The Medill Professional Speaker Series will host Scott Bergren, BSJ68 and MSJ69, chief executive officer at Pizza Hut U.S. and chief innovation officer at Yum Brands chief on Monday. Scott will present his keynote address called “Innovate or Die” during the Innovation Confab, sponsored by Yum! Brands, DraftFCB, Pizza Hut and Medill. The Vitamin IMC [...]
Several times this year, I have been in a movie theater when a trailer for a re-released blockbuster elicited a collective groan from the audience. It seemed no one wanted to see “Titanic” in super-duper re-mastered 3D, and just about everyone was ready to pass on the third incarnation of “Star Wars.” But re-releases inevitably [...]
As an integrated marketing communications student, people often ask me why I like AMC’s Mad Men, the Emmy-winning show that kept us waiting in anticipation (or annoyance) for more than a year before its record-breaking March debut. Maybe it’s the nostalgic appeal of old world advertising, glitz and glamour in all of its glory. Maybe [...]
What do Doritos, Madonna, The Bieber, MacBook, Gameboy and Titanic all have in common? Nothing really, except recently I’ve been asked to exercise my paintbrush . . . errrrr fingertips . . . and “draw” these well known words in OMGPOP’s ridiculously addicting mobile app “Draw Something.” I select Doritos for three points! That will [...]
I’m sure we’ve all imagined the day when flying cars and instant transport would exist in a Jetsons-like world, but those days may be closer than we think. Earlier this month, Google’s “Project Glass” video hit YouTube sending the minds of its 14 million viewers wondering yet again about the possibilities of the next breakthrough [...]
JC Penney, the 110-year-old department store, realized the need for a refresh. But as with any change in a brand, a corporation’s most valuable asset, there needs to be a reason, a customer reason, backing it. What is the consumer insight? Is the rebrand a stretch or within JCP’s brand DNA? Will it be enough [...]
A few months ago I was asked to watch the Super Bowl to study the advertisements. Coming from India, I was completely new to American football and the Super Bowl. As I watched advertisers compete aggressively for 30 seconds of our attention during breaks in the championship game, I realized this scenario was quite familiar [...]
The IMC Cause Marketing Initiative team (CMI team) at Northwestern University is learning firsthand about the IMC ideal of putting yourself in the customer’s shoes. We are providing media and communication support for RefugeeOne on its annual gala event, “Many Voices. One Vision.” The joint efforts of the CMI team and RefugeeOne staff will culminate [...]
Ok. Obviously the Titanic was not unsinkable. It was today exactly a century ago that the unsinkable ship struck an iceberg and plunged into the Atlantic Ocean with 1,500 souls still onboard. Why after 100 years are we still so fascinated by the Titanic? I argue that it is all about marketing, century-old marketing, that [...]
When Burger King dethroned the King, its somewhat bizarre yet aptly named mascot, we knew something would be coming down the line for the fast food restaurant chain. This week the world’s No. 2 hamburger chain launched its rebranding effort with a revamped menu, newly designed stores, and a fresh marketing strategy. Shying away from [...]
