| Strategic Alliances are the key for your | | | | relationship with McDonald's. And, what quality parent |
| Cross-Promotion success. A popular reason for | | | | would deny their child the opportunity to make their |
| companies to come together is to reciprocally | | | | own McDonald's hamburgers, fries, shakes and |
| promote one another. Ideas are as simple as a local | | | | cookies at home?Nestlé/Road Gold Flipz |
| pharmacy and dry cleaner promoting each other with | | | | (chocolate covered pretzels), the synergy that can |
| specials or coupons, to regional promotions, to | | | | be developed by co-branding is awesome. |
| national promotions. Cross-promotions can be | | | | Co-branded products have, at a minimum; twice the |
| developed with competitors or between | | | | marketing impact and customer pull as traditional |
| organizations from different industries. The key is | | | | branding. Consumers believe that with two trusted |
| simply this-do you have similar customers? Almost | | | | names, the product must be exceptional. There was |
| everywhere you look, you can see one organization | | | | one problem with the Flip though. When they were |
| cross promoting with another. Recently, a | | | | first introduced, the consumers' acceptance was so |
| cross-promotion advertisement in a San Francisco | | | | great that the distributors had trouble keeping their |
| newspaper for Pacific Bell also involved Round Table | | | | stores in stock. What a problem to have . . .In recent |
| Pizza, Hollywood Video, Nokia and the Special | | | | years the automotive industry has found value in |
| Olympics.In your effort to make cross-promotion | | | | Partnering with highly recognizable prestigious brands |
| alliances work, develop your process by keeping the | | | | of clothing and accessories. Ford Motor Company |
| below listed steps in mind:1. Be clear on what you | | | | partners with the successful catalog retailer, Eddie |
| want to create for yourself or your company.2. | | | | Bauer to offer luxurious editions of their popular sport |
| Discover the; What's in it for me (WIIFM) for your | | | | utility vehicle models, Explorer and Expedition. As |
| partner(s).3. Develop a list of who does what for | | | | customers' perception of quality and value can be |
| physical and financial contributions.4. Plan for the | | | | influenced through these offerings, they are also |
| unexpected.5. Explain to your partner(s) the value | | | | willing to pay more for the perceived value.Ford |
| they will receive.6. Help your partner(s) to have an | | | | Motor Company has enjoyed its relationship with |
| emotional ownership in the alliance.7. Do the above | | | | Eddie Bauer for over 20 years. In 1999, the two |
| step for yourself also.8. Execute the promotion.9. | | | | brands reached a milestone in their collaboration as |
| Debrief with partner(s) the value received from the | | | | Ford and Eddie Bauer celebrated production of the |
| investment.10. Plan the next promotion."Got Milk?" | | | | one millionth Eddie Bauer edition Ford vehicle at the |
| The California Milk Processors Board, as reported in | | | | St. Louis Assembly Plant, home of the Ford Explorer |
| The Wall Street Journal in the late 1990s stated that | | | | sport utility.At the time, stated "It's almost uncanny |
| this national promotion has been running since 1993. | | | | how well-matched Ford and Eddie Bauer are," says |
| They also put "Got Milk" on Girl Scout Cookies. They | | | | Ford Division Marketing Communications Manager Jan |
| have even gotten their milk advertisements on | | | | Klug. "Both companies have reputations built on an |
| cereal, cookies and chocolate mix packaging. Jeff | | | | uncompromising commitment to quality, durability and |
| Manning, executive director of the California Milk | | | | customer satisfaction. For our customers, this means |
| Processors Board, says, "We need those people to | | | | the irresistible combination of Ford's 'go anywhere' |
| promote for us." "In return, we affectionately call | | | | capability and Eddie Bauer's rugged style. For both |
| them co-dependent foods."Manning doesn't stop | | | | companies, it means enhancing each other's |
| there. He convinced Dole Food Co. in Westlake | | | | brand.""It's no secret why Ford is setting industry |
| Village, California to add another sticker on to their | | | | records for SUV sales in a U.S. market that currently |
| clusters of bananas for the retail market. You got it, | | | | has 41 SUV nameplates," says Explorer Brand |
| "Got Milk" stickers. In the late 1990s Dole started | | | | Manager Doug Scott. "We are creating products that |
| putting "Got Milk" stickers on bunches of | | | | really excite the customer. And in partnering with |
| bananas--millions. Milk is getting more interruptions in | | | | Eddie Bauer, we are expanding the opportunities for |
| the minds of consumers. The more Partnering milk | | | | the Explorer and Expedition to be a meaningful part |
| can do with products in other parts of the grocery | | | | of our customer's active lifestyles."Because of Ford's |
| stores, the more sales potential they enjoy. Dole | | | | success in co-brand Partnering with Eddie Bauer, they |
| even got an "ah ha" from the cross-promotion, they | | | | are trying to duplicate their success with |
| have been Partnering with Hollywood to promote | | | | Harley-Davidson Motor Company, Milwaukee, |
