During the month of December, there were news stories that reflected brand identity, brand storytelling, brand extensions, packaging, and more.
RE-OPENING OF NOTRE DAME CATHEDRAL IN PARIS
If you remember the date of April 15th, 2019, you may recall that a structural fire broke out in the roof space of Notre-Dame de Paris. According to Wikipedia, "By the time the fire was extinguished, the wooden spire (flèche) had collapsed, most of the wooden roof had been destroyed, and the cathedral's upper walls were severely damaged. Extensive damage to the interior was prevented by the vaulted stone ceiling, which largely contained the burning roof as it collapsed. Many works of art and religious relics were moved to safety, but others suffered smoke damage, and some of the exterior art was damaged or destroyed. The altar, two pipe organs, and three 13th-century rose windows suffered little or no damage, but the fire contaminated the site and nearby areas of Paris with toxic dust and lead. Two days later, French President Emmanuel Macron set a five-year deadline to restore the cathedral."
Fast forward to December 7th, 2024, the restoration was completed, and Notre-Dame de Paris, a medieval Catholic cathedral in Paris, France, was reopened. The reopening ceremony was presided over by the archbishop of Paris in the presence of French President Emmanuel Macron and other dignitaries, including present and former heads of state.
As a Francophile who has lived in France twice, I consider Notre Dame to be the center of the Parisian capital and part of the French soul. The fire to the 860-year-old cathedral was devastating to watch on television, I cannot imagine what it must have been like to watch the fire in person.
According to CNN Travel, "The cathedral expects to welcome up to 15 million visitors each year. For now, visiting remains free. Guests will be able to book a free ticket online and access the building either on the same day or one or two days after booking."
COCA-COLA'S PACKAGING
According to CNN, "Coca-Cola is scaling back its packaging sustainability goals, igniting outrage from environmental activists. The beverage company, which has long been criticized for being one of the world's top producers of plastic pollutants, changed its "voluntary environmental goals" in December. It now aims to use 35-40 percent recycled material in its packaging by 2035 — a drastic reduction from its previous goal of 50 percent by 2030."
According to Plastic Pollution Coalition, "Coca-Cola's new move follows decades of greenwashing by the company, which has involved deceptively marketing its products as sustainable. This includes Coca-Cola's disproportionate use of its glass bottle in its advertising, when in reality most of the packaging it produces — nearly 50 percent — is made of plastic. Coca-Cola is the largest consumer-facing global seller of plastics, producing almost one-quarter of the world's single-use plastic bottles. Coca-Cola plastic bottles, caps, and wrappers have been the most commonly found branded plastic pollution found in the environment for the last six years, according to Break Free From Plastic Brand Audits."
UNIVERSAL THEME PARKS TO INTEGRATE WICKED
According to Universal's corporate communications department, "Universal Destinations and Experiences theme parks (Universal Studios Hollywood and Universal Orlando Resort) will invite guests to defy gravity with a variety of all-new immersive experiences and exclusive merchandise inspired by Wicked, Universal Pictures' film that appeared in theaters November 22. The engaging Wicked experiences will differ at each of the destinations but are both designed to capture the imagination and spirit of the breathtaking world of Wicked, allowing guests to express their fandom through fashion and accessories, while stepping into the story for the first time...This exclusive, one-of-a-kind experience will whisk guests along the yellow brick road and into a variety of iconic Wicked locations from Shiz University to the Emerald City. Fanciful costumes and props created by the designers from the film will also be on display as guests become immersed in spectacular scenic and theming that will recreate some of the most memorable moments of the film...Even more Wicked celebrations are coming to Universal Studios Singapore and Universal Studios Japan early next year."
FRONTIER AIRLINES ANNOUNCES "FIRST CLASS"
While known as the ultra-low fare leader, the airline announced, "Frontier Airlines is soaring to new heights in 2025, and we're thrilled to bring you along for the journey. As part of the next phase of The New Frontier, we're introducing a suite of exciting new products and benefits designed to elevate your travel experience. From luxurious First-Class seating and complimentary seat upgrades to unlimited companion travel and enhanced rewards, Frontier is delivering premium perks without the premium price tag."
According to USA Today, "Frontier Airlines is joining the ranks of its competitors by installing first-class-style seats in the first two rows of its cabins. The product will be similar to Big Front Seats on Spirit Airlines, a recliner-style domestic first-class seat with extra legroom. Frontier hasn't announced exactly what amenities will be included with the purchase of its first-class seats, but airlines typically give passengers who spring for more space perks like priority boarding and free or upgraded snack and beverage service."
Is first class seating a contradiction with low fares? Time will tell how consumers welcome this new phase of the Frontier flight experience.
POPE FRANCIS GOES ELECTRIC
According to Mercedes-Benz, "We have supplied cars to the Vatican for 94 years, and for the past 45 years, the Pope has been using the renowned "Popemobiles," based on the Mercedes-Benz G-Class. Now, for the first time, the Popemobile from Mercedes-Benz is going all-electric. The vehicle was developed in close cooperation with the Vatican specifically for the Pope's use because its electric drivetrain was adapted to the particularly low speeds required for public appearances." According to NPR, "The car's conversion to electric comes as the Pope has repeatedly urged people worldwide to accept the science of climate change and work to protect the environment." ((Note: I may have been influenced by the Pope, because I recently added an electric vehicle to my family.)
