a higher loyalty from your shoppers - and a more intense bargaining process with Amazon.

The 10 most viewed ads of 2014

This is probably a good way to signal my 100th post - presenting the 10 most viewed ads of 2014, according to AdWeek.

(now, if you allow my comment, though entertaining, some of them lack a bit of branding... and, hmm... "Always"... why did you do a "Dove" ad?)

Should branding start with your employees?

You should ensure everyone in your team is living the brands they work in - it is the only way to understand the brand and its personality. A first and simple step to ensure people are doing this is to brand your offices with your brands - making sure that you match the brands with the office areas. A bit like Unilever does.

In-Store GPS

Sainsbury's just announced that is trialing an in-store GPS app that will let you build up a shopping list and then navigate in any store right to your product. And then navigate straight out again, paying our basket through the app, again. 

This would be a massive movement to in-store convenience, focused on two of shoppers' main complaints - "I cannot find my product" and "I lose too much time in store". But it puts special pressure on impulse shopping and, thus, margins of retailers. They will need to make sure that they move impulse shopping out of the shelves and into the app - which is nothing new, if you remember what Amazon does all the time with their suggestions...

Doing my laundry with a check list

Part of my current role is doing my laundry with a check list in my hand, while I feed clothes to my washing machine. I explain... I currently work in the Laundry category, and that means that, as always, I have to try my own (and my competitors') products. To make sure I have the same experiences as my consumers - and that I register them. This is a very basic rule of marketing - make sure you are following it.

P.S- Now, this is actually an improvement from the times when I was washing my hair with a check list next to my bath tub...

1111

1111. Or the 11th of November. It is the national "Singles Day" in China - 1111 represents four single persons, together. And it is a massive marketing day. In this day, Alibaba (the largest e.commerce company in the world) does huge single day promotions, smashing the online daily sales record year after year (in 2014, after 15h, they had already sold €5 Billions).

1111 was actually instituted by Alibaba. And is a great example of how to generate a strong marketing event, out of nowhere - creating a national movement deeply rooted in an insight (singles also want to feel appreciated as valentines do in... well, Valentines) that becomes part of the country's culture and that generates increased revenue to the retailer. A bit like... well, Valentines, or Mothers' Day. 

The one challenge for Alibaba going forward on this is how will it make sure that it will own going forward. Because, after creating and promotiong it, this day becomes part of the culture - and hence, it will belong to the people and be open to other retailers' appropriation. It will be interesting to see "Singles Day" developing over the next few years.

Just remember about this

Every single time you overpromise, you are setting your product to disappoint your consumer.