BROOKLYN – In the 1950s, when television watching began, people left the dining room, but still wanted to eat “properly” in a civilized way. The people of American aspiration, namely upper middle class Americans, ate at dinner tables, a habit of generations, the emblem of upward mobility and respectability. RadioMORE HERE
TAMPA – Repair businesses were once a backbone of a small-town economy. If Main Street was the front-facing retail and public end of the local business ecosystem, the side streets and corners, with cheaper rents, offered small businesses the space to fix things. The Norman Rockwell painting What Makes itMORE HERE
rankly, there is alot of good inside Kellogg’s Pop-Tart Pastries, but the real good was the man inside, Milton the Toaster. Milton was a friend. A buddy. A bit sassy. And he always delivered the goods, two to a pack. Not too hot, mind you. Or it might burn. Pop-TartsMORE HERE
A candy that is first candy, and then gum, is a special kind of Wonka-like experience. Not Wonka-like because of its provenance, but because of its ambition. Razzles are not only sweets and taste, but technology and sensation. Something happens. They do something. They are sort of transformative, in theMORE HERE
This could be good time for Lenox, and all things American. When the virus goes, people will want to have the family over for a large dinner. And in a time when we spend $1,000 for caterers or supplies for a dinner, why not spend the same amount for something decent, and not Pottery Barn, to serve it on.MORE HERE
It is hard to get to know something that changes its name frequently. And in the business of trust, the bank brand name change is the most difficult. Banks brands thrive on old-fashioned notions of fairness and consistency. When the consistency part is inconsistent, you lose, well, consistency and youMORE HERE
If the U.K. was once known as a nation of shopkeepers, perhaps we might say that the U.S. and the U.K. can now be known as the nations of e-commerce sites. In this season, a number of once well-known names have returned. The British eyewear company Curry & Paxton isMORE HERE
Even if a venerable brand is beloved, companies still need to continue to invest in the product’s brand story. Such is the case with the key brands of Procter & Gamble, which has a long record in investing in its oldest brands. Last month, Target Corporation stores featured Crest, Secret,MORE HERE
DieHard, the former Sears brand, is back at Advance Auto stores across the nation. A DieHard commercial ran on the recent Packers/ Tampa Bay game, taking characters from the original Die Hard movie, and reprising them in an ad with original stars, including Bruce Willis. The plot begins with JohnMORE HERE
LOS ANGELES – The brand-licensing agency Global Icons is now representing the fashion brand Camp Beverly Hills. Originally launched in 1977, the first store was located off Rodeo Drive. Throughout the 1980s, the brand expanded and was sold in major department and specialty stores nationwide. At its height, Camp BeverlyMORE HERE