Open letter to Mr.Howard Schultz

Dear Mr. Schultz,

I understand that you have received thousands of very good and sounding advice in the latest months.
But as your company is one the most loved around the world and in the blogosphere, I wish to write down few words about the perception and the future of Starbucks.

Last year Starbucks lost me as a customer.
Everytime I was in London or Paris, I always paid a visit to on of your place but this was not the case lately.
Why?
I felt the place was not charming anymore. Sometimes the place was too small, sometimes dirty, sometimes everything happened too quickly like in a factory: who's next? quick, quick!
Too many gadgets
I just wanted a coffee in a nice and clean place, confortable and quite, like at home but... ok, you know, you invented it.

Now, this experience is diluted by the fact that too many shops were opened and you can't retain the same quality across all of them.
And to serve more people the old fashioned coffee machines were replaced with heartless devices.

Why I should pay a premium price for such a disappointing feeling? But I miss the place.

That's why I feel in need to give you an advice.

Go and hire some top managers from luxury companies, someone who knows how to make you pay a premium and feel satisfied and happy. And make happy the shareholders, too.
Someone who works in LVMH or PPR. Someone who can work on the image and still open stores everywhere in the world. Someone able to make people lying up outside the store and still be confortable with that.

You can't compete with McDonalds', because your franchise is far better and of higher profile. Can you imagine Louis Vuitton competing with Gap or H&M? What a shame it would be.

That's all from me.

Bonne chance, G.

Trust me!!!

This is the link to the presentation of the 2008 Trust Barometer Italy from Edelman.
Download and enjoy.

2008 Trust Barometer Italy presentation

I've been invited by Edelman to join the discussion panel at the presentation of the Trust Barometer 2008.
Other participant to the panel are Luca Virginio, P&G Global corporate communication and reputation director, Giorgio Riva, RCS Digital Managing Director and Jere Sullivan, Executive VP Edelman Europe/ Vice Chairman Edelman Brussel.


The presentation is in Milan tomorrow at 5.30 pm.

2008 new mantra

(picture by Francesco Esposito in Flickr)

There's a new mantra for 2008: Trust.
We shifted from Engage to Trust.
Why?
Maybe Engage was too far ahead: you can't engage someone without Trust.
Trust comes before and, apparently, we begun to build a house from the ceiling.

We advice, we speak, we write, sometimes we get paid for and we expect others to believe in what we do.
But our customers must have in us the same Trust that old kings and queens had when financing Columbus and Magellan's expeditions.

So be prepared: a diluge of posts and comments about Trust are going to flood the blogosphere.
Are you ready?

(R)evolution

(R)evolution

BITS from NYTimes is facing the issue of copyright and filtering in a week long debate. The two debaters are Tim Wu, of Columbia Law School and Rick Cotton, general counsel of NBC Universal.

My comments:

• Investing money on producing creative material is a tough task today
• Entertainment corporations structured themselves on a single business model behind the shield of the copyright
• This business model is gone because copyright in no longer a shield
• Corporations seem keen to defend themselves and their status quo more than the artists they represent
• And artists are looking for new business model and for new commercial partners (e.g.: Madonna defected from Warner and signed with Live Nation, a concert promoter)
• The model of making live exhibition to support cd sales is gone: you give away digital music to sell tickets for the exhibition, merchandising, etc.
• This is true for the music market, what about the movie market? Apparently box office is stable in the last three years and this should mean that p2p is not such an issue

• DVD market is the one suffering because the platform itself is agonizing: the launch of new movie rental service may prove to be lethal for the platform, as DVD was for VHS and VHS was for I do not remember what.

The real issue in the story to me is that Entertainment Corporations are unable to define a worth business model to exploit the opportunities coming from the Web 2.0 and the future.

In the Middle Age, there were massive castles ready to resist to siege for months, at least until they had food and water: it was just a matter of time....

Age of conversation II

Here we are for the second year in a row with the Age of conversation project.
After the first release, we are proud to announce the kick off of the second book.

Drew and Gavin are the drivers of this great example of social authoring.

Feel free to be part of it voting (here) the topic you prefer and contributing with your thoughts and ideas.
To participate just send an email to drew@mclellanmarketing.com

All the proceeds from the book selling will be donated to Variety, the Children's Charity.

Facebook on advertising

Maybe it's my poor knowledge of a foreign language, or I'm too dumb to get the point. After reading this interview with the new Facebook,'s vp of product marketing and operation, my feeling that the guys there don't have any clue on how to make money out of it is getting stronger.

The interview is on Fast Company

Facebook and The Da Vinci code

I read this interesting article from The Guardian, author Tom Hodgkinson, about Facebook.
The approach looks like the one of a spy story, with conspirancy, secret service and political lobbies.
But it is fascinating because you never know where is the twilight zone, the limit between thruth and fantasy.

Personally, I do not like much Facebook and feel that there something wrong with it. I totally agree with the journalist when it comes to the ridicolous Facebook privacy policy. I hardly follow him when it comes to mention an involvment of CIA.

Anyway, I would be itnerested in having your thoughts about it.

With friends like these

The roar of a Leopard or of a Bunny?

