BrandlandUSA

By Garland Pollard

Mountain Lakes, N.J. - We had a reader missing a favorite old product. It is the orange drink Bird’s Eye Orange Plus.

Orange Plus was a frozen orange drink that competed against Minute Maid. BrandlandUSA reader Nicholas Chicorikas says that it was around forever, and “tasted like nothing else. It was delicious. I can find no reference to it anywhere. ”

The Birds Eye brand, the pioneer in frozen foods, does survive, but the pulpy orange drink does not. It was sold in the 1950s to 1980s or so; if anyone has any more history, please add to the end of the story.

We love the Birds Eye brand. It was originally founded by Clarence Birdseye, who popularized freezing foods. Later, Birds Eye was part of General Foods, and the Birds Eye brand was sold to Curtis Burns/Agrilink in 1998. It was purchased by Pinnacle Foods of New Jersey, which has steadily been acquiring many great cast offs from General Foods.

The $1.3 billion acquisition, which closed in December 2009, had Pinnacle Foods Group LLC, a private equity portfolio company of The Blackstone Group, purchase Birds Eye Foods, Inc. from a holding company controlled by Vestar Capital Partners, Pro-Fac Cooperative, and Birds Eye Foods management. The transaction positions
Pinnacle Foods as a leader in both the frozen and shelf-stable business segments. “Birds Eye Foods represents an ideal strategic fit,” said Bob Gamgort, CEO of Pinnacle Foods, in a press release last month.

Know anything more about Birds Eye Orange Plus or want to see it return? Leave a comment below.

By Garland Pollard

NEW YORK - We noticed something interesting in how Estée Lauder manages its brands. The mention came in a press release where Coach (NYSE: COH) and Estée Lauder (NYSE: EL) decided to market a new fragrance for the department store market. What was fascinating is that Estee Lauder operates its smaller brands as part of a think tank called Beauty Bank.

BeautyBank is the entrepreneurial think tank division of The Estée Lauder Companies. Led by Veronique Gabai-Pinsky (who is officially global brand president, Aramis & Designer Fragrances) BeautyBank and IdeaBank, the section’s mission is to identify opportunities across product development, channel diversification and regional expansion and bring these concepts and brands to market.

That would be an excellent model for other companies who have a large stable of brands, and are not sure what to do with them. Put these brands in a stable, and experiment. Have one person accountable. Give them a mix of underperforming brands and new concepts, so that no one gets stale. This would be the perfect solution for companies like GM, with old brands like Oldsmobile and Pontiac, and Macy’s, with a large stable of house brands and defunct department store brands that could be house brands. Most large companies have Intellectual Property departments that sort of look after licensing and such, but Lauder concept is much more evolved and prominent, as it has been singled out in a press release.

The Company’s products are sold in over 140 countries and territories under the following brand names: Estée Lauder, Aramis, Clinique, Prescriptives, Lab Series, Origins, M•A•C, Bobbi Brown, Tommy Hilfiger, Kiton, La Mer, Donna Karan, Aveda, Jo Malone, Bumble and bumble, Darphin, Michael Kors, American Beauty, Flirt!, Good Skin™, Grassroots Research Labs, Sean John, Missoni, Daisy Fuentes, Tom Ford, Coach and Ojon.

By Garland Pollard

Thoughts on some current news items:

• Proctor & Gamble just released its revived collection of Rochas, under the leadership of Marco Zanini. Proctor & Gamble shut down Rochas in 2006, and brought it back. The Wall Street Journal noted last week that its “nutty wide heels” and such targeted the exuberant woman who wanted to be a bit kooky.
• Last week, it appeared that the new Northrop Grumman CEO, Wes Bush, would have to decide on what to do about the tanker program that it is competing with Boeing to develop. As we all know, Grumman is using Airbus as its partner, but well-connected Boeing, initially the loser in the bids, was revived after much politics. We would submit, Mr. Bush, that the program’s failure to win a bid is partially a branding problem. Namely, it is thought of as a European bid. Why not revive the Grumman aviation name and develop planes under that brand, from your operation in Melbourne, Florida?
•  It’s good news for former GM dealers that were to be cut. The reality? Dealers make most of their money from repairs, not car sales, so why the government decided to force GM to close dealers made no sense. It was, as they say, crazy talk. This is one case where congressional meddling paid off. Back in the day, it was O.K. for dealers to have one brand, and sell a limited amount of cars. Then dealerships went to this crazy idea of volume. What other consumer good is helped by limiting the number of retailers who sell it? It made no sense.
• We hear it is terminal for the former Pan American World Airways WorldPort at John F. Kennedy International Airport. It is now Terminal 3; apparently it will come down, according to various and assorted blog reports. We hope that the Port Authority will follow historic preservation guidelines for the structure, including a Section 106 review of the assets, before it actually does the deed.

