Comments on: The Coca-Cola Company and chunky marketing http://cultureby.com/2006/07/the_pressures_a.html This Blog Sits At the Intersection of Anthropology and Economics Thu, 17 May 2012 21:10:32 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Anonymous http://cultureby.com/2006/07/the_pressures_a.html/comment-page-1#comment-4232 Anonymous Mon, 31 Jul 2006 10:43:44 +0000 http://localhost/wp_culture/?p=651#comment-4232 Ed, brilliant, and that raises the possibility of a kind of swatch strategy, where the brand now stands for a steady stream of variation. This is not long tail, because the corporation, the brander still has to design the vector most precisely. Thanks, Grant Peter, I was indeed thinking of the PC when I mentioned the skunk works (and I guess it is the most spectacular example). Thanks, Grant Mark S., interesting, I have the following though that if this were truly a commoditized market we would all be drinking generic, store brand Coke and Pepsi. But certainly, it is true that execution counts for lots here, and if a Swatch model is in the works, it will count for even more. Thanks, Grant M. good point, when people set off to reinvent the world, the ability of the corporation to prevent Enron-type problems is challenged. And yes it would be great if we could come up with a change management model that would work here, but how do you create a single system to create all the diversity of product needed to speak to new diversity of consumer taste and preference? Skunk word diversity seems more promising, some how. Thanks, Grant Ed, brilliant, and that raises the possibility of a kind of swatch strategy, where the brand now stands for a steady stream of variation. This is not long tail, because the corporation, the brander still has to design the vector most precisely. Thanks, Grant

Peter, I was indeed thinking of the PC when I mentioned the skunk works (and I guess it is the most spectacular example). Thanks, Grant

Mark S., interesting, I have the following though that if this were truly a commoditized market we would all be drinking generic, store brand Coke and Pepsi. But certainly, it is true that execution counts for lots here, and if a Swatch model is in the works, it will count for even more. Thanks, Grant

M. good point, when people set off to reinvent the world, the ability of the corporation to prevent Enron-type problems is challenged. And yes it would be great if we could come up with a change management model that would work here, but how do you create a single system to create all the diversity of product needed to speak to new diversity of consumer taste and preference? Skunk word diversity seems more promising, some how. Thanks, Grant

]]> By: mark http://cultureby.com/2006/07/the_pressures_a.html/comment-page-1#comment-4231 mark Mon, 31 Jul 2006 01:27:36 +0000 http://localhost/wp_culture/?p=651#comment-4231 Cultural diversity is a two sided coin. There are many cases where having a seperate culture in a division has lead to a "company within a company" syndrome. IN the case of Salomon Brothers in the '80s, that enabled the bond trading division to justify itself acting outside of the law. Maybe the problem is more fundemental and simple: change management. It means a company throwing off system that were supposed to "guarantee" results, and start taking more risks. Cultural diversity is a two sided coin. There are many cases where having a seperate culture in a division has lead to a “company within a company” syndrome. IN the case of Salomon Brothers in the ’80s, that enabled the bond trading division to justify itself acting outside of the law.

Maybe the problem is more fundemental and simple: change management. It means a company throwing off system that were supposed to “guarantee” results, and start taking more risks.

]]> By: mark schraaad http://cultureby.com/2006/07/the_pressures_a.html/comment-page-1#comment-4230 mark schraaad Sun, 30 Jul 2006 18:22:10 +0000 http://localhost/wp_culture/?p=651#comment-4230 I think the gains of Pepsi that alowed it to match Coke says more about the power of brand parity and excellent execution. The power of brand differentiation (which is much more interesting to stratigize, create, and execute) can easily be overestimated in a severely commoditized market. I think the gains of Pepsi that alowed it to match Coke says more about the power of brand parity and excellent execution. The power of brand differentiation (which is much more interesting to stratigize, create, and execute) can easily be overestimated in a severely commoditized market.

]]> By: Peter http://cultureby.com/2006/07/the_pressures_a.html/comment-page-1#comment-4229 Peter Sat, 29 Jul 2006 08:38:12 +0000 http://localhost/wp_culture/?p=651#comment-4229 It is interesting, Grant, that you say that "Fruitopia needed to be sold as if it were a tiny start up not an obligation", and you say this at the 25th anniversary of the launch of the IBM PC. IBM tried twice to develop PC operating system software internally -- once using the cumbersome structures and mainframe-mindset people of its existing software division, and once by establishing an internal "start-up", a new group run at arms length from the existing s/w group. Neither worked, and the company was forced to go outside to an actual start-up, Microsoft, to get its operating system. It is interesting, Grant, that you say that “Fruitopia needed to be sold as if it were a tiny start up not an obligation”, and you say this at the 25th anniversary of the launch of the IBM PC.

IBM tried twice to develop PC operating system software internally — once using the cumbersome structures and mainframe-mindset people of its existing software division, and once by establishing an internal “start-up”, a new group run at arms length from the existing s/w group. Neither worked, and the company was forced to go outside to an actual start-up, Microsoft, to get its operating system.

]]> By: edward cotton http://cultureby.com/2006/07/the_pressures_a.html/comment-page-1#comment-4228 edward cotton Sat, 29 Jul 2006 07:28:27 +0000 http://localhost/wp_culture/?p=651#comment-4228 Grant, Ten years ago, I told the CMO of a drinks company, that they weren't in the drinks business, but instead in fashion. He agreed, but told me he couldn't turn his culture around to become that kind of company. It's tough to turn around the tanker. Ed Grant,

Ten years ago, I told the CMO of a drinks company, that they weren’t in the drinks business, but instead in fashion. He agreed, but told me he couldn’t turn his culture around to become that kind of company.

It’s tough to turn around the tanker.

Ed

]]>