Abiah.com, Christian Organization and Ministry Brand Development

How deep is the bond with your customers?

I was reading USAToday and drinking my morning Diet Coke while waiting for my incredibly slow 10 year old HP printer to crank out a document when I saw this article about Coke's huge profit increase.  24% increase.  Wow.  How many of us would love that?

But they only sell fizzy, brown, sweet water right?  So what is it about Coke that keeps people buying it?  Even when we know it's not particularly good for us?  AND when it's more expensive than other brands?  Logic would tell you to buy something else...to drink WATER...

One of the biggest reasons I think Coke sells like it does is because of the emotional bond its customers have with it.

My first exposure to Coke was when I was a kid.  We didn't keep soda in the house so it was a real treat when we had it.  Then as I got older and started hanging out with my friends we would drink Cokes.

My brain (and apparently the brains of many others) links great times with Coke...party with Coke...fun with Coke. 

My favorite Uncle always drank Pepsi.  He was a second father to me...one of those legendary eccentric people who even my friends loved...even HE couldn't get me to switch to Pepsi.  Now THAT'S brand loyalty!

So what are you doing to develop that kind of passion about your brand?  Are you linking your product and service to clients' hearts and minds so your brand becomes such a part of their lives they can't live without you?

What brands (besides yours of course) do you love so much you can't part with them?

What a little sandwich shop can teach you about branding

Last week my husband and I went to Philadelphia so I can get my hair cut.  That's right.  I drive an hour to get my hair cut because I can't find a decent stylist anywhere near where we live.

We make a day of it by shopping, eating, and wandering around.

Friday's trip solidified why Philadelphia is a great town and why there's so much for the average brand builder to learn there.

We went to Reading Terminal Market and decided to eat at a place we've been to before:  Tony DiNic's.  This place has the most incredible roast pork sandwiches you've ever tasted.

We ate our sandwiches (which were fabulous as usual) and when the waitress asked if everything was OK (we had eaten everything but the wax paper lining the baskets our sandwiches came in so the answer was obvious), Lou told her that they needed to open a place down the shore because there's nothing like it there.  She then asked where we lived, what we were in town for, and complimented me on my haircut. 

Her responses came across as very genuine and naturally friendly and as we left, we talked about how we've never had the same experience at even our regular haunts.  She helped make our lunch a great overall experience with the few minutes of authentic interaction she shared. 

There are about 80 merchants at the market, many are sandwich / food places like Tony's.  The Market is special for many reasons including the many different products for sale in one place, but it's "that certain something" that makes eating at Tony's so great. 

While you can incorporate time in your employee training to focus on customer service skills, you have to work hard to hire people who have the natural personality to make service seem effortless.  Forcing people to state the same dull comments to people makes them feel like robots and makes the customer feel as though the employee is insincere.  It hurts you more than helps.

Take lessons from Tony DiNic's.  Deliver the finest product possible.  Charge a fair price for the value you deliver.  Hire people who are naturally service oriented and don't force them to recite stupid scripts.  Encourage them to be themselves and interact with customers.

You'll create a brand that's definitely noteworthy.  One that gets talked about and that engages customers to become your marketing team.

And on your next trip to Philly, make sure you experience the lessons first hand.

A guilty pleasure worth every calorie

I'm sortof a health nut.  I workout twice a day sometimes (no, I'm not kidding)  and do my best to eat a healthy diet.  But I believe in the "all things in moderation" philosophy when it comes to eating. 

I also believe that, if you're going to indulge, you should feel that what you're eating is worth every one of the calories you'll have to work to burn off.

That being said, I wanted to share one of my personal favorites and a brand we at Abiah all love:

Oreos.

That's right.  Oreos.  The same cookie that was the subject of a lawsuit in California in an attempt to get them banned from being sold to kids.  The same cookie that once listed "beef tallow" (bleah) as an ingredient.

Sure, they've changed their recipe over the years; but at least the result wasn't as disasterous as New Coke (What were those people thinking?!).  Oreos aren't quite as crispy as they once were and you could debate whether the taste has changed since the've gone to less artery-hardening partially hydrogenated oil (still bad for you).

