When they started mass producing yogurt, it was difficult to blend the flavor with the plain yogurt. So they just squirted in the flavor first. Then some marketing genius declared “Fruit on the Bottom!” was a better kind of yogurt. The problem became the main selling feature. Another example: It’s hard to store and deliver furniture […]
Designs vs. Brands
October 11, 2013
Branding is much harder than design. So is explaining it. A brand is a bigger story that creates recognition and feelings. A design just makes it look good. To build a brand, you need longevity and consistency — so it gets recognized over time and feelings can grow. (Which really means you need patience to let a […]
Why great brands are boring
August 11, 2013
Resist the urge to change your marketing every month. Don’t change your look, theme, or logo because you’re bored. Building a brand takes time and consistency. You need to build familiarity for years and years until everyone knows who you are and what you stand for. Take this advice from M.P. Mueller of branding shop […]
Powerful Positioning in 140 Words
July 13, 2013
You can’t be more than one thing in the mind of a customer. You can’t be the best salad bar and the best pizza place. You can’t be the best ad agency and social media expert. You can’t be the gym and fitness store. Why? Nobody believes you. You kill the word of mouth — […]
There’s no “and” in “brand”
July 8, 2013
We see this all the time: A typical “services” page from a small digital agency. Search and social and email and inbound and apps and local and mobile — they claim they can do it all. I don’t believe it. It’s just not possible. It’s definitely not possible for them to be fantastic at all […]
Poop jokes
April 19, 2013
As a father, I am an expert at poop jokes. Kmart is getting lots of attention for one — a viral video and TV ad called “Ship My Pants”: I’m have mixed thoughts on this sort of strategy. Dirty humor is always risky for a mainstream brand. Is it worth offending some customers to get […]
Authenticity has to be authentic
March 26, 2012
You can’t create “authenticity” in the Branding Department. It’s not something marketers can invent. (That would be the opposite of authentic.) Run away screaming if you’re in a meeting to “create authenticity.” But you can unveil it, demonstrate it, and let people see what makes you real. Example: There are some stunning BBQ food trucks […]
Great brands are boring
March 11, 2012
Resist the urge to change your marketing every month. Don’t change your look, theme, or logo because you’re bored. Building a brand takes time and consistency. You need to build familiarity for years and years until everyone knows who you are and what you stand for. Take this advice from M.P. Mueller of branding shop […]
What does your motto say about you?
November 19, 2011
Hopefully, more than nothing. Nucor is a great turn-around story in the steel industry. But their mission statement tells us nothing. They want to take care of their customers, while being the safest, highest quality, lowest cost and post profitable — while taking care of the environment and their community. Admirable, but it violates two […]
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