(Here’s the latest in my series of insights and analysis on new and interesting restaurant and retail concepts, Brand Experience Briefs.) Fresh 2 Order is a fast casual restaurant concept that seems to have a good thing going but lacks design excellence and coherence*. Check out this video audit: Brand Experience Brief: Fresh 2 Order […]
Brand Identity
12.20.11
2011 year in ideas
In the spirit of New York Times Magazine’s annual Year in Ideas, I’ve compiled an alphabetical digest of ideas, from A to Z, that I wrote, spoke, and passed along over the past 12 months. The following are excerpts — the original pieces linked. […]
My curiosity was piqued by the headline of a recent article comparing Siri, the personal assistant application on new iPhones, to Speaktoit, currently available on Android phones – but not because I wanted to understand the differences between the apps. I was struck by how different the two names are – Siri: short, cute, a […]
09.06.11
lessons from lady gaga
In a recent post, I described a meeting I led for one of my clients that needed to engage its senior leadership with its brand. And I mentioned that I had started the meeting with a cheeky “What Can Brands Learn from Lady Gaga?” video. Although I can’t show the video here, I did want […]
NBC’s new reality show, America’s Next Great Restaurant, aired again last night — contestants had to pick a chef, design a logo, and feed 1,000 people as a “proof of concept.” Here’s my recap and takeaways for all entrepreneurs: DLYohn America’s Next Great Restaurant 03.13.11 Episode 2 Recap from Denise Lee Yohn on Vimeo. […]
Thanks to my column-writing gig with QSR Magazine, I recently got an insiders’ look at a remarkable company, Garden Fresh Restaurant Corp. You probably know them as Souplantation, the 110+ unit salad and soup buffet concept, or Sweet Tomatoes, the name they operate under outside of Southern California. […]
09.29.10
a new song for blockbuster
A year and a half ago, I wrote “Don’t Stop Retailin’, Blockbuster,” an encouraging post to the then-struggling video rental chain. Blockbuster had just hired a new advertising agency and CEO Jim Keyes was mapping out his digital media-heavy plan for re-invigorating the business. I offered a different perspective saying, “While Blockbuster’s Keyes may want […]
09.10.10
ryanair: a brand i love to hate
Eliminating co-pilots; offering standing-only cabins; asking customers to work the baggage conveyor belt – these are the things Michael O’Leary dreams of. As CEO of Ryanair, O’Leary loves to propose provocative potential developments for his airline. Does he do it because he’s a rabble-rousing PR machine or because he’s a shrewd businessman – or both? […]
Earlier this week I posted some key takeaways from the keynote speakers and panelists at the Southern California Business Growth Conference. As a panelist on the marketing track, one of the things I said during the “Brand Implementation & Impact: Bring your Brand to Market” session seemed to spark some interest of its own – […]
03.05.09
10 criteria for brand you
A few weeks ago, in response to some inquiries by colleagues and friends, I wrote about personal branding. As a reminder, I suggested […]