Unless your brand wants to become the butt of comedians jokes , make sure that you deliver on your promises. The pizza industry is notorious for adding new toppings, crusts, shapes you name it. These tactics highlight just how far a commodity product can be differentiated. Without a doubt some pizzas are better than others, the challenge is how do you communicate this credibly.

Regardless of how loud the advertisements shout (similar to yelling car dealers) one needs to take into account that consumers are not stupid.

This skit emphasizes the extreme product features some brands would have you believe are really possible;

The next time your brand launches a new product, flavor or variation, remember you can fool a few people some of the time, but not everyone all the time. Honest communication and consistency are two of the most essential ingredients for building sustainable brand loyalty.

Computers and technology are essential elements of modern day living. We have become so dependent one finds it hard to imagine life without it. Consider Generation Y , born into the technical revolution era, and never experiencing life without digital interactivity.

Here are a few facts about Gen Y

Aged 12 –31

Approximately 80 Million, that equates to nearly 25% of the US population, twice the size of Generation X.

Just about all of them own a computer, cell phone and ipod. In fact undergraduate students at Georgia Tech have been mandated since 1997 to own a computer. Technology is no longer an option, but a prerequisite. The challenge facing many marketers is that they communicate with customers as if they are computers.

Financial institutions are notorious for relying on statistical modeling and consumer profiling. While these methodologies appear to be rational (at least from an accountants perspective),they offered little assistance to the recent global financial meltdown which was totally out of control. This frenzy was rocket fuelled with technology, trades and swaps changing hands in nano-seconds without the first consideration for common sense and judgment.

If companies treat their customers like computers, here’s what type of reaction you can expect happens when    “Computer say No”

Frankly you run the risk of losing them forever. While I am a great advocate for change and advancement, I also realize that technology in and of itself cannot answer the marketer’s strategy dilemma. So the next time you invest in technology make sure your staff understand it’s just a tool, no matter how smart and efficient it can operate, people are your greatest asset, unlike a computer they have passion and care, traits technology has not yet discovered. When combined effectively you can now begin to build a “Killer App”