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September 2005

RELATIONSHIPS | RESOURCES | RESULTS

Art Fry

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CLI, INC. • 801 SOUTH MAIN STREET., BURBANK, CA 91506 • (818) 846-6100

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4 Brilliant Results | September 2005 www.brilliantpublishing.com

THE ABC’S OF GREAT BRANDS 24An in depth discussion of the three

characteristics that when executed cor-rectly provide the foundation

for a great brand.By Bill Nissim

SLINKY® YOU CAN’T ARGUE WITH SUCCESS 34

Brilliant Results interviews the son of the inventor of this 60 year success story,

Tom James, and Bill Harrington, theSlinkyPrint Vice President of FUN, to

discover the secrets of SLINKY®

TOP BRANDS 42 America’s Top Brands Join the Corporate &

Specialty MarketplaceBrilliant Results highlights mainstreambrands that have successfully entered

the promotional merchandise arena. These are the best of the best and would

add panache to any marketing or recognition campaign.

WHEN TWO BRANDS ARE BETTER THAN ONE 54

This article explores the pros and cons of co-branding and provides real worldexamples of the high flying successes

and the agonizing failures. By Paul F. Nunes

Contents

8 34 42

columnsPUBLISHER’S LETTER 6

BRILLIANT IDEAS FROM THE SOURCE 52

ADVERTISING INDEX 74Get FREE information from this

month’s advertisers

CALENDAR 78

THE LAST WORD 80Brilliant Results spoke with Robert

S. Laing, Jr., President of YourCompany Collection, to get theinside story on what it takes to

launch and maintain a successfulcompany store. A must read if

you have a company store or areconsidering the brand building

power that a well designed company store can unleash.

OFF THE CUFF 82Inspiring quotations and a

Top Brands Crossword Puzzle

WHAT WORKS 63 Presented By the Promotional Products

Association International (PPAI)Successful Case Studies and research

for your next powerful promotion.

HOT PRODUCTS…THINGS WE LOVE 72

Brilliant Results previews a treasuretrove of exciting products.

COVER STORY 8THE BRILLIANT MIND BEHIND THIS YEAR’S TOP BRAND…

3M’s Post-it® Note Our exclusive interview with Art Fry, the man credited with the invention ofthe Post-it® Note, explores the inspiring career of this creative genius and the essential part

the world-class 3M corporation plays in the everyday inventiveness of its staff.

TMbrilliant resultsVol. 2, No. 9

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Publisher’s LetterBrilliant Publishing LLC

9034 Joyce LaneHummelstown, PA 17036

Ph: 717.608.5869Fax: 717.566.5431

PUBLISHER / ADVERTISINGMaureen Williams

[email protected]

EDITORIALEditor in Chief

MaryAnne Morrill

Senior EditorsMichelle Donofry, Pierce Roberts

Style EditorCharity Plata

Asst. EditorMildred Landis

Contributing Writers...Bill Nissim, Paul F. Nunes,

PPAI - What Works Section

PRODUCTION / DESIGNArt Director

Percy Zamora

Brilliant Results is published monthly by Brilliant PublishingLLC, 9034 Joyce Lane Hummelstown PA 17036 (717) 608-5869; Fax# (717) 566-5431. Postage paid at MechanicsburgPA and additional offices. POSTMASTER please sendaddress changes to Brilliant Results, 9034 Joyce Lane,Hummelstown PA 17036. Volume 2. Number 9. BrilliantResults subscription rates: one-year $120; Canadian $160USD; one-year foreign $225 USD. All subscriptions are non-refundable. Copyright © 2005 Brilliant Publishing LLC. Allrights reserved. The publisher reserves the right to accept orreject any advertising or editorial material. Advertisers,and/or their agents, assume the responsibility for any claimsagainst the publisher based on the advertisement. Editorialcontributors assume responsibility for their published worksand assume responsibility for any claims against the pub-lisher based on published work. No part of this publicationcan be reproduced in any form or by electronic or mechani-cal means, including information storage and retrieval sys-tems, without written permission from the publisher. Allitems submitted to Brilliant Results become the sole proper-ty of Brilliant Publishing LLC. Editorial content does notreflect the views of the publisher. The imprints, logos, trade-marks or trade names (Collectively the “Marks”) displayedon the products featured in Brilliant Results are for illustra-tive purposes only and are not available for sale. The marksdo not represent the implied or actual endorsement by theowners of the Marks of the product on which they appear. Allof the Marks are the property of the respective owners andis not the property of either the advertisers using the Marksor Brilliant Results.

YES, THAT IS an elaborately painted cow withme in this month’s photograph! Why? Becausethis issue is all about branding and who betterto stand next to than a cow, one of the firstsymbols of branding and a recurring analogy fora successful brand…a cash cow.

If you are interested in turning your brandsinto a herd of cash cows, then don’t miss read-ing a single page. You will be fascinated by thecreativity of an imaginative individual and acorporation who together turned a failed exper-iment into an essential product found in almost every office in the coun-try. You will enjoy a conversation with the son of the inventor of one ofAmerica’s favorite toys and the company’s Vice President of FUN and atthe same time find out about the staying power of a successful brand.

Next, you will be amazed by the household brand names that haveentered the corporate/specialty marketplace. These brands have beenselected by Brilliant Results as the Top Brands of 2005-2006 in promotion-al and incentive merchandise. Our selection process looked at brandname recognition, product quality and level of success in our arena. Youwill discover the ABCs of brand building from a brand specialist, andexplore the possibilities and pitfalls offered by co-branding with anexpert and frequent lecturer at leading business schools.

Our case studies provided by the Promotional Products AssociationInternational, PPAI to those in the industry, guide you in the use of promo-tional merchandise to power successful marketing campaigns and buildbrands. Because of the extensive coverage of brands and branding, ourThings We Love space was limited, but as always, they are winners. In ourLast Word feature, you will realize the potential that a well-defined andoperated company store can contribute to brand awareness. Finally, youwill be challenged to complete our ‘Name The Brand’ crossword puzzle.

So if you want to turn your brands into cash cows, read on and

Anticipate Results,

Maureen Williams, Publisher

TM


brilliant resultsbrilliant results

262467 Brill492

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SINCE WE ARE SURE that you’ve already taken a sneakpeek at our Top Brands list before turning to this page, weknow you are keenly aware that our editors have selected3M’s Post-it® Brand as the nation’s No. 1 brand in the pro-motional products and corporate incentive merchandiseindustry for 2005-2006! As such, we felt it only apropos totreat you to a very rare and exclusive inside look at thebrilliant mind behind the creator of this year’s top brand.Art Fry is the man credited with actually inventing thePost-it® Note. A gentleman and a man of science, at 73-years-old he is the first to tell you that no product, big orsmall can be successfully created, developed, launched,branded and/or sustained without dedicated teams of

people working in a culture that supports creativity, imag-ination and an unbridled “can do” attitude.

As a brief reminder, the purpose of Brilliant Resultsmagazine is to promote the use of promotional merchan-dise (printed or unimprinted), combined with creativedirect marketing strategy as a viable and extremelyeffective alternative to other advertising mediums. Whatimpressed us so much about 3M and its complete Post-it® line for corporate markets is how they have taken aproduct that appears to be so simple, and now so maturein its 25th year, and been able to use the 3M magic andcorporate culture to expand it to such a diverse, function-al and necessary product line.


Brilliant Results11:00 am

Post-it Note Meeting 9:00 am

3M ® 1:00 pm

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Brilliant Results | September 2005 9www.brilliantpublishing.com

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Beyond the little yellow sticky note, 3M has expanded thissimple “commodity” into a line of literally hundreds of differ-ent sizes, shapes, thicknesses and colors with potentiallyunlimited uses. Beyond the traditional Post-it® Note pad, thefull line includes custom packaging, multiple color options,die cut shapes, Post-it® Note Cubes, organizer packs, Pop ’n’Jot Dispensers, Flags, Flag Pen and Highlighter, and the lat-est addition Post-it® Notes Super Sticky - all aimed at provid-ing corporate marketers with solutions to stand out.

3M’s special markets distribution channels include promo-tional products distributors (logoed products), incentive andpremium dealers, commercial printers, direct mail houses,food service distributors, daily newspapers and more.

In the name of convenience, the concept of enabling busi-nesses to rise above the clutter and promote themselves in pow-erful, cost effective ways (that simply were not available prior toArt Fry) is how the 3M machine continues to work its innovation.

BR: Please give our readers some unique insight on who isArt Fry?

AF: Let me start by saying, at age 73, I figure it’s paybacktime for me! For example, in a couple of weeks, I will be onmy way to Washington D.C. to judge a high school sciencecontest. After that, I am off to London to help a group theredo the same thing for kids. In fact, even doing things like thisinterview allows me the opportunity to hopefully inspire oth-ers to think for themselves, overcome obstacles and do thingsfor the right reasons.

I grew up during the Depression. I went to a one-roomschool in the small community of Ontario Iowa, just outside ofAmes. The town’s total population was only about 300.During the war, my family moved to Kansas City. My fatherwas an electrical engineer, and his move enabled me to knowboth rural and city life. One thing I realized early on was therewere big variations in cultures, but regardless of which one Iwas in, I grew up knowing how to work. I had a lot of jobs,from delivering papers and groceries to running the diningroom at a golf course at age 13, when they couldn’t get helpduring the war. In my teens, I moved up north to Duluth,Minn., where I worked in construction. All of those experi-ences taught me a lot about people and the value of hardwork. However, I also learned that I definitely did not want aphysical labor job! For me, the lesson of working smarterrather than harder came quickly. I wound up enrolling in theUniversity of Minnesota, where my first two years were spentat the Duluth campus, and then I came down to the maincampus in Minneapolis for four more years to complete mychemical engineering degree.

I grew up during theDepression. I went to a one-room school inthe small community of Ontario Iowa, just

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Ironically, of all the things I hadto do at work, none of it was taughtin school. Now don’t get me wrong,knowing the basics was important,but the actual work was a wholedifferent world!

How did you wind up at 3M?AF: I started at 3M as a summer

employee in 1953. I stayed thereuntil I retired at age 62, but mywhole life may have gone a dif-ferent direction. I interviewed at30 companies all throughout thecountry before making my decisionabout where to develop my career. Imet with all the big boys including Dow,DuPont and Union Carbide, and I was fortu-nate enough to receive job offers from nearlyevery one of the 30.

The more companies I spoke with, the more I real-ized that 3M was a good fit for me. I thought about thethings I was exposed to during my summer internships,things like solvent chemistry that was proprietary andonly known at 3M. I thought “Wow, what a job! Theywill pay me to learn.” I wound up choosing 3M primari-ly because of the culture, but I also felt they had terrificpotential. It’s hard to believe at that time 3M’s total

gross revenues were under $200 mil-lion. And to think now the company’s

worldwide earnings topped $20 bil-lion last year!

During my summerinternship I beganworking as a tech, test-ing industrial tapes. Iworked for four differ-ent engineers, whichgave me a diverse setof experiences. I can

remember asking if sum-mer employees could invent

things. They said yes, and I gavethem a few ideas. I’ll be darned if the

folks I worked with didn’t actually listento my ideas and then help to mentor me.I didn’t realize at the time, but found out

later that it was real special for a companyto do that. The people were definitely the best part

of the job. I feel blessed to be able to have dealt with somany really interesting people.

OK, the question everyone wants to know: How didyou invent the Post-it® Note?

AF: Well, some of the legends are true. Fact: Theadhesive we use on Post-it® Notes today was a “mis-take” from a different project that Dr. Spence Silver hadworked on years prior to the Post-it® Note ever comingto life. Fact: The original concept did come from my frus-tration with pieces of scrap paper falling out of mychurch hymnal. Fact: There were many naysayers whotried to kill the product, claiming: “Who would pay apremium price for something that you can get for free(scratch paper)?” Fact: The product was originally testmarketed under the name “Scotch brand Press and PeelNotes.” Here is the basic story:

The Post-it® Note is one of the best known of all 3Mproducts. It is used by loyal customers all over theworld, many of whom declare that they can’t imaginehow they ever got along before it was invented. It’sequally difficult to imagine a time when 3M was strug-gling to find a use for the “repositionable” adhesive thatmakes Post-it® Notes so versatile. But that was precise-ly the case back in the early 1970s – before a team oftenacious innovators at 3M created the product thatpermanently changed the way we communicate.

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3M research scientist, Dr. Spence Silver, first devel-oped the technology in 1968, while looking for ways toimprove the acrylate adhesives that 3M uses in many ofits tapes. In a classic case of innovative serendipity,Silver found something quite remarkably different fromwhat he was originally looking for. It was an adhesivethat formed itself into tiny spheres. The spheres wouldnot dissolve, could not be melted and were very stickyindividually. But, because they made only intermittentcontact, they did not stick very strongly when coatedonto tape backings.

Silver knew that he had invented a highly unusualnew adhesive. Now the challenge was what to do withit? For the next five years, Silver gave seminars and but-

tonholed individual 3Mers, extolling the potential of thisnew adhesive and showing samples of it in spray-canform and as a bulletin board.

But, I was ultimately credited with discovering theproduct niche. I had attended one of Silver’s seminarsand was intrigued by the strange adhesive. Then oneSunday years later, I was singing in the church choir. Iused markers to keep my place in the hymnal, but theykept falling out of the book. Remembering Silver’s adhe-sive, I used some to coat my markers. The adhesive keptmy markers in place, yet lifted off without damaging thepages. The concept of Post-it® Notes was born that day.

OVERCOMING THE SKEPTICS AND BUILDINGA BRAND WINNER

As attempts were made to launch this new product,there were skeptics within 3M. Engineering and pro-duction people told Fry that Post-it® Notes would poseconsiderable processing measurement and coating dif-ficulties and would create much waste. Fry’s responsedemonstrated the approach of the true innovator.

AF: I said: Really, that is great news! If it were easy,then anyone could do it. If it really is as tough as yousay, then 3M is the only company that can do it.

