From a fan stand point it seems pretty ridicules to watch millionaires argue with billionaires about contract disputes, when most fans are barely making $40-50 grand a year. But when you view a situation like the New York Jets and Darrell Revis hold out from a business positions, one can understand a player of his caliber taking a stance and demanding more money. In the defense of the professional athlete (especially NFL players who’s contracts are not guaranteed), they have to get all the can while they can because the average career is short lived. Inaddition, these team owners are making tons of money off of these players so they deserve a fair compensation in relationship to the revenues they are capable of generating.
In the video above LeCharles Bentley doesn’t blame the Jets’ Darrelle Revis one bit for holding out and he explains why, check it out.
In China Jackie Chan is king, he has just about every company knocking down his door to endorse their products and he is not turning any brand away. While I’m sure he’s raking in millions in endorsement deals Jackie’s image is beginning to take a hit due to failure of many of these products. Jackie has to learn all money isn’t good money. Check out the story from the LAtimes below:
Reporting from Beijing — Judging from billboards and television commercials in China, film star Jackie Chan has never met a product he wouldn’t endorse. Travel the country and you’ll see the Hong Kong native’s handsome visage hawking electric bikes, anti-virus software, even frozen dumplings.
But although the Chan name has translated to big bucks at the box office, not every product he touches turns to gold. In fact, when news broke last month that an anti- hair-loss shampoo he promoted allegedly contained carcinogens, Chinese cyberspace and media were buzzing about the “Jackie Chan curse.”
Consider the auto repair school that Chan plugged to aspiring Chinese mechanics: It became enmeshed in a diploma scandal. Another of his sponsors, a maker of video compact discs, went bankrupt and saw its manager jailed for fraud. An educational computer that Chan pitched to children called the Subor Learning Machine flopped. And a cola he quaffed named Fenhuang fizzled.
More recently, an air-conditioner brand that Chan promoted was hit by a report that one of its units exploded. Media wags couldn’t resist invoking the Jackie jinx.
“He has become the coolest spokesperson in history,” said an editorial in Oriental Guardian, a Nanjing newspaper. “A man who can destroy anything.”
In the U.S., companies have learned the hard way about the risks of using celebrities to pitch their products. Philandering cost Lakers star Kobe Bryant and golfer Tiger Woods millions in lost endorsements.
But rather than personal scandals, Chan’s difficulties stem from his willingness to shill just about anything, including well-known global brands (Canon cameras), obscure regional products (Sinian sticky rice balls) and so much more (Hong Kong tourism). His seeming lack of discrimination has made it more likely that he would pitch some clunkers, analysts said.
“When you have someone with so many brands, the probability of things going wrong is markedly higher,” said Saurabh Sharma, a strategic planning director for Ogilvy & Mather Beijing. “It’s rare to be in the industry for so long and also be clear of controversy.”
Its amazing to see how Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine turned the Beats By Dre head phone brand into a fashion statement. Whoever they enlisted to help them implement their marketing scheme really did a great job. They branded these head phones to be more than just a great head set but a fashion statement in pop culture. Here is a new design for the head set created by CrystalRoc which is flooded with more than 4320 Swarovski crystals. Though this image shows the headphone dressed in crystal and black hematite, there will be an option to do it up in chrome or gold plated soon. Though there is no official word on the pricing, there is no harm in stating ‘I like this one’ of the options.
I find it very interesting to see how major brands compete for brand loyalty when there is only a few dominate players in their perspective markets. In the late 90’s and early 2000’s Nintendo suffered a bit in sales due to two major gaming systems (Sony Play Station & X-Box 360) entering the market and turning the gaming world upside down. But while the Play Station and X-box was focusing in on premium graphics and high priced gaming systems Nintendo refocused their strategy and released the low priced and family friendly Wii, which recaptured many consumers attention back to the Nintendo brand; and it totally caught Sony and Microsoft by surprise. Below I found this article from the Harvard Business Review which discuss how Nintendo executed their come back, check it out:
Back in 2006 and 2007, my colleague Scott Anthony argued that Nintendo’s Wii would be a disruptive innovation that could catch Sony and Microsoft off-guard. The core of the argument was that Nintendo’s strategy of “competing against non-consumption” would allow it to fly under the radar of Microsoft and Sony, which were engaging in an arms race to provide ever better-looking games to their most-demanding consumers at premium prices.
And that is exactly what happened. Wii sales soared. In 2008 and 2009, Nintendo sold more consoles in North America than Microsoft and Sony combined.
There’s been a lot of negative thing said about Lebron James and his lack of loyalty to Cleveland Cavs since his decision to sign with the Miami Heat. One thing that has yet to be said is that for him to put his closest friends in a position to manage his brand at such a young age and keep all the checks in the family, how much more loyal can you get. Here is an interview from Incwith Maverick Carter, Lebron’s friend and business partner discussing managing the Lebron Brand, check it out:
In 2006, NBA star LeBron James launched a marketing company, LRMR Innovative Marketing & Branding, and tapped Maverick Carter, a former high school teammate who was then just 24, to run it. The business helps James sign up and work with corporate sponsors such as State Farm and McDonald’s. Carter spoke with senior reporter Jason Del Rey about what it’s like to manage the brand that is LeBron James.
When LRMR was founded, some observers suggested that LeBron shouldn’t put a friend in charge. What was your take on that?
You know, Bill Gates and Paul Allen, they were friends, and they started their business together, and it wasn’t a big deal. But obviously LeBron is a high-profile guy, and the nature of the sports business is that when a young athlete turns pro, he hires an agent who’s been in the business forever, and if he does anything different than that, there will be an uproar.
