Press Releases

Verse Group and Jupiter Research release breakthrough study on marketing during economic crisis

NEW YORK December 11, 2008 — Verse Group, an independent brand consultancy, has partnered with Jupiter Research on a new study revealing the need for dramatic changes in brand marketing during the current economic crisis. The study is titled, “A Shift in Marketing”.

This new study was conducted among senior marketers at 101 major companies. Marketers believe that brand marketing is broken. This breakdown is magnified by the economic meltdown. If companies are going to recover quickly, they will have to embrace a bold new approach to branding based on narratives.

Among the key findings:

  • Traditional brand positioning and advertising have lost their effectiveness.
  • Companies that adopt new narrative approaches to branding will out perform those who stick with the traditional brand positioning approach.
  • 89% say that marketing is under greater scrutiny than ever before.
  • Top three trends are shifting to non-traditional media, adopting brand stories and using design for competitive advantage

“If companies such as GM, Dell and Sony are to regain their competitiveness, they have to retool their approach to marketing, not just their products,” said Randall Ringer, cofounder of Verse Group. “They need a compelling narrative to engage the hearts and minds of customers.”

“Smart marketers are elevating design to a strategic level. They understand how great visual design can translate into strong competitive advantages,” said Michael Thibodeau, co-founder of Verse Group. Michael is world renown for his design of iconic brands including the MSN butterfly, UPS, CARE and Acela.”

The report, “A Shift In Marketing”, can be downloaded at: www.versegroup.com