Merry Christmas Links

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From all of us at Cornerstone Brand Communications, may your Christmas be filled with the joy of our Savior and Lord as you spend time with family and friends during the holidays.

If you have not already seen our holiday e-card you may click here or on the image below to view it.

Then we invite you to visit the links below to some favorite, fun and weird Christmas videos.

Links With A More Traditional Appeal:

• Christmas Food Court Flash Mob, Hallelujah Chorus: click here
• A Social Network Christmas: click here
• Straight No Chaser - 12 Days of Christmas: click here
• A Strange Way To Save The World: click here
• Charlie Brown Meaning of Christmas: click here

Links For The Unusual:

• Can't Wrap This: click here
• Fred Finklehorn - Christmas is Creepy: click here
• Merry Christmas Mr. Bean: click here

Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from all of us.

A Good Brand Is Better Than A Bailout

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When your product’s quality and your organization’s action convey a perception of credibility and value, customers will prefer to do business with you because it is in their own best interest.

That’s what Ford proved when they turned down a taxpayer bailout General Motors and Chrysler urgently requested in 2009. Not only did consumers respond favorably to Ford’s decision to avoid adding more burden to the national debt, but so did the very government that had already funded the financial relief of their competitors.

In two separate articles published recently on Brandchannel.com, the highlights of Ford Motor Company’s financial performance during the last two years was reported.

One article states that year-to-year consumer market share shifts between major manufacturers is typically measured in tenths of a point. Ford’s share ended 2008 at 14.2 percent. It grew to 15.3 percent by the end of 2009. And it is expected to end 2010 at 16.5 percent. It has been a long time since such large back-to-back increases have been experienced by any U.S. auto manufacturer. Read the full article.

The second article recounts Ford’s sales success to US-government fleets. Although Ford’s total sales count was just higher than General Motors, the government bought 3 hybrid vehicles from Ford for every one they purchased from GM. It seems Ford’s quality and broad array of product options is a favorite of this administration’s green initiatives.
So to come back to the point I made when this article began, customers desire, prefer and will enthusiastically purchase brands that they perceive offer them a significantly better value than other competitors. Read the full article.

That turns the tangible improvements Ford has made in their vehicles combined with the emotional goodwill from turning down the bailout money into a very strong brand value boost. Which has translated into their significant revenue and market share increase. Plus an even healthier bottom line.

And a strong brand and bottom line beats a bailout any day of the week.

When you’re ready to turn a stronger brand into a healthier bottom line, contact us by e-mail or phone 903-534-5220.

4D: When 3D's Not Good Enough

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I realize change happens faster today than ever before, but while most of us are still awed by the explosion of 3D movies and have yet to make the switch to 3D television, along comes some intrepid souls exploring the added dimension of 4D.



Hey, don't get me wrong, this is cool stuff. Also called architectural projection mapping, it turns virtually any surface into a canvas for something more than just a sound, video, light and animation presentation - it can be used to create an engaging interactive experience with the audience.

If you want to create something that will get everyone around the world talking and gather a large crowd in the process, this could be your next great media choice. 

And because it's something that's much better seen than just described, check out several examples in the story published on Brandchannel.com.

For most of us, though, a real consideration to make anytime you are evaluating a highly-entertaining or involving media choice is whether or not the presentation enhances or detracts from the message you want the audience to remember. Or more bluntly, will your audience love the show without it showing any results? How many great commercials have you quoted over and over for months afterward without having any idea who had produced it or developing any motivation to do anything about it?

To achieve valuable results that use dynamic media presentations to make your most important brand promises clearer and more memorable, be sure the imagery, information and interactivity included strongly parallel expectations you are already creating with other media. Magnify it to be sure - but maintain a consistent and obvious content relationship. Otherwise, you're just creating another unrelated stream of communication that fights with the brand perceptions you have worked hard to establish elsewhere.

To talk to someone about helping you develop more effective marketing communications in a wide variety of engaging media, contact us today by e-mail or phone 903-534-5220.

What's Your Brand Rating?

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Have you rated your brand lately? No, I mean seriously tried to evaluate what you should be doing or not doing to improve the value and influence of your most important marketing asset? Well, friend, that's too long.

Why not use our handy Brand Report Card and give yourself a few minutes of reflective self-evaluation. Not only will this remind you of some of the vital brand maintenance strategies every marketer should be practicing, it will also give you some ideas for actions to emphasize in 2011 to strengthen your brand value even more.

This simple survey lists and provides brief explanations of 10 attributes you can use to judge your own brand as well as your competitors.

The report card prompts you to consider:
1. Is the brand properly positioned?
2. Does it offer an appealing benefit customers truly desire?
3. Is the brand’s value promise understood and supported within the organization?
4. Is the brand’s unique value clearly communicated to customers and prospects?
5. Do the brand’s managers attempt to measure how the brand is perceived by its audience?
6. Does the brand stay relevant?
7. Does the customer experience match the expectation created by the brand promise?
8. Is the brand marketed consistently?
9. Is the brand given proper support and is that support sustained over the long run?
10. Does the brand use a coordinated program of marketing activities to build influence?

So, download the survey now.

Then, armed with a more focused sense of reality, you will have already taken the first step in a more positive direction.

If you have a question about the survey or want help taking action based on your evaluation, contact us today by e-mail or phone 903-534-5220.