Pepsi Max Diner 2.0

I love this latest Pepsi Max spot.

A remake of the "Pepsi Diner" commercial from 1995, it hearkens back to the original Pepsi Challenge from 1975. The results of the experiment is often used as proof that branding works -- if consumers preferred the taste of Pepsi to Coke in a blind taste test, why would Coke have greater market share? The answer of course was that Coke had the stronger brand. The experiment has been repeated many times since with similar results.

I love the notion of the level playing field. These two gents have the same job, eat at the same place, and dress the same. They are telling us unequivocally that all things being equal, Pepsi Max tastes better than Coke Zero.

Throw in a Youtube reference to make it current, and the timeless "throw the guy through the window trick" and you have a crackerjack spot.

A New Look For the Pac 10

Amidst new plans to expand, the Pacific 10 Conference has released a new logo.

With the coming addition new schools Colorado and Utah, the Pac 10 needed an update from the kitsch looking old mark.

Despite being the premier conference west of the Rockies, the PAC 10 has long been seen as a "softer" conference than the Big 10 and SEC. This, coupled with the the notorious "East Coast Bias" has seen the PAC 10 suffer an undeserved credibility problem.

Mutt Industries from Portland came up with the stellar new mark which encompasses the waves and mountains of America's west into an iconic and timeless look. Visionary New York sports marketing firm SME Branding was brought in to highlight several glaring deficiencies in the way the conference has been run. SME's CEO Ed O'Hara has reframed the East Coast Bias, a perennial thorn in the Pac 10's side, into the "West Coast Advantage." The geography, showbiz, and innovation of the west becoming a competitive advantage from the staid, unchanging hubris of the South and the Midwest. Furthermore, while being in an unfavorable time zone for viewers on the Eastern seaboard, the PAC 10 is on the cusp of a potential huge viewing audience of the Pacific Rim.

Finally, it sounds glaringly obvious, but I'd always found it curious why the PAC 10 has never insisted that its teams showcase the conference logo on uniforms and fields -- a tactic mandatory in most conferences nationwide. This will change with the new mark, which will help viewers identify member schools.

Football season can't come quick enough - Go Ducks!

Good Guys Finish First: The Marketability of Joe Mauer

I was thrilled to see Minnesota Twins catcher Joe Mauer listed as baseball's third most marketable player in a Sports Business Daily survey earlier this week.

The squeaky clean Derek Jeter was no surprise at #1. The prolific Albert Pujols is an understandable choice at #2.

I'm biased being a Twins fan, but Joe Mauer is a breath of fresh air in sport known for its money hungry egomaniacs like A-Rod and overgrown children like Manny Ramirez.

Mauer made headlines earlier this year when he spurned more lucrative offers from the Yankees and Red Sox to sign an 8-year $184 million contract extension with his hometown Twins. Had he joined either of those teams, his personal brand wouldn't have taken a hit like LeBron James's, but he certainly would have lost some of his "hometown-boy-made-good" shine.

It's refreshing to see in that in an era of sports where both the money and championships are idolized, loyalty and love of the game are two attributes still prized by marketers in search brand ambassadors.

Vuvuzelas & Simon Cowell

Unless you were sleeping under a rock, the obnoxiousness of the Vuvuzela could not be missed throughout the World Cup.

The "horns from hell" infuriated players, and partnered with the much maligned Adidas ball "Jabulani" to make the African tourney the lowest scoring World Cup in history. This fallout has sparked countless requests to ban the African inspired/Chinese manufactured menace from all North American sporting events. Sounds reasonable to me.

But if we are going to eliminate objectionable imports from public places, why stop at Vuvuzela? Forget Crocs or Nickelback, I think next in line should be Simon Cowell, the unctuous American idol judge who just so happens to share a thing or two with this, the more annoying of the two Horns of Africa.

