Atlanta, GA

Monday, June 08, 2009

Atlanta, GA June 6, 2009

Brands Losers: First Half, 2009

As we move into summer of 2009, Tim Halloran, President of Atlanta based Brand Illumination; a branding strategy firm that works with branding products and people, announces the first half of 2009 brand losers.

"G" (or Gatorade)

What is the best way to ruin a brand? How about taking a brand that stood as a pinnacle of sweat replenishment for over 40 year and shorten its name to an initial? Pepsi did exactly this with its Gatorade sports drink, referring to it as "G" in an effort to make it more acceptable for more occasions. In the process, it began to lose its credibility as a serious sports drink and opened the door for Coke's Powerade to position itself as the authentic sports drink. And how has Gatorade reacted to a new ION4 formulation from Powerade that promises to deliver more of what your body really sweats out? They are taking Coke to court instead of trying to win in the marketplace with a superior product and message.

Tropicana

Not content just to ruin Gatorade, Pepsi also re-launched its Tropicana Orange Juice brand in new packaging that was described by many lifelong consumers as plain and, even worse, generic. Bowing to consumer pressure, Tropicana decided to change the graphics back to the original look, admitting a huge mistake and costing the firm millions. And I had just started to get used to the new one too…..

GM

Has the government taking over GM given you confidence that GM cars are going to be any better now than they were in the past? Stand in line at your local post office for an hour if you think that the quality and/or service will be improved by government ownership and then tell me.

KFC

New Kentucky Grilled Chicken. Big news. Let's get Oprah to endorse it. Better yet, let's have Oprah announce on her show that everyone can get a free piece of the new grilled chicken at KFC! Great idea in theory, horrible in execution. There were lines around the corner, fights among consumers, and franchises not participating in the promotion. An example of poor execution that left, pardon the pun, a bad taste in consumers' mouths.

The Republican Party

As if things couldn't worse after the huge losses suffered in November, the Republican party manages to continue to decline as a brand. Rush Limbaugh vs. Colin Powell on the future of the party, losing a Senator to the Democrats, and a desperate search for any type of brand message has the GOP on the verge of becoming a regional party.

Tim Halloran is President of Brand Illumination, a branding strategy firm that works with products and people. Tim's has appeared on major TV news and radio shows around the world, as well as the USAToday, Business Week, and The Wall Street Journal. His unique perspective emerges from over 18 years of strategic consumer marketing, branding, and new product development experience at such international firms as Coca-Cola, Kraft, and Johnson and Johnson. Tim provides brand "illumination" for numerous leading traditional and non traditional brands including consumer products, professional athletes, non profit organizations, and individuals. Tim is also a member of the Marketing Faculty at Emory's Goizueta Business School in Atlanta.

A consultant, speaker, and educator, Tim is available for interviews and speaking engagements.

Interviews may be arranged via E-mail: tim@brandillumination.com or phone at 404-218-4117

Check out Tim at http://www.brandillumination.com

Tim Halloran

President and Brand Therapist

Brand Illumination

Atlanta, GA

404-218-4117