Microsoft opened its fourth retail store recently - this one in San Diego, the same day Apple launched iPhone 4. According to blogger Joe Wilcox, the Apple Store (a stone's throw from the Microsoft store in the Fashion Valley mall) had about five times the crowd.

Microsoft was giving away lots of freebies, while people were waiting for hours to give Apple money. I wonder where Microsoft got the idea for their retail stores?? I'm waiting to see a TV ad (in the spirit of Windows 7 ads) with Steve Jobs in front of a Microsoft store saying... "My idea." 

Food marketers have known this for years. One powerful way to appeal to customers is to emphasize what is missing.  Misleading? Sure can be. Depends on how you look at it. I see it as more honest than not, when it comes to health.

I remember when "cholesterol-free" was all the rage, seeing orange juice touting its no cholesterol advantage. Which of course it always had, given that only animal products contain cholesterol.

When avoiding an ingredient or preparation method or chemical becomes a hot topic, be prepared to see all kinds of food products using it to grab your attention. Like Ocean Mist Romaine Hearts, which is...lettuce. Their bag calls out that their lettuce is gluten free, lactose free, and vegan. And that it supports a healthy heart. All good things. Hey, what about fat free?

The National Pork Board (NPB) is aiming to increase sales by repositioning its domestic pork promotion campaign. “Pork. The Other White Meat has 90 percent recognition, but recognition does not equate to high demand,” CEO Chris Novak says in the online trade newsletter Pork.  “The current campaign compares pork to others (chicken); it doesn’t let it stand on its own.” A new ad campaign and approach will be announced next year.

Hmm, I always thought comparing to a well known product or brand and clearly contrasting what makes you different was a good way to carve out mindshare and market share. Positioning, by definition, always involves a comparison to identify the class of product and a distinction to stand out from others within the class. So...how might NPB reposition pork? Some ideas from NPR's Wait Wait Don't Tell Me blog.

Pork: Secretly loved by Jews for 5,000 years.

Without reading the copy, what would you think this ad is selling? 

This is an image from the Breast Cancer Research Foundation's new PSA campaign. Here's their strategy:

We wanted to be honest and open. We wanted to create an image of a woman that a large number of women could identify with. And deliver a message that is as much about hope as it is about hard truths.

Cancer is ugly. Women are beautiful. We wanted the photograph to suggest all the strength, courage, vitality and radiance of a woman touched in some way by breast cancer. We wanted it to be timely and timeless.

Step 1 in communications is always getting attention. Using this kind of image does the job, and tastefully I think most donors would say. I admire BCRF's courage and clarity. Many health organizations prioritize being non-controversial and "safe" over being effective. What do you think about this ad?

The most powerful marketing axiom I know is "If you can't fix it, feature it!" (read more here). Here's a new example: 3floz.com. Knowing that a lot of travelers have problems with the "3 ounces or less" airport security rule, this new webshop features the problem, with 3 oz. containers of luxury beauty brands like Dr. Hauschka, Archipelago Botanicals and others (all of which I never heard of, which is of course not the point). Their value proposition: No more worries about TSA confiscating your fave beauty products. Interestingly, they broaden their target audiences to "those who travel, those who are curious, and those who can't commit." Next up they hope are airport kiosks for people to pick up their luxury beauty products on the go. It's a beautiful thing.

BMW launched its U.S. campaign during the Winter Olympics with its "Joy" ads. Check out the 60 second spot:

Here's more detail from today's Marketing Daily. I thought BMW's "Ultimate Driving Machine" positioning and ad campaign was one of the best car campaigns of all time. It really showcased what was unique about the product and set BMW apart very effectively.

Not so much for the "Joy" campaign. I mean, joy is certainly a good thing. But it's not why people buy Beemers. Performance - that's why people buy them (and of course prestige for some). The attempt to connect performance with joy just doesn't cut IMHO. Not that it couldn't though.

I see this campaign as a well-intended "feel good" campaign that misses the mark. Soon sales will tell the story. What do you think?

The Senate is considering tossing the public option in favor of an experiment: See if private insurance companies play fair for a couple years, and if not, then include a public option. In a very clever reframing, cartoonist Andy Lubershane paints a picture (draws an animated cartoon actually) of what would happen if we treated firefighting services like we do health insurance - complicated contracts, pre-existing conditions, etc. Check it out.

Whatever your opinion, now's the time to express it.

I just finished teaching a Global Marketing Strategy seminar to a great group of working professionals at University of San Diego.

The key theme was customer intimacy. Three things stand out for me: 1) How much I learn when I teach. 2) How the idea of customer intimacy resonates with people on a gut level, I believe because it is a fundamental human need to be heard, to be connected, and to matter. Which is what customer intimacy is all about. 3) How, when going global, the strategic decision about standardization (the same in every country - think McDonalds) vs. customization (think Four Seasons - you know what country you're in by just looking around your hotel room) is so foundational to corporate philosophy, product positioning, and success.

And there is a parallel in our everyday lives. How do we adapt to a different environment  or culture? Do we stay the same or change? My belief is that like companies, we as individuals need to be clear about our principles that are unchanging and those we can flex. And to know which are which.

The Chinese symbol for crisis is composed of two characters. One means danger. The other means opportunity (or some say "crucial point").

That's how I think about allowing cell phone use on airplanes. In a recent blog posting, the NY Times called it "The in-flight menace: Wireless chatter." Personally I agree.

However, from a marketing perspective, domestic airlines could seize the opportunity to differentiate by being the first to allow phones in flight, citing the success of several foreign airlines like Emirates that allow cell phones and other personal wireless devices for making phone calls. They would secure a loyal customer base, at least until it became an industry norm.

Or better, they could stand out - and avoid the danger of customer backlash - by proclaiming their opposition to using cel phones in the air, in line with numerous airline customer surveys. Then brand their action as a demonstration of customer intimacy. But the airlines should not just do nothing while waiting as their national union lobbies Congress for a ban on inflight calls.

I was on a Southwest airline flight earlier this year when they tested internet access, I thought it was great for e-mailing. But I found I could have a phone conversation too in the air via Skype. This I did not like.

Let airlines capitalize on the phone-free "escape" they provide. If not, then hey - offer cell phone and cell phone-free sections, like the old smoking/non-smoking sections. Let freedom ring (sort of)!

I was visiting my wonderful 80-something mom in Pittsburgh last week for a family wedding and saw this by her TV.

The juxtaposition of Fun-To-Know on the DVD case and the Stent plus patient guide DVD on top grabbed my attention. Isn't that special, I thought. Branding patient education on stents as fun. Actually, as a strong proponent and teacher of how to use entertainment to educate and persuade (see "TV Teacher" blog entry below), I was intrigued and ready to call my mom in to watch how much fun stents can be... wow!

Then I noticed that the Stent DVD didn't belong in the case it resting on. I picked up the Stent DVD and saw this:

Craps Made Simple. Fun-To-Know? Sure. But let's really stretch and see how we can make stents fun to know.

In the meantime, let's break out the dice mom and play some craps!