I cannot adequately put into words my distaste for this poorly coiffed buffoon. His fellow Englishman Andrew Sullivan does it superbly in his recent Times article "Rude Britannia: the limeys breaking US taboos,"
"Last week saw the final American Idol featuring Simon Cowell as a judge. Cowell is better known in America than, say, the Supreme Court’s chief justice or three-quarters of Barack Obama’s cabinet. At some point in a distant Wildean past, a British musical judge might be expected to be wittier than his peers. Cowell is witless, inexpert, inarticulate and touchy. He just possesses a series of ugly prejudices and crude hunches and the ability to tell someone to their face that they’re rubbish. In Britain, who really cares? In America he’s a legend."

In many ways both Cowell and the Vuvuzela are from Nero's "bread and circuses" school of entertainment. Unsophisticated, crass and unsubtle -- both pander to our inner 8-year-old -- the kind that seeks to annoy and cause a stir just for the hell of it.

On the bright side, it's a good thing Cowell can't be mass produced!

The Illustrated Wisdom of Daniel Pink

Daniel Pink's wisdom is well documented in marketing/business circles. His groundbreaking books Free Agent Nation, A Whole New Mind and Johnny Bunko have changed the way people view work.

I was thrilled to stumble across this clip that gives a top line introduction to Pink's latest book, Drive: the Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us. At ten minutes long, it's shorter than a TED talk, and makes a compelling case for why we must all seek autonomy, mastery and purpose in our careers.

Do yourself a favor and check it out.

It Takes a Village, Even For A King

The public backlash to LeBron James's decision to move to Miami is appalling.

Critics seem to delight in calling LeBron a disloyal narcissist. This is despite the fact that he toiled away in Cleveland for 7 years with a franchise incapable of bringing any manpower of repute to help him. Why should LeBron have felt that anything would have changed had he signed a long term deal with the Cavs?

New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd has written a disgraceful article entitled "Miami's Hoops Cartel" -- a title that seems to imply nefarious forces are at work here. The one bit of sense to come from the article was in the comments section from a gentleman named Tony Glover. I have included his post in it's entirety below. In my opinion, Mr. Glover's piece should be the final word on LeBron's move to South Beach.

"I think Ms. Dowd should be careful about choosing imagery that portrays three young black men -- James, Wade and Bosh -- to cartel-like gangs and to pack animals like dogs, especially in a country which treated Blacks like chattel and used packed animals to hunt them down in peaceful protests. It's clueless inanity combined with stereotypical foolishness.

I say good for James and his decision. James is taking far less money to play in Miami than he could have earned in Cleveland. He's checked his ego enough to play on a team where Wade is the superstar.

A media that once triumphed his individual greatness is now critiquing him for not succumbing to the hype they fed him about himself. After all, James did not bestow upon himself, the "Chosen 1" moniker. It was given to him by the media (Sports Illustrated to be specific) while he was still in high school no less.

He is someone who is stepping back from the vision others had for him as the Chosen 1. This is not the thinking of some kind of pack animal.

The easy choice for LeBron James would have been to stay in Cleveland, comfortable with the status quo, a team that even he knew his greatness could not rescue.

LeBron is a person taking control over his own life after spending seven years on a team for which he did not elect to play. He was drafted at 18, a kid out of high school. He is now 25, a young Black man who has built for himself an empire.

Ms. Dowd speaks of the ego it takes to believe in oneself as if this is a foregone conclusion for a young Black man in this society. Most black men, including myself, know that it is not, even for one as talented as Lebron James.

The NBA is littered with the stories of great talents who today are penniless. The Times "sister" paper in Boston, the Boston Globe, recently featured a storied on one such player, Ray Williams, former superstar of the New York Knicks, who is now homeless and living out of his car.

While in touch with his ego, James also seems to be in touch with the notion that any one person's greatness does not ensure a home, let alone an NBA championship.

There are many greats who have never won a championship. New York's own Patrick Ewing comes to mind. Ewing gave New York his heart and yet many fans blame him for the team never winning a championship during his career.

James wants more than to be great on his own. He has the foresight to know greatness sometimes depends upon others. And he has the wisdom to know that he could wind up like Ewing. A player's dedication to a city, does not ensure that a city will be loyal to you throughout your career.

James, demeaned now as a dog by some, also wears another tattoo: "No one can see through what I am except for the one that made me." LeBron has always known he was not the god everyone made him out to be.

