Don’t Let “Marketing Myopia” Blind You To Your Customer’s Needs
“GOT IT!” – NOT!
There's No Such Thing as "Just The One Thing" We recently fielded a question from a young member of our audience. She asked us, “Just tell me the one thing that made your wine brand such a huge success.” We had to laugh, knowing that there...
Mass Marketing Tries to Target Anyone and Everyone
THROW A LARGE NET, OR USE THE RIGHT BAIT?
When we built the Barefoot Wine brand, people used to ask us why we didn’t use television commercials and radio ads to get the word out. Aside from the fact that we couldn’t afford that kind of advertising, it really wouldn’t work for a startup CPG...
Consumer Packaged Goods Brand Building – You Found It!
EXPERIENCE IS THE GREATEST TEACHER
If you are looking for actionable information on building a Consumer Packaged Goods brand, also known as a CPG brand, you have come to the right place. We don’t just talk about it, we actually did it. We took a CPG brand all the way from...
Vermont’s Darn Tough Socks Deliver on their Brand Promise
KNOCK YOUR SOCKS OFF!
Just when you thought everything was made in China, just when you thought there was no alternative to products that didn’t hold up, just when you thought that American manufacturing was dead, here comes Darn Tough! This plucky little Vermont sock company, founded in 2004, is...
Thanksgiving, a Day of Thanks or Just another Shopping Day?
BLACK FRIDAY ATTACKS GRATEFUL THURSDAY
America is one of the few nations in the world that sets a day aside just to give thanks, appreciate what we have, and celebrate friends and families. The banks are closed, the post offices are closed, and most businesses are closed. Until now! Within the...
Volta Builds Brands with Free Electric Car Charging
CHARGE UP WHERE YOU SHOP
Can you build your retail brand by installing a free charging station out front? A San Francisco startup says you can! More drivers are choosing electric cars, increasing the need for convenient charging locations. And more retailers are discovering the benefits of projecting a green image...
Build Your Brand with Floor Displays
IF YOU’RE NOT ON THE FLOOR, YOU’RE NOT IN THE STORE!
New consumer product brands require a billboard effect to get noticed at retail stores. Why would any shopper notice your branded product on a shelf packed with a myriad of other choices vying for attention? Getting shelf space is great, and making it into the official...
Consider the Source when No-Sayers Discourage You
GET BY WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM YOUR FANS!
Every brand builder faces no-sayers. Some of them may have your best interests at heart, but others may not see the opportunity. How do you know who to listen to? We were honored to be guest speakers last week at the University of North Carolina at...
At the Customer Experience Level Your Sales and Consumer Care People Know More than Your Marketing and Production People
STAY INFORMED AND STAY RELEVENT
Your marketing people have done a fine job of creating a marketing plan, strategy, and package. They’ve considered the market, the competition and the delivery systems. They have honed the message, dialed in the positioning, and developed the compelling logo, catchphrase, and merchandising materials. But like...
Rebel Coast Winery’s “Reckless Love” Honors Branding Basics
SPICY HUMOR MEETS CONVENTIONAL MERCHANDISING
Being successful in the limited and controlled wine business makes us a target for aspiring entrepreneurs who want to start their own wine labels. Many new producers think that all it takes to be a success is a compelling label, a cute catch phrase, and a...
The 3 Critical Relationships that Determine the Customer Experience
DOES MY BRAND LOVE ME BACK?
Today there is a lot of focus on the customer experience. How do your customers feel about their experience with your product? Are they satisfied, confident, and pleasantly surprised? Or are they frustrated, confused, and disenchanted? What are the main elements that determine your customers’ experience?...
Chewy.com Uses Customer Service to Distinguish Its Brand
FEED THE KITTY!
We love to write about companies that are emulating what we call “The Barefoot Spirit.” These are the principles we convey in our Keynote addresses. These are the principles we used to found and build Barefoot, the world’s largest wine brand. Such a company is Chewy.com....
5 Threats That Can Kill Your Brand in the New Year! – Part 5
Distribution
In this series we have been examining threats from inside your own organization that can kill your brand in the New Year. Now is the time to be on guard against them. As we like to say, brands are not murdered by the competition, but die...
5 Threats That Can Kill Your Brand in the New Year! – Part 4
Legal and Compliance
In most companies the legal department is referred to as “compliance.” However they do far more than make sure your company complies with the laws and regulations governing your industry. They protect you from liability exposures and potential lawsuits. They protect your intellectual property including trademarks,...
5 Threats That Can Kill Your Brand in the New Year! – Part 3
ACCOUNTING AND FINANCIAL
In this series, we have been discussing how to recognize the various ways your own people can inadvertently hurt your brand. Your company is ultimately only as valuable as your brand equity. Your brand equity is based on the likelihood that your branded products and services...
5 Threats That Can Kill Your Brand in the New Year! – Part 2
PRODUCTION
It’s hard to believe that your own team can damage your brand, but most brands are killed from self-inflicted wounds, not murdered by the competition. As you start out the New Year, be vigilant that your own people don’t take action that inadvertently hurts your brand....
5 Threats That Can Kill Your Brand in the New Year! – Part 1
MARKETING
We learned a lot about building an international brand during the two decades we grew Barefoot Wines. Most of it we learned the hard way, and that is why today we share our lessons in this blog devoted to brand building. Although we were successful, we...
The Brand Name That Says It All! Barefoot Bubbly Sells One Million Cases!
WHAT’S IN A NAME?
It was storming that night in 1996 when Michael slowly drove up the long dirt road that lead to his humble farmhouse in the rural hills of western Sonoma County. He was careful not to spin out in the mud nor get grabbed by the treacherous...