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Brand Devaluations
We were perusing a story from BNET not that long ago that listed what it felt were the five biggest brand disasters of the last decade. We agreed with some but not all. We thought we would come up with our own and bring it closer to home.
No. 5:
The Orange Revolution
It didn’t just capture the imagination of Ukrainians but people around the world. However, political bickering, indecisiveness and poor judgment were reasons a world class brand was run into the ground.
We wrapped this into a combined brand. From twisted views of the Koran with honor killings to Bible thumping, hypocrite preachers to an out-of-touch Pope, religion has taken a beating.
How could they keep saying things were so great when the companies they rate were flirting with disaster? Were they really that clueless—or simply too close to the companies they rate.
They took the world into a recession, got bailed out, and then collected their big bonuses. Collectively, their PR acumen was somewhere below sea level.
No.1 Former Ukraine President Viktor Yushchenko
So much promise. So little results. A brand implosion if there ever were one.
For your information, the BNET list had it this way:
5. Arthur Andersen, the accounting firm.
4. Islam
3. Bush, the family
2. The Pope
1. Wall Street
Tough Love with the Omniscient Pablo PistachioWe had a news conference the other day, and though my boss had something important to say, he didn't get quoted as much as the other company on the platform.
Willard, the company, and Willard Marketing Monthly have searched diligently for a relevant cause with which to identify the company and the magazine. We have one in our back pocket, and we like it.
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To be honest, and that is what we try to be at Willard Marketing Monthly, about a year ago I felt the Kyiv Post’s best years were in the rearview mirror. It had become the veritable empty suit.Chris Jones, Survivor
Our “survivor” this issue of Willard Marketing Monthly is the inimitable, the inestimable, the esteemed, Chris Jones.Social Networking Goes Mainstream
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