For all of you Apple fanatics (Yes, you who feel the company NEVER does anything wrong), it seems as if the latest crop of i-phones just don’t measure up. That according to Slate, who ran this piece about some of the problems with the new i-phone, among other company issues.

Grant A. Johnson

Johnson Direct LLC

1-800-710-2750

It’s amazing, with all this talk of integrated, multi-channel marketing, most practioner’s STILL do not tie on line and off line together. That’s the news from Jupiter Research.

If you are in the minority, let’s hear about it. You may even help those foolish folks who don’t “get it.”

Grant A. Johnson

Johnson Direct LLC

1-800-710-2750

Inside Direct Mail ran a piece I did on the power of combining traditional advertising with direct response marketing and fact based research to produce a process I dub Direct Branding. This piece also features real-life case studies.

Grant A. Johnson

Johnson Direct LLC

1-800-710-2750

According to USA Today, Direct Marketing Ad spending will continue to rise at the expense of traditional Brand Advertising. That’s great news for all of us who are focused on measurable marketing and accountable advertising.

Grant A. Johnson

Johnson Direct LLC

1-800-710-2750

“You cannot solve a problem with the same thinking that caused the problem” –  Einstein

Please re-read that quote. Commit it to memory and let’s, together, take action based upon it.

It happens far too frequently in business. A company is in a rut and has done a poor job of anticipating market trends, has no alternative/contingent plans and goes back to the same team they’ve used to help bail them out.

Of course, marketing played a key role in getting them where they are currently and — measurable marketing –  can play a key role in getting them on track.

Consider these segments:

• Automotive
• Banking
• Home Building
• Mortgage
• Government (Many, but specific to oil reserves and supply)

General Motors just announced it has lost $15.5 Billion for the quarter. That’s correct, at that pace figure on a $62 BILLION yearly loss. All CAPS for an alarming reason. Yet, has GM, or any other automotive powerhouse dealt with the flawed dealer network system of purchasing vehicles?

The best selling vehicle 17 years running in the US: Ford’s F-150 truck. Not anymore. Honda, with so many eggs in your Accord basket, are you reading this blog?

I’m sure you can provide even more and better examples ( I hope you do), but the point is that many of these segments do not want to nor know how to change directions. In marketing, they still rely on dated models, including poor use of mass media where they think they can control the message. Newsflash:  the world HAS changed and the consumer/prospect is in control, not the marketer. Despite this, many ad agency execs still lead with: “Killer Creative” and the “Breakthrough Idea.”

Worse yet, they line these folks up and seek their advice on how to make them profitable once again, not understanding the quote that Einstein so prophetically (profitically?) spoke.

Grant A. Johnson

Johnson Direct LLC

1-800-710-2750