| new release movies such as Anastasia and Babe in | | | | Wisconsin in their limited edition Harley-Davidson F-150 |
| the City.Researching for a presentation for the | | | | pickup truck. The customized version is restyled, |
| National Home Furnishings Association, I discovered | | | | all-black, with distinctive Harley-Davidson orange |
| an interesting alliance in Northern California. They call | | | | pinstriping and chrome accessories."A strategic alliance |
| themselves the Sonoma County Fine Furniture | | | | between the Ford Motor Company and |
| Association (SCFFA). What did they do? Eight fine | | | | Harley-Davidson makes mutual historical and business |
| furniture retailers, competitors, banded together to | | | | sense," noted Gurminder Bedi, vice president, Ford |
| survive the recession of the early 1990s through | | | | Truck Vehicle Center in a January 6, 2000 Ford news |
| cross-promotion and buying strength.They bought | | | | release. "Our common heritage as American motor |
| advertising together on the local radio and in the local | | | | vehicle manufacturers and our common centennials of |
| newspaper. They even dictated to the newspaper on | | | | 2003 were just too good to pass up as a natural |
| which pages their advertising would be located. They | | | | business opportunity. "The partnership makes good |
| developed combined events where customers would | | | | business sense," Bedi added. "The world recognizes |
| visit several of the stores to be eligible to win prizes. | | | | both companies as original American innovators |
| They promoted each other to their customers within | | | | known for exciting, quality products.""This alliance |
| the store, especially if the specific retailer did not | | | | brings together two of the most well-known and |
| have exactly what the customer was seeking. They | | | | admired companies in the world," said Jeff Bleustein in |
| even printed a combined brochure, including the | | | | the same release, Harley-Davidson chairman and chief |
| address and map locations of each member. The | | | | executive officer. "Ford and Harley-Davidson |
| front of the brochure said, People you can trust. | | | | customers alike want a distinctive vehicle that makes |
| Wow, what impact!On a United Airlines flight from | | | | a statement about themselves as individuals."Even in |
| Washington, D.C. to Atlanta, the cabin attendant | | | | the recreational vehicle (RV) industry, a manufacturer |
| handed me my usual bag of peanuts. But, what was | | | | sees marketing value in co-branding. Fleetwood |
| unusual was the size of the bag and its weight. After | | | | Enterprises, Inc. in Riverside, California is in alliance |
| closer examination, I noticed that an America Online | | | | with Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World. Fleetwood has |
| (AOL) diskette was included with the peanuts. It | | | | enjoyed good sales volume in its private-label RV |
| made sense, a business route shuttle-what a great | | | | partnership with Missouri-based Tracker Marine LP |
| way to get the AOL software into the hands of | | | | and its Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World stores. |
| business people. But do not get caught sleeping. Now, | | | | Fleetwood built and branded with the Tracker and |
| things have changed for AOL and they have been | | | | Trailstar name are sold in six Bass Pro Shops Outdoor |
| forced to offer for free what they once | | | | World stores and 56 Tracker marine dealerships. RVs |
| charged.Forest City, Iowa, recreational vehicle (RV) | | | | promoted at the Outdoor World stores sell for a |
| manufacturer, Winnebago Industries, Inc. and | | | | single, non-negotiable price (unique to the RV |
| Nebraska-based sportsman's outfitter, Cabela's have | | | | industry) and can be purchased over the Internet. |
| found synergies through reciprocal promotion | | | | Models range from a Trailstar 8 folding trailer to the |
| activities. Cabala's has provided an ideal venue in | | | | 29-foot Class C Trailstar RV.Cross promotion and |
| which Winnebago dealers have displayed their RVs in | | | | co-branding are important strategies for business |
| quite a number of outdoor events. Most events | | | | growth that you will want to consider very soon. |
| were run by Cabela's promotional arm, Sportsman's | | | | Why wait until your competitors gobble up the best |
| Quest. Winnebago products were also displayed in | | | | partnering relationships?To access helpful additional |
| Cabela's catalogs. Winnebago, in turn displayed | | | | information from Ed Rigsbee at no charge, please |
| Cabela's products at their events.Strategic Alliances | | | | visit from PartnerShift-How to Profit from the |
| for Co-Branding | | | | Partnering Trend by Ed Rigsbee, CSP, published by |
| Bringing together more than one trusted and | | | | John Wiley & Sons, New York. Rigsbee is also the |
| established brand name develop a marketing | | | | author of Developing Strategic Alliances and The Art |
| synergism that cannot be beat. The advertisement | | | | of Partnering. Rigsbee has over 1,000 published |
| headline read, Bring The Magic of Mattel Home for | | | | articles to his credit and is a regular keynote |
| the Holidays. Just under the headline were several | | | | presenter at corporate and trade association |
| foods producing toys offered. The hook was that it | | | | conferences across North America. |
| showed Golden Arches type food. Mattel had a | | | | |