When you think about popular fast food chains, Subway is certainly among them. And Amazon.com is without a doubt the leader in online retail. But apparently the U.S. brand with the third-best “buzz” from consumers in 2012 was a cereal we’ve all been eating since the dawn of time. [More]
Survey: Top Brands For Buzz In 2012 Were Subway, Amazon And… Cheerios?
By January 24, 2013
'Top Chef-Inspired' Frozen Meals Sort Of Means Something
By November 29, 2011
As a single person with a small appetite and an odd schedule, I eat a lot of frozen meals. I’m fond of the Healthy Choice Cafe Steamers line with the built-in colander basket thingies. A few weeks ago, I noticed that some of these meals had been branded as “Top Chef-inspired” and some hadn’t, even though the dishes were the same exact ones I remembered from before. Or were they? [More]
Unfortunate Caller ID Foreshortening For The Original Honeybaked Ham Company
By October 27, 2011
Probably should have thought that one through. [More]
Internet Overlords Vote To Allow .YourNameHere Domains
By June 20, 2011
Instead of just the regular .com and org addresses, the guys who run the internet have voted to allow the creation of .AnythingYouWantHere domain names. Just about any word in the English language, or any brand name, will be allowed to be turned into a top-level domain name under the program known as ” gTLD” or “Generic Top Level Domain.” [More]
Aveda's Weird Relationship With An Amazonian Tribe
By May 5, 2011
For 18 years, makeup company Aveda has tried to pursue a unique economic partnership with the Yawanawá Amazonian tribe. Aveda gave them startup money and the Yawanawá are supposed to grow and supply urukum, a spiky red fruit that Aveda pays them for and uses to color their wares. It’s a great story, and Aveda weaves it into its marketing messages to help sell its makeup as being “green,” “sustainable” and “conscious.” There’s just one problem. WSJ probed and found the Yawanawá aren’t very good at making it in large quantities — they delivered none 2008-2010 and only 64 kg this year — and the economic lifeline that was supposed to save their tribe and make it self-sufficient could actually be tearing it apart. [More]
Logos Redesigned For What The Company Actually Does
By May 4, 2011
For fun and whimsy, graphic designer Viktor Hertz took a crack at reworking some famous company logos so they more accurately depict what the company is all about. C’mon, let’s get real people. YouTube is not about putting “you” on the “tube” — it’s the world’s largest repository of cat videos! The rest of the satire, more of which can be found here, speaks for itself. [More]
Ford Overtakes GM In Owner Loyalty
By April 1, 2011
A cocktail of advertising, performance, customer service and social prominence leads to the elusive concept of brand loyalty. Judging from an R.L. Polk study of 5.2 million new vehicle-buying households, Ford has nailed the formula more effectively than its competitors recently, because the company has surpassed GM for the top spot it previously held. [More]
GoDaddy CEO Shoots Elephant, Sparks Stampede Of Customers To Flee
By March 31, 2011
The CEO of domain name registrar GoDaddy is facing an online furor after the video he posted of himself killing an elephant in Africa went viral. After the elephant dies and CEO Bob Parsons poses next to it, villagers from all around come out to strip and devour the carcass on the spot. Many of them are wearing day-glo orange GoDaddy caps. As these images play in the video, “Hells Bells” provides the soundtrack. Now a backlash movement has started for folks to switch their domain providers away from GoDaddy. [More]
Pizza Hut Put Kibosh On The Amazing Salad Towers Of China
By March 31, 2011
Our post last week about “How To Game The Salad Bar” reminded commenter power lurker of the Chinese way of playing the game at Pizza Hut. See, in America when you tell people their salad bar is limited to one plate, they shrug because no American eats salad. But in China in the mid to late 2000′s, they turned into a competition to see who can create the tallest and most elaborate salad tower. [More]
Gallery Of Generic Dr. Peppers
By January 4, 2011
Naming a generic version of Dr. Pepper requires a special dose of imagination of the supermarket brand specialist not required by other fizzy drinks. You can’t just get away with “Cola” or “Orange.” There are innumerable variations and several websites have cropped up to document and catalog them. Check out postmyportfolio.com/Generic_Dr_Pepper.htm and Dr Kenton’s Generic Dr Peppers Page to get a pretty comprehensive overview. I think my favorite version is “Dr. Radical.” [More]
"Chicken Poop" Tops List Of Beauty Products With Ugly Names
By January 3, 2011
I know that when I hear the words “chicken poop,” the first thing I want to do is lather it on my lips. And there’s nothing better than “jizz” for painting my fingernails. Wait — why are you looking at me like that? [More]
![Lots Of "[BofAExec Name] Sucks" Sites Getting Bought Up](http://consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/boabuilding1.jpg?w=150)
Lots Of "[BofAExec Name] Sucks" Sites Getting Bought Up
By December 23, 2010
Over at Domain Name Wire they noticed that starting on December 17th, someone has been going around buying up all the various permutations of BankofAmericaExecNameHereSucks.com sites. So sorry folks, you won’t be able to start your new BrianMoynihanBlows.com, BrianMoynihanSucks.com, or BrianTMoynihanBlows.com blog. You were going to use it host your lookbook of clever Lawrence, KS fashions, right? [More]
Urban Outfitters Unveils Snazzy New Logo
By November 10, 2010
Perhaps jealous of all the publicity The Gap received when it unveiled its dopey, short-lived new logo, Urban Outfitters unveiled this beauty of its own. [More]
Gap Already Admitting That New Logo Sorta Sucks
By October 7, 2010
Earlier today, we wrote about the harsh criticism already being heaped upon the new — but not exactly improved — Gap logo. And apparently the negative feedback already has the retail chain on the lookout for something newer and improveder. [More]
New Gap Logo: Next Tropicana-Style Redesign Flop?
By October 7, 2010
The marketing geniuses at The Gap seem to have fiddled around with Photoshop for a few minutes and designed a new company logo that’s as bland and uninteresting as jeans and a black t-shirt. It’s not ugly, but it’s not memorable or creative, either. What were they thinking? [More]
"Elite" Shoppers Ignore Logos, Focus On Subtle Signals
By July 31, 2010
Listen hun, your Gucci bag and Burbury scarf aren’t fooling anyone. Sophisticated shoppers, the ones you’re pretending to be, they know better. According to a recent study, the elite among us skip past the logos and instead focus on subtle cues like distinctive designs and details to figure out who’s truly high brow. [More]
YMCA Is Now Just 'The Y'
By July 12, 2010
Just like the kid in high school who suddenly asked you to stop calling him “Earl” and start calling him “Big E,” the 166-year-old Young Men’s Christian Association no longer wants to be known as YMCA, but simply “The Y.” [More]
Which Products Do You Always Go Generic For?
By July 8, 2010
Last month, we asked readers to tell us which food brands had earned their undying loyalty. Now it’s time to go the other way and take a look at those products — not just food this time — that you only buy in their most generic forms. [More]
