Franco & Co. Blog

Somebody's probably written about a book about this already, but here's a few reflections from this side of the pond.

Lesson 1 Clarity of Positioning, Clarity of Message

Obama stood for one thing - Change - and this was the message he hammered home throughout the Campaign. He avoided negative campaigning focusing instead on his own message. His slogan ‘Yes We Can' was a clear and consistent call to action, an invitation to embrace the change he stood for. It comes through loud and clear in his victory speech.

Lesson 2 Tell a Compelling Story

The Obama life story has been well documented, not least in his own book, Dreams From My Father and he drew upon his personal experiences in all his speeches. It demonstrated his substance. People responded to it at an emotional level. It became the bedrock of his broad appeal.

Lesson 3 Impeccable Presentation

This operated at 2 levels. Firstly, his remarkable oratory skills attracted huge crowds and admiration from all over the world, drawing comparisons with other great speakers such as Martin Luther King. Secondly he dressed immaculately and never put a foot wrong with the sharp suits and good taste worthy of an iconic, charismatic leader.

Lesson 4 Use the Power of the Web

The centrepiece of his communication strategy was barackobama.com. It was used to ask for donations, create databases, post messages, showcase his speeches. It was easy to use, interactive and engaging. He also used a whole host of other ‘social media' - text messaging, twitter alerts and email to communicate to his followers.

Lesson 5 Get Advocates on Your Side

Obama had a diverse and powerful set of supporters, willing to sing his praises. They came from the world of music (eg Jay Z, Springsteen) popular culture (eg Oprah) and most importantly The Clintons. In addition, his supporters worked tirelessly on his behalf and were critical in mobilising the masses to vote for him.

Lesson 6 Money Talks

Everything was made possible with the vast resources he had at his disposal - a result of his phenomenal fundraising. He clearly outspent his opponent and had a much higher share of voice throughout the Campaign. When you're up against a tough opponent and the stakes are high, don't be afraid to spend big.

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Early reports indicate that Nintendo's Wii Fit will be the most popular computer game this Christmas and that like last year, UK retailers will run out of stock. So how does Wii do it? What can we as marketers learn from its success?

In the first instance it's a fabulous example of Blue Ocean Strategy. Instead of competing with Sony Playstation and Xbox in the Red Ocean of hard-core gaming, it has created a Blue Ocean by targeting non-gamers with broader interests. As a result it's completely re-invented family entertainment.

Great quote from Satura Iwata, CEO of Nintendo

'We are not competing against Sony or Microsoft. We are battling the indifference of people who have no interest in videogames'

Most importantly, it's a great product. People often talk rather glibly about creating a brand experience. The Wii does this beyond compare. It's unique, highly engaging, intuitive, easy to use, entertaining. There's nothing quite like it.

It's reminded us of the importance of ongoing innovation and not resting on your laurels. Last year, Wii Sports was big news. This year Wii Fit will be just as successful. I'm sure the next big hit is already in the pipeline.

It's not forgotten how to deliver great value. Last time I looked on Amazon, the Wii Console, including Wii Sports costs £170 and the Wii Fit game sells for £70. You get a lot of entertainment for your money. The Playstation 3 Console retails at £289.

And finally, it highlights the importance of generating word of mouth. The danger of running out of stock is already a big news story. People who are fans of the Wii love to talk about how great it is. It's easy to share the experience with friends. It's creating a whole host of You Tube videos, including this famous clip which has generated several million hits.

So well done Nintendo. Must go now go and join the queue at Argos before it's too late.

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Over the past few weeks, I've  been shocked by the volume of anti-BBC vitriol that has poured out of the media as a fall-out from the 'Manuelgate' scandal.

True, the whole episode was unfunny, tasteless and shouldn't have been aired. However, the suggestions that the licence fee is too expensive and that quality has deteriorated, the BBC should be disbanded, etc are completely unfair and a complete over-reaction.

The BBC is one of the UK's finest brands and something we should continue to treasure . I love the website which is informative and easy to use. I love iPlayer which is a fabulous innovation and has transformed our viewing habits. The radio stations are diverse and engaging . The TV programmes remain interesting and exciting. The visual identity oozes quality and creativity.

I think the anti-BBC fever has been fuelled by a number of things

1. The fact that people care and feel they 'own' the brand. They somehow feel  they have a stake in it and when it lets them down, they take it very personally

2. Brand and Ross picked the wrong target. If they'd phoned up John Prescott nobody would have cared

3. There's jealousy and ongoing resentment over how much Jonathan Ross is paid vs your average journalist

Anyone who's lived abroad  and witnessed truly awful TV should thank their lucky stars that we've got the BBC. It may not be perfect but its something we should be proud of.

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