Of course, there was the market research, which isextremely difficult with revolutionary new products.Who would pay for a product that seemed to be compet-ing with cost-free scrap paper? Despite the initial “killthe program” efforts, Geoff Nicholson, a product devel-opment manager, convinced Joe Ramey, the divisionvice president, to come with him to Richmond, Va., andwalk up and down the streets on “cold” calls to see ifthey could sell the product. They did, and the Post-it®program was resurrected.

AF: Another one of our challenges was the structureof our distribution channels. You see, we primarily sellthrough distributors, so we didn’t have much interac-tion with the end consumer. So in the early days, weincluded a bounce-back card to end-consumers. This

Another one of our challenges was the structure of our distribution channels.You see, we primarily sell through distributors, so we didn’t have

much interaction with the end consumer.

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feedback was critical to our success. Initially, saleswere not strong in test cities, so management wasready to kill it. I said: Don’t kill it by talking to deal-ers who may not want to hassle with introducing anew product. You have to talk to end consumers.

Calling them “Press & Peel” pads, we did a fewother test cities before finally doing our first bigsampling in Boise, Idaho, now known as the infa-mous Boise Blitz. We handed out the samebrochures, but simply attached 10 Post-it® notes tothem. They didn’t tell people how to use them,causing people to invent uses and discover it forthemselves.

The lesser-known yet most important fact isthat my supervisor, Dr. Bob Molenda, was a greatunsung hero in the development of the Post-it®Note. I did, in fact, come up with the idea of puttingSpence’s low-tack glue on paper to make a “stickybook mark,” but Dr. Bob is the one who saw it as acommunication tool.

Dr. Bob and I worked together for years. Wewould bounce ideas off of each other all the time,and it always seemed to have a greater outcome. Ihave worked for people where you come in with aplate full of ideas, and they’d say no, no, no. But Bobwould say: Yes and you can do this too, or add that,or did you think about this? Bob went on to head upthe analytical group (new products), then in the cor-porate markets arena before retiring.

BR: What are your thoughts about Post-it® Notesand their place in corporate promotions, marketingand advertising today?

AF: I think this is a very exciting area in whichI see unlimited potential. Thinkingback to Dr. Bob referring to

Post-it® Notes as

a “communication tool,” that was truly one of themost important statements ever made about Post-it® Notes. I don’t think there is any sector thatallows more opportunity for direct impact and ROIthan in the field of advertising and marketing forbusiness.

I was the first person to ever print a Post-it®Note. One of the few mementos I have kept is thatvery first printing plate. I keep it on my desk as areminder of where we started. Early on wethought: These are great, but if you could preprintthem like a form, it would sure expand the poten-tial of the product. So, off we went. We took ournew invention to printers and asked for their input.It would stick to the rollers, bust their machine andthey’d throw us out. But you see, they taught mehow to print. From there we were able to modifythe machine. Eventually, we figured it out andstarted in the office supply (forms) industry, then itwent to promotional products distributors, greet-ing card companies and so on.

Going back to the early days when we asked peo-ple how to use the product instead of telling themhow to use it, they thought up things we neverwould have imagined. The same concept goes forcorporate markets, but even stronger because thereal creative people – designers, ad agen-cies, marketing firms, promotionalproduct distributors – now hadtheir hands on them. Just thinkabout the uses we have alreadyseen in this sector.


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Post-it® Notes can be seen asspecial offers in or on direct mail, onproducts in stores, as forms in doc-tor’s offices, personalized for execu-tives, in special shapes for astronger visual impact totarget audiences,using back sheets asbounce-back surveys,as business cards outin the field, tape flagpacks built into cata-logs to make it easy forshoppers to mark theproducts that catch theireye and on and on and on. The possibilities areendless, especially when you get this product group inthe hands of the world’s most creative people – corpo-rate marketers and advertisers!

BR: What is the most creative promotion youhave seen done with Post-it® Notes?

AF: I think the uses as ads in magazines andnewspapers. This is huge! Advertising is a lotmore effective when you can pull it off and stickit on your fridge. We have seen case studies thathave shown response rates increasing by tenfold andmore. This is the epitome of a true win, win, win advertis-ing concept. The advertiser wins by getting unique expo-sure, the newspaper wins by having a new revenue gen-erator to sell and the recipient wins by having their atten-tion drawn easily to a great offer instead of having tosearch through a cluttered pile of coupons. Post-it® Notesjust naturally have a marvelous play factor.

BR: What is your view on innovation?AF: The dictionary defines innovation as

“The act of introducing something new”and “a creation resulting from study andexperimentation.”

Another job I had as a kid was sellingpots and pans. That job not only taught me how to sell,it also taught me how to deal with people, and perhaps

most importantly, it taught me how to deal withfailure. My dad told me: As an engineer,

you will have to dealwith a lot ofpeople whod o n ’ t

report to you, sohaving ideas is great.

But if you can’t sell your ideasand overcome objections, your ideas

are likely to never get off the ground. It wasgreat advice. The same is true with innova-

tion and product development. It’s not onlybeing creative, but having the know-how and

the team support to get it done, too. To find something that’s new to the world

requires broad technical knowledge. Early in mycareer, the technical director asked if I would work

in the pilot plant for making tapes. “Pilot” meantthat we could do everything on a small-run basis. Thisexperience allowed me to work on all of the equipment.In this environment, you have to watch, learn and ask lotsof dumb questions. I really learned processing and thechemistry of materials in depth. So, when I had to designnew equipment and materials, I had better fundamentalknowledge. This experience taught me how to buildequipment myself much less expensively than buying it.

William McKnight was the Chairman of the Board of3M from 1949 until 1966. Many believe McKnight’s great-est contribution was as a business philosopher since hecreated a corporate culture that encouraged employeeinitiative and innovation. His basic rule of managementwas laid out way back in 1948 when he said:

“As our business grows, it becomes increasingly nec-essary to delegate responsibility and to encourage menand women to exercise their initiative. This requiresconsiderable tolerance. Those men and women, towhom we delegate authority and responsibility, if theyare good people, are going to want to do their jobs intheir own way. Mistakes will be made. But if a person isessentially right, the mistakes he or she makes are notas serious in the long run as the mistakes management

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will make if it under-takes to tell those inauthority exactly howthey must do their jobs.Management that isdestructively critical whenmistakes are made kills initia-tive. And it’s essential that we havemany people with initiative if we areto continue to grow.”

In essence, McKnightempowered anyone who hadan idea to bring it forward andencouraged innovation to blos-som. I still go into 3M andattend seminars. I love beingaround freethinking individuals, creatorsand innovators who focus on opportunity and look atthe world with great optimism.

If you want to be successful at innovation you haveto do things for the right reasons. What do I mean bythat? What are the right reasons? We only make a livingby producing products that someone else will actuallybuy. If we focus on useful, functional things that peoplewant and need, we will be successful.

BR: I’m sure people wonder if you’ve made millionsfrom this idea.

AF: Actually, no. And that’s okay. I was an employeeof 3M. They funded my ability to do research and devel-op ideas. It took teams of people to launch and, moreimportantly, sustain the product’s existence.

When you’re building a product it’s like a puzzle: rawmaterial suppliers, distribution, marketing, patents,

government regulations to buy in from distributors. Youhave all of these people going through

the gravel pile, and one personfinds a diamond. Everyone

should share in it.I didn’t get

royalties orbonuses, but Idid get to the

top of the tech-nical ladder (direc-

tor level) and that was important tome. Sometimes, it’s just being in the

right place at the right time.I do make a few extra dollars from my

speaking engagements, but basically I have acomfortable retirement. My wife and I live in a

nice two-bedroom house, and I play a lot of golf, soI’m happy.

BR: What do you think about other high level innova-tors such as Bill Gates?

AF: I’ve never met Bill Gates, but I think I can relateto people who think like him. He’s doing some realdecent things. I say more power to him.

BR: The Post-it® brand is celebrating its 25th anniver-sary this year. What do you think of all the “offspringproducts” that have developed from the original pad?

AF: When I originally presented the idea to the 3Mmanagement team, I outlined a whole family of products.I knew that if this were only one product, it would beeasy for it to die. At that time, I showed them labels,tapes and several other products. We started with thenotes because they were unique and different, but, mostimportantly, they were sort of self-advertising. Manypeople don’t know that we simultaneously launched acover-up tape, but since it didn’t have that self-advertis-ing element, it was not as successful. I have to admiteven I never imagined there would be 1,000-plus Post-it® branded products being sold in more than 100countries around the world.

I think the main reason for Post-it® popularity isthey have a built-in viral marketing opportunity. Ifyou had a 100-sheet pad, 20 sheets might go out toother people. Ten of them would love the product andgo out and buy pads of their own. This effect is mul-tiplied once you put a logo or message on it. While it’strue that the cost may be several times as much asscratch paper, which is what buyers compared it to

BR0905_Section01 9/2/05 1:08 PM

what they didn’t look at was, at even 10 times theprice, it still wasn’t expensive. It made life easier formany office people. Jot an idea down. When you seesomething in a magazine, you can mark the page andalso write comments about it.

Even in the computer age, the effectiveness of theproduct still is unsurpassed. If you want to get to intouch with someone, you can leave a voice mail or sendan e-mail. Or, you can put a Post-it® Note right on theirmonitor or coat rack.

BR: What did you think of the movie “Romy and Michele’sHigh School Reunion”?

AF: I loved it and thought it was really quitefunny. The studio called us before going with theidea. We supported it and even helped them writethe gobbledy-gook description of the product. Whenit was time for the screening, they invited me, but Ihad another conflict. We definitely had fun with thatone though.

BR: Were you involved in the development of otherproducts other than Post-it® Notes?

AF: I worked on many things that were ahead of theirtime. The only important thing to convey is that Iworked on a lot of duds. Kind of like Babe Ruth, I hitsome home runs, but I had plenty of strikeouts, too. Themoral? Keep swinging. Don’t let anyone or anythinglimit your thinking or potential.

BR: Do you have any parting thoughts or words ofadvice for our readers?

AF: Everyone is inventive, but many peopledon’t invest time in inventing their own life. If youhave kids, teach them to invent their lives. We allhave control over decisions we make. What kind ofperson do you want to be, what kind of marriagewould you like to have, what kind of life do youwant for you and your family, etc.? Make a plan.Make sure it includes balance and do things for theright reasons. •

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GREAT BRANDS ENCOMPASS three characteristicsthat possess a winning combination when executedcorrectly. The road to branding success requires aunique discernment of the value proposition beingoffered followed by vision, patience, and persever-ance. By combining these characteristics andmethod of execution, great organizations (i.e.Brands) emerge from the landscape of mediocrity.

As with all brands, the voyage from obscurity totrusted products/services occurs when adhering to adisciplined process referred to as the ABC’s of brand-ing: ATTRIBUTES, BEHAVIOR, and CIRCUMSTANCES.What do these ABC’s have to do with great brands?The lack of a solid foundation for a brand will ultimate-ly undermine its future success. This foundation goesbeyond the logo and brand fascia and provides theunderpinnings of legitimacy and ability to deliver realvalue. The type of reasoning that both buyer and sellershare enables the origin of a relationship. The settingby which the foundation and behavior can be acted onmust be appropriate in many respects. Altogether, thishypothesis suggests that an Appreciable Brand Triad TM

forms the basis for great brands.

The ABC’s of Great Brands

BY: BILL NISSIM

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The discussion begins with presenting theABC’s of great brands and applying the “TriadBrand Test” as the metric for success. After theABC’s are reviewed, an introduction of this conceptwill be expressed through a case study. We’ll useSouthwest Airlines as an archetype to exemplifyand support this theory.

ATTRIBUTES: Whether you are discussing people, places, or

things, attributes are the basis by which you com-pare, contrast, and distinguish levels of acceptancefor use and/or consumption. Everything we do on adaily basis draws upon attributes to discern andvalidate who we are and our place on this earth. Doyou believe that? Why do you buy a certain car,brand of clothing, or a cup of coffee? Additionally,why do you connect with certain associates,friends, neighbors, etc? Conversely, why do youreproof, reject, and distance yourself from otherproducts or services? Whether we want to admit itor not (intellectual verses emotional), we rely onassociations (a.k.a. brands) that surround theattributes of people, places, and things.

I recently queried a highly educated associate ofmine and asked why he drove a certain brand ofautomobile. Being an engineer, his response wasboth highly analytical and quantifiable; he support-ed his logic with facts such as MPG, weight-to-horsepower, and the practical use to get him frompoint A to point B. When he was asked why hedidn’t buy a smaller, less expensive car that coulddo the same job, his response was- “I wouldn’t becaught DEAD in that particular car.” Touché!

In short, attributes are indeed imperatives inour daily discrimination process and form the basisby which we make choices. Attributes alone willnot satisfy anyone. There must be a foundationand process by which these attributes are execut-ed and delivered to form such perceptions. In thefollowing aspect of the appreciable triad, we willexamine the foundations that create a strong bondbetween perception and reality. The old adageseems to hold true – we shop intellectually but wepurchase emotionally! Next, we will considerbehavior in response to attributes and what thatmeans to us as consumers.

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BEHAVIOR:Would you consider yourself a rational consumer?

Most of us would answer yes. Interestingly, what we doand how we do it often defies reasonable thought despiteour best intentions. Several years ago, I attended a speak-ing engagement hosted by Tom Peters. During hispresentation, he broached the topic of human behaviorand mentioned a personal experience he had at the gro-cery store. Despite his high level of education (twoMaster Degrees and a PhD.) and logical thought process,when he attempted to buy generic table salt at the store,he ended up purchasing the Morton Salt Brand (Bluelabel, little girl and umbrella). He admittedly couldn’tbring himself to buy the white labeled, store brand (emo-tional) even though he (intellectually) believes that saltis salt, regardless of the package it comes in.

Don’t we all behave the same way? You walk into astore to buy a can of soup. You see two products on theshelf: one has a no-name white label, another red withthe brand name Campbell’sTM written on it. Which onewould you buy? Remember, the type of reasoning thatboth buyer and seller share enables the basis of a rela-tionship. As a consumer, you are buying more than a canof soup and this purchase reflects who you are (at thecash register), the perceived quality you provide yourfamily (brand trust), and what you deem as acceptablein your world (values). This synergy between behavior andattributes, however contrived, becomes the paradigm bywhich we consume.

