george washington facts

This President's Day I have found an interesting post on George Washington.

From mountvernon.org here is post about 10 facts about George Washington. I am spotlighting some highlights from this post. 

Prior to Yorktown, the American military effort was facing destruction. In January 1781 Washington was very concerned. Money was short and the French had seen setbacks. In May of that year Washington's situation began to improve. France had given a gift to the American treasury and the French fleet drove off the relief expedition to aid Cornwallis at Yorktown. Good news indeed. With aid from the French at Yorktown, Washington laid siege on September 28, 1781.  

A consistent supply chain hindered Washington and he had issues with the Continental Congress on this particular matter.  Washington was focused on management and organization. He maintained the army throughout good times and bad. 

Supply problems were rife at Valley Forge. Bad roads hindered the supply chain. 

Washington was appointed as Commander of the Continental Army on June 14, 1775. This position lasted more than six years. Washington had not commanded a large army in the field before. However, Washington brought his organizational skills to the command. British Army formations were having difficulty going through much of the terrain. Washington used this to his advantage.

Washington developed risky plans to divert attention away from the British. Not all of his plans worked but he was able to allude destruction by the British. 

Studying Washington is fun and I've enjoyed digging in to learn more.

washington and continental congress

Washington arrived in Philadelphia to serve in the Second Continental Congress on May 9, 1775. A need for military unity was needed and Washington soon gained a popularity from his committee work in Congress.

Washington was unanimously chosen as the commander-in-chief of the Continental Army because of his fellow Virginians promoting him throughout the Congress. Washington's selection made sense for several reasons.

Washington's Appointment as Commander-in-Chief

Benjamin Rush explained, "He has so much martial dignity in his deportment that you distinguish him to be a general and a soldier from among ten thousand people."

the accord hybrid

The Honda Accord Hybrid is back to go on sale this spring. It's a 2017 model. Honda has not released the detailed pricing yet. The car model was off the market for a year.

It's similar to the 2015 model. However, it does sport an increase of 16 HP to 212. It has a combined mileage of 48 MPG. This helps the Accord Hybrid to become a leading midsize hybrid sedan.

The model went through a total re-engineering of the powertrain that includes new electric motors and a revised 2.0-liter Atkinson gasoline engine. Honda Sensing, the brand's name for its suite of autonomous and electronic safety system, is standard in the Accord Hybrid. That includes lane-keeping assist, adaptive cruise control, autonomous emergency braking, and blind-spot warning.

autoblog.com was the source for this post

a new design language

Hyundai is rolling out a new design language. This should be enough for a growing brand.

Hyundai has split the Genesis name off into its own brand in November 2015. This will be officially announced at the  New York International Auto Show. The total look of the car is still under wraps.

The front end does have a classic style. It's a premium look. It's almost BMW-like. Slim headlights. An 8-speed automatic tranmission that's a wonderful luxury feature.

MSRP $37,5000

 

The Genesis concept opens up new design opportunities. These design concepts give Hyundai's future a marvelous start.

a lesson in branding

Tesla is memorable and has a great look. Tesla is a great name for marketing. Tesla is memorable. It's a powerful name.

So what if Mr. Tesla was an advocate in AC and the car has DC batteries.

Tweet from @Igornaming

rolls-royce dawn

Already dubbed the "sexiest Rolls-Royce ever built", this car turns heads. Under the hood is a 6.6-liter twin-turbo V-12 that makes 563 hp, so the Dawn is as fleet as it is sexy.

 Like other Rollers, it has suicide doors. The Dawn is based on the Wraith. Rolls claims the Dawn is the most rigid-bodied four-seat convertible on the market.

The verge.com was a source for this article.

autocar.co.uk was a source for this article.

5 ambassadorship lessons

Jaguar's story is one of age. It's your story and my story. More on that later.

When I was a kid, back in the late 60's, I'd seen about five Jaguars. Of course that was the muscle car era. I had ridden in several of those, much to my delight. When I'd looked at a Jaguar, it caught my eye. It was different. It was unique.

 I, to this day, have not ridden or driven a Jaguar. I'd ridden in several muscle cars and was delighted. I went on to own three. The innovation was special and it still is. However, I haven't "clumped" innovation into one big category, even when it comes to cars.

To me, Jaguar's innovation is different. Maybe it's Europe. Certainly the advertising has made the difference. This difference has been over many years. The product has lived up to the billing. You might be thinking that I'll never own a Jaguar. I'm thinking that now. But I can still admire the brand.

The Jaguar brand has given us many lessons in promotion and admiration. They create the content. Their recent content creation is the Jaguar XE. The car is elegant and fun. Know the experience better by following the #FEELXE hashtag.

Through the years Jaguar has made their brand "knowable" to many throughout the world. They did this by making their story my story. Now my Jaguar story isn't the same story as an owner, but I have a story just the same.

They did this by ambassadorship. And we can learn 5 items from this to promote our brand:

1. Make people feel special. Make your customers feel fan special. Produce content that is sharable. Give something that is worth remembering.
2. Keep your friends close. To be successful in influence marketing groom the relationship with your online customers and prospects.
3. Conversations are everything. Jaguar keeps the conversation moving. They respond, thank, and share.
4. Give them something to talk about. And we talk about it.
5. Listen to your fans. Yes, a conversation overload.

