Brand Noise

Stengel Exhorts 4A's: 'It's Not About Telling and Selling'

Rather than using his speech at this week's 4A's conference for one of those "Go digital or go under" warning cries that we've heard before from marketing leaders Mr. Stengel used his platform to describe a different set of imperatives for the industry: the need for brands to be authentic, trustworthy and generous.

Describing a trust-starved world, Mr. Stengel insisted that "generous brands," a coinage he attributed to Fitch Branding, will be winners. By way of examples of generosity, he referenced Starbucks composting its coffee grounds, Amazon giving users other users' reviews, and P&G's own Ariel brand creating a "safe, clean place" for the people of Venezuala's Caracas to do their laundry.  Read more (AdAge.com)

Whites Get Food Stores, Blacks Get Liquor Stores and Fast Food

Some alarming data in a recent study gives some insight into how flaws in urban planning can impact consumer behavior negatively. CNN's Keith Oppenheim looks at the dearth of quality food choices in some American urban areas.

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