Marketers could gain greater insight into attributes/behavior relationship by observing HOW people actual-ly behave verses WHAT people say they do (i.e.surveys). If you ask owners of CD players how toimprove this product offering, they probably wouldn’thave come up with the iPodTM concept. If you observeHOW they use CD Players, their behavior would speakvolumes about the gap that exists between the currentoffering and a desired solution (i.e. runners use formobile music devices). Now that we discussed twoaspects of this appreciable triad, let’s see how theyrelate to circumstances.

CIRCUMSTANCES:The circumstances surrounding how we make pur-

chasing decisions are situational at best! As amarketer, you may have the right attributes and behaviorin place, but if the setting isn’t appropriate, the wholeconcept falls apart. For example, let’s discuss theauto industry.

Buyers were seeking the next generation consumervehicle. Automobile companies possessed the samerelative resources, processes, and values to competefairly for this emerging market. The attributes of design,functionality, and capability pre-existed along with thebehavior of consumers to continuously improve theirdriving experience.

However, the problem for one Auto Company cameinto play with circumstances: the general public wasn’tprepared to give up their gas-guzzling cars for a sub-compact, range-limited electric vehicle (EV) that thiscompany had so heavily invested in.

The technology of EV’s under the current circum-stances was not a good fit at that particular time, and asa result, the electric vehicle product offering died a

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timely death. Conversely, Japanese automakers likeToyota and Honda took the next, logical step and cre-ated a hybrid (gas/electric) vehicle that was closer to astandard car but with all the benefits of high mileage andenvironmentally friendly.

What valuable lesson was learned? Although peopledesire higher mileage vehicles (attributes/behavior), theidea of a car that relies solely on battery technology(charge each night, limited range, and very small size)defies the circumstances of mainstream consumers.

Application of ABC’sNow that we have defined the ABC’s of branding, let’s

apply it to a practical real-world setting. We begin with aproduct/service that most of us have used or are at leastaware of - Southwest Airlines.

ATTRIBUTES:The attributes of Southwest (SW) are straightfor-

ward: friendly, inexpensive, frequent flights, quickturns, fun flight attendants, etc. On their web site,www.southwest.com, you’ll see their mission statementmirrors reality:

“The mission of Southwest Airlines is dedication tothe highest quality of Customer Service delivered with asense of warmth, friendliness, individual pride, andCompany Spirit.”

Under a section called “about us,” they nicely sum-marize their value proposition to the masses:

“More than 32 years ago, Rollin King and HerbKelleher got together and decided to start a different kindof airline. They began with one simple notion: If you get

your passengers to their destinations when they want toget there, on time, at the lowest possible fares, and makedarn sure they have a good time doing it, people will flyyour airline.”

Now that we understand their “public persona,” let’sbriefly understand the foundation that makes this actu-ally work. In 1971, SW airline saw the landscape of thisbusiness as hub-and-spoke, expensive maintenancefacilities, multiple aircraft, major airports, and expensiveunions as the standard formula for operations. What wasunique about SW from the start was the business modelthey pursued which was contrary to the status quo. Ineffect, SW did quite the opposite: stayed away frommajor airports, use point-to-point service, only purchaseone type of aircraft (737’s), and cross-functionally trainedtheir employees. They also considered what the travel-ing public viewed as important (see graphic) anddesigned their offerings accordingly. By adjusting theirbusiness model, they reduce or eliminated those offeringswhich the public didn’t view as important and increasedamenities they enjoyed. For the price consensus traveler,food and comfort was of little value compared to on-timearrivals and a “fun” experience.

The outcome of this foundation provided:1. A low-cost business model2. Enabled low fares to consumers 3. A profitable enterprise

The economics behind this business model appearsimple, yet so many major carriers attempted to incorpo-rate a competing design with little success. For example,United Airlines launched “United Express” as a methodfor attracting discount flyers. The problem was their coststructure couldn’t support discounted fares and thusbecame a losing proposition. Over 20 years, SW literallychanged the rules of this game. A low-cost businessmodel became the new standard for competition andspawned a similar company called Jet Blue. In short, theattributes of an intelligently design business followed byimpeccable execution makes SW a Great Brand!

BEHAVIOR:What shared reasoning occurred between the gener-

al public and SW that formed the basis of a mutuallybeneficial relationship? Let’s consider the following: SWprovided less service, less amenities, and certainly lessprestige than all other offerings in the commercial air-line industry. Why would anyone want something less –isn’t more supposed to be better?

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During the nineties, the “do-it-yourself” phenome-non occurred and companies like Lowes and TheHome Depot burst onto the scene. The Home Depotgrew from 145 stores and $3.8b in sales in 1990 to1890 stores and $73.1b in sales by 2004; they werenamed the most admired specialty retailer by FortuneMagazine in February 2005. Their corporate web site states:

“The Home Depot is committed to offering the ulti-mate home improvement shopping experience. Withabout 40,000 different products, trademark customerservice and guaranteed low prices, The Home Depotstores cater to do-it-yourselfers and do-it-for-me’s, aswell as home improvement, construction and buildingmaintenance professionals.”

Whether you are trying to reach a certain destinationor fix a broken lawn sprinkler, the behavior remains thesame. In both cases, people will actually accept less fora good price. The behavior has achieved balance withattributes (business model) for delivering what theywant, when they want it, for a discounted price. In bothcases, these companies are organizationally excellent atthe value they deliver!

CIRCUMSTANCES:Let’s start this discussion with the concept of

“under and over-shooting.” What does this mean?When you want to fly from Orange County,California to New York, NY, you have many choic-es available. Not only does your range of optionsinclude a variety of carriers, but various levels ofservice. The middle of the road would consist of afair price, a reasonably comfortable seat, and apalatable meal.

To “over-shoot” this event, we would spendthousands on a first-class ticket, sit in a bigleather seat, and eat a gourmet meal served onchina tableware. To under-shoot, we would sit incramped seats, eat a bag of pretzels, and havemore than two connections with unusually longlayovers. The circumstances in which people flyvary depending on the dimensions presented.

In today’s environment, the ability to rationalizevalue is primarily a function of available information. Ifyou rely on a travel agent, your span of available dimen-sions is severely limited and reliant on the assessmentof others. As with the travel agent, how far you underor over-shoot your desired experience may never beknown or occur after-the-fact. Conversely, the Internetprovides a wealth of options that allows the user toselect attributes/circumstances and compare theresults. In effect, our ability to determine the circum-stances in which we travel, to a large extent, falls to theconsumer. Next, we will draw these three conceptstogether. The following section presents this connec-tion theoretically and conceptually.

Appreciable Brand TriadTM

So, how does one use this triad to create a GreatBrand? This theoretical model plots Attributes, Behavior,and Circumstances on equally spaced points of a triangle.Each of these three aspects interacts with the other on theperiphery as well as on a 3rd dimension (center of model).

To apply this model, first compare your productsattributes to how people generally behave. Using

Let’s start this discussion with the concept of “under and over-shooting.”What does this mean? When you want to fly from Orange County, California to New York, NY, you have many choices available.

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customer focus groups, surveys, and other qualitative &quantitative data, determine if the attributes are in balancewith the audience’s actual behavior (=0 on the AB line isperfect harmony).

Once a point along this line has been established,repeat the process for the two remaining lines AC and BCof the triangle.

It is possible that a point can fall outside of the lines,as with real life. For instance, let’s use “Tazo Tea” andthe AC line as an example. The“Attributes” (rich in flavor, consis-tent quality, etc.) are desirable; however, assume the product is notconveniently sold (Circumstances).The point on the AC line will moveaway from “Circumstances” andtoward “Attributes.” If this com-bination happens to exist and pre-vents an interaction or purchase totake place, then a “disconnect”occurs between your audience/offering and this point will fall out-side of the triangle. Conversely, ifyour point resides within the trian-gle, your brand has become part ofthe consumer’s identity.

Now that you have plotted allthree points, consider the depth towhich the consumer “owns” yourbrand. The center point (0,0)defines perfect balance of all threeconstituents. The beauty of plottingyour current state and considering adesired position will allow you to define a strategy to achieve agreat brand!

CONCLUSIONWhat constitutes a great brand?

By applying the concept of anAppreciable Brand TriadTM , we wereable to define what attributes,behavior, and circumstances are, andif executed correctly, how theyenable the foundation for brandgreatness. We postulated this theoryby citing two brands that haveachieved both financial and brandsuccess (SW and Home Depot).Although the dynamics of the plottedpoints on the Appreciable BrandTriad TM are in constant motion,their general locale suggests three

things: an intelligently designed business model, properpositioning of ABC’s, and flawless execution. Taken togeth-er, the opportunity to formulate or re-design a business isin the hands of business leaders each day. •

Bill Nissim consults with organizations on brand strat-egy issues. His website www.ibranz.com containsreference materials, links, and helpful articles on themany facets of branding.

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ONE OF AMERICA’S MOST BELOVED TOYS orshould I say physics teachers, is celebrating its 60thAnniversary this year. Named one of the Top 10 ToyBrands by both the History® and Discovery®

Channels, SLINKY® came to life on the workbench ofa mechanical engineer during World War II. It wasonly a torsion spring, but when it fell to the floor itappeared to ‘walk’ in the inventive mind of RichardJames. Later at home with wife Betty, this imagesprung to life in the creation of SLINKY®. With$500.00 of borrowed funds, the SLINKY® was manu-factured and put on the shelf of the PhiladelphiaGimbel’s Department Store in 1945. When all 400SLINKYS® were purchased in 90 minutes, anydoubts about its popularity were erased. Since thenover 300 million SLINKYS® have been sold world-wide and it has, more often then not, brought asmile to the face of those who have received one.SLINKY® is not only an excellent toy holding USPatent Office No. 2,415,012 issued January 28, 1947,it is a teacher whose unique action properties havebeen put to educational use in the demonstration ofa variety of physical forces and principles.

In a high-tech, high-speed, rising cost world, thisbrand that reminds us of simpler times has survivedand expanded its reach by joining the promotional

products industry to helpother organization’s marketingcampaigns and brand building efforts takeadvantage of the power of the SLINKY® brand. Inan effort to find out what makes this brand ‘Stretch forSuccess’, Brilliant Results recently had the privilege ofspeaking with Bill Harrington, the Vice President ofFUN at SLINKY® Print, and the SLINKY® Master him-self, Tom James.

BR: Can you give our readers a little background onTom James and Bill Harrington?

TJ: Since my father invented the SLINKY®, I wasthe first kid to ever play with a SLINKY®. Unofficiallyand officially, I have been with the company sincethe invention of SLINKY®. First when it was JamesIndustries and later as a part of Poof-Slinky, Inc.

BH: After 15 years in the domestic and internation-al corporate automotive world first with Cadillac andthen Jeep Corporation, I was ready for a change. I ven-tured into the entrepreneurial realm for 18 years as theOwner of Genesus Marketing and Communications,which I still operate. Finally, I decided it was time forFUN and joined Poof-Slinky, Inc. as the SLINKY® PrintVice President of FUN.

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BR: What is the Vice President of FUN?BH: We deal with a 62-foot length of wire, wound into

84 coils, that walks down stairs. How serious can oneget with that? Vice President of Marketing just soundedTOO serious; Vice President of FUN conveys what theproduct should be emitting from the buying audience.

TJ: I guess you could say I know more aboutSLINKY® than anyone, since Vice President of FUN wasalready taken and Special Projects Director just didn’tseem to apply, I became the SLINKY® Master. After allI first met SLINKY® when I was 3 years old, so by nowI should be a SLINKY® Master. Seriously, we selectedthese titles to give a creative look to our jobs, which isa huge help.

BR: Can you tell us a little bit about the business of SLINKY®?

TJ: Since I’ve lived the history of SLINKY®, I’ll takethis question. SLINKY® started being manufactured in1945 by the then James Industries. Since then over 300million SLINKYS® have been sold and 94% of ALLAmericans know SLINKY®. SLINKY® now comes inmetal and plastic. In the 1950’s, my mom moved theplant to Hollidaysburg, PA from Philadelphia and todayall genuine SLINKYS® are made in Hollidaysburg, PA.

BR: What prompted the invention of the SLINKY®?TJ: My dad, Richard James was working as a mechan-

ical engineer at Cramp Ship Building in 1944 when aspring fell on the floor and moved in a walking motion.He brought it home and told my mom, Betty, he thoughthe could make a toy out of it, and she totally agreed. It’spretty amazing when you bring something home likethat out of the blue and your wife spots the same inter-esting properties. When dad brought the first one home,he said later in a news article that I had discovered thatthe SLINKY® could go down the stairs. I guess that is myclaim to fame as a 3 year old.

BR: Was it invented as a result of a fortuitous accidentor as the result of engineering and design?

TJ: Although my dad was an engineer, the inventionof SLINKY® was an accident that resulted from hisuncanny ability to see things a bit differently. When atorsion-type spring fell on the floor, my dad was sur-prised at the way it moved. There was definite serendip-ity in the creation of SLINKY®.

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BR: What was it like being the first kid on the block tohave a SLINKY®?

TJ: At the time I didn’t know, I was only 3 years oldwhen the SLINKY® came into existence. I didn’t realizehow popular they really were until I took some to schoolat Christmas in the second grade and then I found outhow popular I was and I had to do it right on throughHigh School.

BR: Where did the name “SLINKY” come from?TJ: My mom, Betty, found the name in the dictionary

and just thought it fit my dad’s invention perfectly. Thename hasn’t changed in 60 years, so I guess you couldsay she made a good choice.

BR: What do you think has made SLINKY® one oftoday’s most recognized brand names and one of the Top10 toys of all-time?

BH: I think the product’s simplicity is one of its mainassets, it adheres to the K.I.S.S. theory – keep it simple—.Early on it moved beyond the fad stage and the companynurtured the brand over the years. Of course, it helps thatit is functional, entertaining, and requires a minimal degreeof skill and education to operate. Add in the fact that it hasone of the top product jingles ever and you can start tounderstand why its popularity has stood the test of time.

