3 key elements of branding: Relevance, Credibility & Differentiation
When you look at companies — large and small — that have become successful brands,…
Branding Fundamentals – The ABCs of Branding are RCD
Relevance. Credibility. Differentiation. These are the universal branding fundamentals. When you look at companies —…
The Inside-Out Approach To Building A Brand — Start with your people
I’m always amazed by business owners and CEOs who spend considerable time and money building…
How to nail a 1-minute elevator pitch
I try to make it to the Bend Venture Conference every year. My favorite part…
The secret, missing ingredient of content marketing.
It’s the age of information, and much of the marketing buzz these days revolves around…
Custom club fitting: Path to perfection or folly of the fragile golf psyche?
One of the hosts of an immensely popular golf podcast recently said, on the air,…
Storytelling in business — a good story equals strong leadership.
Let me tell you a story about storytelling in business — the most important, most…
Ai-generated blog posts – the data is in.
Don’t rely on Ai for SEO search traffic. Last summer I set out…
Brewpub Branding: The problem with beer snobs.
I had an experience in a brewpub some years ago that was inspiring and insulting…
How to cut your marketing budget without hurting your brand image.
When it comes to belt tightening, most marketing managers have it all wrong. The minute…
The answer to all the marketing questions you’ve ever had…
It Depends. I always tell clients and prospects “There are no dumb marketing questions.”…
Garbage In, Garbage Out — How to avoid waste in advertising
I took a load to the local dump the other day. As I hucked yard…
Big Brand Redesign – Another new spin on the Pepsi logo.
Every 10 years or so the top marketing execs at Pepsi throw millions of dollars…
These two words are NOT synonymous: Logo. Brand.
Here’s something I heard from a young graphic designer recently: “Oh yeah, we’re going to…
Brands and corporate mergers — F15 Fighter vs. the 787 Dreamliner
In 1997 Boeing and McDonnell Douglas agreed on a merger. That marriage looked great on…
Brands of Love – Ski industry inspiration
I’ll never forget my first pair of skis… Hand-me-down Heads from a by-gone era. Jet…
Comparison ads – From Cola Wars to Computer Wars
A client of mine recently saw some competitors doing some pretty shady stuff, and asked…
Stop touting features and start talking about benefits
If you’ve been in business for more than five minutes you’ve probably heard marketing…
Ai in marketing — The amazing potential and real limitations
There’s so much buzz about AI in marketing I need a bee keeper’s suit just…
The lingering effects of your brand identity design – good or bad
Never underestimate the power of brand identity design. For good or bad. Decades after you’ve…
Ecommerce niches – the best thing ever for MANkind
Ten years ago I couldn’t imagine getting all my Christmas shopping done from the comfort…
Strategic listening and consumer insight – Small business market research
I’m a big proponent of small business market research. For me it’s insight first, THEN…
The difference between marketing strategy and tactics.
A successful marketing guy asked me a question recently — a real no-brainer — which…
Sage advice for small businesses — Just say no
Saying no is one of the most difficult yet liberating things you can do when…
Back to Basics (A working definition of Branding and Brand)
You say tomato, I say tahmahto. He says branding, she says marketing. No doubt, the…
Absolutely better branding for craft spirits
Chocolate vodka? Dill pickle vodka? Bacon flavored vodka? Cinnamon Roll Vodka? Smoked Salmon Vodka. I…
The most common misconceptions in marketing
I recently ran across this graphic (below) from a marketing person who teaches marketing people…
Words matter! Why your brand identity needs a tagline.
Cadillac stole my tagline. Back in 2004 I wrote “Be Iconic” to support my name…
What to think if you’re thinking of hiring a brand strategist.
This past year I landed a new client who had been thinking of hiring…
Restaurant Branding — Recipes for success and failure
At what point does a trendy new restaurant become an iconic brand? And when do…