Thoughts?

By Garland Pollard

CHERRY HILL, N.J. - LEM is a special kind of lemon filling, found in select grocery stores and specialty food shops. Made by Cherry Hill, N.J.-based Serv-Agen, it is quite different than your regular pie filling.

It was originally called Mrs. Morrison’s LEM, and was a “one-line item” company. It is made with pure egg yolk batter, tapioca flour and no artificial lemon flavors. Eventually, it became part of the Serv-Agen company, makers of Serv-a-Gravy.

Its ingredients are a lesson in marketing. The prize element of the filling is that the oil of lemon in the ingredients is sent to an extra sterile pharmaceutical company where it is turned into an encapsulated gel capsule, before it is packaged.

We found out about Lem while writing about Serv-a-Gravy, that classic gravy sauce in a packet. The company was founded by Herbert W. Salus in 1936, though LEM much older, over 100 years old. Salus was a civil service commissioner and attorney who got into the spice business on the side. LEM can be found at many regional grocery stores. If you have questions, the company is at 856-685-7946.

By Garland Pollard

Back somewhere after my 1970s childhood, Super Sugar Crisp became Super Golden Crisp and Sugar Pops became Corn Pops.Thankfully Sugar Bear, that Super Sugar Crisp mascot, survived, though I haven’t seen much of him lately.

It was due, then, to a 1970s health food craze that had sugar causing all sorts of crazy ailments in children. That was after certain food dyes made kids “hyper.” In that era, nutrition labeling came into being. In the case of these two cereals, thanks to labeling, parents now know that there isn’t really that much nutrition in air, sugar and puffed wheat and puffed corn. I believe it was “voluntary” that the companies did it then. But we all know what “voluntary” means when the Feds are on the case.

The change missed the point. The point of a sweet cereal is to get kids to be in the habit of eating in the morning; surely one great benefit of sweet cereal is that kids drink it with milk. And there was another point that cereal manufacturers missed by caving in; they now had established a precedent that not only was the safety of food the business of government, but now, the government would use its command economy powers to control every detail of the food supply, down to the most basic ingredients.

Yesterday, the same folks who brought you food labeling brought a slew of complaints against the food industry’s health claims and labeling. Yes, this is the same set of folks that will now be sitting at a table with representatives of Philip Morris, talking about making cigarettes safer. This is the same group that have missed major food scares for which they already have statutory authority.

The news stories have focused on which companies got citations. We noticed something very different. The tone. It was terse, pointed and direct. It was obviously done for show, as the letters were sent directly to the CEOs, and released as a group. Let’s look at some of the phrases used, and note that the products aren’t Mountain Dew; they are things like pomegranate juice, kids juice, baby food and oatmeal, all quite healthful. Perhaps “Poland” is an over-the-top example, but it fits.