BR: Many brands have come and gone in the 60 yearssince the birth of the SLINKY®. What do you think hascontributed the most to the success of this seemingly sim-ple product?

TJ: The simple, uncomplicated things are usually thethings that are the most fun. When we have shows andmeet the general public, they remember SLINKY® and Ithink I may realize why. It was something that you hadto use your imagination to play with, so they had tobecome a part of the toy and it’s that part of the toy theynever forgot. People come up to us with big grins ontheir faces and a lot of them want to tell you when theygot their first SLINKY®.

BH: Along with all the things that have made SLINKY®

one of the Top 10 toys of all-time, I think another impor-tant contribution to the longevity of SLINKY® is the factthat there are parents and grandparents who grew upwith SLINKY®. They want to pass along the simple pleas-ure of this product to their children and grandchildren.

BR: In your opinion, what makes a brand endure thetest of time?

TJ: In the world of toys most of the ones that endureare simple, you could say in effect that they are down topi. There was no way to improve these super simpleitems, i.e. the Hula Hoop or the Frisbee. But, I can’t real-ly think of any toys other than SLINKY® that have beenaround for 60 years and are still in their original state.

BH: Standing the test of time in most cases seems tocome down to price, product and placement. In the caseof SLINKY®, the price has only gone up $2.00 in 60years and is still under $3.00. The unique creativity ofthe SLINKY® and its name has contributed to highname recognition and its ability to communicate inevery conceivable medium. It fits in a stocking atChristmas and in a basket at Easter – there’s alwaysroom for a SLINKY®. SLINKY® has even been a part ofa NASA space mission.

BR: Why do you think SLINKY® appeals to both chil-dren and adults alike?

BH: Again, I have to come back to its simplicity. Itdoesn’t need to be plugged in and, of course, parentslove the fact that it doesn’t require batteries. It is anACTION product without all the bells and whistles, butwith an infinite ability to entertain.

BR0905_Section01 9/1/05 12:09 AM

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Custom Quotes: Please supply a careful description of theobject to be created, size and quantity breaks. Fax of art or

photos can help us see detail. Using this information our artistsand estimators design and develop drawings with quotes of the

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Making Things People Keep

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REPLICAS

OF YOUR PRODUCT

BR0905_Section03 9/1/05 2:01 AM


BR: In this era of outsourcing to foreign countries, isthere a reason why SLINKY® has always been and con-tinues to be made in the USA?

BH: Both the James family and the Dallavecchia fami-ly, the current company owners wanted it to be manufac-tured in the USA. SLINKY® is an ALL AMERICAN prod-uct and the SLINKY® family believes there is value inkeeping it that way. Also, that is one of the great featuresthat we can offer, because we have minimal lead times.

TJ: There is also a lot of innovation that we have herethat our clients just can’t touch anywhere else. That isvery important, we are always innovating and that’swhere I come in as the SLINKY® Master!

BR: What prompted the SLINKY® brand toexpand from the toy arena into the cor-

porate world of marketing campaignsand promotional merchandise?

BH: SLINKY® is a mature, 60 yearold product. We wanted to capitalize on

its powerful name, popularity and iconstatus by re-appealing to adults through

the promotional products industry.SLINKY® as a part of any marketing or

brand building campaign provides a busi-ness organization with instant positive recog-

nition and often times a connection to itsclient’s fondest childhood memories. Today, in

corporate brain storming sessions, you evenhave facilitators throwing out SLINKYS® on the

table to help people get creative.

TJ: They’ve discovered that to be creative you almosthave to become a child again.

BR: Can you describesome marketing cam-paigns that SLINKY® hasbeen a part of?

BH: There are severalthat come to mind rightaway:

EPSON – The companyused SLINKY® to empha-size the ‘flexibility’ of itsnew digital format printers.

LaSalle Bank – The bankgave SLINKY® (made inthe bank’s corporate colors)to each runner in theChicago Marathon toemphasize people ‘stretching’ the limits of their fitness capabilities.

MANPOWER – The company used SLINKY® (againmade in their corporate colors) to subconsciously sug-gest that when your manpower is ‘stretched’ to themax, use ours.

METLIFE – This campaign was so successful that thecompany representative remarked that anywhere youwent where people had received one of their SLINKYS®

you kept hearing the SLINKY® sound!

Nine WaysChange Is LikeA Slinky...

1. You have to take it out of the box tohave fun with it.

2. It comes in many styles and col-ors.

3. Somebody has to launch it onits way.

4. The course it takes once itbegins is entirely unpredictable.

5. It routinely gets stuck halfway down the stairsand has to be re-launched. Repeat as neces-sary.

6. It is messy, noisy and chaotic.

7. Before it is launched, it has stored potentialenergy – when launched, that energy forcebecomes kinetic energy.

8. You really don’t control it once it begins itsjourney.

9. It rarely lands where you predict.

BR0905_Section01 9/2/05 1:09 PM

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BRANDING/MARKETING

STRATEGIES?

We Can Help!

The Essentials of Branding Workbook takesyou through the process, step-by-step, and

helps to create a Powerful Brand Strategy!

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BR0905_Section03 9/1/05 2:02 AM


BR: Are there specific corporatesegments that have experiencedexceptional success in their use ofSLINKY® as a marketing or promo-tional merchandise tool?

BH: Both the Financial andTechnology sectors have experi-enced real success in their use ofSLINKY® as a promotional market-ing product. Another up and comingsegment experiencing success withSLINKY® promotional merchandiseis the Sports sector.

BR: Can you give our readers some suggestions forusing SLINKY® in marketing campaigns – building brandrecognition – increasing trade show awareness – show-ing employee & client appreciation?

BH: SLINKY® can be used to gain brand recognitionby linking their good name with the power of theSLINKY® brand, i.e. ‘you keep good company withSLINKY®.’ SLINKY® can be manufactured using 2 colorsto match the company’s corporate colors or the colorsbeing used in any marketing campaign.

We have also put together a SLINKY® Thesaurus ofwords and phrases that can be printed on a SLINKY® tolink SLINKY® to their client or product, like:

• Walk-the-Walk • SpringConference • The One and Only

• Stretch for Success • We’reFlexible When It Comes to…

BR: Do you make any unique orspecial SLINKY®s?

BH: When your readers are looking for the perfect giftfor the executive that has everything, we make aSLINKY® plated in 14-karat GOLD. We also manufacturea Solid Brass SLINKY® packaged in a custom wood pres-entation box with a 3”x 3” photoplate with logo, photo-graph, etc. on the box top, which is perfect as an awardor recognition/appreciation gift. And, we are constantlydoing R&D on special printing techniques to customizeSLINKY® for any occasion.

BR: How do you promote the SLINKY® brand?BH: The millions sold annually at retail provide a huge

boost to SLINKY® Print – the promotional merchandisedivision of Poof-SLINKY, Inc. We also promote SLINKY®

Print through our direct mail catalogs, at trade shows andon the SLINKY® Print web site, www.slinkyprint.com.

BR: What has been the most successful campaign youhave used to increase awareness of the SLINKY® brand?

BH: In 1996 and 1999, SLINKY’s® appearance first inthe Toy Story movie and then in the sequel Toy Story IIprovided a major boost in name recognition. Awarenessof the SLINKY® name was again brought front and centerin 2004 with the publication of Change Is Like ASLINKY®, by Dr. Hans Finzel, wherein he equates changeto a SLINKY® (see sidebar). Finally, the creation of theSLINKY® Print Division has propelled the movement ofSLINKY® into the promotional products business arena.

BR: Does SLINKY® sponsor any special events,promotions or charitable functions?

BH: We are VERY selective in the things thatwe sponsor.

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BR: How does SLINKY achieve product place-ment in the film and broadcast media?

TJ: We are very fortunate that a lot of mediapicks up on SLINKY®. NASA came to us forSLINKYS® and Disney came to Mom and asked ifshe would mind if they worked out somethingwith the SLINKY® dog and Mom said ‘Yes, we’dlove it.’ And there are dozens and dozens ofmovies and we never pay for that – we thinkyou would spoil it if you did.

BH: SLINKY® has always enjoyed beingasked to participate in movies and advertise-ments because SLINKY® is a part ofAmericana. Just recently, SLINKY® hasappeared in an IBM ad, a TARGET ad and aKenneth Cole ad.

BR: How did the commemorativeSLINKY® U.S. Postage Stamp come about?

BH: When the U.S. Post Office was looking for thingsto commemorate the century, it came to SLINKY®.

TJ: Yes, when the government brought out stamps inthe 1990’s to celebrate the decades of the 20th century,they brought up 10 items for every decade. In the 1940’s,if I remember correctly, SLINKY® was the only item, theother things were people. It seemed incredible that therewas a World War going on in the 1940’s and the people inthe 1990’s that did the choosing picked SLINKY® and Ithought wow, we must have more of an impact then wethink we do.

BR: What do you see asthe future of SLINKY®?

TJ: SLINKY® carries 60years of reputation for hon-esty and everyone we dealwith knows it, so distributorstrust us and give us informa-tion about their clients whichlets us do a better job thanother companies might be ableto do because we have thisextra information. We can opendoors with SLINKY® that a lot of

other companies can’t becausewe are a trusted company.

BH: Our manufacturing processes will continue toexpand the SLINKY® world incorporating a multitude ofcolors and new materials, as well as providing uniqueprinting possibilities. We’re always looking for NEWuses for SLINKY®: • A packaging device, i.e., SLINKY® can contain a com-

pressed t-shirt;• A unique container, i.e., fill the center of SLINKY®

with candy;• An office supply/stress reliever combo, i.e., SLINKY®

packaged with a circular STICK-TUIT in the center.• There are so many new worlds for SLINKY® to con-

quer; it will no doubt be celebrating its 120-yearanniversary in 2065!

BR: And finally, do you have a SLINKY on your desk?

BH: Yes, I have 9 on my desk and credenza!

TJ: I have 5 or 6 on my desk and a couple dozenbehind me of different materials and colors that I’mworking on at any given time. And I have found thatwhen someone gets a SLINKY® and puts it on their deskthere are only two ways that it goes: they take it homeor someone steals it! •

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3MCompany founded: 1902Entered corporate/special markets: 1984 Gross sales volume to corporate markets: Not Disclosed

Simple. Indispensable. Effective. 3M Promotional Markets offers quality,custom imprinted promotional items from the Post-it“ Brand family of prod-ucts, including: Post-it“ Note pads, Post-it“ Cubes, Post-it“ Flags, and Post-it“Refillable Dispensers. Custom printed Post-it“ Notes and other Post-it“ Brandproducts are an effective way to keep your message within reach sheet aftersheet, day after day.

… America’s top brands join the Corporate& Specialty Marketplace

EVERY MONTH BRILLIANT RESULTS is all about build-ing brands and brand recognition through the use of promotional and incentive merchandise, so this month wewanted to highlight some of the household name brandsthat have now entered the corporate and specialty market-place forever (we hope) dispelling the notion that promo-tional merchandise is just ‘trinkets & trash’.

From these mainstream brands we selected two thatwe believe deserve special recognition. Our cover inter-view spotlights 3M an international corporation that hasmade a significant entrance with associated impact onthe promotional products industry. 3M is certainly bestknown for the Post-It® Note in the promotional productsindustry and this month Brilliant Results had the uniqueopportunity to speak with its inventor, Art Fry.

Our second interview article focuses on SLINKY®which is celebrating its 60th Anniversary. A beloved toyfor several generations of children and adults alike,Brilliant Results was privileged to speak with not onlyBill Harrington, the Vice President of FUN at SlinkyPrint,but also Tom James, the son of SLINKY® inventorRichard James and the first child to play with a SLINKY®and perhaps (he’s not sure since he was only 3 years oldat the time) the discoverer of SLINKY’s® ability to ‘walk’down stairs.

We think you will agree that the brands we haveselected for this special feature are some of the best-known names in America, if not the world. So without fur-ther ado, here are Brilliant Results selections for the TopBrands of 2005-2006.

Top Brands

SLINKY®

Company founded: 1945Entered corporate/special markets: 1990’sGross sales volume to corporate markets: Not DisclosedIn a high-tech, high-speed, rising cost world, this brand that reminds us of

simpler times has survived and expanded its reach by joining the promotionalproducts industry to help other organization’s marketing campaigns and brandbuilding efforts take advantage of the power of the SLINKY® brand.

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The Antigua GroupCompany founded: 1979Year entered corporate/special markets: Early 1980’s, formed a corporate division in 1994Gross sales volume to corporate markets: Not Disclosed

Antigua is an authentic golf brand that has been in the men and women’s sportswear business for over 25 years.Our Lifestyle Apparel line is a collection of styles suited for the tee box as well as the conference room. From smallbusinesses to Fortune 500 corporations, Antigua has the branded apparel needs of corporate America covered.

A.T. CrossCompany founded: 1846 Year entered corporate/special markets: 1970’s Gross sales volume to corporate markets: $38 million

A.T. Cross is a world-renown manufacturer of premium quality writing instruments and personal accessories. The Cross® brand is recognized and trusted worldwide for superior quality and craftsmanship. Our writing instruments are perceived as a symbol of success and achievement and carry a lifetime mechanicalguarantee to assure satisfaction. Cross® timepieces and business accessories offer the same level of distinctionin quality and style. Cross® helps corporate users tap into the power of a well-known brand for business giftsthat further enhance their own brand image.

Arnold Palmer®

Company founded: 1960Year entered corporate/special markets:1995Gross sales volume to corporate markets: Not Disclosed

Our mission is to design, manufacture, and bring to the Promotional Products market; -value priced, highquality apparel in both Branded and Private Label categories through industry suppliers.

