How Under Armour Forgot The First Rule Of Brand Strategy
Never confuse the customer. Once, at an advertising agency meeting with our IHG client, one of the agencies admitted that their commercials for Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express were confusing. The stated benefits for ...
Harley-Davidson’s Brand Problem Is Bigger Than Its Bikes
Financial geniuses on Wall Street appear to be happy that there is new leadership at Harley-Davidson, Artie Starrs as CEO. As with the appointment of the previous CEO, Jochen Zeitz, analysts and those with significant ...
Marketing Rarely Fails On Its Own
Marketing rarely fails on its own. It reveals where purpose is being treated as language, and where it’s being treated as a discipline. When a campaign underperforms, most brand leaders look to adjust the marketing ...
Why Clarity Isn’t A Communication Problem
Just notice something. Think of a team you’ve been part of. Or maybe the one you’re in right now. And ask yourself, honestly: does it feel clear? Not organized. Not busy. But clear. Many of ...
The Link Between Brand Vision And Enduring Profitable Growth
A brand needs a vision. A brand vision is not just an idea. A brand vision is a determined goal. A brand vision is your definition of a future world in which your brand will ...
The Most Underutilized Competitive Advantage: Brand Culture
The Seattle Seahawks won the Super Bowl, as we all know. Numerous video recaps of the game, a wide variety of articles, and a lot of insights from observers, sports analysts, and Monday-morning quarterbacks focused ...
Every Product Is A Mirror Of The Organization That Built It
In 1968, computer scientist Melvin Conway made an observation that’s been shaping how we understand teams and technology ever since: Any system’s design will reflect the communication structure of the organization that created it. Engineers ...
Brand Positioning Is A Leadership Decision, Not A Marketing Exercise
Brands that lead today do three things exceptionally well. They create an emotional advantage that customers cannot get elsewhere. They establish a distinctive advantage that customers recognize as meaningfully different. They build a connective advantage ...
The Future Belongs To Talent-First Brands
The most important component of long-term sustainable advantage for any firm, regardless of its size, is its ability to attract, retain, inspire, and grow talent. Talent is the sustainable advantage. It is talent and only ...