I've just had one of the most frustratring conversation of my entire life with a tech support hot line.

I'm trying to install Leopard on my MacBook Pro and the dvd of the program does not allow me to choose the type of installation.

According with the instruction, I should have three options.
According with a kind lady of the call center I have to erase my hard disk and install the operating system, period.

But, funny enough, she asked me if I was installing the operating system or and update !! (Leopard is the brand new system, launched a couple of month ago)
Lastly, she asked me if I have the two dvds while the Leopard box contains only one disk: after my answer about having only one, she check with a colleague and then confirm to me that I was right.

Now, this is rather annoying, but to make it more annoying there is a detail: the phone call is at my charge and costs around 5 euros.

I'm not going to erase my hard disk, I'm going to take my Mac to the store where I bought it and check with them.

But, dear Apple, come on! This is not a support: this is rubbish.

Le Web 3

I'm attending Le Web 3 conference in Paris.
The first day has been rather interesting about the magic world of the Web 2.0 business.

Well, I have some feelings and not at all positive:

1. the market is trying to squeeze in a new world an old school model of revenue
2. this model is apparently not working (see the Facebook awfull move)
3. no one has any idea on how to make it working

Worst, the boss of Twitter admitted that they have no idea of the future development of Twitter.

So, now, I have some questions and an advice for all of you reading this post:

1. is a new bubble is behind the corner?
2. any suggestion to the people in the board of the social network companies?
3. is the ability to write business plan more important than the ability to design a revenue model?

The advice is : if you plan to buy a house in the valley, just wait a while. Prices may drop down soon.

Technorati Tags: Le Web 3, Loic Lemuir, Social network, Business model, Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin, Plaxo

I said that

I've been very very busy lately and neglected my blog. And today is just a quick post to say: I said that! here and here
Yes, sometimes it's good to acknowledge when you anticipate an event, even if it is not so good for an icon brand.

Apparently, Apple is facing some issue in the troubled european mobile market.

For more:
C|net

Technorati Tags: Apple, IPhone, Cnet, Bizandbuzz, mobile market

The times they are a-changin'

Once upon a time, there were icon brands that had never to regret for their strategy: everything they did was ok, at least for many fans.

But today, oh today, nothing is granted for anybody. And this is true for them as well.

Take the Apple recent history: for two times in few weeks, the company went under fire.
The first time was with the IPhone price drop.
The second one was some weeks ago, when Apple released an update to the iPhone that erased programs made by independent developers and caused some phones to freeze up.

Then yesterday the NYTimes published this news: Apple to Open iPhone Programming to Outsiders.

What impressed me was a comment from a Gartner analyst, Michael McGuire, who said that
"the developer kit came as little surprise and that Apple probably had planned one all along".

Now, if this is so, why the hell they did not announced timely?
If what Steve Jobs say is right, why they did not announced when launched the IPhone?

On the other side, if they did a misjudgment, why do not just acknowledge?

Companies do not longer live in an ebony tower.

Technorati Tags: NYTimes, Apple, IPhone, Gartner

A share over 600 usd

(Screenshot image with Paparazzi)

Yesterday I was reading the New York Times online Tech page and was amazed by this consideration: in the same page, there are 5 articles about Google.
One was about Google, You Tube and advertising, the second one about Google shares, the third one about GPhone, the fourth one about advertising and phone going together and the fifth one about cloud computing.
Now I pose myself some questions:

1. Do journalists have Google shares?
2. Google is the hottest company right now?
3. Google is expected to become the most influent company in the world?
4. Google does have an outstanding pr and press office?
5. Google management is done by geniuses only?

What's your opinion?

Technorati Tags: New York Times, Google, You Tube, marketing, advertising, GPhone

Facebook and the naked truth

Reading Tangerine Toad post on Daily Fix, I have had some bad feelings on many supposed smart marketers and cool companies.
And it got worst when I thought about many of the latest hype of the net.

And when I think about Facebook I have some question of what I believe Facebook is and isn't.

Facebook is a playground and it is not the panacea for the marketing of the future. Right or wrong?

Facebook is a spot where marketers have to learn how people interact and not to step in and try to generate not required conversation. Right or wrong?

Facebook is not another Second Life. Right or wrong?

Facebook is another bandwagon to jump on now. Right or wrong?

Facebook is just a smarter community but for how long? Right or wrong?

Facebook is ..... what the hell is it?

Technorati Tags: Facebook, Daily Fix, Tangerine Toad, community, conversation

1USD=0,70€ but not for Apple

I still have to blame my beloved Apple for a policy that could alienate a significant number of customers and prospects in Europe.
The European currency is still very strong vs the USD and the current exchange rate is close to 1USD equivalent to 0,70 €.
This is a great advantage for the US companies exporting their goods to Europe as far as it is not seen by the European customers as an unfair tax.

Apple is benefitting as many other companies but its policy of the same price everywhere is putting this excessive benefit in display.

Give a look at Apple site and choose a product.

US store IPod Touch 16 gb at 399 USD
Italy store IPod Touch 16 gb at 399 €

Wait a minute this is a parity between USD and € and I can see it in Apple website.

