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Harnessing Cultural Equity: Relevance Value Of A Brand Thursday, July 11th, 2013
A Forbes column offers this provocative quote: [E]xisting research instruments like Interbrand and Millward Brown Brand Z rankings focus first on the brand itself, then ask the consumer what they think/feel about it in isolation of societal context. These approaches pre-suppose people spend their time going through life thinking about brands...and they don't. People think about themselves as individuals in society and their own self-created cultures. Read the entire story here.
Voltaire As Marketer: To Become A Boring Brand, Leave Nothing Out Sunday, March 23rd, 2014
François-Marie Arouet was a French Enlightenment writer known for his wit and defense of civil liberties, including freedom of religion and the right to a fair trial. Arouet, more commonly known by his pen name Voltaire, he the author of Candide, ou l'Optimisme, also offered us the following, which today applies to the discipline of branding: The best way to be boring is to leave nothing out. Too often organizations rush to tell their public everything about themselves. Think…
Ahead of Her Time: Anais Nin on Brand Strategy Wednesday, January 9th, 2013
Anais Nin was a Cuban-French author who became famous for her published journals. Years before branding emerged as a business and marketing discipline, Ms. Nin offered this insight: We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are. In creating an engaging and hard to forget product, the process of branding must reveal things as they actually exist in the real world, rather than how a product owner sees them. For many organizations and their CEOs, this…
Infographic: Google+ for Business Monday, January 14th, 2013
As Chris Brogan, CEO of Human Business Works tells it: The swell folks at BlueGlass made me a nifty infographic about Google+ for business, replete with all kinds of factoids and thoughts to consider. This infographic has a bunch of marketing points scattered throughout it. You'll see why Google+ might help you take your business goals to the next level. Noodle through the full infographic here. Chris Brogan's latest book, The Impact Equation, may be purchased here.
The Histories Of 11 Super Famous 5-Second Visual Stories Wednesday, January 9th, 2013
Logo Life, a new book by Ron van der Vlugt, compiles the stories behind 100 notable logos. Here's a taste, from Fast Company.
Is Brand Strategy Art Or Science, Or Perhaps Both? Monday, January 14th, 2013
Fast Company today asks: Is branding a dark art based on a mastery of data or the channeling of creativity? Channeling up visions of the great and powerful Oz as a particpant in the creation of successful brand strategy, the author concludes: The combining of art and science is not easy and requires a special team to execute it successfully. But if one can pull it off [this combination] will result in a powerful and iconic…
Leonardo da Vinci on Brand Strategy: Communicate With Simplicity Monday, July 29th, 2013
Leonardo da Vinci, the Italian archetype of the Renaissance Man, is described as infinitely curious and equally inventive. One of the greatest painters and artists of all time, he of the Mona Lisa and the Vitruvian Man, also offers us the following, today of application to any enterprise and product brand: Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication The topic of simplicity appears often throughout these pages. Differentiating a brand through simplicity is key to engaging any audience one seeks to influence. Leonardo…
Robert Burns as Marketing Strategist Tuesday, September 5th, 2017
Robert Burns, a Scottish poet and lyricist of the 18th century, remains considered by many the national poet of Scotland. Today his work and literary influence are celebrated globally. This verse from the Burns poem, To A Louse, describes the value of qualitative research in drawing a bead on what is important, and what is not: O would some Power the gift to give us
To see ourselves as others see us! As Burns suggests, as…
'Nonprofit' a Tax Classification, Not a Business Strategy Sunday, January 13th, 2013
Media Post I’ve worked for several nonprofit organizations over the years—from higher education to educational travel to the performing arts—and I always thought that nonprofits could learn a lot from the corporate world. In my experience, nonprofit organizations are generally reluctant to openly discuss profit, unless it’s in regards to fundraising initiatives. Nonprofit organizations need to make money just like everyone else. How else can they accomplish their missions, after all? It was refreshing, then,…
Kraft Shareholders Approve Snack Foods Business Label Sunday, May 27th, 2012
Washington Post Kraft Foods Inc. says shareholders approved the name “Mondelez” for its new global snack food business, which may put to rest the snickering that initially greeted the name. The Northfield, Ill.-based company said Wednesday the name was approved by more than 90 percent of shareholders who cast a vote. The name — pronounced “mon-dah-LEEZ” — will take effect when the company officially splits into two publicly traded companies later this year. Mondelez International…
