The Catholic Brand of Ecology
THE POPE WITH HOPE
Pope Francis made headlines with his encyclical on the climate last week. It’s official! This is the first time a major religion took a public position on climate change, its causes, and what we can do about it. The Catholic religion is the largest religion with...
3 Take Aways From The Customer Experience Conference
THE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE RULES!
Last week we were honored to be the closing keynote speakers for the Annual Customer Experience Conference in New York, brought to you by the same folks who bring you the Consumer Confidence Index: The Conference Board. The MC for the event was Robert Reiss, often...
3 Things You Can’t Outsource
FOCUS ON SALES, NOT PRODUCTION
When contemplating a new business, many inexperienced entrepreneurs think they need bricks and mortar investments like offices, factories and farms. Focusing on production instead of sales is the biggest mistake many new start-ups make. Typically, when members of the general public first meet us, they automatically...
The Norwegian Brand Promotes a Culture of Environmentalism
NORWAY IS THE CLEAN WAY
We are posting this blog from Norway where we came to support and present at the annual “Mixer” which supports entrepreneurialism at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) in Trondheim. This is the largest technical university in Norway and has a robust entrepreneurial program...
Food Scores, a Game Changing App for Grocery Shoppers
THE GENIE IS OUT OF THE BOTTLE!
A non-profit called Environmental Working Group (EWG) has recently unveiled “Food Scores,” a soon-to-be-released app consumers can use to scan bar codes on packaged food items with their smart phones. Beyond the mandatory labeling on the package, consumers can, for the first time, have an easily...
Flawed Heroes Are Still Heroes
The Imperfect Buddha is the Perfect Buddha
Why do we take such exception to authority figures who are less than perfect on the one hand, and find thought leaders who admit to their mistakes more credible on the other? It seems counter intuitive to expect perfection in all areas from those we consider...
Domestic Solar Brand Needs Repair
BLINDED BY THE LIGHT
Orders for domestic solar roof installations are, well, “through the roof!” As solar power finally becomes mainstream, we thought we’d share our experience with solar. We were early adopters. We put in our first solar array in 1998 and have been using solar to produce both...
Rebranding a Commercial Neighborhood with Paint and Sensibility
BARIO TO BRAVO
We all have them in our towns: 50s-era strip malls with parking in front, originally designed to be convenient to an automobile-oriented society. Simply drive in, get your products and services, and drive out. Not much walking, not much community feeling, and not much fun. These...
VinoPro Reinvents Itself and the Wine Sales Business in the Process
THE BRAND BEHIND THE BRANDS
For the second year in a row, our client VinoPro again made the Inc. 500 list, showing 190% growth over last year. In 2013, they hit the ultra-prestigious Inc.500 list where they ranked No. 238 with a whopping 1,810% growth. Now, that is something to cheer...
Facebook Reneges on Its Brand Promise
“YOU REACHED 9 PEOPLE”
Without notice to its subscribers, Facebook suddenly changed its algorithms, essentially reneging on its basic brand promise. Remember, the brand promise is not so much what is made by the brand owners as it is the expectations of the brand’s customers, what they have come to...
The Freedom Tower is More Than an Office Building – It’s a Brand
THE JEWEL IN LOWER MANHATTAN’S CROWN
When we were in New York City last year the cupola antenna was being hoisted into place at the top of the new Freedom Tower in the newly rebuilt World Trade Center. As a huge crane gently positioned the last piece of the Tower's stature in...
Traditional Corporate Structure Can Hurt Brand Health
THE DEFICIENCIES OF SCALE
In order to stay fresh, relevant, and dominate their space, brands must constantly reinvent themselves. But does the traditional company structure itself suffocate a brand’s growth and evolution? Does the structure itself create its own roadblocks, choke communication, and suppress innovation? Traditional corporate structure puts marketing...
Alan Mulally Remortgages, Repositions and Saves Ford
FUN – A THREE LETTER WORD
About to retire after eight years Alan Mulally, Ford Motor Company’s CEO, is leaving on a high note. When he was passed over to run Boeing after taking a big part in the reorganization of that company, he accepted Bill Ford’s offer to become CEO. At...
Electric Cars Gain Traction as Local Governments Cut Costs
LARGE PURCHACES LOWER PRICES
Sonoma County, California is making the nation’s largest single government purchase of electric vehicles. This is just the beginning of a trend that seeks to save taxpayers from the high cost of gasoline- powered vehicles. Over a five-year period, the County’s purchase of 31 all-electric Ford...
Branding the West Coast of Ireland – the Wild Atlantic Way
SLí AN ATLANTAIGH FHIÁIN
As if Ireland didn’t need another reason to attract visitors to this magical, historic and bucolic gem of an island, it has given the world one more reason to make that visit: the Wild Atlantic Way! The Wild Way Logo Stretching along 2500 kilometers of rugged...
The Brand That Promises Clean Water For All
FROM SEGWAY TO SLINGSHOT
According to the World Health Organization, almost one billion people are without direct access to safe drinking water, resulting in hundreds of deaths per year. Competition for this limited but essential resource is increasingly resulting in violence around the globe. Slingshot In most places, the problem...
The WNBA Brand Stays Relevant by Including LGBT
SALES TRUMP CONTROVERSY
For us, it was no surprise that the Woman’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) finally decided that it was time to publically embrace the LGBT community. They were under mounting financial and popular pressure to do so. After all, they have to sell tickets. In 2012 the WNBA...
Elon Musk – Brand Builder Delux
THINK BIG, REALLY BIG!
Serial Entrepreneur When we are asked, "Who is your brand building hero?" the answer is easy: Elon Musk. He has built and sold brand after brand. He is the classic entrepreneur, taking the money from his last sale and plowing it into a new project, each...