Taking the Ritz out of RITZ Crackers: Downscaling a Premium Brand to Look More “Store Brand-y”

UPDATE: Store Brands Decisions has picked up on our post.

Kraft Foods has transformed the premium RITZ Cracker brand to look more...store brand-y. (Photo by Dan Smolen)

Today, our friend Nancy Rathbun Scott at Marketing Brillo is running a new post about the mind-blowing discovery my wife and I made yesterday while shopping at our neighborhood Target store.

At the display unit nearest to the entrance, we believe we recognized the first-ever case of a consumer packaged goods manufacturer downscaling its well-known premium brand’s packaging to look more…store brand-y.

Behold the New, Improved RITZ® Crackers!

(Ugh..wait just a second…)

Why (you ask) would Kraft deliberately downscale this world-famous and much-admired 75 year-old brand? Because consumer research trends show that – as the economy continues to falter and more of us worry about job security and monthly cash flow – we are ditching brand loyalty to buy store-brands.

Caveat emptor: the crackers in the old box and the crackers in the new box are price-marked the same! Let me repeat: the product in the new downscale box costs just as much as the product in the original.

In this time of economic strife when many of us are calling on consumer marketers to become more transparent, we believe this example of downscaling – to make consumers think they are buying a store-branded version of a favorite premium product – may qualify as the greenwashing of corporate social responsibility.

Shame Kraft! Shame!

What makes this development so especially ironic is this: back in 1934, in the midst of the Great Depression, the old National Biscuit Company (Nabisco) named its new cracker after the four-star Ritz-Carlton Hotel because they believed the name “RITZ” projected glamor and elegance.

Create Your Own ‘Advisory Board’

Earlier today, I had a very interesting phone call with a bright, highly enthusiastic (fire-in-the-belly) new business development executive. His familiarity with the information technology space is excellent. And so too is his skill at staging successful consultative processes and converting his multi-million-dollar new business prospects to sale.

What company wouldn’t want to hire this new business sales executive?

Problem is, the executive is burned out on the I/T space and he wants out. He tells me he would like nothing more than to pivot to selling green business products and services; while he has the passion for making the planet a better place to live, he knows he has neither the familiarity nor the contact base in the green space to be successful.

We all know that in this economy, the few hiring managers that have open assignments want spot-on matches to the job spec. Even if this talented sales executive has – several times over – built multi-million-dollar information technology business portfolios from scratch, his having no prior experience in the green business space may be a non-starter…

…or is it?

After listening to this executive’s concerns, I offered up an idea for him to consider:

Right now, there are tens of thousands of entrepreneurs in the world seeking seed-investment capital to start new businesses. And while the venture’s partners may be top-notch no management team completely possesses all of the familiarities an investor wants to see before cutting that first check. So entrepreneurs often mitigate the cavities in their business plans by founding an industry advisory board made up of business leaders – skilled in the art – to counsel the management team on best business practices, alert them to competitive developments or fast-moving opportunities, and help their enterprise establish a strong and unique value proposition and long-term success.

I said to this executive, think of yourself as a new business enterprise. If you know you aren’t fully versed in green business, then why not create your own advisory board to shorten your learning curve, get fully-familiar (faster) with best-practices and next-practices, and help establish the-most solid relationships with potential client-prospects.

If we think of ourselves not as executives but as entrepreneurs, we stand a greater chance of achieving our goals; that is especially the case in difficult economic times such as these. By treating his “pivot” into green business like a new venture, the executive will bridge the all-too-common gap between will and skill.

Whether between jobs or employed in a company or market space that no longer inspires, consider establishing your own advisory board to speed your transition to a career in green business.

These times call for bold action. Go for it!

Intel Goes ‘Guerrilla’ in DC, Promotes Telecommuting

UPDATED: Intel, aided by its Washington-based PR firm Qorvis Communications, is employing a guerrilla marketing campaign – staged at D.C.’s Metrorail stations – to get more people telecommuting to work.

