Consumer Escapes - A new face for smz.com

A self-serving post. Last night we launched a new website for the agency at www.smz.com. It's not a site about showing off in flash. It represents more detail on a statement in my bio. "We are SMZ. We help make brands part of the consumer's Escape Plan™."

Then, work organized by type. Now, work organized in mini cases. Then, no links to social media tools. Now, links to each of the tools we use and embrace. Then, something for everybody. Now, a strong stand on serving brands that provide a consumer escape. Then, infrequent updates. Now, frequent fresh and surprising content.

Check it out. Hit the escape button and pop some bubble wrap. And of course share open and honest feedback. That's what got us to this positioning and updated website in the first place.

Consumer Escapes - Breakfast On-the-Go

I like a $5 Subway tuna footlong as much as the next guy. And just by writing that the song will be stuck in my head until this afternoon. What I'm questioning is why there's so much buzz for the fact that Subway will be offering up breakfast? Let's see: they have fresh bread, cheese and bacon. Hmmm, let's put those things together in a series of sandwiches for breakfast. That's not exactly a fresh idea.

But what does appear game-changing is being able to stop off at a ubiquitous Subway location, grab breakfast and a Seattle's Best coffee AND takeaway lunch, too. McDonald's, who's been serving breakfast sandwiches since the number billion actually meant something never got people to take lunch on the same visit. With segregated menus they required you to come back later. (How many times have you been on the wrong five minutes of the breakfast switchover at McD's?)

My friends at Mintel report restaurants created 460 new breakfast products in 2009. So Subway who sells every shape and size sandwich except a double-decker wins not just with new products but by getting what I'll call a double-header. That is a fresh idea.

I'll be watching closely. All while trying to get to the bottom of my 168 oz Subway soda.