Branding

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  The BIG Kahuna

• The Improper Way To Use A Tagline

  BIG Kahuna

  16 Nov 2009 | 6:41 pm

  I’ve written about Best Buy before but I just have to ask what the hell are they doing? Last year I wrote how I thought their new tagline “You Happier” was meaningless because it didn’t relate to their brand identity (whatever that is). Click here to view the embedded video. It’s not a brilliant tagline like Walmart’s :”Save Money. Live Better“. Walmart is using their tagline to actually leverage their brand identity of cost savings. But now Best Buy has again changed their tagline. Instead of “You Happier” it’s now…

• Lend America Playing On Our Fears?

  BIG Kahuna

  29 Oct 2009 | 3:19 pm

  I’m sure you’ve all seen this cheeseball commercial: Click here to view the embedded video. Do you believe this brand called “Lend America”? Do you find it insulting how they pretend to be a newscast? In this day of mortgage crisis do you believe a bad credit score is okay?  Have you done a Google search for the phrase “Lend America Scam”? Would you be surprised to learn there are over 51,000 results? http://www.google.com/search?q=lend+america+scam&rls=com.microsoft:en-us:IE-SearchBox&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&sourceid=ie7&rlz=1I7GGLG_en Your…

• Good Branding Is A Safety Net

  BIG Kahuna

  24 Oct 2009 | 5:30 pm

  As I walk the mall shopping and making buying decisions I always question why I buy one product over another. The other day I had a new home alarm installed. I shopped around and know for certain I could have saved a few bucks with a lot of other people. Who did I go with? Brinks. Sorry, Broadview. Why? I know if there’s ever a problem they’ll take care of me. I’m safe. Same thinking applies to all my shopping. Whenever I’m faced with a decision between two brands I’ll always choose the one that makes me feel the most comfortable. I’ll pay extra for that…

• Fox News – Fair and Balanced?

  BIG Kahuna

  13 Oct 2009 | 7:18 am

  Ah, no you’re not, and I watch you all the time. Let’s face it, you’re a conservative, Republican promoting TV News outlet. Get rid of this ridiculous tagline “Fair and Balanced”. It only makes you look weak.  Embrace your brand identity of representing the right. No one else is. You’ll automatically stand for much, much more by embracing the brand. We all know CNN and MSNBC go way left. Liberals love those stations. They don’t have the guts to come out and say they are liberals either. You do Fox. Just proclaim your rightness and be done with it.

• Are You Blocking Your Employees From Social Networks Like Facebook?

  BIG Kahuna

  12 Oct 2009 | 10:45 am

  If you are stop it. Now. Really, cut the crap! This sort of practice just gets morale down and makes your company an undesirable place to work at. Go ahead, tell me your employees will be less productive. Hogwash. They’re doing it anyway from their SmartPhones, iPhones and whoziedoozzies. Soon we will all have chips surgically implanted in our heads and we won’t need a device. Here’s a great article on the issues, read it: Access to social media improves productivity. According to Dave Willmer, executive director of Robert Half Technology, “Using social networking sites…

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  Tom Asacker on unlocking hearts and minds

• A brand is first about why, then about who

  Tom Asacker

  20 Nov 2009 | 3:08 pm

  Salon.com's CEO Richard Gingras is tasked, like many of his counterparts in the content business, with saving the business. His solution? The "brand," as described in a recent ClickZ article: "[I]ncrease readership by focusing on relevancy and SEO; bring in...

• In today's marketplace, every game is on the line

  Tom Asacker

  16 Nov 2009 | 2:47 pm

  “I put my team first.” That was Patriots head coach Bill Belichick's response to reporters on last night's failed decision to go for it on fourth-and-2 from his 28 with 2:08 left at Indy. And I happen to both believe...

• From core competence to core attitude

  Tom Asacker

  13 Nov 2009 | 2:29 pm

  People are finally realizing that their most powerful assets are not their buildings, bank accounts, or even technologies. It’s their relationships with their audiences. The problems arise when they try to be all things to all people. Instead, they should...

• Real life

  Tom Asacker

  12 Nov 2009 | 3:58 pm

  I took a ride with a couple of friends yesterday to visit a mutual friend who is home recovering from life-saving surgery. We all hugged, laughed, told jokes and fully absorbed an, unfortunately, rare and quintessential human moment. I suppose...

• Why people hate marketers

  Tom Asacker

  9 Nov 2009 | 10:51 am

  "Battle For The Brain: Hook wires to a snacker's head and you can figure out how to sell more potato chips. Maybe." That's the headline of a recent Forbes magazine article under the heading "MARKETING." It's no wonder that the...

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  .think - A Brainstorm blog

• Welcome to Notre Dame

  blass

  16 Nov 2009 | 4:49 pm

  Everyone had the same playbook. Rolling Out the Welcome Mat I attended my first Notre Dame football game this fall. I arrived on campus Friday at about 11am and the place was already buzzing with fans making their pilgrimage to the land of the Golden Dome. Eight Times, The Charm We pulled into the parking lot by the bookstore and as I climbed out of the car I heard a very pleasant voice say these simple words, “Welcome to Notre Dame.” I looked up and saw the gentleman who was directing traffic into parking spaces. As we walked toward the bookstore, again, I heard, ”Welcome to Notre…

• Is Your Mobile Presence, Brand Immobile?

  illig

  12 Nov 2009 | 1:04 pm

  “Let’s get small.” -Steve Martin Get Smart, Get Small While worldwide mobile phone sales slowed in early 2009, media-rich smart phone sales are on the rise both globally and in the United States. In ever-increasing numbers, across a wide spectrum of demographics, people are plying the web primarily on mobile devices. If your site and digital strategies are not mobile capable and/or optimized to load properly - your brand, for many, may not exist. “Smartphone sales surpassed 40 million units [in Q2 2009], a 27 per cent increase from the same period last year.” -…

• Branding Out of Your Gourd

  illig

  27 Oct 2009 | 10:13 am

  “Because we think harder.” My daughter and her friend Fouzan dropped in for a short-lived fall break from college last weekend. Fouzan was raised overseas and therefore largely unfamiliar with American holiday traditions, so we decided to visit a pumpkin patch and introduce him to pumpkin carving. A Side Trip On the way back from the pumpkin farm my daughter suggested we drop by Brainstorm and give Fouzan a quick tour of our offices. Fouzan was immediately taken by Brainstorm’s logo design - fascinated by the simple elements and concepts it symbolized: A power outlet, a thought…

• Brainstorm and Heartland Truly Moving Pictures

  illig

  15 Oct 2009 | 1:19 pm

  Hollywood comes to Indianapolis The annual Heartland Film Festival kicks off a 10-day run in Indianapolis today. This year’s festival features a record 87 films from around the world. Heartland Truly Moving Pictures is a non-profit organization that seeks to recognize and honor filmmakers whose work explores the human journey by expressing hope and emphasizing the best in human spirit. The Festival will award cash prizes totaling $200,000 to winning dramatic, documentary, short, and student films at the Crystal Heart Awards ceremony on Saturday, October 17th. Audiences rate movies and vote…

• Marking Their Identity

  Joellyn

  4 Oct 2009 | 10:10 pm

  A Mark Left I live in an urban environment with a bus stop near the front of my house. One morning, my neighbors and I were dismayed to awake to graffiti. Our bus stop had symbols painted on it, store front windows were etched, a residential fence defaced, and the light post marked. “The value of identity of course is that so often with it comes purpose.” -Richard R. Grant While I don’t think anyone in the neighborhood was surprised that it happened, we were grossly disappointed. We all work hard to maintain our beautiful space, but someone with a different connection to our…

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  Brand Insight Blog

• Twitter me this… how do you define “guru” in social media marketing?

  johnfurgurson

  9 Nov 2009 | 8:24 am

   by John Furgurson Eleven years ago, in The Cluetrain Manifesto, Christopher Locke wrote, “the internet has made it possible for genuine human voices to be heard again.” What do you mean, again? This is a first. Never has the average Joe been afforded  unrestricted access to an audience any bigger than the neighborhood pub. This giant electronic soapbox known as the internet delivers a world-wide audience. Anyone can pontificate at will, on any subject, and potentially reach billions of people across the globe. On one hand it’s the greatest thing since the invention of the radio…

• Marketing Strategy vs. Tactics

  johnfurgurson

  1 Nov 2009 | 11:31 am

  by John Furgurson I’m appalled. A successful marketing guy asked me a question recently — a real no-brainer — which led me to believe he didn’t know the difference between strategy and tactics. How can that be? He’s held several high-paying marketing positions. He’s college educated in Marketing 101. He’s gotta know this stuff. So I started doing some research online and I’ve found the problem: The internet! There’s more misinformation than information out there. More nonsense than common sense. Even some of the biggest gurus in the industry have posted conflicting…

• On-line shopping — The best thing ever for MANkind.

  johnfurgurson

  25 Oct 2009 | 9:27 pm

  by John Furgurson Twenty five years ago I couldn’t imagine getting all my Christmas shopping done from the comfort of the man den. The idea of a world without malls was pure fantasy, right up there with that scene from Flashdance where Jennifer Beals dances in place until she’s raining sweat. But today, it’s reality. Men really do have an alternative to the drudgery of shopping. It’s called e-commerce. For men, shopping harkens back to cro-Magnon days when we’d hunt down the things we NEEDED to survive. Men shop alone, in order to be more stealthy and less visible to people who…

• If you got hit by a bus, what would happen to your brand?

  johnfurgurson

  9 Oct 2009 | 11:05 am

  by John Furgurson Death and taxes. Death and taxes. The two are always lumped together as inevitable parts of life. So why, as business people, do we obsess over taxes and ignore the issue of death? Nothing derails a small business faster, and more dramatically, than death. When a partner or key employee dies, or experiences a death in the family, the business suffers. No two ways about it. The question is, is your brand strong enough to survive a devastating personal loss?  My dentist lost his 3-year-old daughter in a drowning accident.  How do you go back to drilling teeth after that? My…

• A feel-good brand in a bummed-out world.

  johnfurgurson

  19 Aug 2009 | 4:35 pm

  by John Furgurson It’s being dubbed a “”depressed economy.”  There are nightly reports on our current “ecomonic dulldrums,” and the  “downturn” in consumer spending. But if you sift through all the doom and gloom you’ll find that some brands are thriving in this “challenging economic environment.”  How do they do it? Here’s the secret: Make people smile!  It’s as simple — and as difficult — as that. If your product or service can elicit genuine smiles, you’ve got a winning brand. Because happiness is contagious.  And when people are experiencing stress…

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  Martin Lindstrom

• Brand vision - Absolut Branded Language

  Disney, Kellogg's, and Gillette are three completely different brands with one commonality. Over the past decade, they've established a branded language, whether they know it or not. In my latest book, we found 74 percent of today's consumers associate the word "crunch" with Kellogg's. Another 59 percent consider the word "masculine" and Gillette as one and the same. Americans formed the strongest association of masculinity to Gillette, by an astounding 84 percent. Disney scored higher in purloined language than any other brand. This brand welcomes you to its kingdom of fantasy, dreams,…

• Wireless strategy - Useful techniques - B2Branding

  Let's discuss a product category that's excruciatingly boring: rolling bearings and seals. I want to look at SKF, one of the world's largest manufacturers of rolling bearings and seals. I don't know about you, but I couldn't think of a less sexy and uninspiring product line. If you didn't know this business or the brand, you'd think (when you visited SKF's site) you'd arrived at the wrong URL. SKF not only tells you about the company's support of one of the world's largest rock shows and how SKF products help their clients make delicious biscuits, it also has a special postcard section. The…

• Wireless strategy - Product placement - Useful techniques - Future generations - BRANDchild

  You may be surprised to learn that close to 80 per cent of all brands purchased by parents is controlled by their offspring. But what will undoubtedly startle you are the figures that show a whopping 67 per cent of all car purchases is also determined by the children of the home – and not by the parents. Tweens (8- 14 year olds) are an increasingly powerful and smart consumer group, which in 2002 alone, spent and influenced an astounding €1.88 trillion. Did you know that an average British kid between 8 and 13 years of age is exposed to 22,000 television commercials a year? In fact these…

• Brand vision - Blogs

  You can’t avoid them – the blogs. They’re so plentiful that the opinions they offer are forming part of news reports. Given the evident potency of blogs, therefore, the question is should blogs remain within their current sphere of influence, helping individuals to share their personal opinions on with the world, or should they be adopted by brands as communication tools? The fact is that the marriage between blogs and brands is no longer a vision. Personality brands, like Seth Godin or Tom Peters, already blog the net. And brands like Weight watchers, LEGO, Apple or Harley Davidson…

• Optimizing sales - Brand alliances - Brand Alliances Put to the Test

  I'll bet that, more than once in your career, you've pondered the risk of teaming up with some other brand in a co-branding deal. The deal probably looked good; the conditions were perfect; but the brand... would it damage your own? It would be an exaggeration to claim that a number of studies have examined co-branding. But, luckily enough, I've managed to get hold of one study that might help us shed light on the issue. The Journal of Consumer Marketing published the study I’m referring to in 2000. It reveals a lot of interesting data and highlights facts of which we are possibly…

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  Brand Mix

• Businesses move forward with purpose

  19 Nov 2009 | 6:45 am

  Photo: Vintage Woman Soldier Veteran Bugler, WAF U.S, Air Force 1950s by Beverlykahuna (Flickr)Two powerful forces are combining to push businesses to catch up with Peter Drucker's ideas about them serving a higher purpose--just in time for his 100th birthday (which would have been today).Drucker was a strong proponent of businesses going beyond maximizing quarterly profits for shareholder benefit. Why? In his words (from this HBR tribute): "Most people need to feel that they are here for a purpose, and unless an organization can connect to this need to leave something behind that makes this…

• 10 Peter Drucker quotes to celebrate his centennial

  17 Nov 2009 | 7:47 am

  Photo: Taxi - Rear Window by pixonomy(Flickr)Peter Drucker was born 100 years ago this Thursday in Vienna, Austria. He was a pioneer in social and management theory, a prolific writer of books and articles and a good source of quotes, many of which are still relevant today. Here are ten that resonate with me: The purpose of a business is to create a customerBusiness has two functions: marketing and innovationTrying to predict the future is like trying to drive down a country road at night with no lights while looking out the back windowThe best way to predict the future is to create it.The…

• Six of the Best: The clarity edition (+ FREE book!)

  14 Nov 2009 | 8:39 am

  We don't need none of your highfalutin talk or affected manners around here. Here are six posts with a clear message:1) 30 Days to Better Business Writing – my new FREE eBook: Bad LanguageMatthew Stibe has set out to rid the business world of "jargon, waffle, hype, verbiage and conventionality." He's doing it by making his eBook free to anyone who wants. It's good so I'm doing my bit to spread the word in the hope that those who most need to read it, will read it.2) Diary of a Tweet: Clarity vs Twitterjunk: The B2B marketing BlogWe're in the "trough of technobabble" when it comes to…

• Marriott launches Autograph Collection: a tricky proposition

  12 Nov 2009 | 8:15 am

  As a brand architect, I've always loved Marriott International. Here's a company that's really explored all the brand architecture options. See how, on this frequently-used chart of mine, the company has managed the relationship between the Marriott brand and its hotel properties up and down the price/quality spectrum. Its lower-priced hotels get a Marriott seal of quality endorsement but are kept at some distance. The JW Marriott uses the founder's name to signal a more upscale product and the Ritz Carlton stands alone.With its extensive brand portfolio and the careful use of its flagship…

• "Gimme 4." Sesame Street Turns 40

  10 Nov 2009 | 8:03 am

  Sesame Street kicks off its 40th anniversary season today (Tuesday, November 10) with a guest appearance from first lady Michelle Obama. Ricky Gervais, featured in this outtake video, will be on later in the season (with a modified script!).Sesame Street is the longest-running children's program on US television and, over the years, it has won 122 Emmy Awards as well as a lifetime achievement award. It's been going long enough that its first generation of viewers now have children of their own who watch the show.What can we learn from Sesame Street's incredible success? Like any standout,…

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  Ruth Mortimer - Brand & Business Blog - Marketing Week

• Kia gets a PR push from a newly born baby

  brandstrategy

  20 Nov 2009 | 7:47 am

  We’ve all heard tales of people with Harley-Davidson tattoos. My Peruvian friend, who grew up in the slums of Lima, has often told me of coming across girls called “Madeinusa” because that name was written on so many labels of clothing (Made In USA) and was perceived to be a name conveying luxury and class. But now a British couple has called their baby Kia, after her parents Tony Richardson and Sam Smyth used a Kia car to get to hospital for the child’s birth. Mum Sam couldn’t wait to reach the hospital and her baby girl was born in the back seat. The infant was…

• Thomson Reuters logo inspired by potty mouths?

  brandstrategy

  18 Nov 2009 | 5:20 am

  There is a brilliant post on the Gawker website about the Thomson Reuters logo. Some wag who claims to be from the internal creative team that designed the firm’s logo has admitted that while it was sold to the organisation on some “corporate-sounding symbolism”,  it was really inspired by “a flushing, swirling toilet”. You can see this “confession”, which was posted on the anonymous confessions site “PostSecret“, below: Thanks to my former colleague (and all-round ace journalist) Morag Cuddeford Jones for tipping me off about this one.

• Mission-statement marketing (good old cause-related marketing by any other name?)

  brandstrategy

  17 Nov 2009 | 10:46 pm

  There is a nice article on AdAge this week talking about the era of “mission-statement marketing”. This is apparently not just standard old cause-related marketing (as we have known it for years and years) but a new trend. The article claims that Procter & Gamble no longer uses their timeworn phrase “consumer is boss” only but now talk about “touching and improving lives”. Unilever too is taking the approach of talking about “Making Life Better”. Even mega-retailer Walmart is getting in on the action with its slogan “Save Money. Live…

• How to do customer service – the Leon way

  brandstrategy

  17 Nov 2009 | 8:28 am

  Here is some nice customer service advice from Henry Dimbleby, who runs Leon, a healthy fast-food chain in the UK. As Leon is often cited as one of the chains getting service and products right on the British high street, it’s interesting to get a take on Dimbleby’s internal mantra. • Try to make everyone who complains more loyal than they were before they complained. • Don’t just offer to give them free stuff. People hate being bought off, and they don’t want you to think they only complained to get a freebie. They want you to take them seriously. • Find out…

• What got #140con Twittering?

  brandstrategy

  17 Nov 2009 | 7:56 am

  Sadly, I was not able to attend #140con today, the second Twitter event to be held in London in only a matter of weeks. (I spoke at another conference called Media 140 last month.) But like a true convert to real-time media, I’ve been following the activity live on Twitter and there are a few interesting things that have emerged. The format of the day mimics the short-form nature of Twitter in that 50 speakers are presenting within 35 sessions, which means they speak for only a couple of minutes each. (Even Stephen Fry, who has a million followers on Twitter, turned up.) For those of…

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  brandflakesforbreakfast

• ad council ads all in one handy place

  darryl ohrt

  20 Nov 2009 | 4:52 am

  Finally, all of the American Ad Council ads are neatly packed together all in one place. Not that searching YouTube was a real chore, but it's cool that they've created a "channel" for anyone who needs quick access to the body of work. Nifty.

• free legal lets bloggers take on the man

  darryl ohrt

  20 Nov 2009 | 4:40 am

  The Citizen Media Law Project is launching a new program for bloggers who need legal help dealing with copyright, defamation or other legal issues.The program looks to help bloggers who might not be able to afford the support they need on their own. There are income and revenue requirements to qualify, but this is an awesome step to help keep blogger voices loud and proud.(Your lawyer will likely not be sporting a Mexican wrestling mask. But you have to admit that "Chalko" looks like he's ready to take on the man.)

• nothing but sugary goodness

  darryl ohrt

  20 Nov 2009 | 4:18 am

  The Cereal Project is your center for everything breakfast. Browse through the sweetalicious package designs, cornball tv spots and loads of other tasty treats. From Flavorwire and @pete_theECA(Yes, Dinky Donuts was made by Ralston Purina, the same company that's now more famous for Purina Dog Chow. Scrumptious.)

• escalator to heaven

  darryl ohrt

  20 Nov 2009 | 4:14 am

  You've heard of elevator pitches: where you have the time of a short elevator ride to share your pitch with the investor that could change your world.Launch Memphis has taken it literally - with a twist, and created the escalator pitch contest. Eight finalists and three walk on contestants will get a magic escalator ride tomorrow, and a chance to make a pitch to win a $10K marketing package and $1000 in cold, hard cash.Great idea. You should totally try the same thing at the escalator in your local mall, just to see what happens. From @jameshutto

• greenalicious design that tastes great

  darryl ohrt

  20 Nov 2009 | 4:00 am

  Imagine a product design that looks super hot. Then imagine that design could reduce air pollution. And reduce water pollution. And save energy. A product design change that can accomplish all of that?Meet the "naked" coke can. There are 24 billion coke cans produced every year. That's a lot of Coca Cola red paint. Not only does that create boku waste in manufacturing, but removing the paint adds a step to the recycling process. Eliminate the paint and you reduce manufacturing crap, and make recycling easier. Gizmodo has all the math proving this is the most awesome greenalicious package…

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  David Young | Branding Blog - Marketing Advice and Advertising Strategy for Small Business Owners

• Currencies That Buy Credibility by Tom Wanek

  Dave Young

  19 Nov 2009 | 7:51 am

  I've got a copy of Tom Wanek's new book, "Currencies that Buy Credibility." I got one of the first books out of the box, got it signed and everything because I was standing next to him when he opened the box. I'm kinda sad that this book is out because I work quite closely with Tom and frankly, he's my secret weapon for finding a good strategic hook for clients. I shouldn't be sad though, because now you have a chance to apply what Tom knows. In Currencies, he outlines six strategies for spending a business' resources to purchase credibility in the minds of customers and the public. Think of…

• Is Your Store Smiling?

  Dave Young

  3 Nov 2009 | 8:04 pm

  As a postscript to Monday's post on Sniffing for Market Share, it occurred to me that one more thing you could do when you evaluate the look (sight) of your business is to watch for smiles.That's right...smiles. Rolex has always required dealers to display their watches with the hands showing 10:10 because it looks like a smiling face. The current TV ad for American Express drives it home as well. The first half of the ad is a bunch of everyday shots that we interpret as unhappy faces. The second half is full of smiles.Can you make your storefront smile? Are any of you competitors smiling…

• Sniffing for Market Share

  Dave Young

  2 Nov 2009 | 5:00 am

  I've already talked about how this is a good time of year to work on the Personal Experience Factor of your business if the holidays aren't your busy time. So…how do you actually go about deciding which improvements to make in your store, office or shop? There are hundreds of ways to evaluate your PEF, and taking a global look at it will likely put you in paralysis by analysis. Yet, there's no better or direct way of grabbing precious market share away from your competitors. Want a shortcut? Come to your 5 senses! What I mean is simplify the process by using your senses to rank competitors…

• Terry Pettit: Coach, Mentor, Author, Rockstar

  Dave Young

  29 Oct 2009 | 9:46 pm

  Every field of endeavor has its Rockstars. In the world of Collegiate Volleyball coaching, Terry Pettit is a Rockstar. As the coach of the University of Nebraska Volleyball team Terry Pettit's coaching record was an astounding 694 and 148 (82% winning record). When Terry travels back to Nebraska from his current home of Fort Collins, Colorado, he is recognized in stores and on the streets where people want to re-live his teams' amazing feats. His 2008 book, Talent and the Secret Life of Teams is a masterfully crafted collection of some of the best leadership lessons you'll find anywhere.

• What's Your Market Share? Do you really know?

  Dave Young

  15 Oct 2009 | 11:02 pm

  How much of the market for your particular product or service do you own? Car dealers, real estate companies and other businesses whose transactions are tracked by the government have it made. They know exactly where they stand. Some businesses have an industry clearing-house that collects such information and shares it with members.For other local retailers or service businesses, this can be a rather difficult number to calculate with any degree of accuracy. So, how to keep score?If you've been in the market for long, you actually know more than you think. I hope these steps help you.1.

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  Branding Strategy Insider

• How To Be A Good Advertising Client

  Derrick Daye

  16 Nov 2009 | 9:10 pm

  The wisdom of David Ogilvy lives on in this reminder to client side marketers... How To Be A Good Client:   1. Emancipate your agency from fear.   2. Select the right agency in the first place.   3. Brief your agency very thoroughly indeed.   4. Do not compete with your agency in the creative area.   5. Coddle the goose who lays the golden egg. (provide enough time and resources to do the job well.)   6. Don’t strain your advertising through too many layers.   7. Make sure your agency makes a profit.   8. Don’t haggle with your agency.   9. Be candid and encourage…

• The Anti-laws of Luxury Marketing #18

  Derrick Daye

  15 Nov 2009 | 9:10 pm

  18. Don’t relocate your factoriesReducing cost prices is vital in the mass consumer markets, and this often means relocating factories. Luxury management does not apply this strategy. When someone buys a luxury item, they are buying a product steeped in a culture or in a country. Having local roots increases the perceived value of the luxury item. BMW, which is successfully pursuing a luxury strategy, builds all of its automobiles in Germany – apart from the entry line: the 3 Series – and is keeping production of the Mini in the United Kingdom. Keeping production of its models and…

• Brand Naming and Acronyms

  Steve Rivkin

  14 Nov 2009 | 9:10 pm

  An acronym is a pronounceable word formed from the initial letters of a name (WAC, for Women's Army Corps), or formed by combining the first parts of a series of words (RADAR, from Radio Detecting and Ranging).As these examples suggest, once an acronym becomes embedded in the language, most people forget -- or never bother to learn -- the underlying words. Just ask someone what "laser" actually stands for. (Ready? It's "Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation.")Naming a product or service with an acronym is like an Olympic diving competition. The best efforts carry a high…

• The Language Of Brand Names

  Steve Rivkin

  13 Nov 2009 | 9:10 pm

  Names not just "are," they "do." As a part of language, names identify a business or brand, but also subtly suggest certain types of action.To explain, we must wade into the pond of language. Scholars have pointed out that every utterance has three functions:# The locutionary function involves what the expression denotes.# The illocutionary entails how it functions as a speech act, which philosophers of language define as an utterance considered as an action.# Perlocutionary functions include all the effects an utterance has on the receiver.Brand names, like other words, use all three…

• Social Media Not The Answer For Weak Brands

  Al Ries

  12 Nov 2009 | 9:10 pm

  If you were a first-time visitor from Mars and you happened to drop into a marketing meeting somewhere in the United States, you might assume that marketing people do nothing but talk about "TGIF."That's Twitter, Google, the internet and Facebook.There's no question these four revolutionary developments have forever changed the marketing function. Word-of-mouth has now become word of finger.A key difference: Word-of-mouth leaves an invisible trail in the ether. Word-of-finger leaves an electronic trail on the internet.In the past, nobody paid much attention to word of mouth, even though by…

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  BrandDigital | BrandSimple: The Blog

• Purpose, not just promise, is the key to winning in today’s market

  Allen Adamson

  12 Nov 2009 | 7:09 am

  There is no room for “whatever” in successful brand building. Every good brand is built on a definitive reason for being. And while it used to be enough to capture this reason as a promise, the best of the best brands today operate with a purpose. Given the turbulent times, those brands that look back to the specific purpose on which they were founded and execute against this purpose with passion and vigilance are the brands that are winning the hearts and minds of customers and employees, alike. In my latest column in Forbes Online, I write about two of these brands, Wal-Mart and…

• In the pink is an understatement for this branding story

  Allen Adamson

  26 Oct 2009 | 6:49 am

  photo courtesy of MichiganMoves via Flickr Colors as power apps are pretty hard to own. Yes, there’s the Gatorade green and orange and the FedEx purple and orange and the Coca-Cola red. But of the thousands of brands in existence there is one, in particular, for which a color has become almost unmatched in its power and ubiquity as a key branding element – pink and breast cancer awareness. In my most recent column in Forbes online I write about how breast cancer awareness has become one of the most successful brand stories in recent branding history, and certainly in the category…

• Stop arguing. Rio’s win to host the Olympics was a won on branding know-how

  Allen Adamson

  14 Oct 2009 | 10:31 am

  Photo courtesy of www.cob.org.br What do cities vying for Olympics hosting rights have in common with shampoo? Or cookies? Cars? How about sneakers? Like any brand, which, yes, cities and countries are, they have to identify something to represent to consumers that’s different and better than any competitive claims. More so, this difference has to be genuinely meaningful to those whose attention these brands are trying to grab. While millions of people worldwide followed the competition among cities bidding for a chance to host the 2016 Olympic games, I watched with the perspective of a…

• The terms “good brand, bad brand” have taken on new meaning for the hyper-vigilant consumer

  Allen Adamson

  25 Sep 2009 | 6:54 am

  I wasn’t invited to the G20 Summit in Pittsburgh, where leaders representing over 85% of the world’s economy are meeting to tackle world issues. I was, however, invited to write a column for Ad Age about the fact that consumers are more motivated than ever to choose brands that improve lives beyond their own. More so, that the very meaning of the terms “good brand or bad brand” have taken on entirely new meaning in a marketplace where corporate environmental and social responsibility is matched in interest only by the digital technology that makes it so easy to track…

• Jay Leno’s new show may not win the ratings game, but it’s still an interesting play on branding

  Allen Adamson

  23 Sep 2009 | 10:01 am

  The jury may have weighed in on this year’s Emmy winners, but it’s definitely still out on the newest iteration of Jay Leno’s presence. While many herald?”The Jay Leno Show,” airing weeknights at 10 P.M., as the next wave of broadcast television – lower cost, easier to produce, and more personal than sit-coms and hour-long dramas – others say it’s not quite living up the expectations set by the weeks of PR and advertising that preceded it. While I’m not a TV critic, a professional one, that is, I do know an interesting branding idea when I…

• 
  Baskin Dim Bulb branding advertising social media business strategy

• Apple Envy

  Jonathan

  18 Nov 2009 | 2:39 pm

  'Tis the season to diss Apple in some very creative and entertaining ways. I'm just not sure whether it's a sign of strategic marketing insight, or fishbowl-like confusion of message over meaning.First came Microsoft's "I'm a PC" campaigns, with its snippets of slice-of-life everypeople declaring their stereotypical lifestyles, and then shoppers explaining how they'd first looked at an Apple but then chose a PC because it was a better value. I'm all for comparison ads but the nonsense of contrasting PC-ness with Apple-ness is kind of silly. Here's why: Apple has been running those hilarious…

• Social Media's Promise in 2010

  Jonathan

  15 Nov 2009 | 6:50 am

  (NOTE: This essay draws on a chapter in my new book, Bright Lights & Dim Bulbs, which identifies nine radical branding and marketing insights for innovative business leaders to watch in 2010).All the incessant chanting of new media's Greek chorus notwithstanding, 2009 revealed two emergent facts about the promise of social media: first, it's not really "social," and second, "media" is its least important quality. Instead, the opportunities it presents arise from what goes into it, and what comes out of it. Ignoring these inputs and outputs are its downside, too.There has been no shortage…

• An Opportunity To Chase Business

  Jonathan

  11 Nov 2009 | 12:57 pm

  JPMorgan Chase announced earlier this week that it plans to hire 1,500 new mortgage and small business bankers by the end of 2010. I think this is a tremendous branding opportunity."We have invested in new systems, aggressively grown our capacity and are now looking to increase our sales force," said its head of home lending in a statement reported on CNN.Up to now, you could have fooled me.Ever since the economic meltdown began, the communications from Chase and its competitors have been just shy of criminal: no details, no insight, no evidence of any action other than page after page of…

• You Get More From Almost Great Ideas

  Jonathan

  8 Nov 2009 | 6:37 am

  (NOTE: This essay draws on a chapter in my new book, Bright Lights & Dim Bulbs, which identifies nine radical branding and marketing insights for innovative business leaders to watch as we roll into 2010). Home runs are fun to watch, but the nearly great plays are more illustrative and instructive. We marketers tend to focus on successes, holding them up as proof of what’s possible, whether in conference presentations or new business pitches. "Show me an example" is the litmus test of ideas that deserve to get shared and mimicked; go-forward plans are based on what we learn from…

• Forget About Harley and Apple

  Jonathan

  5 Nov 2009 | 5:15 am

  Have you noticed that most conversations about branding inevitably include references to Harley-Davidson and Apple? Sprinkle in mentions of Coke, Facebook, and Zappos, and you get the context of every agency pitch for more spending on brand engagement, loyalty, or whatever else these examples might suggest.I suggest you ban these references from your next conversation. Forget about them altogether.Marketing's dim science lets itself get distracted and misled by the stand-outs and exceptions. It's no surprise, since we're in the standing-out business (and think of ourselves as quite…

• 
  Biz Growth News

• Online Video Insights From Phil Scott of Kodak

  Krishna De

  17 Nov 2009 | 5:31 am

  At the Content is King conference, Phil Scott, VP of the VP of the Consumer Digital Group of Kodak spoke about the transition that Kodak has made from photography to video. He presented the history of Kodak and a few dates caught my attention: 1975 – worlds first digital camera prototype was developed by Kodak 1997 – they created the world’s first 1.0 mega pixel camera. He then went on to share some thoughts about online video and suggested that before we create our online video we need to start with is defining what success would look like in terms of the number of views…

• The 3 most common issues that people have when looking to implement their website in a different language

  Krishna De

  16 Nov 2009 | 2:07 am

  This is the second in a three part series in conversation with Mark Rodgers, the Managing Director of Cipherion Translations where we discuss the opportunities that the internet presents to us if we wish to expand our business internationally. In the first article we explored under what circumstances we should consider translating our website into another language. I then went on to ask Mark what the three most common issues people have when looking to implement their website in a different language. Mark: I think the first issue is that so many Irish business people seem to have this notion…

• European Study Predicts Online Advertising To Increase By More Than 7% in 2010

  Krishna De

  16 Nov 2009 | 12:38 am

  The Marketers’ Internet Ad Barometer, forecasts that online ad spend across Europe will grow even more rapidly in 2011 with budgets expected to grow by 15% year-on-year. This forecast by the European Interactive Advertising Association – which counts AOL, BBC, MTV, eBay and Conde Nast as members – will raise hopes that marketers are beginning to regain confidence and increase their budgets across the board. EIAA also found that while TV ad spend may be under pressure, websites such as ITV.com that offer programmes online are starting to catch on with marketers. via…

• When should we translate our website into another language?

