MARKETING FOR
MANUFACTURERS

In this guide, we explore the basics of Brand Architecture and the two most popular models for combining brands: Branded House and House of Brands.

Outdoor fan favorite Osprey Backpacks provides a perfect lesson is successful brand building through a network of dealer retailers.

Dig deeper into 3 of Carl Jung's 12 Archetypes, used by brands that seek to to bring the world and their customers closer to an ideal life.

Dig deeper into 3 of Carl Jung's 12 Archetypes, used by brands that seek to provide structure for their customers—and the world.

Dig deeper into 3 of Carl Jung's 12 Archetypes, used by brands that seek to build a Connection with their customers above all else.

Dig deeper into 3 of Carl Jung's 12 Archetypes, used by brands that seek to Make an Impression on their customers—and the world.

What does Carl Jung have to do with your brand positioning? Our guide unpacks the power of identifying your brand archetype as a lens for marketing strategy.

These five trailblazing brands touch everything from the way we build airplanes, package our snacks, drive our cars, and make our clothes.

This year, we’re celebrating the diverse and vibrant world of manufacturing, starting with a look at 5 iconic manufacturing companies that have remained relevant for 100+ years. 

Mission. Vision. Value Proposition. Every company has these statements buried somewhere in their brand guide or website. But are they doing any good beyond the "About Us" page? Could they better connect with employees and customers?

Is your marketing selling benefits or features? Which is most relevant to your customers? Here are three great examples of benefit-focused marketing that hits the mark.

New year, same goals for being a radically relevant brand. Click through to catch Ashton's three tips for getting and maintaining brand relevancy in 2022.

The tireless work of US Postal Workers is captured in their famous creed. But does it match up with how employees feel about working for USPS? And what does it mean for your brand?

Picasso's "Untitled "sculpture stirred up a lot of controversy and started a movement in Chicago we're still talking about today. But what does it have to teach us about branding?

When consumer decisions are made on price alone, it can be a sign of missing relevancy. And it's this relevancy that may steer the consumer from a decision based on price, to one that might enable the brand to be more profitable.

Auto industry reporter Phil Lebeau sheds light on Jeep's brand marketing success despite dismal Consumer Reports' auto guide ratings, and it's product relevancy that plays a key role in Jeep's ever-growing sales.

If you've seen the classic sports movie Jerry Maguire, (yes, it was on a few nights ago and I just had to watch it...again), you might remember the final scene between NFL player Rod Tidwell (Cuba Gooding Jr.) and his agent Jerry Maguire (Tom Cruise). The two had gone down an extremely rough road together, but their perseverance finally pays off when Tidwell lands a big NFL contract.

We work with manufacturers who typically sell their products through independent sales channels. While those dealers, distributors or franchisees often say they're just looking for the best price, the truth is they're looking for a hero.

It's that time of year again, when I blow the dust off the DVD player, grab a couple of hankies, and plug in one of my many copies of It's A Wonderful Life for the annual viewing. The movie has been my favorite since the mid-1980's, probably because it's so easy to relate to George's quest for greener grass.

I am a fairly loyal Best Buy® customer. How do I measure that? Well, I was recently inducted as a Premier Silver Member (not based on my gray hair, but based on my volume of purchases). And when I need a computer, printer, TV, phone accessories, cameras, etc., Best Buy is the first place I typically think to go.

Over the past few weeks, I've heard a similar comment in different meetings with clients and prospective clients. It's been something to the effect of... "We want customers to come looking for our products instead of us having to go to them!"

At the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, several years ago, CEOs from around the world reported that the equity in their brand represented about 40% of their total market capitalization. More recently, Brand Channel stated that 70% of McDonald's shareholder value was generated by the brand alone.

There seems to be a common theme in many of our client meetings so far this year . . . Cutting Costs vs. Adding Value

Whether there's snow on the ground or not, once March hits, I can't help but start thinking about four of my favorite outdoor activities: mowing, trout fishing camping, and grilling. While there are plenty of branding issues to discuss when it comes to fishing and grilling, this time I want to focus on mowers...specifically, my John Deere mower.

If you hadn't noticed, the buzz about content marketing and its importance in the mix only seems to be growing louder. And that might seem strange due to the fact that the strategy has been around for ages.

I don't typically make much conversation on the plane. It's not that I'm not interested in other people it's just the whole process of air travel can be taxing, especially if you've done it multiple days in a row. So when I boarded a plane headed for Manchester, NH a while ago, I was ready to put the headphones on, crank up the music, pull out the most recent issue of Forbes...and check out.

I've always admired this ad. It originally ran in 1958 for McGraw-Hill Magazines. And even though it's more than a half century old, I love how timeless the message is...

If you're in business, you've undoubtedly heard this line more than once over the years... "If it wasn't for the customers, I'd love this job." And then just last week, a friend of mine asked me this... "I know you guys say you help make the manufacturer a hero to the dealer network, but don't you find that the manufacturers just really don't like the dealers... and usually, vice versa?"

The birthing of a trusted brand doesn’t generally start in the marketing department at all. Oftentimes, it starts in engineering. Or in customer experience planning. Or even with dealer loyalty programs.

At Cabela's, Christmas ideas and brand stories literally jump off the shelf. Here's a look at two great products from the store's shelves, both with one-of-a-kind stories that have long helped these brands deliver premium prices.

Gemutlichkeit is a real word. A German word, in fact. And, oddly enough, how it related to branding was the topic of a conversation I had with my mom over the weekend.

My first job out of college on the client side was advertising manager for some Ace Hardware stores. It was a great experience because I had the chance to do it all research, media buying, ad concepting, layouts, copywriting, outdoor advertising, tv and radio commercials... even grilling hot dogs at weekend promotions.

We've seen more than our fair share of retail shows thanks to our fabulous manufacturing clientele, but this year’s John Deere booth takes the cake for customer experience thanks to the brands' booth makeover.

Huebner Marketing was awarded a Gold MarCom Award in the Digital Media category of “Outstanding Web Video" for its Dutchmen RV brand video. Check out this video marketing agency accolade.

I must say, it warmed my heart a little when the 50th Anniversary of the Christmas classic "Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer" was announced a few years ago. I have fond memories of the show and the anticipation that built up before it aired every Christmas season.

There's a time and a place to do things yourself. When it comes to survival, you can definitely make the case for doing it yourself. I remember watching Rambo for the first time and being in awe of his grit when he stitched up his own wound.

A while back, I had the opportunity to sit in on a live webinar hosted by the Marketing Science Institute. To be honest, I typically don't have time (or at least don't make the time) for webinars. In fact, I can count on one hand the number of webinars I've attended in the last ten years.

I ran across a really interesting article a while back from the Marketing Science Institutes