BIC Graphic USACompany founded: 1945Year entered corporate/special markets: Founded in 1969 as BIC Special Markets Division, now BIC Graphic USAGross sales volume to corporate markets: $154M

BIC Graphic USA (UPIC: BIC), a division of BIC USA Inc., is a leading, world-class supplier of custom-imprintedproducts for the promotional products industry. BIC Graphic USA sells exclusively through distributors of promotion-al products/advertising specialties. Established in 1969 under the name BIC Special Markets Division, BIC GraphicUSA now offers a wide variety of high quality, innovative custom-imprinted writing instruments and complementaryproducts including flashlights, adhesive notes and paper products, magnets and mouse pads. All products from BICGraphic USA are imprinted with the highest quality and the utmost attention to detail. Customer service is also a cornerstone of BIC Graphic USA and services and programs that lead the industry back our products.

Ashworth IncCompany founded: 1987Year entered corporate/special markets: 1998Gross sales volume to corporate markets: $22M

Ashworth has dedicated itself to the challenge of creating the most successful golf inspired apparel brand on andoff the course. We've been able to continue to strengthen our core green grass market, grow our corporate, retail, andinternational distribution channels. Ashworth is one of the few Global brands distributed in the corporate channel.Ashworth continues to make great strides in brand recognition worldwide. The Ashworth Brand has held the #1 posi-tion in golf shirt usage for nine consecutive years in the US according the Darrell Survey - the largest annual consumergolf equipment usage survey by brand. Ashworth Inc has long been recognized as bringing cutting edge innovationand sophisticated styling onto the golf course with our values of authenticity and confidence.

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Top Brands … America’s top brands join the Corporate & Specialty Marketplace

Bill Blass® PremiumCompany founded: 1960Year entered corporate/special markets: 1995Gross sales volume to corporate markets: Not Disclosed

We focus our Bill Blass® Premium brand on better fabrics with innovative fabrications to yield the highest qualityapparel in the Industry. Mercerized yarns in knits, wrinkle-free wovens, Teflon coated fabrics for stain and soil repel-lency, and micro-fiber blends give our brands distinction and a reason to exist in today’s crowded wearables market.Capital Mercury Apparel also manufactures knits and wovens for some of the industry’s top private label brands.

Brinkmann®

Company founded: 1940’sYear entered corporate/special markets: 1997Gross sales volume to corporate markets: Not Disclosed

Indigo was started in 1997 to sell exclusively branded merchandise to the special markets channel. We oper-ate as a supplier to distributors offering only branded merchandise and decorating whether by dial imprinting,engraving, debossing, laser engraving, or through many other decorating techniques. We have chosen to offeronly branded merchandise and to become a destination for the fine brands that we carry.

Build-A-Bear Workshop®

Company founded: 1997Year entered corporate/special markets: 2001Gross sales volume to corporate markets: Not Disclosed

Build-A-Bear Workshop® is one of the most exciting concepts in the retail world today. Our brand is not only asso-ciated with the creative store experience, but a Build-A-Bear Workshop® label on your company’s custom plush is alsoassociated with the beary best in product quality and furry fun! The customer service and attention to detail from ourCorbearate® B2B department, is the same great service that we give every Guest who enters our stores. A company’scustom plush from Build-A-Bear Workshop® is collectable, an unforgettable way to convey a message, and truly agift/product that will stay with the recipient for a long time.

Bulova CorporationBRANDS: Bulova“, Accutron“, Wittnauer“, Caravelle“ and Clocks by Bulova“Company founded: 1875Year entered corporate/special markets: Over 50 years agoGross sales volume to corporate markets: Not Disclosed

Use the Bulova Corporate Advantage to your business advantage. It means quality, brand name timepieces, includ-ing Bulova“, Accutron“, Wittnauer“, and Caravelle“ watches and Clocks by Bulova“ – from miniature collectibles tohandcrafted grandfathers, and everything in between. Hundreds of styles to choose from, with prices to suit any budg-et from $15 to $7,000. Exceptional customizing options include one-of-a-kind dials, logo imprinting, engraving, andcrystal etching. Excellent product warrantees. And a team dedicated specifically to business-to-business needs for pro-motions, incentives, corporate gifts, service awards and more.

Coach®

Company founded: 1941Year entered corporate/special markets: 1990’sGross sales volume to corporate markets: Not Disclosed

Coach®, a leading marketer of handbags, men's and women's accessories, travel and business accessories,and leather goods offers distinctive and unique gifts, perfect for employee reward, client thank you, sales forceincentive, event gift and dealer motivation. Coach's extraordinary value in the minds of consumers serves as anideal motivator and reward for outstanding performance. Coach Special Markets provides the highest of servicelevels available in this industry. Coach® accessories are highly regarded as accessible luxury, and the demandfor them continues to grow. The special gift of Coach® says that you value your business relationships.

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Cutter & Buck®

Company founded: 1990Year entered corporate/special markets: 1994Gross sales volume to corporate markets: $54M

At Cutter & Buck®, we’re passionate about golf. In fact, the spirit and enduring values of golf influence every-thing we do. The game itself celebrates leisure and camaraderie. So does our sportswear. Through our partnershipwith select promotional products distributors, Corporate America has discovered the quality and craftsmanship ofour brand. From executive retreats, corporate gifts and trade shows, to golf outings and corporate catalogs; Cutter& Buck® is the #1 choice for high-end consumer branded apparel.

Greg Norman® CollectionCompany founded: 1991Year entered corporate/special markets: 2004Gross sales volume to corporate markets: Not Disclosed

The 2005 Essentials Collection continues to build on our success with an emphasis on performance products, namely the Ultimate Greg Norman® Polo, a new golf shirt that resists shrinkage, fading and pilling andfeatures a no-curl collar. Our Mercerized PlayDry assortment is unique in that for the first time we have combinedperformance with luxury. New for 2005 is a Weatherknit jacket that is totally waterproof. Finally, we are very excit-ed about our women’s collection, which is comprised of PlayDry product with fashion details and a fit that isspecifically shaped for women.

Hartmann®, Inc.Company founded: 1877Year entered corporate/special markets: 1975Gross sales volume to corporate markets: Not Disclosed

Hartmann’s® merchandise assortment offers a variety of ways to acknowledge and recognize those individu-als who have helped you successfully achieve your company's goals. With Hartmann®, you can choose from acollection of fine luggage and leather goods for use as individual gifts or as part of an award or incentive program.From exclusive product development, to standard personalization of logos and individual’s initials, at Hartmann®we understand that it is the details that make you stand above all others in your business.

Jelly Belly®


In 1869 Gustav Goelitz bought an ice cream and candy store in Belleville, Ill., and his brother, Albert was sent outin a horse drawn wagon to sell their sweets to nearby communities. In 1976, a Los Angeles candy distributor had anidea for a jellybean made with natural flavorings. A furor arose when people tasted Jelly Belly® beans for the first time.Wow, what flavor! Soon Jelly Belly® became the favorite candy of President Ronald Reagan, who made the beans astaple in the Oval Office and on Air Force One. Today, the great-grandsons of Gustav Goelitz, the fourth generation,are still carrying on the tradition of making candy. Private Label Executive Gifts designs, manufactures and decoratesunique, functional items for corporate giving and is the industry contact for Jelly Belly®.

Lacoste®

Company founded: 1933Year entered corporate/special markets: 1997Gross sales volume to corporate markets: $1.2M

Idea Workshop is a brand management agency specializing in providing high-end retail brands to the corporateincentive/promotional products market. We understand the needs of providing high-end branded items to major cor-porations and the service level required by the promotional products distributors to sell into this channel. We workclosely with each of our retail brands to insure that product is available when the distributor needs it and the prod-ucts maintain the same brand integrity in this channel that it has at retail.

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Lane® FurnitureCompany founded: 1912Year entered corporate/special markets: 2002Gross sales volume to corporate markets: Not Disclosed

Represented by Rymax Marketing Services within the premium incentive industry, Lane® Furniture is knownfor its quality home furnishings. A manufacturer of elegant pieces for nearly a century, the Lane® Furniture prod-uct line includes sofas, tables, chests, and beds. Rymax’s selection of luxury products includes some of the mostrecognized brands in the country. Brand name merchandise from Rymax, like Lane® Furniture, can be used as theultimate motivator in sales incentive programs, as well as in employee recognition and corporate gift programs.

Leatherman® Tool Group, Inc.Company founded: 1983Year entered corporate/special markets: 1988Gross sales volume to corporate markets: Not Disclosed

Leatherman® is the original creator of the multi-purpose tool. Expert engineering, precise manufacturingstandards and years of experience set Leatherman® multi-tools apart from the others. Because of their unsur-passed quality and functionality, genuine Leatherman® tools are valued gifts and treasured rewards that will beremembered for years to come. Backed by a 25-year guarantee and Tim Leatherman's personal requirements forexcellence, Leatherman® tools are helping millions around the world be ready for the unexpected.

Mag-Lite® FlashlightsCompany founded: 1987Gross sales volume to corporate markets: $15M

For two decades POINTS OF LIGHT has been the industry's top supplier of Mag-Lite® flashlights, bringingtogether the best quality brands and innovative products for stimulating incentive, premium and gift programs.These imaginative items are sold exclusively through promotional products distributors.

Maui Jim®

Company founded: 1980sYear entered corporate/special markets: 1997Gross sales volume to corporate markets: Not Disclosed

In the early 1980s, a small company began selling sunglasses on the beautiful beaches of Maui, Hawaii.Everyone wanted sunglasses that would eliminate glare without distorting the beautiful colors of the islandscenery. Since no other sunglasses could meet this need, PolarizedPlus technology was developed and MauiJim® was born. These fine sunglasses are available to the specialty markets through Indigo.

Movado® Group, Inc.BRANDS: Movado®, Ebel®, Concord®, ESQ Swiss® & Tommy Hilfiger Watch®Company founded: 1881Year entered corporate/special markets: 1989Gross sales volume to corporate markets: Not Disclosed

Movado® Group Inc. has the solutions for your customers seeking convenience and a full selection of finetimepieces for any occasion and every personality. We offer watches from six of the most respected names intime: Movado®, Ebel®, Concord®, ESQ® Swiss, and Tommy Hilfiger® watches. From the luxury of Ebel® tothe spirited style of Tommy Hilfiger®, we offer an incomparable array of well-featured timepieces. Along withfine Swiss and fashion watches your people will wear with pride, we are ready to deliver the flexible programsand responsive service you deserve.

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Nike® GolfCompany founded: 1972Year entered corporate/special markets: 1999Gross sales volume to corporate markets: Not Disclosed

Nike® Golf entered this market in 1999. We felt there was a good opportunity to bring the Nike® brand tothe market and provide corporate America with a great brand solution for their promotional needs. Nike® Golfhas a complete line of product available to the corporate market. We offer items in all of our product categoriesto the corporate market. Many of which are available for co-branding, from apparel, caps, golf bags, accessorybags, and golf balls to engraved golf clubs. Nike® brings instant recognition and credibility to the end-user level.

OGIO® InternationalCompany founded: 1987Year entered corporate/special markets: 1991Gross sales volume to corporate markets: Not Disclosed

OGIO® is one of the most “exciting” retail brands in the market today. Our innovative designs and quality are 2nd tonone. OGIO® is also endorsed by some of the best extreme sport athletes in the world such as Travis Pastrana, NateAdams, Erik Koston, Seth Huot, & Bucky Lasek to name a few. OGIO® brings this same excitement to the PromotionalProducts Industry. We take this market very seriously and have designed our products to accommodate the logos of thefine organizations that choose to do more with their marketing dollar and make an impact on the recipients that receiveour products.

Perry Ellis® InternationalBRANDS: Cubavera, Ping Collection, PGA TourCompany founded: 1967Year entered corporate/special markets: 2000Gross sales volume to corporate markets: $32M

Perry Ellis® International is a leading designer, distributor and licensor of apparel and accessories for menand women. The company, through its wholly owned subsidiaries, owns or licenses a portfolio of brands thatincludes 25 of the leading names in fashion such as Perry Ellis®, Cubavera®, Ping® Collection, and PGA Tour®.

Sanford®

BRANDS: Waterman®, Parker®, Paper Mate®, uni-ball®, Sharpie®, Accent®‚ Expo®‚ and Sanford ProColors™. Company founded: 1857Year entered corporate/special markets: 1982Gross sales volume to corporate markets: $49M

Sanford® Business-to-Business offers a wide range of writing instruments and markers to suit every mar-keter’s promotional and gift-giving needs. No one else can offer the Sanford® line-up of brand name leaders.Sanford® gives you more than unparalleled product variety in the world’s most trusted brands. Choosing Sanford®means enjoying services designed for you. Take advantage of our top-notch customization techniques, custompackaging options, combined quantity pricing options, and fast, friendly service. All can be customized with a cor-porate logo, name or promotional message.

The Sharper Image®


Since 1977, The Sharper Image® has shared the fun of discovering innovative products that make lifebetter and more enjoyable. The Sharper Image® is a great place to shop for gifts, incentives, and rewardsfor associates, clients and customers. Sharper Image® products are fun, unique, and positively perceived.Merchandise certificates and Reward cards give your recipients their maximum choice of hundreds of excit-ing and innovative products. They can also be redeemed at more than 185 Sharper Image® stores, throughthe catalog and on our website. Corporate logo imprinting and customized cards are available.

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Skagen® DesignsCompany founded: 1990Year entered corporate/special markets: 1990Gross sales volume to corporate markets: $1.4M

Skagen® is an internationally renowned watch company based in Reno, NV. The company boasts several dif-ferent collections of watches and stays true to its Scandinavian roots with classically simple and elegant designs.With over 15 years of experience in the watch industry, Skagen® prides itself on high quality, well-designed time-pieces at affordable prices. Skagen® Denmark watches are sold in major department stores nationwide andSkagen® is currently the number one selling brand at Nordstrom. The Skagen® Corporate program offers fullycustomizable timepieces that are sure to yield lasting impressions.

Trek®


Zane's Cycles is the exclusive supplier of Trek® Bicycles, America's #1 bicycle company. Providing turnkeybicycle programs to the special markets industry. Zane's Cycles is Nationally recognized for our outstanding cus-tomer service and fulfillment methods. All bikes are custom fitted to each recipient, and fully pre-assembled priorto shipping. Recipients need only do some minimal re-assembly upon receipt of their custom fitted bike. LogoCustomization is available on quantities as little as one!

