"A Diamond is Forever": DeBeers New Multifaceted Marketing Strategy

Faced with such challenges as new sources of competition and suspicion about conflict diamonds, Gareth Penny had to rethink the basics.

A diamond may be forever, as De Beers' famous advertising slogan contends, but is the same true of a business model? That was the question facing Gareth Penny, managing director of De Beers, in the late 19'90s, when the famed diamond cartel found itself beset by a series of events that ultimately forced it to examine and then retool its business strategy.

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Texas Instruments Introduces New "Marketing Blitz"

Back in 1982, Texas Instruments Inc. (TXN ) had one of the hottest brands in techdom. Its digital watches and calculators were everywhere, as were its ads with TV icon Bill Cosby promoting its home computers. But when its PC business folded in 1984, so did TI's last attempts at mass marketing.

Now that's changing. In November, TI launched a major marketing blitz aimed at reintroducing itself to consumers while spurring sales of flat-screen TVs that use its digital light-processing chips. In TV spots that will air during peak viewing times, including the Super Bowl on Feb. 6, TI is promoting the picture quality of sets that use DLP, a proprietary technology that involves bouncing light off more than a million tiny mirrors. If the ads are a success, consumers could see TI start to position itself as a hip, innovative company behind a range of consumer products. "We're in an era where communications and consumer electronics are the most important [markets]," says Richard K. Templeton, who became CEO in May.


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Pizza Hut Shortens Name to "The Hut" as New Marketing Strategy

The company has tried to become more hip and youth-friendly in recent months. In April, it introduced the Pizza Hut "Twintern," an employee who uses the online service Twitter to update customers about store events and pop culture news.

This isn't the first time for Pizza Hut parent Yum Brands to change the branding of one of its iconic restaurant chains, which include Taco Bell. In 1991, the company rebranded Kentucky Fried Chicken as KFC. Recently, to highlight the company's healthier grilled chicken offerings, the company has referred to the KFC brand as KGC.



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Sobe Uses Online Resources to Advertise Low Calorie Life Water

The latest additions to its zero-calorie product line are both naturally sweetened by Stevia. New 15-second TV spots from The Arnell Group air this month starring the brand's lizard mascot. Out-of-home will support in four key markets.
 

Ads will include a callout to SoBe's Twitter address: @sobeworld. Here, fans can read Tweets from Lee the Lizard. SoBe also launched a Twitter aggregator at Tweelife.com designed to "bring the best of summer to online followers," according to the company. On Facebook, friends can "gift" a virtual Lifewater; doing so links to a digital coupon and yields access Google Maps showing where sampling efforts are being held. Throughout the summer, SoBe will distribute 3 million samples at events.
 
"What better time of year to provide consumers more variety in the healthier beverages they seek and exclusive access to the hottest social events," said Angelique Krembs, SoBe marketing director at Pepsi-Cola North America Beverages, in a statement. 


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