Again I recognize that a company is looking for the highest revenue but this is rather offensive from my point of view.
And if a friend of mine is travelling to the US, should I feel guilty in purchasing the product there and saving a huge amount of money?

How do you feel when you think that somebody is profiting too much?
What's your opinion whe you feel that you pay too much a product?

Technorati Tags: Apple, exchange rate, IPod Touch, marketing, fair price

Think different? Not even this time

For the second time in few weeks, Apple does another huge mistake.
The launch in the European market of the IPhone may prove to be another loss of grip on the reality of a different market.

The first launch will be in Uk, then France and Germany. Then Italy.
The technology adopted to support the web browsing is based on Wi-fi spots.

Now, I do not know who was building the business plan for the launch but:

Italy is by far the biggest market in Europe for Smartphone
Italian consumers are by far the fastest in adopting new smart devices and in replacing the older devices
Italy is not covered by a significant network of Wi-fi spots
Italy is the second market in Europe for density of mobile phones (number of device vs population), first is Luxembourg

Not to take in consideration these figures in developing the product was a huge mistake as it is now to market it with huge limitation for the biggest market.

Technorati Tags: Apple, IPhone, Smartphone, Wi fi, marketing

Think different? Not this time.

I've been thinking lately about the Apple move to rebate the IPhone cost, all the discussion and the comments. Than I read today this interesting analysis by Ruth Sherman in Fast Company.

In all the comments, and in this one too, I feel that there is a missing link: Apple acted as the major mobile phone device producers do.
They launch a cutting edge model at high price, after three months reduce the price and after six/nine months sell a mssive quantity to the phone carriers to give it for free to their subscribers.
This is the rule except for the top seeling product like the Motorola Rzrs, which remained at very high price longer than usual.
IPhone was not seeling good and Apple followed the industry track.

If the commenters do not get this point, any analysis, even the smarter one, is based on wrong assumption.

The real mistake was that Apple does not probably felt comfortable in this new industry and the business model does reflect it clearly.
To enter in such a market for the first time ever and sign an exclusive deal with one carrier is a stupid move. IPhone should have been sold in the Apple store without any obligation to subscribe a plan with given carrier.

The Apple mistake was not to act as Apple is expected to do.
They were not confident enough to challenge the market and changed as it was for IPod and ITunes.

Apple did not think different and now pay the price for the betrayal of the core brand philosophy.

Technorati Tags: Apple, IPhone, IPod, ITunes, Fast Company, Ruth Sherman, Marketing, Branding

The naked truth

Well, eventually someone from the recording industry, had the guts to admit a reality revelead on blogs since months: the recording business model is done.
Rick Rubin, the new co-chairman of Columbia Records, is the first man from the industry to face the reality.
His solution is to transform the way to purchase music: instead of buying a cd or download an mp3 and pay money for each purchase, the new model is based on a monthly subscription that allow to download a free number of tracks.
Apparently Columbia new model could look for additional revenue from live venues and merchandise.
Read on Cnet and on NYTimes
Sorry if I quote myself but I could have tell this to Columbia for definitely a smaller amount of money and few months ago.
Still the approach is questionable.

The real issue is that Recording industry must shift to Music industry.
Today a Recoding company launch an artist an get revenue from CDs and legal download, period.
Tomorrow, the Music company should sign an artist for his/her entire artistic life: CDs, Download, live venues, merchandising.

Until that day, Recording companies will be in the dark ages.

Sept. 5th Apple news

The so much rumoured news, to be released by Apple next Wednedsday, is the revolution in the phone bill: the IBill.

The IBill is a doc sized around 10 gb that will include all the info you need to know to remember how you used your I-Phone.
To have access to I-bill you need to expand the memory size of your I-Phone and the doc will remain on the device for 6 months before selfdestructing.
This is the sneak preview.

Technorati Tags: Iphone, Apple, AT&T, IPhone bill, marketing

Feeling unsafe: NFL looks for a image rebirth

In some of the previous posts, here at Bizandbuzz, and in a late comment at CK's blog, I was asking: what about is you are a sport sponsor? Still feeling safe in putting money in major sport events?

Just to recap what happened in the last months:

- the Tour de France was hit by several case of doping and some cyclists were kicked out the race, anyway too late: the two German major TV stations drop the the race from their programming.

- a NBA referee admitted he was betting on his own matches and said several other referees and athletes can be involved

- a McLaren manager supposedly bought secret papers from a Ferrari engineer about the latest F1 cars

- an acclaimed quarterback, Michael Vick, pleaded guilty to a federal felony charge of conspiracy stemming from a dog-fighting kennel

Indeed several others events happened to tarnish the image of the sport world.

Today the New York Times has an interesting comment about the adv campaign launched by NFL to mend its bruise image.
It's a warning sign that supporters and, maybe, sponsors do feel that sport is no longer such a safe world where to bring your children or put your money.

I suppose that we will see more adv and pr activities like this one, but we need something more if we want to refresh a rather damaged image.

Read more: Mending a bruised image

Technorati Tags: Marketing, sport sponsorship, NBA, NFL, Formula 1, Michael Vick, Tour de France, cyclism, football, New York Times