Tom Asacker: Interesting this week

The Business of Belief: Why We Believe What We Believe in Business and Life

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Interesting this week

1. Brandjunkie awards results

Brandchannel's 2009 awards explore different areas of branding throughout 2008 - from the most controversial brands to the most enticing package designs - by highlighting the thoughts, insights and opinions of the 4,310 readers who participated in their survey. Brandchannel.com

2. Package redesign as a value-added activity

The Boston Globe ran an article this week by Brian Steinberg titled, Recognition factor, about CPG companies like Tropicana, Heinz and PepsiCo who are changing their familiar package designs in an attempt to appeal to today's overloaded consumer. The article is okay, but the comments are priceless. Here are a few choice ones:

"'...He said to raise prices and do nothing else represents a 'grave risk.'" 'One way you can avoid that is to change your package, and that takes a little bit of bite out of a price increase," he said...'

What a stupid thing to say. The message conveyed here is the problem with the prevailing attitudes of the day. Let's not improve the product, efficiency of production, or the packaging itself. Let's just make the artwork a little flashier and stick it to the consumer to cover the cost of our new 'innovative design'.

When you're bringing a new product to market, come up with a well thought out design to attract attention away from established brands. But when you're an icon like Heinz or Tropicana, why fool around with your brand recognition?? Who doesn't know Heinz or Tropicana? If people aren't buying it, it's not because there's a pickle on the label instead of a tomato. You can find "studies" that support almost anything. Some marketing stooge convinced some CEO that changing the label is the way to make more money. Thanks a lot for that, keep up the good work guys. If sales don't improve, get in line for a bailout."

And . . .

"Hello Heinz - The tomato isn't really an improvement over the pickle. I can't believe that I'm thinking about this. I would think that a company who cared about its customers would reduce the price of its product, rather than spend money on changing the package or label. "

3. The chimp who plans for the future

Human beings can imagine and plan for future events - a capability that scientists have long believed makes us unique among living creatures. Well, they were wrong. MSNBC

4. Is customer service the new PR?

Steve Rubel, SVP, Director of Insights for Edelman Digital thinks it just may be. Micropersuasion. Note: Be sure to check out getsatisfaction.com.

5. Different and desirable

Those are two of the four key principles I expound upon in my new book about how to connect with today's very skeptical customers. Since the book's release, I've been searching for praiseworthy examples. I've accumulate a few, but none quite as powerful as this one. In hindsight, what he did may appear obvious and simple. But I assure you that it's not. That's the funny thing about greatness. It looks simple and easy.

6. Twouble with Twitters