Why business silos are death to brands

Shopping is a primary activity for people who are on vacation, so I think we could argue that many retail brands should really be about entertainment.  With that in mind ever wonder why you might see a great print or TV ad – clever, witty, entertaining, and maybe even bold - and then when you go to the retail store or website to purchase the environment is nothing like the ad campaign that was created to get you there. The culprit? Brands are organized by function and don’t communicate with one another.

Many retail brands still do not get Brand 360 where the store or website is the greatest consumer touch point.   Sure stores can succeed with good customer service (efficient, helpful) but what about the way the store/website looks and feels?  Why not link your brand marketing to the store?  Even a few bold graphics could make a tie in.  My belief is that business silos may be an efficient way for a business to organize but silos don’t care at all about the customer and are “death” to a fully actualized brand experience.

How important is the stock market?

I just returned from the Global Department Store Summit in New York and was surprised to hear several luxury retailers say that the gyrations of Wall street can still impact their sales.  I always thought wealthy people were above worrying about how their portfolios might impact their level of spending. But perhaps it is just an indicator of confidence.  As they say in New York "Markets down, bottoms up."  How do marketers exude confidence when the mood of the consumer fluctuates day-to-day.  Several articles I've read support this notion that the consumer is a bit gloomy right now and will be hard to predict.  Holding on to the core essence of your brand seems to be the only way to counteract the mood swings.  But as the Bette Davis character said in All About Eve: "Hold on to your hats. It's going to be a bumpy ride."