Few would admit that LeBron could not alone take a team to a championship. LeBron, himself, admitted it -- so much so that he chose to join Miami where he and two of his friends have conspired to create, for themselves, an opportunity. And that's all they have created, so far. In a society where Black folk, time and time again have to fight to even create that equal opportunity, I say well done!

The child they dubbed "Chosen One" has grown up. He has chosen a career path, a life path, that tells those kids for whom he is a role model (so many young Black kids are told that their basketball prowess alone will lead to greatness), that this world promises you nothing especially if you believe you alone will achieve it.

It takes a village, even for a King."

LeBron James joins Miami Heat

After a much hyped media circus, LeBron James has announced he will be joining the Miami Heat for season 2010-11 and beyond.

James will join the incoming Chris Bosh and perennial all-star Dwyane Wade to form an imposing troika that's sure to put the Heat in the mix for several championships.

Amidst the immediate hoopla following James' decision -- joy in Miami; despair in Cleveland, I found the below interview with ESPN's Michael Wilbon particularly enlightening. The part where LeBron starts reeling off the make up of championship NBA teams from the last 30 years was seriously impressive. James is a well-known hoops historian -- a factor one feels played no small part in his decision to play with proven stars, rather than toil away with foot soldiers in Cleveland.

The significance of LeBron's departure was not lost on Cavaliers' owner Dan Gilbert. In a spiteful and juvenile display, Gilbert lambasted James for his disloyalty in an open letter to fans on the club's website. The furious owner even made the preposterous claim that "The King" will be taking the city of Cleveland's championship "curse" with him to South Beach.

Gilbert's fury is likely to have been exacerbated by James' role of proactive Kingmaker. ESPN writer Henry Abbott describes the situation splendidly in his piece, Name The Crimes of LeBron James:
"It's not a role we're used to seeing athletes in, and it startled many. But I'm certain it's a role athletes belong in. People have analyzed how much a superstar like James is worth to a team. It's many times what he is paid every year, and has been throughout his career. It rivals what the whole team is worth. He has been paying the bills, in no small way, for the Cavaliers for years. That might not be appealing to think about, but it's true. James knows that, and -- even though it's not in the playbook of how athletes typically speak to the public -- he acted like it."

Good luck LeBron. Now go win some rings!

The Inspiration of Duke Stump

Duke Stump is a seriously sharp cat.

We talked a couple of times on the phone about a year ago. In our few short conversations, you got the impression you were in the presence of a true visionary -- an idealist who sees the world as it should be, not merely as it is. To listen to Duke is to realize that many of the world's problems are not insurmountable, they just require a good dose of human ingenuity and elbow grease.

His 5 principles of "Bonfire Brands:"
1. It Begins Inside: Great brands have great cultures; human capital is the best capital.
2. Inspiration vs. Desperation: Brands must play to win, not just to avoid losing. They must ask themselves, "How can we take a global need and bring it into our conversation?"
3. See. Feel. Change: Brands must become master storytellers -- if people can see something, they will feel it and change.
4. Nature as a Mentor: Use biomimicry and the natural world as design inspiration.
5. Trust = Authenticity: people don't want perfection, they want honesty. Give it to them.

Do yourself a favor and check it out.

Robinho's turn to "Write The Future."

Many were surprised when the buck-toothed maestro Ronaldinho was left out of Brazil's squad before the start of the World Cup.

Perhaps none more so than Nike, who had made him a central figure in the acclaimed "Write The Future" campaign.

With Brazil likely to make a run deep into the tournament, Nike has released a new version featuring Robinho, the electrifying Manchester City striker.

Another win for Nike at this tournament. While Adidas is the official tournament sponsor, the controversy surrounding their official tournament ball "Jabulani," as well as the confusing "Quest" campaign has Nike leading the brand championship as we enter the tourney's round of sixteen.

Back To The Future For The Golden State Warriors

The Golden State Warriors have revealed a new logo and uniforms for the 2010-11 NBA season.

The Bay Area franchise has followed the lead of the Philadelphia 76ers and the Utah Jazz, in returning to a more simple, classic look.

