Whose Tagline Is It Anyway?

By Chris Hayes, EVP Brand Strategy We recently completed a brand “refresh” for a catalog client that involved redefining the brand’s position and updating its visual identity. At the end of the process, the client asked us an important question: should they keep their tagline as part of their new identity? Ask five branding experts… Continue reading Whose Tagline Is It Anyway?

You Say You Want a Revolution?

Then you must embrace change. As many of you know, I’m a HUGE Beatles fan. It’s an obsession, really. A sickness. I admit it. When I first heard “Paperback Writer” at the age of 8, I was hooked. The fact that their music is still as relevant today (to multiple generations) as it was six… Continue reading You Say You Want a Revolution?

Playing for Keeps in the Digital Space

We live in a world of instant gratification – one-click shopping and information at our fingertips via a quick search. Digital marketing is on a similar evolutionary path – nothing can beat digital in terms of its ability to respond quickly to an action on behalf of the consumer. Between SEO, SEM and email automation,… Continue reading Playing for Keeps in the Digital Space

The Heart of the Matter: Emotion Marketing and the Catalog

Many catalogers today still approach their business as retailers first and marketers second. Retailers sell merchandise by focusing primarily on pricing and products. Marketers position their brands for success by introducing emotion into the mix. It’s easy to see why catalogers fall into the “price and item” trap. Consumers, when asked the reason for their… Continue reading The Heart of the Matter: Emotion Marketing and the Catalog

Stop Talking! Start Doing!

It’s frustrating to hear politicians talk about what they plan on doing, what their strategy is, how they’re more qualified to get things done…all without actually getting anything DONE! It’s just talk. They rarely execute any of these ideas. Unfortunately, this is also true of many brands today. Lots of great ideas, weak on execution.… Continue reading Stop Talking! Start Doing!

Why Mail A Catalog? The Stats.

Yes, mailing a catalog can be a powerful advertising tool. However, we realize its role has changed over the last several years. A successful catalog should DISRUPT your customer’s lives and get noticed. Once inside your catalog, it must DELIGHT with relevant products and stories that matter and finally, and most important, it must have… Continue reading Why Mail A Catalog? The Stats.

Stop Playing Pokémon GO and Read This

Invisible monsters, augmented reality and the future of catalogs So, how many Pokémon have you caught? You know, I used to chase invisible monsters through the park. They called me crazy. Today, everyone’s doing it. Who’s crazy now?! Pokémon GO is a legitimate pop culture phenomenon. Launched just this month, the free game app has… Continue reading Stop Playing Pokémon GO and Read This

Disappear Completely: Digital Marketing Lessons from Radiohead

In early May, British musicians Radiohead did the unthinkable: they lived up to their song title “How to Disappear Completely,” and erased themselves from the internet. Their website gradually decreased in opacity over the course of several hours, until it disappeared completely. Then, the band and its lead singer, Thom Yorke, removed all past posts,… Continue reading Disappear Completely: Digital Marketing Lessons from Radiohead

Customer Experience… The Competitive Advantage

There’s an old saying in marketing, “Happy customers tell three friends. Unhappy customers tell ten.” These days, with the ease of sharing on social media, those numbers are probably an understatement. The fact is the customer experience is arguably the most critical element of a brand’s success. According to a McKinsey study, 70% of buying… Continue reading Customer Experience… The Competitive Advantage