Jaguar's effort is impressive for sure.

re-refined oil

The future of motor oil may already be here. With the push for America to be less dependent on foreign sources of oil and to help with a cleaner, safer environment, Universal Lubricants has developed the re-refined motor oil system.

Universal Lubricants Refinery

A non-renewable resource is now renewable. The old motor oil is collected and the re-refining process removes worn-out additives and other impurities to leave a clear, high-based Group base II oil. New additives are introduced to create the Eco Ultra products.

This improves engine performance and is better for our environment.

In November of 2013 the results were released on the use of Eco Ultra Motor Oil in Las Vegas taxi cabs. The 150,000 mile test showed improved wear protection.

You may wish to consider using Eco Ultra in your vehicle.

Buy Eco Ultra on Amazon.

bmw m3 and m4

It wasn't long ago that I posted an entry about BMW and their coupe which appeared on the scene in 1989. Technology and style are two words that go hand-in-hand and best describe the BMW models. Several media outlets have written on the BMW offerings and I came across one earlier today from CNET on the BMW M3 and M4.

Quite frankly, their review is stellar. Performance sedans and coupes have been defined with luxury and speed by BMW. There brand is iconic and popular. I really didn't venture out to write a couple of posts on BMW this frequently, but as I gleaned the Web for product ideas, BMW has received much attention lately. Of course the 25th anniversary helps, however the reviews written have been good , actually great, for the brand.

BMW M4 Coupe

 There's plenty of power with a 3-liter, 425-horsepower inline-six. This power source is available for both the M4 Coupe and the M3 Sedan. CNET's story of the road test is awesome, as it describes the turns and stops made. Their review tells me it's certainly a blast to drive.

Click here for BMW accessories from Amazon.

brian johnson of ac/dc

Brian Johnson, lead singer of the rock band AC/DC, is a car and racing enthusiast. He even has his own TV show. It's called "Cars That Rock" on Quest Freeview.

Here's Brian showing of the 1965 Lola T-70 Mach 1 from May 2014.
This was Brian's first venture into hosting a TV series. Quite refreshing to see a rock superstar tell us about something different. Brian has said there is a connection between rocking and racing. The venues are extremely exciting and the atmosphere is really super-charged. He's right.

 By the way, Brian did say he will tour with the band later this year.

technology and style

It has been 25 years since this Bavarian coupe appeared. It was introduced in 1989 at the Frankfurt Motor Show. BMW showed the world it could push the envelope in the auto industry with a sleek performance package. I sum it up as technology and style.

four-door luxury GT flagship 8 series

BMW is known from starting at the primary source: the engine. They celebrated 100 years in business in October 2013. The efficient performance of their engines due to much research has certainly paid off. The brand has been special with many automotive enthusiasts. Technological advances have been a shining star for the brand.

brand marketing

In a previous post on this blog (the magic 6), I outlined the six best practices for Social Media success. This is the "magic 6":

1. Brand Marketing
2. Brand Management
3. Digital Media
4. Performance Marketing
5. PR/Earned Media
6. Social Media (own budget)

This post is dedicated to Brand Marketing.

Branding precedes and underlies any marketing effort. Branding is "pull" - not "push". It is communication of characteristics, values, and attributes that clarify what a brand is.

The brand does not say "buy me". Instead it says, "this is what I am... this is why I exist. If you agree, if you like me, you can buy me, support me, and recommend me to your friends".

The brand is bigger than any particular marketing effort. The brand is what remains. It is what sticks in your mind associated with the product, service, or organization - whether or not, at that particular moment you bought or did not buy. The brand is ultimately what determines if you will become a loyal customer or not.

The marketing determines if you bought a product or service once, but it is the brand that determines if you keep buying that product. Marketing unearths and activates buyers. Branding makes loyal customers out of those who buy.

Brands connect with consumers to turn them into customers. A bond is created and a connection is established that lasts. This means quality is communicated. The connection between the brand and its customers is what the brand conveys. Customer dialogues are established by marketing the strong brand. Customer bases build up the brand and communities are created. Most of these dialogues have been created by Social Media. 

We must acknowledge the wide range of services and communications currently taking place throughout cyberspace. Social networks/media can be tapped to reveal community and consumer sentiment. Does this help brand quality? Maybe. Think of it this way; the brand has been expanded. 

More uses and more audience.

The value of the brand is elevated by the need and want of individuals and groups. Brands have worked to build a strong, favorable, and unique image in the minds of the target audiences. A strong brand image is established by this "image engagement" with customers. Brands then measure who want their product and who is willing to buy it. Strive to build a brand image with as many strong, favorable, and unique brand associations as possible.

Companies (brands) address customer needs by putting forth a value proposition, a set of benefits that satisfy those needs. We can think of marketing as the identification, creation, communication, delivery, and monitoring of customer value. Satisfaction reflects a person's judgment of a product's perceived performance in relationship to expectations. This "satisfaction judgment" produces brand advocates and user communities. The customers have joined promotional programs (which you create) and "talk" about the brand. They are engaged in the brand. They are the "pull" and they'll increase sales.

