brand-as-business bit:  The news that emerged a few weeks ago about Apple getting approval from the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office for aspects of its store design got me thinking.  On the one hand the application seemed somewhat excessive — that a single brand could lay claim to a glass storefront and oblong tables with stools […]

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Some business leaders manage to become talent magnets.  Not only are they followed by loyal employees and pursued by prospective ones, but they also attract the best agencies, consulting firms, and freelancers.   […]

Between spring break, March Madness, and primary season, there’s been a lot going on outside the brand world this month.  But there’s also been a flurry of new brand-building content going around.  Here’s a handy recap of what I contributed to the conversation: brand-building: Steve Jobs on Brand-Building — a slide show of what Walter Isaacson’s […]

On the eve of a special Apple event, it seems the allure of the Apple brand is as strong as ever.  “We have something you really have to see. And touch,” declares the invitation to the March 7th media event.  Quite a buzz has been building up! I don’t know if tomorrow’s announcement will impress […]

Magician

Several weeks ago Bloomberg BusinessWeek published an article about Steve Jobs entitled, The Last Pitchman.  It documented Jobs’ seemingly inexplicable ability to sell practically anything, as evidenced by his glorious pitch for the iPhone 4, a “new” product which the news media had already gotten hold of and detailed weeks before.  I tore the pages […]