June 5, 2012BRAND OBSERVATIONS OF THE DAYFrom my random collection of info sources, here are somehighlights related to the brands of our times...

mLIVE reports that Adidas is suing Merrell, saying their shoedesign utilizes the "famous and distinctive" three-stripe markthat Adidas uses (see below.) If they think those two shoes lookalike, I'm afraid it's just a matter of time before they come aftermy moon boots...

NetBase and Harris Interactive recently compared studiesabout what women truly wanted. NetBase had found that aswomen interacted with others via social media, the thing theydiscussed wanting the most was "ice cream". However, Harrisfound that when they answered actual survey questions abouttheir wants, the top response among women was "money". I'mthinking if they went to Cold Stone Creamery first for an $8cone and THEN answered the survey question, it would allmake perfect sense.

Straight from the

YOU ASKED FOR IT

"Inside every older personis a younger person

wondering what happened."

-Unknown

_______________

services. You can reach Jim at jimh@HuebnerPetersen.comor on LinkedIn.

Brought to you by popular demand of a client,my mom, and some folks I met at a church potluck. © 2012 Hmmm by Jim Huebner

HuebnerPetersen blog...

WANT TO LEAD?START WITH A DISCIPLINE. "Man who chases two rabbits catches none." -Confucius Company executives are pounded with the message of focus,the message of differentiation, and the message of beingunique in their industry. But sometimes when you find yourselfsimply stuck fighting the daily battle, it can be extremelydifficult to "see the forest for the trees." That's why we like to encourage clients to take a step backand first evaluate HOW they do - or want to do - business.Analyzing this is a little less daunting of a task, and a singularfocus on how a company does business could very well pavethe way to great opportunities for meaningful and successfuldifferentiation down the road. In his classic New York Times bestselling book "The Disciplineof Market Leaders", Michael Treacy presents three "distinctvalue disciplines" on which a company must "stake its marketreputation" to become a market leader. Treacy argues thatchoosing one of these three paths is critical for any companyto truly differentiate and lead in their respective industry. The first of the value disciplines he presents is "operationalexcellence." These companies are not necessarily product orservice innovators, but because of the excellent systems theyhave in place, they are able to provide quality products at thebest prices in a simple and seamless fashion. Treacymentions Walmart as a good example of an operationallyexcellent company. The second value discipline is "product leadership." Theirreputations are built on innovation. They consistently lead withthe next latest and greatest products, and never hang theirhats on past accomplishments. Here it's not about price-it'sabout new, next, better, revolutionary. Think Nike. Think Apple. The third value discipline is "customer intimacy." Thesecompanies do not pursue one-time transactions. They seek todevelop long-term relationships and are driven to meet thevery unique needs of each and every customer. Through adeep understanding of their customers' needs, a customerintimate company can consistently provide solutions thatprovide the best value for their customers. Nordstrom comesto mind under this discipline, as do some of the higher-endhotel chains. It also happens to be HuebnerPetersen's focus. If your company finds itself "stuck" on which rabbit to chase,first ask yourself which of these three disciplines you believebest fit your company. Once you've set your focus on thatdiscipline, you might just be one step closer to setting yourselfapart and becoming a "market leader." Jim Huebner is President of HuebnerPetersen MarketingCommunications.The firm was established in 1989 andspecializes in helping make manufacturers heroes to theirdealer and distribution networks through strategic brandpositioning, integrated marketing, and front lines marketing

I don't know about smoke,but I can personally vouch that this does NOT work

after you've had an anchovy and salami

sandwich...

...and for those who'vewondered from where

American freedom comes...

WORDS TOLIVE BY

Do not be overcome by evil,but overcome evil

with good.

Romans 12:21