The F-Train: A Ticket to San Millennial Valley?

Dollar Shave Club was the first one I remember. In 2012, just a year after they launched the brand, they uploaded a video titled “Our Blades Are F***ing Great.” And while they pulled their punch with bleeps and asterisks, it still had some shock value. And it worked! The brazen video got shared millions of… Continue reading The F-Train: A Ticket to San Millennial Valley?

Be Different. No, REALLY Different.

Be Different Really Different, Amazon

I have a confession: I don’t hate Amazon. I know it’s popular – especially if you work in retail or marketing – to hate on Amazon. And there are good reasons for doing so. They’re taking over the world, they’re killing mom and pop stores and retail businesses and…it’s all true. But I’m finding it’s… Continue reading Be Different. No, REALLY Different.

Beep-boop. I, for one, welcome our robot overlords.

…And other thoughts on the Digital Summit Kansas City’s inaugural Digital Summit was a few weeks ago, and it was a great experience and an eye-opener. There’s just no substitute for an intensive day and a half conference to get the updates for the ever-evolving digital landscape. I jotted down some thoughts while I was… Continue reading Beep-boop. I, for one, welcome our robot overlords.

STOP with the Buzzwords, Already

In early 2017, IKEA launched a catalog with the cover tagline, “Designed for people, not consumers.” And it continued on the inside cover: “Everything we do is driven by the needs and dreams of real people. … We make products and solutions with someone in mind.” Their message resonated with me. During the almost 10… Continue reading STOP with the Buzzwords, Already

If This, Then That: Email Strategy Made Simple

An email marketing program can be one of the most flexible, measurable and intelligent marketing channels for your business. Especially now that smartphones have put email at easy reach anytime, from anywhere. But in order for emails to be most effective, they have to be part of a carefully considered contact strategy. So, whether you’re… Continue reading If This, Then That: Email Strategy Made Simple

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

Catalog Critique: Making the most of QR codes

Almost every marketer introduced a QR code, or at least toyed with the idea, in 2011. But have these two-dimensional Quick Response codes really moved the needle in terms of customer engage­ment? They are certainly easy and inexpensive to cre­ate, but merchants—in their rush to adopt the newest tactic—may be missing opportunities to acquire new… Continue reading Catalog Critique: Making the most of QR codes