Creative Marketing Strategy and Insights
March was Women’s History Month, and we saw a host of articles and stories celebrating the countless accomplishments of women throughout history (well, the clue is in the name). Of course the advertising business jumped in feet first and came up with all kinds of creative and clever ways to mark the occasion. Major brands […]
I had to travel for business during the Super Bowl. While I don’t follow American Football all that much, I do watch the Big Game for the commercials. In recent years, though, it’s become increasingly unnecessary; the really significant advertisers release their long-form versions online, often weeks before the game. But as you might expect, […]
There’s a scene in the film “Devil Wears Prada” where our plucky protagonist Andy is cut down to size by the head of Runway Magazine Amanda Priestly. The item in question is a hideous-looking bargain-store sweater, and the ribbing goes like this: “You think this has nothing to do with you. You go to your closet […]
We’re in the process of rebranding our business and messaging. For anyone who has had to do it before, you’ll understand. For those who have not, I would suggest that you, at the very least, go through the exercise. The reason is simple: it allows you to consider what your messaging, focus, and core principles […]
To engage is “to occupy, attract, or involve someone’s interest or attention.” First of all, I apologise for the cliché of starting a blog post with a definition. But in this case I wanted to set a level from which to begin my post; to define precisely what engagement means. In preparing a lunch & learn for […]
People have been getting upset about Apple, their products, and their branding since the Steves started that little company. This time it revolves around the so-called Apple Watch (not intentionally a pun, BTW). Many of my timepiece-collecting friends are up-in-arms about the $10,000 price tag of the luxury model. “Seriously? Are you going to hand it down […]
I’ve said this before, and I’ll say it again: Nothing in Marketing & Communications has changed in centuries and more. Back in January of 2013, the New York Times published an article by Stephen Baker on engaging Social Media for effective marketing and advertising. He used the image of Don Draper of Mad Men as the “old […]
Charles Gaudet writes an excellent post on Forbes this morning about Innovation versus Marketing. That’s right: versus. Why does it seem that the two sides are in opposition all the time? It’s like the rift between advertising and PR – or the Hatfields and McCoys. What good is a marketing plan if you have nothing new to sell? And what good […]
I recall having a conversation with a neighbour last year. The weekend was coming up, and the predictions were promising glorious weather: 24° C, low humidity, slightly breezy, and of course sunny. My neighbour remarked that it would be a perfect day to work from home. I heartily agreed, then stopped in mid-nod as he […]