  Krishna De

  13 Nov 2009 | 8:33 am

  I recently had the opportunity to meet with Mark Rodgers, the Managing Director of Cipherion Translations and we started to talk about the opportunities that the internet presents to us if we wish to expand our business internationally. Mark ’s business provides a translation and localisation service and are based in Dublin. Cipherion Translations regularly work with Irish organisations as they take their first steps in developing a global presence. Mark also heads up the Irish Internet Association’s International Strategy Working Group. I suggested to Mark that he might like to share…

• Dublin Twitterville Tweetup With Shel Israel Thanks To @Twtvite

  Krishna De

  3 Nov 2009 | 9:54 am

  I’ve always wanted to find an excuse to use the great Tweetup platform of Twtvite after I saw an invitation for an event that my friends Shel Holtz and Neville Hobson were organising for a Tweetup in the US. Today I tested out the platform when creating a Tweetup invitation for an event with another Shel – this time Shel Israel author of the new book Twitterville. Long time podcasting pal, Adrian Moss, who I met a few years ago at the Corporate Podcasting Summit where we were both speaking,  dropped me a direct message on Twitter some weeks ago to say that his company Parity…

• 
  make the logo bigger

• Crazy Canon Camera time!

  mtlb

  20 Nov 2009 | 11:25 am

  CANON - Freeze Tag from Saman Keshavarz on Vimeo.Cool stop-motion live-motion thing, but if someone dropped my camera like that? Be somewhere else.**Not that, you know, I’ve ever dropped a camera before. Maybe.

• “That's a funny spot!”

  mtlb

  20 Nov 2009 | 7:43 am

  Bud Light - Dog Training - (2009) :30 (USA)The current Bud Light Too light, Too heavy spots are running as you know by now. The dog version came on during last week’s NFL games, and, sitting with a bunch of hard-drinking non-ad pros, all you heard over and over when this or the nail gun spot came on was “That’s a funny spot!” Whereas I’d go the difference is plausibility, it’s easy to forget that the other half of the audience thinks these are the shit.I return you to your Friday.

• AdVerve Server Fun Fixed.

  mtlb

  20 Nov 2009 | 7:21 am

  The squirrels that chewed through the servers’ wires have summarily been dispatched and all AdVerve shows are available again. Download you some:

• When nature calls, will you answer?

  mtlb

  19 Nov 2009 | 9:59 am

  Rhett & Link’s latest. Rhett wonders about the reaction, but I think the spot misses some of that local flavor slash interaction with real people found in their previous spots.

• The man from LOX.

  mtlb

  19 Nov 2009 | 9:38 am

  Except for the one grisly NSFW scene near the end, this has to be the strangest training film I’ve ever seen. Part safety, part bad acting, part wtf. Courtesy of your Uncle Sam.

• 
  ZackBrandit

• The Word of Mouth Concept… Return to the Sources, Part 1

  28 Oct 2009 | 7:14 am

    Centuries ago, humanity like we know it today was different, especially from a technological point of view. Technology was at its first steps, influencing the methods of production,... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

• Blogworld or a World of Blogs?

  22 Oct 2009 | 8:49 am

    Once in a while you hear things like blogs are passé or blogs are losing ground to new social media platforms such as micro-blogging like Technorati posted recently.... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

• We’ve Got Some Nouvelles!

  31 Aug 2009 | 6:24 am

       Our platform is improving day by day and so will our communication. I come to you today with 4 headlines: We have finally launched our French blog.... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

• Conan the Barbarian Changes Our Social Behavior

  31 Aug 2009 | 3:29 am

  While drifting through my Friendfeed account I discovered a funny little thing that made me realize something big is happening.   I present to you... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

• Can Social Media Survive Without Cheerleaders?

  3 Aug 2009 | 3:57 am

  Twitter this, Facebook that, Friendfeed here - and you know what!?! We’ve been under the spell of social media for some time now, trying different platforms and every day seeing new... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

• 
  The Marketing Minute

• A creativity whack for your head...and your iPhone!

  Drew McLellan

  19 Nov 2009 | 4:57 pm

  Roger von Oech is responsible for whacking me upside the head more times than I can count.  20+ years ago, he created a fantastic creativity tool called A Creative Whack Pack.  It's an illustrated deck of 64 creative thinking strategies that will whack you out of habitual thought patterns and enable you to look at your life and actions in a fresh way. It's an awesome way to think different, to see something fresh and to get yourself unstuck. Well, it's 2009 and so of course Roger has created an iPhone/iTouch app for thiscreativity powerhouse.  And...he's…

• You can put a dash of brand just about anywhere

  Drew McLellan

  15 Nov 2009 | 2:51 pm

  There's nothing less interesting or more standard than a bar code, right?  Not according to the people at Design Barcode, where the status quo is anything but!Check out these jazzed up bar codes. (click on the images to see a full-size image in a pop up window)   Lest you think this is a new idea, apparently Rick Tharp was doing it (see his version) way back in 1986.  (Hat tips to Beverly Koehn and Beth Wampler for sharing this Fast Company article on the bar code designs)

• Calling all art directors, designers and logo creators - win $250

  Drew McLellan

  13 Nov 2009 | 5:24 am

  I will try to make this brief.  Last spring, I was approached by a company in the UK called Logo Inn who creates logos and identity packages online.  They wanted to do a contest, demonstrating their services.So I did a series of posts on logo design and offered one organization a chance to win a free logo....as long as the entire process could unfold here on the blog, so we could all learn from it.The series looked like this:. We talked about 5 tips for designing a new logo Announced the contest and gave the rules Shared a creative brief, with questions you should ask yourself…

• Turn your sales letters into workhorses!

  Drew McLellan

  11 Nov 2009 | 10:24 pm

  Neil Sawers, a 25+ year corporate writing veteran can show you how.  In his new book, How to Write Proposals, Sales Letters and Reports, he spells it out in easy to understand, follow and learn examples and guidelines.But don't take my word for it.  Listen to what the Midwest Book Review (one of the most respected reviewers out there) had to say:"Examples, recommendations of common tools to organize one’s thoughts, and a sprinkling of solid business advice fill out this superb, easy-to-use guidebook recommended for business writers of all skill and experience…

• 5 ways to promote internal training and events

  Drew McLellan

  10 Nov 2009 | 11:18 am

  I had a meeting with a client this morning and one of the topics on the agenda was how could they better promote an internal training event that was optional for the employees.When I asked how they would normally promote it, they said...we'd make up a flier with all the information and attach it to an e-mail.  We'd send it out to everyone.  We might send it out a couple times or ask their supervisors to also send it out.There's nothing wrong with what they're doing.  But, there's not enough right. You've got to toss a lot of messages and media into…

• 
  Ries' Pieces

• Under Armour: Too Big for its Shirt?

  Laura

  4 Nov 2009 | 12:19 pm

      It's amazing how many of the world's most successful entrepreneurs quickly forget what made them famous.     The latest example is Kevin Plank, CEO of Under Armour.     What made Under Armour famous? It wasn't a Super Bowl ad. It wasn't a massive marketing campaign. It wasn't ego or hype. What made Under Armour famous was "performance apparel" a new category Kevin created and carefully nurtured.      As an ex-Maryland football player, Kevin Plank was sick of wearing…

• Brand Makeover for the Swift School

  Laura

  28 Oct 2009 | 10:47 am

         I am proud to announce that the branding makeover of the Swift School is almost complete. The process has taken many months but the results are extraordinary.    Just to recap, back in April 2009, I was part of the On The House team that donated a total of $100,000 worth of services to a local non-profit organization in Atlanta. The winner of the prize was the Swift School, a non-profit school that serves elementary children with dyslexia.     The mission of On the House was to give a branding makeover to a non-profit…

• How Crocs Crashed

  Laura

  21 Oct 2009 | 3:00 pm

    Success is sometimes your own worst enemy. Just ask the management and stockholders at Crocs.   A hot brand ends up in one of two different ways. It burns bright too fast and fizzles. Brands like this are known as fads. Or a brand burns hot then continues at a steady simmer. Brands like this are known as iconic.   Believe it or not, whether your brand will become a fad or an icon depends on your strategy more than you think. The good news is the fate of your brand is very much in your control. The bad news is it may be too late for Crocs.  While it’s true that no…

• Starbucks is Shooting Itself in the Cup

  Laura

  1 Oct 2009 | 10:45 am

            Starbucks latest offensive isn’t against McDonald’s or Dunkin’ Donuts it is against itself. And if Starbucks weapon is as successful as it says it will be then they could be shooting themselves in the cup.           Starbucks new weapon is its Via instant coffee, a brand that went nationwide this week after several months of testing in Seattle, Chicago and London.            To support the Via launch, Starbucks…

• GM & the Implication of the Opposite

  Laura

  15 Sep 2009 | 3:09 pm

                             Sometimes the harder you try, the worse off you are. Why is that?             Branding can sometimes be like trying to pick up girls. It is not what you say that counts. But the implication of what you say that counts.             Asking a girl out for a Saturday night date on a Thursday afternoon doesn’t…

• 
  The Fifth P...

• Geoffrey Canada – changing the social infrastructure

  Luke Harvey-Palmer

  9 Nov 2009 | 12:07 pm

  "because ordinary does not change the world" This presentation given in 2006 at the GEL conference was recently recognised as one of the 7 most inspiring videos on the Internet today by Mashable! Geoffrey Canada is a social activist who has taken a radical approach to solving some of the problems with the education system in the United States, and here he speaks about the radical approach he took in Harlem.  An approach that saw him change the social infrastructure of the Harlem neighbourhood. Are organisations prepared to take this same radical approach to create change and…

• Does this surprise you?

  Luke Harvey-Palmer

  5 Nov 2009 | 12:57 am

  An article in today's Sydney Morning Herald released some results from a survey conducted on "Social Isolation and New Technology". The study involved telephone interviews with 2,512 adults between July 9, 2008 and August 10, 2008. The article read; Contrary to popular belief, technology is not leading to social isolation and people who use the internet and mobile phones have larger and more diverse social networks, according to a new study. "All the evidence points in one direction," said Keith Hampton, lead author of the report by the Pew Internet and American Life…

• The future of work…what does it look like?

  Luke Harvey-Palmer

  30 Oct 2009 | 12:37 pm

  Jeff Brenman recently created this compelling slide deck on the future of work, and how social media is shaping the workplace… Along with Randal Leeb-du Toit, I have been asked to present at a conference in February on this very subject, and how social business design thinking is changing the employee/employer dynamic. Groups like E3unlimited and Talent 2 are major resourcing organisations that are also looking at the changing workplace, and helping organisations to adopt and adapt… The future of work is YOU. The Future Of Work View more documents from Jeff Brenman. Bookmark It…

• have we lost our identity in this country?

  Luke Harvey-Palmer

  18 Oct 2009 | 3:44 am

  Can you remember the era when we all talked about ‘win win‘ outcomes. Win win outcomes where were both parties had something to gain from a negotiation, and there was not necessarily a loser. Last week I was speaking with someone who takes great interest in corporate culture and they asked me the question “do you think we are losing our identity in Australia because our corporate culture has become too much about win at all costs, and less about win win?” It was a good question, and I think they make a very good point. There are organisations in Australia where winning…

• why were the pyramids built…maybe it is not what we thought?

  Luke Harvey-Palmer

  17 Oct 2009 | 3:24 am

  ..so here's the thing… I learnt a little more about the pyramids of Giza today.  I am not sure what your ancient history knowledge is like, but mine varies depending on the civilization. What do you believe was the reason for building the pyramids? It seems 'to act as a burial ground for the pharaohs" is a little incorrect…and this does not surprise me, as I have always been left a little meh by this explanation! So, here is a more valid theory! The Nile (which ran through Giza), was worshipped as a God.  It was worshiped because for 4 months a year, there were…

• 
  Tom Fishburne: this one time at Brand Camp

• the toilet paper budget

  Tom Fishburne

  18 Nov 2009 | 9:51 am

  Last week, method cofounder Eric Ryan was the only speaker at the Association of National Advertisers conference not representing a billion dollar brand.  Whenever he speaks to a crowd like this, he does a funny bit where he calculates the rolls of toilet paper used by employees at Unilever, P&G, Reckitt Benckiser, and all the companies method competes against. He then compares their toilet paper budget with the media budget at method.  “I will happily trade my marketing budget for your toilet paper budget,” he tells the crowd.  AdAge picked up this story in an…

• the caged bird tweets

  Tom Fishburne

  15 Nov 2009 | 4:37 pm

  I found an interesting study about social media in the workplace, called “Whistle but don’t tweet at work.” The poll reports that 54% of companies ban social networking entirely, even for business purposes.  Organizations are clearly struggling how to address social media. Many start with the premise of social media as a threat, rather than an opportunity. The emphasis is on limiting liability, often with Draconian command-and-control policies (like the muzzle and cage in this cartoon).  Counter that approach with what a recent Harvard Business post advocates as “The…

• efficiency farming

  Tom Fishburne

  8 Nov 2009 | 11:28 am

  There's constant pressure in business to make things as efficient as possible. In every project, the fat is trimmed, the edges are sanded, and the processes are streamlined. It’s how you bring scale to ideas. It’s how you improve margins over time. But far too often, the uniqueness of an idea gets lost in all the efficiency.  I was reminded of this recently when evaluating a couple different bottle designs. One was incredibly unique and differentiated, but inefficient all the way through the supply chain to the retail shelf. Another was über-efficient, but, not surprisingly,…

• feature creep

  Tom Fishburne

  1 Nov 2009 | 12:26 pm

  I passed by a design studio last week that had jack-o-lanterns on the stoop. I like that an office of designers would spend time designing pumpkins.  It struck me that jack-o-lantern carving could be a good metaphor for innovation.If we carved jack-o-lanterns the way we design products, we would probably carve by committee. And, whenever something is designed by committee, it's in danger of "Feature Creep."With “Feature Creep”, the idea gains extraneous features until the project loses focus and momentum.  It becomes a peace treaty.  By trying to appeal to…

• managing the brand

  Tom Fishburne

  25 Oct 2009 | 9:35 pm

  In the last two weeks, there’s been a lot of chatter about the role of the "brand manager" and marketing organizations generally, after Jack Neff at Ad Age previewed a Forrester research report in an article called "Why it’s time to do away with the brand manager.""Managing a brand has always been a slightly odd concept, given that consumers are the real arbiters of brand meaning, and it's become increasingly outmoded in today's two-way world. That's why a new report is going to recommend changing the name "brand manager" to "brand…

• 
  Personal Branding Blog - Dan Schawbel

• Are You Qualified to Write a Book?

  Roger Parker

  20 Nov 2009 | 1:17 pm

  “I don’t know whether or not I’m qualified to write a book!” The process of helping others write books to build their personal brand often starts by addressing a curious paradox: Published books establish their authors as experts in their field BUT, What qualifies someone to write a book in the first place? Unfortunately, many otherwise-qualified individuals question their “right,” or “qualifications,” to write a brand building book to promote their career or build their business. These individuals are sabotaging themselves before they even…

• A Quick Way To Measure Your Personal Brand Using Twitter Lists

  Jacob Share

  20 Nov 2009 | 4:15 am

  Use Twitter Lists to see how people are branding you on Twitter. Are the results what you expect? A simple branding test One of the nice things about personal branding is the ease of verifying your efforts- just ask people in your target audience what comes to mind when they think of you: If their answers match up with your personal branding, good job! Keep doing what you’re doing and look for ways to reach more people. If their answers don’t match your personal branding, try to understand why so you can decide what action to take. Is this really necessary? What if this…

• Secrets to Getting More Referrals – Part 1

  Liz Lynch

  19 Nov 2009 | 4:15 am

  Assessing Your “Referability” Factor Do you need new customers or clients but can’t seem to get enough of them? People generally want to make referrals when they can. It feels good to be able to connect those who can help with those who need that help. But, you need to make it as easy as possible for them to do so. We’re all busy, faced with too much on our plate and not enough hours in the day, so the more painless you can make it, the greater your chances of getting the referrals you want. Here are four key questions to ask yourself to test the strength of your “referability.”…

• Personal Branding Interview: Pat Olsen

  Dan Schawbel

  18 Nov 2009 | 4:44 pm

  Today, I spoke to Pat Olsen, who is a lead writer for the popular New York Times column, “The Boss” and also writes a 1st-person executive column for On Wall Street and Family Business magazines.  In this interview, Pat goes over her writing background, gives journalism advice and more. What inspired your “The Boss” column for the New York Times? I was writing for other columns in the business section when my editor wrote to several of us freelance contributors to announce that there would be a new column. I’m not privy to how it came about, but it’s been…

• What’s in a (Brand) Name?

  Heather Huhman

  18 Nov 2009 | 1:19 pm

  I gave a presentation to students at James Madison University a few weeks ago, and one young lady asked me what name she should put on her résumé – Nikki, the name she’s built for herself online, or Nicole, her legal name. Another young lady chimed in that her given name is difficult to spell and pronounce, so she’s always gone by Melody. Melody, only a sophomore, hadn’t begun building her online presence. Should she create her brand around Melody or her real name? Although for different reasons, I recommended both women use their nicknames. Nikki’s brand was already built, and…

• 
  The Personal Branding Blog: William Arruda and the Reach-Certified Personal Branding Strategists

• Want to Transition to a Green Job? Research and Network Your Way In

  William Arruda

  20 Nov 2009 | 6:35 am

  Competition is growing exponentially for jobs in this hot industry. The key to success is investing time in targeted research, compiling a list of companies to focus on, identifying hiring decision-makers or leads within those companies, and penetrating their networks. Practice “give to get” networkingGently get to know them, what their needs are, and how you can solve their problems. Build evangelism for your brand and stay top of mind with them. When they hear of jobs that may be a good fit, they’ll think of you. • Familiarize yourself with industry trends, culture, and the…

• How Green is Your Personal Brand?

  William Arruda

  19 Nov 2009 | 5:35 am

  As momentum for the green job market continues to grow, make sure your branding is as green as possible…and that often takes thinking out of the box. You may not be able to build a wind turbine, but you may work in sales at a financial firm that encourages green investments or be an accountant at a bank that funds green construction. These experiences count and may be invaluable in landing a “green” job. Here are some additional tips to color your personal brand green: • Walk the talk. Practice the three R’s – reduce, reuse and recycle – in your home life…

• Do You Bleed Green?

  William Arruda

  17 Nov 2009 | 4:52 am

  Before you jump headfirst into the green fray, step back and ask yourself this: “How can I demonstrate my authentic motivation to make the world more sustainable?” Skip the memories of recycling water bottles and bringing your own coffee mug to Starbucks. Now dig a little deeper. What moved you to change your way of life and when, where, and why did it happen? Is there a story that clearly expresses your value or passion for sustainability? If the answer’s no, you’ve led yourself down the garden path. But if that story exists, communicating it from the heart will set you apart…

• Holidays Are a Great Time for Brand You

  Maria Elena Duron

  14 Nov 2009 | 6:40 am

  In the United States, Thanksgiving Day is fast approaching with Christmas already trying to "beat it out of the gate" as signs of trees, wreaths and lights already adorn retail shops and even several homes. We are about to embark upon the season of the "grip, grin and graze".  Yes, it's that time of year for family gatherings around a Thanksgiving meal quickly followed by Christmas parties, holiday happenings, big end of the year networking events, and holiday office parties.It's a time for great connection and relationship building and it's also a time…

• A Green Career Makeover

  William Arruda

  11 Nov 2009 | 5:23 am

  Does your career need a make-over to be more competitive in the current job market? Think green! Green jobs are not just for technical and scientific profess-sionals such as eco-consultants and renewable energy engineers. In fact, your current job or profession could undergo a “green jobs” makeover without any additional training to become much more desirable by employers and more secure. Every company or organization in the green sector has openings for people in finance, administrative services, sales and marketing, and human resources. Begin by researching green industries such as…

• 
  Chris Garrett on New Media

• How to Release Your Web Marketing Potential

  Chris Garrett

  20 Nov 2009 | 5:01 am

  There are two challenges that 90% of my consulting clients face and I am going to give you the answer to both in this article. After you read this you will be able take a look at your blog or your business and know what you need to do in order to make your 2010 more successful than your 2009. A big claim? Maybe, but I see it work over and over when I coach my clients so I am confident if you implement what I am about to tell you. I have been there. First in the programming niche. Then in the SEO and affiliate niche. For a time in the photography niche. And of course I am now in social media.

• Brilliant Free Stuff from Friends

  Chris Garrett

  30 Oct 2009 | 9:07 pm

  Auckland, New Zealand I’m sat taking some time out from our travels down under to let you know about a couple of great giveaways. Yes, I am on my travels again. This time touring the other side of the planet. We are down in Auckland, New Zealand right now, after a quick stop in Singapore and just before we head to Sydney, and then Melbourne Australia. Ordinarily I wouldn’t be updating my blog with a vacation update but this news is too good. How good? My friend Sean is giving away an entire audio course. Not only is he giving it away, it’s a course that he is currently…

• Gary Vaynerchuck Interview

  Chris Garrett

  13 Oct 2009 | 5:00 am

  Gary crushing it at Web 2.0 Expo NY Today I am happy (and more than a little relieved) to be able to share with you this quick and informal interview I grabbed last week with Gary Vay.Ner.Chuk. Gary has quickly become a fixture on the convention scene, TV celebrity and a media darling because of his larger than life energy and positive personality, and also his expertise in personal branding, social media and business. Right now he is in the process of the launch his brilliant new book, “Crush It“. I was fortunate to grab 30 technical gremlin frustrated minutes where I got to ask…

• Join Me For a Live Chat

  Chris Garrett

  12 Oct 2009 | 2:17 am

  Ask me social media and blogging questions and see me answer live As part of the launch of Social Media Examiner I will be doing a live video chat along with Mike Stelzner. It’s free and easy to join in, and should be good fun! 10:00 New York time 15:00 London time Check out the full details here. Also, while you are there, check out my first article for the site … “How to Create Headlines that Go Viral With Social Media“ Related Posts:Social Media Marketing Survey Results - Free PDFHow to Really Use Social Media Marketing as a Tool For BusinessI Want Your Social Media…

• Get My New Business-Blogging Book with $10 Off

  Chris Garrett

  8 Oct 2009 | 6:50 am

  Business Blogging Made Simple A real-world guide to creating, writing and promoting a successful blog Inside my new e-book “Business Blogging – 50 Steps to Building Traffic and Sales,” you’ll discover: Why your business needs a blog (yesterday!) The biggest pitfalls of blogging — and how to avoid them How to build a following of faithful blog subscribers Proven tips for converting your blog traffic into sales Order now and get instant access … Save $10 – offer ends 14th Today! (Offer extended) I am really proud of this new book, I think the Wordtracker folks have done a…

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  Igor

• Richard Branson launches the Igor-named “gogo” in-flight WiFi service

  igor

  9 Nov 2009 | 11:49 am

  Igor named the new in-flight wifi service gogo (case study here). Below, Richard Branson officially launches gogo service aboard Virgin America.

• Ten thousand boat names plus

  Jay

  15 Aug 2009 | 10:32 am

  Igor's Wordlab database currently contains 808 Boat Names. If you're looking for more, try Ten Thousand Boat Names, an under-achievingly named resource that currently has 24,467 boat names in its database, and counting.Apparently, when they named their site and locked it to a domain name, they never thought they would grow much beyond 10,000. The site contains many repeats of names, since people are entering actual boat names, but it's still a valuable resource for anyone looking for a new name. And who might such people be? A search for "name" brings up many boat names that reveal the…

• Free company and product naming

  Steve

  1 Aug 2009 | 1:21 pm

  Are your company or product name brainstorming attempts long on storm and short on brains? Igor has over 15,300 brains in stock, ready to help you name whatever needs naming — most have very low mileage, are hardly ever driven during the week, and are used only sparingly on weekends to scan refrigerator contents and such. Our collection of brains can be picked through at the Wordlab Wordboard, our free naming and branding brainstorming forum. Jump in and pick the brains! Tips for picking a brain: 1. Do not pick if the skin is too green–it’s not ripe yet. 2. The brain should…

• Chartis helps AIG hide in plain sight

  Steve

  28 Jul 2009 | 3:47 pm

  The viable bit of warm and snuggly insurance company AIG has been spun-off and dubbed “Chartis”. A bad name? Well, yes. But that is just what they needed. Sometimes a terrible name is the perfect name. In today’s Insurance Journal, a so-called naming expert spouts off: According to AIG, Chartis derives from the Greek word for map, which the company said underscores the company’s 90-year history as a global insurance pioneer. While AIG is apparently not alone in liking the name, is Chartis a name to remember? Perhaps not, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

• A leaner, more digestable cut of the Igor Naming Guide now available!

  Steve

  30 Jun 2009 | 5:39 pm

  As we gleefully pranced and flounced about, celebrating the 250 thousandth download of the Igor Naming Guide; we got a complaint. At 115 pages, the ultimate free, how-to resource for naming companies and products, had gotten too long. Having nothing better to do, we responded. The naming guide is now available in two different lengths: soul-crushing (115 pages) and moderately-irritating (26 pages). Either version of the naming guide can be downloaded here.

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  Hard Knox Life - Dave Knox Brand Management blog

• Fred Wilson’s perspective on the rise of Social Recruiting

  Dave Knox

  15 Nov 2009 | 9:01 am

  Fred Wilson from Union Square Ventures always puts together amazing presentations that really stretch your thinking.  Last month it was his look at what makes the New York City Startup Scene so special.  And now Wilson is moving onto the theme of “Social Recruiting” or how companies are finding the best talent by leveraging Social Media. People are your company’s biggest competitive advantage and attracting the best talent is probably one of the toughest jobs in business.  Social Media is quickly emerging as an invaluable tool for attracting the best employees and the…

• Sometimes it is better to not have an “end goal” in mind

  Dave Knox

  11 Nov 2009 | 7:28 am

  This week while at an offsite brainstorm, I was reminded that sometimes not knowing what you hope to accomplish is actually the best approach.  So often we are challenged to identify the “end game”…the goals we hope to accomplish.  People want to know the objectives of a meeting, the agenda for a trip, etc.  This is especially true in the world of marketing and brand n management where time is seen by many as the most valuable commodity. But there is something to be said about taking the complete opposite approach.  There is real value in going into a meeting with eyes…

• The Virtual Goods Gold Rush

  Dave Knox

  31 Oct 2009 | 8:40 am

  I have to admit, I have been fascinated by the Virtual Good / Social Gaming market lately.  It is something I am going to be thinking / writing about more often in the coming weeks for sure.  In the meantime, here is a great presentation that was recently given at the Virtual Worlds Conference.   Great primer for those new to this space.  [presentation embedded below]. Virtual Goods in Asia View more documents from Benjamin Joffe.

