Warren Douglas website

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Becoming a “Fan” of Premium Thinking.

Does the name James Dyson ring a bell?  It should.
As the inventor and marketer of revolutionary Dyson Vacuums, Mr. Dyson has cornered the market on unconventional thinking for a very conventional task–vacuuming carpets and rugs. Mr. Dyson’s fresh, new approach to the technical aspect of dust removal and collection proved that if you can invent [...]

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Canon’s Flickr-ing Halo

It is a new media world, defined by consistent and instantaneous connectivity.  This trend has had premium brands in the world of photography finding themselves in competition with mobile phones equipped with increasingly more competent digital camera capability.  But when it comes to capturing the treasured moments of our lives and sharing them across the [...]

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A QuikTrip to a Premium Brand

There are a variety of premium brands I’m fiercely loyal to. Mobil 1 Oil. Mirado Black Warrior Pencils. KTM motorcycles. All of them share premium traits like impeccable performance, superb fit and finish and long-lasting quality.
But few brands impress or excite me more than my favorite place for gasoline and sundries—QuikTrip. Do you [...]

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Premium Marks the Spot.

Years ago an assignment came across my desk to create some “indoor” advertising for a client. A little investigating revealed that “indoor” referred to bathroom/urinal ads. This was uncharted territory for us at the time so we attacked the job eagerly, crafting clever, pun-filled creative to make the most of this new environment.
Today, bathroom advertising [...]

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Does Anyone Know Panera Has Premium Meat?

I was recently looking for some more healthy food options when eating out. My friend, Lauren, immediately pointed me toward Panera. I really like Panera, but had never heard that their chicken was all-natural. I went to their website to see what else they offered, and no where on their website could I find any [...]

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The Premium Nature of the “Real McCoy”

I’m what you call a gear head. A car and bike nut, if you will. I’ve been crazy for fast cars and motorcycles since I was a kid. So when the Internet came along, and with it sites like eBay, I was as happy as a pig on ice. Why? Because [...]

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Emotional vs. rational benefits: getting the mix just right

When it comes to marketing premium brands, there’s usually no shortage of RTBs (Reasons To Believe) to choose from. Although brands in commodity categories are sometimes challenged to differentiate themselves, the premium brand(s) in any “vertical” should carefully choose which RTBs make it to the front lines of consumer messaging. Whether or not emotional or [...]

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Can I earn my subscription by viewing ads?

It could be just around the corner. Like maybe next month or so. My subscription to Fortune Magazine could be delivered electronically. (I’d link to it, but it’s a subscription-only site!) And no, I’m not just talking about their website, but a bona fide magazine with ads and all, right on Steve Jobs’ latest stroke [...]

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The Facts About Food and Other Life Lessons

So, I’m writing on location at the Fancy Food Show in San Francisco. Though it sounds glamorous and exciting, it is a rat race and just plain full of people. Plus, I’ve never seen so many varieties of cheeses, olive oils, crackers, salad dressings, and salsas.
One interesting seminar I attended features the NASFT 2009 Specialty [...]

social media

I’ve Been Facebook Murdered!

While this is the story of what happened to my boss, he’s in Florida escaping the bitter Arctic cold front while at a sales conference for one of our esteemed premium brand clients—so, I don’t feel bad stealing it away for a blog entry.
The other day, Mr. Bossy Boss told me a tale about this [...]