Alan M. Siegel's Blog, page 129

Juice: America’s current cure-all

Americans love health trends. Sugar-free diets and carb-free diets; Stevia and Splenda; trans fats and no trans fats; açai berries and pomegranate juice—we hop on board, eager to unlock the elusive secret to healthy eating and weight loss. In the past several years, we’ve seen the health food and beverage industry explode.

If you’ve entered a grocery store recently (or even a Starbucks) you’ve probably noticed the newest fad on the health front: Juice.

The experience of sustainability: The packaging dilemma for brands

As the holiday season approaches, everyone hears that familiar story: “I went to the ends of the earth to find the _______ for my son / daughter / niece / nephew and they ended up playing with the box.” I was that kid and I still love packaging.

However, I find myself conflicted. Environmental issues have made sustainability and CSR initiatives more prevalent and important than ever. When do excess packaging and choreographed unboxing simply become frivolous waste?

Shatterproof and Siegel+Gale: Rocking the Rappelling

Earlier this month, Siegel+Gale rappelled down the side of the San Jose Marriott in a fundraising effort for our client Shatterproof, a national organization committed to preventing addiction, ending the stigma attached to the word and helping those suffering from the disease (we wrote a blog post about the event that you can read here).

But wait, there’s more—we recorded our descent! Watch the video.

Winning over the American diner, one stomach at a time: Hai Di Lao’s lesson for brands entering the US market

The tale of American brands expanding into the Chinese market is an old one. From Nike to Coca Cola to Converse, brands have used localization as a tool for success in China. However, as Chinese brands including Haier, Lenovo and Huawei gain traction in local markets, recognition on the global stage is their next step.

With Americanized Chinese food a tried and true taste in the US, Chengdu-based hot pot chain Hai Di Lao is testing American waters (and stomachs) with an authentic Chinese experience: the hot pot.

Shatterproof and Siegel+Gale: Fighting Addiction, Fighting Gravity

On December 5, 10 Siegel+Gale colleagues took a stand to fight addiction. Actually, we took a step down…over the side of the San Jose Marriott. One of San Jose, California’s tallest buildings, the Marriott rises 268’ (27 stories) into the Silicon Valley sky.

We rappelled to support our client, Shatterproof, a national organization committed to preventing addiction, ending the stigma attached to the word and helping those suffering from the disease.

Simplicity saved my life

This is not an exaggeration. Thanks to The Kerry Gaynor Method, a simple, three-hour DVD program, I am a non-smoker.

Seriously, I’m not kidding.

真正以顾客为中心的时代来临

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「顾客永远是对的」，这是一个早已广为流传的概念，在互联网时代来临之后，这个概念将再次被升华，迎以来「以顾客为中心」的时代。

Chinese brands shift focus to put customers first

Not until recent years has the idea of “the customer is always right” been fully embraced. Especially in China, this phenomenon is now booming and we are now putting customers first.

In light of these changes, I decided to examine three industries to show how Chinese brands are evolving to capitalize on this trend and compete in the digital era.

Honesty is a critical element of your brand

I began this series by asking the questions: what is fact-based branding and why should you embrace it?

Today, we’ll explore the compelling truths of your brand. In my video, I discuss the “centers of gravity” for your brand’s compelling truth, and explore how you can determine the importance of your brand’s attributes using a chip allocation exercise.

捞住美国用餐者的胃口:海底捞的故事

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美国品牌在中国扩张的案例已是屡见不鲜，例如可口可乐，耐克及匡威，这些外国品牌成功地使用本土化策略以适应中国市场。许多中国的知名品牌如海尔，联想以及华为已在本地市场获取成功，而他们的下一步则是指向全球市场。