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 […]
We make big decisions every day based on assumptions. When it comes to investing significant marketing dollars, we have to be very wary of these assumptions. Since we don’t have time to verify every piece of information that informs our marketing processes, we must create a system for determining which information is important enough to examine […]
I LOVE MAKING MISTAKES. Why? Because, like silly putty, the slinky and post-it notes – all the result of fortuitous mistakes – they offer an opportunity for break-through opportunities. In advertising, when we make a mistake for all the world to see, it’s embarrassing and makes us take a hard look at our proofing process. […]
A client called me several years ago with a spectacular idea for his marketing program. “I love it!” I said. “It’s fresh, it’s different, it’s relevant to your customers, and it’s testable. Let me know how the CMO likes it!” He grew silent on the line. And then said quietly, “Um, could you bring the […]
Chris Hayes EVP, Brand Strategy With 2018 just around the corner, I’ve been looking at some of the trends that will drive marketing in the New Year. Here are just a few things we’ll be seeing (or seeing more of) in the coming months: Artificial Intelligence – While still in the relatively early stages of […]
In the quiet, quaint, dry-until-a-year-ago town of Ephraim, Wisconsin, there is a soup bar called Czarnuszka Soup. A recent ad mentions that the restaurant seats 11, but having been there, I think 11 is a stretch. Weekly, the owner (Paul Wanish) publishes ads that would never be approved by anyone in advertising, ever. But as […]
“Let’s go shopping after Thanksgiving dinner!” said the text from Aunt Karen. Black Friday shopping with my family in Philadelphia a few weeks ago resulted in an experience where a sticky brand message was powered by technology to define marketing success. The brand messaging was amplified by television and mobile to generate new customer acquisition. […]
And be disruptive. Yes, that was a disruptive headline and most likely got your attention. Now, I’m really not suggesting you get naked, but I do promise naked people will come in later in this post. But first, let’s talk about how hard marketing has become. Marketing is tough. It’s just plain hard, and there are […]
Today is #GivingTuesday, a national day devoted to giving back. So, we’re sharing a few local charities we’ve been involved with over the years, as well as some national organizations that support causes we care about. The Children’s Place KC. They provide specialized services and family support for children who have experienced abuse, neglect or […]
