George Chen » Marketing

The User Experience of “See you soon.”

Administrator — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 23:00:07 +0000

Today I drove to the city next to where I live to get some cheap gas. After filling up the tank, I took the usual freeway on ramp and head home.

I noticed the special details this neighboring city put into the landscaping next to freeway on ramp. It wasn’t there in the past.

That reminds me of the various airport departing lounge. The ones that really made me want to stay are the ones in Hong Kong, Osaka, and Frankfurt. Services, real shops, real places to eat had made me want to stay at those places longer (or return). Heatherow is getting much better too.

I wonder if we can bring the same “warm fuzzy” into Web and Mobile product design? Each time you leave the app, you get such a nice feeling that you simply can’t wait to come back for more.

Seth Godin on how iPhone 3G launch could be a better experience.

Administrator — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 15:24:03 +0000

Good stuff from Seth Godin as usual. Apple learn from this please.

Your brand in other’s mind.

Administrator — Wed, 14 May 2008 01:12:04 +0000

From Seth Godin’s blog: “Brand Tag is a simple game where you pick one-word associations to go with major brands. The result pages are actually pretty inane, but the magical way each and every one of these brands compels you to think is fascinating”. (Note: the typographic tag cloud layout is interesting too)

Check it out.

Learn whenNOT to file a lawsuit, then again, do so if you are just after the $$$.

Administrator — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 05:45:47 +0000

From The New York Times: Gibson Guitar filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Guitar Hero’s publishers. Gibson said the games, in which players use a guitar-shaped controller in time with notes on a television screen, violate a 1999 patent for technology to simulate a musical performance.

Well, duh.

I think this act is actually bad for the Gibson brand image.

Can you “brand” a living plant (rose)?

Administrator — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 03:56:42 +0000

Apparently, Louis Vuitton Japan think you can. The original story by Japanese Marketing New is here.

Do you need “Badass” security software? I certainly don’t.

Administrator — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 23:30:26 +0000

Since when “Badass” is an acceptable terms for corporate marketing or communication?

If you live in the Bay Area, driving down 101 around South San Francisco area you will run into a McAfee billboard that said, “Hackers are bad. We’re Badass“.

I am all for creative copy writing and edgy stuff, but last I want from my security and anti-virus software is a brand that’s “looking for trouble” or try to tick off the hacker community. Bad move.

A very cool Mobile Site

Administrator — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 07:11:00 +0000

Check out the Live Free or Die Hard DVD Site from your iPhone. It’s specific for the iPhone WebKit browser. Really well done.

EOS – Not the Camera + Random Branding Thoughts

Administrator — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 04:53:53 +0000

I’ve always admire companies that’s are good at launching “product brands”.

“Playstation”, “EOS”, “Macintosh” are just a few I can name quickly.

It’s interesting the so-called “Internet companies” have a much harder time (or maybe lack of $$$) to launch “product brands”. I mean, you always see Yahoo! this or Google that. How boring.

But what about “recycle” of brand name that is already being used?

Volkswagen just launched a new car named EOS. EOS of course is the famous Canon camera line. I wonder what causes VW to consider EOS.