Tumi®Company founded: 1975Year entered corporate/special markets: 1997Gross sales volume to corporate markets: Not Disclosed

Started in 1975, the company took its name from a Peruvian god known to its founder during time spent in the AmericanPeace Corps in South America. After almost thirty years of providing superior products to affluent, globetrotting frequent trav-elers, Tumi® has become the world's leading brand of prestige travel, business, and personal accessories. Tumi®'s successcan be traced to its continual focus on its founding principles of design excellence, functional superiority and technical inno-vation. Indigo operates as a supplier to distributors offering only branded merchandise to the special markets channel anddecorating whether by dial imprinting, engraving, debossing, laser engraving, or through many other decorating techniques.Tumi® products are available through Indigo.

Waterford®

Company founded: 1783Year entered corporate/special markets: 1985Gross sales volume to corporate markets: 16% of Company’s Total Annual Sales

Waterford Wedgwood® is a brand leader in the tabletop and award industry. Both brands having endured the test oftime were born out of the 18th century. The recognized brand attributes of exceptional quality and design in both crystal andceramics remain today, as they were yesterday, something the consumer aspires to own. There are many memorable occa-sions and achievements, which deserve to be rewarded with gifts of excellence and distinction. Waterford Wedgwood® prod-ucts have been inspiring world-class performance for over four centuries. Today our products range from the recognized tra-ditional Irish Georgian designs, to architecturally inspired contemporary designs in striking colors. The brands remain evolv-ing yet enduring!

Zippo® Manufacturing Co.Company founded: 1932Year entered corporate/special markets: 1935Gross sales volume to corporate markets: $30M

In 1935 Zippo started engraving initials and attaching metal insignias on lighters, thus launching its brandinto the corporate marketplace. The first corporate logo to decorate a Zippo® lighter was that of the KendallRefining Company. Since 1932 Zippo® has produced over 400 million windproof lighters and continues to pro-duce about 12 million lighters a year. Zippo® also manufactures other products for the specialty markets includ-ing a variety of flashlights complete with emergency devices that carry the familiar Zippo® lifetime guarantee.

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brilliant ideas | From the Source

A Supplier's Marketing Tips & Ideas for Brilliant Results

CARABINERS MAKE THE PERFECT GIVEAWAY AT:

• trade shows• sporting events• or include a unique shape in your next direct mail piece

FOR THOSE WHO TRAVEL LITTLE THINGSMAKE A BIG IMPACT:

• Read on the airplane • Keep your pen or shades handy • Take along a soothing beverage

WHEN YOUR PROMOTION CALLS FOR A PERSONALOR HEALTH ORIENTED TOUCH:

• Stress Reliever – Back Massager to ease away harmful tension• Pedometer w/ Light for walking day or night• Magnetic Clip to keep the latest important information

in plain sight

This Month’s Ideas Courtesy of

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THANKS TO A NUMBER of innovations,book publishing has been transformed dra-

matically since the Gutenberg Bible was printedmore than five centuries ago. Among the most recent

changes: bookselling over the Internet and new, electronicformats such as the e-book.

But arguably few innovations have created as much value forbooksellers—and buyers—as the partnership between the Oprah brand

(after popular American TV talk-show host Oprah Winfrey) and publishinghouses. This example of promotional co-branding was executed through well-pub-

licized reading recommendations made by Winfrey’s book club. Although the co-branding partnership meant more than $100 million in additional sales

for Random House alone following the book club’s launch in 1996, what is perhaps even morenoteworthy was the level of differentiation the little orange O on dust jackets has afforded bookbuyers. A work of literary fiction may, on a good run, sell 30,000 copies; but those sporting theOprah imprimatur often sold 500,000 to a million. Even in Australia, where Winfrey’s show receivesscant attention, a co-branded Oprah book could expect a boost in sales of up to 100 percent.

BY PAUL F. NUNES

TWO BRANDSAre Better Than ONE

TWO BRANDSAre Better Than ONE

WhenWhen

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Although Winfrey closed down the club briefly in 2002,she soon restarted it as a vehicle for promoting theworks of authors little read outside of college class-rooms. When she chose Leo Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina, forexample, the nineteenth-century classic quickly shot tothe top of many bestseller lists, requiring the publisherto print nearly a million copies to meet demand.

The implications are clear: If this rather uncomplicat-ed type of co-branding can create significant value forcompanies and their customers, the potential of moredurable and innovative co-branding approaches—those that focus on combining the real capabilities ofpartner companies to create new customer-perceivedvalue—is far greater. And in the current economic envi-ronment, with its burdensome spending constraints,co-branding is an increasingly important tool for gener-ating additional value.

Besides reducing costs—including many R&D andmarketing expenses— co-branding is attractive for itsability to quickly transfer the stature, imagery andapprobation of one brand to another. In short, it can rap-idly improve almost every aspect of the marketing fun-nel, from creating initial awareness to building loyalty.

Most companies have explored co-branding at onetime or another. But few have realized its full potential.While there are many forms of co-branding, before acompany can decide which option makes the mostsense for its situation, it must fully explore four maintypes of co-branding.

Each is differentiated by its level of customer valuecreation, by its expected duration and, perhaps mostimportant, by the risks it poses to the company. Theserisks include the loss of investment, the diminution ofbrand equity and the value lost by failing to focus on amore rewarding strategy.

Promotional/sponsorship co-branding At the most basiclevel, a company co-brands by participating in activitiesthat link its image to particular events in consumers’ minds.Thus for more than 30 years, Mobil (later ExxonMobil) waslinked to public television’s Masterpiece Theatre, for exam-

ple. Companies commonly connect themselves with sport-ing venues or events, as in the case of Gillette Stadium, thehome of the New England Patriots football team and theAccenture Match Play Championship round of the WorldGolf Championships.

Endorsements are where co-branding got its start,and they can be a natural place for many organizationsto begin a co-branding campaign. Whether it’s withcelebrities, like Tiger Woods and GM’s Buick line, orwith trusted institutions, like the American DentalAssociation and Crest toothpaste, the approach keepsthe relationship simple. It remains at the level of feesand marketing activities, yet it can result in significantbrand enhancement.

Ingredient co-branding When many executives thinkco-branding, they think product ingredients. This ispartly because the partners in ingredient co-brandingtend to be distinct, and partly because the logical part-ners for this type of co-branding are readily apparent:the company’s current suppliers or largest buyers. Easyaccess to offerings and well-established relationshipskeep the level of investment required lower than forother types of more creative co-branding.

This kind of co-branding can be critical to the endur-ing success of certain ingredients. Intel’s partnershipwith computer makers is a classic example, particularlythe company’s Intel Inside campaign. Few remembertoday that before 1989, the chipmaker marketed itsproduct directly to computer manufacturers and designengineers, not to consumers.

Noticing that chips were increasingly playing a defin-ing role in personal computing, Intel marketing execu-tive Dennis Carter decided that the company needed abetter way to communicate with end users. But Carter’sefforts to find and bring to market an approach that real-ly met this objective were stymied for two years whilethe company attempted traditional umbrella-brandingapproaches across its line of processors.

After failing to secure trademark protection for its386 and 486 processors, Carter went back to the draw-

“Besides reducing costs—including many R&D and marketing expenses— co-branding is attractive for its ability to quickly transfer the stature, imagery

and approbation of one brand to another.”

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ing board and, in a single weekend in 1991, came upwith and developed the initial plan for “Intel Inside.”This ingredient co-branding approach garnered quicksupport— first from the company, then from customers.Partners such as Dell and Compaq reaped the benefitsof newly generated consumer awareness and demandfor Intel components by taking advantage of the chip-maker’s offer of co-marketing dollars for companies thatincluded the Intel Inside logo in their advertising. Sincethen, thousands of computer makers have spent severalbillion dollars on advertising using the Intel Inside logo.

Value chain co-branding A third kind of co-brandingopportunity can come from other players in the valuechain, both horizontally across links and vertically with-in a link. These players often combine to create newexperiences for the customer—as opposed to simplynew product flavors—generating a level of customervalue and differentiation not possible with promotionalor ingredient co-branding. Among the many possibili-ties, three forms of value chain co-branding are impor-tant for companies to consider: product-service, suppli-er-retailer and alliance co-branding.

Product-service co-branding Product-service co-branding allows partners to share industry-specific com-petencies, while at the same time opening previouslyinaccessible customer bases.

Beginning in 2002, Yahoo! and SBC Communicationscombined their brands to make their shared value chainshorter and stronger. The deal combined Yahoo’s brandname and high-speed Internet portal service with SBC’sphone lines and know-how in running data networks.For Yahoo, the partnership fit its strategy of diversifyingits revenue base and reducing its dependence on adver-tising sales. By 2005, the vast majority of SBC’s 5.6 mil-lion customers used Yahoo, and the company had strucka similar deal with Verizon.

Supplier-retailer co-branding Some co-branding part-nerships seem so natural that executives might wonderwhy they didn’t initiate them years earlier. The US retailerTarget had already established itself as a purveyor ofattractive, good-quality products, but several years ago itasked designer and architect Michael Graves to create anew line of co-branded products with the store. TheTarget-Graves co-brand has been a significant revenuegenerator for both partners, and Target’s association witha world-class design talent has enhanced its brand.

Co-branding can even bring traditional rivals togeth-er to meet important strategic objectives— like gaininga new position within the value chain or leading a finan-cial turnaround.

Offline bookselling giant Borders recently teamedwith its online competitor, Amazon.com, to create a co-branded website. Before partnering with Amazon.com,the Borders Online website had lost more than $18 mil-lion. After the launch, however, the co-branded site,called Borders teamed with Amazon.com, quicklybecame profitable.

Though the two companies are still fierce competi-tors, the deal helped both advance toward their strategicgoals. Borders gained an online presence that serves itscustomers well and drops profits, not losses, to its bot-tom line. Amazon, for its part, gained an additional rev-enue source, and also took a valuable step toward estab-lishing itself as a viable supplier of outsourced onlineretailing capability. And both companies have ended upbetter positioned against common entrenched rivals.

Alliance co-branding Another potential source ofvalue chain co-branding is vertical co-branding—form-ing alliances with similar companies. Airline alliancesOneworld and Star Alliance are examples, as is FTD inflower delivery. Companies must ask themselveswhether globalization, or simply the chance to create abetter, broader offering through cooperation, is makingthis a critical time to consider co-branding opportunitiesin their industry. This is almost certainly the case in rapidly consolidating industries like health care andfinancial services.

Innovation-based co-branding In this approach to co-branding, partners co-create entirely new offerings toprovide substantial increases in customer and corporatevalue. More than other approaches, it offers the poten-tial to grow existing markets and create entirely newones. Because both partners are seeking a higher levelof value creation, the rewards and risks are often anorder of magnitude larger than those created by otherco-branding approaches. For that reason, innovation-basedco-branding requires a higher level of senior executiveattention and organizational collaboration.

Beginning in 2002, Virgin Mobile USA and high-techconglomerate Kyocera Wireless have collaborated tocapture a new market by co-creating and co-branding awireless phone aimed at the 15-to-30-year-old customersegment, which analysts described as the last unpene-trated wireless market in the United States. The phonesare tailored to the target market’s entertainment andsocial interests through innovative functionality. Forexample, the phones include “rescue rings,” an automatedfeature that calls a customer’s phone at a selected timeto provide an easy excuse for exiting a disappointingdate or party.

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The phone partnership was also designed to enableadditional partners to piggyback onto the offering tocreate subsequent co-branding partnerships. For exam-ple, since the UK-based Virgin Group didn’t own a tele-phone network, an additional partnership with Sprintpositioned the company to enter the US market as thefirst virtual network operator— a business modelalready highly successful in Europe.

Focusing on process Whether it is sought by a loneinventor in a garage, by an R&D organization in a largepharmaceutical company or through a co-branding part-nership, potential innovators need to focus on process,not just results. While even the most auspiciouspartnerships cannot guarantee innovation, they canbuild benefits into processes before deals are inked.

In an effort to capture a larger share of Japan’s youthmarket, Toyota and several partners, including consumer-products giant Kao and Japan’s largest brewer, AsahiBreweries, co-created the WiLL marketing program.WiLL brought a range of Japanese lifestyle products,from candy to cars to beer, under a single brand name.

Since its launch in 1999, however, the concept has yetto achieve the expected level of attention and cross-product tie-ins. But while two of the original partners arenow opting out of WiLL for this reason, both proclaimthat the program achieved another valuable strategicobjective. Significant partner collaboration— a processgoal programmed into the initial deal—enabled depart-ing Asahi “to learn marketing targeted at the youngergeneration, horizontally,” according to a spokesperson.

Co-branding creates at least two other, more signifi-cant types of brand risk: dilution and devaluation.

Dilution Dilution occurs when a brand loses itsmeaning to customers. This was the risk the ClevelandClinic recognized and mitigated when it merged with10 local community hospitals in the 1990s to create theCleveland Clinic Health System. Concerned with howbest to lend its superior brand recognition to thoseinstitutions without diluting its reputation for excel-lence, the Cleveland Clinic developed a highly struc-tured, four-tiered program. The first tier is made up ofcore entities with full rights to the brand; the secondtier includes owned entities with their own brands.These partners are allowed to use the system’sCleveland Clinic Health System logo, but only at halfsize and under their own logos.

Third-tier partners, which include Cleveland Clinicdepartments in non-owned hospitals, are prohibitedfrom using the logo, significantly reducing the brand’sexposure. The fourth tier recognizes outside affilia-tions of the Cleveland Clinic and allows use of the logo,but only in conjunction with other partners’ logos,thereby limiting the implied level of association.Because co-branding so often covers multiple offeringsand entities, companies would do well to emulate theCleveland Clinic’s granular approach toward mitigat-ing dilution risks.

Devaluation Brands are also exposed to the risk ofdevaluation, sometimes virtually overnight. At times,both companies can be affected, as in the case of a part-nership between a discount chain and an upscalehousewares company. At first, the co-brand createdsignificant earnings for both companies—in one year

BR0905_Section01 9/2/05 2:25 PM

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generating more than $1 billion in sales. But when thediscounter filed for bankruptcy, the announcementdepressed the partner company’s stock. It also causedthe investment community to question the partnerabout its contingency plans—an unexpected challengefor a co-brand.