The new logo is a significant departure from the obnoxious navy, orange and gold color scheme the Warriors adopted in the last decade, and a welcome return to the iconic yellow and royal blue of its seventies halcyon days. The new logo features a silhouette of the yet to be completed Bay Bridge and is even more basic than the iconic "The City" logo used between 1966-71. The end result is a tip of the hat to the past, with an eye firmly to the future.

The ability to pay tribute to a franchise's glory years without looking tired or dated is a constant challenge for franchises seeking to remain relevant -- a challenge the Portland Timbers recently discovered is a lot tougher than it looks. Especially today with "satellite fans" making geography less of an issue, teams can no longer remain relevant by virtue of their local monopoly. A team must foster performance agnostic loyalty, and seek to become "Loss-Proof" if they are to command consumer preference in today's hypercompetitive sports environment.

Bravo Warriors!

Hat Tip: Kim Brater.

Portland Timbers Unveil New Logo

The Portland Timbers have unveiled a new logo for their move to the MLS next year.

The long awaited new crest comes after Timbers fans have been teased with a series of four video clues released in the last few weeks aimed at building anticipation.

A banner showcasing the new mark, designed by Mississppi based RARE Design, was met by mixed reactions during half time of the USA v. England match being shown on the bg screen in Portland's Director Park yesterday. Here is RARE's press release detailing the inspiration for the new design.

Personally I don't mind it. It could've been better, but it also could've been a great deal worse. I'm a fair way away from getting it tattooed on my forehead but it's certainly growing on me.

Below is a comment I wrote in response to Kim Brater's timely post the other day:

...I think there are a few considerations here.

There was always going to be a new logo:
People can say what they want about the new crest, but the fact that the key elements remain intact is a tip of the hat to the history of the club, yet it also signals the significant step up to be joining the country’s premier soccer league. Personally, I think it errs on the side of being slightly too busy, but I can live with it. The best logos of any sports are 2-D and simple – (Red Sox, dare I say it Kim, the Yankees, the Steelers, the Packers, the Oregon Ducks, Montreal Canadiens, Minnesota Twins et al).

Haters would have hated it no matter what:
It doesn’t matter if it was the world’s greatest ever logo, some people would still resist change like the plague. The Blazers’ logo has only undergone subtle tweaks throughout its history, perhaps the tweaks to the Timbers logo were not subtle enough.

Portlanders are a unique breed:
In a corner of the country that embraces alternative lifestyles, being a Timbers fan has a peculiar cachet about it. In many ways soccer is the anti-NFL — it’s indicative of a broader, more worldly sensibility than what American football represents and I think that strikes a chord with many Oregonians. Furthermore, the Timbers name and colors synch up well with its geography. Lastly PGE Park’s location downtown makes it truly a team from the city of Portland. I have seen Timbers players walking around the Pearl and eating at Cha Cha Cha several times. This visibility gives Portlanders a sense of ownership of the team more so than if the Timbers played in some pre-fab stadium that was slapped up quickly and cheaply out in the suburbs.

The Timbers brand is a solid one:
How many expansion franchises about to compete in a new league enjoy the same sort of deeply entrenched support that the Timbers do? How about the historical rivalries with the Sounders and the Whitecaps? Sure, the Timbers positioning could be a little tighter – but this is not uncommon with sports franchises. Most teams only exist by virtue of their local monopoly — having largely unoriginal brands whose recognition/equity with their market is simply synonymous with sport they play. This is certainly not the case with the Timbers.

It’s often hard to define what a team brand represents as it will be many things to many people. I think what the Timbers brand does lack currently is that unmistakable punch of say, the Yankees (“the brazen, big city bullies”) or the Steelers (The hard nosed grit of the Steel City”). But let’s hope this develops in time. I think it will.

As the “Soccer City USA” nickname suggests, the Timbers brand resonates very strongly with the people of Portland. In a city starved of major league sports, I am guessing the Timbers brand will stir stronger passion and loyalty than MLS teams like FC Dallas, New England Revolution or the Columbus Crew. This is a good thing. Something to be grateful for and a solid foundation on which to build.

NO PITY IN THE ROSE CITY!!!!!!!

R.I.P. John Wooden

Legendary UCLA Basketball coach John Wooden has passed away at the age of 99.

