Bill Binnig’s Post

I was incredibly reluctant to spill ink (bits?) on this topic when it first broke, but when Fast Company covered it, I couldn't restrain myself anymore. The headline leads to the premise of the article - "These converging trends leads us to an inevitable and important question: What the hell is happening to water?" I think this is a false premise. As with any category, when a disrupter has success the copycats will follow. I wouldn't state this as a trend until several of these companies can exhibit sustained success. The biggest problem I am seeing in these challengers is that none of them are doing anything truly unique, or tapping deeply into any culture. If they aren't outright rip offs of Liquid Death just with fake moustaches then they are the cousins at the brand family reunion that everyone was hoping would not show up. Mike Cessario has been consistent on the founding and design of Liquid Death: “How do you hedge against someone like Pepsi or Coca-Cola? You do something that they could never: something grotesque,” Hernández says. “Branding became their moat, because there’s no way Coca-Cola or Pepsi could even touch that with a 10-foot pole.” And he's done it with some of the best talent in the game (Stephen Nilsen, Andy Pearson, et al) Now other companies are trying to walk onto LDs field with the same playbook and win. They need to do something "grotesque." Or in this case maybe bright, cheery and positive! Not Beer and Spirit work as a joke and can probably pop some initial sales. Spirit even admits that they only intended to make one run. These are cultural copy paste jobs that can't resonate with consumers long term because they are brands built on what people are NOT enjoying. Andrew Katz likened Not Beer to the equivalent of a "Party Trick" and I agree. Do you think Coca Cola is ready to compete? I like the Smartwater drop in a sleek can, but reading this statement that seems to have fallen out of the brand-o-matic tells me that they are not. “expanding the occasion for Smartwater” was top of mind with the new design: “Whether that’s at a party, the beach, or a bar, we’ve got you covered with a pure, crisp hydration option,” Hate my opinion? Tell me so below. That's what the internet is for amiright? https://lnkd.in/eSFQur53

April 24th! This week, don't miss the chance to hear great insights into how to build your private brands with our own Rebecca Hamilton and Jason Hobson from Giant Tiger. The webinar will delve into five key strategies to help your Private Brand maximize its potential. This webinar will provide actionable strategies to drive sales and stand out in the market. #foodretail #grocery #supermarket #privatelabel

Imagine creating the world's best whiskey 🥃. It's a guaranteed hit, right? What if there's another average-tasting whiskey standing next to it on the shelf, but with bold branding and packaging that sets it apart from every other bottle? Despite being outmatched in terms of taste, this whiskey easily grabs consumers’ attention and wins their hearts 9 times out of 10. So, are you paying enough attention to your packaging? It's a key component you can't afford to ignore💡 #branding #packaging #brandingdesign #campaigns #packagingdesign #creativeagency

The Power of Brand Equity: Kevin Hart's Gran Coramino Tequila Teams Up with the Atlanta Hawks In the ever-evolving world of celebrity endorsements and brand partnerships, few have been as successful as the collaboration between Kevin Hart and the Atlanta Hawks. The comedian-turned-entrepreneur's tequila brand, Gran Coramino, has joined forces with the NBA team, demonstrating the immense power of brand equity in driving marketing success. Brand equity refers to the intangible value a brand holds in the eyes of consumers. It encompasses a brand's reputation, recognition, and the associations it has built over time. When a well-established brand, like Kevin Hart, partners with another reputable entity, such as the Atlanta Hawks, the result can be a winning combination that unlocks various opportunities for both parties involved. Kevin Hart's influence extends far beyond the entertainment industry, making him an ideal figure to lead a brand. Hart ventured into the spirits industry by co-founding Gran Coramino Tequila, an endeavor that blends his love for quality tequila with a dedication to authenticity. Gran Coramino has quickly gained recognition for its commitment to crafting a premium tequila, and Kevin Hart's association with it further elevates the brand. His humor, relatability, and authenticity resonate with consumers, instilling trust in the product. This trust is a crucial component of brand equity. If you enjoyed this breakdown, subscribe to the SimpMe newsletter for more content: https://lnkd.in/emxA6v-D ! Making Complex Simple #branding #kevinhart #atlantahawks

Are you ready to take your branding to the next level? If so, check out this article from BBC Worklife, which explores the success stories of billion-dollar brands that have invested in rebranding to stay relevant and win over new audiences. The likes of Coors and Jell-O have proven that when done right, rebranding can help revitalize declining businesses and make old names feel relevant again. But the best thing is this the impact revitalising your brand can have doesn't just apply to the upper echelons of the business world, but in fact can impact businesses of all sizes. In today's fast-paced world, keeping up with evolving consumer preferences is essential for businesses looking to stay ahead of the competition. With the pace of change only accelerating, rebranding is becoming an increasingly effective way to adapt and refresh your brand identity, product offerings, and customer experiences. The benefits of a well-executed rebrand go beyond just aesthetics. A fresh new look can reinvigorate your brand to make a lasting impact on your target audience, set you apart from your competitors, and even attract new talent and investors to your business. Rebranding can also provide an opportunity to reassess and streamline your operations and product offerings, ensuring that they better reflect your company's core values and vision. So, if you're interested in exploring whether a rebrand is right for your business, contact us today to discuss how we can help you stand out and stay ahead of the competition. Together, we'll help you tap into the power of branding and take your business to the next level. Schedule a brand discovery call - https://lnkd.in/dk5j8u4 #branding #marketing #business #leadership #brandagency

