february brand-as-business buffet

A new definition of brand.  Inspiring employees.  My take on the Super Bowl ads and the new Taco Bell tagline.  Check out my writings on these and other topics in the following “brand-as-business buffet,” a round-up of content from me from this past month.

retail and restaurants:

• How to Keep ‘Em  Coming Back — my QSR Magazine column on how to increase purchase frequency
• So, You Want to Try a New Concept — a piece published by Smartblog on Restaurants about how to get the most out of a new concept test
• Brand Experience Briefs – insights, analysis, and photos from my audits of new and interesting restaurant and retail concepts:  Steak n’ Shake Signature and REI in SOHO
• Loyalty Payoffs — a quote of mine in a RGMT Magazine piece about effective loyalty programs

advertising and marketing communications:

• The Super Bowl’s Intended Receivers — a blogpost about lessons on hitting your target audience from this year’s Super Bowl’s ads
• Ghosts of Super Bowl Pasts — reminders of lessons learned from past Super Bowl ads
• Taco Bell to Exchange ‘Think Outside the Bun’ for ‘Live Mas’ — my response when Advertising Age asked me what I thought of Taco Bell’s new slogan
• Thank You and Come Again — a brand-as-business bit on the brand-building power of a heartfelt thank you
• Think of Ads as Movie Trailers — a brand-as-business bit on what ads can learn from best practices of movie trailers

brand-as-business:

• The Brand Equation — my first piece as a regular contributor to OPEN Forum suggests a new definition of brand
• Mutiny or Movement – It’s Your Choice — a guest post on Uprising Movements about inspiring your employees to greatness
• Employee Movements – my January “brand-as-business brief (tm)” with bonus content on employee engagement
• A Brand Lesson from Komen and Planned Parenthood — a brand-as-business bit on the importance of brand alignment

other brand-building topics:

• Brand Elephant — a few brand definitions from the world’s leading brand thinkers as compiled in Debbie Millman’s Brand Thinking and Other Noble Pursuits
• Justin McCarthy on Crossing the Chasm at Garmin — my interview with Garmin’s sports and fitness rep about how his company is trying to appeal to the mainstream consumer
• The Problem with Passion — an excerpt from a ChangeThis Manifesto by Carol Roth that challenges the myth of following your passion to success
• Would You Like a Coffee with That Wi-Fi? — a brand-as-business bit about  the value of the entire customer experience compared to the specific product purchased

Debbie Millman, Super Bowl advertising, flagship store, Steak 'n Shake Signature, advertising strategy, new concept, Planned Parenthood, Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation, Brand Thinking and Other Noble Pursuits, brand communications, Garmin, Justin McCarthy, Carol Roth, commercials, digital fitness, purchase frequency, RGMT Magazine, failure, brand alignment, culture, Taco Bell, REI, QSR Magazine, QSRs, taglines, loyalty, crossing the chasm, ChangeThis, customer experience, employee engagement, Zappos, employee brand engagement, fast food restaurants, passion, Uprising Movements