From Kim Hart’s article in WaPo’s “The Download” column:

Starting today, you may notice a few Metro commuters wearing suit coats, pajama pants and slippers outside the McPherson Square, Metro Center and Farragut North stops. On Wednesday, they’ll be milling around the Chinatown, Dupont Circle and Farragut West stops.

Qorvis Communications executed Intel's Scratch IT and See guerrilla marketing program to get more DC workers telecommuting.

With it’s Intel Scratch IT and See Program, the chip maker hopes to create lots of buzz for new laptop PCs that allow workers to log on to their office’s networks, easily and securely. A green way to work.

Intel’s campaign is especially well-suited to D.C. where so many people work for the Federal government with secure data.

However, virtual office computing remains a touchy issue in D.C.; while some pioneering talent managers have adapted, others remain unready or unwilling to allow their team members to work virtually.

With the second-worst commutes in the nation, plus President Obama’s stated goal of getting more Federal employees here telecommuting, Intel sees a huge opening.

Here’s hoping that buzz translates to action.

The Office Garden

Whether placed at a traditional office or a home office setting, a bright, colorful garden area will get the creative juices flowing. It'll also benefit nature. (Photos of home office garden by Dan Smolen, June 2009)

For more years than I can remember, gardening has been something that I’ve taken great pride and joy in learning to do well.

And as someone that has worked from a virtual/home office for 15 years, my office garden has been a place for me to meditate and gather creative inspiration.

Whether we are technicians, programmers, operations specialists, client relationship managers, financial gurus, marketers, or talent recruiters, our work requires a good constant flow of creativity to assure quality results.

Without continual sources of inspiration (and good distractions), the creative juices will eventually dry up. At which point, the quality of our work suffers.

That’s why I believe it is so important to have a workplace which is connected to nature.

I happen to live in a suburban community subdivision that allows me to be creative with my property. Soon after moving in, I ripped up half the front lawn, replacing it with lots of colorful perrennial plantings.

This season, the Middle Atlantic area of the U.S. where I live has been blessed with above-average rainfall. And my garden has thrived. Blooms like the ones shown here did not take much effort or skill to create.

Pesticides? Don’t need ‘em.

Herbicides? Bad for the wetlands that border my property. We do not use them.

To get this office garden to look its best takes continual weeding (keep up with it and it won’t be a burden), a good cover of hardwood mulch, and good rainfall or every other day slow-watering (with a soaker hose).  Well-established plants won’t need much more than that.

And here’s an added benefit: these gorgeous blooms attract beautiful songbirds! A office garden like this will attract hummingbirds, too!

So whether your work is based in a more-traditional office setting, or located in that study on the main floor of your house, you can get close to nature and the rewards it provides.

Need help getting your office garden started? Start with the locally-owned and operated nurseries in your area. They will provide you with the guidance you need to get the look you want, with plantings appropriate for your area. What is more, prices at local nurseries have never been better.

I wish you good success with your Office Garden.

Now, enjoy!

Red Twig Dogwood

Butterfly Bush

Echinacea (Orange Cone Flower)

Mexican Blanket Flower

Balloon Flower

Tickseed

Are Green Shoots Taking Root?

Could we finally be at the end of this economic meltdown? There is evidence – albeit anecdotal – to suggest we are through the worst of the long, painful recession that started in December, 2007.

Consider these green shoots:

• 

  Is there a Ford in your future? For some in the Northeast U.S....maybe.

  While the nation’s attention has been focused on the troubles at Chrysler and GM, there are some dealerships – particularly in the Northeast U.S. – that are selling a lot of new cars; last month, one Ford Lincoln Mercury franchise in Southern Connecticut surpassed 100 cars sold;

• Ahold USA, the Dutch company that owns Giant Food in the greater Washington D.C./Baltimore area and its companion brand Stop & Shop in New England reports its best quarterly profit increases in 10 years (10%). Of course, that takes into consideration deep-discounting, consumers eating out less while eating at home more, and Giant Food’s/Stop & Shop’s new self-service shopping tools like the new hand-held scanners some adventurous shoppers are using to tally their purchases (which means fewer workers are on payroll);

• Similarly, home improvement chain Lowe’s (#2 in market share) showed respectable quarterly sales improvement, while the category leader The Home Depot languished;

Federal stimulus funds are flowing for transpo projects, which means more people working in construction (a good thing).

