Maybe Kelly’s quick rise to the top means that she hasn’t enough brand awareness to sell out a large concert venue. As she said, “touring is just too much too soon.”
American Idol serves as an instant rise to fame for some singers, so much so, that they miss out on the slow build of fans and support that other performers gain during the years between starvation and fame and fortune. Plus, they’re instantly thrown into the limelight with all the ensuing attention – it must be a huge life transition, almost overnight.
In the marketing world, products that rise to the top that quickly can often take a plummeting fall after peaking. But those that earn the consumers’ trust over a period of time can gain customer and brand loyalty. A slow and steady build can mean long-term success.
Artists may likely dream of being an overnight sensation, but in reality, maybe it’s not such a good thing. Keeping up with the hype without the history and fan base can be a good reason why Kelly has her setbacks today.
Where are the fad items like Tickle-Me-Elmo, pet rocks, Rubik’s Cubes and the Hula Hoops today? Maybe you can still find them, but their peak came and went a long time ago.
What do you think? Do you think that brands need to be nurtured and built up over time, or can they succeed with an instant climb to popularity? Got any examples?

First of all, some background info into my previous customer relationship with Citibank…
I applied to Citibank for a credit card when I moved to the U.S. from Canada. I was using a Canadian Citibank card almost exclusively, so Citibank Canada was making a few bucks from my family’s purchases.
Even though my credit score was in the 800s, the U.S. company declined to give me a card stating that the Canadian company is totally different and they couldn’t check my history or status. How short-sighted. Strike one.
Yesterday, when I received the letter addressed to Elaine Forgel, I was dumbfounded. Of course, this could have been a data entry typo, but it sure seems like a careless error. My brand experience with Citibank isn’t that great, so I’m now disinclined to read any of their direct mail. Strike two.
So, if you’re going to send direct mail using variable data printing, it pays to invest in accurate data as much as possible. What’s your experience? Has this ever happened to you? Has your company made significant boo-boos when you personalize your marketing materials?
P.S. Thanks to Shelley Ryan for the inspiration for the title of this post.

The gentleman in the conversation (accompanying his wife in line) asked the second woman about her experience in foreign car showrooms as it compared to domestic cars. She proceeded to tell the story of a local Kia dealer and its hard-sell, harassment sales style.
The woman said she went to the general manager to complain that all she wanted to do was look without salespeople being in her face at every turn. The GM’s response? “That’s our policy.” That’s when she walked out. (Talk about not listening to your customers.)
She then told the couple about her experience at a Chrysler dealer, claiming that it was better than Kia, but still, all she wanted to do was look without being bothered – a principle none of their sales people could understand.
The gentleman then piped in to ask about one particular American car dealership that advertises on local TV. He said his experience there was terrible and that once, after purchasing a car, the salesman called to say there was an error in the purchase price and he needed to return to re-negotiate. That’s when the woman said she wasn’t surprised because the owner’s TV ads are so bad.
What does this tell me? First of all, that some car dealers are in La-La Land. Here’s a March 2007 post from Consumer Reports Car Blog:
It’s a woman’s car-buying world out there. Women purchase more than 46 percent of all new vehicles and influence over 80 percent of all automotive sales, according to a recent study by CNW Marketing Research (CNW). That adds up to about $80 billion worth of business, according to a past female buyer study by Road & Travel. Car dealers, hear us roar.
Secondly, although you can’t always rely on anecdotal feedback, the truth is – I’m dubious now. I can’t help feeling that I got an inside view into these dealerships’ sales practices and behaviors, and it’s not a pretty picture.
So, when they say that word-of-mouth marketing can be your best friend when it’s positive, it can also be sooooooo damaging when it’s not.

In the weekend edition of my local daily, I read a half-page article on a theater’s new 2007-08 lineup. (The paper happens to be the theater’s season media sponsor.) There were some very appealing artists and shows, so I went online to find out more.
For starters, the home page had stale news items. Big boo-boo. The link that takes you to view all the performances in calendar format is there, but from July through to December, the monthly calendars are bare – not one mention of the exciting new shows scheduled and promoted in the online news release.
The season brochure in PDF format that linked from the home page, was of the 2006-07 season. On the policies page, there’s information how theater patrons can save money by buying a series of any four performances. That interested me, but why is it on the policies page? What a great benefit to market more.
Lastly, the font is white reverse in Arial 6 point. My guess is that most patrons are middle-aged to seniors, so a font that small is a challenge to read, especially white on a loden green background. The site overall is not that user-friendly at all, nor is it welcoming or exciting. Too bad; the theater has a lot to offer.
Bottom line? Why send out news releases announcing something new, when the Web site isn’t updated to back up your promotion?
What are your thoughts on this? Are communications and PR staff working in a silo separate from the Web designer/developers? Are your company or organization’s marketing teams working holistically?

I have a bias towards American Express. They were the only credit card company that extended real credit to me when I immigrated to the U.S. They actually checked my Amex history in Canada, unlike Citibank and others who claim their companies over the 49th parallel are unconnected. So, when I received the e-mail this morning announcing The Members Project, I was intrigued and read it thoroughly.
This is corporate philanthropy at its best. It’s the ultimate win-win situation.