With Apple being the most popular brand in the world these days, I though it would be a good idea to take a look at the mind behind the brand Steve Jobs. Here, John Gruber gives great insight on the impact Jobs has had on Apple since 1985, check it out.
Legendary producer Jerry Weintraub has a rags to richest story like none other. He recently released a book about his life (When I Stop Talking You Will Know I’m Dead), here he stopped by the Jimmy Kimmel Live show and share bits and pieces about his journey in the entertainment business.
There are hundreds of thousands of small business owners within the U.S. and millions around the world; they form a vibrant core to many national economies. However, a large portion of small businesses do not survive. According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, only about 31% of small businesses survive for at least seven years – never mind making it big.
Almost every small business would like to grow its revenues, but most are only working with teams of a few employees. While some marketing and growth tactics that work well for large corporations can be applied to small businesses, many cannot, and growing a new business from scratch is even more unique.
Read on to find out how to grow a small business and bring it to the big leagues.
1. Become a Thought Leader in Your Industry
Start a blog, give speeches, write articles or publish a book on your niche area of business. Become the expert that people seek out when they need a solution. If you market yourself enough you will be receiving warm phone calls from individuals wanting to buy from you instead of potentially cold calling on individuals who have no interest in your business.
This is the least expensive suggestion on how to grow your business – there are many places where you can start a blog for free. Invest one hour a day in learning about your market and writing about what you learn and within one year, you will have potential customers and joint venture partnerships approaching you. This strategy works for all types of niches, including dog training, hedge fund investing, copywriting, fundraising and physical therapy. Every niche has an online audience looking to learn more about the subject. Start feeding them with valuable content and they will start feeding your business with leads and marketing opportunities. This tip is provided first because this alone has helped hundreds of businesses grow to more than $1 million a year in revenue.
2. Create Passive Income Streams
Subscription-based models and membership programs sell a customer once and earn a profit every month as long as you keep those customers happy. An example of this is a website information portal selling a service provider directory listing. The website charges $99 a month and receives that payment every single month of the year as long as the website remains popular and relevant. Passive income models could incorporate a low monthly fee for on-demand customer service or maintenance, subscription access to exclusive coaching or a newsletter with interviews, book reviews and market analysis on your industry.
New ‘Tech Titans’ Emerge: Economic downturns typically breed innovation in the business world. Given the depth of the Great Recession, it’s no surprise then that a whole batch of new technology heavyweights have emerged. Daily Finance’s Sam Gustin looks at 10 high-tech companies that have the best chance to lead in their respective fields and become household names like pioneering predecessors Yahoo, Amazon.com, eBay and Google.
GM IPO May Be Bumped To Next Week: Thursday’s unexpected resignation of General Motors Chief Executive Edward Whitacre may affect the timing of the automaker’s much-anticipated initial public offering. Paperwork detailing GM’s intention to sell $16 billion in stock was expected to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission as soon as today. But Whitacre’s unexpected departure, effective Sept. 1, may push the filing into next week, Reuters reports. The delay would give GM time to note any additional risk factors caused by the sudden change in management.
Rebel Flight Attendant Wants Wings Back: You’d think after Monday’s much-publicized meltdown, the last place Steven Slater would want to be is in an airplane. But the renegade JetBlue Airways flight attendant, who became a folk hero after cursing out a customer and then sliding down the jet’s emergency chute, wants to return to the skies, according to his lawyer. “His hope is to return to the aviation business,” attorney Howard Turman said. But JetBlue says, not so fast. “As of right now, he has been released of duty pending the investigation,” said spokesman Mateo Lleras, who declined further comment.
Oracle Sues Google Over Java: In a surprise move, software-maker Oracle has sued Google. The complaint, filed Thursday in U.S. District Court in Northern California, alleges that the search-engine giant’s Android mobile-operating system infringes patents associated with Oracle’s Java programming platform. Java is used to write software for devices ranging from smartphones to high-end computer servers. A Google spokesman said the company hadn’t yet been served with the lawsuit and couldn’t comment further, The Wall Street Journalreported.
Facebook Becomes Billion-Dollar Company: Social-networking phenomenon Facebook may pull in $1.285 billionin revenue this year, according to eMarketer, a digital-research firm. That’s roughly double the $650 million in sales the company booked last year. What’s more, Facebook’s revenue could reach $1.76 billion in 2011. The popular website, which recently surpassed 500 million users, isn’t likely to file an IPO before 2012, however.
Judge: Wells Fargo Cheated Customers: Wells Fargo has been ordered to refund $203 million to its California customers for ill-gotten overdraft fees. A San Francisco judge found the banking giant manipulated customers’ accounts in such a way to enable Wells Fargo to slap consumers with the most overdraft fees possible. The decision came Tuesday in a class-action lawsuit that challenged the bank’s overdraft policies. Wells Fargo, based in San Francisco, plans to appeal the ruling.
Economy Spurs Less-Tony Knock-Offs: The recession has forced makers of knock-offs of high-end fashion retailers down market. The usual victims, Louis Vuitton, Gucci, and Coach, are being replaced by less expensive luxury brands such as Samantha Thavasa, Anya Hindmarch, and Kooba, reports Luxist’s Rigel Celeste. Smaller labels appeal to the multi-billion knock off industry in part because they’re easier to sell online and less likely to trigger lawsuits by designers. At least Martha Stewart has little to worry about.
Alexis Diaz has always been a natural born Actress. From the start of a young age she had participated in plays and competed in talent shows. Always driven she had attended Temple university in Philadelphia, where she received her Bachelors of Arts Degree in theater.MORE