• Several long delayed transpo projects have been jump-started by the flow American Recovery & Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) stimulus funds. So there are more people working in construction (a good thing). However, it is troubling that the vast majority of the stimulus funds allocated – for new green jobs and other needs – have yet to be spent;

• And insomniacs prone to watching late-night-TV are still buying The Snuggie. (Okay, that might not be the best sign of economic recovery...just the opposite);

While hiring is a lagging-indicator, meaning that rising employment is usually the last part of an economic recovery cycle, there are signs that some unemployed people – especially talented sales people – may soon be starting new assignments.

And a majority of U.S. economists believe we may be through the worst and that the recovery will begin this summer (if it hasn’t done so, already).

Let’s hope they are right.

2012: Subaru May Intro Hybrids to U.S. Market

In 2012, will we see an all-wheel drive Subaru B5 hybrid gracing American roadways? Sturdy Roots Blog certainly hopes so!

As a long-time Subie, I’m thrilled by this news. Excerpted from AutoBlogGreen:

Subaru will license and adapt Toyota’s Hybrid Synergy Drive system to its current drivetrains, which has proved difficult and, apparently, time consuming (Autoblog first reported on Subaru’s hybrid plans back in 2005).

However, with this week’s new CAFE announcement that requires automakers’ products to average 35.5 mpg by 2016 – with Japan and Europe likely to follow suit – Subaru seems to finally be ready to make good on its promise – seven years later.

Subaru has won recognition and praise for recycling almost all of the waste generated at its Lafayette, Indiana final-assembly plant, a facility built alongside a thriving wildlife refuge. The company already sells Partial-Zero Emissions (PZEV) versions of its Outback and Forester models.

Call for Entries: What is Your Favorite Virtual Office Luxury?

At Sturdy Roots, our Chief Entertainment Officer ponders the day's mission-critical tasks.

Regular readers of Sturdy Roots Blog know that we’re passionate about virtual offices. And we hope that you are, too.

But we’re eager to know: what is your favorite virtual office luxury?

Could it be that Aeron office chair you bought yourself last year? How ’bout your virtual-switchboard phone system? Or your power management software? Or your new hi-definition video conferencing service? Or perhaps it is that furry four-legged family member curled up on the pillow below your desk?

Inquiring minds want to know, so please post a comment and share your favorites.

NatGeo Publishes Results of “Greendex” Survey: Worldwide Consumers Making Greener Choices, U.S. Consumers Rank Lowest in Improvements

National Geographic has published results of Greendex 2009, a new study tracking worldwide consumer choice and the environment.

Among the findings, this one: since 2008, 13 out of 14 countries including Brazil, China, India, and South Korea have increased their environmentally-friendly consumer behavior while the U.S., Canada and Japan rank lowest and the nations with the least amount of improvement.

Overall, consumers made great strides with recycling and by reducing energy consumption in the home by moderating thermostats and using energy-efficient appliances.  

Some good news: Greendex scores are up from 2008 and the reasons are not the result of  the global economic downturn, alone. Consumers are more-conscious of how their consumption affects the environment; however, the study does suggest that product manufacturers and marketers  have to do more to improve their sustainable practices and make more green environmentally-friendly products and packaging. That way, consumers will make more environmentally-friendly consumer purchase decisions.

Certainly since last year, there is more sustainability happening at the workplace. But more could be done.

Encourage your team members to think creatively about increasing the amount and sophistication of sustainable practices. And to make sure your team practices what it preaches, include sustainability among their Management by Objective (MBO) work-performance measures. 