Wooden was arguably the most successful coach of all time. However, when it came to the degree that he was loved, respected, and admired by those who came in contact with him, the Wizard of Westwood had no peer.

In a sports world preoccupied with winning, Wooden was a constant breath of fresh air; the walking embodiment of what we should all aspire to become as human beings. He was a reminder that self-respect, team work, loyalty and character were what made sports great, not just getting the W.

The world has lost one of its true gentlemen.

<a href="http://msn.foxsports.com/video?vid=e3498f29-487b-42d1-8f56-710b99527b5c" target="_new" title="">Wooden breeds success</a>

Nike's Shuffling of the Stars

Below is a response I wrote to a thread discussing the new Kobe Bryant Nike commerical:

Hat tip, Dave Allen at North.

"Sure there is nothing new here – it’s a slick editing job reinforcing the Swoosh factory’s hoops bona fides.

It may seem purely tactical. But strategically, this signifies quite a significant shuffling of the stars.
For the first time in a long time, Kobe is the unequivocal centerpiece, along with Nike stars past and present, with just a tip of the hat to LeBron.

Seven years after being dubbed the “the chosen one” LeBron is still without an NBA championship, while Kobe has the inside track to his fifth title with the Lakers.

Achieving five will put him in pretty heady company. An equal number of titles as Magic Johnson and only trailing the immortal Michael Jordan by one.

Should Kobe match, and heaven forbid, surpass Jordan’s number of titles, a case could well be made that he is the greatest player of all time.

Food for thought anyway."

Puma's Clever Litte Bag

The basic shoebox has remained largely unchanged for generations -- quite bizarre when you consider how much shoes themselves have evolved. Shoeboxes tend to exhaust their utility as soon as the shoes are brought home; generally serving as an ad hoc reservoir of single socks and brown coins. Puma recognized this and developed the "clever little bag" -- product packaging that retains its utility, is environmentally sound and visually appealing

In the realm of "big idea" strategic agency thinking, this sort of tactic would hardly rate a mention. But it goes to show that every single interaction is a chance for the brand to create positive associations in the customer's mind. Jan Carlzon, former CEO of Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) famously called these opportunities "moments of truth."

Bravo Puma.

Nike's Finest Ever Commercial?

Judge for yourself. But according to Nike VP-Brand and Category Management Trevor Edwards, this latest spot for next month's FIFA World Cup it is "among the best we've ever done."

The fact I adored it comes as no surprise, I am after all, a lifelong Nike commercial fan boy. But I think this ad transcends the attention of ardent sports fan and communicates soccer as a powerful unifying force -- a global religion that stirs passions from pubs in London's east end, to shanty towns in the Ivory Coast.

The spot was made by Wieden + Kennedy Amsterdam and directed by the wonderful Mexican filmmaker Alejandro González Iñárritu of Amores Perros and 21 Grams fame.

Nike stars featured include: Didier Drogba, Wayne Rooney, Fabio Cannavaro, Ronaldinho, Landon Donovan and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Ahead of the World Cup, How is "Brand South Africa" Doing?

My friend, and fellow Aussie expat in the US, David Farrar sent me this post on nation branding from the Branding Strategy Insider blog. It raises some interesting questions about how malleable a country's brand can be -- a topical question given the whole world is watching South Africa in the lead up to next month's FIFA World Cup. I had to chime in with my thoughts and got a little carried away. My reponse to the original blog post is below:

"A country is a living and breathing entity, with a reputation that can be managed. Not just as a means for boosting tourism, although that is important, but as a central organizing principle; a rallying cry that both citizens of the nation and outsiders can come to associate with that state.

I guess it comes back to our definition of a brand. After all, a sexy tagline does not a great brand make. But to say that nation branding is nonsense, shameful, or that a country has no control over how it is or isn't perceived in the eyes of itself and to the rest of the world makes absolutely no sense to me.

Just because South Africa has problems that won't be solved by a re-branding campaign does not mean that branding is not important. That is akin to saying Walmart or Nike do not need stronger brands, the people that manufacture their products in the developing world need better working conditions and health coverage. It is not a zero sum game of what is and isn't most right. It is about positioning the entity, be it a corporation, country or sports franchise, in a way that inspires others to adopt its philosophy and become part of the brand's story. Whether that means buying a product, rooting for the team or visiting the country.