CHRYSLER APPEARS ON LIFE SUPPORT WITH ITS MINIVANS
According to CNN, "Chrysler was once a giant in the US auto industry – one of the Big Three, sharing a name with one of the world's tallest buildings and with factories and dealerships spread across America. But "once" is the key word. Today the once-proud brand is a shell of its former self, an after-thought on life support, whose very future could be in doubt. After going through three purchases by foreign-based automakers over the last 25 years, a bankruptcy, and the second federal bailout in its history, the brand has only one car rolling off an assembly line with the Chrysler badge on it: and it's a minivan built in Canada. And while Chrysler invented the minivan, that was decades ago and has long since been rejected by American buyers, looking to haul children and more, in favor of the brawnier style of SUV's."
END OF PARTY CITY
According to CNN, "The New Jersey-based Party City is closing down all of its stores, ending nearly 40 years in business. CEO Barry Litwin told corporate employees that Party City is "winding down" operations immediately. Staff were told they would not receive severance pay, and they were told their benefits would end as the company goes out of business."
This retail outlet follows in the footsteps of Bed Bath & Beyond and the 99 Cents Only Stores. Its specialty was balloons, Halloween costumes, and other party goods - and it had faced competition from e-commerce sites (Amazon, Walmart, and Costco) and pop-up stores like Spirit Halloween. Interesting footnote, during the Covid pandemic, there was a helium shortage, which clearly impacted its balloon sales.
KRAFT MAC & CHEESE'S EVERYTHING BAGEL FLAVOR
According to Food and Wine, "The mac n' cheese giant has announced its plans to drop a brand-new Everything Bagel Mac & Cheese flavor in direct response to "Zillennials," aka, a mix of Gen Z and Millennials, consumer behavior. The Kraft and Heinz Company explained, "The release of Everything Bagel underscores a new flavor-focused expansion strategy that Kraft is piloting to deliver on Zillennials' desire for bolder flavor offerings from their favorite brands. The Everything Bagel flavor brings together the cult-favorite spice with its signature cheese sauce in an irresistible, crave-worthy fusion of oniony, garlicky flavor. The new flavor will be available exclusively on Walmart.com for a limited-time and will only be available while supplies last. The company noted that its timing is rather intentional. It wanted to launch the box just after the Thanksgiving holiday to give exhausted cooks seeking an easy yet crowd-pleasing meal that can be whipped up in minutes without additional ingredients."
TACO BELL'S NEWEST OFFERING
Earlier this year, Liz Matthews, Taco Bell's global chief food innovation officer, said in anticipation of the release of its Cantina Chicken Menu that, "We knew our fans wanted more chicken."
So, beginning December 19 and while supplies last (though originally tested in select locations in Houston and Minneapolis), Taco Bell will give fans what they want and attempt to satiate those cravings in this poultry-mad world with its own take on the fast-food favorite. The company explained, "Our chicken nuggets will be marinated in zesty jalapeño buttermilk flavor and breaded with a blend of breadcrumbs and crunchy tortilla chips. There are also three brand-new sauces to pair with the nuggets: Jalapeño Honey Mustard, Hidden Valley Ranch Fire Sauce, and a creamy, tangy Bell Sauce."
TACO BELL CAFE CONCEPT
Taco Bell is testing a new restaurant that is not focused on tacos. Instead, the newly-opened concept in San Diego is called the Live Más Café, and features a beverage-centric menu that includes milkshakes, coffee drinks, and fruity iced drinks.
"Beverage chains have been among the fastest-growing chains in the restaurant industry from a visitation standpoint during the past two years. Beverage-led concepts attract younger consumers, and it could be a way for Taco Bell to expand and diversify its audience," explained R.J. Hottovy, head of analytical research at Placer.ai.
AUSTRALIAN SOCIAL MEDIA LAW
According to Reuters, "The Social Media Minimum Age bill sets Australia up as a test case for a growing number of governments which have legislated or said they plan to legislate an age restriction on social media amid concern about its mental health impact on young people. Countries including France and some U.S. states have passed laws to restrict access for minors without a parent's permission, but the Australian ban is absolute.
Some 97 percent of Australian teenagers use social media across an average of four platforms, making them among the world's most connected youth. While the ban is yet to be legislated and at present lacks key details, such as which ages and platforms it would affect, the government's first step is to trial age verification."
According to PBS, "Australia's new law approved by its Parliament is an attempt to swim against many tides of modern life — formidable forces like technology, marketing, globalization and, of course, the iron will of a teenager. And like efforts of the past to protect kids from things that parents believe they're not ready for, the nation's move is both ambitious and not exactly simple, particularly in a world where young people are often shaped, defined, and judged by the online company they keep. While the ban won't go into effect for another year, how will Australia enforce it?"