“Introducing The Members Project, an exciting new initiative that brings American Express® Cardmembers together to do something good for our world.
Join Cardmembers to dream up, and ultimately unite behind, one incredible idea. American Express will bring it to life with up to $5 million.
So where does the money come from? It’s all about power in numbers. For every Cardmember that registers, American Express contributes $1 – up to $5 million for that one winning idea.*
Will you send meningitis vaccines to Africa? Rebuild a school in New Orleans? Or support small organic farmers? The possibilities are endless. The decision is yours. Join The Members Project today.”

Members can recommend projects and recipient organizations, and over time, they can vote and narrow the list down, just like on American Idol.
It’s creative. It’s innovative and can likely capture the hearts of older Millennials. It’s a great acquisition tool for Amex and another nugget to add to their corporate social responsibility bag of good deeds.
Way to go American Express. I look forward to seeing how this one plays out.

Whether your kids are reaching that point of no return – college – or you’re just browsing to find resources, many of the university Web sites I’ve visited in the past few weeks leave much to be desired.
For one thing, the larger the institution, the more behemoth the site is in size and offerings. That makes it challenging for them to provide all the information succinctly and simply. One thing is evidently clear. Many are designing their sites according to internal infrastructures rather than from an external customer focus.
Some “get it” and list their target segments on the home page. But, from there, it’s easy to get lost. On some sites, almost every department has its own microsite, so even if there’s overlap of information, you may have to visit several sites to find what you require.
In addition, the microsites look like different designers/developers worked on them. It often appears that the macro brand identity of the university itself is forgotten. Colors change; looks change; font styles, photos – consistent templates change from from one to another.
Help. This is branding pergatory!
Check some of the worst I’ve seen. Don’t be shy to browse sidebar links.
http://www.stanford.edu/
http://www.berkeley.edu/
http://www.washington.edu/
And just so you can compare, here are a couple of reasonably good ones:
www.sc.edu
http://www.yorku.ca/web/ (This one’s my undergrad alma mater. What a creative site. Check it out.)
So, now what do you think? College students are the most technologically advanced generation of Millennials, so what’s up with the maze of university Web sites?

So far this week, I received a personalized letter from a local couple advertising their real estate services. Let me share what they did right.
1. The paper stock is textured and printed in full color. The back is in one color, full bleed, with screened-back large words such as, “knowledgeable,” “exceptional,” “attentive,” – all adjectives describing their level of service.
2. The letter is dated and addressed to my husband and me by first name.
3. The lead sentence is a rhetorical question: “Remember the days when it cost less than a nickel to mail a letter?” That’s an attention-grabber and timely with the post office raising rates this month.
4. I would have tossed the letter at this point, except that I noticed it had something stuffed in it. Twenty, two-cent stamps! Now, who’s going to throw away this piece? What a smart premium. The body copy is all about the stamp price and the availability of forever stamps. This part of their letter is positioned as “good news.”
5. The back of the envelope has a sticker over the flap encouraging recipients to refer people to these agents. That’s clever.
The positives outweigh the negatives in this piece, but I’ll mention a few boo-boo’s to balance it out.
1. There’s a grammatical error in the copy and sticker. “If you know someone who would appreciate my services…..call me with their name…” The subject doesn’t match the possessive in the object. One is singular and one is plural.
2. The tie-in from postage stamps going up to selling real estate is a stretch. They used the “good news” theme to announce that listings are selling and they need more.
3. They misspelled my surname on the envelope.
4. The sticker on the back of the envelope covered their URL.
In another piece that arrived the same day, I received an invitation from an upscale jewlery store to purchase a (specific) diamond ring for only $99. I would also get a free crystal vase. This piece was costlier to produce, but it turned me off immediately. The cover letter indicated that I was receiving it as a preferred customer. But, I’ve never even walked in the door! All that money and they didn’t even segment the list.
Are you as anal as I am about direct mail? Do you scrutinize yours, too?

What it did do was send a kind message to welcome me in a very atypical way. It wasn’t a corporate thing; it was a local thing. And it made a huge difference in stay, right from the start. Here’s what it said on a printed, laminated sheet:

To Our Guests
In ancient times there was a prayer for “The stranger within our gates.”
Because this hotel is a human institution to serve people, and not solely a money-making organization, we hope that God will grant you peace and rest while you are under our roof.
May this suite and hotel be your “second” home. May those you love be near you in thoughts and dreams. Even though we may not get to know you, we hope that you will be comfortable and happy as if you were in your own house.
May the business that brought you our way prosper. May every call you make and every message you receive add to your joy. When you leave, may your journey be safe.
We are all travellers. From “birth till death” we travel between the eternities. May these days be pleasant for you, profitable for society, helpful for those you meet, and a joy to those who know and love you best.

Yes, it’s a bit sappy if you’re cynical, and spiritual if you’re an agnostic. But it’s so nice! That experience was only the beginning. A warm happy hour with free drinks followed, then a lovely dinner in their restaurant with clients, topped off by a full buffet breakfast (hot food made to order) the next morning with the chef standing around greeting guests.
No, this wasn’t the Ritz. It was an Embassy Suites and they knew what they were doing.
Way to go Embassy Suites, Lincoln. By the way, room 807 is missing its laminated welcome message. Sorry.