Subsequent bad press about possible criminalactivity by the houseware brand’s CEO had similareffects and raised similar questions for the dis-counter’s managers. Shortly after the allegations weremade public, a consumer-tracking firm reported thatnearly 20 percent of the upscale manufacturer’s cus-tomers said that now, because of the negative mediaattention, they would be less likely to buy the company’sproducts. Nevertheless, the partnership continuestoday, and both sides have recovered to varyingdegrees from the low point of a few years ago. In thisinstance, the co-branding relationship has proved sur-prisingly resilient.

Beyond brand risk, leading practitioners have alsolearned to look for threats to operations and to addressthose risks with flexibility. Though brands can be thebest of friends, it can often be much harder to make theunderlying organizations work well together.

One fast-food chain that serves mostly sandwich farehad unsuccessfully tried co-branding with Italian andMexican restaurant chains. While these partnershipscreated great brand synergies, operational friction wascreated because the co-branded restaurants attractedcustomers at the same time of day—during the lunchand dinner rushes. The chain went ahead with the dealsanyway, overburdening its staff and diminishing the in-store customer-dining experience. Finally, the companylearned its lesson, and its most recent co-branding part-ner is a breakfast-food chain.

Another risk of co-branding comes from the beliefthat the partner brand is omnipotent, particularlywhen taking on entrenched competitors. One largebeverage maker, hoping to successfully enter the chil-dren’s boxed-juice market, partnered with a globalentertainment company to use its cartoon characterbrands. Nevertheless, the co-branding agreementyielded disappointing results. One brand manager atthe beverage company noted the co-brand’s pro-nounced difficulty in gaining consumer trial when chal-lenging well-entrenched, competitively priced alterna-tives. As a result, the drink maker has given up hopesof achieving significant margins, cut its product line byone-third and slashed the cost of some offerings from$2.99 to 99 cents.

Though not all contingencies are foreseeable,many can be overcome with a strategy that’s a sure-fire winner in almost any relationship: choosing aflexible partner. Virgin credited Kyocera’s willingnessto create an entirely new product—as opposed torepositioning existing products— with making thatdeal work.

Few businesses have made co-branding work likepayment-card leader Visa, which has leveraged each ofthe four types of co-branding described here. With morethan a billion cards in use today in 130-plus countriesand territories, Visa’s shared network supports nearly$2 trillion in transactions annually. This level of globalsuccess makes Visa—a name chosen because it is pro-nounced the same in almost every language—a highlypotent co-brand.

Visa, whose sponsorships have helped it gain worldwiderecognition as a brand—most notably with the Olympics,but also with others such as the National FootballLeague and horse racing’s Triple Crown—is continuingto build its stable of sponsor relationships. Visa alsoserves as the key ingredient in numerous affinity-cardproducts, like United Air Lines’ Mileage Plus Visa. Thesehighly successful programs offer reward points and airline miles tied to purchases, and include partnersranging from hotel chains and airlines to universitiesand charities.

Visa created innovation-based co-brand value whenit partnered in January 2001 with Palm, VeriFone andFrench point-of-sale terminal maker Groupe Ingenico toenable purchase transactions without a Visa card—using instead the infrared port on a Palm handheld com-puter. This kind of partnering is helping Visa prepare fora time when carrying a plastic card may no longer be theway people shop.

For businesses looking for new, rapid growth, it maybe time to join, or create, your own brand club.

Paul F. Nunes is an executive research fellow atthe Accenture Institute for High PerformanceBusiness in Wellesley, Massachusetts, where hedirects studies of business and marketing strategy.His work has appeared regularly in Harvard BusinessReview as well as in Accenture’s publicationOutlook, and in numerous other publications. Hisrecent book is Mass Affluence: Seven New Rules ofMarketing to Today’s Consumers (Harvard BusinessSchool Press, 2004).

BR0905_Section01 9/2/05 2:25 PM

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BR0805_Section03 7/22/05 2:32 AM Page 43

What is a promotions consultant? In short, he or she can help make you an even moresuccessful marketer.

A promotions consultant is experienced andtrained to help you reach your customers,brand your company’s products, promote newprograms and events, reinforce your company’simage and essentially solve problems withplanned promotions that are strategicallydesigned to get results.

This professional offers much more than justproducts. He or she will work with you todevelop objectives, strategies, tactics and outcomes that may involve a mix of media to successfully promote and reinforce yourmessage. Plus, by working with a promotionsconsultant, you’ll save time and money byavoiding costly mistakes.

Make your next promotion the best it can be—take advantage of the expertise of a promotionsconsultant. Find one at www.buildapromotion.com.

Presented By:

CASE STUDIES IN SUCCESS

BR0905-WHATWORKS 8/31/05 11:17 PM

INDUSTRY: Manufacturing—Western Zirconium

CHALLENGE:Western Zirconium, a manufacturer of zirconiumrods used in nuclear power plants, wanted allemployees to have personal knowledge and under-standing of its eight-point mission state-ment and the integral part theyplayed in exercising thepoints. WZ QualityAssurance Manager CindyJudkins and promotions con-sultant Joyce Flower Huggfrom Walter W. Cribbins Co.,in Ogden, Utah, decided to con-duct a “Mission: Possible”—themedcampaign to ensure awareness of the missionstatement so the company would not be at risk oflosing its certification when the ISO-9011 qualityassurance auditor visited the plant.

SOLUTION:The campaign spanned a six-month period withsupervisors distributing symbolic items that tiedin with the mission statement points explained atthe presentations. For instance, the pen symbol-ized enhancing quality and performance by usingeach person’s creativity. The window thermometer,presented in notoriously hot July, communicatedhigh customer satisfaction, and the donut flyerconveyed the idea of teamwork—without a part-ner, the flyer would never be returned.

Other symbolic items included a Post-it® Note cubefor trust—there must be trust that the messagewill be received. A three-minute timer signifiedon-time delivery and doing a job correctly the first

time. To symbolize safety in the workplace, a first-aid pouch was selected. To communicate integrity,a hard-hat-shaped chocolate with a messageexplaining that integrity is an internal attributereflected in our lives was chosen to illustrate theimportance of credibility and self-esteem.

After each presentation, employees were givencards on which they were asked to write down themission statement point discussed at that presenta-tion and then drop their cards in the barrel.Employees who completed all eight cards were eligi-ble to participate in the final grand prize drawing.

RESULT:Judkins reports that more than 90 percent of theemployees participated in the “Mission Possible”campaign. She says, “The proof of the campaign’seffectiveness came when the ISO-9001 auditorreturned the next year and told us 100 percent ofthe employees he polled were able to answerquestions about the company’s mission statementwith amazing accuracy.”


FACT: In a survey of business travelers, 71.2percent had a promotional product in theirpossession, and 86 percent could recall theadvertiser’s name.

BR0905-WHATWORKS 8/31/05 11:21 PM

INDUSTRY: Insurance—Island Title Company

Find a promotions consultant at www.buildapromotion.com

CHALLENGE:We’ve all given the old excuse, “Oh, I can’t go. I have to wash my hair,” when we’re invited to alame party. Island Title Company, a title insuranceand escrow company, didn’t want any of itsemployees to recite that tired phrase when theannual fall picnic rolled around. How would IslandTitle’s seven branch managers create enoughenthusiasm and excitement to double the previousyear’s attendance?

SOLUTION:Reasoning that more people would attend if theyfelt a stronger sense of teamwork and family,Island Title cleverly engaged employees in anincentive program that encouraged attendance,participation and company loyalty.

The campaign was built around wooden nickelsprinted with the company logo that could beearned in the weeks leading up to the picnic. To be rewarded a nickel, employees could collecton contracts, wear company colors or distributecompany brochures outside normal businesshours. Employees wrote their names on the nickels and turned them in to be used in a seriesof drawings at the company picnic.

What’s all the fuss about earning a wooden nick-el? Each nickel was a shot at winning a day offfrom work—a highly desired prize in the eyes ofIsland Title employees.

RESULTS:“The program was very successful, and we willimplement it again,” says Mary Wetmore, marketingdirector for Island Title Company. She’s thankful forthe helpful direction of promotions consultant RJArinson of Bellingham, Washington-based AGCOMarketing. “RJ’s guidance spurred the thoughts andstructure that evolved into a great program withbetter than expected results,” Wetmore says.

Overall, the program more than doubled the previ-ous year’s attendance, bringing the total numberof picnic-goers from 70 to 150.


FACT: Offers of promotional productincentives that require the user to takeaction before receiving a gift are sub-stantially more effective than enclosing afree promotional product with a letter.

BR0905-WHATWORKS 8/31/05 11:21 PM

INDUSTRY: Education—Ehrhardt Elementary School

CHALLENGE:Promotions consultant Tom Guyten of Tom’sPins.com, Inc. in Spring, Texas, wanted to encour-age students at Ehrhardt Elementary School toparticipate in the study of basic math facts andincrease parental involvement in helping theirchildren develop these basic skills.

SOLUTION:Guyten worked with Heather Maedgen, Ehrhardtprincipal, on an incentive awards program forMagical Math Month, which targeted 550 studentsin grades one through five and their parents. Theschool sent the parents a flyer asking them tospend at least 10 minutes each day helping theirchildren learn math facts. To keep track of theirinvolvement, parents initialed a special calendaron the days when they worked with their children.A pretest was given at the beginning of MagicalMath Month, and a post-test was administered at

the end of the month. Students who showedimprovement and had parental involvement in thismath-skills program received a Mastery of MathFacts certificate as well as an Eagle Feather pin.Guyten, who donated the pins to the school as agoodwill gesture, selected different colored tippedfeathers for each grade level.

RESULT:Principal Maedgen says, “We selected the EagleFeather pins because Ehrhardt’s mascot is the baldeagle. The 489 student recipients proudly wore thepins as symbols of their knowledge of math skillsand as recognition for being soaring Ehrhardteagles. As a bonus to this incentive promotion, themath scores on the TAAS test given that year indi-cated 93 percent of the third graders passed themath section of the test, while 98 percent offourth graders and 99 percent of fifth graderspassed this section.”


FACT: According to 73 percent of respondentssurveyed by The Incentive Federation, mer-chandise beat cash as the better incentive ascompared to 27 percent who favored cash.

BR0905-WHATWORKS 8/31/05 11:21 PM

INDUSTRY: Beverage—Dr Pepper Company


CHALLENGE:You’re on the road and thirsty.When you stop at a conveniencestore for a quick gulp, you’re hitby a barrage of beverageoptions—how do you decide? DrPepper Company was faced withthe challenge of increasing DrPepper sales in convenience storesby 10 percent by creating visualawareness of the product andusing sales aids listed in its mer-chandising display catalog.

SOLUTION:Knowing high participation levels were need-ed to meet the sales goal, Dr Pepper Companylaunched a “Pepper The Store” program, targeting18,000 convenience store retailers and regionalsales managers.

The four-month program began with an informa-tional mailing to outline program details.Regional sales managers were pleased to discovera special perk—when they returned enrollmentforms, they were awarded company-logoed sportsshirts along with catalogs to be used for orderingthe program’s merchandise.

Flipping through the merchandise catalogs, region-al sales managers became thirsty for more. As theyordered display items from the catalog, they accu-mulated points to redeem for prizes. And withprizes like leather jackets and luggage sets, man-agers were scrambling to “pepper” their stores.

“The prize redemption totals were well above ourexpectations,” says Carolyn Anderson, associatemanager for Dr Pepper Company. “I knew we werein for some exciting results.”

RESULTS:The excellent program communication and thewell-chosen incentive items created such a successful campaign that Dr Pepper Company ultimately enjoyed a 33-percent increase insales—significantly more than the 10-percent target.

Anderson attributes the successful programlaunch to promotions consultant Mona Carollo ofIrving, Texas-based Above & Beyond Incentives.“Mona was a great help,” Anderson says. “Theexcitement about the program began very early.”


FACT: Awards and incentive programs can improve performance and motivateemployees to increase sales, reduce accidents, boost productivity and givecustomers better service.

BR0905-WHATWORKS 8/31/05 11:22 PM

INDUSTRY: Restaurant—Financial—Foothill Independent Bank

CHALLENGE:The officers at Foothill Independent Bank knewthere were approximately 2,000 business bankingprospects in the bank’s marketing region to targetfor its construction loan department. The bankofficers wanted a direct-mail campaign to gener-ate leads and establish word-of-mouth recognitionto make it easier for them to make appointmentsto discuss the bank’s services.

SOLUTION:With the creative input of promotions consultantRick Simpson of Arcadia, California-based Shearer& Associates, a promotion was designed wherebyduring the next six months the bank mailed thetargeted audience an imprinted two- by six-inchblock of wood with a hole drilled into it. Themailing label was affixed directly onto the wood-en block—with no packaging or enclosure cards.

The bank’s business development professionals followed up with phone calls and then personalvisits and inserted a wooden ballpoint pen intothe hole—thereby converting the wooden blockinto a desk set. In fact, many recipients were sointrigued by the block of wood that they didn’twait to be called but phoned the bank immediate-ly to find out what was going on.

RESULT:The targeted prospects were open to learningmore about the bank’s products from the salespeople.

Dena Garvin-Smart, Foothill Independent Bankvice president and director of marketing, reports,“The follow-up calls generated 100 percent recog-nition of us as the bank that sent the woodenblock. So great was the response to this promo-tion, which cost $11,600 (less than $6 per recipi-ent), that additional bank personnel had to beassigned from outside the construction loandepartment to handle the tremendous volume of customer and prospect inquiries.”

FACT: Schools and seminars are the topusers of promotional products according to a2003 survey. Financial institutions--banks,credit unions and stock brokers—were second, and healthcare facilities—hospitals,nursing homes and pharmacies—were third.


BR0905-WHATWORKS 8/31/05 11:22 PM

INDUSTRY: Association—Meeting Professionals International


CHALLENGE:Membership is the lifeblood of associations andorganizations of all kinds. From book clubs to coun-try clubs, these organizations would be meaninglesswithout members. Meeting ProfessionalsInternational (MPI), an association for the world-wide meetings industry, wanted to create a cam-paign to enroll 5,650 new members in a fiscal year.