• Digital Strangelove (Or How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love The Net)

  Dave Knox

  24 Oct 2009 | 2:28 pm

  Talk about a presentation getting some nice buzz.  First Fred Wilson posts about this new presentation he just saw and then Henry Blodget writes about the same presentation on Silicon Alley Insider.  Looks like David Gillespie knows how to catch the eye of the right folks in the marketing blog world. But then again, after taking a look at the presentation myself, I needed to jump on the bandwagon because it really is filled with some great insights.  Hands down my favorite quote is this: Advertising got really good at speaking in 30 second chunks to a captive audience… Then quickly…

• Mary Meeker’s Web 2.0 Summit thoughts on the Economy & Internet

  Dave Knox

  22 Oct 2009 | 5:04 am

  For the past 6 years, Morgan Stanley’s Mary Meeker has been one of the highlights of the Web 2.0 Summit.  Last year was the first time I saw her presentation in person but every year is a must read report / powerpoint.  This year is no exception as Meeker gives an overview of the economy and then dives deep into why the “Mobile Internet is and will be bigger than most think.”  The full PowerPoint is embedded below and filled more valuable nuggets than I could possibly hope to capture in a summary.  Take the time to read this thing all the way through…it is a must…

• 
  Girvin Strategic Branding Design Blog

• Tim Burton at Moma | The Art of the Hand, the Mind, the Imagining

  Tim Girvin

  20 Nov 2009 | 3:45 am

  Exploring design, art and imagination: motion picture branding, Tim Burton, and the legacy of Girvin identity and cinematic brand design. Tim Burton, MoMa, what a nice idea. As a designer for Tim Burton, I will offer that I never had the chance to meet him, work with him, live — side by side. But, sometimes, proximity is a challenge — so, in working with various directors — at various tiers of celebrity power, you can work, but perhaps not “closely”. Sometimes being relatively quiet, in a room with that person, might be all that is offered. I’ve not given…

• 2012: The End of the World (in a couple of years)

  Tim Girvin

  16 Nov 2009 | 10:10 pm

  What’s the connection to the notion of world-ending sagas? Why? I’d venture that there’s a fascination with the idea of the end of the world — people are attracted to it — and the question might be: why? Why would the world end — and what would it be like? And what would someone do about it? Run, maybe. But there’s a patterning that Girvin’s explored, in the idea of marketing expressions of “end of the world” visioning. From Karl Lagerfeld — and a range of dark fashion foreboding — mad designers at the end of the world…

• The Dance of Life: Enterprise, Brands, and Storytelling

  Tim Girvin

  15 Nov 2009 | 6:30 am

  Notes on the choreography of experience: brandstories, the art of dance, life and business entwined. A long and complex titling, that is; but it’s the title for an exploration on the alignment between dance and fire, and movement, and life, and love, and passion. All that. I would venture that the idea of some link between the concept of dance, the movement of design, the calligraphy of concept, the gesture of ideation — and inspiration, in all — would be easy. Dance is a movement through space, a swinging slide of the concept of imagination in the demarcation of invention.

• Brand, storytelling, presentation and spectacle: Steve Jobs

  Tim Girvin

  14 Nov 2009 | 11:14 am

  Exemplars of Apple Messaging and Brand Product Events: Theatricality and entertainment marketing strategy in the presentation of ideas. Being one whose livelihood is wholly built on the premise of relevant content, delivery and entertainment — the concept of the power of the pitch — the presentation, the keynote is one of careful orchestration and craft; it’s an art. Like the premise of motion picture work, our approach is based on story-boarding presentations — literally the boarded drawings of stories — that string out the cinematic structuring of content. For…

• Strategic vision, brand and targeted creative: Neil Simon’s Brighton Beach Memoir’s Failure and Under Armour’s Creative Collapse. Why?

  Tim Girvin

  9 Nov 2009 | 3:39 am

  Exploring the challenge of branding, focused market relevance and brand storytelling. Some time back, I was asked by a Creative Director at a major food producing organization, to create a brand shift that would take the riskiest flagship brand to a place of renewed positioning and consumer recognition — and, by the way, sell 100 tons of packaged product. Fast. As designers, our exploration of creative action, for brand management, marketing and strategic evolution, is something that inherently forces us to consider the relevance of the work that we do, and how it does, and will,…

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  Whiplash Design's Identity & Branding Blog

• Feel Like Giving Up? This Gives You Hope…

  We all have those moments in life and business where we just feel so down and out, that we just feel like giving up. Lately, there have been a few obstacles in my life that have pushed me in this direction. However, I just happened to take a look at ...

• Hope: Artist Shepard Fairey’s Obama Art Punch

  I have always enjoyed Andy Warhol's artwork - I can't explain it other than the bold blocks of color, rich tapestries of American pop culture. I also love Keith Harring, who had a more political edge than Warhol. My generation now has it's own artist, a rarity in my opinion. ...

• The New Pepsi Logo and the Empty Reason for Change

  Many in the identity and graphic design, branding and marketing community have “voted” on the new Pepsi logo. Voted with their critique, that is. Many hate it, some even say it looks like a plumber’s rear. Why did Pepsi do it? It is one of the most recognized symbols ...

• Is Print Dead? Not if he can help it…

  Some of us over at Biznik.com have been discussing the idea that print is dying. Jeff Fisher, a fellow designer, was among the respondents - and I noticed he posted the video below on Facebook.com It is a printing company's version of Steve Delahoyde's film "Regrets: Boxes" which can ...

• Vote for Whiplash Design!

  The clock is ticking and time is running out. The polls will be closing at the end of October for StartupNation's Top 100 Home-Based Businesses! What is StartUp Nation? Well, in their own words: StartupNation is a free service founded by entrepreneurs for entrepreneurs. We created this site to be your one-stop ...

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  EveryJoe » Marketing

• Book Review: Kick-ass Copywriting in 10 Easy Steps

  Becky Scott

  27 Oct 2009 | 6:26 pm

  Small business owners wear many hats. They have to be chief company officers, project managers, lead generators and much more. When budgets are tight, it can be hard to find the money to hire a quality copywriter. And if you’re going to promote your business, you need good copywriting. Many small businesses just slap some copy into an ad or brochure and call it good. But with the right copy, you can garner a lot more attention and sales for your business. And that’s where Kick-ass Copywriting in 10 Easy Steps by Susan Gunelius comes in. Step-by-step, Gunelius shows you how to…

• Ways To Extend Your Brand

  Kim Beasley

  27 Oct 2009 | 1:41 pm

  Has the economy hit your business hard to where your brand is suffering? Are you looking for ways to extend your brand so that you can grow your business? Then lets look at ways you can extend your brand. Brand extension is the process of using different avenue to promote your business. According to Wikipedia.org… Brand extension or brand stretching is a marketing strategy in which a firm marketing a product with a well-developed image uses the same brand name in a different product category. So let’s look at a few example of companies who have been successful in creating a…

• Carpet Bombing

  Mark Jabo

  27 Oct 2009 | 7:25 am

  One of the problems created by the whole “politically correct” movement (other than that whole pesky First Amendment thing) is that by continually crying “three little domesticated porcine agrarian animals’ oppressor” every time someone makes fun of a particular group, we tend to become insensitive to real-life examples of racism, sexism and hack ethnic comedy. I was at home the other evening, lounging on the futon with my extremely liberated, psychology doctorate toting wife when an ad came on for a local carpet store. Normally, we might have done a fast channel surf. I say…

• 7 Good and Highly Effective Branding Habits

  Kim Beasley

  24 Oct 2009 | 12:45 pm

  Having good branding habits for your business is important. Good branding habits should be incorporated into your business to help communicate your brand message and increase brand awareness. Image: SXC.hu Being able to piece together how you will communicate your brand to your target customers is important. Just as the image to the right shows, every piece counts. In branding, good habits count and can help you successfully communicate your brand. Below are a list of good branding habits that can help as you communicate your brand message. Incorporate your brand message on all your…

• Branding A Business Partnership

  Kim Beasley

  23 Oct 2009 | 7:25 am

  Are you a business owner who decided to partner up with another business owner to create a business? Did you keep your original business or merge it into the new business? It’s interesting to hear the answers to these two questions because I have found that some business owners don’t keep a separate identity from the combined business. Image: SXC.hu What I mean by this is that when you develop a partnership by merging with another business owner that you should try to work into the agreement that you will keep some type of autonomy for your original business. You can view this…

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  Name Wire: The Product Naming Blog

• Tweeter Brand Naming For Sale; Twitter Users Notice

  18 Nov 2009 | 6:39 am

  So the brand name of electronics company "Tweeter" is up for sale and its owners, Wells Fargo and Schultze Asset Management, hope that its similarity to the word "Twitter" will give it some extra equity. This comes one year after Tweeter shut down. The word "tweeter" used to be commonly known as part of a stereo speaker, but now it is far more well-known as "one who tweets using Twitter." Of course, this allows for some name variations such as a "ghost-tweeter," which is what President Obama has. The real question is "Will Twitter Buy Tweeter?" As one blogger points out: There are a number of…

• Godiva Sweetens Their Naming and Branding

  17 Nov 2009 | 8:14 am

  I love chocolate and thus am intrigued by Godiva's new naming strategy which is designed to make the high-end sweet appealing in these down market times. They've made some subtle but important tweaks. Their new campaign and "brand essence" is called the "golden moment" and looks at those stolen moments of pleasure represented by eating high end chocolate. This is a departure from "luxurious celebration," the former brand essence that is now out of step with the times, when luxury is simply not in vogue. What I'm really intrigued by, however, is the company's move from labeling itself as a…

• Coca Naming and Branding: Watch Out Coke, Kūka Is Here

  16 Nov 2009 | 7:37 am

  As faithful readers of this blog know, I am often amused by the world of energy drinks and the launch of Kūka, another coca-based drink, brings a smile to my face this Monday. Not because this is a particularly wacky name, although it does sound a little cuckoo, but because it is yet another name that tries to sidestep the biggest coca drink in the world: Coca-Cola. The key ingredient in this 100% natural beverage is "hand-picked Andean coca leaves." The web site boasts "called by its original name, Kūka [Koo-ka] is a curiously complex all-natural non-carbonated coca leaf beverage straight…

• Taiyaki Branding and Naming Makes Japan Happy

  13 Nov 2009 | 8:06 am

  I often look to other countries for naming inspiration and today its Japan, where the horrible economy has brought back in vogue a traditional snack called Taiyaki. Taiyaki means, wait for it, "baked sea bream." It's a fish shaped pancake that is filled with sweet bean jam and has been around for a hundred years. The name is pretty interesting in that I doubt many westerners would want to name a snack after a fish. Then I recalled that one of my favorite snacks is Pepperidge Farm Goldfish which just got an award for their cue ten-spot series of commercials. This commercial series follows the…

• GM Bets Naming of New Buick Regal Will Drive Younger Buyers To Its Doors

  12 Nov 2009 | 7:52 am

  It's pretty much been an open secret since last month on the blogosphere that GM is planning on bringing back the Buick Regal. This brand name revival will essentially be modeled after the Opel Insignia, which has been selling very well in Europe and was in fact the 2009 European Car of the Year - 64,000 of these have also been sold in China over the past year, where Buicks are very well regarded. The mainstream news has finally broken the story, but notes that this premium brand has traditionally appealed to older buyers (the average age of a Buick buyer is 57 vs 46 for all new vehicle…

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  The Engaging Brand

• Heart to heart - why its good to feel in business

  Anna Farmery

  19 Nov 2009 | 5:40 pm

  Communication has always been the lifeblood of society and the need for communication never changes. Look at me tonight sat by Nana's bedside in hospital and every now and again despite her massive stroke, her eyes tell me she needs love, she needs comfort, she needs me to hold her. Her tool is not social media, it is her eyes than convey that emotion in a way which creates engagement.Communication is vital and social media has in many ways made communication easier. My worry though is two-fold Because there are tools to make it easier, that does not make communication better. In fact I would…

• When You Truly Understand Engagement

  Anna Farmery

  18 Nov 2009 | 3:31 pm

  What is engagement? ...a question which I get asked often and this week I have truly understood the meaning of the word. For those who don't follow me on Twitter or Facebook, I have not being posting or editing podcasts as my nana had a massive stroke and I have been at her bedside since last Friday - not sure at the moment who looks worse me or her!But during this time I have realised that engagement is just about two words....time and caring. The nurses have been wonderful here at Scarborough hospital, not because they have loads of money to spend on making us comfortable, not because of…

• The True Meaning of Life

  Anna Farmery

  12 Nov 2009 | 9:04 am

  Learning happens, not only through reading and in classrooms, but in everyday life. This week I have had boiler problems (insert your own joke here!) and today a wonderful British Gas engineer came out, as always I got into conversation with him and found he had traced his family tree. At this point he said something which made me take stock of leadership, of marketing, of branding...well of life. He said"When you look back at your family tree, it is not what they did, it is how they lived which teaches you the most"There were three lessons for me You can learn from reading, from teaching but…

• Show 270 - How to cope with change

  Anna Farmery

  10 Nov 2009 | 11:15 am

  Show 270 of The Engaging Brand leadership and marketing podcastis ready just for you. To subscribe or listen on your PC now - both for free, you don't need to download anything - all explained at the end of the post and don't forget GotoMeeting hold your meetings online for just $49/mo. Try GoToMeeting FREE for 30 days Today I have a fascinating interview with the wonderful Jim Clemmer who "for nearly 30  years have been inspiring action and achieving results in the area of practical leadership". For more learnings from the book you can sign up for a free webcast on December 3 hereWe talk…

• Why YOU don't matter?

  Anna Farmery

  9 Nov 2009 | 12:26 pm

  Sounds strange from the person who believes in the power of people, in the belief that each person brings value to this world. However, what I mean is that you mean little on your own. If there was just you, then your power would be diminished. I believe it is our role in society, our connection to others which makes us special. That is why I love social media because it allows you to forge those connections, to develop relationships and to create your own personal brand. It allows you - the individual - to come alive through the value you deliver through your connections.When you think about…

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  Liquid Agency Brand Exchange

• The Design Thinking Lecture Series

  Alfredo Muccino

  13 Nov 2009 | 9:02 am

  Talking and Thinking about Design Thinking. On Wednesday night I attended an event at the Thomson Reuters center in NY featuring Roger Martin, the dean of the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto; Tim Brown, the CEO of IDEO; and Will Setliff, VP of Strategy, Insights and Innovation at Target. The three panelists were joined by Bruce Nussbaum, from BusinessWeek – who helped moderate the conversation, often making it more interesting through humor and memorable anecdotes. The conversation centered around the topic of “Design Thinking” - which is also the subject of a…

• The Transformation Begins

  Alfredo Muccino

  10 Nov 2009 | 1:04 pm

  Liquid merges with Neutron, and Marty Neumeier joins the Liquid Executive Team. That is big news! We’re very excited about sharing this information with our clients and partners. We’ve been working on this merger for a while. We wanted to make sure that it would benefit our clients, and we’re certain that it will. In fact, the combination of the strengths of Neutron and those of Liquid definitely yields more than the sum of its parts. Liquid now can boast one of the most respected thinkers and authors in our industry as part of our senior team…which will help us forge…

• I suggest you read: “Designers don’t read”

  Alfredo

  9 Nov 2009 | 2:48 pm

  A great title from a good writer. Austin Howe is a writer that was referred to me by Dave Williams, Liquid’s Creative Director in Portland. We were pitching a job for Microsoft, and we needed a writer on the team. Dave suggested Austin, and also told me about Austin’s recent book, “Designers don’t read”…which I bought and started reading immediately.I love this book. It is funny and it hits home. However, I think that Austin gives designers too much credit. Unfortunately, most ‘designers’ that I know live up to this title all too literally -…

• Liquid Agency CCO writes about the London brand.

  Alfredo

  16 Jul 2009 | 9:27 am

  Alfredo Muccino writes about what the London brand means. Below is an article written by Alfredo Muccino for CorpComms Magazine - the only monthly magazine targeted at the in-house communicator. The magazine offers advice and informative articles on a range of topical subjects, such as social and digital media, internal communications, sponsorship and CSR. Based in London and published by Hardy Media, the publication is edited by Helen Dunne, who contacted Liquid to get our thoughts on the London brand, since Boris Johnson, London’s mayor recently announced that he wanted to re-brand the…

• Liquid is included in new “Copywriting” book by Mark Shaw.

  Alfredo

  4 May 2009 | 5:06 pm

  New book includes an interview with Alfredo Muccino, Chief Creative Officer for Liquid Agency and projects for Olive and City of San Jose. A couple of projects produced by Liquid Agency are featured in the recently published book,”Copywriting: Successful Writing for Design, Advertising and Marketing” by Mark Shaw. Published by Laurence King, a company focused on the creative arts, with a global reputation for books that are acclaimed for their quality, vision and erudition, this book makes a nice addition to any library that includes books on commuications, marketing or branding.

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  Greteman Group Blog

• Creativity Manifesto

  Sonia Greteman

  13 Nov 2009 | 10:17 am

  I’ve been thinking a lot about the creative process. Especially now when we’re hip deep in the development of a favorite campaign, the Kansas State Fair. We had our first major brainstorming and, without spilling the beans, it was wickedly wonderful. Five creative types came together and soon had ideas zinging around the room, ricocheting off the walls. At the end of two hours, we’d generated 100+ ideas. Not all of them pretty. Now the real work begins, crafting those into a campaign that has legs, charm and the power to raise eyebrows. Our Process Helps Us Get There I’m always on the…

• Thank You, Veterans

  Debbie Comes

  10 Nov 2009 | 12:07 pm

  Whether you consider yourself a hawk or a dove, no one likes war. On that we agree. Today, we put aside politics and come together to honor the brave men and women who have fought – and continue to fight – for this country. They put themselves in harm’s way. Experience separation from family and friends. Sacrifice financially by taking leaves of absence from good-paying jobs. They pay a debt for our freedoms. Too often, they don’t return home. We remember our troops and wish them godspeed. And, once again, we say those words we can never fully communicate: “Thank you.” Do you…

• There’s Sh*t On TV

  Todd Ramsey

  10 Nov 2009 | 7:57 am

  With more than 700,000 fans and fewer than 80 tweets, Justin Halpern, creator of the popular Twitter account Sh*t My Dad Says (warning, many tweets are NSFW), has landed a TV deal. According to The Hollywood Reporter, CBS has picked up a comedy project based on the account and enlisted the Will and Grace co-creators to produce and help write the show. Wow. Lemons Into Lemonade Halpern was forced to move back in with his parents in August and decided to launch the Twitter account based on the often-hilarious quotes offered up by his father. The quotes range from “The baby will talk when he…

• Is Paper the New Green?

  Lori Heinz

  9 Nov 2009 | 3:35 pm

  As electronic media continue to replace print sources, we’re faced with a new question: Are electronic solutions the most effective environmental choice? Surprisingly, the answer is, “Not always.” As production manager, I’m concerned about the constant consumption of paper products tapping out our resources. I’ve assumed that print must be less “green” than electronic delivery of information. But I’ve learned a few things that have prompted me to re-evaluate. For example, did you know that paper truly is sustainable? We recycle nearly 60 percent of all paper, recovering it to…

• Write Right

  Deanna Harms

  5 Nov 2009 | 9:02 am

  Tomorrow I’m speaking at a daylong event designed for PR college students statewide. My fellow panelists and I will each share five tips on how to write in a way that gets your stuff used. Tell me what you think. Am I missing any key points? Rein it in. Journalists are pressed for time. Only interested in what they (and their audiences) want to know. And really don’t appreciate the interruption. Focus your writing. Write slowly. Reread your work and rewrite as necessary. Remember the old saying, “Measure twice and cut once.” Cut – i.e. submit – factual work ready to publish or…

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• DAY NINETEEN: Brand Booster 21

  Ed Roach

  20 Nov 2009 | 7:07 am

  "Get Out There And Nurture Your Brand" - thats the call to arms today in The Branding Experts' and Small Business Branding's 21 day branding lessons.

• DAY EIGHTEEN: Brand Booster 21

  Ed Roach

  19 Nov 2009 | 7:36 am

  Everyone can benefit from Developing Their Expert Profile. Discover how you can accomplish this at Small Business Branding.com's free branding lessons.

• DAY SEVENTEEN: Brand Booster 21

  Ed Roach

  19 Nov 2009 | 7:34 am

  Find out more about "Email Marketing", in today's session.

• DAY SIXTEEN: Brand Booster 21

  Ed Roach

  19 Nov 2009 | 7:32 am

  "Blogging As A Marketing Tool." Today's topic.

• DAY FIFTEEN: Brand Booster 21

  Ed Roach

  16 Nov 2009 | 4:32 pm

  Today Vera and I discuss "Branding Your Online Brand". Enjoy.

• 
  Guy Richards - Ordinary life with a brand strategist

• The prize for innovation

  Guy Richards

  19 Nov 2009 | 7:29 am

  Price premiums are the prize of innovation. But like any innovation, the creator has only a short window of opportunity to capitalize on before the copycats come. So, should the goal of innovation be to squeeze every last penny out of the market while the irons hot? Or, should the goal be to leverage the exposure to harness long-term relationships? In my opinion, I would rather make a mild profit, reach a larger audience and use my exposure to deliver a service of kindness that has my clients trust me to the point that they can’t image doing business with anyone else.Innovation comes and…

• Consumer Identity Desires

  Guy Richards

  18 Nov 2009 | 6:54 am

  Individual customization is the key to making a product just right… at least for the consumer. It’s why creative kids draw on their shoes, metrosexuals cuff the bottom of their pants, bikers wear chain wallets or mechanics wear Dickies. This sort of customization is an emotional, sometimes unconscious viewpoint that the individual wants to send to the outside world to create a preferred identity that links them to a specific culture group. Have you defined your core consumer’s emotional reasoning?

• Brands Inspire Belief

  Guy Richards

  17 Nov 2009 | 9:15 am

  A brand inspires belief of a forecasted future. The belief works as a solution to a problem. The greater the problem the more engaging the brand will be. A quick insight:Money is not a solution nor does it inspire belief. Money is a by-product of a great cause.If you are solely driven by profit you will most likely succeed but you will have a disengaged staff and a lethargic, transient client base. I’m not saying profitability isn’t important. Planning your organization for sustainability insures your cause. But the cause should not be replaced for profit... if you want to inspire…

• The Greatest Idea

  Guy Richards

  16 Nov 2009 | 8:36 am

  There are tons of great ideas out there. But the people who innovate, change culture, or positively effect the world, aren’t necessarily the people with the best ideas. The difference with a successfully implemented idea is the person that champions it. It’s the tenacity that they were created with. They don’t wait for perfect conditions, but take off running, They fail… but get up… They learn from their mistakes… They progress… and stay focused on the picture in their mind that no one else can see. The picture of their idea fully implemented. You, yes you with the greatest…

• Your Mission (Sunday Insight #5)

  Guy Richards

  15 Nov 2009 | 3:00 am

  Have you ever wondered if you are living the purpose you were created for? I read this verse the other day that had me think. Here’s the scene, a man, who was tormented by demons was cast out into an isolated wooded area by the people in the town he lived. Jesus meets the man and made the demons leave him. The man was so happy he wanted to go with Jesus. But Jesus told him, “*No, go back to your family, and tell them everything God has done for you.” This could be compared to many things like alcohol, drug or porn addiction, even mental or health challenges that Jesus set a person free…

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  Orange Element Insights

• Wayzgoose

  Andrea Campbell

  18 Nov 2009 | 3:35 pm

  That’s right, Wayzgoose, not to be confused with WYSIWYG. It is actually a gathering happening this coming weekend at the Hamilton Wood Type museum in Wisconsin. It comes from a printer’s dinner given by a master printer to his workmen at the end of summer according to Wikipedia. It also means stubble goose (harvest goose) according to dictionary.com. Regardless of bird knowledge, no one is more knowledgeable on wood type than Hamilton. This weekend Matthew Carter will release Carter Latin Wide, his first wood typeface. Also on hand is the documentary TypeFace about Hamilton from…

• Living Climate Change with Ideo

  EJ Hall

  16 Nov 2009 | 10:13 am

  We love following the creative work of Ideo and were excited to learn about the mission behind their Living Climate Change project. On their project page they say: Living Climate Change is a devoted space for the most defining design challenge of our time. It’s also a place to support fresh thinking and share provocative ideas about the future.  We can effect change through our day-to-day design, work and personal decisions. Ideo has set up the site to spark a fire of discussion and offers a collection of resources to fuel more environmentally responsible actions. Check out their great…

• Freebie Friday

  Aaron Moore

  13 Nov 2009 | 10:29 am

  Hungry? These little monsters can’t wait to gobble up some turkey grub soon. Download over 10 Orange Element Monster photoshop brushes. Download here Simply drag the .abr file into your Photoshop > Presets > Brushes and then ‘Load’ the brushes from your palette or restart photoshop.

• The Toyota Flower

  Andy Bonner

  13 Nov 2009 | 9:13 am

  Car companies today are doing more than ever to create more energy-efficient cars, cars that get better gas mileage, and cars that rely on emerging technologies like fuel cells, hydrogen, and electric motors. It’s very exciting–and Toyota has taken innovation to a whole new level and decided to make a great effort in reducing CO2 emissions from the actual production of their vehicles. Toyota has actually developed two new flower species in an effort to reduce CO2 emissions from the manufacturing process of the Toyota Prius at it’s plant in Toyota City, Japan. The flowers,…

• 365 days with Lester Spence

  EJ Hall

  12 Nov 2009 | 2:13 pm

  Last week I met Political Scientist and Johns Hopkins Professor, Lester Spence, a very energetic and enthusiastic individual who introduced me to a photography project he has been working on for the past 122 days. He says he is not a photographer but for his 40th year he wanted to take one photo of himself per day for 365 days. He says:  I’m not going for art here, though I do hope I get more good shots than bad. I’m also not going for vanity here, but rather for focus and discipline. I thought it was a very interesting and ambitious project. You can follow his photo…

• 
  Brandweek - News and Features

• Wolf From 'New Moon' Howls on MySpace

  20 Nov 2009 | 5:52 am

  Social network's movie tie-in is the site's boldest ad-takeover yet.

• Social Media Users Really Are More Social

  20 Nov 2009 | 12:50 am

  Research finds offline relations enhanced by online social media.

• JC Penney's 'Doghouse' Lives to Bark Another Season

  20 Nov 2009 | 12:38 am

  Retailer's viral marketing campaign is back for the holidays.

• Muscle Milk Shows Off Its 'Sexy Pilgrim'

  19 Nov 2009 | 10:04 pm

  Viral campaign for protein drinks aims to allure new customers.

• HP Scales New Heights

  19 Nov 2009 | 8:47 am

  Goodby rolls out campaign that raises awareness for the global clean water crisis.

• 
  The BrandBuilder Blog

• UK Businesses: Two events you want to add to your calendar right away

  Olivier Blanchard

  19 Nov 2009 | 2:48 pm

  Conferences are great. You learn stuff, you meet people, you go back to work all jazzed up and energized… But let’s be honest: There are some things you just can’t get from a conference, like real training and “how to” knowledge. From my perspective no matter how much clarity I bring to topics like R.O.I. and social media measurement, building and managing social media programs, brand management in the era of the Social web, etc. at conferences, there is only so much I can teach you in an hour, or thirty minutes (and even 10 minutes, in some cases). How much can…

• What’s next: Operationalizing Social Media. (Huh? What?)

  Olivier Blanchard

  17 Nov 2009 | 11:39 pm

  Speaking at SMiB in London The current state of conversations in regards to Social Media and Business Okay, look. I don’t mean to step on anyone’s toes here, but how many times do business managers hungry for real Social Media know-how have to suffer through another “Social Media is what’s next” presentation before someone actually decides to help them answer real questions and solve real problems? Yes. We get it already. Social Media is the future of now. It’s the answer to all of your old-school marketing problems. The holy grail of business growth.

• The Art of Living

  Olivier Blanchard

  15 Nov 2009 | 7:47 pm

  I keep running into this every few months or so. It always makes me smile because it’s so true: The master in the art of living makes little distinction between his work and his play his labor and his leisure his mind and his body his education and his recreation his love and his religion He hardly knows which is which… He simply pursues his vision of excellence in whatever he does leaving others to decide whether he is working or playing To him he is always doing both. - Zen Buddhist Text If you’re any good at what you do, and by good, I mean really good, work is play.

• Before you can truly talk about Change Management, you have to focus on achieving clear vision

  Olivier Blanchard

  5 Nov 2009 | 12:39 pm

  I love the fact that the comments my readers leave on the BrandBuilder blog are an endless source of topics for me to write about. I am seriously considering devoting one or two posts per week to either giving your brilliant opinions more exposure and/or answering your questions. And in that vein, why not start today, right now? Here’s an astute question from Sonny Gill: in regards to characteristic n.8 in my post about “Becoming P2P: Principal characteristics of the new social business“: Company/organizational culture is something I love getting into and am still learning a…

• Thoughts on the sorry state of Social Media Conferences – comments from readers

  Olivier Blanchard

  3 Nov 2009 | 8:31 am

  Yesterday, I talked about the disappointment (to put it mildly) I feel whenever I run into a pointless social-media related conference. Particularly the kind that charges significantly more than the value it actually delivers, and essentially serves no purpose other than to further inflate the social media hype bubble instead of actually advancing the discipline. If you haven’t had a chance to read it yet, click here to go read it now. Judging from the comments the post generated, this topic evidently struck a nerve with more than a few of you. Some of the comments were so good that I…

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  Brand Champions

• Brand Champions of the Day- University Marketing and Communications Department, Eastern Illinois University

  Rex Whisman

  20 Nov 2009 | 12:00 am

  Last month I had the pleasure of delivering a keynote address at the University & College Designers Association annual conference in Seattle. The theme of my presentation was how to become an internal brand champion on campus. During the three days I attended the conference I had an opportunity to connect with a number of fellow attendees on twitter, Facebook and this blog. As an education brand consultant, I am always on the look out for best practices in brand development and effective use of digital media to deliver brand messages. With keen interest I followed those schools who I…

• Balancing Brands and Sub-Brands

  Rex Whisman

  19 Nov 2009 | 12:00 am

  This is a topic that comes up at every stage of the brand development process. It is a great topic and has been asked at a couple of sessions that I was facilitating over the past week. In the beginning people have a tendency to think when an organization decides to move forward with a brand initiative, that the organization is deciding to dilute or eliminate their sub-brands. While this might be the case in certain situations, I certainly do not adhere to that kind of strategy.It is important to be aware that many of your stakeholders have this concern. So, whatever the motives for moving…

• Will Digital Media Experts Be Future Brand Managers?

