NEW YORK—-NIKE, Inc. and reigning NBA MVP Kobe Bryant are celebrating breakthrough innovation with a festive flair this holiday season and beyond. Beginning December 25, 2008, Bryant’s new Nike Zoom Kobe IV, his fourth signature shoe with the brand, will be available on NIKEiD.com with more than 5 billion design variations, an unprecedented combination of color, material and pattern options.
The line between mobile technology for personal and business use continues to blur. Many people, especially small business owners, are using the same device for their business and private lives and want something that’s slick and cool but also powerful. No longer are we seeing just “work” smartphones that have strong email and business applications and “fun” phones that have high quality cameras, music, and video.
The iPhone continues to grow as a business tool with tons of new business applications being created for it. Other vendors like HTC are morphing popular consumer models with touch screens like the Touch Diamond into business models like the new HTC Touch Pro. They’ve added business-focused enhancements to make the device more efficient for work use – a slide-out QWERTY keyboard, expandable storage, and a business card scanner application that works with the built in camera/camcorder.
So what should you consider when choosing a mobile phone for your business?
Michelle Mermelstein, PR Manager for Wireless Devices at Sprint, says that most customers begin by considering how the devices will interact with their current system. Their IT team may prefer Windows mobile devices, Palm OS, BlackBerry Enterprise Server or a more simple Java-based approach based on firewalls and other internal constraints.
Accessories footwear marketer R.G. Barry Corporation has named N. Scott Weaver brand president for its licensed Superga canvas fashion footwear business in North America.
“a no-frills philosophy to kick into high gear in 2009, reflecting not just a consumer mindset, but one that is paramount to retailers and manufacturers alike, who are looking for growth in a downturn economy. From sustainable manufacturing techniques to innovative national brand offerings, the products and services likely to succeed in 2009 will be those that appeal to the sensible consumer looking for a rational benefit.”
They go on to highlight twenty trends across the consumer spending board, a few of which gave me pause. Consider:
Marketers will think “renovation” as much as “innovation” Nielsen has seen steady growth in testing of established brand restages and re-launches over time, and we expect this trend to continue into commercialization as marketing budgets are tighter. Reinventing established brands can be managed as a lower risk innovation strategy.
However, making this strategy a success requires a delicate balance of providing continuity to current buyers while offering sufficient novelty to attract new triers.Ad spending will be tight. Nielsen reported significant ad spending declines in the first half of 2008 by eight of the top 10 advertisers—down roughly 6% during the same period in 2007. As companies continue to downsize and scrutinize spending, expect these declines to continue, especially within the automotive category and with Financial Services companies. However, product categories such Direct Response Product, which increased spending 20.48%, and Credit Card Services (+18.95%), should continue to spend on advertising.
Coupon redemptions will rise. As consumers look for more deals, expect coupon redemptions to increase. While coupon activity is actually flat versus year ago, this is positive news as it is the first time in many years that redemptions didn’t fall. As more manufacturers and retailers make it easier for consumers to gain access to coupons via email, mobile phones and in-store methods, consumers will take advantage of this cost-cutting strategy.
and
Brand prestige will be driven less by premium price. Expect to see fewer premium-priced new products introduced into the market in 2009. However, focusing on low price may under-deliver on expectations. Marketers should look to emphasize a brand’s value proposition in new and unique ways by linking the value message to the consumer benefit.
These three, if true, will present some unique challenges and opportunities for in-store marketing experts. Price differentiation, typically considered a form of trade promotion, will probably be king for the time being, especially if the shift from brand-name to lower-priced private label or off-brand continues. But the opportunity to deliver customized marketing and promotions via interactive loyalty terminals or digital signage systems that can beam offers to a shopper’s mobile phone could make them more valuable during the recession than previously expected.
—-Nike : WHAT: This Thursday, Nike and NBA All-Star Kobe Bryant will host a global webcast and live event to introduce an unconventional new look for Bryant’s new Zoom Kobe IV, his 4th signature shoe with Nike.
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Shoe and handbag maker Kenneth Cole Production Inc.’s fall 2009 collection for men is more cohesive and has a clearer direction than it has projected in years past, and will likely help results by late next year, an analyst said Monday.