So why do we love them so much?  Because, in addition to being yummy, they bring out the kid in all of us.  They take us back to moments in childhood when we debated with our siblings over just the right way to eat them:  dunking versus eating the center (I'm a committed dunker), and when we watched afternoon cartoons, or our other favorites. 

We get married to special products like Oreos because they consistently live up to their brand promise (I've never opened a package and found an Oreo that was less than fabulous), and because they're linked to happy memories.

The fact that, as they're new tagline says, they're "Milk's favorite cookie" doesn't hurt either.

Here's a bonus gift from me:  One of my all time favorite recipes to make and to eat.  Trust me.  It's worth every single calorie.  Everyone who eats it agrees.

Why Band-Aid Brand has become the standard

I was in my first business class in college when I discovered that a band-aid is actually a Band-Aid.  I had no idea that what I was putting on cuts was actually called an "adhesive bandage." 

Johnson & Johnson's Band-Aids have become THE image in the mind of consumers who need an adhesive bandage for a cut.  Sure there are other products out on the market and maybe J&J has lost some market share to competitors like Curad, but there are reasons their product name has become the word consumers use to describe what they need.

First is the cool name.  Band-Aid.  Says it all doesn't it?  I hope the person who thought of that one got paid handsomely.  When a kid has a cut or a boo-boo, what's easier to say? "Mommy I need a band-aid" or "Mommy I need an adhesive bandage" ?  C'mon...The fact that J&J puts cartoon charcters on them now is just icing on the brand cake.

The second reason Band-Aid is the word is because they actually work!  Band-Aids have to take a lot of punishment.  You never get a cut in a place that doesn't get bumped again, or that doesn't sweat, or doesn't rub up against something.

Now regular readers of this blog know that I make no secret of the fact that I'm price driven when it comes to alot of commodities.  I got a coupon...your brand's on sale...a big score.  Recently though I had experienced a great deal of frustration when I kept having to replace my adhesive bandage.  Annoying to say the least.  Well, I had a cut on my heal and actually had a Band-Aid brand bandage on it while I was working in my garden.  That thing stayed exactly where it was supposed to the whole time!

I hate to admit my mom was right about one more thing...Band-Aids rule!

I realize that this is a fairly mature product in a dull market segment, but my friends at J&J need to re-tool their messaging to get back to basics.  People want adhesive bandages that actually stick and stay stuck.  We want to help our little cuts and scrapes to actually heal quickly.

This is another reason why J&J needs to bring back the metal boxes Band-Aids used to come in (they weren't always sold in those boring flimsy paper boxes).  They had a great commercial with a Band-Aid stuck to the box and the box dunked in water.  A powerful visual that people could relate to.

No more generic adhesive bandages in my house.  I'm back to being a loyal Band-Aid buyer. 

I can hear my mom saying "I told you so" now.

How a brand the size of David can beat brands like Goliath

A rare Friday post...I was swamped yesterday.

This morning I had an early (6:40am) breakfast with one of my best buddies at our favorite coffee shop.  This little place continues to do a booming business even though there are bigger places open nearby and it's sort of off the beaten path.  There's even a McDonald's 5 minutes away and a Denny's about 10 minutes away so it has a couple of big name-brand Goliaths relatively close by.

This got me thinking about how a small to mid-size business can compete and win against the big guys.

Here are 3 ways to not just survive but thrive.

One of the legendary brands in music

I meant to post about this yesterday so I hope you'll forgive me for being a little behind.

On Wednesday night my husband and I skipped Shark Week (which could easily be called "commercial week") and watched the story of Stax Records.  And what a story it was.

It discussed the rise and fall of the Stax label (whose performers included Booker T and the MGs, Isaac Hayes, and the incomparable Otis Redding among many other legends of R&B). It was a fascinating story on so many levels since it discussed how the business was founded and grew, how it was a haven of racial harmony at a time of widespred inequality in a place where violence broke out (including the tragic slaying of Dr. King).

