Olive Garden’s “finto” Tuscan training camp

Last summer, my husband and I were fortunate in having our 16-year old niece join us for a two-week trek through Italy, a destination she chose because she loves Italian food.  Fair enough … the art, the fashion and the fountains were a lovely side-show.  A commercial for Olive Garden came on TV the night before we left.  Katie jokingly asked if we could visit the Culinary Institute.  I expressed doubt that there was such a place, but according to the Olive Garden’s website, it’s quite real and alive.  “Olive Garden’s Culinary Institute of Tuscany is located in the 11th century village of Riserva di Fizzano. Every year more than 100 Olive Garden chefs and managers travel to our Culinary Institute to learn authentic cooking secrets from head chefs and top culinary instructors.”

Whether the ‘Institute’ is for real or not has been bandied about online since Olive Garden used it as a focal point of their ads beginning in 2008.  The ad must do well and consumers must feel that it’s a plus for the brand, as it continues to run … I’m sure they’ve bench-marked and continually perception-test.

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Tags: advertising, brand, CBD, Colman Brohan Davis, food, Lori Colman, Olive Garden, Olive Garden's Culinary Institute of Tuscany

Good neighbor marketing

Crain’s Chicago is reporting that State Farm will open a retail store in Chicago’s Lakeview neighborhood, but their purpose will be to serve, not sell.  State Farm Next Door will offer free financial expertise, as well as a WiFi workspace for groups and individuals. The “Next Door” part will house a coffee shop. Inspiration for the concept came from State Farm employees, who obviously know firsthand that great relationships start with building trust and delivering value.

This concept is something other financial services companies should watch carefully – if not replicate rapidly. It takes great strategies like this to avoid the commoditization trap – a hazard State Farm is dangerously close to getting mired in. Their website currently boasts “Discounts up to Continue reading

Tags: commodity, marketing, positioning, Retail, sales, service, State Farm, strategy

Optimizing content for the mobile explosion

Do you work when you’re away from the office?  Have you sent texts to colleagues or checked emails in the cab on the way to the airport … in a restaurant … at the theatre?   Are you scanning QR codes at trade shows? Do you take your work with you on vacation?  A recent study claims that over 75% of Americans do just that.  For more and more of us, a smartphone and/or tablet are merely extensions of our arms and brain.  By the end of 2011, a 40% growth in smartphone subscriptions and 100% growth in tablet sales is anticipated. Continue reading

Tags: CBD, Lori Colman, Mobile Marketing, Technology

Closing the gap between energy suppliers and customers

KEMA got it right at their recent 22nd Executive Forum, in providing the opportunity for both energy providers and C&I customers to relate perspectives on energy industry developments and experiences. Though there are still gaps between each of these constituents, it was important for both sides to talk and listen to one another. It’s a critical step in relationship building that is often overlooked. Continue reading

Tags: Customer voice, energy industry, KEMA, sustainable products

Mobile Takes A Vacation

My kids will probably go nuts when they hear Dad took the smartphone on vacation. I’m the type who buries the electronics as a means to foster simple relaxation. That’s easy to do with computers. But in today’s connected world we have become dependent on the amazing amount of information on-demand that is available in the palm on your hand…the smartphone. It’s no longer an option. It’s how you enhance your daily experience. Though my iPhone is in active use day-to-day, while on vacation my need for this device became even more apparent. And as a marketer turned consumer for this time period, the successes and failures of fellow marketers’ usage of mobile devices was quite obvious. Those failures by the way are easily rectified.

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Tags: iPhone, mobile banner ads, mobile devices, Mobile Marketing, mobile websites

CBD Has Gone Mobile

Recently, CBD joined the ranks of astute businesses that reward those-who-view-websites-on-their-mobile-device with a world-class website specifically created for viewing on a mobile device. Not “mobile compatible” or “mobile viewable” or “mobilized.” It is specifically created for the dynamics of the smartphone. Very few advertising agencies have created their own mobile website. Even more interesting, our competitive discovery revealed that very few digital agencies have a true mobile website, including agencies with “mobile” in their company name. Continue reading

Tags: CBD, Colman Brohan Davis, mobile devices, Mobile Marketing, mobile websties, smartphones