Marketer of the Year: Hyundai
The Carmaker Won Handily in Our Reader Poll, Besting Walmart, McDonald's, Lego and Amazon
Consider the state of affairs when viewers tuned into the Super Bowl in February: Banks had failed, a stimulus package still hadn't been announced, and unemployment was surging toward 8%, up from 4.8% the year before. Escapism was the order of the day, and most advertisers played right along, with brands like Coke and Pepsi offering saccharine happy-happy joy-joy visions that jarred with the bleak reality. There was one advertiser, however, that didn't.
Walmart: A Promise of Value When Shoppers Need It Most
Marketer of the Year Runner-up: Retailer Makes Most of Its Marketing Budget
Walmart was one of the few retailers to manage to eke some growth out of a recession that's snapped consumers' wallets shut. Walmart is cranking hard on its value proposition and it's got the strong creative and analytics to get the job done.
McDonald's Moves Beyond Value Menu to Rise Above
Marketer of the Year Runner-up: Listening to Consumers Led Golden Arches to Growth
Great marketing and focus on product has ensured that McDonald's hasn't missed any opportunities during the recession. While being associated with a value menu chockablock with popular products isn't the worst thing for hard times, that's not all McDonald's is about.
Lego Grows by Listening to Customers
Marketer of the Year Runner-up: Brand That Could Have Been Left Behind Creates Opportunities in Digital
Five years ago, Danish toy company Lego was bleeding money to the tune of $300 million in a year. But the 77-year-old company has taken on a variety of marketing and operational changes that have made it look thoroughly modern while posting double-digit sales increases.
Amazon Is What Customer-Focused E-Commerce Looks Like
Marketer of the Year Runner-Up: E-Tailer Continues Growth While Barely Spending on Ads
Though it's far from giving the store away, Amazon has responded to the recession by keeping prices low and keeping up its good deals on shipping.
Three Marketers to Watch in 2010
This Trio Didn't Quite Make the Running, but Are on the Path for the Next Marketer of the Year
Apple, Ford and Subway didn't make Marketer of the Year, but they may very well end up on our list next year.
How the Marketer of Year Votes Were Cast
Less-Than-Famous Automaker Counters Recession Memorably; Value-Focused Walmart Is Runner-up
NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- In the end, the vote for Ad Age's 2009 Marketer of the Year came down to a pair of companies that have handled the recession capably, though with very different tacks.
Hyundai, Walmart Show How to Thrive in Recession
An Ad Age Editorial
It's no coincidence that the two biggest vote earners in our Marketer of the Year polling embodied one of the oldest adages in business: Don't stop marketing in a recession.
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