  Rex Whisman

  18 Nov 2009 | 12:00 am

  Yesterday I posted an announcement about a session that I will be presenting on December 1 at the University of Denver on the connection between brand and social media. When thinking more about the subject the above question came to mind. As organizations increasing embrace digital media channels and discard old school media such as advertising and direct mail, the answer to the question could likely be yes.But, only if organizations get their acts together. First they must develop a brand platform based on their mission, core values and stakeholder engagement. Then they need to create a plan…

• Executing Effective Brand Strategy Through Social Media

  Rex Whisman

  17 Nov 2009 | 12:00 am

  That is the title of the session that I will be co-presenting, along with David Sandusky, as part of the Colorado Chapter of the American Marketing Association's Knowledge Series. For the past three days I have been in Boston attending the 2009 Symposium for the Marketing of Higher Education, which is an event of the American Marketing Association. Last Sunday I had the pleasure of helping open the conference by co-facilitating a session on internal branding. Next month I will continue to support the AMA by presenting at our Colorado Chapter event.Over the course of the past few days of…

• Brand Champion of the Day- American Marketing Association

  Rex Whisman

  16 Nov 2009 | 12:00 am

  On Mondays and Fridays I feature someone or some organization who understands what it means to be a brand champion. Today I want to highlight the American Marketing Association. Yesterday through tomorrow I am in Boston at the 2009 Symposium for the Marketing of Higher Education, a program of the American Marketing Association. This is the fourth time I have presented at this conference. During the past several years the conference has raised the level of importance of branding and this year the conference has a track devoted to this important need for all marketers. As education branding…

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  BRANDING NEWS - Google News

• Bloomberg, New Owner of BusinessWeek, Seeks Agency for Global Branding - AdAge.com

  20 Nov 2009 | 2:43 pm

  Bloomberg, New Owner of BusinessWeek, Seeks Agency for Global BrandingAdAge.comNEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- As it gets ready to officially take ownership of BusinessWeek magazine, Bloomberg is looking for help with global branding and and more »

• Singapore Climbs Country Brand Index - Travel Agent

  20 Nov 2009 | 1:43 pm

  Singapore Climbs Country Brand IndexTravel AgentIt moved up 11 slots to number 13 on FutureBrand's latest Country Brand Index, which ranks the world's top country brands. It also earned the titles of Best and more »

• What Makes People Love Google? - Search Newz

  20 Nov 2009 | 10:44 am

  What Makes People Love Google?Search NewzIn a word: branding. As a brand, both through their own efforts and through sheer luck, Google has been able to position itself as the #1 online brand in and more »

• NeXplore Search Sheds Beta, Rebrands as NeXplore Search 2 - CNNMoney.com (press release)

  20 Nov 2009 | 10:11 am

  NeXplore Search Sheds Beta, Rebrands as NeXplore Search 2CNNMoney.com (press release)Commenting on NeXplore Search 2's new branding, Scott Grizzle, chief marketing officer for NeXplore Corporation, said, "Branding NeXplore as 'search and more »

• Coke, Pepsi and... Ayds? - Vancouver Sun

  20 Nov 2009 | 10:10 am

  Coke, Pepsi and... Ayds?Vancouver SunToronto had its own branding failure with the adoption of the “Toronto Unlimited” campaign in 2005. The brand cost millions of dollars to develop, and more »

• 
  MisEntropy

• Plannersphere Top 20 - November 2009

  blaiq

  7 Nov 2009 | 4:43 am

  The top 20 blogs in the plannersphere as of 6th November 2009 are: 01. advertising lab 02. Noah Brier dot Com 03. We Are Social 04. Nick Burcher 05. Only Dead Fish 06. Adspace Pioneers 07. Herd - the hidden truth about who we are  08. brand new 09. russell davies 10. Interactive Marketing Trends  11. Servant of Chaos 12. adliterate 13. livingbrands  14. Mike Arauz 15. Influxinsights 16. Make Marketing History 17. positive disruption by: Tom Martin  18. The Hidden Persuader 19. Talent imitates, genius steals 20. paul isakson a. The top 20 blog list winnows out the planning/strategy blogs…

• ten things i didn't know until last week

  blaiq

  1 Nov 2009 | 12:18 am

  1. In the Biblical account of Genesis, the first task God entrusted to Adam was to give names to all the animals.More details2. Password aging is a feature in software that forces users to change their passwords after a specified period of time.More details3. According to long-standing protocol, Brazil always speaks first at the UN General Assembly and is followed by the host country.More details4. Jazz musician Stan Getz's real name is Stanley Gayetsky.More details5. Silent movie superstar Clara Bow was the original 'It' girl - heralded as such in 1927 for appearing, appropiately enough, in…

• Plannersphere Top 20 - October 2009

  blaiq

  6 Oct 2009 | 5:04 am

  The top 20 blogs in the plannersphere as of 6th October 2009 are: 01. Noah Brier dot Com 02. Nick Burcher 03. russell davies 04. advertising lab 05. We Are Social 06. adliterate 07. Only Dead Fish 08. News from the Herd 09. Influxinsights 10. Adspace Pioneers 11. paul isakson 12. Life Moves Pretty Fast 13. Herd - the hidden truth about who we are 14. brand new 15. Servant of Chaos 16. Mike Arauz 17. The Hidden Persuader 18. livingbrands 19. From The Head Of Zeus Jones 20. Talent imitates, genius steals a. The top 20 blog list winnows out the planning/strategy blogs from the AdAge Power 150…

• Why scam ads are like pedigree dogs

  blaiq

  10 Sep 2009 | 5:19 am

  Leafing through an old issue of New Scientist magazine, I came upon this op-ed column that expresses outrage at the cruelty and insensitivity inherent in breeding pedigree dogs.It seems that pedigree dogs are so efficiently bred for narrow award-winning characteristics that as a result they often end up suffering grave ill-health and a greatly reduced quality of life.That immediately struck me as an appropriate way to describe something closer home - a scam ad. After we are done condemning the creatives and agencies behind scam ads (whenever that would be), it isn't too difficult to see the…

• Plannersphere Top 20/20 - September 2009

  blaiq

  5 Sep 2009 | 10:44 am

  The top 20 blogs in the plannersphere as of 5th September 2009 are:01. advertising lab02. Noah Brier dot Com03. Nick Burcher04. russell davies05. Adspace Pioneers06. Only Dead Fish07. We Are Social08. News from the Herd09. paul isakson10. Mike Arauz11. adliterate12. Influxinsights13. The Hidden Persuader14. Servant of Chaos15. The Hidden Persuader16. From The Head Of Zeus Jones17. Make Marketing History18. brand new19. Get Shouty20. Interactive Marketing TrendsThe top 20 posts from the plannersphere in August 2009 (actually top 27, as that's how many are tied with the same score) as ranked by…

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  Bringing Brands to Life!

• Employee Engagement Lessons from Fast Company’s “30 Second MBA” Part 2

  Thomas R. Clifford

  18 Nov 2009 | 6:07 am

  Here’s part two of my conversation with Ellen McGirt, Senior Writer for Fast Company magazine and Dean of Fast Company’s “30 Second MBA” website. Part one can be found here. Thanks again, Ellen, for participating! 5. Many organizations see and hear the potential benefits of incorporating an internal social media framework into their communication strategies but are hesitant to make the leap. What would you say to these folks? Grow a spine. You’ve already lost control! You might as well have some fun. And by the way, this is the golden era of the communications professional. In…

• Employee Engagement Lessons from Fast Company’s “30 Second MBA” Part 1

  Thomas R. Clifford

  4 Nov 2009 | 6:04 am

  I’m a big fan of Fast Company’s “30 Second MBA” site. The minute it launched, I felt it offered a simple yet highly effective way for organizations to integrate social media concepts into their internal communication strategies. I wanted to know more. So I asked Ellen McGirt, the Senior Writer and Dean of “30 Second MBA,” a few questions about her experiences in launching the site. I was particularly interested in seeing how the “30 Second MBA” framework could be adapted for internal communication purposes. Here’s part one of the interview. And many thanks, Ellen, for…

• 5 Big Ideas: What Honda’s Mini-Documentaries Can Teach Non-Filmmakers

  Thomas R. Clifford

  21 Oct 2009 | 7:05 pm

  Here are five ideas from Honda’s new corporate documentary, “Racing Against Time,” to help you take your videos from talking heads to interesting and believable stories. (RSS readers click thru to see the video.) Have you checked out Honda’s “Dream the Impossible” mini-documentary series? The video series features several big ideas in a series of mini-documentaries. And yes, they’re beautifully produced. But here’s the thing. If you deconstruct Honda’s new documentary, “Racing Against Time,” you’ll find five big ideas you can use to make your own videos just as…

• Tom's SpeedLink #12

  Thomas R. Clifford

  20 Oct 2009 | 5:52 am

  Time to share some pretty cool links... 1. New book: "Believe Me: Why Your Vision, Brand, and Leadership Need a Bigger Story." Michael Margolis, my friend and remarkable business storyteller, just released his first book yesterday entitled, "Believe Me: Why Your Vision, Brand, and Leadership Need a Bigger Story." It's a "storytelling manifesto for change-makers and innovators." Yes, I ordered my copy and can't wait to dive in to it! 2. Honda Launches New Docu-Series On Twitter Honda's corporate mini-documentaries are some of my favorite programs. I'll have a full article on this new video…

• 9 Super Simple Ways to Rock Your Company Video

  Thomas R. Clifford

  7 Oct 2009 | 7:18 pm

  It’s the small things that can make a big difference. Anyone can implement these ideas. And the cool part? They’re free or next to free. See if you can sneak a few of these tricks into your next project. It will help your video story feel more believable and interesting. And rockin'. 1. Talk first. Your best storytellers are hiding right under your nose– your employees. Figure our what your video is about. Pull up a chair and get talking. Ask lots of different questions. Employees rarely get this kind of chance to be heard and recognized. You’ll be amazed at what you hear and capture.

• 
  Brains On Fire Blog

• People are just amazing.

  Robbin

  20 Nov 2009 | 7:02 am

  “Closeness to customers” is something I have been studying lately. I wrote about the effect it has on your company here. I also believe it is huge part of what we help our clients do. We help our clients create deeper more meaningful, emotional connections to the clients they serve. So in an effort to practice what we preach, I’m in the process of spending time “interviewing” our clients and some of our client’s customers. And here is what I have to share with you: Do it. NOW. If you’re part of company or organization and you have customers or advocates,…

• Patagonia presentation - 2009 WOMMA Summit in Vegas

  Spike

  19 Nov 2009 | 10:12 am

  This morning at the WOMMA Summit in Las Vegas, The VP of marketing for Patagonia, Rob BonDurant, took the stage to talk about one of the most fascinating, word of mouth worthy, mission-driven, cult-like brands around. And he didn’t disappoint. You could call the whole talk a highlight, but here are the tidbits that resonated with me: We would rather inspire than promote. We would rather earn credibility over a purchase. Advertising should be used only as a last resort. The three charters of Patagonia. It’s what they adhere to and live by. We don’t create stories. We publish them. These…

• Stories make Connections

  Geno

  18 Nov 2009 | 9:50 am

  I’m lucky to be the grandson of a storyteller. My grandfather told me a ton of stories growing up; they were a combination of tall tales and family stories. Often the storytelling took place in usual environments - in his garden, or sitting on the hood of his car eating hot dogs on the edge of the Greenville Downtown Airport. And so it goes… I seek out storytellers for our clients. I’m captivated by how people use stories to connect, especially when un-prompted. As fate would have it Brains on Fire is now working with the granddaddy of storytelling… Colonial Williamsburg. The…

• On devoting your time to what works

  Eric

  17 Nov 2009 | 10:17 am

  Spike said in his last blog post that “technology can be a trap.” We rant all of the time around here about how ’social media is a tool’ and how ‘it might not be best for your business’ and on and on. But it reminded me of a real story about technology as a trap. Do you remember way back, well, actually, a short time ago when Twitter first started to grab headlines and brands began to view it as a business tool? Companies everywhere started to question whether they should ‘be on Twitter.’ Some time after that initial uproar I was out to dinner…

• Twitter, you’re not a person

  Spike

  16 Nov 2009 | 5:51 am

  Rumor has is that the panel that’s choosing TIME’s Person of the Year is split between Twitter and and The Economy. Wha? Okay, according to a WIRED article, this isnt’ the first time a non-person might win the award. In 1982, “The Computer” got the nod. Since then a fair amount of non-persons have won: The Endangered Earth (1988), The Peacemakers (1993), The Whistleblowers (2002), The Good Samaritans (2005) and, of course, You, in 2006. I get it. I know that naming Twitter person of the year would get a lot of buzz. But let’s take a look at some of the reality: via…

• 
  Unbound Edition

• Miracle Whip Finds Its Brand Voice

  Rachel L. Newman

  20 Nov 2009 | 12:56 pm

  Back in June, Miracle Whip broadcasted its condiment manifesto to Gen Y. Punctuated with the official quivery chalkboard script of all advertising-spawned youth movements and set to a swaying, poly-ethnic crowd kickin’ it kiddie-pool style, a bored (yet defiant!) voice-over proclaims: “We are our own unique, one-of-a-kind flavor. We are Miracle Whip. And we will not tone it down.” Hmmm. A hipster decree from a 76-year-old sandwich spread most famous for its supporting role in my great aunt’s deviled eggs? The campaign was hard to swallow.

• Submitting Culture to the Rack of Metrification

  20 Nov 2009 | 7:41 am

  It's an unpleasant, abominable idea, submitting something as delicate as culture to the rack of metrification. But here's why it's necessary. There's so much going on "out there" in culture, so many different people creating so many different innovations, subject to change so violent and frequent, that unless we have metrics at our disposal, well, we're done for. We have no real hope of canvassing all that water front.

• There Is This Company

  20 Nov 2009 | 7:40 am

  Here's something I've been thinking about for some time now. You see, there is this company. It publishes over a hundred RSS feeds and several email newsletters, but not a single blog. The only conversations this company entertains are the ones it starts itself or is subpoenaed into. Conversations it doesn't like, it tries to silence.

• The Social Media (R)evolution: Your Time is Now

  20 Nov 2009 | 7:39 am

  The Future of the Social Web is here today and we’re learning that engagement is not a matter of if or when, but to what extent, how and what value can we deliver and derive from it. The Social Web is much more than a window into information and interaction, it is a completely transformative medium that is changing how we forge relationships, interact with one another, and distribute and discover information. In many ways, the online social revolution is reminiscent of the Industrial Revolution. Access to free and expansive media platforms and distribution channels has democratized…

• The Brand Touch Cycle

  20 Nov 2009 | 6:58 am

  A discipline that I consistently see organizations struggling with is in fully understanding the importance of touchpoints of their brand. Yes they understand the basic idea of a touchpoint—that interactions with their brand is a touchpoint that influences the overall perception of their brand. And yes they know that it is to their advantage to integrate the touchpoints of their brand as much as possible.

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  ID-ology

• Rebranding the Mercenary

  joshuaberger

  26 Oct 2009 | 11:01 am

  Cloaks and Daggers Blackwater, the notorious private army, contracted by the Bush administration to protect “high value” military personnel, and accused of numerous crimes against Iraqi civilians, has recently undertaken an extensive brand repositioning. The corporate name itself, Blackwater, had become a public relations liability, a toxic asset if you will. The company spent more than a year in an internal search to develop the new name, “Xe” (pronounced “Zee”). Following this arduous renaming and rebranding process, company spokeswoman Anne Tyrrell…

• News about the market is down, therefore the market is up

  joshuaberger

  22 Oct 2009 | 10:04 am

  Dow performance vs. news coverage An interesting story this week covering the Pew Research Center’s analysis of media coverage during the Great Recession. The more we hear about the recession, the worse the market gets. The less we hear, the better it gets. Much of the data was sourced using MemeTracker, which builds maps of the daily news cycle by analyzing around 900,000 news stories and blog posts per day from 1 million online sources, ranging from mass media to personal blogs. The interactive graphs there are worth checking out. MemeTracker

• Tom Cramer speaks Saturday

  douglaslowell

  16 Oct 2009 | 12:40 pm

  For those of you in Portland, one of our city’s most interesting mid-career artists, Tom Cramer, is speaking at the Laura Russo Gallery tomorrow at 11am. I’ll be there. - Doug

• Email out, direct mail back in

  douglaslowell

  5 Oct 2009 | 7:31 am

  OK, for those photographers out there who didn’t believe me when I said creatives hated email blasts from Adbase and preferred a postcard with an image, here’s a recent post on the subject. - Doug

• Requiem for Saturn

  douglaslowell

  1 Oct 2009 | 10:40 am

  Farewell, brave effort. The last of Detroit’s idealism. A response to what people were asking for, both in a car that met their needs and in a car company that could restore American pride. Different has a way of being whittled down to same. I guess we’ll have to look to meet our needs, and our heroes, elsewhere. - Doug

• 
  Bhatnaturally

• The best advertising of the decade: Adweek Best of 2000s

  bhatnaturally

  18 Nov 2009 | 8:21 pm

  AdweekMedia has just launched an online poll called the Best of 2000s, asking for nominations in 33 categories including popular categories like Commercial of the Decade and Print Advertising of the Decade. There is a definite US bias in most categories, understandably so. Some popular entries are missing from the Print Advertising short list – nothing from The Economist work? Among the agencies of the decade, names like Fallon are missing. While you mull over the nominations, what if such an exercise were to be done for Indian ads? To start with, do comment in with your Top 5 Indian TV…

• Allen Solly’s I Hate Ugly: I like it, kinda

  bhatnaturally

  17 Nov 2009 | 7:49 am

  In the fashion category, advertising is often the differentiator. Since genuine product differentiation is rare, the imagery around the brand often drives preference. Years ago, Allen Solly introduced a line of clothing for office wear which was so different from the convention, there was genuine ‘new news’ in advertising terms. The term, ‘Friday Dressing’ was coined and what was once laughed at as clothes ‘Telegu movie heroes’ would wear, became acceptable in office. You know, the dark red shirt with a ghastly tie and mustard pants. That style got copied…

• Should companies relax their IT policy? And er…let you bring your Mac to work?

  bhatnaturally

  16 Nov 2009 | 9:11 am

  In an article ‘Why you can’t use personal technology at office?‘,  WSJ outlines a scenario familiar to both companies and employees alike, especially in India. It talks of the double life we lead: restricted internet access – especially the social media kind (if you work in a large company with a strict IT policy), sluggish computer running aging software (most probably XP), slow to average internet speeds and inability to install or update software on your own. At home we are slowly getting used to broadband speeds thanks and absolute freedom of choice both in…

• 26 examples of clever typography in advertising design

  bhatnaturally

  15 Nov 2009 | 9:55 am

  One of the under-celebrated talents in advertising art, is typography perhaps. Among the art directors I have worked with, there was always this special breed who wanted to experiment in everything – from the fonts to the photography. I have seen them strive to give a the ad a distinct look even if it’s a simple headline-driven ad. Herewith some examples of nice use of typography in print ads that caught my fancy. 1. Archipelago: an electronic stock exchange that wanted to convey the idea that they have no ‘hidden information’ – a standard procedure, they claim…

• Twitter Weekly Updates for 2009-11-15

  bhatnaturally

  14 Nov 2009 | 10:28 pm

  The ultimate celeb endorsement for HD TV http://bit.ly/3Uytkx # 10 ads of 20-seconds or under: short is sweet http://bit.ly/1J0O9p # Airtel’s new TVC promoting Twitter http://bit.ly/vKD7x # On the mail today ‘female spin bowler from TN’ – Thirupura Sundari # When does Jack Bauer do regular stuff like going to the loo, having a meal? In that 4 min break between sections in an episode? # Azmi vs. Raj Thackeray http://bit.ly/2k1G5j India has a conquistador mentality towards Mumbai/Marathi using cosmopolitanism as excuse. # iPhone App Translates Baby’s Crying…

• 
  Integrated Branding Blog | Movéo

• B2B Videos for Search are More Important than Ever

  Jeff Swanson

  20 Nov 2009 | 12:02 pm

  Image courtesy of Search Engine Land As search engines and social media continue to evolve, it has become more important than ever for B2B companies to use videos for search. What does this have to do with search engines?In today’s world, which is heavily influenced by social media, search engines return results that include Web pages, blogs, products, images, videos, maps, local businesses and more. It’s called social, universal or blended search. Because of this, it’s important for companies to create content in these ways so that they might have more visibility. Not every form of…

• Just because your email was not opened does not mean it was not effective

  Moveo

  6 Nov 2009 | 9:28 am

  For years now, many of us e-marketers have worked under the assumption that an unopened email means your subscriber is disengaged and uninterested-- until now. A recent study by Alchemy Worx has revealed that unopened email communications have measurable impact on brand awareness and can lead to increased conversion activity (sales) across other communication channels. How you ask? Through the "Nudge Effect." What is the Nudge Effect and how does it work? The Nudge Effect is a way of influencing people's behavior without telling them exactly what to do. Alchemy Worx puts it…

• Nonprofit social media marketing on Facebook

  Jeff Swanson

  27 Oct 2009 | 12:37 pm

  Because of the valiant deeds that many non-profits perform, it's no surprise that people can have a strong emotional bond with a particular organization that may have helped one of their friends or family members in the past. Because of this affinity, it's reasonable to believe that a non-profit can successfully find friends to follow them on Facebook. Just think about the number of people involved with a non-profit organization. It's very likely that many of them have Facebook accounts, simply considering the number of people that use this platform. It is free to setup a Facebook fan page.

• A brand roundtable discussion for Amazon Basics

  Jeff Swanson

  1 Oct 2009 | 1:53 pm

  Image courtesy of FastCompany Our branding guru, Kevin Randall, recently assembled a roundtable of branding experts to share thoughts on Amazon's newest venture - Amazon Basics. Kevin's colleagues included professors from Stanford, Harvard, MIT and Northwestern, along with strategists from Interbrand. The full list is below: Jennifer Aaker - Professor of Marketing at Stanford's Graduate School of Business David Martin - President of Interbrand New York John Quelch - Professor of Marketing at Harvard Business School Mark Ritson - Associate Professor of Marketing at MIT Sloan…

• Integrated search engine marketing campaigns

  Jeff Swanson

  30 Sep 2009 | 7:57 am

  Pay-per-click (PPC) and search engine optimization (SEO) marketing can benefit from each other when integrated. If you are currently running campaigns in both channels, or considering doing so, it is important to know how the two can feed off of each other to create a successful integrated search engine marketing campaign.SEO is a process, just like PPC. One difference, however, is that PPC campaigns generally draw traffic to your site immediately, whereas an SEO effort can take some time. One way to jump start your SEO keyword research is to test out keywords on particular pages using PPC to…

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  spatially relevant

• Relevant Reading – November 17th

  Jon Gatrell

  17 Nov 2009 | 8:02 am

  Sharing the the things I found for the day: Translation of The Cranky Product Manager How I Made it Here- Overnight Success Product Marketing for an Agile World Guest Book Review: “User Stories Applied: For Agile Software Development” Jason Brett Are You Different Enough? The Road To Unprofitable Growth Is Paved With One Dollar Fajitas

• Publication: The Strategic Product Manager and the CFO

  Jon Gatrell

  16 Nov 2009 | 7:00 am

  So you can read the latest piece in print in Pragmatic Marketing’s The Pragmatic Marketer which I co-authored with John Mecke, take a look. Give your CFO an opportunity to contribute, participate in the day-to-day workings of your product as a business, and you may just get a business partner who can help you and your product be more successful in the marketplace. Read More on the Strategic Role of the product manager and the CFO... Many thanks to the folks at pragmatic for being able to write it and to have it published. Related articles by Zemanta Product Launches Don’t need to…

• Greenwashing isn’t just for marketers, it’s going operational

  Jon Gatrell

  13 Nov 2009 | 4:36 am

  The Future of Green Business Strategy View more presentations from futurethink.

• Let’s get down to business!

  Jon Gatrell

  12 Nov 2009 | 5:00 am

• Attitudes, Latitudes and Boundaries: A fractured reality

  Jon Gatrell

  11 Nov 2009 | 12:10 am

  Pew research’s pulse presentation on attitudes on capitalism and democracy post the berlin wall collapse has some interesting insights by geography and cohort groups. The change in attitudes and opinions are expected for the most part, but interesting nonetheless to look at. Pew Global Attitudes – Public Opinion Two Decades After the Fall of the Berlin Wall View more presentations from Pew Research Center. Related articles by Zemanta Capitalism and democracy a disappointment to people of former communist countries (dvorak.org) Why was Berlin the key to the Cold War? (slate.com)

• 
  Lies, damned lies and statistics

• European marketers to up online spend, but click throughs still poor

  liesdamnedlies

  19 Nov 2009 | 9:40 pm

  The European Interactive Advertising Association (EIAA) has published its Internet Barometer Report (via Marketing Charts), which shows that 83% of European marketers plan to up their online ad spend in 2010.   One in three (33%) organisations are now including mobile in their strategies confirming the increasing importance of the mobile Internet. But at the same time,one of the key drivers for marketers, in addition to changing consumer habits, is the perception that you get more bang for your buck online, with 31% citing cost efficiencies as a factor behind their decision. There’s…

• Most online discussions now happen off-site

  liesdamnedlies

  17 Nov 2009 | 12:52 pm

  For the past few weeks at Cow Digital, we’ve put together a weekly email digest for our clients and anyone in marketing who wants to receive it - this week’s copy is here, and if you want to have it land in your inbox every Weds, sign up here. One of the items we covered today was the recent Postrank report on blog and website engagement. Postrank - which we use internally at Cow for measurement - doesn’t look at raw numbers of people visiting a blog, it looks at engagement.   Did they tweet about it, did they tag it, did they comment? The crux of Postrank’s research…

• Study confirms US dominance of Twitter

  liesdamnedlies

  16 Nov 2009 | 12:32 pm

  A study by Royal Pingdom, which looked through three weeks worth of tweets from 21 Oct - 11 Nov, confirms that Twitter is still very much a US dominated network. The average number of tweets per hour showed a dip between 8am - 1pm Central European Time (or between 7am - Noon GMT), when Europeans get into work but still the middle of the night for the US.   But at the same time, things clearly picked up around 4pm central Europe, or 10am East Coast US, so near the start of the American working day. Royal Pingdom also found that people tweet a lot at work with activity going down at…

• Who owns your tweets? The answer might actually be your boss

  liesdamnedlies

  16 Nov 2009 | 7:22 am

  Steyn and Aziz, two of the Cows in Cape Town, posed an interesting question this afternoon. Who owns your tweets? Clearly re-tweeting is a big part of Twitter culture, but do you have any sort of intellectual property claim over what’s your content? There are several answers to this question.  One of them from analyst Jeremiah Owyang, is that quite possibly your boss might be the owner and not you…in addition to owning any Facebook photos, You Tube videos etc developed and posted at work. The reason? “Employees sign employment contracts that may indicate that all…

• Warning: Being good at video games could make you poor (but only if you are a man)

  liesdamnedlies

  14 Nov 2009 | 5:04 am

  This study from Canada is fascinating - research done by a fourth year economics student shows that being good at video games can have a negative effect on your income. According to the Telegraph Journal in Canada, Ryan MacLeod of Mount Allison University did a study of gamers, which won him top prize at the Atlantic Canada Economics Conference.  Says MacLeod, “my work confirms that, in general, the more income a person has the more time they spent playing video games. But that playing video games could also have a negative effect on a person’s income.” In other words, you…

• 
  Does Your Business...have a branding strategy that works?

• High cost to produce doesn't validate high price

  19 Nov 2009 | 1:28 pm

  When we start talking to a client about their service or product one of the first questions we ask is: how do you come up with your price?It's a fully loaded and important question. Sometimes the answer is because it's in a competitive range. Oftentimes they rattle off a margin that they want to hit and work forward from the cost to produce. Other times we get a blank stare. Rarely do we get a straight answer.This whole pending Silverdome deal got me thinking about cost vs. price. There's an uproar across the region about the $580,000 sales price for a building and property that cost $55…

• Stand above your competition; don't kick 'em

  19 Nov 2009 | 11:03 am

  It still amazes me that brands continue to take the approach of slamming the competition in order to get their point across. I just don't get it. It seems like the easy way to make a TV spot or advertising campaign. Funny over effective only works for those interested in watching the Super Bowl mainly for it's 30 second sitcoms.Verizon's "There's a map for that" spots are hilarious. But are they winning cell phone users over? It seems to me that they only focus on AT&T's negatives. The same rings true for the Droid's iDon't campaign. Tell me about the Droid, not what the iPhone isn't.We…

• Is Disney messing with its story?

  6 Nov 2009 | 6:10 am

  It looks like Mickey Mouse is going under the knife for a makeover. Some would argue that changing this icon is the worst thing Disney could possibly do. I don't think it's necessarily a bad idea, but unfortunately, when change like this happens it tends to be over the top. Eventually it usually backfires.Change may be necessary, but they just need to be careful. According to this New York Times article , only 20% of the $5 billion spent globally on Mickey Mouse merchandise was forked over in the United States. That seems like a pretty low number to me and a figure that would require the…

• Automotive Hall of Fame recognizes SOZO | Pivotal client

  13 Oct 2009 | 7:54 am

  We say it a lot, but the best clients and greatest success stories are with those who are passionate about their business. Without exception that is always the case. So it's pretty exciting to see a client and entrepreneur who is extremely energetic and passionate about his companies be recognized for his outstanding efforts and achievements.Last week, Jesse Berger, President of Eastern Michigan Kenworth, received the Young Leadership & Excellence Award from the Automotive Hall of Fame.SOZO | Pivotal has had the pleasure of working with Berger for over five years. When we started he…

• No you're not!

  14 Sep 2009 | 4:34 am

  The worst thing you can do in a branding campaign is tell someone you're something that you're not. So with that in mind when was the last time you thought Yahoo! as the "home on the web"?Exactly.It appears as though the online business is preparing to launch an aggressive brand strategy with the intent to position the website as the "end all, be all" on the web.Unfortunately, things have changed. Yahoo! may have once been the home on the web. Heck, it was the mansion until Google came out of nowhere only a few years back. When crafting a new marketing message you can't make bold claims that…

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  Tungsten Branding -- Company Naming and Branding Blog

• Is Your Company Having an Identity Crises?

  puretungsten

  26 Oct 2009 | 12:59 pm

  In speaking to various business and trade groups this past summer and early fall, one theme rang loud and clear. In an effort to stay afloat, many business owners made significant changes to their business models. And these changes, while necessary in the short term, had left confusion amongst the rank and file. The common question was “Just what have we become?” Many of these companies had identities based on their industry, or their products and services. But as these industries struggled, so did the businesses that served them. Adapting to meet the sea change in the economy and…

• Radio Shack - The Problem With Product Identified Brand Names

  puretungsten

  7 Aug 2009 | 11:53 am

  The irony of naming a new company is that the quickest fix (giving the company a literal/descriptive name) creates the most enduring problem. Witness the latest iteration in “fixing” the Radio Shack brand. To bring it current, make it relevant, and shed its legacy image of radio/transistor/gadgetry, it’s now going to advertise itself as simply “The Shack.” This is similar to Pizza Hut’s attempts at rebranding itself as “The Hut.” The problem is systemic… the whole positioning itself is based on a product (radios) and a place (a…

• We Let The DAWGS Out! (Naming a Business So It Gets Noticed)

  puretungsten

  6 Jul 2009 | 8:13 am

  Door and Window Guard Systems When Jim Heagney came to us with a great new product, we knew he needed a great new name to match. Jim and partners manufacture metal security panels that bolt into the windows and doorways of empty, abandoned or foreclosed homes, as well as new construction and properties undergoing rehab. This type of home protection can save tens of thousands of dollars from break-ins, theft and vandalism. With foreclosures at an all time high, there was never a better time to launch… but what to call them? The few competitors in the field had bland, generic names for…

• Is BING the new thing? Rebranding Microsoft Live Search

  admin

  1 Jun 2009 | 2:19 pm

  Let’s face it… Microsoft has never been the leader when it comes to cool brand names. But that might be changing. This past week, the folks in Redmond, WA announced the new name for their improved search engine… Bing! You might say Bing has a ring to it, and it’s a heck of a lot better than their previous literal/descriptive name, Live Search (as in, “Could you ‘Live Search’ that for me?”) Or Kumo, their stealth code name, which sounded more like an Alaskan sled dog. Bing is short and (like the cherry) sweet. It has has verb potential, almost…

• Swine Flu and the Power of Naming

  admin

  3 May 2009 | 9:49 pm

  For those who don’t believe that naming is powerful stuff, look no further than the latest pending pandemic, now known as the H1N1 virus. As humans, we have an inherent need to label things. It makes us feel safer if we can name something, identify it, box it in, put a handle on it. The problem comes when the need for that label becomes more important than the facts. According to the CDC, “It (”Swine Flu”) has two genes from flu viruses that normally circulate in pigs in Europe and Asia and avian genes and human genes.” In other words, it’s a swine, bird,…

• 
  The Brand Chef

• Let’s Hash This Out

  Andrew

  19 Nov 2009 | 8:30 am

  This is how geeky I’ve become in my old age.  Star Trek (yes, the movie) made me think of a great brand engagement solution – well, maybe not specifically Star Trek, but the DVD I purchased this week, TWICE. Let me explain… Last night, I found myself standing in line at the customer service counter at a local “Big Box” store - for the second time in as many days. It seems as though a shipment of the new Star Trek DVDs had been damaged; and about 200 upset geeks, including me, found themselves watching Spock, Kirk and Uhura jump from present day to past, to the movie…

• Your Marketing Can’t Fix Crazy…

  Andrew

  12 Nov 2009 | 10:43 am

  Yes, I said it. As “The Brand Chef,” that’s something I never thought would come out of my mouth.  But in a recent meeting with a friend, I closed my laptop, pushed my chair back and looked him straight in the eye and said these exact words: “Your marketing can’t fix crazy…” (and this was in reference to HIS company!) Now, this could either be a lesson on how to shoot yourself in the foot during a casual meeting with a friend; or it could turn into a logical discussion on branding versus marketing.  This discussion could cover how, because branding…

• YAY, Twitter Lists… Now What?

