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  • Harley-Davidson and Other Brands that Speak to Women

    Do women want Harleys? Well, some certainly do. And it seems even a lot of women who don't own a motorcycle really like the brand. We'll leave it up to you to figure out why that is. But we mention Harley-Davidson because it scored very highly among women in a recent survey. Forbes contributor Caleb Melby took a look at the survey results, and he highlights a few of the brands that do well among women: Barbie, CVS, Kotex...and Harley Davidson. Melby writes: Harley Davidson, the traditionally male-associated brand, scored with women this past year – landing it a spot on the index for the first time at number 194. The iconic motorcycle brand staged a series of initiatives to celebrate the growing number of women enthusiasts, including women-only garage parties, a first-ever female “biker boot camp,” and the launch of “women riders month.” The company also gave women the chance to interact with fellow female riders on a new website, featuring tips and advice on how to turn their riding dream into reality. Read What Brands Do Women Want? here . Incidentally, Forbes has a lot of content focused on women in business right now. Click here for Forbes's list of The World's 100 Most Powerful Women .

  • The Case for an Employee-Driven Social Media Strategy

    Jason Miller of Zoomerang believes that companies don't have to look far and wide for the right brand advocates to push initiatives online and through social media. Writing at Marketing Profs , Miller makes the case for tapping into inside talent. "Encouraging your employees to openly discuss your brand online can have a “humanizing” effect, ultimately increasing positive consumer perception," Miller writes. And he outlines a plan for getting the best employees involved. First, you need to have a clear social media policy. But once you do, Miller believes in choosing the right employees, from a variety of divisions within the company, and having them lead a social media initiative (no micromanaging). And Miller advises managers "inspire" participation in social media: Encourage them to write a blog post on a topic of interest that relates to your industry. Creating a simple blog template for employees to use can be a great tool to eliminate any barriers to writing a post. Content Rules offers excellent sample templates. Encourage participation in LinkedIn groups. This can be a tremendous opportunity to share expertise, gain valuable insight, and keep abreast of the latest trends. Make sure employees who participate in Facebook, Twitter, and other online conversations know where to turn for guidance in the case of a questionable post. Have employees share or comment on relevant articles and stories about your field or business on social aggregators, such as Digg and Stumble Upon. That can lend credibility to your business. Read Use the (Work) Force to Build Brand Awareness here .

  • Email Marketing Vs Social Media Marketing

    When it comes to the debate over which is more effective--email marketing or social media marketing-- Tyler Garns refuses to pick a winner. Weighing in at Small Business Trends , Garns, Vice President of Marketing for Infusionsoft , argues that both still matter. But it depends on your target , and your intent . For example, If your target is under 34 years old, you’re likely to be successful using social media. If your target is under 20 years old, you’ll probably need to reach them through social media almost exclusively. If your target is a business, email will likely get you results faster. If your target is a consumer, you’ll get better results through a social campaign where your target sees others singing your praises. With regard to intent, Garns writes, If you’re trying to sell directly, social media probably isn’t the place for you. Email can work better. If you’re trying to build a long-term relationship, start with social media (but the relationship may move to email). Read Social Marketing vs. Email Marketing: Is It War? here .

  • Brand Resolutions for 2011

    Maybe you have made some personal resolutions for 2011. Perhaps you have even kept those resolutions for the first three days of the year. Good for you. But have you made resolutions for your business brand? Paul Williams of MarketingProfs recommends that you do. And he shares some resolution ideas from Shawn Parr of Bulldog Drummond . Here are a couple of ides from Parr's top ten: #2. Revisit and Refine your Purpose Take the time to look back at your mission and vision, and ask if you were living it in 2010. Look for places to bring it to life with your team, explore whether you need to refine it. Remember: The words aren't set in stone. If they're not resonating, rewrite and revise! #5 Set Some Big Goals Set at least one wild and audacious goal for 2011-something you've never tried before. Outline the goal, share it with your team, and challenge them to play their part in achieve it. Just don't forget to celebrate the small victories and successes on the journey. and our favorite, #7 Inject Fun Into the Everyday One of the best motivators for your team is a great work environment. This year, start doing small things that make your employees happy. A monthly massage for a team who've put in hours of extra energy, a weekly cookie pot-luck. Small gestures or events can make a big difference. And the benefits won't just stop with your team, they will show through everything that your brand does. Happy people equals happy brand. Read the full list here .

  • Razorfish's Bob Lord on BP's Only Option

    In a long anticipated move, Tony Hayward resigned as CEO of BP yesterday . Most analysts viewed the move as essential for the company to have any hope of improving its standing with investors as well as the general public. Bob Lord , CEO of Razorfish , says there is really one way for BP to restore its brand, and that is to stop the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. And, he says, they should be clear with the public about what they are doing. Watch the full Big Think interview with Lord here .

  • A Beard Index?

    Perhaps you work from home and realized that you can be lazy more productive by not shaving every day. Or perhaps I'm you're part of a protest movement and didn't even realize it. Salon owner Rodney Cutler , "grooming editor" for Esquire and brand spokesman for Norelco , tells Advertising Age "he believes more men are letting it all grow out as an act of 'playful rebellion,' a sign of defiance and of not being a 'corporate slave.'" Sales of electric groomers rose 3% last year, and beard trimming kits rose 4%. Norelco itself saw a 24% rise in sales of groming producst. So c an we now look at a Beard Index as an economic indicator to rival the popular Lipstick Index ? Or is this just savvy marketing on the part of Norelco? Both? Read the AdAge article here .