They are $limming down:
"Weight Watchers International Inc.’s rebranding effort, including a redesigned magazine, doesn’t seem to be impressing investors. Even as New Year’s resolutions promise to bring a wave of customers seeking to shed pounds, the shares tumbled again Friday following an 8.6 percent four-day slide. The stock’s drop underscores concerns that company won’t be able to pull out of a slump, after falling at least 25 percent in each of the past two years. The company has struggled to compete with rival apps and services, contributing to seven straight quarters of declining sales. Revenue is expected to drop an additional 4.2 percent this year, according to Bloomberg. Weight Watchers has tried to update its image with new ads and the magazine, which debuted Thursday."
Time to go on a diet.
Another attempted image makeover:
"McDonald’s backs love in new marketing effort" by Candice Choi, Associated Press January 04, 2015
NEW YORK — McDonald’s wants to bring back that loving feeling.
As the world’s biggest hamburger chain fights to hold onto customers, the company on Friday unveiled a new marketing strategy and ads it says will emphasize the ‘‘love’’ in its long-running ‘‘I’m Lovin’ It’’ slogan.
As part of the push, McDonald’s released TV ads it says will begin airing this week, including an animated video where the Joker and the Batman, a mailman and a dog, a blue donkey and red elephant, and Smurfs and Gargamel show affection to each other and share McDonald’s products.
The upbeat spot ends with the words ‘‘Choose Lovin’ ”, encompassed by a ring of hearts.
The push to identify itself with love and positivity in the minds of customers comes at a challenging time for McDonald’s, which is facing shifting eating habits, intensifying competition, and growing calls by workers and labor organizers for higher pay and a union.
See: Pay rises for many low-wage workers
That's just pouring $alt into the wound.
Sales for its flagship US division have continued to struggle even after McDonald’s replaced its president twice in less than two years. In November, sales fell 4.6 percent at established US restaurants.
And here I was told the economy was roaring.
The strategy of associating its brand with an uplifting emotion isn’t unique in the marketing world; Coca-Cola, for instance, has established itself by likening its namesake soda to moments of happiness.
They LOVE MONEY!
Allen Adamson, chairman of brand consulting firm Landor North America, said McDonald’s is trying to achieve something similar by focusing a massive organization behind a big, simple idea that ‘‘sits above the quality of its food.’’ But he said the challenge for McDonald’s will be in tying ‘‘loving’’ back to the experience of eating at McDonald’s.
McDonald’s had planned to unveil the strategy at a media event on Dec. 17, but canceled the week before without explanation. The company also declined to make a representative available Friday, but posted a video online with remarks by the chief marketing officer for McDonald’s USA.
--more--"
Okay, I saw the ad several times this afternoon while watching the football game, and while it won't make me eat McDonald's food, I found it kind of cute.
Maybe I've turned into an old softie and I know it's an advertising campaign for McDonald's, but I couldn't help but think I prefer that type of ad to so much of what is out there or what you see.
Maybe the idea of the word got to me, but seeing opposites and enemies making peace and being happy (will take more than a Happy Meal to do that) was such a contrast to the constant fear and war (all based on lies) that is ceaselessly sold to me by the rest of the ma$$ media.
Don't get me wrong; that doesn't erase all the problems with McDonald's. I guess it is just one of the few commercials I have seen in a long, long time that didn't make me groan in one way or another -- so much so that I came back tonight to post this. A labor of love, if you will.