  Andrew

  6 Nov 2009 | 12:03 pm

  What does the recent addition of  Twitter Lists mean to you?  It’s another enhancement for Twitter, sure, but what does it mean to your daily social media routine?  That question was asked at the Central Iowa Blogger’s (#CIB) meet-up this morning. At #CIB, the conversations revolve around everything from the impact of social media on our local economy to the impact of Dallas J. Moore’s beard on the local lady-folk.  But today’s group of 20 to 30 die-hard, as well as a handful of new faces, got into a pretty vibrant conversation about how Twitter Lists will affect…

• 3 Questions You Need To Ask

  Andrew

  5 Nov 2009 | 2:23 pm

  Social media tools are easy to acquire…  Sure.  But just like a sharp knife, you may not want to hand it over to any shlub that walks into the kitchen.  If your company wants to start cooking up some social media marketing, you’d better be ready to do some serious planning. If social media is like a big cocktail party, let’s think of social media MARKETING this way… When gathering recipes for your next big shindig, you probably don’t want to mingle the sushi with the snow cones (only at my parties).  So, in the same spirit, why would companies insist on…

• Competition, Cooperation In Social Media - What A Week!

  Andrew

  1 Nov 2009 | 10:38 am

  When it comes to a little friendly competition, I’m all game.  I love the challenge.  I love the strategy.  And obviously, my friends over at Lessing Flynn advertising agency, think the same way. At the end of what was an extremely busy social media week for Central Iowa, we were made aware of a little competition brewing in the advertising agency social media ring. The competition? In short, there was a Michael Glass poll created asking, of 45 ad agencies listed, who had better social media reach?  Who had true social media skills? (click the image below to go to the poll) As the…

• 
  The semantic blog

• Quantity vs Quality to build an online brand experience

  12 Nov 2009 | 7:45 am

  For a couple of weeks, I was in a rush and only updated my status in Webjam, continue with some conversations here and in LinkedIn, invite people in Facebook to read/re-post old things that I revisited and thought they are still relevant (at least for me)... So, I'm back! During this period of time I was also thinking (at least for a couple of hours a day) and paying attention to social networks, communities... and specifically, I was looking at our interaction... To give a framework to my thoughts let me present some figures: Brand 3.0 members @Webjam: 500 Brand 3.0 newsletter subscriptors…

• WOW 2.0 | From activity to experience

  14 Oct 2009 | 8:54 am

  Place, people and part of the Allegro 234 BA team This year in the Modena Design of Buenos Aires, Argentina [BTW... a very cool place!], we were talking about people, tribes and behaviours. Almost 70 marketing executives participated of this event... The key points shared during this meeting could be summarized as follow: Brands establish a dialogue with people who are sharing values and behaviours The brand experiences go beyong communication and the brands themselves Companies need (actually, must have) attitude. Those are the ones that trascend their owners and leaders over time Loyalty is…

• The ten steps to become a guru and some thoughts about Seth Godin

  22 Sep 2009 | 8:43 am

  Two different stories, some points in common... Do you want to become a Guru?... Here are ten basic steps (an incompleted list which welcome your ideas): Your head should look like a billiard ball ... or, you know, Philips Shave However, if you like your hair, then forget the comb You have to talk fast and emphatically Every 5 minutes you have to make a joke The jokes must be accompanied by real images, even ridiculous Look for complicity wiht your audience and make them responsible for something they can forget in almost half an hour   Use phrases like "You can",…

• Burger King Whopper Virgin Experience

  15 Sep 2009 | 5:13 am

  Great experience to see, share and think about!   I would like to thank Tian Gerbach for sending me the link to this video!

• WOW 2.0! | Allegro 234 - VI Annual Event with the participation of Webjam

  10 Sep 2009 | 7:09 am

  Allegro 234 - VI Annual Meeting WOW 2.0!Why and how to create a brand experience in Web 2.0Madrid | 29.09.09 | Hotel Orfila Barcelona | 30.09.09 | Hotel ClarisUnder the name of WOW 2.0! [Why + How = WOW!], Allegro 234 will hold its sixth annual meeting in Madrid and Barcelona on the 29th and 30th, September 2009.During the event, we will address qestions such as:Waht does it mean to create a relevant and unique brand experience in the online world? What does Web 2.0 mean for your business? What is it good for? What are the differences between a corporate blog from a social network? What is…

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  StickyFigure

• Connected Dots in My Opportunity Network

  Steve Woodruff

  11 Nov 2009 | 2:55 pm

  Today, I’m in Orange County, California, at a small, focused workshop on the use of social media in business. There’s a story behind this, which has everything to do with encouraging you to create your own opportunity network. Here’s the tale… At some point in the distant past (maybe 1.5-2 years ago? don’t remember exactly), I came across Kirsten Wright in the blogosphere. I liked how she was writing, and I sensed something that I try to stay attuned to – young, budding entrepreneurs who use social networking and “get it.” We commented on each…

• Are You a Kool-Aid Drinker?

  Steve Woodruff

  5 Nov 2009 | 5:53 am

  I am. Let me explain. We tend to talk about “true believers” as those who have drunk the Kool-Aid, with the obvious tie-in to Jim Jones and his followers. It’s an apt analogy, however unfortunate the original incident – one who has drunk the Kool-Aid actually, in this sense, is so convinced of something, that they move forward with conviction where others would hold back. Now there are people who abandon all common sense and do ridiculous and harmful things because of “true belief.” No matter how much Kool-Aid you drink and how sincere your belief that…

• Shaking Things Up

  Steve Woodruff

  3 Nov 2009 | 10:39 am

  <rant> Over the years, I’ve attended many, many conferences – some awful, some forgettable, and a few outstanding. I’m getting impatient. I’m impatient with thinly-veiled sales pitches from sponsoring companies during sessions. If you’re going to have sponsoring companies, set aside a specific time in the event when they can present their solutions openly to the audience. I’m impatient with speakers who think their role is to walk through a series of slides and do a verbal data dump. If you cannot spark interest, tell engaging stories, use helpful…

• When Statistics Have Faces

  Steve Woodruff

  30 Oct 2009 | 4:11 am

  I’ve had my heart stirred in very unexpected ways this week. I’m used to having my mind moved – I often gravitate toward ideas, facts, and numbers. But sometimes you’re confronted with human faces, and the statistics fade into obscurity, where they often belong. As with many others in the social media community, I was profoundly moved this week by the tragic death of a young mother (Jamie Loveless) who died of multiple organ failure after pneumonia triggered, most likely, by the H1N1 virus. Please read the story here. I’m a husband and a parent, and I cannot even…

• Hitting the Pinnacle of Buzzwords

  Steve Woodruff

  28 Oct 2009 | 5:50 am

  I freely confess to hating business buzzwords and jargon. Like David Meerman Scott and many others, I find the practice of repeating technical-sounding phrases in an effort to appear knowledgeable to be pompous and counter-productive. It’s an over-leveraging of verbal resources. Yes, I went there. Now, at the same time, I love a broad and deep vocabulary. Words like “obfuscation” (which means, if you’re not familiar with it, the use of words to obscure rather than clarify meaning). Obfuscation is a great word that actually nicely describes what buzz-jargon does. I have…

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  BrandDigital | BrandSimple

• Purpose, not just promise, is the key to winning in today’s market

  Allen Adamson

  12 Nov 2009 | 7:09 am

  There is no room for “whatever” in successful brand building. Every good brand is built on a definitive reason for being. And while it used to be enough to capture this reason as a promise, the best of the best brands today operate with a purpose. Given the turbulent times, those brands that look back to the specific purpose on which they were founded and execute against this purpose with passion and vigilance are the brands that are winning the hearts and minds of customers and employees, alike. In my latest column in Forbes Online, I write about two of these brands, Wal-Mart and…

• In the pink is an understatement for this branding story

  Allen Adamson

  26 Oct 2009 | 6:49 am

  photo courtesy of MichiganMoves via Flickr Colors as power apps are pretty hard to own. Yes, there’s the Gatorade green and orange and the FedEx purple and orange and the Coca-Cola red. But of the thousands of brands in existence there is one, in particular, for which a color has become almost unmatched in its power and ubiquity as a key branding element – pink and breast cancer awareness. In my most recent column in Forbes online I write about how breast cancer awareness has become one of the most successful brand stories in recent branding history, and certainly in the category…

• Stop arguing. Rio’s win to host the Olympics was a won on branding know-how

  Allen Adamson

  14 Oct 2009 | 10:31 am

  Photo courtesy of www.cob.org.br What do cities vying for Olympics hosting rights have in common with shampoo? Or cookies? Cars? How about sneakers? Like any brand, which, yes, cities and countries are, they have to identify something to represent to consumers that’s different and better than any competitive claims. More so, this difference has to be genuinely meaningful to those whose attention these brands are trying to grab. While millions of people worldwide followed the competition among cities bidding for a chance to host the 2016 Olympic games, I watched with the perspective of a…

• The terms “good brand, bad brand” have taken on new meaning for the hyper-vigilant consumer

  Allen Adamson

  25 Sep 2009 | 6:54 am

  I wasn’t invited to the G20 Summit in Pittsburgh, where leaders representing over 85% of the world’s economy are meeting to tackle world issues. I was, however, invited to write a column for Ad Age about the fact that consumers are more motivated than ever to choose brands that improve lives beyond their own. More so, that the very meaning of the terms “good brand or bad brand” have taken on entirely new meaning in a marketplace where corporate environmental and social responsibility is matched in interest only by the digital technology that makes it so easy to track…

• Jay Leno’s new show may not win the ratings game, but it’s still an interesting play on branding

  Allen Adamson

  23 Sep 2009 | 10:01 am

  The jury may have weighed in on this year’s Emmy winners, but it’s definitely still out on the newest iteration of Jay Leno’s presence. While many herald?”The Jay Leno Show,” airing weeknights at 10 P.M., as the next wave of broadcast television – lower cost, easier to produce, and more personal than sit-coms and hour-long dramas – others say it’s not quite living up the expectations set by the weeks of PR and advertising that preceded it. While I’m not a TV critic, a professional one, that is, I do know an interesting branding idea when I…

• 
  The Brand Show

• All You Need is LUV: Southwest Airlines' Social Media Strategy

  19 Nov 2009 | 11:01 am

  Paula Berg is a member of Southwest Airlines' Emerging Media team and manages the airline's corporate blog, Nuts About Southwest.Fasten your seat belt and enjoy the ride as Paula Berg, Manager of Emerging Media for Southwest Airlines, explains the evolution of her socially savvy, cross-discipline team.Join us for a look at social media from 30,000 feet and learn:How Southwest listens to online communities.Why it's important to engage customers on multiple platforms — online and off.What a rapping flight attendant and viral video can do for a brand. After the interview, check out The Brand…

• Inbound Marketing: Get Found Using Google, Blogs, and Social Media

  13 Nov 2009 | 9:14 am

  Halligan founded HubSpot in 2006 to help small businesses "get found" by more prospects.Gone are the days when a brilliant 30-second spot inspired customers to get off the couch and into the store. Nowadays, consumers turn to blogs, search engines, product reviews and social media before deciding to buy. This fundamental shift in the typical purchase journey has turned traditional marketing upside down. But despite industry upheaval, one age-old question remains: "How do we get customers to come to us?" Brian Halligan, CEO & Founder of HubSpot and author of Inbound Marketing: Get Found Using…

• Survey reveals budding future for green brands

  4 Nov 2009 | 8:20 pm

  Landor's Russ Meyer is a frequent commentator and lecturer on brands, business, and sustainability.Sustainable and globally conscious consumer brands are here to stay, according to the recently released U.S. ImagePower Green Brands Survey by Landor Associates. Russ Meyer, Chief Strategy Officer with Landor, joins The Brand Show to share his company’s findings and discuss how brands can cash in on this booming business.During our conversation, Russ addresses:Why consumers spend more on globally conscious brands.How companies can overcome the green market's barriers to entry.The five biggest…

• Conversions are king in online marketing

  4 Nov 2009 | 12:37 am

  Bryan Eisenberg's Persuasian Architecture® model helps companies improve sales by matching marketing messages to buyer behavior.Bryan Eisenberg, 2009 Bolo keynote speaker, joins The Brand Show to talk about converting consumer interest into sales. Co-author of bestselling books “Call to Action,” “Waiting For Your Cat to Bark?” and “Always Be Testing,” Bryan shares how he has helped clients such as Hewlett Packard, NBC Universal, General Electric, WebEx, Overstock and Dell increase sales through Persuasion Architecture®, an original approach to mapping customer purchase behavior.

• The Future of Social Media: Outsourcing and Government Regulation

  29 Oct 2009 | 10:17 am

  Amanda Vega has helped clients including Banana Republic and Eli Lily launch brands through social media and direct marketing.*CLICK HERE FOR ALL INTERVIEWS FROM 2009 BOLO*At fifteen years old, Amanda Vega worked at the forefront of social media before the term even existed. Her first job was to spot emerging trends in AOL chatrooms. More than a decade later, Amanda continues to apply the basic principles she learned at AOL to help leading brands establish valuable online social strategies. We caught up with Amanda, now CEO of Amanda Vega Consulting and author of PR in a Jar, at BOLO 2009 to…

• 
  Landor.com: Blog

• Now I'm a believer

  19 Nov 2009 | 2:52 pm

  Image created on wordle.net.   The above image represents more than my recent obsession with creating word clouds on wordle.net. This particular cloud is made up of just a small sampling of email subject lines sent in one evening to poke me into some early holiday shopping. On the one hand—yay for free shipping! On the other hand—oh my word! I know retailers are nervous about consumer spending, and families are just trying to make ends meet. But the barrage of discounts plus the news reports that superstores are putting in extra security to avoid parents shooting one another…

• Branding realities inspired by the deep blue

  18 Nov 2009 | 2:52 pm

  Image courtesy of Gazala Vahanvati, Landor Associates.   My recent expeditions to the Andaman Islands in India to scuba dive led me to notice some interesting lessons brands should learn from this magical, magnificent world underwater: The basic principles of branding: It’s a world of brands down there. Each type of fish could be a strong brand. They are differentiated in appearance, relevant to the circle of life, and display consistent brand behavior. Most importantly they learn how to live harmoniously, they partner intelligently to survive, stand strong in face of danger, and…

• They'd better start now. Brazil, that is. On greening the 2016 Olympics.

  17 Nov 2009 | 2:52 pm

  That’s what ran through my head this week when I heard the latest news about the upcoming 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. On November 5th, the city officially handed over the athlete’s village to the Olympics, which prompted a flurry of news reports about the overall "greenness" of the games. A former industrial area, the site boasts various LEED certifications for the new construction. The winning design was agreed upon back in 2006, long before any of us had heard about the global financial crisis or credit default swaps. Way back then there was less interest in…

• Change within reach

  13 Nov 2009 | 2:52 pm

  The year is not yet over (only 95.3 percent of it, but who’s counting?) but already “best of” lists are being published.  Time magazine’s “The 50 Best Inventions of 2009” gives us special reason to celebrate. No. 13 on the list: the Dow Powerhouse™ Solar Shingle.   As Americans interested in applying our collective ingenuity to drive global change, we applaud this innovation’s bold steps towards making solar accessible for anyone. And as part of the Landor team that helped develop the brand strategy for this innovation,…

• Every business is a people's business—there are no soft factors anymore

  12 Nov 2009 | 2:52 pm

  Until recently, discussions with our clients and prospects about a company’s identity have mostly centered around a distinction between hard and soft factors. In this context, buildings, machines, and financial elements are considered hard factors; while values, behaviors, ideas, and culture are regarded as soft factors. But this distinction has never made sense, and will be even less true looking into the future. There is no fully-automated, robotic company—people and their values, ambitions, and needs have always been at the center of every enterprise. So even when looking at…

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  cometbrandingblog

• Developing a Strategic Mindset: How to Become a Trusted, Strategic Advisor

  Al Krueger

  16 Nov 2009 | 6:24 am

  Like many communications-focused conferences, the recent 2009 PRSA International Conference in San Diego was very focused on social media. Don’t get me wrong, that topic is important but, James Lukaszewski’s Developing a Strategic Mindset: How to Become a Trusted, Strategic Advisor session was the best presentations many missed because they were too focused on social media. As well all know, a recurring theme of public relations practitioners over the years has been our deep desire to get a seat at the table. You know, THE table. This c-suite destination has been much heralded and…

• Social Media Measurement: Establishing ROI. A review from PRSA 2009.

  Sara Meaney

  11 Nov 2009 | 2:56 pm

  A topic near and dear to my heart, Social Media Measurement: Establishing ROI was an informative and relevant presentation by Katie Paine at the PRSA 2009 International Conference. Here is a recap of the top four nuggets from the presentation. Billed as a PRSA Master Class, the Social Media Measurement: Establishing ROI presentation did not disappoint. This presentation was absolutely bursting at the seams with nuggets and valuable insights, if you can type or write quickly enough to get them all down. This stands in stark contrast to many introductory-level social media talks that often…

• So what does ethics have to do with social media anyway? Review of PRSA 2009 panel discussion.

  Sara Meaney

  11 Nov 2009 | 10:30 am

  Comet Branding attended the PRSA 2009 International Conference in San Diego and found it to be of great value. Al Krueger and I participated as guest bloggers to provide perspective and an overview on various sessions we attended. The following is my take on the Business Case for Public Relations session, What does ethics have to do with social media anyway? Moderator: Emmanuel Tchividjian, SVP and chief ethics officer, Ruder Finn Panelists: 1.    Bill Sailer, SVP, legal counsel, Qualcomm, Inc. 2.    Andrea Kates, founder, Business Genome. 3.    Tom Chernaik, principal, DigComm,…

• Comet Branding Radio #52 – PRSA International Conference – A Recap.

  Al Krueger

  11 Nov 2009 | 8:50 am

  On Wednesday, November 11th at 11am Central, Comet Branding Radio will host the show from San Diego at The Sofia Hotel (@thesofiahotel) following the PRSA International Conference that took place Nov. 7 – 11. We will discuss some of the sessions that we attended and give our perspective on the event’s happenings. CLICK HERE TO LISTEN. Sara Meaney and I attended the 2009 International PRSA Conference over the last few days. While there we attended several presentations, events and covered the event as guest bloggers for PRSA’s Comprehension Blog. You can see our posts, along…

• Comet Branding Radio [Favorites] Scott Monty and Ford’s approach to leveraging social media

  Al Krueger

  4 Nov 2009 | 8:58 am

  On Wednesday, November 4th at 11am Central, Comet Branding Radio will revisit a show from earlier this year with Scott Monty the Global Digital & Multimedia Communications Manager for the Ford Motor Co. Scott provided some great insight into Ford’s approach to social media and leveraging it throughout the company. CLICK HERE TO LISTEN. Scott Monty has achieved a level of status in the halls of social media that few others have been able to match. But, in the end, that’s not really the point and we are sure that this wasn’t Scott’s ambition, either. We are very…

• 
  Brand Experience 360

• Getting Satisfaction

  David Rich

  19 Nov 2009 | 6:21 am

  With an increasing number of positive reports on economic conditions, to some, one that ties the customer experience directly to the recovery is the American Customer Satisfaction Index. Although the index fell 0.1 percent in the third quarter compared to the second quarter, it is up 1.4 percent from Q3 2008. For Q3 2009, the index recoded a score of 76 out of 100 possible points. According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the quarterly index tracks satisfaction by interviewing customers about how they liked certain products. The index looked at food, apparel, beer, cigarettes, pet food, soft…

• Getting it Right in the First Place

  David Rich

  18 Nov 2009 | 3:49 am

  When discussing a truly great customer experience, it’s a natural reaction to focus on a specific customer service situation or service recovery. It is true that all organizations have problems to solve at one point or another and the way they solve them goes a long way toward establishing long-term customer relationships. But we should never lose sight of the easiest and least expensive form of service recovery which is getting it right in the first place. Service recovery only works if it’s the rare exception and not the rule. Such is the case at Walmart stores who are reporting that…

• Tips for Holiday Retail Cheer

  David Rich

  16 Nov 2009 | 1:46 pm

  It’s a funny time in retail. The Holiday’s generally bring a surge of business as consumers splurge on gifts and other items to help brighten the season. However, this coming Holiday season feels very different. Nielsen tells us that consumers continue to make fewer trips to the store. In this Progressive Grocer story, retailers are given 10 tips to help improve the retail shopping experience with some good old-fashioned cheer. It appears that strong sales incentives are required as part of the mix to drive the consumer toward a purchase. Almost one third of all purchases of CPG goods are…

• Don’t Discount the Discount

  David Rich

  12 Nov 2009 | 10:24 am

  Much is being made out of the necessity to build brands using social networking tools like Twitter and Facebook. A recent study tells us that they key tactic to building such networks may be the same as building the brands in traditional marketing. In other words, if you want to build your on-line network, offer the consumer a deal. An article in Progressive Grocer reported on a consumer study of digitally connected consumers and found that, “43 percent of those following brands on Twitter do so because of exclusive deals or offers.” By comparison, that soundly beats interesting content,…

• Is it Live? Does it Have to Be?

  David Rich

  9 Nov 2009 | 6:42 pm

  Everyone uses Google and, because the service is free to the user, no one expects anything more than some FAQ screens and forums for customer support. But it doesn’t stop there for Google. Because it offers Google AdWords and some premium Google Apps, the company is adding live, human contact as part of its customer experience. An article on CNN examines to what extent those who offer services free to the consumer can rely on the first line of support systems, mostly electronic self help, and not make substantial investment in call center and other live, human interaction. The jumping off…

• 
  Kristian Andersen + Associates

• Pursuing Newness

  Janneane Blomenberg

  19 Nov 2009 | 1:20 pm

  “In __ , once you’ve got something, you’re already thinking about what’s next. Maybe it’s a little hysterical. Now, every day I’m thinking about change. It’s a constant anxiety that is probably a reflection of society’s anxiety in general. The big deal about __ is really very recent, this frantic pursuit of newness. It may be a good thing, or a bad thing, but it’s really defining this moment.” What do you think fits in the blanks of this quote? Although they could be filled with many words (digital marketing, mobile devices, restaurants, mechanical engineering, packaged…

• One Small Project

  Cullen Nance

  12 Nov 2009 | 6:37 am

  One Small Project is a movement initiated by Wes Jans, PhD, RA associate professor of architecture at Ball State University, through which he seeks to connect fellow architects, students, artists, and designers with “Squatters” and the world’s working and urban poor. By building small projects, Wes provides an opportunity for these two group to work alongside one another. I had the honor of working with Wes during my time at Herron by helping him create a visualization of his One Small Project for an upcoming exhibition titled “small architecture BIG LANDSCAPES”.

• Sight, Sound, and Design

  Cullen Nance

  12 Nov 2009 | 6:21 am

  CAN SOUND BE EXPERIENCED WITHOUT HEARING?!?!?! I believe it can. I recently listened to a presentation on TED.com given by Julian Treasure over the four ways sound affects us. The first way in which we experience sound is Physiological. Sounds are affecting our hormone secretions all the time; our breathing, our heart-rate, and our brainwaves.Examples of this can be waking up from our alarm clock in the mornings, a doorbell being rung, or a more pleasant sound such as waves crashing that can help us to get to sleep at night. The second way in which sound affects us is Psychological. Music is…

• Elinor Ostrom’s Organization of Cooperation

  Janneane Blomenberg

  10 Nov 2009 | 6:23 pm

  It might have caught your attention several weeks back when professor Elinor Ostrom from Indiana University was announced as a recipient of the Nobel Prize in Economics, alongside Berkeley’s Oliver E. Williamson, for her work in economic governance and the organization of cooperation. It was pretty awesome that she was the first female laureate in the 40 year history, but what was more meaningful was the work for which she was rewarded. As one of her interviewers summed it up: Elinor’s cooperation theories have the potential “to catch the public imagination… people…

• Amex Successfully Manipulates My Emotions

  Nathan Sinsabaugh

  9 Nov 2009 | 11:34 am

  Even though it aired about 12 times too many, I found myself enjoying the Don’t Take Chances American Express commercial this weekend: I love how even the “happy faces” have a air of melancholy about them. Almost as if they realize that even though Amex will fix or replace them, they’re still just inanimate objects. The bittersweet mood of the piece seems to affirm the fact that no matter how much stuff you own, or how sweet your credit card company is, it’s still just stuff. And it won’t make you happy, at least not for long. I wonder if the…

• 
  Wheatley Timmons: BrandTrailblazers

• TRUST GOVERNS PURCHASE DECISIONS FOR MOMS

  Bob Wheatley

  18 Nov 2009 | 6:53 am

  Moms seek advice from “live” sources… By Robert Wheatley With all the conversation about engagement with social media one would assume that online discussions about products and services lead the way as purchase decision drivers. Sure they remain important and vital because moms look to social platforms for advice, support and connection. That said, when it comes to making purchases, offline networks of friends and family trump all other sources for advice on what to buy, according to a recent study released by MomConnection and The Parenting Group’s 5,000 member mom panel. Even…

• THE FORMULA FOR BUILDING A TRAILBLAZER BRAND

  Bob Wheatley

  5 Nov 2009 | 9:33 am

• SOCIAL MEDIA DRIVING SHOPPERS TO SHOP

  Bob Wheatley

  26 Oct 2009 | 3:06 pm

  Buying behaviors gaining momentum among the socially inclined By Robert Wheatley According to a recent Marketing Daily article on holiday shopping trends, social media engagement will top search engines and shopper review sites this year for bargain hunting. “Social media is influencing search behavior and affecting the purchases a consumer makes,” reports Oneupweb, a Traverse-City, Michigan research firm who compiled the report. The story goes on to reveal that in a recent Penn State study, one in five tweets now mention a specific brand or service. While the Luxury Institute found among…

• NEW FTC BLOGGER GUIDELINES FUEL CONFUSION

  Bob Wheatley

  16 Oct 2009 | 9:52 am

  Mom test still prevails… By Robert Wheatley Probably to be expected that new Guidelines on disclosure policies released by the Federal Trade Commission would lead to a rash of articles about dos, don’ts and watch-outs. Some of it accurate and of course some not. This story continues to evolve and we will continue to report on it. Like anything new as the information continues to travel down the funnel, we reach new levels of clarity along the path, so today we invite you to inch a bit closer to accurate understanding of what this all means. In the end, we can say with much confidence that…

• How Pet Brands Become Leader of the Crowded Pack

  Lauren Svoboda

  15 Oct 2009 | 9:00 am

  A Stroll Through a Pet Trade Show Can Be Eye Opening By Kerri Erb Can you believe I love going to a trade show? At least when it comes to the H.H. Backer Annual Pet Industry Christmas Trade Show and Educational Conference in Chicago. It’s a trade show I look forward to every year, because as a pet parent I am passionate about my beagles, Frankie and Flora, and pretty weak when it comes to spoiling  them with toys and treats. I’m apparently not the only one, since the pet industry is still growing and set to generate $51.6 billion in sales this year according to a recent report in Petage.

• 
  BenjaminWarsinske.com

• Get Involved…Help Out The Orangutans!

  Benjamin

  19 Nov 2009 | 1:15 pm

  Image via Wikipedia Thanks for visiting my blog. The focus of my blog is and has been for nearly the last year business development for the service industry. While that is the focus and mission of the blog, I also have a passion for giving back and for helping the environment as much as possible. One of [...]Post from: Benjamin's BlogGet Involved…Help Out The Orangutans! Related posts:Unlikely Best Friends Hafa Adai from Guam! It has been a great trip...A Great Gift Idea that is a Triple Win! I was thinking about the holidays and gift giving and...Orangutans Take A Swim in Rungan River,…

• BloggerLinkUp: A New Networking Resource for Bloggers

  Benjamin

  18 Nov 2009 | 1:15 pm

  You’ve created a blog. You post fairly often and you have been steadily building traffic and a following. However, maybe you still want to connect with other bloggers in your niche. How can you do that besides commenting and sending cold emails in the hope of a response from that well known blogger. Here is [...]Post from: Benjamin's BlogBloggerLinkUp: A New Networking Resource for Bloggers Related posts:Alpha-Inventions- A Traffic Gold Mine? The web has become increasingly easier to create and publish...BenjaminWarsinske.com: Updates Wow! There have been quite a few changes to…

• Envisioning Success is 90% of the Battle

  Benjamin

  12 Nov 2009 | 1:15 pm

  Image by alles-schlumpf via Flickr What is success? How can you define such a subjective concept? In each an every activity we do, we measure our performance against ourselves, against competitors, friends, enemies, celebrities, and star athletes. When you compare your success to others, it often times backfires. When you are stuck in a state of [...]Post from: Benjamin's BlogEnvisioning Success is 90% of the Battle Related posts:Mindset Determines Quadrant My approach to business development is quite different from the...Success Starts in your Mind Reality is actually a construct within your…

• iPhone Brand vs Palm Pre Brand…Which Sticks?