Although faced with an intimidating task, MPIwas smart. It knew that by recruiting its currentmembers to get involved with the campaign, fan-tastic results could be achieved. But how wouldthe association entice members to participate inthe membership drive?

SOLUTION:For MPI, the solution was simple—create incen-tives members just couldn’t ignore. The 12-monthcampaign was structured around a “Reach For TheStars” theme, with tiered award levels based onthe number of new recruits:

To generate interest, members were sent promotion-al brochures laced with words and phrases to reflectthe overall star theme. Onemonth after the initialmailing, a second,similar brochure was

delivered. In addition, monthly updates were pub-lished in MPI’s magazine, The Meeting Professional,to create friendly competition by motivating partic-ipants to “reach” for new prospective members.

As the year of recruitment came to a close, partici-pants received letters congratulating them on theirefforts and informing them of the level and awardobtained. Shortly thereafter, the much-anticipatedawards were mailed directly to the members.

RESULTS:The members of MPI proved to be all stars inrecruiting new members for the association, surpassing the goal of 5,650 new members by 124 for a total of 5,774 recruits.

Gary Boyler, vice president of marketing and brandmanagement for MPI, says the rewards turned out tobe impressive motivators. “We have received innu-merable thank-you notes, faxes, e-mails and phonecalls from participants who received the promotionalproducts awards,” he says.

Boyler says he thanks promotions consultantJoAnn Gardner of Irving, Texas-based

Gardner Printing for her contri-butions to the program.

“I want to extend my sin-cere appreciation to JoAnn

for her assistance inmaking the campaign a success,” says Boyler.


a

FACT: Linking a recognizable logo andcolor to all aspects of a campaign—frompromotional products to sales sheets toproduct packaging—helps create aninstantly recognizable image.

BR0905-WHATWORKS 8/31/05 11:22 PM

Recall. It’s the first hurdle advertisers must overcome to

convert prospects into customers. Until consumers know

about a product or service, they can’t possibly purchase it.

How do they learn? Through memorable advertising.

Ask 10 people to define memorable advertising, and you’re

likely to receive 10 different answers. But there is one way

to increase the likelihood of consumers remembering your

message: promotional products.

In a PPAI study* designed to explore the impact and exposure

of promotional products, 76 percent of the respondents could

recall the advertiser’s name on a promotional product received

in the last 12 months. In comparison, study participants were

also asked if they had read a newspaper or magazine in the

past week. Eighty percent said yes, but only 53 percent of

them could recall the name of a single advertiser.

So if you want consumers

to remember your name,

talk to your promotions

consultant when making

marketing and advertising

plans. Together, you

can choose decorated

merchandise to anchor

your marketing and

advertising plans, result-

ing in consumers who

recall your brand over

the competition.

PROMOTIONAL PRODUCTS ASSOCIATION INTERNATIONAL3125 Skyway Circle NorthIrving, TX 75038888-I-AM-PPAI (426-7724)www.ppa.org

PROMOTIONAL PROOF

53%

76.%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

Percent of Participants

Print Media Promotional Products

Percent of participants who could recall the name of an advertiser on a promotional

product versus a magazine or newspaper ad

*Promotional Products’ ImpactOn Brand/Company Image Study© 2005 Promotional ProductsAssociation International

BR0905-WHATWORKS 8/31/05 11:23 PM

BR0805_Section03 7/22/05 2:32 AM


1. Black Bags Everywhere……but your clients will find their luggage on bag-

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X-Line Direct

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provide your clients with bookmarks, paperclips, money clips and more – fun for children

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1

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BR0905_Section02 9/2/05 2:44 AM

BR0905_Section03 9/2/05 2:57 AM


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gave them the tools they needed to get theirwork done. This USB mobility kit makes life on

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5. Football Games Are on theSchedule…

…and what better way to insure that your clientshave warm thoughts of your company then to

wrap them up in one of these logoed sweatshirtblankets.

Apollo/AMC

6. When the Theme is Asian……entertain sales with today's answer to yester-

day's fruit basket. This black gift boxed setincludes all the tools for a stir-fry for two

Leeds

7. Sometimes A Classic……is just the right answer. These

‘chip’ clips always seem to find a homewith clients and keep your logo attached

to important and ‘good’ things.Evans Manufacturing

ThingsWeLove

7

6

5

4

BR0905_Section02 9/2/05 2:47 AM


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Free Product Information. September 2005 Issue.For free product information from these suppliers, complete and mail this page to: BrilliantResults Magazine 9034 Joyce Lane Hummelstown, PA 17036.Or fax to (717) 566-5431.

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BR0905_Section02 9/2/05 8:32 AM

BR0905_Section03 9/2/05 2:59 AM


October 05 – 07 Professionals in Human Resources Assoc., Annual ConferenceLong Beach Convention & Entertainment Center, Long Beach, CAInformation at: www.pihra.org or Call 800.734.5410

October 11 PMA Audio Web Seminar – “Value Added Promotions”By PMA Product Sampling & Demonstration Council. Speaker: Art Averbook, President, CO-OP PromotionsInformation at: www.pmalink.org or Call 212.420.1100

October 12 – 14 Western Independent Banker’s Marketing & Business Development ConferenceParadise Point Resort & Spa, San Diego, CAInformation at: www.wib.org/marketing.htm or Call 415.352.2323

October 16 – 19 The Direct Marketing Assoc. 88th Annual Conference & ExhibitionThe Georgia World Congress Center, Atlanta, GAInformation at: www.the-dma.org/conferences/dmaannual/ or Call800.293.7279

October 17 – 19 PROMO ExpoNavy Pier, Chicago, ILInformation at: www.promoexpo.com/ or Call 800.927.5007

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October 20 – 21 Sales Leadership 2005Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, NVInformation at: www.amanet.org/events/SalesLeadership/ or Call 800.262.9699

October 24 – 25 Collaborative Communications SummitHyatt at Fisherman’s Wharf, San Francisco, CAInformation at: www.ccsexpo.com or Call 917-655-0818

October 27 – 28 8th Forum on Customer Relationship Mgmt CRM for the Pharmaceutical IndustryLocation To Be Determined, NY, NYInformation at: www.cbinet.com/show_conference.cfm?confcode=HB561 orCall 800.817.8601

Oct

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BR0905_Section02 8/31/05 11:35 PM


November 01 – 02 Basics of Promotion MarketingUSA WEEKEND, 535 Madison Avenue, New York, NYInformation at: www.pmalink.org or Call 212.420.1100

November 01 – 03 The 50th CPI ExpositionJacob K. Javits Convention Center, New York, NYInformation at: www.chemshow.com or Call 203.221.9232

November 05 – 07 Professionals in Human Resources Assoc., Annual ConferenceLong Beach Convention & Entertainment Center, Long Beach, CAInformation at: www.pihra.org or Call 800.734.5410

November 07 – 09 AD:TECH New YorkNew York Hilton and Towers, New York, NYInformation at: www.ad-tech.com or Call 415-464-8514

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* To have your show listed in our Calendar please send your information to Brilliant Results magazine. *

Nove

mber

Nove

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THIS ISSUE OF BRILLIANT RESULTS is focused onTop Brands, which create long-term value thatexceeds the short-term performance of the prod-ucts and services they represent. Because brandenhancement is a top corporate priority, makingsure your logo is consistently and prominentlydisplayed on merchandise that is available to youremployees and clients via an Internet CompanyStore can be an extremely effective way to lever-age your brand recognition.

Since the opening of their first client store in1997, Your Company Collection (YCC) has createdonline company stores for some of America’s best-known companies. Using advanced e-store designtechnology; YCC aids clients in leveraging thepower of the Internet to showcase a diverse rangeof branded products to select shopper audiences.A fully automated web based support systemeliminates the cost and inefficiency often associ-ated with traditional company store programs andensures maximum impact and the highest level ofshopper satisfaction.

To find out about this company that is commit-ted to making sure that your Web Store is perform-ing at its very best, we recently had the pleasureof speaking with Robert S. Laing, Jr., the Presidentof Your Company Collection.

BR: How did you become involved with YourCompany Collection?

RL: I started a traditional promotional productsdistributorship in 1987. About 10 years later, one ofour better clients asked if we could help them builda company store. Because the Internet was still inits infancy, we actually constructed a freestandingretail space in their lobby. This was expensive andlimited in scope since employees in other locationscouldn’t shop. Nevertheless, we subsequently builtseveral physical stores for clients. About 2 yearslater, one of our store clients asked us to explore ane-commerce version of a company store. At thattime, HTML programming code wasn’t widelyused or well known by programmers so it took along time and a lot of money to create an onlinestore, but we eventually got the job done. Todaywe manage over 100 stores for clients in a varietyof different categories and can get a store up andrunning in a fraction of the time.

BR: How does Your Company Collection help anorganization determine if a company store is rightfor their business?

RL: Determining the viability of an online store is,perhaps, the most important part of the process. Welook at a number of things: existing and potential

TheLast Word

“Determining the viability of an online store is, perhaps, the most important part of the process.”

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shopper audiences, buying trends, product prefer-ences and branding priorities. Every one of our clientshad used promotional products in the past so theywere familiar with the power of the medium. TheInternet enables them to reach audiences that had pre-viously been isolated and there is a learning curve asto how to merchandise to those groups. The otherthing we discovered is that most companies spendmuch more on promotional products than anyonewithin the organization is aware of, especially top man-agement. Our research indicates that the average com-pany spends between $100 and $150 per employee peryear on promotional products. In a large organizationthen, this can add up to a pretty big number. Becausethere are a lot of different buyers, the impact is dissi-pated so this rarely shows up on management’s radarscreen. Our system helps client companies managethis process more efficiently and, at the same time,make it easier and more economical for internal buyers.

BR: In your opinion what is the most important serv-ice/contribution/ROI that Your Company Collectionoffers to its clients?

RL: About a year ago, we acquired a major con-sumer products company as a new client. Ourresearch showed that they were supporting four dif-ferent vendors and incurring an annual cost in thehigh 5 figures. We showed them how our fully inte-grated ecommerce platform could reduce this to a sin-gle vendor and eliminate the entire expense. In fact,in the first 6 months of operation, we were able toturn a cost into a profit. We suspect that there are anumber of companies who could benefit from a moresophisticated approach.

BR: How do you use promotional products and/ordirect marketing strategies to increase interest inYour Company Store?

RL: Well, we practice what we preach. We do aseries of dimensional mailings to prospective clients

that produce phenomenal results for us. I read areally good article recently that talked about theadvantages of going back to more traditional mail-ings. Because many marketers have gravitated tothings like email, potential buyers are overwhelmedand don’t read them.

BR :Do you have a regular supplier/distributor ofpromotional merchandise that you work with or doyou use an agency, request bids, etc.?

RL: I’m not sure that this applies to us but we findthat the majority of our clients buy from a distributor.The really good online store vendors are larger andhave a much more substantial infrastructure.

BR: Do you source your client’s promotional mer-chandise? If so, how?

RL: This is generally a collaborative effort. Ourclients tell us who the target audience is, wherethey are, what the key message being conveyed isand roughly what they have to spend. More oftenthan not, they have some ideas of their own aboutthe types of items that might work. We impanel aninternal creative group and identify items that werecommend. Many of our better manufacturingpartners also participate in this process.

BR: What is your personal favorite promotionalmerchandise item and why?

RL: This is going to seem really silly, but, in spiteof the hundreds of items I’ve seen over the years,my favorite is a potato chip clip. I’m a chronic snack-er and see those things in the fat food cupboard justabout everyday. •

If you would like to know more about starting or oper-ating a Company Store, please visit the Your CompanyCollection web site at www.yourcompanycollection.comor contact Robert S. Laing, Jr. at 937.297.2047 or [email protected]..

TheLast Word

Robert S. Laing, Jr., PresidentYour Company Collection

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“We are no doubt in the Great Age of the Brand.” – Tom Peters

“A brand name is more than a word. It is the beginning of a conversation.” – Lexicon

“A brand that captures your mind gains behavior. A brand that captures your heart gains commitment.”– Scott Talgo, Brand Strategist


OffTheCuff

1. I'm Lovin' It at # 82. Big Blue is # 34. Brown joins the list at # 326. This company bubbles up to # 18. Imagination at Work for # 411. A Grande pick-me-up at # 9914. The Mouse roars in at # 715. They rock with Ipod mania at # 4119. Oldest chocolate brand made in USA21. At # 48 we still want our …22. They're moving forward at # 923. Don't forget khakis at # 4024. Search with this brand at # 3825. Oldest brand name in the petroleum industry26. Dudes better get this brand at # 21

1. If you can dream it # 2 can do it2. It's what's inside at # 53. Shortened name of luxury ride at # 114. At # 44 they manage your wealth5. This toy brand celebrates 60 years7. They joined the cell phone wars at # 979. A reminder you can stick anywhere10. This cowboy rides in at # 1012. Prices are rising at this # 7513. The No. 1 decaffeinated coffee16. America's flea market rules # 5517. Creators of the word for overnight delivery18. They ring in at # 620. The Accounting Dept. knows # 36Source for Rankings: Business Week, July ’05, “The 100 Top Brands”

ACROSS DOWN

Crossword Puzzle ~ ‘Name The Brand’

Quotes

Answers:Across:1.McDonalds, 2.IBM, 4.UPS, 6.CocaCola, 8.GE, 11, StarBucks, 14.Disney, 15.Apple, 19.Bakers, 21.MTV,

22.Toyota, 23.Gap, 24.Google, 25.Valvoline, 26.Dell

Down: 1.Microsoft, 2.Intel, 3.Mercedes, 4.UBS, 5.Slinky, 7.LG, 9.PostItNote, 10.Marlboro, 12.BP, 13.Sanka, 16.Ebay,17.Fedex, 18.Nokia, 20.SAP

1 2 4 5

9

14

8

76

11

10

12 13

16

1918

22

23

21

24

25

17

26

15

3

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