The letters could have been worded a different way. Words mean something:

• Nestle Juicy Juice: The circumstances under which a “lower in sugar” claim is permitted are defined in 21 CFR 101.60(c)(5). That regulation does not allow the use of the claim for food products intended for use in children under age 2.The circumstances under which a “lower in sugar” claim is permitted are defined in 21 CFR 101.60(c)(5). That regulation does not allow the use of the claim for food products intended for use in children under age 2.
• Beech Nut, to CEO Christoph Rudolf: Except for claims regarding percentages of vitamins and minerals for which there is an established Reference Daily Intake, a nutrient content claim cannot be made for a food that is intended for use by infants and children less than two years of age unless the claim is specifically provided for in parts 101, 105, or 107 of the regulations. 21 CFR 101.13(b)(3).
• Pompeian Olive Oil to Frank Patton, President: Based on claims made on your website, www.pompeian.com, we have determined that the product “Pompeian Imported Extra Light Olive Oil” is promoted for conditions that cause the product to be a drug under section 201(g)(1) of the Act [21 USC § 321(g)(1)]. The therapeutic claims on your website establish that the product is a drug because it is intended for use in the cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease. The marketing of this product with these claims violates the Act.

The case of olive oil is most annoying. We all know that olive oil is healthy, and it ought to be promoted as such. The FDA objected to the following, and cited this statement as proof it was now to be regulated as a drug:

• “Olive Oil is a major component of the Mediterranean diet, which protects the heart, may lower inflammation and coagulation, and may reduce mortality in the elderly.”

I can’t see anything wrong with that.

Frankly, food manufacturers aren’t blameless in all this. And there are many well-meaning people working on these regulations in D.C. But the reality is this; The more that is regulated, the more difficult it becomes to do business. And while the big companies were targeted today, all of the labeling and testing and bureaucratic mess will only go to the benefit of the large companies that are equipped to deal with it. Ultimately, the consumer needs to be the one to decide. And today, the consumer has more information than ever with websites and grocery chains selling every type of healthy food.

This all comes at a time when Congress brought the CEO of Toyota over for a grilling, and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius has been fighting an open, fierce battle with CEOs of UnitedHealth Group Inc., WellPoint Inc., Aetna Inc., Health Care Service Corporation and CIGNA HealthCare Inc., who will all be meeting with the National Association of Insurance Commissioners at the White House. Believe me, this isn’t a social visit. The insurance companies are fighting for their lives.

Certainly, FDA has a responsibility to enforce the statutory regulations that Congress has issued. But there is a difference between that, and picking a fight.

The v/p for the Grocery Manufacturers Association toed the line with the FDA. He had to, saying to the Journal that the “examples cited are not indicative to the food industry as a whole.” We would beg to disagree. Brands like Beech-Nut, Pompeian, and Nestle are key companies on grocery shelves.

The wording in the press release about the process was considerably nicer, and we admit that it came after a warning letter last fall. These companies were warned.

“Today, ready access to reliable information about the calorie and nutrient content of food is even more important, given the prevalence of obesity and diet-related diseases in the United States,” Dr. Hamburg said in the letter. She also expressed her hope that the warning letters would clarify the FDA’s expectations for food manufacturers as they review their current labeling.

Companies need to take this stuff seriously, and I am sure that they will, but only in the short term. After all, the FDA letters are reading just like Center for Science in the Public Interest press releases. I don’t blame CSPI; they do what they do openly, and one cannot fault them for having an opinion, even if they do go to extremes. But companies need to be as clever as CSPI, and think of a long term strategy to move ahead of the issue without caving in. Perhaps Kellogg’s might even revive its Battle Creek Sanitarium? I’ve got some ideas, but not sharing them here.

Decades ago, I remember Rush Limbaugh seriously saying that one day, the federal government was going to start going after soft drinks and junk food. Everyone thought he was nuts. In an era of MADD, the government will take on soft drinks? Who are they to tell me I can’t drink soda or eat candy? Well, it has happened.

On surface, much of this seems innocuous. But the reality is that the reason why these companies started on the nutrition labeling was because the government forced them into it. Here it is, 30 years later since Sugar Crisp disappeared in name, and kids are fatter than ever.

The First Lady is on a tear to get all the overweight kids to shape up, including her own. She is playing “Good Cop” quite effectively.

We cannot afford to turn America into some Alice Waters fantasy, where we all eat food that is grown on organic farms nearby. Nice idea, but most Americans buy white bread not because they prefer it to bolle, but because they can afford it.

By Garland Pollard

CHERRY HILL, N.J. - We heard last week from Charlie Slade, of the company Serv-Agen. We are a big fan of the product, as are many. But it has become harder and harder to find at stores.

