Penny Baldwin

Yahoo Sticks With "It's Y!ou," Expanding Pricey Ad Campaign by Pushing "Hero Products" and Relevance

Kara Swisher in News on December 15, 2009 at 5:40 am PT

When Yahoo launched its massive advertising campaign–featuring the tag line, “It’s Y!ou”–earlier this fall with splashy events in New York and slick marketing rollouts all over the U.S., not everyone at the Internet portal loved it. “It’s not M!e,” joked a longtime Yahoo exec to BoomTown in an email, one of many like it that I got from inside the company, all of which worried about whether the motto and ad effort had enough punch and point to get Yahoo back on track. Well, Yahoo is sticking to its guns as it moves into the next phase of efforts to revitalize its brand with more specifics about its products and “relevance.”

Got Yahoo? Internet Giant Hires Goodby as Top Creative Agency for Its Ongoing Brand Revitalization.

Kara Swisher in News on October 19, 2009 at 5:55 pm PT

In a shift that is sure to be much commented on by the advertising industry, Yahoo has tapped Goodby, Silverstein & Partners to take the lead for its creative, advertising, digital marketing and strategic planning efforts. The San Francisco-based Goodby, which is owned by the Omnicom Group, is known for innovative ideas and has done such memorable campaigns as the terrific “Got Milk?” campaign. Perhaps a “Got Yahoo?” campaign is in the future? Until now, the top job of goosing Yahoo’s tarnished brand, as part of a recently launched $100 million marketing push, has been helmed by Ogilvy & Mather.

Exclusive: Yahoo Set to Unveil Massive New Marketing Campaign at Advertising Week, Declaring Size Does Matter

Kara Swisher in News on September 13, 2009 at 10:32 am PT

Yahoo is set to unveil a major marketing campaign to reset advertiser and consumer perception of the long-troubled company during Advertising Week in New York, which starts a week from tomorrow. According to numerous sources BoomTown has spoken to about the campaign, Yahoo is–at least with advertisers–going to focus on stressing the size and scale of the Internet giant. With consumers, the Internet giant will push the idea of being a key hub on the Web. The details of the plan will be made public Tuesday, Sept. 22, at a press conference with senior Yahoo execs, including CEO Carol Bartz.

BoomTown's Favorite Leaked Yahoo Internal Memo Ever: New PR Head Eric Brown Says Hello (and More)!

Kara Swisher in News on July 7, 2009 at 5:52 pm PT

BoomTown has had some good leaked internal memos from Yahoo, but I have never enjoyed one quite as much as this one from newly installed Yahoo PR head Eric Brown, who started today. While it is clear Yahoo has had its troubles in understanding and offering social-networking products to its users, Brown certainly knows how to share. Yahoo could use some of that DNA! Here’s his introductory memo to his new troops.

Yahoo's Extreme Makeover Confirmed With the Hiring of a New Global Marketing Exec

Kara Swisher in News on July 1, 2009 at 3:20 am PT

Last week, BoomTown posted a detailed piece on Yahoo’s plans for a massive rebranding and marketing push, which included the hiring of outside consultant Penny Baldwin, who was a former top exec at Young & Rubicam. Yesterday, Baldwin became an official Yahoo exec, as SVP of global integrated marketing and brand management. She has been described by many sources as much more colorful and bold in her style, advocating more aggressive ideas about reinvigorating the Yahoo brand. “Well, Penny is definitely not Yahoo,” said one Yahoo source, joking about the company’s quainter, yodel-focused and purple-toned image. “Which is probably a good thing.”

Exclusive: Yahoo Working on Major Brand Overhaul (Pretty Please, No More Yodeling!)

Kara Swisher in News on June 24, 2009 at 7:39 pm PT

In what many sources at the company said is a major push, Yahoo is working on a massive plan to overhaul its brand in order to repair a damaged public image and focus consumers on what defines Yahoo. The effort is being spearheaded by newly installed Chief Marketing Officer Elisa Steele, who has hired well-known brand consulting firm Landor Associates, as well as an outside consultant named Penny Baldwin, who was a former top exec at brand and ad giant Young & Rubicam.