Sara v. Shawn
I'm sorry I didn't write about this much sooner. The final of "Rebel Billionaire" matched up Sara Blakely, founder of
Spanx, with Shawn Nelson, founder of
LoveSac.
I felt that Sara was one of Branson's favorites from the beginning. She handled the "Fear Factor" aspect of "Rebel Billionaire" despite fears that would've left me cringing in a corner someplace. I thought climbing to the top of a hot air balloon to have tea with Branson was silly, but I respect Blakely for getting the job done.
Nelson, on the other hand, was a bit of a loose cannon. He was within a hair's breadth of being sent home before the first episode was half over, for showing a lack of respect to a London cabbie (Branson in disguise). He was also nearly let go in the episode at Victoria Falls, saved by a less-than-rational decision by his team leader.
Yet somehow, Nelson prevailed at the end. He gets the million smackers and the presidency of Virgin. I believe Branson did this to work on
Virgin Galactic. More on that later.
Labels: office space
My contribution to "Apprentice: the Musical"
 | It's hard to believe, but Trump & company are looking at a Broadway musical based on "the Apprentice".
So I thought I should make my contribution. Following are the lyrics to "Trump Anthem," sung to the tune of Good Charlotte's "Anthem." |
I'm movin' up, livin' in the Suite
'long with 15 of business' elite
gettin' ready to play the richest game |
Sellin' ice cream, or maybe lemonade
Make an ad campaign, and maybe make the grade
Avoid two words I do not want to hear |
They give me condoms, but no privacy
not enough food, there's wine but no TV
if I survive I'll never be the same... |
Make a bottle, model new blue jeans
Fix up a house, and know what it means
To be one of the last ones to be still right there |
I'm here to make some history
It's not about them 'cuz it's all about me
I'm hangin' in there to the very end
'cuz I'm your Apprentice
Donald Trump please be nice it's |
I may have to do anything it takes
To beat the competition, to get the breaks
I may have to stab someone in the back
but see, it's good TV
Donald Trump please hire me it's |
true... I wanna be just like you!
(now I'm tellin' ya)
maybe not like you -- I wanna BE you!
You! and George and Carolyn too! |
true... I wanna be just like you!
(now I'm tellin' ya)
maybe not like you -- I wanna BE you!
You! not another Kelly Perdew!
|
(Boardroom once, that's fine...)
(Boardroom twice, that's OK...)
(Boardroom three times, I'm playing with my life AGAIN!)
true... I wanna be just like you!
(now I'm tellin' ya)
maybe not like you -- I wanna BE you!
not
Rancic, not
Massey, not
Kwame Jackson!
I'm the one you should love! Whoa!
Take
Raj Bhakta if ya gots ta! Whoa!
But don't take
Omarosa! Whoa!
Labels: diversions
"Spacial Entrepreneur" -- huh.
President Bush had the following to say in his remarks about the space program yesterday at NASA HQ:
I want to thank the astronauts who are with us, the courageous spacial entrepreneurs who set such a wonderful example for the young of our country. (Applause.)
I wonder what the heck a "spacial entrepreneur" is?
Anyway, in all fairness to this President -- a courtesy he deserves for his office even if I *didn't* vote for him -- he did indicate that the end of the Space Shuttle's run is in sight.
The Shuttle's chief purpose over the next several years will be to help finish assembly of the International Space Station. In 2010, the Space Shuttle -- after nearly 30 years of duty -- will be retired from service.
I hate to say it, but it's about time. Long overdue. And Bush deserves credit for making the move his predecessors would not make.
Brand Loyalty part one
I have to get on the stick and prepare a lecture on "Brand Loyalty" for my classes this coming semester. First time I've ever talked about it. I don't know why. Let me plead temporary cluelessness.
Why do marketers care about brand loyalty?
- Because their companies spend loads of money on trademark prosecution. Consider this article from Wired magazine, which delineates the recent increase in trademarks applied for. The US Patent and Trademark Office is a busy place. Too busy.
- Their companies also spend loads of money on trademark defense. And in recent years trademark defense has started to go off the deep end. This article from the LA Times is just one of many on the Smuckers peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwich issue.
- They perceive that a strong brand is worth obscene loads of money, though really strong brands are few.
So what helps to maintain brand loyalty?
Strong ad campaigns. Online travel is a market with room for many strong brands, it would seem. Nancy Wong Bryan writes about Travelocity and Expedia, for instance, and not long ago Priceline was stronger than either, behind spokesman William Shatner (pictured). His terrible singing was practically a brand in itself.- Multiple markets. Consider Virgin Galactic -- Richard Branson is gambling that your familiarity with his other Virgin services, and the probability of your being happy with those services, will make you remember Virgin first when it's time to take a ride into space.
- The right mouthpiece. Consider Nike paying $90M for LeBron James to be its spokesman. (China banned this ad campaign. But that's another story.)
And what drives brand loyalty away?
- Empty brands. Consider the letter to the editor of Wired, in which Tide's old claim of "gets dirt out" is compared to its recent claim of "works wonders." Rather than doing what it's supposed to do -- clean your laundry -- Tide now is trying to do what Ernest Angley does instead.
- Large price increases. Especially with no improvement in product or service. Consider identical Hershey's milk chocolate bars -- except one is six ounces, the other seven. Which will be there a year from now?
- The appearance of apathy toward customer concerns. Though Dow Chemical still admits no responsibility for the Bhopal accident -- and I can understand why they don't (it could lead to mammoth lawsuits if they did) -- they still post a "tribute" to Bhopal.
Labels: rhetoric
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