Lessons From An Unexpected Disruptor: Urgent Care
My mentor Clayton Christensen taught us that disruptors win by being cheaper. They enter the market at the bottom with “good enough” alternatives that cost less, then gradually move upmarket, as Toyota’s economy cars eventually ...
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 ...
Why Marketing Is The Conscience Of Business
From all my years in research and consulting, I think I’ve learned a thing or two about marketing worth sharing. Enduring fundamentals, mostly yet often overlooked. So, this year, I’m sharing some for your consideration. ...
Can Amazon Differentiate As A Big-Box Retailer?
Once again, Amazon is startling the retail landscape. Now, it is the arrival of a big brick-and-mortar store: 230,000 square feet. The reporters say this square footage is about the size of two Target stores ...
A Brand’s Values Live In Its Choices
A recent furor over Tottenham Hotspur’s use of “Can’t Smile Without You” is, on the surface, an easy story. A songwriter, who happens to support Arsenal, objects to Spurs playing ‘his’ song. Lawyers mutter about ...
Managing Brand Voice In A Politicized Public Square
This past weekend, more than sixty Minnesota-based CEOs signed an open letter calling for “immediate de-escalation” and cooperation after unrest connected to federal immigration enforcement operations and two fatal shootings. The letter is restrained. It ...