Good news. He called to give us an update on the brand.

The gravy brand was started by his grandfather, Herbert W. Salus, in 1936. He was a civil service commissioner and attorney. He got into the spice business on the side with the Clawson Company. Later, they purchased the gravy brand. It has grown, with new flavors added over the years.

The company also owns another regional cult brand, Lem Pudding and Pie Filling. We will talk about that tomorrow.

The brands are available on Amazon, but Slade says that fans would do well to ask for it at their grocery stores. Most can stock it and will stock it if it sells.

The box is a classic; the lettering is quite good. Thankfully, they have not changed the chef on the box. Sadly, they have lost the original; apparently it was some bank executive in Philadelphia who inspired the drawing. “The chef has always been on the box,” says Slade.

Many gourmet and smaller grocery distributors carry the line; at smaller stores you can ask the manager to their wholesalers if they carry it.

Questions? Call the company at 856-685-7946.

By Garland Pollard

The late landscape architect Charles Gillette had a trademark in his garden designs. Gillette, so focused on symmetrical designs and order, was not afraid to leave something wild or out-of-sync in his landscape. If he was landscaping a property, and there was a native cedar tree stuck in an odd location, he would sometimes leave it in place. He never did this on purpose; his design was always in service of the location and purpose of the project.

His question? What pieces do I have that are good that I need to keep around? What things can I leave in place so that the project can come in on budget? It was always a question of quality or utility.

The reason? Well, objectively, there was none, except for budget. His gardens were new designs, very often for new houses, and there was no need. But he knew something. Having something slightly out of sync, just for fun, made the new creation far more interesting visually. And sometimes, an old feature was just too hard to make disappear. At other times, it just made more trouble to get rid of it. But the main reason something good remained was that it was good.

The landscaping Gillette designed for Richmond’s Ethyl Corporation had a trademark “lone cedar.” Ethyl regrettably bulldozed a large number of great old mansions on Richmond’s Gamble Hill to build a massive Colonial Revival complex that overlooks the James River, and destroyed a great old neighborhood. On the massive, grass-covered hill, Gillette left a small, brick retaining wall that was obviously a leftover from the late 19th century or early 20th. No one notices it, but it makes the hill more visually interesting.

Brands and companies often utilize this idea, sometimes intentionally, sometimes unintentionally. The best example of this is Carnival Cruise Lines. Brian J. Cudahy, in his seminal book The Cruise Ship Phenomenon in America, tells how it played out.  When Micky Arison and Meshulam Riklis wanted to start a cruise company, they used the name, Carnival, and an out-of-service CP Ships liner, the Empress of Canada. CP Ships was the revised name for Canadian Pacific, and various parts of CP empire (rail, ships, air) had different versions of the same multimark logo, which had a triangle and crescent inside a square. (Folks will remember the mark from the old Canadian Airlines, which was a successor to CP Air.)

The Carnival name was the brand for the small package tour company AITS, owned by Riklis, and it worked perfectly for the new company. When Arison converted the Empress of Canada to the Carnival brand, they needed a logo, and revised the funnel multimark design and changed the colors from green, white and black to blue, white and red.

The launch of Carnival was terribly creative in other ways. When the Empress of Canada was refitted into the Mardi Gras, Arison, with the assistance of the Roper family at the shipyard Norshipco, even scrounged discount mattresses from the Norfolk, Virginia area.

Utilizing pieces of an old company in a new logo can be insipid if it is done for stupid reasons. For instance, in the merger of First Union and Wachovia, some of the green of First Union made it into the newly created Wachovia logo. The gesture was meaningless; it was obviously done to please executive types during the merger. It was a harbinger of future stupidity; the merger was a disaster and those responsible ruined many lives in the process.

When building a brand or company, what things are you bringing together to build the operation? Find good pieces, throw out the bad, and build something new. Our story last fall on the history of Saturday Night Live also addresses the issue; namely you want to use elements and assets to build new creations. Not only will you have a better product in the end, but you will have a great narrative to go along with it.

By Garland Pollard

Old Navy’s got some old brands at its stores this spring. Shirts with logos of the Ford Pinto, Gulf Oil, Texaco and Standard Oil of California are out.

