by Freddy J. Nager, Founder of Atomic Tango LLC + Price Pacifist “War, huh, yeah What is it good for Absolutely nothing Uh-huh War, huh, yeah What is it good for Absolutely nothing Say it again, y’all…” – Edwin Starr, “War” Imagine you’re minding your own business, selling lemonade from your friendly neighborhood stand, when [...]
Tags:Apple·business·competition·Dell·differentiation·Intel·marketing·Microsoft·price war·pricing·recession·strategy·Walmart
You’ve all seen the standard romantic comedy: the lead character pines for a fantasy ideal — a millionaire, supermodel, quarterback, cheerleader, prince or princess — but in the end, our hopeless romantic finds true love with a best friend, worst enemy, nerd, prostitute, maid or bodyguard. Delusions dispelled, the true lovers lock lips and live [...]
Tags:Boxster·branding·business·marketing·Neiman Marcus·Porsche·positioning·pricing·recession·Saks·Saks Fifth Avenue·Starbucks·strategy
Recession? What recession? Apple enjoyed a 15% surge in profits for the first quarter of this year and, more sensationally, just sold its one billionth iPhone App. That’s one billion in just nine months! That would be remarkable during boom times, but during the worst economy in 70 years? Well, of course. It makes perfect [...]
Tags:Apple·Apps·candy·chocolate·Hershey's·iPhone·marketing·recession·Seth Godin
by Freddy J. Nager, Founder & Fusion Director, Atomic Tango LLC Collaboration: The Fine Art of Hookin’ Up Partnerships, alliances and cross-promotions date back to Eve giving Adam that “come hither” look. I once worked on a cross-promotional website between Nissan and Crayola. Apple and AT&T are now making a killing with the iPhone. You [...]
Tags:advertising·Ann Coulter·Apple·business strategy·marketing·recession·Steve Jobs·Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure·Wal-Mart·Yoplait
Plus: Why “Price” isn’t Just a Number on a Sticker by Freddy J. Nager, Founder & Fusion Director, Atomic Tango LLC Tough times like these separate the plucky from the certifiably pluckless. Plucky companies see economic turmoil as a ripe opportunity to crush weaker competitors. The pluckless see a shrinking economy and resort to shrinkage [...]
Tags:advertising·Apple·branding·business·competition·marketing·pricing·recession·Southwest Airlines·Starbucks·strategy·value·Web 2.0
by Freddy J. Nager, Founder & Fusion Director, Atomic Tango LLC As an L.A. based interactive-media guy for the past 14 years, I’m expected to blog about sexy new developments online or in Hollywood, but today I’ve decided to write about Mervyns department store. And, yes, that’s the only time you’ll ever see the words [...]
Tags:bankruptcy·branding·business·economy·fashion·Forever 21·Mervyns·positioning·recession·retail·strategy·Target
by Freddy J. Nager, Founder & Fusion Director, Atomic Tango LLC The stock market these days is looking about as appetizing as a plate of warmed-over head cheese. At the same time, the real estate market is making the head cheese look good. So as a result, many businesses are cutting their expenses, particularly in [...]
Tags:BCG Matrix·Boston Consulting Group·business·Coca-Cola·Converse·GM·Hummer·marketing·MBA·Nike·recession·strategy
When the economy slows to the speed of a three-toed sloth after one too many hash brownies, the knee-jerk reaction by most marketers is to reduce ad expenditures. For some brands, however, a recession presents sweet juicy opportunities that call for increased spending. Really. And no, I’m not hitting on those brownies myself…
Tags:advertising·business·competition·Dell·Hormel·job sites·marketing·Monty Python·recession·Spam·strategy
One company’s tumble is another company’s primo opportunity — if that opportunity is approached creatively. Here’s a brilliant example from this week’s business pages…
Tags:bankruptcy·Brookstone·competition·gift cards·marketing·recession·Sharper Image·strategy
by Freddy J. Nager, Founder & Fusion Director, Atomic Tango LLC When the economy is singing the hardcore blues — kind of like now — many businesses are tempted to lower their prices. My advice? Don’t…
Tags:Converse·Dell·marketing·Nike·pricing·recession·strategy·Wal-Mart
"Common sense is the little man in a gray suit who never makes a mistake at addition, but it's always someone else's money he's adding up."
- Raymond Chandler
Let's hear it for uncommon sense: that inner itch that inspires you to stray from the herd, ditch the training wheels and leap into the fast lane. As we all know, it's the risk takers who get their faces on the cover of Wired magazine and their words on National Public Radio. No one ever remembers who won "honorable mention"...
Cool Rules Pronto celebrates uncommon sense in marketing and media. It's written by Freddy J. Nager, the Founder of the L.A.-based creative strategy agency Atomic Tango LLC, and marketing instructor at UCLA Extension and Robert Kennedy College of Zurich, Switzerland.