  Benjamin

  11 Nov 2009 | 1:15 pm

  Branding is story telling. It is connecting with consumers on an emotional level. The Apple iPhone or the Palm Pre; which brand sticks? Currently, the Apple iPhone has taken consumers by storm, knocking out all ‘iPhone killer’ deemed smart-phones that come to market. The Palm Pre perceptively seems to have been written off completely. And for [...]Post from: Benjamin's BlogiPhone Brand vs Palm Pre Brand…Which Sticks? Related posts:TomTom for iPhone 3Gs Arrives Soon Photo courtesy of iphone.tomtom.com Just as I had been...Time for A New MacBook? So it may be time to upgrade…

• Case Study: MailChimp A Successful Brand

  Benjamin

  10 Nov 2009 | 1:15 pm

  Over the course of the last few years, I have accumulated a lot of books, a lot of research and have analyzed a lot of companies to help ground and back up my ideas on business development, strategy, and identity. Branding, which encompasses all three of my major areas of study, is vital to any [...]Post from: Benjamin's BlogCase Study: MailChimp A Successful Brand Related posts:The Definition of Brand How do you define branding? Have you consciously created a...Choose Your Brand Colors Wisely There are so many aspects to branding a company and...iPhone Brand vs Palm Pre Brand…Which…

• 
  Bulletproof

• Weekly Web Wrap-Up for November 20, 2009

  Dallas Lawrence

  20 Nov 2009 | 12:56 pm

  Bulletproof’s Weekly Web Wrap-Up offers a compilation of key discussions regarding social media’s increasing relevance to business. Social media encompasses a wide range of tools, services, and features, all of which are uniquely applicable to business, depending upon your particular communicative goals. For example, Facebook can work well for building communities of support online, blogs can be an effective tool for demonstrating thought leadership, and Twitter is often the best avenue for keeping audiences up-to-date and responding to customer service concerns. This week’s Wrap-Up…

• This Month in High Stakes™: Navigating the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act

  Larry Smith

  20 Nov 2009 | 10:34 am

  While enforcement of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) isn’t expected to begin in earnest until early 2010, smart companies are readying themselves now for a new era of product safety regulation. Soon, the compliance hurdles will be taller, the penalties for failing to clear them will be harsher, and the brand liabilities that accompany enforcement actions will be greater. This month’s edition of Levick’s High Stakes™ newsletter provides the insight and intelligence necessary to navigate a more perilous product liability landscape – outlining how to best ensure…

• Democrats Continue to Make the Right Moves on Healthcare

  Andrew Koneschusky

  19 Nov 2009 | 6:42 pm

  Last week, I wrote about how Democrats are controlling the language and images in the healthcare debate, which has contributed to the Party’s success in moving the legislation forward. This week, Democrats continue to show they are making all of the right communications moves on healthcare. Yesterday, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) unveiled the cost of the Senate’s proposed bill – a whopping $849 billion over ten years. Republicans were likely salivating before the announcement, ready to leverage the substantial sum to reignite opposition to the bill. If Republicans turn the…

• Environmental Law In the Hands of Citizens on Patrol?

  Gene Grabowski

  18 Nov 2009 | 12:19 pm

  California, which often serves as a regulatory and legislative bellwether for the rest of the country, is seeking to blaze a new trail in environmental enforcement. “Ground truthing,” as it has come to be known, consists of recruiting community volunteers to recognize and report potential environmental hazards. State regulators have scheduled a discussion next month about formally enacting the idea as a way to create more green jobs and to inexpensively enforce the state’s environmental laws. Environmental activism has a storied history and citizen action has an important role to play…

• What’s Next: The Plaintiff’s Perspective – Decision Time for Mutual Fund Advisors

  Larry Smith

  18 Nov 2009 | 5:00 am

  In this regular feature, Bulletproof interviews top plaintiffs' attorneys for their perspective on the crises likely to affect businesses in the near future. Today we talk to William A. Birdthistle, Assistant Professor of Law at Chicago-Kent College of Law who filed an amicus brief for more than 20 law professors supporting the plaintiffs in Jones v. Harris Associates. That 2004 case is now before the Supreme Court. Plaintiffs are challenging the common practice whereby fund advisers charge significantly larger fees to individual versus institutional investors. Based on that discrepancy, the…

• 
  The Marketing Fresh Peel

• The Brand Touch Cycle

  Chris Wilson

  19 Nov 2009 | 12:14 pm

  This is a content from: The Marketing Fresh Peel Download the Brand Touch Cycle pdf A discipline that I consistently see organizations struggling with is in fully understanding the importance of touchpoints of their brand. Yes they understand the basic idea of a touchpoint—that interactions with their brand is a touchpoint that influences the overall perception of their brand. And yes they know that it is to their advantage to integrate the touchpoints of their brand as much as possible. The disconnects start to happen when we start to dig a little deeper into the organization and really…

• Who Is Listening? The Eight Stages of Listening

  Chris Wilson

  17 Nov 2009 | 5:14 am

  This is a content from: The Marketing Fresh Peel Photo credit: dotbenjamin For the last two years I’ve hosted a very unscientific poll/survey to find out what companies over the past year have shown that they were listening. The goal was to get an sense of who stood out among the minds of readers as an organization with open ears. Here are the results from past years if you are interested: 2008 2007 This year however, I’ve decided not to do a survey for 2009, at least not in way as have the past two years. The reason for this decision, comes after spending a large amount of time…

• Interview with Leslie Scott, the Creator of the Game Jenga

  Chris Wilson

  13 Nov 2009 | 3:37 pm

  This is a content from: The Marketing Fresh Peel A few months back I was approached by Leslie Scott’s publicist about setting up an interview with Leslie regarding her book About Jenga. At the time I had no idea who Leslie Scott was or why I would be interested in a book about that I assumed to be a history book for a board game. But, luckily for Leslie, her publicist had clearly done her homework and was on target with her pitch. I kept reading and found out that Leslie was the creator of the popular household game, Jenga, and her book is packed full of stories and lessons learned on…

• Micro-Pulse: How Small Touches Impact the Heartbeat of Your Brand

  Chris Wilson

  5 Nov 2009 | 10:07 pm

  This is a content from: The Marketing Fresh Peel Think about all the brands you interacted with today. Nearly everything you have done so far today involved a brand, was enabled by a brand or was accompanied by a brand. These interactions are just one of many touchpoints with a specific brand. Touchpoints, or touches for short, work in a way similar to that of how blood flows through our bodies. Your heart pumps blood through your body, providing it with the oxygen and nutrients it needs, but the heart alone isn’t solely responsible for enabling a steady, healthy heartbeat. Every vein,…

• Posterous: The Other Bucket for Things of Value

  Chris Wilson

  3 Nov 2009 | 1:15 pm

  This is a content from: The Marketing Fresh Peel There is a lot great content on the web. (Understatement of the year.) Everyday I wade through piles of RSS feeds, funneling blog posts and the long list of various industry and client-related keywords that I track into one spot. And everyday I come across some really cool stuff, stuff that I find valuable in some way. Whether it be an interesting case study, a informational slide deck, or an original and creative marketing approach, I take it in, store it, if I think I might want to reference it later and then share it if I think you will find…

• 
  brandSTOKE

• Patagonia: They also sell clothes

  Kirk

  18 Nov 2009 | 5:07 am

  There are brands and then there are affinity brands. The difference? Community. You don’t just experience an affinity brand. Your identity is enmeshed with it. You are a proud member of the club. “Cult Brands aren’t just companies with products or services to sell,” says BJ Bueno, co-author of The Power of Cult Branding: How 9 Magnetic Brands Turned Customers into Loyal Followers“To many of their followers, they are a living, breathing surrogate family filled with like-minded individuals.” Few brands exemplify affinity branding as well as Patagonia.

• Schmoozing the brand samplers

  Kirk

  12 Nov 2009 | 5:42 am

  Next time you are practicing your oral hygiene, think about this: Why can’t Colgate and Crest, the two top-selling toothpaste brands, achieve the customer loyalty of Tom’s of Maine? And more importantly, if loyalty is the ultimate purpose for branding (as consultants say), why doesn’t Tom’s of Maine dominate the toothpaste category? Are you familiar with Tom’s? In 1970, Tom and Kate Chappell decided to make and sell their own natural products in rural Kennebunk. They started with a $5,000 loan and the philosophy that their products would not harm the…

• Your social media marketing linchpin: branding

  Kirk

  10 Nov 2009 | 10:11 am

  I’m pleased to share the following guest post by Gary Moneysmith. Gary is the Interactive Strategy Director and social media guru at Conrad | Phillips | Vutech (where I work). Be sure to visit his blog, Social Media @ Work & Play, for more insights. Ever watch your grandmother sort through her (postal) mail? If your granny is anything like mine, she carefully inspects and opens piece after piece. You just want to scream, “Just scan and throw it out — it’s all junk!” Having grown up in the era of bulk postage rates, we’ve developed a ninja-fast ability to discern what’s…

• Retail clinics vs. your doctor: it may come down to branding

  Kirk

  4 Nov 2009 | 6:06 am

  They treat cuts, burns, sprains, rashes, allergies, fevers, and infections. They are called MinuteClinic, Take Care Clinic, RediClinic, The Little Clinic, The Clinic at Walmart, and Target Clinic. They are located in the aisles of Walgreens, Walmart, CVS, Target, and Kroger. There are more than 1,100 of them in the U.S., and more are on the way. (Find the one nearest you at Merchant Medicine.) They are retail-based medical clinics — and your doctor doesn’t like them. The primary advantage of retail clinics (also known as walk-in clinics and convenient care clinics) is convenience.

• Absolut Strategy.

  Kirk

  2 Nov 2009 | 7:55 am

  BrandSTOKE Book Review: ♦♦♦ The Absolut Vodka ad campaign is so well established and formulaic that it now seems as if any art director could develop a new ad in the series. Even Richard W. Lewis, author and account director, says, “Some people say we had an easy time.” Which is to say the campaign is brilliant. What is obvious when reviewing the beautifully reproduced ads in Absolut Book.: The Absolut Vodka Advertising Story is how well crafted they are, featuring interpretations by renown artists (Warhol), photographers (Newton), fashion designers (Piccone), and many more.

• 
  Jive From The Hive

• Legal Versus Social: 7 Steps To An Amicable Relationship

  Elizabeth Hannan

  25 Oct 2009 | 7:58 pm

  7 Steps to integrate your corporate legal department and an evolving social business model seamlessly.(This post is designed more for those deep in the corporate trenches, looking for guidance on how to plan out a new guidelines around social business practices policy).As social business communications become more prevalent in your marketing strategy, it should be expected that legal will also become more adamant about creating documents to lock down your companies brand message.Evolving integrations of social with current legal policies and communications can be difficult for many…

• How Do You Overcome Communication Obstacles?

  Elizabeth Hannan

  17 Oct 2009 | 12:36 pm

    Creating content that all of your network or community enjoys all of the time is nearly impossible. It is Fall and my favorite season of the year. Everything changes and abruptly. I'm taking advantage of this and I suggest you do as well. The way I communicate through specific mediums is changing. I usually communicate directly through twitter, text messages or through speaking gigs. Apparently, I do loose of connection points by not following through after the first touch point. Most often this happens after events and conferences. So in attempt to ignite new friendships and to…

• Re-Evaluating Your Strengths and Goals in Eleven Steps

  Elizabeth Hannan

  29 Sep 2009 | 3:54 pm

  Updating my Blog In the past month I've been terribly absent from my blog and my writing passion in general. Not for lack of love of my readers I needed to step back and address my own life goals and priorities and where I want to go. Thank you for all the emails I am still here:) I was just getting stuck on the small stuff and reevaluating how I can be better to my community and grow my own personal Business Blue Blazing Media. I stepped back and sought feedback from my inner circle of friends. I had lost my focus. After reading a significant post By @PamSlim I realized fall is just a time…

• Affiliate Summit East 09 NYC

  Elizabeth Hannan

  18 Aug 2009 | 7:00 am

     Affiliate Summit East 2009 My adventures at affiliate summit have been vast. I set out at any conference with set goals. To maximize my time and to grow my networks. This was primarily done in the blogger lounge. To meet influential individuals that have the potential to be game changers. Listening to the pros and perils of other people's experiences. Communicate with other like minded individuals and to discuss what processes are working and what processes are not working. To quantify and calculate my time and actions online and find algorithms in online success. Why Go? I…

• Digging Into the New "Trust Agents" Book

  Elizabeth Hannan

  17 Aug 2009 | 12:36 am

                                                                   I just received my copy of "Trust Agents" authored by Chris Brogan and Julien Smith last night. I am excited to dive into it. So far, I'm about 1/3 of the way through it and overwhelmed with just how applicable the content is across a variety of industries. With every page I read it inspires new thoughts of how trust is actually very visual in everyday business life.

• 
  Fresh Thinking Starts Here

• Amex Embraces Social Media...IN PRINT!

  Len

  4 Nov 2009 | 12:03 pm

  I was spending some time catching up on my Fortune Small Business magazines last night, when I came across the following ad for American Express: The really interesting thing?  When was the last time you saw a print ad that actually dedicated a significant amount of space to a NEGATIVE comment from a consumer?We spend a lot of time talking about how the world of Web 2.0 requires for brands to give up some control over the conversation and develop the necessary thick skin that allows for open and honest dialogue - not all of which will be positive.  It's one thing, however, to be ok…

• Brand ManageCamp 2009 - Recap and Slideshow

  Len

  15 Oct 2009 | 8:14 am

  via www.flickr.com OK - so it's been over a week since Brand ManageCamp 2009 ended...but it's never too late for a recap, right???? What a fantastic couple of days we had in Las Vegas. The weather was perfect, the hotel (The Signature at MGM Grand) was terrific and we had 220+ fun, intelligent, insightful brand marketers who had come together to learn from our speakers and each other.  The theme, as always, was Fresh Thinking Starts Here - and I have no doubt that most everyone left with at least a few Fresh Thoughts to get things moving in new and better directions upon returning…

• EXPLOITING CHAOS - free chapter download from BMC2009 speaker Jeremy Gutsche

  Len

  8 Sep 2009 | 8:14 am

  via www.exploitingchaos.com We love it when Brand ManageCamp speakers come out with new books right before the conference. It means we get to be among the first to hear about their new work right from the source! This one is even more special as BMC2009 speaker Jeremy Gutsche is making the first chapter of his new book - 'Exploiting Chaos' - available for FREE download! It's an amazing book that looks like none you've ever seen before and is filled with '150 ways to spark innovation during times of change.' I think you'll agree, this is the perfect time for…

• Fresh Thinking Moment #2 - Simon Bray (?What If! Innnovation)

  Len

  27 Aug 2009 | 7:49 am

  In this second installment of our Fresh Thinking Moment series, Simon Bray (Head of Capabilities for ?What If! Innovation and speaker at the upcoming Brand ManageCamp 2009) explains his views on 'Fresh Thinking.'  Highlights include: The need to get outside your comfort zone by going to new and different places for inspiration as well as the need to challenge existing rules and assumptions The 'Fresh Thinking' behind Hyundai's Assurance promotion How to generate inspiration by structuring new and different activities into your life.  Simon's own examples…

• Fresh Thinking Moment #1 - John Gerzema

  Len

  21 Aug 2009 | 10:04 am

  This is a new feature I am really excited to bring to the blog.  Through the Brand ManageCamp conferences, as well as our other activities, I am blessed to come into contact with so many brilliant thinkers.  Some of them are authors/speakers, others are just visionaries from the corporate world.Starting now, and recurring as often as I can, I am going to be posting short videos of these folks - all answering the same three questions:1 - What does "Fresh Thinking" mean to you?2 - What is a recent example you have seen of "Fresh Thinking?"3 - Where do you get the…

• 
  BIG marketing for small business

• Om Malik And Guests Discuss Perfect Hosting for Startups

  Rajan Sodhi

  20 Nov 2009 | 12:44 pm

  GigamOM and PEER 1 Hosting are putting on an event called FutureHosting and broadcasting it live on webstream, Dec 3rd at 9:30am PST. The live panel discussion will be hosted by leading technology blogger Om Malik, and an excellent lineup that includes: Byron Sebastian, CEO, Heroku Sebastian Stadll, Founder, Scalr Jason Hoffman, CTO, Joyent Robert Miggins, SVP BizDev, PEER 1 Hosting They will debate the perfect web hosting environment for early stage entrepreneurs as the hosting market evolves towards an on-demand model. Topics include delivery of platform-as-a-service, and optimizing…

• Top 5 Free Services to Build a Website

  Rajan Sodhi

  12 Nov 2009 | 11:23 am

  If you’re a small business without a website, I have one question for you: What the hell are you waiting for? If the idea of high costs or technical know-how is still stopping you, then you need to pay attention to the list below. These are my top five free or inexpensive easy-to-use web building services that can get you up and running your own website in minutes! No. 1 – Wordpress My all-time favorite. I’ve written countless times about my love affair with Wordpress and how it can be used not only for your blog, but for your company website. The platform is incredibly easy…

• Banner Ads Are Better Than Clicks Suggest

  Rajan Sodhi

  5 Nov 2009 | 4:08 pm

  I attended the ad:tech Digital Marketing event in London back in September and sat in on an intriguing presentation by ComScore about online banner advertising and how more and more people are clicking on less and less of them. In fact, only 8% of Internet users account for 85% of all clicks according to their study. Compared to search engine marketing (SEM), click-through on banner ads seem pitiful and almost a waste of resources and money. But wait. Before you decide to kill your banner ad campaign, consider this: using just click-through to measure the performance of your banner ad…

• Cloud Hosting Still Cloudy for Many Businesses

  Rajan Sodhi

  26 Oct 2009 | 11:48 am

  Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison believes cloud is just water vapor. All the buzz in web hosting these days is around cloud hosting. From large providers like Amazon Web Services (AWS) to the Rackspace Cloud, to a whole bunch of tiny providers, you can’t find a corner on the Internet that isn’t talking about or trying to offer up a cloud service. But what exactly is cloud? If you aren’t quite sure, you’re not alone. A recent independent cloud hosting study of 200 IT decision makers showed that 88 percent of them do not use cloud technologies, while 39 percent said that…

• Make Your Website Your Best Salesperson

  Ryan Kelly

  23 Oct 2009 | 12:35 pm

  While stacking up your sales department is a good way to drive inbound leads and sales, I find that many businesses are overlooking the potential for a rockstar salesperson: their website. Don’t be afraid to invest in your website just as you would a training and education budget for a salesperson. You may be tempted to throw a lot of money into paid search, but investing in organic search will last much longer, making it the most effective way to drive leads for your business. That means once the ad budget runs out, the leads and the traffic stops, but the work you put into organic…

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  LogoInn

• Adidas: from the finest logos of modern history

  10 Nov 2009 | 5:00 am

  Three-Stripe brand logo became the worldwide Adidas corporate logo. This logo signifies performance and the future of the ultimate Adidas branding identity. Let us take a journey to the history that how this logo has become synonymous with Adidas: world’s second largest producer of high-quality athletic products. Whether it is on the shirts of Liverpool FC [...]

• 5 Website Mistakes That Can Kill Your Brand Image

  Scott

  16 Oct 2009 | 11:30 pm

  No business in this day and age takes a change of not having a website that could reflect and enhance the brand image of a company. Unfortunately, many business websites lack in some important characteristics, which are not usually known by a business owner. Eventually, these mistakes impact negatively on the image of a business [...]

• You Will Like To Read Again These 10 Top Posts of LogoInn.net

  Scott

  9 Oct 2009 | 12:33 am

  I hope you will enjoy reading these 10 posts of this blog which were previously published. 8 Mistakes You Should Avoid In Your Business Card Who can deny the importance of a business card, even in this era where everything is digitized. A business card is your first impression to your prospective customer, which may become [...]

• Selecting a Logo Design Company: Hit the Bull’s-Eye

  Scott

  29 Sep 2009 | 1:17 am

  Having some good thoughts in your head, you start to look for a custom logo design company to design an out of the world logo for your business. This sound pretty good, but when you think to look for a design company, at first you open an internet browser, open a search engine, put any [...]

• 8 Elements of a Winning Business Website

  Scott

  19 Sep 2009 | 2:18 am

  Image from LogoInn.com Having a website is crucial for every business in this day and age, whether it is an online business or an offline venture. With immense competition in online world, loads and loads of websites are being developed every day. In this situation, a website for any new business should have a capability to [...]

• 
  The Branding Gavel

• Brand anniversary: Time to say thank you

  yinkaolaito

  18 Nov 2009 | 5:50 am

  Time flies so many people often say. But if time is properly invested, time does not fly but it is programmed to deliver dividend in the future. The Branding Gavel, this online forum clicks one year last week. In the past one year we have had a nice time meeting with great mind, exchanged views with people around the world. Our community has kept us going. The feedback has been phenomenon. Even though we have not reached the target set ,there is a cause for appreciation. The major goal for the first year was to create brand awareness and visibility. This has really helped our measurement…

• Brand: measuring virtual world activities

  yinkaolaito

  5 Nov 2009 | 3:17 am

  Anything worth doing is worth measuring. Brand virtual effort is not a mirage. It should be measured. Talking of measurement, many are of the opinion that virtual effort is much more difficult than the traditional media activities. We must remember that when there is a new trend, possibility of measurement may seem overwhelming but that does not mean there is no headway. The goal of any endeavor should determine the measuring parameters. That is why I often encourage setting objectives before your brand engage in virtual world. The virtual world can become engaging and time consuming. There…

• Digital campaign: non-profit takes the lead in web 2.0

  yinkaolaito

  2 Nov 2009 | 6:47 am

  In one of my previous articles here I did mention that most of our brands efforts on the internet here are focused on social media abuse through web advertising in social media platforms. In recent times, we are pleased to note that changes are taking place from unexpected sources. The non-profits are taking the bull by the horns. A particular example is the social medial virtual effort to promote and create awareness for a leadership conference organized by a non denominational outfit named Daystar Christian Centre in Lagos. The first step taken in this regard is to hire a web designer who…

• Social media: how to up your game

  yinkaolaito

  28 Oct 2009 | 8:06 am

   Each day gives me opportunity to learn something new and I guess that should be individual approach to life. Finding right information is also dependent on where one is looking at. But if you ask me, you don’t get it wrong by associating with right people and reading great stuff. I do not have money is not enough excuse today if you have access to internet. This informed my concern for those millions of genuine people who do not have access to internet in my country. I consider how much they have to pay daily to get educated in cyber cafes. Having said that, I have come to the conclusion…

• Personal branding is an opportunity to influence

  yinkaolaito

  26 Oct 2009 | 8:23 am

  Recently an online personal branding expert from Iraq, Mohammed AL- Taee  asked for my opinion of what personal branding is? We have heard several definitions which include: it is personal uniqueness in the market place’, a weapon that one uses to market personal core competences and taking advantage of such in the marketplace, a way of selling one’s uniqueness and promoting self differentiation, the rush to re-apply the marketing process from products to people, to give them a beachhead in a million minds, is the great converging point of the modern world among many great definitions.

• 
  RadiantBrands Blog

• Beer Labels Gone Bad

  Steven Donaldson

  28 Oct 2009 | 2:34 pm

  About six months ago the Pyramid Brewing Company of Seattle introduced new names, new labels and a new logo for their brand. They abandoned their old look and did a complete re-think of who they are and what they should look like. The result: well, in my opinion questionable. They changed the beer names from a generic category identification reflecting a specific style and taste—Hefeweizen, Red Ale and IPA—to names more evocative of a quartet of comic book superheroes– Haywire, Audacious, Juggernaut and Thunderhead. I’m not totally against this, but what kind of experience are…

• Brand behind the brand: Flickr is now from Yahoo

  Steven Donaldson

  1 Oct 2009 | 9:38 am

  Just a few weeks ago when I went to my Flickr account I noticed that it’s now “brought to you” by Yahoo. Most of us know that Yahoo bought Flickr several years ago and that Yahoo retained the Flickr brand because of its huge loyalty. They actually shut down Yahoo Photos in 2007 in favor of Flickr. This was a step outside the box for Yahoo. They primarily focus on a one-brand-only approach. But what’s interesting is that they are now sneaking in the back door with the “brought to you by” presence of the Yahoo brand, which really bothers many loyal Flickr users. Many folks out there…

• Apple’s Next Move and why it’s not a Netbook…

  Steven Donaldson

  10 Aug 2009 | 9:56 am

  With the massive proliferation of small, inexpensive laptops, now called netbooks selling lot hot cakes it’s easy to see why so many pc makers are jumping on the bandwagon. These little laptops are all about 7” x 10”, sell from $270 to $370 and are under 3 lbs. They are basic with no frills and make buying a computer a simple decision. So why can’t Apple jump into this market? It makes sense that they create something that appeals to their loyalists, like me, in this category, right? Not really. When you carefully look at Apple’s brand, what they represent in the market, it’s not…

• Smart Phone Wars, Why the iPhone Wins

  Steven Donaldson

  22 Jun 2009 | 6:30 pm

  With Palm announcing the new Pre, Apple announcing a new lower price iPhone 3G S, Google’s latest Android phone launch, the MyTouch 3G and the Blackberry Storm, where’s the smartphone world going? No question there’s a war out there. It seems to me that Apple, with its powerful brand presence and slavish consumer loyalty, will continue to be a strong leader. Yes, there’s no question that “Crackberry” users, primarily business-based customers, will continue to addictively support their brand (after all, our President has one, or is it two?). But I suggest that Apple will hold the…

• Why I love my Flip video camera

  Steven Donaldson

  27 May 2009 | 2:27 pm

  When I first heard about Flip, the simple video camera that literally plugs and plays, I realized this is a very unique brand in the digital video market. Unlike most of the digital video cameras it’s extremely simple, inexpensive and handy. It’s so simple, so inexpensive and so easy to use why didn’t someone think of this before? It’s only been around for about 3 years and it’s the number 3 video camera brand out there. Why?– because it was developed around a missing niche in the market. Unlike Sony and the other major electronics manufactures who are driven by features and…

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  SIMON MAINWARING: BRANDING, TECHNOLOGY & SOCIAL MEDIA

• How to blog your way to community

  Simon

  18 Nov 2009 | 6:15 am

  Here’s the full video from the WireDrive-sponsored, Blog Out Loud, “Belong: Building a Blog Community” event. It features a series of industry panelists discussing the practice, merits and value of blogging and using social media. Here are some things we discussed: Why blogging and social media channels are essential for your business How to set up a blog, define a strategy and make it effective Find your authentic voice and make a name for yourself and organization How to transform your business without a huge marketing budget Connect to community, engage your audience in…

• Meaning: The new measure of a brand or marketer’s success

  Simon

  16 Nov 2009 | 11:30 am

  Stowe Boyd In 1964, Marshal McLuhan made the famous statement: “The medium is the message”.More recently, Stowe Boyd stated, “Meaning is the new search.” I would like to add something to this trajectory of thought: Meaning is media. We are all now capable of being content producers. As a result, the traditional distinction between media silos – television, newspaper, and magazines – is increasingly meaningless in terms of defining where you find and how you capture consumer attention. The consumer no longer thinks in terms of media, but in terms of meaning. Brands,…

• GUEST INTERVIEW: Joe Shands, Creative Director

  Simon

  11 Nov 2009 | 7:45 am

  This week I had the pleasure of sitting down with Joe Shands who has worked as Creative Director at Goodby Silverstein, San Francisco, Wieden & Kennedy, Portland, and TBWA\Chiat\Day, Los Angeles, creating truly memorable advertising campaigns. You can see a some of his work below. Connect with Simon Mainwaring on: Twitter, FriendFeed, Linkedin, Tumblr, Plaxo, Plurk, Identi.ca, BackType, Posterous or Facebook Related posts:No Related Posts

• Top Ten Things a Brand Must Be to Go Social

  Simon

  9 Nov 2009 | 11:26 am

  So often we hear that a brand wants to go social – that is, to be organically shareable, a hub for substantive conversations around mutual concerns and values, a place where customers return as a focal point in their lives. Yet in my experience that often isn’t possible because a brand hasn’t done the basics, the simple things that must occur before any social media strategy can succeed. Here are my top ten. 1. BE DEFINED: Brands don’t know who they are. There, I said it. If I had to name the number one problem I encounter among brands, and the single most effective…

• GUEST INTERVIEW: Lawrence Azerrad, LAD Design

  Simon

  4 Nov 2009 | 10:27 am

  Here are few examples of Lawrence’s design work and you can always reach him here. Wilco Cover Art Red Hot Chili Peppers, Californication REM, Hollywood Bowl Connect with Simon Mainwaring on: Twitter, FriendFeed, Linkedin, Tumblr, Plaxo, Plurk, Identi.ca, BackType, Posterous or Facebook Related posts:November 9, 2009 -- Top Ten Things a Brand Must Be to Go Social (4)October 12, 2009 -- If You Want Go Viral Get Out of the Way (3)September 30, 2009 -- How top brands build effective online communities: Part 2 (0)August 6, 2009 -- Ten things the JK Wedding taught us about social media…

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  The Cause Is The Habit Holistic Brand Strategy Group

• Motorola Droid + Foursquare = Social Media Branding

  damienbasile

  10 Nov 2009 | 7:27 pm

  A strong brand pays attention to details. A smart brand connects with the connectors in memorable ways that may not be readily quantifiable. A savvy brand knows that there are many factors involved in making something a hit or miss. Motorola is all of these and more when it comes to Droid. On Android day, Cake Group put together an amazing event for Motorola’s Droid release. Their efforts went beyond the day of with connecting with various influencers beforehand to seed articles after the fact. The branding brilliance comes into play with the attention to details. Customized shortened…

• Social media networking basics for professionals

  damienbasile

  3 Nov 2009 | 1:27 pm

  Via http://www.intersectionconsulting.com/ What do you want out of social media? If you’re looking for fun then it doesn’t really matter where you begin. If you are looking to utilize it to network professionally in some capacity then there is a very specific place to start with it. Of course social media can and should be used as a reflection of your offline life, so more than likely you will have a good mixture of both pleasure and professional. That being said, here’s a great place to start if you’re looking to grow your professional network: Sign up to Facebook,…

• Nokia’s N97 mini iPhone clone is a branding disaster

  damienbasile

  28 Oct 2009 | 3:27 pm

  via engadget.com Big black block, silver lining, rounded edges, a line for an earhole and a central button at the bottom. No I’m not talking about the iPhone. I’m talking about the new Nokia N97 mini. Why innovate when you can just copy a surefire winner? Well because in the world of design and branding for products copycats are seen in a derisive light- especially for something as blatant as this. If Nokia copied any other phone it wouldn’t have been as bad. In this case the iPhone is so distinct from other mobile devices that even mimicking slight features are noticed.

• Nokia’s N97 mini iPhone clone is a branding disaster

  damienbasile

  28 Oct 2009 | 3:21 pm

  via engadget.com Big black block, silver lining, rounded edges, a line for an earhole and a central button at the bottom. No I’m not talking about the iPhone. I’m talking about the new Nokia N97 mini. Why innovate when you can just copy a surefire winner? Well because in the world of design and branding for products copycats are seen in a derisive light- especially for something as blatant as this. If Nokia copied any other phone it wouldn’t have been as bad. In this case the iPhone is so distinct from other mobile devices that even mimicking slight features are noticed.

