I’ve been working with a major retail brand and my engagement has included an audit and assessment of retail best practices. Although most of my work is proprietary, I wanted to share some of my findings here because I’ve found some really interesting patterns. (more…)
I read with great interest an article in SmartBusiness about Red Mango and the yummy yogurt chain’s founder, president, and CEO of Red Mango, Dan Kim. 
I’m fascinated by the frozen yogurt chains that have emerged on the cultural landscape in last 5 years. Pinkberry has probably gotten the most coverage in the press, with its high design aesthetic and celebrity fans, but there are plenty of others in the game including Red Mango. The category is very crowded with operators of all sizes competing in a relatively small niche with punch cards and discount days. Building brand awareness and shoring up a loyal customer base are particular challenges, which is in part why I’m so interested in the category (liking fro yo also has something to do with it too!)
In the SB piece, Dan explains his thinking and approach to building the Red Mango brand. Clearly, this is a guy who gets it. He believes in the power of his brand and he actively nurtures and protects it. Here are my reactions to his comments, along with some suggestions for how he might ensure his brand-building efforts continue to be successful as the chain grows. (more…)
Recently several manufacturers have announced that they are initiating an e-commerce business. I’m not sure of the motivations behind these moves but it seems to be a growing trend. Although many manufacturers have been offering direct sales for many years through their own e-commerce sites, it seems we’re seeing a new surge of interest in doing so from players who have historically shunned the idea.
Last month I asked you to vote to get my manifesto, “Reset: Re-Ignite Your Business with the Power of Your Brand,” published on ChangeThis. I really appreciate all of your votes which ended getting my paper to one of the top spots on the list — but apparently others garnered more and so they took a pass. So…I’m publishing it here instead. And, I’m also posting some bonus content. (more…)
Today’s post is actually an article of mine which brandchannel just published. You can either click here to read it on brandchannel and track the comments brandchannel readers submit — or if you’re click-averse, just read on. (more…)
The following is a guest post by dear friend and consumer expert Brad Bennett. Brad is an ethnographer living the Chicago area. By stepping into consumers’ worlds, he uncovers stories that bring fresh perspective and new opportunities for clients and their brands. Contact Brad at Info AT BBennettCo DOT com.
Starbucks is launching instant coffee. 
What?! Yes, that’s right. They’ve been testing VIA instant coffee in Chicago, Seattle and London and are now rolling it out in Starbucks stores and other venues across the U.S. and Canada. When it showed up in our Starbucks stores in Chicago this summer, I couldn’t believe it. It is one more example of how they’ve lost their way.
Starbucks’ brand is anything but instant. (more…)
Two of my favorite brands recently introduced innovations that brought me such delight, I was prompted to think about what was so remarkable about them. What was it about them that not only delivered a great experience, but also grew my esteem of their respective brands?? (more…)
The 40th anniversary of the ground-breaking Apollo 11 mission reminds me of a talk by Jim Lovell,
the commander of the other famous Apollo mission (#13), which I recently I heard. In it, Mr. Lovell declared, “I shouldn’t be here,” and attributed the fact that he was indeed still here to the qualities of the men who worked to rescue the periled spaceship.
The same 5 qualities he described as the reasons why the mission didn’t fail seem to be the same qualities that explain why certain brands manage to overcome even the most threatening challenges: (more…)
I’ve been thinking about the importance of connecting the internal organization with external customers. 
All too often it seems companies are either too inwardly focused, getting too caught up in their own capabilities, technologies, and process — or too outwardly focused, trying to be everything to everyone and ending up being nothing to no one. (more…)
