“Differentiate or die” is probably a familiar mantra to all; and there’s a well-established albeit less pithy corollary – don’t sell the category, sell your brand. After all, given the overcrowded nature of most categories, the hope of success for most brands rests on their ability to stand out from their numerous competitors. And promoting […]
The folks at Booz & Company published two articles a year apart but they are extremely relevant to each other. One describes six industries needing transformation; the other outlines one that’s already initiated a reboot. From both, we gain valuable insights about the why, what, and how of business transformation. […]
I’ve finally made it through all of the hours of Olympics coverage which I DVR’d because I had been unable to watch most of the Games live. Since I already knew the result of many of the competitions, I was interested in watching mostly for the profiles of the athletes and stories behind and nuances […]
Nike recently released their “Corporate Responsibility Report FY07-09” and I was so impressed by it, I just had to share my thoughts about it. […]
I just returned from a great trip to CES, the Consumer Electronics Show. There was a lot of excitement around new, innovative products and it seemed like important deals and connections were being made – it was an energizing way to start off the new year! I particularly enjoyed participating in some breakout sessions in […]
I’m fascinated by the recent flurry of activity of designer PCs. Having worked at Sony during the early years of VAIO (perhaps the first fashionable PC line, launched with its distinctive violet color and sleek features and all), it’s pretty amazing to me to see how the category has developed. […]
Recently Ad Age published a list of what it considered to be “America’s Hottest Brands.” The list featured 40 brands that are “setting the pace for innovation — and getting results – right now.” Although their selection criteria wasn’t clear and I can’t say I agree with all of the choices, I did find some […]
This week’s BusinessWeek features two stories back-to-back that together make an important point for all businesses trying to navigate today’s recessionary times. First is a piece on Target’s apparent move down market, “Look Who’s Stalking Wal-Mart.” It outlines several moves by Target that seem to be taken from Wal-Mart’s playbook. Then there’s the article, “Why […]
Earlier this week I had the opportunity to hear the leaders behind four of the most exciting brands in action sports talk about their journeys as entrepreneurs. They were brutally honest about their struggles and gave some great advice. I’ve compiled my notes into the following presentation. Thanks much to the entrepreneurs: Brian Enge, CEO […]
Earlier this week I attended one of the best conferences I’ve ever been to – Brand Managecamp. Billed as the “elite conference on branding,” and featuring some heavy hitting speakers like guru Guy Kawasaki and marketing professor/legend Phil Kotler, I had quite high expectations going into it – and they definitely were met. Len Herstein […]