Brown Motion

I sat through 2 days of lectures on Attribution and Marketing.  Attribution is  the action of regarding a quality or feature as characteristic of or possessed by a person or thing. Well so that is the text book definition and it is essentially what I was there to learn about. In the context of identifying audiences to whom I might target an offer to.  An offer to spend at a restaurant or buy another shirt they do not need or something to essentially keep the conspicuous consumption theme alive. The gentleman lecturer was a veteran of having sold many a thing in his life - mostly media - which in today's lingo is anything that constitutes a message that reaches a variety of consumers.  His background as a salesman sort made him the father figure to preach the gathered flock (we were all employees of the same organization who signed up for this) about the nuances of what makes for good marketing and what was cutting edge today. Frankly a lot of the tried stories...

A singularly Desi take on strategic product introduction with a snazzy brand = Brando bast (take off on bando bast that police use and not to be confused with Marlon's bust). In memorium of said effort here is a short list of what new brands might be called - New name for a strong liquor - sunshine or moonshine or any other planetary influence notwithstanding  = Responsibly (this way no one can blame you for drinking, in fact the mere suggestion of 'Drink Responsibly' will always be in your favor) New handgun that fires 15 rounds automatically when left in pant pockets (without human intervention and giving the trigger finger at Tesla and their self driving cars) and made for the American inner city  = Caress Vehicles built by Ford specifically to support Road Rage activities = Screech Xtra Wall material specifically designed to write names of fallen heroes = Rite Here Candy designed specifically for handing out during Halloween = Lock Jaw Foul odor releasing ca...

That is three days of my life spent at a Loyalty conference in muggy Orlando this April.  Loyalty - as in the stickiness a consumer builds towards a brand not much different than a dog that follows his owner around. So it was with the onset of the dog days of summer that I had an opportunity to attend and listen in on what the smart marketers of this world are thinking.  What new bottles (in a manner of speaking) are they filling this time?  Venue was a Polynesian themed resort smack dab in the middle of Universal Studios.  Faux Hathi and suggestions to recline (the humidity seriously makes you want to take lot of naps) Well it turns out that Gamification as a way to engage audiences to spend more is big.  That is the art and science of conning them to use their gadgets to earn virtual badges and stars so that they feel they are part of a game (in which they are getting duped but never realize) and continue to open their wallet for mo of the same....

Reader Warning - Risque subject matter follows - American Retail is a fascinating subject that could fill blogs.  Esp if interested party is a student of how the marketing machinery works and how customers react to it.  Many has been written, said and expounded on in papers to thesis to actual degrees being awarded on the subject of retailing. Mine are merely casual observations on the subject as I see them - So back to Aisle 1. All stores in America are run like organized operations with laser like focus to get the maximum traction (i.e. basket size) from the passing gentry.  At least the owners of this retail operation would like to see gentry - with some amounts of disposable cash that they will share with them. What to sell and how is closely watched, dissected and executed that will ultimately drive high inventory turns and smooth traffic flow while servicing the consumer. So when I recently decided to take my usual walk (not to buy but to observe) I deci...

So as promised towards the end of my prior discourse I promptly went in search of new material to blog about.  That came in the form of my visit to the barber. I believe it says Salon on the neon, in funky script somewhere over the door.  Hey but who cares - its the cheapest mowing facility available in town.  Run by a 5' dude from Vietnam who we shall call Mr. K.  That itself should be fundoo enough to fill pages. So it is.  First of all there are a plethora of half ass partially ripped signs on all walls indicating the cost of an adult haircut with a 30% premium for those wanting to use plastic to pay him instead of paper. Then comes the ATM machine next to the signage but next to the till.  This availability at the point of sale yields some nice commissions to Mr. K from the daft folks that walk in with nothing in their pocket except their ATM card. I walked in on a weekday morning knowing that this is a sure fire way to be in n out in under...

What is it with someone recommending another someone or sometimes themselves to a certain role or job or relationship?  They start describing the many virtues and the advancements and the accomplishments from the past.  Although past results are no guarantee of future outcomes. We see it in our daily lives - from a good doctor to a skilled plumber to a vesatile restaurant to a good toothbrush.  There are whole businesses that thrive on someone else's ability to recommend something to somebody else. Of course what I find fascinating is not so much that we are inherently a species that likes this social interaction but that we feel compelled to expand on the recommended item or individual beyond what is necessary. If I want a landscaping professional I do not want to ask my friend his opinion only to hear - talk to Renaldo - he is really good.  Why is mere talk to Jose not enough?  Is it because there is some lingering doubt in my friend's mind tha...