TIAA-CREF’s CSR Move: Oppose Genocide in Darfur, Cut Ties to Companies Doing Business With Sudanese Government

TIAA-CREF, the leading provider of retirement services in the academic, research, medical and cultural fields, has announced a campaign to pressure portfolio companies that maintain business relations with the Sudanese government to cease those relations or attempt to end genocide and ease suffering in Darfur. The organization plans to intensify pressure on such companies and divest from those that fail to take meaningful steps to respect human rights.

From a TIAA-CREF News Release:

TIAA-CREF believes that members of society have a moral responsibility to confront genocide and crimes against humanity. Therefore we are publicly asking companies operating in Sudan to help alleviate the suffering of its people. With that in mind, TIAA-CREF will:

TIAA-CREF will cut from its portfolios companies that refuse to end business with the Sudanese government and ease suffering in Darfur.

Seek meetings between TIAA-CREF executives and executives of target companies to encourage them to take positive and meaningful humanitarian steps and attempt to end genocide;
Publicly endorse the U.N.-sponsored Principles for Responsible Investment. Signatories include institutional investors with a combined $2.5 trillion in assets under management with whom we will join to urge companies operating in Sudan to confront human rights abuses; and
Call upon other financial services companies to follow our lead and increase pressure on target companies.
We will evaluate progress within nine months and, if we still hold positions in these companies at that time, we will divest their shares from all accounts if milestones showing significant progress are not achieved, and announce that decision publicly. If target companies – PetroChina, CNPC Hong Kong, Oil and Natural Gas Corporation, Sinopec, and PETRONAS – refuse to meet with us, we will divest promptly. If they agree to engage in a productive dialogue, we will continue to hold their shares as long as progress continues and as long as portfolio management concerns warrant. If a company takes meaningful steps to ease suffering and attempts to end genocide, we will remove it from our divestment list and continue the dialogue to assure changes occur. 

We recognize that genocide and crimes against humanity, whether in Darfur or elsewhere, require a higher standard of response. While we believe that attempts to use our standing as shareholders through quiet diplomacy is the most effective way to influence corporate policies and practices, in cases where companies may substantially contribute to genocide or crimes against humanity, we may intensify engagement, raise its visibility or limit its duration if we believe that such action is necessary to cause companies to improve their stance. Even in these cases, we believe that divestment should be considered as a last resort, only after efforts to pressure companies to revisit and change their policies have failed.

TIAA-CREF’s Policy Statement on Corporate Governance sets a high bar for divestment. In making our decision regarding Sudan, TIAA-CREF considered a number of factors, including the gravity of our concerns in Sudan, the likelihood of successful dialogue with target companies and our conclusion that divestment would have an insignificant impact on the financial performance of our participants’ portfolios.

We applaud TIAA-CREF’s noble campaign, and hope that it encourages other companies and institutions to develop their own impactful CSR inititatives. We also hope that it motivates like-minded executives to consider a career-shift to CSR program management.

Grossman Marketing Group Wins Green Business Award

Our friends at Grossman Marketing Group have won a green business award from Boston Business Journal. The award will be presented at this year’s Green Business Summit, scheduled for Friday, May 15, at the Sheraton Boston Hotel.

The company was included in the award’s “innovation” category in recognition for its trailblazing work in the green marketing and sustainability space.

Ben Grossman runs Grossman Marketing Group's green practice.

Grossman Marketing Group is a full-service provider of marketing communications materials and promotional products to customers in fields as varied as biotechnology, law, financial services, and the arts, and is known for environmentally-sound marketing solutions: envelopes made from green-e certified wind power; window patch envelopes made from a biodegradable, corn-based polymer; sustainable papers for stationery and collateral; and an extensive line of promotional products made from recycled materials.

Our heartiest congratulations go out to everyone at Grossman Marketing Group, especially company president Steve Grossman and the head of its Green Marketing Practice Ben Grossman.