Uber & Comfort caught off guard by Grab
The battle between Singapore’s ride sharing operators and taxi companies heated up last week. This was with Grab announcing that it will offer ComfortDelGro drivers substantial reductions in the cost of taxi rentals, with the hope they leave their bright, blue taxis in the garage and switch to a Grab vehicle. The aggressive poaching of […]
Why Netflix’s new icon is a lesson in mobile branding
Recently Netflix attracted significant attention with its new ‘N’ logo. The following statement accompanied it; “We are introducing a new element into our branding with an N icon. The current Netflix logo will still remain, and the icon will start to be incorporated into our mobile apps along with other product integrations in the near […]
To future-proof a brand
There has been significant disruption amongst global brands over the last year. The common three disruptors often commented upon include Uber, Airbnb and Netflix. A marketing manager that I work with recently asked how she could ‘future-proof a brand’. It’s an interesting question when one considers the rate of change witnessed since the onset of […]
Instagram evolves. Millennials speak.
Recently, Instagram revealed a new identity. The response from the broader community suggests many of Instagram’s users have mixed opinions about the change. Regardless of how you feel about the new identity, we’re now living in an age where opinions are shared quickly and negative feedback can become widely publicized in the blink of an […]
Personal branding in tough times
Recent data from Singapore’s Ministry of Manpower confirmed that over 15,000 employees on the island nation were laid off last year. The government figures indicate that the incidence of redundancy has risen to 7.4 redundancies per 1,000 workers which is noticeably up from 6.3 in 2014. Whilst Singapore has one of the lowest rates of […]
Airlines look to the past to stand out in the future
In a moment of candour one of my aviation clients recently remarked to me that his job was so much easier 10 years ago. It’s an interesting reflection on the changing dynamics for those airlines intent on providing the full array of service to their frequent flyers in the sky. Over the last decade, marketers […]
Lessons learned from dying brands
In the golden years of Australian manufacturing, General Motors Holden enjoyed a market share that was the envy of both local and foreign competitors. Out of all the local manufacturers, General Motors (GM) had a brand that was more Australian than the rest. Whilst Ford’s investment in producing cars that were designed and made for […]
Are Consumers Becoming Spoilt for choice
It used to be so simple didn’t it? If you wanted a luxury long wheel base saloon you bought an S Class Mercedes. Something more sporty? Perhaps a BMW 3 series coupe or a Porsche 911. Or, for something to take off the beaten track, the combat ready Land Rover Defender was an obvious choice […]
Brands focus on sustainability as governments suffer from inertia
We don’t hear much about the Paris Climate Agreement anymore. And, for those who can remember, the Kyoto Protocol feels like an international climate relic of a different age. The concern about climate change, and the desire to create a more sustainable planet, is still clearly apparent. It’s just that a collective belief in governments […]
Masterchef has a lot to do without its three hero ingredients
The off-screen lead up to this week’s Masterchef final has been almost as riveting as the program itself. Last week, it was revealed that one of the show’s celebrity chefs, George Calombaris, underpaid his employees to the tune of $7.8m. The unfortunate distraction from the Masterchef main course didn’t end there. WA Tourism unceremoniously dumped Calombaris […]