Where Does A Brand Go To Get Fixed? 

What really happened was so many little things that just never were important enough to address and so each company simply ran out of time.

Here are three different brands that had all of the talented executives, all of the financial opportunities and all of the time in the world. That said, each just never got it together. It has been said so many times that in the Unites States we look at the next quarter and not the next quarter of a century.

Each of these companies suffered from executive change after executive change rather than vested principles that really loved their company. Top's, Winn Dixie and Toys R Us all had the best of executives. Just one problem...So many of the top brass with each of these once trusted "Brands" were high priced retail mercenaries, late in their individual careers guaranteed way too much in advance.

Each seemingly hired top talent looking for great results in each of the coming quarters and so the result was little long term planning with highly paid salaries and benefits paid for performance...real performance.

Seasoned executives looking for short term profit at the expense of "Brand" damage to the all important capital asset...the underlying company!

Quick fixes and flashy turnarounds will seldom result in long term sustainable success. In each of these cases the company plan was neither sustainable nor asset building. Top's, Winn Dixie & Toys R Us each, time after time wasted the opportunity to build solid retail sales in favor of the sale or simply letting go of what was good in hopes of fixing what was bad.

Top's is the best example. I was familiar with many of the retail locations Top's was either interested in or in fact purchased. I wondered so many times "How can you purchase so many bad locations and somehow end up with a great chain"

Retail food is about a plan. A series of ideas that keep retail innovative and exciting. A fresh look, great housekeeping and enough excitement to keep the "Brand" top of mind while making some money in the process.

A great retail food company comes about slowly and painfully!

So as we look forward for that special supermarket concept or grocery wholesaler, look for that company with patience, ideas, a vested management team and a central group that really loves what they do and the company they do it for.

A company with enough capital, financially and intellectually with that real fire in the belly to succeed are the companies we love to work with. These companies are getting tougher to find but they are there. Whats ironic is companies like Top's, Winn Dixie and Toys R Us are making lots of room for those great companies to emerge.

Before our eyes is the changing of the guard in the retail world as we now understand it. Exercise caution when you hear that 68 year old executive with a golden parachute tell you how great things will be in three to six months. Those are the guys you need the guts to say the plan sounds great but I'll take it C.O.D.

We have all seen this tale told way too many times!

Many have asked why I choose to write about what I see in the supermarket industry today and my ideas. At Bad Adz, PreparedFoodPhotos.com & Adlife we believe great ideas and the resulting branding will give new life and direction to any company. So for that reason we chose to open the discussion.

Yes, I understand I probably misspelled something or butchered the English language in a few places, the goal however was to open your minds to new ideas.

Joel Albrizio, President of Bad Adz Digital Marketing & Adlife

Follow Me On Twitter @joelalbrizio or on LinkedIn!

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