It also shared the competition among and differences between Motown (known as Hitsville) and Stax (who labeled themselves Soulsville) and the masterly bit of branding each business did to appeal to its target market and how that market was able to expand by delivery of an outstanding product.

If you missed it, check your local PBS listings for what was truly a great episode of Great Performances.

And pick up a copy of any one of several celebrations of the Stax label, crank open your sunroof, and enjoy the glorious sounds and glorious summer.

Why beverages create strong brand relationships

99% of the Abiah team went to lunch together yesterday at Manna, the New American restaurant whose logo, marketing strategy, and physical design (interior and storefront) we did.  When we ordered our drinks the server gave us horrifying news:  Stewart's (the soda company) is closing!!!

I suddenly lost my appetite.  Don't tell chef John Merlino but I only ate my cobb salad and lobster bisque soup (with bits of bacon, potato and Jersey corn) so he he wouldn't feel bad.

Life without Stewart's?  How am I going to go on?  How can I manage to make it through a summer without a frosty bottle?  How can I get through bleak winters of South Jersey without a frosty bottle to make me dream of glorious summers past?

How will I get through another late night writing project without....well you get the idea...I'm pretty broken up about this.

For the uninitiated, you might be thinking "hey, just go by some A&W or something."  : - p Bleah!

Even if you can't relate to my craze for Stewart's, I'm sure you've got your own favorite drink you can't imagine living without. 

Whether you've got to hit the local Starbuck's for your favorite hot beverage to jump start your heart in the morning, or demand Coke for your afternoon pick-me-up, beverages are among the strongest of brand relationships for many of us.  Why is that?

You've got to get Muck Shoes and Boots!

I'm an avid gardener and spend as much time as I can in the yard from the first hint of spring till Old Man Winter closes his fist.  Even then, I'm outside a lot replacing the ice in the bird baths with fresh water, filling the bird feeders, and shoveling snow.

A couple of years ago I bought a pair of Muck Boots figuring I could use them in the winter and through spring.  They are so incredibly awesome I had to buy a pair of Muck Shoes too!

Both of them are completely waterproof and muck-proof!  I just hose 'em off when I get mud and gunk on 'em.

The boots are so warm that, in the winter, no matter how cold out it is, I can fill the bird feeders and get rid of the ice in the bird baths with no socks on!  My Muck Boots keep my feet THAT warm!

My Shoes are just as fabulous and are enough for standard gardening and cleaning.  I usually wear them without socks 'cause I don't care if my feet get wet in the summer.  In the spring though, it's the Boots all the way.

Even if you're not a crazy gardener like me, you still need great boots for winter and you could probably use a pair of all purpse waterproof shoes for working outside, running to the grocery store in the rain, sleet or snow.

Order some Muck Shoes and Boots.  I LOVE them!

I love Chicago Cutlery

I hope you have / had a wonderful Memorial Day weekend.  I also hope you took some time to pause between the barbecueing, the parties, and the shopping (why do Americans celebrate every holiday with a sale?) and remember why we have this holiday.  Say a prayer and remember those who were and are in the armed services, especially those who made the ultimate sacrifice. 

I just had to take a break from the slicing and dicing a minute to tell you about a brand I love and why I love it. 

I love Chicago Cutlery.

I have a pair of kitchen shears from them and if you don't have a pair you've got to get them.  They cut through anything and don't get dull.  The best part is they can go in the dishwasher!  I also use them in the garden to cut off herbs, vegies, and flowers. 

Get a pair.  They're fabulous and they deliver on their brand.

I recently bought a small chopping knife of theirs (called a Santoku)  because of the great experience with their scissors.  This is fantastic too!  The store had celebrity knives, expensive brand name knives, and cheaper knives. 

I went with the mid-range Chicago Cutlery knife because of the great experience I've had although I was ready to pay more for a bigger name.  Glad I didn't.

So when you're out celebrating the holiday by doing your patriotic duty and stimulating the economy, pick up a pair of scissors or a knife from Chicago Cutlery.  Definitely a brand I love!