CLIMBING THE BENEFIT LADDER

We've mentioned before in these Dispatches that so many of the things we learned or used as children still help us in our brand-building work today. Take the game of Chutes & Ladders, which is based on an ancient board game from India called Snakes & Ladders. If you recall, the object of the game is to be the first to navigate from the bottom of the board to the top, helped or hindered by ladders (or snakes/chutes) along the way. So as children, we quickly learned the value of the ladder! It retains its value to this day -- in the Positioning Benefit Ladder.

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To view this article in its entirety directly from our website, please click on the appropriate link below. We have also provided a both a pdf link and a hand-held device link to allow you a choice for your viewing.

Should you experience any problem in opening any of these links, please contact Lori Vandervoort at lorivan@bdn-intl.com or call 800-255-9831 (620-431-0780).

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The DISPATCHES^TM for February 25, 2013 can be found here:
CLIMBING THE BENEFIT LADDER

A printer / handheld friendly version can be found here:
CLIMBING THE BENEFIT LADDER

It is also available in PDF here:
ClimbingTheBenefitLadder.pdf (PDF File)

PRESSURE TESTING FOR REAL INSIGHTS

Ever wonder if your brand's insights were "legitimate" or even productive? Read on...

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To view this article in its entirety directly from our website, please click on the appropriate link below. We have also provided both a pdf link and a hand-held device version to allow you to select your preferred method of viewing. 

Should you experience any problem in opening any of these links, please contact Lori Vandervoort at lorivan@bdn-intl.com or call 800-255-9831 (620-431-0780).

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The DISPATCHES^TM for February 18, 2013 can be found here:
http://www.bdn-intl.com/PressureTestingRealInsights.php

A printer / handheld friendly version can be found here:
http://www.bdn-intl.com/printpage.php?id=447

It is also available in PDF here:
http://www.bdn-intl.com/uploads/PressureTestForInsights.pdf

LESSONS FROM LINCOLN

You know what special day February 14th is. But how about February 12th? For us Americans, the 12th ought to carry a lot more significance; after all, it's Abraham Lincoln's birthday. In honor of his birthday (and looking ahead to how well the movie Lincoln will fare at next month's Academy Awards), we wanted to highlight a few of Mr. Lincoln's steadfast principles - that, we think, apply very well to winning brand-building and marketing.

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To view this article in its entirety directly from our website, please click on the appropriate link below. We have also provided both a pdf link and a hand-held device link to allow you your preferred method of viewing. PLEASE NOTE:  Depending on the configuration of your particular computer, it may be necessary to copy and paste the address.

Should you experience any problem in opening any of these links, please contact Lori Vandervoort at lorivan@bdn-intl.com or call 800-255-9831 (620-431-0780).

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The DISPATCHES^TM for February 11, 2013 can be found here:
http://www.bdn-intl.com/LessonsFromLincoln.php

A printer / handheld friendly version can be found here:
http://www.bdn-intl.com/printpage.php?id=446

It is also available in PDF here:
http://www.bdn-intl.com/uploads/LessonsFromLincoln.pdf

HOW TO JUDGE SUPER BOWL ADS

The Super Bowl may be the most expensive media on the planet at $3.8-million US dollars per :30-second spot. It needs to generate a favorable financial return or the advertiser just squandered a precious load of marketing funding in an age of "limited financial resources" chasing brand growth.

There are many reasons why it may make sense to advertise on the Super Bowl. But it all comes down to one over riding reason ... it has to ring the cash register! One can ring the cash register through generating merchandising support at retail, firing-up the sales force to exceed goals, gain distribution or access with a critically important customer, or the pulling power of the advertising itself ... among others.

We believe that all advertising should have the power to compel target-customer preference and action. It needs to be effective in its own right. So, when we judge Super Bowl ads we need to go beyond judging based upon "likeability," or "popularity" or "funniest," or whatever silly criteria are being debated around the water cooler or by the media.

If you want to learn how to judge a Super Bowl ad, or any ad for that matter, regardless of the medium, click below ?

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To view this article in its entirety directly from our website, please click on the appropriate link below. We have also provided both a pdf link and a hand-held device link to allow you to select your preferred method of viewing. Note:  Depending upon the configuration of your particular PC, it may be necessary for you to copy and paste the address rather than just click on it.

Should you experience any problem in opening any of these links, please contact Lori Vandervoort at lorivan@bdn-intl.com or call 800-255-9831 (620-431-0780).

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The DISPATCHES^TM for February 4, 2013 can be found here:
http://www.bdn-intl.com/HowToJudgeSuperBowlAds2.php

A printer / handheld friendly version can be found here:
http://www.bdn-intl.com/printpage.php?id=445

It is also available in PDF here:
http://www.bdn-intl.com/uploads/HowToJudgeSuperBowlAds2.pdf