From the Editor of HOW Magazine

In the September 2012 issue of HOW Magazine, editor Sarah Whitman says: “Back in the day (say, 2010), marketing gurus were telling their disciples that, most of all, they needed to have a well-designed website and e-newsletter so potential clients would be able to easily find them. Fast-forward two years and the self-promotional landscape has […]

Social Media No Match for Face-to-Face

From wsj.com “Today’s consumer marketplace is highly social, but not because of particular platforms or technologies. The businesses that will be the most successful in the future are the ones that embrace a model that puts people—rather than technology—at the center of products, campaigns and market strategies. Those who achieve the greatest success will recognize that […]

Case Study: Selling More Chocolate

from the Wall Street Journal article by Elizabeth Holmes When Godiva wanted to get people to eat more chocolate, it had an 85-year brand history to overcome.

Branding by Design

From fastcompany.com Busy day, so I’m just going to quote the article: Branding and design are, to a large extent, inseparable. “A brand is not your logo or ID system,” says Brunner. “It’s a gut feeling people have about you. When two or more people have the same feeling, you have a brand. You get that […]

Book Review: The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing

by Al Ries & Jack Trout Some of the 22 laws are surprising and counter-intuitive. Number 12 in particular: the Law of Line Extension. Almost every company that achieves success with a brand begins extending that brand with multiple products. Case study: 7-Up, the uncola. 7-Up was the most popular alternative to regular cola, and […]

Rebranding

Rebranding an established company can be both exciting and scary. The fear is that a new image will alienate loyal customers. The exciting part is reconnecting with the core mission and setting new goals. The cost is high, without any guarantee of payoff. But what is the cost of standing still?

Book Review: The Ultimate Marketing Plan

by Dan S. Kennedy I liked the conversational tone of Dan’s writing. He is not academic. His experience comes from working with businesses first hand. The book relates the ideas that worked. This book is aimed at small business owners with little or no marketing experience looking for ideas to promote their businesses.

Fascinate

At the HOW design conference in June 2011, the keynote speaker was Sally Hogshead. She conceived the {F} SCORE brand personality test. You can take it yourself at her website. Her idea is that we all have the natural ability to fascinate. By knowing your triggers, you can leverage them to your advantage. My Primary […]

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