Audi Goes No Where Fast

Vroom goes the oil burner
For the past few years, no manufacturer has dominated an automobile racing series as Audi has done with the American Le Mans Series, or ALMS. More surprisingly, Audi accomplished this dominance through a race car powered by a V12 diesel engine. Yes, Audi’s power lies behind a fuel most Americans’ consider smelly and believe produces underpowered cars (see the Oldsmobile Delta 88).

Lost in the twaddle emanating from Consumer Reports’ branding survey came disheartening news for Audi’s attempts at creating a TT stable mate that burns diesel. No one in the sample considers Audi as superior in the Technology category. Specifically, blame Audi’s promotions efforts on American’s complete ignorance of Audi’s technological achievement compared toToyota Honda other automobile companies.

Generally, the Consumer Report survey calls into question whether automobile manufacturers generate value by sponsoring cars in racing series like ALMS, NASCAR, and the sundry open wheel racing circuits.

Bad Statistics II

Tops in the Dick Envy category

Simply, in a word, wow. Rarely has Blipverts seen such piss poor research methodology. Too bad Blackberries from Detroit to Nashville to Torrance must be in full meltdown mode after Consumer Reports ‘ automobile brand perception rankings (HT: The Truth About Cars).

Money observation:

Among new-car shoppers, safety (63 percent) is the most important consideration, followed by quality (58 percent).

However, Consumer Reports’ survey has nothing to do with sales. If it did, Volvo would hold the top selling brand spot.

Help Wanted

For 2008, two food retail companies needed a new chief executive officer. A CEO has been named at the first company while the second company cast about for a new leader. At first glance, the company with the new actually old CEO, Starbuck’s, appears to have an easier task. However, a deeper look reveals the second company, Krispy Kreme, represents the easier task.

Steal this mug to save this company

Return to Retailing Roots

For fourth quarter 2007, Wal-Mart ditched its George label, its attempt to widen the aisles, and its push to offer fashions that are more contemporary. Instead, the Bettonville Behemoth did what it does best: ever day low pricing. The move paid off as Wal-Mart reported strong stales.

For the next two years, this strategy will work. After that period, though, all bets are off.

Happy days are here again

Don’t Run Electricity Through My Body, Bro

Shockingly hot

At Blipverts, we enjoy listening to Grammar Girl’s podcasts because they help us (1) write better and (2) correct other people’s mistakes. Okay, the second reason represents why we like Grammar Girl. Well, that, and the girl geek thing.

In a recent podcast, Grammar Girl weighed in on the use of Taser and tase as verbs (Podcast 77: Verbification of a Noun). She settled on using tased as the verb form of the noun Taser. We disagree completely. Our logic stems from another Grammar Girl podcast.

One Stop Financial Shopping

Many ideas in business appear quite possible, reasonable, and profitable. Where others failed before them, business leaders swear they possess the knowledge to use better the resources needed to implement successfully these ideas. These often tried but never successful ideas include

• doing more with less
• cutting our way to profitability
• buying market share
• selling checking accounts and IRAs

Add Citigroup to the heap one stop financial shops, which is includes Shearson Lehman FleetBoston, Morgan Stanley, and US Bank. The failure occurs because these companies lack a key component of information: consumer behavior and consumer needs.

Can I interest you in some nice fat financing or a debit card?

Autoblog, Not Money, Owns a Dictionary

Money magazine posts a story about Toyota drivers purchase of another Toyota. Money’s headline:

Toyota no. 1 in customer loyalty, GM close behind

Autoblog’s headline:

Toyota tops in customer retention

Loyalty and retention may be synonymous but they are not the same word because they represent different concepts.

Blipverts remain loyal to the lovely Lauren

It’s Zipf’s Law, Baby

To paraphrase a loopy character in order to discuss a loopy conclusion: I do not understand Zipf’s Law. I merely enforce it.

At least that is the message from the New York Times. Zipf’s Law is an artifact for Jon Hofmeyr to convince a company to give him a pile of goodies liked peeled grapes in the company cafeteria.

Money quote:

“With this approach, the moment you determine a brand’s ranking, you can predict the market share,” (Hofmeyr) said.

As we will see, there is nothing factually correct or actually true about Hofmeyr’s quote.