Barbie-mania continues to drive success for so many brands! 🌟 Check out the results for Proper Snacks’ popcorn brand, Propercorn 🍿 which, for the film’s release, wrapped double-deckers in London in bright pink as it promoted its Barbie-themed, limited-edition sweet popcorn 👇🏼 ⭐️ Record sales; five times as many packets of sweet popcorn were sold than forecasted. ⭐️ High brand awareness; tapped into a broader audience than usual. ⭐️ High relevancy; tapped into a wave of cultural relevancy to effectively engage with customers. ⭐️ Upped distribution; able to show brand at mass scale which gave them a really strong hook with retailers. Proper’s wider brand marketing strategy is to scale the business and tap into culturally relevant moments - adding a brand partnership into the strategy has helped them do just that. Creative Director Becky Akers said: “It’s not only an important brand awareness and relevancy tool, it’s genuinely really helping our sales as well. It started as a marketing lever and then it actually flows through to sales as well.” When brand partnerships work, they really work 🙌🏻 #brandpartnerships #brandcollaboration #partnershipmarketing #properpopcorn #barbie #barbiethemovie

🍻 Hey Bud Light x Anheuser-Busch, we have a rebrand pitch for you! Give us a call. (Note: this was an academic assignment and was not done for any professional purposes.) For our Brand & Product Commercialization course, we were tasked with repositioning a brand, and we chose Bud Light given the aftermath of the Dylan Mulvaney ad controversy and its lingering effects. Instead of issuing an apology and reverting back to their default position, we imagined an alternative where Bud Light held their ground and embraced the difficulty of the divisions happening in the US these days (à la Nike x Colin Kaepernick). This means instead of "Easy to Drink, Easy to Enjoy," their slogan would become "This is Hard, Bud It's Worth It." 📹 I think our idea is best conveyed in the short video we created. Give it a watch! Very curious what you think? Supporting this new slogan would be an red and white can, in addition to their usual blue, representing (of course the US flag but also) that Bud Light is for everyone across the aisle and in between. Ultimately, it's the same Bud Light in every can, meaning we can all find common ground (for example, that everyone is facing things that are hard in life and having conversations like these can be hard). We also proposed a new non-alcoholic product, called Bud Light Zero, to add to the inclusivity of more audiences, as well as to acknowledge the sensitivity of alcohol's position in conflict resolution. 👀 See the image in the comments for what these two additions might look like. Again, this was for academic purposes only and completed in a week's time so it's quite imperfect. However, it was really fun to play around with branding and positioning, and imagine what might have been a better response (or what still could be). All footage and audio belongs to their original owners. Special shout-out to our video wiz, Vimukthi Gunatilleke, for putting the video together, and to my other teammates Merel van Schendel and Stan Zwanenburg. This is hard, bud it's worth it! #brand #branding #rebrand #positioning #budlight #marketing #marketingcampaign #budweiser #abinbev #nike

🎥Lights, Camera, Domino's: A Masterclass in Movie Branding In the world of brand management, product placements are a double-edged sword. When executed flawlessly, they skyrocket brand awareness, affinity and offtake. But get it wrong, and your brand becomes the punchline of a joke or, worse, faces a boycott. One shining example of such brand mastery is Domino's. They skillfully associated with veteran actor Paresh Rawal who resonates with Tier 1 and Tier 2/3 audiences alike with his portrayals of street-smart funny rogues with a heart of gold. This association transcended storylines, especially in "Hera Pheri," where hunger met humour. In the movie, as Akshay Kumar, Suniel Shetty, and Paresh Rawal craved a post-party meal, Domino's stepped in (a high-relevance situation for a quick service restaurant like Domino's.) Paresh Rawal was also known (in the ad series) for his unsuccessful efforts to take unethical advantage of Domino's 30-minute or free delivery promise. In the movie, he finally does manage to cheat Domino's and get the pizza for free. This behaviour ties in neatly with his on-screen character, that of a street-smart but ultimately naive and good hearted rogue. This product placement also advanced the plot, underlining the trio's changing fortunes. With the promise of money, a pizza, which they could not even dream of before, suddenly seems an achievable luxury. And it mirrored reality for many Tier 2 and Tier 3 Indians, who have grown used to celebrating life's victories with an affordable pizza or a burger. But how can a brand manager identify a good product placement? And how can he/she do it repeatedly? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below. Tomorrow, I’ll post my answer to this question - a simple framework that can help you identify good brand placements in movies. #marketing #advertisement #branding

At Octonano, we love all angles of branding, from fashion, to real estate, to personal branding. However, there’s one specific area of branding that we want to unpack today: that is, food branding. Specifically, we’re studying the brilliant branding behind the OREO cookie, and what made it the beloved household snack it is today. Being one of the U.S.’s oldest brands – the full history of the Oreo brand dates back to the 1890s in Kansas City, Missouri, where it was born from a bakery business rivalry between two brothers – it’s certainly worth taking a deeper dive into how the brand has not only survived over the years but evolved with the times and remained a staple in American pantries today. We’ve outlined the top three factors that have earned the cookie its current success. Want to learn more about food branding? Read the whole article here. https://lnkd.in/eKUnitCQ #octonanonyc #branding #nyagency #casestudy #oreo

Savor the Moment! Our promotional tables are where every taste bud's dream comes true. Elevate your brand with delightful samplings at events and supermarkets. Let the flavors do the talking! #FLOW #BEIRUT #FLOWBEIRUT #Lebanon #TasteTheExperience #PromoTables #Branding #Advertising