Want to spice up your marketing message? Just look to the Bible. Wait. What? #WhatIsSheTalkingAbout? I’m talking about the seven deadly sins, friends. Those transgressions which are fatal to spiritual progress. I know. Heavy stuff. But if you take a few steps back, squint a little bit, turn your head sideways ever so slightly and […]
Seriously, learn to direct your creative efforts like a rock star. Mick Jagger knows about the creative process. He’s done well by anyone’s standards. In terms of money and accolades, he’s got those covered. I recently read his net worth is $360 million. He was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 2002, and today, he […]
Does your brand stand for something? Is it more than just products and services? Does your brand have a cause greater than commerce? More and more, brands are aligning themselves with charitable causes. And customers are taking notice. Last year, Ad Age published a study by the research firm Toluna about the impact of brands […]
As consumers, we typically look for value – that perfect combination of quality and price – when we make a purchase. Most of us have a favorite retailer or group of retailers, and today’s hyper-competitive, information-driven marketplace allows us to easily compare prices across multiple retailers and channels. A recent study by Bain & Company […]
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 […]
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 […]
