One of the first questions I get when I introduce myself and my business to clients and colleagues is, “what is a Sydcam and where did you get that name from?” Well, the response is a pretty simple one, rooted in something I hold near and dear to me – my family. You see, the name Sydcam comes from the names of my two children, my daughter Sydney and my son Cameron. I figured if it works for Mattamy Homes (i.e. Matt and Amy, his two kids), one of the largest home builders in the Toronto area, it could work for me!

My children are a precious and important part of my life and of who I am today. They are the ones that put a smile on my face and a spring in my step. They fuel my passion for life, giving me energy and inspiration, even when times are tough. Their passion for life, to live, learn, explore and grow is at the very core of what I want Sydcam Marketing Communications to be.

The essence of Sydcam is centred on my passion for life and all it has to offer. As a marketer that truly believes he is good at what he does, I believe I can help my clients be more successful at promoting their products and services. One of things I love to do as I shop or read the local newspaper is to be on the lookout for advertisements, posters and the like from national and local businesses. I then ask myself, “Is their message a compelling one, does it resonate with me and the general public and will it get any of us to take action? What are they trying to promote, and are they using the right messaging, context and content to reach their intended audience?”

I know, you’re probably thinking this all sounds pretty hokey – but it’s true. I’m thoroughly curious and fascinated by marketing of all sorts and in all mediums, online and off. I am equally intrigued by companies that are on the cutting edge of marketing communications, as well as those that can’t even use proper English grammar in their messages. I’m a firm believer that marketers can help consumers wade through all the noise out there today and help them find products and services that help them to enjoy life that much more.

So what else turns my crank when I’m not conjuring up the latest and greatest marketing strategy for a client? Well I love to play sports, listen to music, exercise and read. Sports are my real passion and I can’t get enough of them (except of course on those mornings when my body aches as I get out of bed!). From hockey to baseball, golf to football, and tennis to skiing, there aren’t too many sports I don’t enjoy playing. I just hope my body will hold up for many more years to come so I can keep on doing all of it.

So there you have it, a little peak into the life of Ian Turner, family man, marketing guru (an old boss always called me that), and sports fanatic. If you’d like to learn more about me and my business, I encourage you to visit my website at www.sydcamcommunications.com, or you can email me directly at ian@sydcamcommunications.com. Have a great day!

I came across a rather interesting article in the June 30, 2010 edition of Marketing magazine that I wanted to share with you. The article talks about one of the more challenging tasks many established businesses face – whether or not to rebrand themselves, and if so, for what purpose (i.e. to go after existing clients in a different way or to target an entirely different client segment).

 Oftentimes businesses rebrand for the latter reason in order to go out after a more lucrative or attractive target market. In the case of East Side Mario’s (ESM), this was indeed the case. Having developed a strong brand as a “family friendly” restaurant with a gregarious New York City theme, it symbolized an affordable, convenient and comfortable place for families to eat out.

 However, ESM was eager to move its business model up-market by appealing to a more upscale client. As a result, it removed its Statue of Liberty logo and replaced it with a more traditional Italian symbol – the tomato. It also got rid of its infamous marketing jingle, “Badda Boom Badda Bing” due to its association with NYC.

 What happened next is an age-old problem that occurs when rebranding involves an attempt to enter a new market. By changing its target market through changes to its marketing messages, restaurant appearance and menu, ESM alienated its existing clientele while failing to make significant inroads with the upscale segment it was attempting to go after.

 So what can be learnt from this experience? First of all, rebranding should never be entered into by any business without considerable deliberation and analysis. And while going after a new and perhaps more lucrative client segment is always tempting, it may not necessarily be the best option, particularly when the new market you’re entering is as competitive as the restaurant industry.

 Indeed the competitive landscape should always be a primary consideration in any rebranding exercise. Always ask yourself this question – does the image I’m trying to portray or the market I’m trying to appeal to create any competitive challenges for my business (i.e. are there existing businesses with similar ‘brands’ going after similar or identical customers, and if so how successful are they?).

 The key to rebranding – and the key to developing a sound marketing strategy– is finding a niche in the market you can profitably compete in and exploit, one where your products and services effectively align with the needs and expectations of that particular target market. When you find that niche and are successful in exploiting it, you’ve latched onto the proverbial golden egg. And that’s why going after a new segment may not be the most sound business decision, and in fact can be highly risky. At the least, make sure your rebranding strategy is based on sound business fundamentals, and that these support the objectives of the firm.