THEATER AND SCOTUS
Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, a longtime theater lover, made her Broadway debut. She appeared in a one-night-only walk-on role on December 14th in the Tony-nominated romantic comedy musical "& Juliet," a modern take on Shakespeare's tragedy that imagines what would have happened if the female protagonist survived and took control of her own life.
According to NPR, "Jackson has long been open about her unabashed love of theater, as she called it in her 2024 memoir Lovely One. She illustrated it further by singing a few lines from The Wiz and Schoolhouse Rock during an interview on her book tour this fall. In the memoir, Jackson describes writing in her application to Harvard University — where she earned her undergraduate and law degrees — that "I wished to attend Harvard as I believed it might help me 'to fulfill my fantasy of becoming the first Black, female Supreme Court justice to appear on a Broadway stage.'"
According to NPR, "Jackson isn't the only Supreme Court justice with a passion for the performing arts. The late justices Antonin Scalia and Ruth Bader Ginsburg, ideological opposites, famously bonded over their love for opera — a friendship that inspired a comic opera in 2015. One year later, at age 83, Ginsburg made her onstage debut (with a speaking role) in a one-night-only cameo as the Duchess of Krakenthorp in a Washington National Opera performance of The Daughter of the Regiment."
MERRIAM-WEBSTER'S WORD OF THE YEAR
According to Merriam-Webster, "Merriam-Webster' 2024 Word of the Year is polarization, which happens to be one idea that both sides of the political spectrum agree on. Search volume on Merriam-Webster.com throughout the year reflected the desire of Americans to better understand the complex state of affairs in our country and around the world. We define polarization as "division into two sharply distinct opposites; especially, a state in which the opinions, beliefs, or interests of a group or society no longer range along a continuum but become concentrated at opposing extremes."
MSNBC observed that, "The 2024 presidential election has left our country more polarized than ever." The word was also used to describe divides beyond the U.S. election, as when Forbes warned that in workplaces, "cultural polarization is becoming a pressing challenge."
According to Peter Sokolowski, Merriam-Webster's editor at large, "The basic job of the dictionary is to tell the truth about words. We've had dictionaries of English for 420 years, and it's only been in the last 20 years or so that we've actually known which words people look up."
According to PBS, "The results of the 2024 U.S. presidential election rattled the country and sent shockwaves across the world — or were cause for celebration, depending on who you ask. Is it any surprise then that the Merriam-Webster word of the year is polarization? According to Peter Sokolowski, "Polarization means division, but it's a very specific kind of division. It means that we are tending toward the extremes rather than toward the center."
PANTONE'S COLOR OF THE YEAR
For 2025, the Pantone Color Institute selected PANTONE 17-1230 Mocha Mousse. The description of this color was: "It nurtures us with its suggestion of the delectable qualities of chocolate and coffee, answering our desire for comfort."
According to Laurie Pressman, Vice President of the Pantone Color Institute, "For Pantone Color of the Year 2025, we look to a mellow brown hue whose inherent richness and comforting warmth extends further into our desire for comfort, and the indulgence of simple pleasures that we can gift and share with others."
When it comes to brown hues, here are some memorable brands: UPS, M&M's, Hershey's, Yves St. Laurent, Nespresso, A&W Root Beer, and Godiva. Are you seeing a chocolate theme?
BALD EAGLE BECAME OFFICIAL NATIONAL BIRD OF UNITED STATES
After nearly 250 years, the bald eagle was recognized as the official national bird of the United States. President Joe Biden signed a bill into law on December 23rd to amend the United States Code - Congress had designated the bald eagle as the national emblem in 1782. According to Senator Amy Kobuchar of Minnesota who had introduced the bill with our legislators, "The bald eagle is a symbol of our country's freedom and strength. In Minnesota, we know a thing or two about eagles: we are home to one of the largest populations of bald eagles in the country as well as the National Eagle Center in Wabasha. With the passage of [this] legislation, the bald eagle will now be recognized as our nation's national bird."
TIME MAGAZINE'S PERSON OF THE YEAR
This annual magazine's choice was a surprise when there were such other inspiring choices. At this time, no more need be said, however, tune into my blog on January 20th, 2025, otherwise known as Inauguration Day for political junkies and history buffs, to read about MY five choices for TIME's Person of the Year.
What other recent marketing buzz caught your attention? Since there's always something happening that impacts marketing, read #DebbieLaskeysBlog for the scoop! And don't forget to swing by on January 1st for my 15th annual "Top 10" marketing highlights of the year post.
Image Credits: Pantone Color Institute, Reuters (Note Dame), Filippo Monteforte/AFP/Getty Images (Popemobile), and Universal Destinations and Experiences.
For more details about a visit to Notre Dame in Paris, France:
https://www.notredamedeparis.fr/en/
To watch my favorite holiday ad this season, Naughty List from Toyota:
https://youtu.be/ihzg0TlveC0?si=G_bpUmngkS67M_Hw
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