The Standard is particularly good, eh?

By Garland Pollard

No, I’m not talking about the late Jerry Garcia. I’m talking mums. Potted mums.

I have been thinking about a pot of red mums that sit by the walkway into my house. Different things happen to mums in different economies. When things are booming and we all have cash, we tend to get some new ones if the old ones aren’t blooming. But in a time like now, and for most of the 20th century, most folks would “deadhead” the flowers on the plants, so you can get a few new blooms out of them. In a deadhead economy, people reduce consumption and fall back on both quality and price. In my case, the mums have finally re-bloomed, though not to the extent I would have wished.

It got me wondering; if many people like me are changing their buying patterns, how does this affect not only the immediate economy, but the next five to 10 years? And if and when the economy finally turns to prosperity, will sales recover, or are we creating another Depression-era generation that sees being a skinflint as the height of success and good citizenship? If that is so, success will come in different ways.

A few weeks ago, Capitol One CEO Richard Fairbank was quoted in The Wall Street Journal saying his company was seeing a “striking” lack of demand for credit. That made sense, because the night before, I had seen Fox Business News’ Dave Ramsey celebrating the umpteenth caller who had quit buying new things and sold all his “stuff” online to pay down his credit cards. These sales weren’t coming back. After suffering 25 to 29 percent interest rates that would have run afoul of usury laws just a generation ago, this caller was not about to go and charge a bunch more, well, crap. The same week, I heard a sermon from a priest at The Falls Church tell parishioners that he had bought a used car from someone who saw in a Craigslist ad that Dave Ramsey had “told him” it had to go. Just this week, I heard former IMF economist Simon Johnson speaking to Congress on deficits. He saw a “substantial slowdown” in the second half of the year. Yikes.

Technology magnifies this reduced consumption. My Apple iPod includes apps that were dozens of separate products only a few years ago. This one device has replaced a multiple products I have purchased before, including an Etch-a-Sketch, Boy Scout compass, Sony clock radio, Superscope AMFM Receiver, Garrard turntable, Sharp tape player, Panasonic Tape Recorder, Kodak Instamatic, Rolodex, Super 8 movie camera, TI calculator, Realistic Weatheradio, Rand McNally Maps, Sarasota Herald-Tribune, New York Times, AAA Triptik and Day Runner calendar. It has eliminated the jobs of travel agents, photo processors and dozens of different factory workers here and abroad. What happens when iPods will eliminate the need for fast food cashiers?

I mentioned this idea a bit as it related to Sears Holdings (SHLD). In August during the Sears Roebuck back to school season, vast amounts of square footage dwarfed the lean merchandise assortments. And last year during that scary fall retail season, I wrote about retailers who were surviving by doing repairs.

The question for me is what retailers, products and brands can thrive in this “deadhead” market where millions of unemployed and underemployed have more less money, more time on hand, and less need for things.

