“The tai-pan is always alone, that being the joy and the hurt of it.” – from “Noble House” by James Clavell One of the most powerful concepts in marketing is the idea of “positioning”… …put simply, “owning” an idea in the mind of the consumer. For example, in the world of cars, BMW for most […]
Perils Of Product Proliferation In Marketing
Wonderful cartoon from “marketoonist” Tom Fishburne to kick off 2012… “Product proliferation” or “line extension” is one of the biggest mistakes made in the conventional marketing arena… …and there are useful lessons for direct response marketers. Line extension sounds such as sensible and logical strategy. The justification is usually along the lines… 1. It’s a […]
Did This Positioning Blunder Cost Ford Over $6.5 Billion?
See that Ford has finally sold Volvo… “Ford Sells Volvo To Chinese Car Maker Geely For $1.8bn” Reported sale price is US$ 1.8 billion, but after Ford has to tip in money to the Volvo pension fund and cover other liabilities, they’re basically going to end up with nothing. Ford bought Volvo in 1999 for […]