Happy Earth Day, Brand Makers. I've worked on several eco-friendly brands and brands looking to leverage environmental trends. As a consumer, I love to buy brands committed to the environment. So, I thought I'd share with you some of my thoughts on eco-innovation done right.
Read MoreMood boards are a great way to bring to life your brand positioning in a compelling way. They telegraph what a brand is about. They convey your brand character in a way that words cannot. In essence, they elevate your brand story....
Read MoreWhat if your brand were a person? What would he look like? What would her personality be like? What if your brand were a place? What would it be? What would it look like? Who would be there? And what is the one thing your brand could be that would differentiate it in the marketplace? Asking yourself the “Person, Place or Thing” questions can help drive your branding efforts....
Read MoreInsights and ideas can come from many different places. Of course, brands need to get close to their consumers and understand them. But sometimes it helps to gain a different perspective on your brand from experts. Getting an expert opinion can infuse your branding or innovation initiatives with interesting insights or ideas that you might not otherwise be able to uncover from talking to only to consumers......
Read MoreMany companies believe that the key to growth is innovation. So, if you work in innovation, how do you get really good at innovating? To be a genius innovator, it helps to understand how creative geniuses think. Michael Michalko at The Creativity Post wrote an interesting article about how geniuses think and what we can learn from them. He refers to work by scholars who study creative geniuses throughout history - from scientists like Einstein to artists like Picasso, and highlights the different thinking styles they possess. When I saw this list of strategies, I realized that anyone can be a genius innovator....
Read MoreCapturing your brand or new product idea in a concise and compelling concept will help you identify and strengthen your branding communications. As a strategist, I’ve written hundreds of concepts – both brand concepts and innovation concepts for leading global brands. I am also a writer, so I take this assignment very seriously. In this post I’ll break down the components of a concept and provide some tips on how to write a killer concept....
Read MoreIn crafting a brand positioning, it’s important to not only think about what are your product benefits, but it’s also just as critical to articulate what your brand values are. Why is this? Because values are what make brands stand out in a world of sameness. It gives brands a distinct perspective on the world and helps shape their communications.
Read MoreDo you ever feel the Creativity Blues? I’m not talking about the kind of Blues that inspired Picasso’s blue period. I'm talking about the kind of Blues that leaves you feeling uninspired to create or unequipped to handle the negative emotions associated with being creative. We’ve all felt it at times. Those thoughts in our heads that say, “This isn’t good enough to show anyone,” “What I have to say isn’t important,” or “Why does this matter?” We’ve all had those thoughts at one point or another.....
Read MoreOne of the best ways to come up with ideas for Innovation is to Ideastorm. Ideastorming is brainstorming for ideas with the goal of coming up with as many ideas as possible. That means coming up with both good and bad ideas – then sifting through them to find the gems.....
Read MoreIt’s spring and spring cleaning is top of mind for me at the start of this season. Marketers who manage brands are often too busy working on the day-to-day challenges of product management to think about the health of their brand. But maybe it’s time to take a pause and take inventory of how your brand is doing. Maybe it’s time for a little spring cleaning.....
Read MoreThink about your brand not as a transaction with your consumer, but rather as an experience to delight your consumer. When you think of your brand in this way, it means understanding the consumer experience from start to finish – from when the consumer starts to think about your category or brand, to the actual user experience, and through to the aftermath of the experience....
Read MoreIt’s more important than ever to deal with others with authenticity, kindness, and yeah – love. Consumers are taking to Twitter, Yelp, blogs, social media and websites to get and share information on brands. Thinking about the power of the Internet and how fast information travels, a positive interaction with your brand can be amplified to a high degree. On the flip side, a negative interaction with your brand can have a detrimental effect. That’s why showing the love to your consumers should be part of your brand’s mission and the company’s DNA....
Read MoreRight now I’m reading the book Work Rules!: Insights from Inside Google That Will Transform How You Live by Laszlo Bock, and it's gotten me wondering about what motivates people in their marketing careers. Reflecting on my 20 years in my marketing, I’ve been asking myself: what keeps me going and what makes me happy?...
Read MoreWhen brainstorming ideas for new products, it’s useful to have interesting starting points for ideation. Innovation platforms are a great way to inspire breakthrough ideas to extend your brand….
Read MoreBrands that put their consumers at the center of their company develop lasting relationships with them. They have higher brand loyalty and higher levels of engagement. Consumers who feel listened to also advocate for your brand. It makes a lot of sense to put consumers at the center of your business.....
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