In today’s fast-changing multimedia world, it goes without saying that the rules of the marketing game have changed. Consumers are not so much interested in being talked to through television or print ads as they are interested in interacting with businesses they patronize — and with each other.

Traditional advertising still has its place and word of mouth is king, but where some businesses are missing the boat is in realizing if they don’t have a solid presence online, their customers will create a brand for them, whether those businesses like it or not. And it may not always be a positive one, or one that aligns with their vision. read more »

Four times each year, 30 aspiring entrepreneurs in the Washington Community Alliance for Self Help (CASH) program set out to learn the basics so they can fulfill their dreams to start their own businesses.

They come from every corner of Kitsap County for the eight-weeks of intense business training. Many come from WorkSource to take advantage of the Self Employment Assistance Program (SEAP) that lets them continue to collect unemployment benefits and not have to look for work while they develop their business. read more »

Gig Harbor realtor Ed Aro has been in business for a long time and has built a well-established business. In 2010, he was ready to rebrand his business to both create a more consistent and a more professional look.

“Being in real estate, his brand speaks for him and if things aren’t professionally done, it will affect his sales,” said Kathleen Simpson, a Port Orchard CPA who is Ed Aro Realty’s business adviser. read more »

As a small business, you can’t afford to make big mistakes when it comes to your brand. Fortunately, there are plenty of lessons to learn from corporations with multimillion-dollar marketing allowances. Giants like Coca Cola, Apple and Colgate have proved that despite generous budgets — and the implied savvy that comes with them — nobody’s immune to flops.

Take names, for example. Netflix gets the flag for one of last year’s major marketing blunders. The online-based movie-rental and streaming pioneer decided to split its business into two, separating its streaming service and calling it Qwikster. read more »

Every business needs a memorable, top of category brand name. When your customer and prospects think of a business, you want them to think of you first. Some call this TOMA — top of mind awareness, so when someone thinks of floor covering, for example, your company name — your brand name — pops up in their mind.

Category leaders, from car repair to insurance agents, generally are the most successful businesses. More people remember their name and they ‘win’ in the battle for share of market. read more »

Watson Furniture Group is turning 51 years old this year, and for the past few years the business has grown both organically and through acquisitions. As the company became home to a third line of products last year, it became clear it was time to rebrand.

“We were treating our three divisions as boutique brands with little in common with each other. The rebranding will help with continuity,” said Creative Services Manager Michael Shipley, who has been leading an in-house rebranding team for the past year.

The company is getting ready to roll out its new brand any moment, and, among other things, will have a new name: Watson. read more »

The YMCA launched a nationwide rebranding effort last year, and members at the local branches have been witnessing various changes over the last few months. The Christian-based health and well-being nonprofit has changed its umbrella organization name to the Y (as it has been nicknamed for years) and has introduced a new color scheme and brand identity including a new logo. As part of the process, the Y has fine-tuned its focus on three core areas: youth development, healthy living and social responsibility. read more »

When Kitsap Bank celebrated its 95th anniversary in 2004, the locally owned financial institution had more than half-billion dollars in assets and deep community history. But over the years, the brand had been diluted a bit, with various departments within the bank using inconsistent logo and collateral materials.

“We have a great story — safety and soundness, longevity, locally owned by the same family for over 80 years (nearly 90 now), and our strong commitment to community,” said Shannon Childs, senior vice president and marketing director. “However, we felt we could do a better job telling it.” read more »

Remember Coors’ Rocky Mountain Spring Water? How about Colgate’s kitchen entrees? Bic underwear? No? Don’t worry, you’re one of millions of consumers for whom these product names don’t ring a bell.

Brand flops like Cosmopolitan magazine’s yogurt, Gerber’s baby food meant for adults and the infamous “New Coke” are proof that even with multimillion-dollar marketing budgets and an army of pros, companies are not immune from coming up with not-so-clever ideas. read more »