Much has been written over the past year and half about the death knell sounding for BTB print magazines. It seemed like everyday another BTB title was heading off to magazine heaven. It was a graveyard littered with venerable old titles that had served various categories with distinction for years. If you believed the pundits, BTB print was DOA
In most business to business circles, the OEM - the Original Equipment Manufacturer - is the big dog. OEM's bask in all the communications and marketing limelight. Being a component brand supplier to the OEM often means taking a back seat. Component brands have to fight to gain awareness and are at the mercy of the OEM's marketing and sales strategies. It's often only the OEM's way or you're banished to the highway. They have all the brand clout.
The news about Subway getting into the breakfast game made me question the move. Did they have to do this? Not everyone can do everything well. Five-dollar foot long sandwiches are working well for them. Why the need for breakfast game? It's because the quick service, aka fast food, category is ruthless. It never stops - morning, noon and night. Does it have to be that way?
Having traveled extensively recently, I feel there is not much worse than air travel today. The joy of flying is a long forgotten memory. You just want to get from point A to point B in the quickest time at the best fare with minimal hassle. What happened to what United used to refer to as the "the friendly skies"? The travel category is the very example of look and sound alike sameness with little differentiation. It is a homogonous mess!