1. Creative genius: My daughter turns Starburst wrappers into purses and sells them on Etsy. She also gathers weekly at Sarasota’s Darling Pottery Studio, where students of all ages each week fill their cabinet with gorgeous bowls and pots they pitched themselves. People have time; when you have time many knit, bake and make for amusement and little luxuries. Beneficiary? Craft stores like Michaels Stores and Jo-Ann Fabrics, local craft shows and little online retailers.
2. Your brand is an app. So your product is not needed any more? Turn it into an app. A Radio Shack (RSH) Realistic Weatheradio app? An AAA Triptik app?
3. Cheap, really cheap. Stuff that’s either really extreme value (Dollar Tree (DLTR), Supervalu’s Sav-a-lot (SVU), or has real quality combined with remarkable price points, where Walmart (WMT) is going.
4. Extreme value, or perceived value. Two weeks ago, I went to our local VW dealer for a car show, and it was packed. Volkswagen is increasing its market share, opening a new Tennessee factory and hoping to double sales volume in the next year. Local, luxury chocolate shops in Sarasota seem to be doing well. That may be a function of the uptick in the Dow, though value priced luxury can do well no-growth economies.
5. Hacking and remaking. Trendwatcher website Springwise last week featured Sugru, a silicon putty that you can use to “hack” and remake old items to suit, including changing the shape and making handles easier to use. You can even mould it into new things.
6. Repair, not replace: I am not alone in talking about this issue; the New York new ideas consultancy PSFK has written about the idea, citing the Repair Manifesto of Platform 21. The repair manifesto’s main idea is that fixing stuff can be made interesting if it is more creative, and fixing things is the most green friendly thing you can do. The hipster art group Fixer’s Collective gathers in Brooklyn to repair stuff as an art form. As much as these all might seem like niche market ideas, these trends percolate down to the mass market. Our local Florida Tops sewing machine and vacuum chain is pushing deals on Dyson and Electrolux, as well as repairs.
7. Shades of Havana, ‘59: My uncle, an ob-gyn and car enthusiast, bought a rebuilt Dodge Neon for his college-age daughter from a North Carolina fellow who rebuilds them, with interchangeable parts from other Neons. It is the perfect solution for a cheap, cheerful college runabout. The twentysomething guys on my street spend their entire free time rebuilding and fixing trucks. All of their extra time.
8. Quality brands win: Tiffany & Co. (TIF) has survived every downturn. They are luxury, but they know how to sell items with low price points to keep every income group in their stores.
9. Small size, high markup: Sanrio’s Hello Kitty has trained kids on the idea that small, well produced items can be sold for high markup. Consumers who have less will still want quality, even children. You can have high markup in a slow economy by making everyday items that have high perceived value. My daughter’s SIGG water bottle that she takes to kindergarten is made in Switzerland (around $17!), and is of extreme high quality. It lasts. She won’t need one for another few years.
10. Local is good. Big article this month March’s The Atlantic on how Walmart “The Great Grocery Smackdown” is now pushing local produce at its stores, and will be searching out nearby truck farms to supply its stores.

By Garland Pollard

HOFFMAN ESTATES - As the most iconic and historic retailer in the U.S. and owner of some of America’s greatest brands, Sears, Roebuck & Co. made a major jump into social media with the launch of MySears.com last spring. It now has 1.9 million monthly unique visits; (the Sears.com site has about 19 million).

Thin-skinned Sears Holdings (SHLD) is not. In contrast to many retail sites, Sears is willing to publish some opinions that are very critical of Sears products.

In the past, Sears has not been known for its inventiveness and bold thinking; a few years ago, analysts struggled to understand how such a company could stay relevant today. But with the launch of My Sears, and other unique efforts (today it started franchising the Sears Auto brands to shuttered Pontiac dealers), the company seems to have found a space not only in social media, but a new retailing universe.

The company is in a unique position to launching a social media product. Namely, it has a stable of much-loved brands that consumers already feel that they “own.” In addition, consumers are quite familiar with all aspects of the stores. Even naming the site “My Sears” made it clear that this Sears site was “owned” by its consumers, and not just the company.

We shot a few email questions Rob Harles, the VP of the MySears Online Community, about how they run the community and what it is doing for Sears.

BrandlandUSA: How did the company overcome the typical fear of having critical comments on its own website?

Harles: When Sears Holdings first launched the MySears community in May 2009, we were looking for new ways to interact and receive feedback from customers in order to find ways to improve the shopping experience, whether online or in-store. We recognize that the ability to interact with customers and receive their feedback is key to our goal of continually improving the shopping experience for everyone.

The MySears community allows customers to share their insights, experiences and product reviews by creating a dialogue between Sears and customers. Visitors to the MySears community engage in discussion forums, blogging, ratings, reviews, idea generation, polls and surveys, and general feedback. The MySears community demonstrates Sears Holdings’ commitment to interacting with and responding to customers as it has done throughout its 125 year history.

BrandlandUSA:  Many companies would have separated the Kmart and Sears brands when doing the MySears project. I would have thought it wouldn’t have worked, but it seems to. How did you decide to combine the two when they are such distinct brands?