• iTunes app store gets suggestions… just not the right ones

  damienbasile

  26 Oct 2009 | 1:04 pm

  A necessary and brilliant move, Apple has added suggestions to their receipt to give a valid call to action. The only problem is the suggestions are based on what others who bought my selections also bought. While this is helpful in giving more suggestions I’d actually like suggestions based on what I bought that’s relevant to me. Semantic technology may still be in it’s infancy but relevancy can be given based on many other factors. I personally don’t need an app to view my pet pictures on my Mac remotely (Clarus), a separate app to read a blog (Pali Research), and I…

• 
  Art & Business of Motion

• Five Ident: FlashForward

  Denny

  18 Nov 2009 | 11:57 am

  FlashForward is a breakout fan favorite this season. While ABC has done a stellar job promoting the new series stateside, there has been some buzz in the UK around Five’s specially designed FlashForward idents. One of the benefits of my regular travel between London and LA is being able to sample (and share with you) promotional differences between creative teams in the US and Europe. The show has been a solid hit for Five. It skews much younger than most of Five’s other major American shows, and has done a great job lifting Five’s brand equity among lighter viewers of the channel.

• Channel 4 Goes 3D Tonight

  Denny

  16 Nov 2009 | 4:04 pm

  Hannah Montana, Jason Voorhees, and JLS in 3D? Oh yeah. Channel 4 tonight kicks off 3D week, with a special three-dimensional programming lineup and a suite of specially developed 3D promos and idents. Offering up some interesting opportunities to design in eye-catching trajectories, C4 adds that programs are “best viewed in a dark room and watched from a central position at least 1.5m away from the screen.” Glasses are available for free from select branches of Sainsbury’s. Posted in branding, channel identity, ident, promo Tagged: 3d, channel 4

• Discovery Channel: The World Is Just Awesome (Reprise)

  Denny

  11 Nov 2009 | 12:03 am

  The next verse in Discovery Channel’s anthem celebrating the world. Posted in branding, channel identity, commercial Tagged: discovery channel, world is just awesome

• Quick News: FX, Living2, New C4 Chairman, Car Maker to Launch TV Channel

  Denny

  9 Nov 2009 | 8:52 am

  Breakdown of FX rebrand, idents Virgin Media to relaunch Living2 as “Living It” Stations rebrand by adding and dumping slogans Lord Burns confirmed as new C4 Chairman Car maker Renault to launch own TV Channel Posted in Uncategorized

• Australia’s 7Two Launches

  Denny

  2 Nov 2009 | 9:30 am

  Australia’s Seven Network yesterday launched it’s eagerly anticipated new broad entertainment channel 7Two. The new 24-hour channel, buoyed by heavy US and UK programming titles promises “more drama, more lifestyle, more reality, more comedy, more movies.”, includes nabbing favorites Ugly Betty, Heroes, 24, and Lost. Already the channel has enjoyed promotions on Seven ahead of its launch on Sunday with its politically-inspired “It’s Time” campaign song. Seven’s production & programming chief Tim Worner tips us in on a few secrets including a few red herrings,…

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  Executive Resume Branding Blog

• Boomer Career Trends: The Graying of America’s Work Force

  Meg Guiseppi

  20 Nov 2009 | 5:05 am

  Boomer Career Trends: The Graying of America’s Work Force is a post from: Executive Resume Branding We’ve all been hearing lately that boomers are staying in the workforce longer because their retirement accounts took such a hit recently, and that we can expect the trend to continue well after the economy recovers. According to one government estimate, 93% of the growth in the U.S. labor force from 2006 to 2016 will be among 55 and older workers. But you may be surprised to know that the majority of those over 55 stay at work beyond retirement age because they want to stay active…

• Google Alerts For Executive Job Search and Personal Brand Visibility

  Meg Guiseppi

  17 Nov 2009 | 3:53 am

  Google Alerts For Executive Job Search and Personal Brand Visibility is a post from: Executive Resume Branding I rely heavily on blogging and Twitter to build my own brand visibility and market my business. I count Google Alerts as one of the most important strategies in my personal brand toolkit. If you’re not aware of or taking advantage of Google Alerts, set up an account with Alerts for whatever online mentions you want to track. They may include: Your name Your blog and website names Your company name, if you have one Names of companies you’re targeting or want to be…

• The 20 Most Common LinkedIn Mistakes

  Meg Guiseppi

  13 Nov 2009 | 5:36 am

  The 20 Most Common LinkedIn Mistakes is a post from: Executive Resume Branding You probably know by now that LinkedIn is a powerful networking tool for personal branding and executive job search. In case you don’t, get busy immediately building your branded profile, connecting with people, expressing your executive brand, and leveraging LinkedIn to full advantage. But don’t make these 20 mistakes: BUILDING YOUR PROFILE 1.  Not personalizing your LinkedIn public profile URL. Many people leave the default mess of letters and numbers at the end of the URL. Change that to “yourname”…

• Saturday, November 14 is World Diabetes Day

  Meg Guiseppi

  12 Nov 2009 | 10:01 am

  Saturday, November 14 is World Diabetes Day is a post from: Executive Resume Branding Join the good people at TuDiabetes, a rapidly growing online community of people touched by diabetes, in raising diabetes awareness by participating this Saturday, November 14, in The Big Blue Test. On that day, at 14:00 hours (local time), thousands of people with diabetes will test their blood sugar, do 14 minutes of exercise, test again and share their results on TuDiabetes or on Twitter. In support, Niagara Falls and the Empire State Building will be lit blue on that night. And over 700 corporate and…

• CEOs Still Not Plugged Into Social Media

  Meg Guiseppi

  10 Nov 2009 | 4:38 am

  CEOs Still Not Plugged Into Social Media is a post from: Executive Resume Branding Chris Brogan recently interviewed Mike Myatt, Chief Strategy Officer of N2Growth, a leadership branding and management firm, about whether CEOs are fully leveraging social media. Myatt noted that, in his experience, CEOs are aware their organizations need to be engaged in social media, but still view SM as something that others in their companies should deal with. They’re reluctant to move out of their comfort zones and shy away from high visibility personal involvement. When Brogan asked what advice he…

• 
  SimpliFlying

• It’s our first birthday, and we want you to join us in Athens, Greece at the IATA Commercial Strategy Symposium

  Shashank Nigam

  20 Nov 2009 | 7:31 am

  Dear SimpliFliers, On December 7, 20009, SimpliFlying will turn ONE! And what a rocking year it has been. You are part of a community of206,000 airline and branding enthusiasts, who have spent over 4,700 hours reading almost 250 articles here on airline brands from around the world. You’ve given us over 1,500 suggestions through comments and thousands of you are LinkedIn group members and Twitter followers. Again you have my sincerest thanks, and my assurance that SimpliFlying will remain the leading knowledge source on airline branding you have trusted for a year: FREE, cutting-edge,…

• Six ways social media can drive brand loyalty: Bollywood-style keynote presentation from World Brand Congress, Mumbai

  Shashank Nigam

  18 Nov 2009 | 9:02 am

  My worst nightmare as a speaker comes true In my second last speaking engagement of the year, I came face to face with a speaker’s worst nightmare. No, it wasn’t the Mumbai traffic or a lack of audience. But the fact that my peers – fellow speakers at the World Brand Congress – were so good with their acts that they used up all of my examples. Yes, you got that right. Each and every single airline branding case study I wanted to highlight in my keynote were taken up by impeccable speakers like Dr David Rogers of Columbia University, and Judy Turner. It totally…

• Five ways airlines can tame Twitter – Jesse Engle of CoTweet shares his expertise

  Shashank Nigam

  11 Nov 2009 | 1:05 am

  Twitter is the latest rage, and companies are flocking to it in hordes. Half of Fortune 100 companies are already on Twitter. Helping put some order to the chaos is Jesse Engle’s CoTweet – a startup that has caught the eye of big Twitter corporate players like Ford and JetBlue. CoTweet helps frontline staff collaborate in real-time conversations with the customers. And it comes packed with workflow and CRM-type tools. How can airlines tame Twitter? Twitter is different when it comes to branding and connecting with your customers. Twitter is all about earning the right to be heard,…

• To get to the wallet, go through the heart – Lessons in brand execution from SpiceJet

  Shashank Nigam

  8 Nov 2009 | 9:42 pm

  Two small steps to the heart, one big leap to the wallet A little girl’s hand was held by an elegant SpiceJet stewardess dressed in striking maroon. As the two ladies headed towards the galley, I saw tears rolling down the little one’s cheeks. Her ears were probably hurting as we started descending into Jaipur, India. The stewardesses in the galley started playing with her and then opened up one of the carts for her too! She was given a few packets of biscuits and a SpiceJet kids’ coloring kit. The little one was soon beaming from ear-to-ear and ran back towards her parents…

• Shashank Nigam awarded the Global Brand Leadership Award at World Brand Congress for airline branding

  Shashank Nigam

  4 Nov 2009 | 5:44 pm

  Dear SimpliFliers, It gives me great pleasure to share with you that I’ve been awarded the coveted Global Brand Leadership Award (Individual) by the World Brand Congress. The award ceremony was held at the Taj in Mumbai on November 4, 2009. Thanks to all of you who came down to support, in person or on Twitter/Facebook/LinkedIn! It was truly an evening to remember. The award is given to individuals who’re doing things differently in branding in a given industry and a distinguished jury decided on those who’d receive the award this year. I received it for SimpliFlying’s…

• 
  Fresh Thinking Starts Here

• Amex Embraces Social Media...IN PRINT!

  Len

  4 Nov 2009 | 12:03 pm

  I was spending some time catching up on my Fortune Small Business magazines last night, when I came across the following ad for American Express: The really interesting thing?  When was the last time you saw a print ad that actually dedicated a significant amount of space to a NEGATIVE comment from a consumer?We spend a lot of time talking about how the world of Web 2.0 requires for brands to give up some control over the conversation and develop the necessary thick skin that allows for open and honest dialogue - not all of which will be positive.  It's one thing, however, to be ok…

• Brand ManageCamp 2009 - Recap and Slideshow

  Len

  15 Oct 2009 | 8:14 am

  via www.flickr.com OK - so it's been over a week since Brand ManageCamp 2009 ended...but it's never too late for a recap, right???? What a fantastic couple of days we had in Las Vegas. The weather was perfect, the hotel (The Signature at MGM Grand) was terrific and we had 220+ fun, intelligent, insightful brand marketers who had come together to learn from our speakers and each other.  The theme, as always, was Fresh Thinking Starts Here - and I have no doubt that most everyone left with at least a few Fresh Thoughts to get things moving in new and better directions upon returning…

• EXPLOITING CHAOS - free chapter download from BMC2009 speaker Jeremy Gutsche

  Len

  8 Sep 2009 | 8:14 am

  via www.exploitingchaos.com We love it when Brand ManageCamp speakers come out with new books right before the conference. It means we get to be among the first to hear about their new work right from the source! This one is even more special as BMC2009 speaker Jeremy Gutsche is making the first chapter of his new book - 'Exploiting Chaos' - available for FREE download! It's an amazing book that looks like none you've ever seen before and is filled with '150 ways to spark innovation during times of change.' I think you'll agree, this is the perfect time for…

• Fresh Thinking Moment #2 - Simon Bray (?What If! Innnovation)

  Len

  27 Aug 2009 | 7:49 am

  In this second installment of our Fresh Thinking Moment series, Simon Bray (Head of Capabilities for ?What If! Innovation and speaker at the upcoming Brand ManageCamp 2009) explains his views on 'Fresh Thinking.'  Highlights include: The need to get outside your comfort zone by going to new and different places for inspiration as well as the need to challenge existing rules and assumptions The 'Fresh Thinking' behind Hyundai's Assurance promotion How to generate inspiration by structuring new and different activities into your life.  Simon's own examples…

• Fresh Thinking Moment #1 - John Gerzema

  Len

  21 Aug 2009 | 10:04 am

  This is a new feature I am really excited to bring to the blog.  Through the Brand ManageCamp conferences, as well as our other activities, I am blessed to come into contact with so many brilliant thinkers.  Some of them are authors/speakers, others are just visionaries from the corporate world.Starting now, and recurring as often as I can, I am going to be posting short videos of these folks - all answering the same three questions:1 - What does "Fresh Thinking" mean to you?2 - What is a recent example you have seen of "Fresh Thinking?"3 - Where do you get the…

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  Unbound Edition

• Miracle Whip Finds Its Brand Voice

  Rachel L. Newman

  20 Nov 2009 | 12:56 pm

  Back in June, Miracle Whip broadcasted its condiment manifesto to Gen Y. Punctuated with the official quivery chalkboard script of all advertising-spawned youth movements and set to a swaying, poly-ethnic crowd kickin’ it kiddie-pool style, a bored (yet defiant!) voice-over proclaims: “We are our own unique, one-of-a-kind flavor. We are Miracle Whip. And we will not tone it down.” Hmmm. A hipster decree from a 76-year-old sandwich spread most famous for its supporting role in my great aunt’s deviled eggs? The campaign was hard to swallow.

• Submitting Culture to the Rack of Metrification

  20 Nov 2009 | 7:41 am

  It's an unpleasant, abominable idea, submitting something as delicate as culture to the rack of metrification. But here's why it's necessary. There's so much going on "out there" in culture, so many different people creating so many different innovations, subject to change so violent and frequent, that unless we have metrics at our disposal, well, we're done for. We have no real hope of canvassing all that water front.

• There Is This Company

  20 Nov 2009 | 7:40 am

  Here's something I've been thinking about for some time now. You see, there is this company. It publishes over a hundred RSS feeds and several email newsletters, but not a single blog. The only conversations this company entertains are the ones it starts itself or is subpoenaed into. Conversations it doesn't like, it tries to silence.

• The Social Media (R)evolution: Your Time is Now

  20 Nov 2009 | 7:39 am

  The Future of the Social Web is here today and we’re learning that engagement is not a matter of if or when, but to what extent, how and what value can we deliver and derive from it. The Social Web is much more than a window into information and interaction, it is a completely transformative medium that is changing how we forge relationships, interact with one another, and distribute and discover information. In many ways, the online social revolution is reminiscent of the Industrial Revolution. Access to free and expansive media platforms and distribution channels has democratized…

• The Brand Touch Cycle

  20 Nov 2009 | 6:58 am

  A discipline that I consistently see organizations struggling with is in fully understanding the importance of touchpoints of their brand. Yes they understand the basic idea of a touchpoint—that interactions with their brand is a touchpoint that influences the overall perception of their brand. And yes they know that it is to their advantage to integrate the touchpoints of their brand as much as possible.

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  JKR Blog

• Maths + packaging = lower cost, lower footprints and greater visual impact?

  JKR

  20 Nov 2009 | 3:25 am

  ‘Tis the season to post best of lists. Time magazine has a list of 2009’s best inventions. Less intriguing than the lists levitating mouse or fashion robot, but arguably of more consequence is Johannes Schneider’s algorithm: it works out the perfect arrangement of shapes to ensure the most efficient way to pack them or ship them*. While it might not appear particularly sexy, the money saved could probably pay for a lot more above the line flim flam (we undertook a similar exercise globally for Heinz Ketchup bottles and the money saved was really significant). The neat…

• Less is more, and making a virtue of necessity

  JKR

  19 Nov 2009 | 2:34 am

  (Photo: Flickr.com by Neato Coolville) Gunther Kilsheimer passed away this August aged 86. Like many in the world of branding, he wasn’t exactly a household name himself, but his work was. He was integral in the design of the Toys ‘R’ Us logo and sign. According to the website of the company he founded, Kilsheimer “designed a sign for one of the founders of the company, Mr. Bill Bederman when the company was still called “Children’s Supermart Toys”. Along with a new image, Mr. Bederman wanted a more upscale sign, one with individual channel letters. When Gunther showed Mr.

• Dell’s bamboo computer packaging – all ’round good news?

  JKR

  18 Nov 2009 | 2:08 am

  Dell have been producing computers with a bamboo cladding for a little while. The design offers a distinctively warmer and more analogue feeling alternative to the category’s usual glossy plastics. But according to CBS News, the company is now replacing some of its packaging (such as the moulded cushions used to protect in transit) with the material as well. What’s the upside? As a fast growing grass, the bamboo offers a sustainable material which is kinder to the earth. It’s also a cheaper (although currently slower) manufacturing process which is mechanical rather than…

• Looking for green shoots? Christmas is coming.

  JKR

  17 Nov 2009 | 1:40 am

  Getting your note ready for Santa? Upmarket U.S. retailer Neiman Marcus can sell you a £152,000 fold-up plane, should you already have most things (but lack a conscience about your carbon footprint). Parachute optional (seriously). Or perhaps you would prefer the Leica Hermès limited edition? Some exclusive lenses and, of course, a leather carrying strap, “handcrafted by Atelier Hermès”. Comes in a linen-covered, silk-lined box and a snip at £8,500. Evidence here that the luxury market is a well which did not run dry during the past twelve months. But beyond “cool by association”…

• Nike does it for college football

  JKR

  16 Nov 2009 | 2:47 am

  It’s common these days to hear of design which considers “360 degree consumer touchpoints” (what used to simply be known as a comprehensive design programme), and innovation is often one of the prongs of such work. Less common is an innovation initiative which, in itself, seems to have thought about every possible brand element from soup to nuts. This month sees Nike launch new outfits, equipment and merchandising for the U.S. weekend College Gridiron (I think that means college football in layman terms). Nike Pro Combat: ultra light, even when wet, and super strong innovative fabrics.

• 
  Right Brain/Left Brain Marketing

• Evaluating Creative Professionals: Are You Only As Valuable As Your Creative Portfolio?

  Barry Vucsko

  10 Nov 2009 | 5:32 pm

  WRITER’S WARNING: This is a long post. If you’re not crazy about reading long online posts, download the post as a low file size PDF. _____ A black book (or web page) is opened. Samples of creative work are viewed. The book or page is closed. Decisions are made. Rinse. Repeat. As a creative professional and educator, I have always pondered the meaning and role of the creative portfolio, what it means to those who are creative professionals, and also to those who are not—those who interact or recruit creatives. For art directors, copywriters, and designers in multiple…

• TED Talks: Rory Sutherland on value and perception

  Barry Vucsko

  1 Nov 2009 | 7:27 pm

  Check out this short but illuminating TED Talk by advertising executive Rory Sutherland. In it, he portrays consumer perception as an often manipulated and rarely common sense commodity. It gets to the heart of how the economy is dependent on where we place our values. Both funny and insightful.

• Brand in Japan: Why is brand strategy different here? Part 3

  Barry Vucsko

  25 Oct 2009 | 7:37 pm

  Brand on the Inside External focus on the corporate brand image is also mirrored inside the Japanese corporation. According to Tokyo marketing veteran, Mineo Kamiyama, most companies think “product brands should only be managed by people who know the product”. This is somewhat different from Western practices where Brand and Marketing managers are often marketing professionals first, and product experts second (with the exception of many B2B marketing and sales organizations, which would espouse the Japanese way). For better or worse, this means that the average Japanese Brand Manager,…

• Merging Physical and Digital: Livescribe’s Pulse Smartpen and Sketch + Save

  Barry Vucsko

  21 Oct 2009 | 11:56 pm

  I love these two ideas for combining standard communication tools (pens and markers) with digital applications. Look for this sort of thing to pop up more and more. By using tools that people are already familiar with, both physically and cognitively, these sorts of digital apps increase their chances at adoption as well as loyalty. The Pulse SmartPen, by LiveScribe, uses a pen with a built in mic, speaker and memory. By using special paper, you can record and replay whatever you hear when you are writing. An interesting solution at lectures, meetings or brainstorming sessions. The Sketch…

• The Convergence of Business and Design: Are you a Straddler?

  Barry Vucsko

  21 Oct 2009 | 12:29 am

  Idris Mootee recently commented on the topic of business strategy and design convergence, what he called “Integrative Creativity”, over at his Innovation Playground blog. Tempted to comment on his post, I opted to weigh in here instead, given the natural soapbox (right brain/left brain) this blog affords. Like two slow trains on two very long tracks, design and business strategy have been heading towards each other on intersecting paths for some time now. In the last 5-10 years they seem to be picking up speed and they are finally starting to get close. Some design schools are teaching…

• 
  Oculus

• Brand Dubai

  16 Nov 2009 | 7:52 pm

  I spent all of last week in Abu Dhabi and Dubai on a market entry and business matching trip.It was hard but rewarding work.One of the (very many) meetings I attended that sticks in my mind was with the Dubai Economic Department, a Government office charged with promoting investment into the Emirate.“The brand Dubai is free,” was the message from one speaker, extolling firms to set up offices and branches.Dubai is trying to model itself on a Singapore or Hong Kong of the Middle East, and my impression was that it is working.The Economic Department waxed lyrical on how they are moving to a…

• Halal-less

  8 Nov 2009 | 8:12 pm

  So I’m in Abu Dhabi at a hotel enjoying a yogurt from Milco, a local dairy company.But where’s the Halal logo I wondered? Perhaps the consumer in this part of the world doesn’t need that assurance?Apologies for the poor quality picture....

• M&S plan B

  4 Nov 2009 | 8:46 pm

  After a trial, M&S has decided to sell a limited number of (non competing) manufacturer brands in its UK stores.At a time when own label (at least in Europe and North America) continues to grow and against a background of troubled economies, rising unemployment and more, this is a significant decision.Whether this initiative would have taken place had M&S not had significant problems of its own, is debatable.I’m just not sure whether it was Plan A or Plan B.

• Harmonising Halal

  1 Nov 2009 | 8:10 pm

  Malaysia is publicly confident that a global Halal standard can be reached.Reuters is quoting its religious affairs minister Jamil Khir Baharom as saying:- “"Malaysia's Halal certification is recognised worldwide so perhaps we can play an important role in creating a global standard,"At the moment there are at least 17 different Halal standards in use around the world, plus there are some Muslim countries, for example in the Middle East, who have yet to agree a coherent approach to branding Halal.Malaysia has been successful at branding Halal, was a first mover in the field and is now busy…

• Nooks and Kindles

  29 Oct 2009 | 5:28 am

  Am I the only one to be totally uninspired by the names Barnes & Noble and Amazon have given to their electronic book readers?

• 
  On Brands

• Fire in the Brand Belly

  David Cameron

  19 Nov 2009 | 12:49 pm

  I’ve had a lot of time to think about my business life over the past several months. And I’ve come to an important conclusion: business is so personal. I say that because our lives are… right now! Whether you’re at work, at home or at play, those are your moments. How do you want to spend them? Put differently, in what state do you want to spend them? Do you want to be in a bored state, dulled and numbed into just another number at your place of work (because a number is exactly what you’ll be if you allow yourself to fall into that state)? OR, do you want to be…

• What Would You Have Done in Adidas’ Shoes?

  David Cameron

  8 Nov 2009 | 9:11 am

  Put yourself in Adidas’ shoes for a moment. You’ve invested millions as a sponsor of the University of Central Florida’s men’s basketball program. And then, one of its players, who happens to be Michael Jordan’s son Marcus, refuses to wear Adidas basketball shoes in an exhibition game. Why? Because he wants to wear a pair of Nike Air Jordans in honor of his father… understandable, right? Reasonable though? Smart for Adidas? Umm… I’m thinking NOT. Adidas didn’t like it… and that’s why they’ve pulled their sponsorship, costing the university up to $3 million.

• Meet the Boom and Y Online, or Bust!

  David Cameron

  28 Oct 2009 | 7:49 am

  I was reading from Kenneth Gronbach’s The Age Curve: How to Profit from the Coming Demographic Storm, a work in which he argues that changes in marketing and business today are based on the size of the generations we are selling to. Based on his analysis, only the Baby Boomers and Gen Yers are attractive groups. Why? They’re huge. They represent the greatest opportunity, and they are, in their own ways, significant consuming forces. Gen Xers, he says, lack the critical mass to command marketers’ attention and dictate what will sell and not sell. This is fascinating stuff.

• Social Media: Where Negatives Are Positives?

  David Cameron

  27 Oct 2009 | 11:13 am

  If you read my previous post (What is Socialnomics?), then you know I had the chance to review the book Socialnomics, in which author Erik Qualman offers a number of insights and observations on social media. One of those insights I’d like to share is his counsel for individuals and businesses to accept negative comments originating from social media and, in fact, to “relish the critical feedback.” Qualman feels the way he does for various reasons, which he articulates in both the book and on his blog. See Negative Feedback Is Not So Bad. In sum, he says we have much more…

• What is Socialnomics?

  David Cameron

  26 Oct 2009 | 12:23 pm

  I had the opportunity to survey Erik Qualman’s book Socialnomics on the weekend. Overall, I liked what I saw. He presents a number of insights and observations about social media and it’s impact on our lives and, in particular, the changing relationship between marketers and consumers/buyers. Readers who will benefit the most are those who aren’t already immersed in social media and have not yet developed a full appreciation of social media’s impact and potential to affect change. Qualman has offered the following definition of socialnomics: The ability of social media…

• 
  Brandtelling

• How can you align marketing with the customer buying process?

  Jeff Ogden

  28 Oct 2009 | 12:14 pm

  Today’s post is contributed by Jeff “the demand generation guru” Ogden, president of Find New Customers. Jeff is a friend and collaborator (we worked together to co-author “Prospect-Driven Marketing“) who truly understands where the rubber hits the road for sales. – Arthur Germain I’m please to share this information on lead nurturing with the readers of Brandtelling in this guest post. In this economic downturn, companies look for fresh ideas, so I hope you find this helpful. CSO Insights, after 17 years of studies, describes how sales needs to…

• Are you asking these 11 plus questions about your brand?

  Arthur Germain

  21 Oct 2009 | 8:06 pm

  Who or what is your brand? Could you describe it to a six year old? What makes your brand great? What do you tell people first? Who are your target buyers? Who are your targets for marketing? Are they the same people? Are you sure? What “mental real estate” are you able to own/rent/lease in the mind of your stakeholders? Can you connect emotionally with your stakeholders? What emotions are behind customer purchases of your brand’s products/services? What is your “brand vision”? What practical benefits are associated with your brand? How do you position your brand against…

• Have you read to a child today?

  Arthur Germain

  8 Oct 2009 | 10:38 am

  I like to dress up when I read! Today, Jumpstart’s Read for the Record campaign is setting a new world record for the “largest shared reading experience” in an effort to raise awareness for the power of early childhood literacy and to raise funds funds for early education in low-income communities. It’s a fantastic idea and I encourage you to learn more here and by visiting the Jumpstart web site. I am a HUGE believer in the power of storytelling to forever alter the way we look at the world. The stories your parents read to you — and the stories you read to your…

• What is Prospect Driven Marketing and how can it help improve sales?

  Arthur Germain

  27 Sep 2009 | 11:03 pm

  Is any type of marketing collateral or activity appropriate to use when connecting with prospects? Of course not! Early in the buyer process, you might want to use more informative and educational materials, while later in the process you might want to become more specific about your solutions. The real question is how do you know when to use a specific type of collateral or engage in a specific activity? I’ve been working with demand generation guru Jeff Ogden, president of Find New Customers, on exactly that question.One thing we’ve determined is that, similar to the way end…

• Can you tell your brand story to the media?

  Arthur Germain

  15 Sep 2009 | 2:24 pm

  Arthur Germain, Principal & Chief Brandteller, Communication Strategy Group Just a quick note today. I was interviewed for two articles last week. The first appears in Newsday and discusses Social Media Marketing Mistakes to Avoid. In the article I note that “Failing to Engage” and worrying about “Collecting Followers and Friends” are areas destined for failure in social media marketing. The second article from Long Island Business News is called Wise Counsel and discusses the impact of the economy from the POV of consultants. In both articles, I was able to take…

• 
  Catalyst Advertising

• To Redesign Or Not To Redesign?

  27 Oct 2009 | 1:24 am

  One of the top Web sites in the U.S. just got a redesign and it’s impressive. CNN launched a radically different approach to the online news experience. And the most notable difference is the customizable information on the Site like weather and sports scores. The Site is also loaded with video.One key motivation for the redesign is that Site studies showed that very few visitors went beyond the homepagRead More...

• What Twitter Client Do You Use?

  27 Sep 2009 | 2:28 pm

   With the tremendous surge in Twitter usage, I'm curious what Twitter client(s) you find most useful and helpful when trying to Tweet, Retweet, Bookmark and Share, etc.Let's move this up a few more steps. Tell me what you use on when on your PC/Mac (Web/Desktop/AIR apps), iPhone/iTouch, BlackBerry, etc. Here's my list and trust me, I feel as though I've tried them all.Web:TwitterHootsRead More...

• Long & Winding Road of the Beatles logo

  13 Sep 2009 | 4:32 pm

  The British invasion has occurred again this past Wednesday with the entire Beatles music catalog released in a digitally remastered format. You can now play along with the "Fab Four" on the latest version of "Rock Band" on your gaming device. To no surprise "Beatlemania" still sells as copies of their latest venture are making accountants "Read More...

• I'm Not Loving The Shack

  22 Aug 2009 | 6:40 pm

  Radio Shack, which has a history of image problems has just added another to its list. Recently launching "The Shack"  at a time they needed to revive their 88-year-old business has resulted in one more failure for their brand image. A company spokesperson waRead More...

• Will "What is 230?" Create A Surge For GM?

  12 Aug 2009 | 3:19 pm

  I got a shock (or lack of) when the 230 campaign was finally revealed as an introduction of GM's new product Volt. The Chevrolet electric car claims to achieve a city fuel mileage of 230 miles per gallon. I won't dig through the fuel economy methodology leaving that examination for the environmental and automotive Bloggers. What I have found interesting was the timing of the campaign launchRead More...

• 
  Storytelling To Create Impact Brands

• Varied Visual Volume

  Mark

  18 Nov 2009 | 7:23 am

  I have been searching for different ways to inspire and motivate people for many years. In both work (pharmaceuticals and academic chemistry) and sport, great communication has been the key at inspiring moments.  One of these moments keep coming up and I have started to look carefully at the inspiring power of music and why [...]

• A Tale of Two Pharma Brand Stories

  Mark

  8 Nov 2009 | 12:53 am

  There are two types of discussion when selling and in Pharmaceuticals sales  it’s the same. The first type of discussion between the company and the physician is best termed a “no conflict story”. In this case there is a medical need which a physician seeks and only one or two companies have a credible solution. [...]

• Do You Measure Up

  Mark

  16 Oct 2009 | 11:05 pm

  I recently visited Vienna and saw St Stephens Church. A friend from Vienna showed me a round circle on the left-hand side of the main door. She explained that the circle was used to measure the size of the local bread sold in Vienna. It was the official bread measure for the city.  Local laws [...]

• Hiaku Poetry- Small but Perfectly Formed- Communication

  Mark

  14 Oct 2009 | 1:19 pm

  At a birthday party last night my friend Phil, asked if I had heard of Haiku (Japanese poetry) storytelling. I hadn’t but it sounded really interesting. It’s a poem or story told in 17 syllables broken up in to 3 lines  (in English) or groups of 5, 7 and 5 syllables.  There are lots of rules to this effective writing skill, the basics are [...]

• Don’t Swing At Everything

  Mark

  12 Oct 2009 | 2:19 pm

  As a Cricketer or baseball star, shot selection is key. You don’t swing at everything. If you do you strike out or get tired. Prospecting for customers is the same. Develop a sense for whom to talk to and how to find them.  Get better at knowing when to swing. [...]

