KnowThis Blog Postings

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Published on October 28, 2009

Posted by Paul Christ

The Keys to Brand Success (Millward Brown)

For the last few years the guys at Millward Brown have been producing insightful marketing content and this story (in PDF format) continues the good work.  It covers the factors that set brands apart and hopefully make them distinctive such as the brand name, logo, packaging design, etc.   But not only does the story cover the factors important to branding, it also looks at the psychology behind these factors and how these affect customer decision making.

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Published on October 27, 2009

Posted by Paul Christ

Cookies Sound Sweet but They Can Be Risky (USA Today)

More than likely a large majority of people who browse the Internet know they are being watched or at least their computer is being watched.  They know, for instance, that websites can follow where they go on a site, though users may not fully understand what type of information is being gathered.  But while people know they are being monitored, few know what methods websites use to get their information.  This story lays out one important way websites track users through the use of digital cookies.  The story also offers ideas for protecting users when they visit sites using tracking information in ways that some may consider as being unethical.

Cookies track where you have gone online and are stored on your hard drive. The websites you visit tap into those cookies so they can tailor promotions to you or retrieve data such as your credit card information.

Most major sites have privacy statements discussing their use of cookies and other tracking methods but what percentage of visitors to a website, such as Amazon or Yahoo, ever read the privacy statement?  Should these statements be more visible?

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Published on October 27, 2009

Posted by Paul Christ

Kids' Cereals Pour on the Sugar and Sodium (USA Today)

Here is a scathing research report that has some marketers in the U.S. scurrying for cover.  Not only is it produced by a credible research center, it also has the resources to be well publicized (it was picked up by many media outlets).  The report titled Evaluating the Nutrition Quality and Marketing of Children’s Cereal by the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at Yale University challenges the marketing activates of major cereal manufacturers by looking at how they direct their marketing campaigns (see more about this research at this website).