Harles: Sears Holdings is committed to providing an unparalleled online experience where customers can shop with ease and convenience. To assist our customers make that important buying decision, the communities are highly integrated on both Sears.com and Kmart.com. We decided to use the same platform and allow members to shop either brand while having one profile, one login and unified social applications including rewards across both brands to offer consumers a richer and more convenient shopping experience.

Both the Sears.com and Kmart.com sites feature reviews and discussions generated from the MySears community. Likewise, the MySears community enables customers to view all of Sears and Kmart’s online product offerings, give them an opportunity to read and write product reviews, browse the site by categories and purchase products without leaving the MySears site. We are proud of the results generated from our decision to integrate MySears with the Sears and Kmart brands.

Sears.com was recently ranked second in the e-Tailing Group’s Annual Customer Experience Index, and received recognition as the second best score in e-Tailing’s Annual Mystery Shopping Study. This industry recognition is further evidence that Sears continues to listen to customers’ ideas and suggestions to improve the online shopping experience.

BrandlandUSA: Does it take a large staff to monitor the site? What sort of staff infrastructure does it take to run the MySears operation?

Harles:  Although we cannot share specific details on infrastructure, Sears is dedicated to ensuring that customers are encouraged to fully interact and engage with other MySears community members as well as shop more conveniently with the added features and shopping tools.

BrandlandUSA:  Have you had input from the thousands of retired Sears and Kmart associates who live around North America? It would seem that that audience would be useful to the company?

Harles:  The participants in the online community on the MySears Community Site are our associates, retirees, suppliers and vendors, and the public, all of whom are interested in voicing their opinions, sharing ideas, and finding others who share the same interests.

The MySears community accepts all input and feedback from all audiences in order to continually listen to customers, providing great value, choice and convenience in their shopping experience.

BrandlandUSA:  Is it really useful in consumer research? It would seem like it would be, but curious to what extent.

Harles:  Sears Holdings is a leader in the online retail space because of our customers’ feedback and the knowledge gained from listening and engaging with them. In fact, the “Ideas” feature on the MySears web site invites all members to contribute recommendations, which are then commented on by others and ultimately considered for implementation by Sears Holdings’ management. Nearly all content on the MySears community will be written and contributed by customers.

We’re constantly listening to feedback and monitoring the content on the MySears community from customers and adapting to their feedback in order to provide an integrated suite of online and in-store offerings to meet their needs and build lifetime relationships. Our customers give us inspiration for a number of our best ideas.

BrandlandUSA:  How do you protect the site from fake users who are trying to game the site to their advantage or amusement?

Harles:  We work hard to monitor for spam, inappropriate or offensive material in order to protect all MySears community members. We want our conversations to be authentic and we do our best to foster an environment where our members/customers feel comfortable that their voice is being heard.

Several active members actually push back on people who try to subvert the community. It makes us feel good that there are members who are engaged enough to care and help us identify and push back on those who are not what they seem.

More information and additional guardrails that Sears has put into place to avoid fraudulent or inappropriate activity is available at www.mysears.com/terms_of_service.

Pollard: Are there some new products introduced or old products revived that came through input from MySears users? On your home page a few days ago, there was a reader looking for an old gas stove that he wanted reintroduced. Are there many of these instances?

Harles: Truly, one of the best features and rewards we all at Sears experience from our community is the number of instances where members have pushed for new or revived products and services. We have had military personnel tell about the best way to ship to them and save time, enthusiasts who wanted us to sell a particular toy; we have also had a number of requests for products that we just don’t carry, and this has led us to expand our assortments and partnerships. Our Marketplace is a direct reflection of this new knowledge of demand.

BrandlandUSA: What are the main reasons folks find the MySears site?

Harles: The MySears launch supports Sears Holdings’ belief in the power of community and in creating new and better ways to engage its customers, associates and vendors who are invited to register, create a profile, upload photos, share their personal experiences and ideas, and connect with each other.

We continue to experience membership increases because MySears offers customers a highly-versatile venue to connect with other like-minded individuals and get informed advice on their purchases and answers to their questions. In addition, it empowers customers and associates by providing a place where their voices can be heard so that we in turn can make vital improvements to the store, product offerings and overall, shopping experience.