In this way, brands stay in touch with consumers' needs and seek new advantages, instead of relying on past strengths. Marketing must balance the communication: search, advertising, social media, direct e-mail, and text/SMS marketing.

As a result, the market share will be secure and a "push" for greater market share will exist. This marketing concept, to go after a larger share of the market, is crucial to achieve superior customer value. 

Remember:

• Selling focuses on the needs of the seller.
• Marketing focuses on the needs of the buyer.

Build relationships and networks.

Build an effective network and profits will follow. Own brands to build customer loyalty.

                                                 

                                                                                                    

performance brand sales

Fiat Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne has stated that the Dodge needs to have SRT because Dodge is a performance brand. SRT has been folded into Dodge, but the new Viper will have the SRT badge.

Viper is technically and legally a Dodge due to ID numbers. SRT became a brand in 2011. Did you notice?

Just because Chrysler put the SRT brand onto the Viper, sales should have took off. But they didn't. In 2013 Viper sales were not stellar. Only 591 were sold that year! Granted, the Viper isn't for the general car buying public, but when put it into the performance car mix, Viper didn't rise to the top. Putting the SRT badge onto the Viper didn't drive sales. Sales through April 2014 was 255. Dealers were charges $25,000 to sell the Viper.

Performance brand, performance fee. What about performance sales?

Let's go back to my question. Did you notice that SRT became a brand in 2011? Frankly, I didn't. Perhaps a brand extension, but its own brand, no. Why? Well, no advertising foundation, except through the dealerships. An internal brand then. Is this satisfactory? I think not.

The Viper aside, Dodge has put the SRT badge onto the Charger and the Challenger. I see these two car models as brands themselves! That's just me. If the SRT badge is a brand, could Chrysler recreate it as an umbrella with the Charger and Challenger underneath it?

Should dealerships exhibit new signage? Should a new ad campaign for SRT be launched? These are questions only Chrysler can answer. I say yes, if they want to create new brand awareness.

Does your business have a performance brand or do you wish to create one? If you wish to create one, allow for promotion of that brand. When you do promote, have products in mind that will have the badge. These products need to speak for themselves. That's where visual content marketing comes in. 

An Automotive News post was a source for this story.

five human factors

Brand Strategy For Challenging Times: There’s been some suggestion that the global “down... http://t.co/mFcL3ClM9u via @BrandingInsider
— Eric T. Tung (@EricTTung) April 2, 2014

 Ever think of the times we face? Most brands, at this point in time, probably don't. Or some might decide, or have decided, to wait for the times to get better. Growth is what we all want. However it is not what we all get. Too bad. But we must realize we have to go out and get it. Ask, "How do we attract more buyers?"

Let's look at the human factor. This is the topic that Mark Di Somma wrote about on brandingstrategyinsider.com. The five factors are:

1. Inspiration
2. Familiarity
3. Rituals, habits, and rewards
4. Local
5. Bargains

These insights are applied.

1. Give people a refreshed sense of hope
2. Raise their pulse
3. Give them more of what they choose you for
4. Suggest new things, suggest new ways
5. Give them new things they want to value
6. Act responsibly
7. Belong
8. Give buyers what they deserve
9. Encourage buyers to think ahead
10. Acknowledge effort

Be proactive, familiar, and valuable. Keep consumers in touch with what you offer.

Books on BRAND STRATEGY

the 950 million dollar recoup

Macy's Co-Producing YouTube Reality Series With Maker Studios: Here's one way Disney will try to re... http://t.co/8WiDC4pJqz via @adage
— Eric T. Tung (@EricTTung) April 1, 2014

Disney gets another shot at online. Historically Disney has not had good experiences with the online spectrum. Disney has decided to get into a new dynamic. The new dynamic of short-form online video isn't being ignored by Disney with the acquisition of Maker Studios, which is considered one of the top YouTube networks.

Maker Studios fills a gap in the Disney portfolio. Maker will have the Disney help with advertisers and this will increase leverage when negotiating distribution services.

Disney has built a $45 billion dollar business by turning movies into brands. Now they're are hoping to turn a video maker into a brand, or at least what it produces into such.

the magic 6

There is an infographic from Wildfire that was introduced recently which gives us the 6 best practices for social media success. Within the Best Practice # 1 are what I call  "the magic 6" which has to be a core for a social strategy.

These are:

1. Brand Marketing
2. Brand Management
3. Digital Media
4. Performance Marketing
5. PR/Earned Media
6. Social Media (own budget)

These are the parts of a larger strategy at work. They are the trump cards to play.

In future posts I will explore "the magic 6" in more in detail.

In the meantime explore these six areas on your own and prepare to make a plan for your social strategy.

2014: content marketing ebooks

Good references for best practices.
11 Must Read eBooks to Get Content Marketing Smart for 2014

Post from toprankblog

Integrate content search and marketing. Help brands to connect. Thought leaders. Influencers.