A recent AdvertisingAge article about the launch of the 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray has me perplexed.  Let’s lay out some quotes and discuss them.

“To Sell the Stingray, Chevy Plans to Target Porsche”.  

Really, why?  From a positioning standpoint, this seems like a bit of apples and oranges.  It would be like McDonald’s supporting  their “Angus Deluxe” burger by…

A recent Advertising Age magazine included an ad for a conference entitled "What Women Want From Brands".  In it were the jaw dropping and gargantuanly contradictory statistics that 85% of brand purchases are made by women, but that 91% of women say advertisers don't understand them.  I guess the obvious question is, could this disconnect be driven by the fact that only 3% of ad agency creative directors are women?   

What is the logic or business purpose behind this reality? How is the dearth of women in senior advertising roles strategic to that business? Has it been established that men somehow know more about women than women do? Are women somehow incapable of…

The latest Bloomberg Businessweek has its annual “How To” section with a little bit of everything squeezed in.  Included is a paragraph by Lew Frankfort,  the CEO of Coach, on how to “Reinvent A Brand”.  It talks about how they are transforming Coach into a women’s lifestyle brand.  He offers the following headlines:

• A transformation has to be careful, nurtured.

• Understand your consumer and what motivates them.

• Know your employees and what they’re capable of.

• Do an enormous amount of research.

• You’re never done.

I think Frankfort…

For most b2c companies, a high-performing brand is the most productive path to growth.  Branding connects your business to more consumers with compelling messages that encourage them to buy more of what you're selling.  Advertising and other creative agencies are, therefore, some of the most important partners you can have to help you in this effort.  For those who don't have lots of experience evaluating and hiring agencies, here are some tips on what to think about in engaging the right creative partner for you.

1) Consumer Insight - do your potential creative partners demonstrate keen insights about consumers - and in particular your consumers?  Can they share wisdom and insight about what makes your consumers tick and how to connect to them…

Any company can have a high performing brand that dramatically increases sales and profits. You don’t have to already be Coca-Cola or Apple to have one.  In fact, small and mid-sized (SMB) business owners should remember that every multinational giant was once a small business.  Whether you want to expand your company globally or just create more wealth for your family, shareholders, and employees - there are some fundamental branding principles that can get you solidly on your way.   



First, its important to realize that like adopting a healthier lifestyle, building a strong brand requires more than just one-off, quick fix gimmicks.  Effective branding demands a long-term…

Throughout life, there are many instances where a balance of two factors is required for something to be its best.  Think about it, the heart and head, Yin and Yang, male and female, positive and negative polarities, etc.  In advertising, it's really no different.  For an ad to be its best, it's got to be a function of both strategy and creativity.  It’s got to be about consumer insights and brand strategy and about the “Big Creative Idea” communicated in a compelling way.  Without either, the chances for success are severely limited.

Are there some ads that do well (i.e. that sell product) that don’t have that critical blend at their…

Perhaps the most powerful tool that any B2C company can have to drive sustainable growth for their business is a strong brand.  Rooted in consumer insights, brand strategy, and compelling creative, a brand is a vehicle that both disseminates critical product and retail information, but also packages it all in an emotional/aspirational frame that, if done well, inspires greater consumption and loyalty.  A strong brand, by definition, moves product.  Just ask Apple, Coca-Cola, Nike, etc.

Unfortunately brand-building, which was already a complicated and difficult process to start with, in recent years has become insanely complex.  This is…

“I do not regard advertising as entertainment or an art form, but as a medium of information. When I write an advertisement, I don’t want you to tell me that you find it ‘creative.’ I want you to find it so interesting you buy the product.”

David Ogilvy

Enough said.

Every dollar spent in a company should be scrutinized and should have a positive ROI attached to it.  That’s the point of business, right?  Done well, advertising has the power to be one of the most productive investments that a company can make.  Compelling branding can inspire consumers to both ride the wave of great product growth, but also sustain revenue during lean times. Here's some context to help understand how to think about your marketing investment for those relatively new to it.  

First, advertising is about creating a relationship with your consumers.  Like any relationship, it takes consistent effort over time to establish a strong bond and to do well.  You could drop a lot of money on one effort and call it a day.  You most likely…

The human mind is one of the most complex and mysterious things in the universe. Yet when the word "depression" is spoken, for example, despite it being a concept squarely anchored in the realm of psychology and the mind, it connotes a clear definition and meaning. This is without regard to who says the word, either psychologist, or patient, or psychiatrist, or internist, or talk show host. Depression is depression. When people throughout the business world say "debit" or "credit", these are ideas that no matter whether you are a CPA or a CMO or a CFP or a CHRO, the meaning is precisely the same.

Furthermore, we live in a Western world that is dominated by marketing-driven consumerism. Marketing and advertising are woven into just about every nook of society; they are the fundamental engines that drive business. Wouldn't it be reasonable to think that the basic pillars of…