In regards to South Africa, not even Don Draper could have sold the country as a place of economic growth, happiness and harmony during the long and ugly period of apartheid. There is no arguing that country brands are one of those "warts and all" categories -- a nation's brand is only as strong as its ugliest aspects. It took a paradigm shift in the nation's sensibility to provide the impetus for change to happen. Iconic events like Mandela's release and subsequent election as president, the adoption of a new flag, the 1995 Rugby World Cup victory, Desmond Tutu declaring South Africa the "Rainbow Nation" and countless other acts have resulted in South Africa being seen as it is today; nowhere near perfect, but a place of optimism and hope -- a place "alive with possibility," and certainly not the gloom and doom of the country wracked by racial division.

To paraphrase Oliver Wendell Holmes, greatness, in branding or any endeavor, lies not in where we stand but in what direction we are moving. South Africa has taken great strides as a country, and as a brand. To pass off these acts as serendipitous is to discredit those that provided the impetus for them to happen. More to the point, to argue that other undesirable countries are incapable of changing the way they are perceived by themselves and others seems dogmatic and unfair."

Below is a great spot on South Africa's "Alive with Possibility" campaign. Definitely worth a look.

"Los Suns" Weigh in on the Arizona Immigration Debate.

The Phoenix Suns will wear "Los Suns" on their jerseys tonight in their playoff game against the San Antonio Spurs. The move is to acknowledge the Cinco de Mayo holiday as well as to express disapproval of Arizona's controversial new immigration laws.

The team's stance has polarized opinion, but the franchise should be commended for courageously drawing a line in the sand over the controversial legislation. Suns star Steve Nash, never short on an opinion on government policy, had this to say;
"I'm against it. I think that this is a bill that really damages our civil liberties. I think it opens up the potential for racial profiling . . . racism. I think it's a bad precedent to set for our young people. I think it represents our state poorly in the eyes of the nation and the world. I think that we have a lot of great attributes here and [this law] is something that we could do without. And I hope it will change in the coming weeks. . . . Our owners asked us if any of us had a problem wearing the [Los Suns] jerseys and nobody did. So, I think we're pretty like-minded on the issue. This league is very multicultural. We have players from all over the world, myself obviously being a foreigner [Canadian], many of my teammates, players on other teams. Our communities are very multicultural. So I think we need to find a different way to combat the issues that we face in our society. And I think this is the wrong way to go about it."

Usain Bolt Selling Jamaica

A patriotic turn from the world's fastest man.

Life Lessons from an Ad Man

Great TED Talk from Rory Sutherland, Vice Chairman of Ogilvy Group.

Some gems of wisdom include:
- The inexorable growth of intangible value.
- How the King of Prussia was able to "re-brand" the potato by shifting the perceptions on how it was viewed.
- If you want to change the way people behave, persuasion trumps compulsion every time.
- Interface design can significantly alter human behavior -- for the better.
- The definition of poetry can serve as a useful guideline for creating intangible value -- "making new things familiar, and familiar things new."

Sutherland finishes by reminding us of the wonderful quote from GK Chesterton - "We are perishing for want of wonder, not want of wonders."

Definitely worth a look.

Don Watson on Portland

From Australian author Don Watson's American Journeys:

"There's a sense of abundance about Portland, and it's not just the rain. In the midst of rich agriculture and raw nature, the city has all manner of sophisticated trappings: good cafes, pinot noir and boutique beers among them. Californians come for a liberal lifestyle that can be enjoyed at relatively bargain rates, a sort of cut-price Santa Monica with nature much closer at hand. In what other American city can you see from the business district a mountain as perfect as Mount Hood, or from an elevated position on a clear day an active volcano, Mount St Helens? It is a liberal enclave in Bush Republican territory, and the heart of the enclave might be the extraordinary Powell's Books - a sort of Uffizi of bookshops, the biggest independent bookshop in the world... Among all America's urban renaissances, Portland's is probably the most mature - which is to say, it's the one that feels the least like a corrective afterthought."