• 
  Blackcoffee's Blog | Thoughts & Notions

• What is strategy?

  Mark Gallagher

  16 Nov 2009 | 7:33 am

  Most people have a vague, if not incorrect, definition of strategy, often confusing it with tactics. This shouldn’t come as a big surprise. Many people derive definition through association. Over time, misuse of the words Strategy, Strategic, Tactics and Tactical have obscured their meaning, so much so that for many organizations “strategy” has become a barrier to success. Before you can formulate a strategy, your team must share a common and accurate definition. Ensuring that your definition is clear and simple makes for better communication. What is strategy? The word…

• Subtractive Thinking

  Mark Gallagher

  2 Nov 2009 | 7:56 am

  Few would argue with the statements: “Less is more” (Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, architect), “Do more with less” (Buckminster Fuller, structural engineer), or “Less but better” (Dieter Rams, industrial designer). The list goes on. Each of these minimalists built through subtraction. You too can benefit from a minimalist approach. Most brands and businesses focus on adding value by adding functions. Yet, subtraction is more than just a way of reducing costs. Subtractive thinking can add real value, both by cutting cost and increasing usability. Additive +…

• RiP! A Remix Manifesto

  Laura Savard

  16 Oct 2009 | 9:28 am

  As business assets, “brands” are intellectual property. They are legally protected trademarks. Anyone working in the field of branding has a reasonable understanding of trademark and copyright law. But today, even the experts are confused as to who owns what. In his film, RiP! A Remix Manifesto, filmmaker Brett Gaylor explores issues of copyright in the information age, mashing up the media landscape of the 20th century and shattering the wall between users and producers. Thanks to Hulu we are able to share this full-length feature (1:26:23) with you. So bookmark it and watch it…

• Visualizing Brand Architecture

  Laura Savard

  5 Oct 2009 | 12:37 pm

  Brand architecture is yet another area within the discipline of branding that becomes more effective as strategy and aesthetic are practiced as one. Brand architecture provides a blueprint for growing and managing a company’s brand portfolio by defining relationships between sibling brands. However, those relationships are often lost within the context of a spreadsheet, and the result is inadvertent competition and market cannibalization. This can be avoided by ensuring that your brand architecture is depicted though visual maps that define each brand’s areas of focus and overall market…

• Merging Strategy and Execution

  Laura Savard

  21 Sep 2009 | 8:58 am

  There is no question that the traditional agency model is broken. However, the reason may not be due to a shift in how people consume media. The traditional assembly line mentality forces everyone to focus on their own part of the puzzle rather than the greater whole. This division of thinking simply doesn’t work in today’s world, because it leaves too much to be misinterpreted and works toward predetermined solutions. Here, R. Keith Sawyer, Washington University psychologist and author of Explaining Creativity, clearly illustrates the benefits of this approach in an interview…

• 
  core

• Looking for Web developers

  16 Nov 2009 | 4:36 pm

  I am currently looking for Web developers with the following skills: Extensive experience in Ruby on Rails or Python development HTML 4 (or HTML 5) experience CSS 3, JavaScript, AJAX Database experience such as MySQL or equivalent databases This is a freelance job for a startup project with an application idea, not a fixed position. It is ok if your skill set only covers a portion of these requirements. The idea is to form a small team and expand from there. Job applications should be sent by e-mail, containing a couple of URLs and a brief description of your experience. Feel free to comment…

• A broader view

  14 Nov 2009 | 4:09 pm

  The Core website just received an overhaul. Not much has changed, except for the overall page width, which is now 960 pixels wide — just below the mark of 1024 pixels width. The width of 960 pixels is used by many frameworks these days, for one because it makes calculations easy, allowing you to set up a grid pattern. Secondly, it still fits in a browser window with the scrollbar taking up to 20 pixels off. A few tweaks were necessary to match the new page width: slight changes in font sizes, padding and margin for some elements. There may be still a few glitches in the system, so…

• OnePage unifies your Web life in a single stream

  12 Oct 2009 | 5:11 am

  Contrary to popular belief, I don’t join every new Web service there is, and I don’t need to get an invite of everything Twitterati seem to have a blast with. I really don’t, for various reasons. For one, living on the island of Switzerland, I cannot access a service if it is relying on locality (Foursquare) or if it’s based on the entertainment industry’s content (Spotify, Pandora). These sites and services are blocked, depending on where your ass is located on this planet. Secondly, I want to invest my time wisely. Forementioned services appear to be excellent…

• The 10 most common Brand Stream misconceptions

  28 Aug 2009 | 1:37 pm

  The introduction of the idea of Brand Streams a couple of weeks ago caused a little stir in the scene. Interesting enough, both blog posts related to the topic didn't get any comments, but I got a few direct responses through Twitter and direct talks with brand experts and people who work in the marketing field. I think the Brand Streams theory divides them into two basic camps: Those who say "Yes, I can see this is how it actually works" and those who don't understand what I'm talking about. The latter are the people who promote a kind of branding that relies on concepts like "repeat your…

• Apple's Safari 4 doesn't care about your privacy

  25 Aug 2009 | 1:10 pm

  Note: Meanwhile this issue could be resolved using the command line (see comments). In February 2008, I wrote about Safari 4.0 when it was first launched as a beta. Back then, I focussed on the learnings Apple had made by being inspired by the innovations introduced with Google's previous release of Chrome. (Image by Apple Inc.) All that glitter I don't know how much Apple changed under the hood, but the most obvious rip-offs were the tabs which were now placed above the address bar. Apple changed that back to the original design with the release of Safari 4. The second UI copy-cat was what…

• 
  Girvin Strategic Branding Design Blog

• Tim Burton at Moma | The Art of the Hand, the Mind, the Imagining

  Tim Girvin

  20 Nov 2009 | 3:45 am

  Exploring design, art and imagination: motion picture branding, Tim Burton, and the legacy of Girvin identity and cinematic brand design. Tim Burton, MoMa, what a nice idea. As a designer for Tim Burton, I will offer that I never had the chance to meet him, work with him, live — side by side. But, sometimes, proximity is a challenge — so, in working with various directors — at various tiers of celebrity power, you can work, but perhaps not “closely”. Sometimes being relatively quiet, in a room with that person, might be all that is offered. I’ve not given…

• 2012: The End of the World (in a couple of years)

  Tim Girvin

  16 Nov 2009 | 10:10 pm

  What’s the connection to the notion of world-ending sagas? Why? I’d venture that there’s a fascination with the idea of the end of the world — people are attracted to it — and the question might be: why? Why would the world end — and what would it be like? And what would someone do about it? Run, maybe. But there’s a patterning that Girvin’s explored, in the idea of marketing expressions of “end of the world” visioning. From Karl Lagerfeld — and a range of dark fashion foreboding — mad designers at the end of the world…

• The Dance of Life: Enterprise, Brands, and Storytelling

  Tim Girvin

  15 Nov 2009 | 6:30 am

  Notes on the choreography of experience: brandstories, the art of dance, life and business entwined. A long and complex titling, that is; but it’s the title for an exploration on the alignment between dance and fire, and movement, and life, and love, and passion. All that. I would venture that the idea of some link between the concept of dance, the movement of design, the calligraphy of concept, the gesture of ideation — and inspiration, in all — would be easy. Dance is a movement through space, a swinging slide of the concept of imagination in the demarcation of invention.

• Brand, storytelling, presentation and spectacle: Steve Jobs

  Tim Girvin

  14 Nov 2009 | 11:14 am

  Exemplars of Apple Messaging and Brand Product Events: Theatricality and entertainment marketing strategy in the presentation of ideas. Being one whose livelihood is wholly built on the premise of relevant content, delivery and entertainment — the concept of the power of the pitch — the presentation, the keynote is one of careful orchestration and craft; it’s an art. Like the premise of motion picture work, our approach is based on story-boarding presentations — literally the boarded drawings of stories — that string out the cinematic structuring of content. For…

• Strategic vision, brand and targeted creative: Neil Simon’s Brighton Beach Memoir’s Failure and Under Armour’s Creative Collapse. Why?

  Tim Girvin

  9 Nov 2009 | 3:39 am

  Exploring the challenge of branding, focused market relevance and brand storytelling. Some time back, I was asked by a Creative Director at a major food producing organization, to create a brand shift that would take the riskiest flagship brand to a place of renewed positioning and consumer recognition — and, by the way, sell 100 tons of packaged product. Fast. As designers, our exploration of creative action, for brand management, marketing and strategic evolution, is something that inherently forces us to consider the relevance of the work that we do, and how it does, and will,…

• 
  More Than A Logo

• Brand Stories Continued

  16 Nov 2009 | 7:22 pm

  Yesterday, I wrote a post about providing people with Brand Stories to make them feel special & unique for being associated with a particular brand.And, today, I came across this fun presentation by Russell Davies, a well-known planner in the UK, called Playful. He refers to something similar - pretending! His presentation talks about how we buy products that allow us to pretend to be something/someone else - enticing an emotion based on a brand association.For instance, he talks about watches:Russell implies that it is the ability to pretend adds value to the products or services we buy.

• Brand Stories

  15 Nov 2009 | 6:46 pm

  Note: Image from Trendwatching Status StoriesWe are no longer jumping and jiving as a group in our matching khakis and cotton shirts. Rather, we are seeing an influx in the desire to be individuals - everything we purchase or associate ourselves with must communicate something about who we are or want to be! The brands we associate with must stand for something, so we can decide if it suits our individual style/personality!We, as consumers, are more proud of our products/services that we purchase when they come with a unique story! Consumers are no longer interested in purchasing…

• Brand Purpose Meets Brand Relevance

  8 Nov 2009 | 3:48 pm

  Note: Image From Neutron LLC Steal This IdeaI love this diagram created by Marty Neumeier as it illustrates how an organization's brand impacts a community of stakeholders in a, kind of, perpetual domino effect.So, in essence, the brand purpose motivates & focuses the efforts of the organization (management & employees in this diagram) - so then the organization, through branded initiatives, engages with customers stimulating trust & loyalty, which motivates investors because they see the demand for the brand. The investment, then, allows the organization to continue to pursue its…

• VW's The Fun Theory

  1 Nov 2009 | 8:02 am

  Recently, I came across Volkswagen's 'The Fun Theory' program on Youtube. Essentially, this initiative is a contest to have people create fun ways to change behavior for the better. Here are some examples I came across on Youtube:What I like about this program, is how VW is finding fun ways to change behavior, and through these videos you can see how they have worked! But what also makes this so great, is that it suits the VW brand! VW is the people's car - so here they've found a way to help 'the people' by changing behavior for the betterment of 'the people' (i.e. becoming more active by…

• Big Ideal = Brand Purpose

  18 Oct 2009 | 10:34 am

  A few months ago, I came across The Big Ideal presentation by Ogilvy Group UK. I thoroughly liked the presentation as it talks about brands finding and maximizing their Big Ideal!The Big Ideal is an overarching aspirational thought that guides the decisions of an organization. In my case, I often refer to the Big Ideal as Brand Purpose! Here are a few examples of brands and their Brand Purpose/Big Ideal:The presentation talks about how great brands have big ideals! And it states that when big ideals are present ideas flow more easily. I completely agree with this statement! When there is…

• 
  fyi : reactor - for your inspiration

• 3 Reasons Print Design is Not Dead

  29 Oct 2009 | 3:16 pm

  Like the promise of a flying car and a cashless society, the invention of interactive technology (including the internet and all things digital) was supposed to eventually mark the end of print. All of these are dreams and haven't happened yet. The closest one to reality is the cashless society, but it'll probably never happen. I rarely carry cash anymore, but I still need it on occasion and it just doesn't seem feasible to create a money-charging technology for every single aspect of our lives. Tipping a bar tender or a coat check person at a party comes to mind. There is also a huge…

• Walmart Great Value Cereals

  29 Sep 2009 | 9:56 pm

  I've been watching the roll out of all-new design and packaging for Walmart's Great Value brand. So far, I have been impressed with the clarity and simple nature of the packaging. I don't think it works in ALL cases, but works quite nice in most. I just saw the new cereal boxes and love the playful nature and hand drawn illustrations. This is a great example of expanding a concept while still keeping the base of the design. It's still very recognizable as Great Value, but adds a fun touch for the kiddos. Even the names are fun. Kudos Walmart. Or shall I say "Fruity Sparkles".

• REACTOR Trivia 003 - Cars We've Owned

  14 Sep 2009 | 12:44 pm

  Chase has already owned five cars since he's worked at REACTOR, I have owned one. Here is the historical list of each of the cars we have owned:Chase:81 Mercury Capri86 Pontiac Fiero SE84Pontiac Fiero84 Pontiac Fiero94 Honda Civic02 Subaru Impreza01 Mazda Miata03 Subaru WRX05 Pontiac GTO (current)93 Ford F150 (current)# of accidents: 3 (all cars were totaled)Clifton:1980 Chevrolet Citation1988 Toyota Camry2003 Toyota Matrix# of accidents: 0Needless to say, we have very different patterns in car ownership and accidents!

• Restaurant freebies on your birthday

  25 Aug 2009 | 7:40 am

  Since Clifton just received a lot of free meals from various restaurants for his birthday, we thought it would be a great idea to let our readers in on the fun. We're not just talking a free scoop of ice cream (everyone does that). Most of these deals do not have to be redeemed on your actual birthday, which is handy, because that's a lot of food! Some of them make you sign-up for their email list, but we can attest, they don't bombard you, and they promise not to sell your email. Here are some restaurants where you can hook up to the free food:Famous Daves BBQ - Join the P.I.G. (Pretty…

• Alltop

  25 Aug 2009 | 6:46 am

  We're really excited to announce our blog has been added to Alltop.com - an "online magazine rack" of popular topics updated every hour. You just pick a topic by searching, news category, or name, and Alltop brings it to you 24x7. You can find our blog by searching Design or Branding. There's lots of other cool blogs there too!

• 
  Healthy Conversations

• Caution for healthcare marketers: the status quo is hazardous to your health

  admin

  20 Nov 2009 | 11:22 am

  Beyond your products and services, does your marketing itself serve a purpose? It’s an important question that actually harkens back to a phrase first expressed in the 1700’s – actions speak louder than words. If your answer is NO, you’re ignoring what consumers really want. You’re also in jeopardy of your “status quo” marketing (and your brand) becoming increasingly irrelevant. So, beyond your offer and your campaigns, does your marketing itself add value to people’s lives. Does it: • help them do things that they couldn’t do on their…

• Insight for healthcare marketers – it’s not about you that matters

  admin

  19 Nov 2009 | 1:14 pm

  People really don’t care about your products and services. This might be tough to accept, but it’s true. What people do care a lot about, however, is how you make them feel about their decisions. How you help them improve their lives. How you help them achieve what they can’t on their own. And for healthcare marketers, these benefits translate into pretty important outcomes, from preserving life, to being able to live healthier and happier lives. This is the incredible connecting power of your brand. By being about them, but having a strong vision about your place (what it…

• Ad Age’s America’s Hottest Brands – where are the healthcare marketers?

  admin

  16 Nov 2009 | 4:37 pm

  What’s the story here? Are there no healthcare brand upstarts or stalwarts setting the pace for innovation and getting results – right now? To that, I say…. The 11/16 Ad Age includes a feature on America’s Hottest Brands – “meet the upstarts and the stalwarts who have found the upside of the downturn; setting the pace for innovation – and getting results – right now.” These brands run the gamet – from Jameson, to Jetblue, Digiorno, Panera, Subaru, Bing, Barnes & Noble, Diapers.com, Five Guys, Ped Egg and 30 others. I went through…

• Social media for health brand marketers – forget perfection

  admin

  13 Nov 2009 | 5:58 am

  To strive for perfection is admirable. But when it comes to social media, it’s a waste of time. While your efforts need to be grounded in goals, strategy and the social media practices of your health brand audiences, it’s pointless to strive for perfection. Because unlike developing an ad, putting it through focus group testing, and then tweaking to get your “sell and tell” story just right, truly open dialogue is hard to control. Nor do you want to try. Because this means you’re probably lecturing rather than having a conversation. With social media, take the…

• Insight for health brand marketers – engage your influencers and decision-makers through social media

  admin

  11 Nov 2009 | 6:09 am

  Women (your primary healthcare influencers and decision-makers) tend to be far more active in social media than men. This was the finding from BIGresearch’s 2009 survey of 22,000 consumers asked about their usage of text, blogs, twitter and social networks. With the exception of business-focused LinkedIn, women are heavier users of the six other social media vehicles measured through this survey. Text leads the way at 61.7%, followed by Facebook 59.8%, blog readers 56.2%, blog posters 52.5%, MySpace 51.6%, and Twitter users 50.8%. Given that this survey was conducted in June, the…

• 
  Brandlessons

• This is Why Phillips is Still One of the Strongest Brands Out there!

  Kevin Williams

  12 Nov 2009 | 8:03 am

• What Mini Elvis Taught Me About Branding

  Kevin Williams

  23 Oct 2009 | 1:43 pm

  The 2009 Blogworld and New Media Expo was an amazing experience. From everyone I met, to listening to the Jermaine Dupri set at that Prive, I couldn’t have asked for a better time. My greatest experience was kicking it with Mini Elvis at the Pepermill. So what does a midget dressed up as Elvis have to [...]

• Social Marketing Compass by Brian Solis and JESS3

  Kevin Williams

  8 Oct 2009 | 11:38 am

  As always, I like the tools that JESS3 and Solis throw out. This is a really good tool to evaluate the potential of your brand strategy. Social Marketing Compass by Brian Solis and JESS3 Originally uploaded by b_d_solis If you haven’t already, check this innovative marketing tool out for your brand.

• Brand Visualization: It Really Does Matter

  Kevin Williams

  1 Oct 2009 | 3:31 pm

  I know that your brand isn’t your logo, but looking good does matter in branding. Same foes with how you present your data. I ran across this on Cool Hunting. It’s a news aggregator but the way it presents information is absolutely fascinating to me. With all the talk about strategy, data and trending, brand need [...]

• 2 Reasons Why the Brand Remix is Important

  Kevin Williams

  14 Sep 2009 | 3:28 pm

  I’ve spent over two weeks reading all I can about this story. My 3 year-old is beside himself! And as comic book guy and Disney dad, I think this could point in the right direction. Somewhat. Just in case you live under a rock somewhere, Disney bought the Marvel franchise for $4 billion. That’s right [...]

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  brandcowboy

• Begging to differ.

  20 Nov 2009 | 2:51 pm

  After a week of forehead-smackingly circular debates, I would like to propose that we ban differentiation. I’d like to suggest that all brands immediately refrain from this dangerous and archaic practice, and that there be some sort of penalty for failing to do so. I’m thinking something like, say, being exclusively distributed by Walmart. Just spitballing , here. We can discuss this detail another time, but the issue is, I have suddenly realized, pressing. Like most evil things, it started out innocently enough. The idea that a brand has to be distinct from its competitors is hard to…

• Faith.

  15 Oct 2009 | 10:12 am

  Throughout the twitchy world of modern marketing, social media is, of course, the new black. And by black, I mean overcrowded lifeboat. Marketers are falling all over themselves firing up Facebook fan pages, pimping themselves out to build Twitter followings, and uploading those bacterial video thingies to YouTube. It’s an orgy of ingratiation that smacks a bit of somebody’s tax auditor dad rocking a Hollister hoodie. And then someone comes along to show us the way. Someone German, arrogantly elitist, and resolutely stuck in the past. Someone named Porsche. Let me set this up for…

• Speak no evil.

  18 Sep 2009 | 9:48 am

  I am driving a dreary, abused little rental car today. And my lawn is deep enough to conceal ocelots. In the last couple of weeks, I’ve been disappointed by a couple of very famous brands in which I’d invested both faith and cash. And I’m not just whining, here, about a lousy customer service experience or some random product quality deficiency. I’m talking about products that failed on precisely the terms in which their brands defined them (Land Rovers aren’t supposed to strand you in the middle of nowhere – routinely - whatever other quirks they may have. And John Deere tractors…

• WOM in sheep's clothing.

  27 Aug 2009 | 1:25 pm

  A couple of weeks ago, I gave a speech at a conference in Colorado Springs. My hosts graciously invited me to join the delegates at dinner the night before my keynote, and I – believing ardently that the words ‘sushi’ and ‘buffet’ are poetry together – gratefully accepted. It was a lovely evening, and I met lots of interesting, smart people. Including one patrician fellow who firmly gripped my hand, looked me straight in the eye like a gunslinger, and said, “So, what are you here to sell us?”On the plane for home, I thought up all sorts of witty answers. None, however, were…

• Raiders of the Lost Art.

  30 Jul 2009 | 6:45 pm

  It’s a classic, the ageless cinematic equivalent of a whoopee cushion: Having escaped certain doom by the skin of his teeth, Indy and the girl find refuge in a cave/cellar/catacomb/flaming biplane, only to discover that they have leapt into the certain jaws of a worse fate. And that’s where the real adventure begins. Thanks to a misspent youth, it’s this image rather than something more Homeric that popped into my head as I read Forbes’ piece last week on the explosion of spending in online media. It’s getting hard to argue that traditional advertising has seen its best days. By the…

• 
  Thoughts & Notions | Blackcoffee

• What is strategy?

  Mark Gallagher

  16 Nov 2009 | 7:33 am

  Most people have a vague, if not incorrect, definition of strategy, often confusing it with tactics. This shouldn’t come as a big surprise. Many people derive definition through association. Over time, misuse of the words Strategy, Strategic, Tactics and Tactical have obscured their meaning, so much so that for many organizations “strategy” has become a barrier to success. Before you can formulate a strategy, your team must share a common and accurate definition. Ensuring that your definition is clear and simple makes for better communication. What is strategy? The word…

• Subtractive Thinking

  Mark Gallagher

  2 Nov 2009 | 7:56 am

  Few would argue with the statements: “Less is more” (Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, architect), “Do more with less” (Buckminster Fuller, structural engineer), or “Less but better” (Dieter Rams, industrial designer). The list goes on. Each of these minimalists built through subtraction. You too can benefit from a minimalist approach. Most brands and businesses focus on adding value by adding functions. Yet, subtraction is more than just a way of reducing costs. Subtractive thinking can add real value, both by cutting cost and increasing usability. Additive +…

• RiP! A Remix Manifesto

  Laura Savard

  16 Oct 2009 | 9:28 am

  As business assets, “brands” are intellectual property. They are legally protected trademarks. Anyone working in the field of branding has a reasonable understanding of trademark and copyright law. But today, even the experts are confused as to who owns what. In his film, RiP! A Remix Manifesto, filmmaker Brett Gaylor explores issues of copyright in the information age, mashing up the media landscape of the 20th century and shattering the wall between users and producers. Thanks to Hulu we are able to share this full-length feature (1:26:23) with you. So bookmark it and watch it…

• Visualizing Brand Architecture

  Laura Savard

  5 Oct 2009 | 12:37 pm

  Brand architecture is yet another area within the discipline of branding that becomes more effective as strategy and aesthetic are practiced as one. Brand architecture provides a blueprint for growing and managing a company’s brand portfolio by defining relationships between sibling brands. However, those relationships are often lost within the context of a spreadsheet, and the result is inadvertent competition and market cannibalization. This can be avoided by ensuring that your brand architecture is depicted though visual maps that define each brand’s areas of focus and overall market…

• Merging Strategy and Execution

  Laura Savard

  21 Sep 2009 | 8:58 am

  There is no question that the traditional agency model is broken. However, the reason may not be due to a shift in how people consume media. The traditional assembly line mentality forces everyone to focus on their own part of the puzzle rather than the greater whole. This division of thinking simply doesn’t work in today’s world, because it leaves too much to be misinterpreted and works toward predetermined solutions. Here, R. Keith Sawyer, Washington University psychologist and author of Explaining Creativity, clearly illustrates the benefits of this approach in an interview…

• 
  Razor Branding Blog

• $3,000,000 for a Pair of Shoes

  jacirusso

  20 Nov 2009 | 4:40 am

  air jordan by nike One of the worst cases of miscommunication over a brand has been occuring in Floridan over the past few weeks of basketball season.  The University of Central Florida, Adidas and Marcus Jordan (son of Michael) have been embroiled in a series of “he said, he said” that has ultimately cost the school a $3,000,000 endorsement contract. On October 21st, the Chicago Tribune announced that UCF promised Marcus Jordan during recruitment that he could wear Nike Air Jordan shoes and that Adidas had agreed to the exception. As the Orlando Sentinel reports, Marcus Jordan…

• Best Commericals of the Decade

  jacirusso

  18 Nov 2009 | 3:23 am

  Best Commericals of the 2000s Adweek has launched a poll asking which commercials (non Superbowl) are the best of the 2000’s. The list of contenders: Adidas “Hello Tomorrow” (TBWA|Chiat|Day) Bud Light “Swear Jar” (DDB) Budweiser “Wedding Toast” (DDB) Cadbury “Gorilla” (Fallon) Comcast “Rabbit” (Goodby, Silverstein) Dove “Evolution” (Ogilvy & Mather) Got Milk “Birthday” (Goodby, Silverstein & Partners) Guinness “Noitulove” (AMV BBDO) Honda “Cog” (Wieden + Kennedy) Honda…

• Are You Different Enough?

  jacirusso

  17 Nov 2009 | 3:57 am

  “In advertising not to be different is virtually suicidal.” - Bill Bernbach With the amount of clutter surrounding us every day, it is a wonder that we can see anything.  It is estimated that the average person is faced with close to 5000 product messages every day.  The messages that are too similar are the easiest to overlook. If you are focused on the same features as everyone else - best price, best people, best service - then you will get lost in that shuffle. Zappos has been able to turn ‘best service’ into a true advantage.  But make no mistake about it, they…

• Brand Buzz: YouTube

  jacirusso

  16 Nov 2009 | 12:47 pm

  Ever wonder how you can use YouTube more effectively?  Amazed at the traction that BlendTec has received and their ability to increase sales 600% through their use of YouTube? On this week’s episode of Brand Buzz we will be talking about how to expand your brand through YouTube.  Tune in every Monday at 5:20pm to KPEL 105.1 on your radio or online at www.kpel1051.com for another installment of Brand Buzz. How are companies using YouTube? Are they able to increase sales? What about public relations? Tune in to Brand Buzz on KPEL FM 105.1 at 5:20pm every Monday or if you miss the show…

• Healthcare and Social Media and You

  jacirusso

  16 Nov 2009 | 3:44 am

  It’s no surprise that one of the biggest trends in human communications today is social networking and social media. It may also come as no shock that since this medium is growing at an alarming rate, certain industries are reconstructing the way they do business to in order to be a part of it. Facebook, Twitter and YouTube have become fixtures in the daily lives of most Americans, and now, entire industries have discovered the potential of connecting with their once elusive audience. But it is no about selling something. Some industries are using social media very well by engaging in a…

• 
  Profitable Growth

• The Road To Unprofitable Growth Is Paved With One Dollar Fajitas

  Today I met an old friend for lunch at Chili’s. We had years of catching up to do. But not before our caffeinated waitress hawked every feature, pushed every special and described each of her favorites on the menu! First, we ignored. Then we resisted. Ultimately, we succumbed and ordered “her” mushroom ...

• An Anonymous Case Study of Survival and Profitable Growth

  Recently, I had lunch with a partner of one of my national and very private clients who I hadn’t seen since the November 2008 election. He gave me permission to recount his story. Last Fall, he was disenchanted, dismayed and worried that his processing and services businesses could not survive the ...

• Defining Profitable Growth In The New Economy

  Small business owner, how do you define profitable growth? I believe that in this new normal, the new economy, profitable growth has a new definition. Watch my video to how I define profitable growth in the new economy. How do you define profitable growth?

• DIY, DIWM, DIFM: What Can You Do?

  If it’s painful watching another small business struggle as the economy rebounds. It’s torture if it’s yours. Why won’t your customers buy from you when they are increasing their spending with others? When will they realize that imitating your value, products or services “in-house” is penny wise and pound foolish? The economy may ...

• Feeling Like Oliver Twist In The New Economy

  In talking to so many business owners, I can report that most feel like Charles Dickens’ young Oliver Twist with his nose pressed up against the dining room window filled with people and good food. [caption id="attachment_150" align="aligncenter" width="400" caption="Do you feel like Oliver Twist in the new economy? Image from ...

• 
  BrandAscension: Business Branding Tips

• What is the ‘One Word’ You Want to Own in the Minds of Your Market?

  brandascension

  16 Nov 2009 | 12:06 pm

  By Carol Chapman, Principal & Co-founder Regardless of the size of your organization, has the question been asked, “What is the one word you want to own in the minds of your market??  Before you answer, first think about the following: What is the overall feeling you want everyone (internally – your employees and externally – your customers) to experience ‘every step of the way’ with your brand? What is your brand’s ‘leave-behind’ expressed in one word? Try asking your employees and customers. The answers will most certainly be very revealing and probably varying.

• DEMAND FOR YOUR BRAND

  brandascension

  6 Nov 2009 | 11:18 am

  How to Create Customer Insistence through Internal Employee Brand Engagement! By Carol Chapman, Principal & Co-founder, The Brand Ascension Group Building a brand in today’s global market is very different from what it used to be. No longer can an organization expect marketing to do the work of branding. Marketing is important for communicating and spreading your brand’s message, piquing the interest of and acquiring new customers, however, the sheer effort of marketing doesn’t create a unique culture, systems and processes, nor deliver memorable brand experiences that keep…

• Employee Motivation when Times are Tough

  brandascension

  30 Oct 2009 | 11:21 am

  There are sure fire ways to motivate your employee team and keep them highly focused. The key piece to this is undergoing a internal brand-defining initiative. This process will awake and re-energize your team to take ownership in the brand they represent. We have seen amazing paradigm shifts in employee cultures when they begin to truly understand and CONTRIBUTE to what the brand stands for. Too many businesses, unfortunately, do not take the time to create the brand foundation and provide an clear definition of its own Brand DNA. How can employees truly embrace an employer, especially when…

• WHAT’S THE ‘DIFF?’

  brandascension

  4 Aug 2009 | 9:22 am

  Creating competitive advantage through a Values-led vs. Goals-led approach!                                            By Suzanne Tulien, Principal and co-Founder of The Brand Ascension Group This article was spawned once again from an experience that jarred me to thinking about the power of brand differentiators and how so many small business owners have an enormous opportunity to leverage and capitalize on them….but just don’t.  For one reason or another, the same old issue creeps into many small business offices, retail space, mind sets, and…

• Branded Imagination

  brandascension

  7 Jul 2009 | 11:43 am

  IMAGINE… being served an entrée that actually looks better than the menu photo. a clerk responding to you with ‘My pleasure!’ instead of ‘No worries’ or ‘No problem.’ getting the same ‘WOW’ service EVERY TIME you deal with that vendor. a sales representative who is familiar with the coupon you present and details of marketing campaign and is excited you are taking advantage of their offer. the grocery store clerk saying ‘thank you for shopping with us’ BEFORE you, the customer, says ‘thank you’ to the vendor for checking you out. a store clerk ignoring the phone…