Go “off plan”

April 12, 2010

Many of us had an idea of what our lives might be like in the future. Personally and professionally. I think we need to create and nurture this story about our future. It helps us focus ourselves today, knowing where we are headed. And it comforts us to know that we have a future. Even […]

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Customer Touchpoints 101

April 11, 2010

OK, I admit that my bad mood had something to do with it. So you can take this with a grain of salt. But, my friends, there’s still an important lesson here. The other day, I left the office to get something from my car. And wouldn’t you know it, I saw that I had […]

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Campaign to retake our language

April 1, 2010

It’s enough! I’ve had it. Don’t pretend you don’t know what I’m talking about. I know, you don’t want to deal with another crisis. The topsoil has been eroding as have many of our coastlines. The polar ice cap is melting. Hundreds of species are simply disappearing. And you don’t want another crisis to deal […]

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Do not seek excellence

March 29, 2010

A few days ago I had an amazing workout. Not because I burned so many calories. Not because I lifted more weight than ever before. But because there were moments of purity in my experience. During those moments some ideas came to me with a clarity that I rarely experience. And though I will do […]

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On squeezing and pleasing

March 22, 2010

Get your mind out of the gutter, that’s not at all what this post is about. No, really. There are two kinds of marketers: people-squeezers and people-pleasers. I know, I know. The whole “there are two kinds of” trope is way overdone. You’re right. But I really want to make this point anyway so please […]

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On trend-spotting

February 22, 2010

Below is the text of my recent post at Blogging Innovation: It is critical that businesses have a clear sense of the state of their current marketplace. They need to understand the needs of their customers, the relevant business models, the competition… But all of this is only good for keeping the lights on today. It […]

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The CPG model is in desperate need of innovation

February 5, 2010

Below is the text of my recent post at Blogging Innovation: While recent years have been a boon for innovation in various industries such as consumer electronics and automotive, the consumer packaged goods industry seems to be stuck serving up warmed over versions of past innovation. But while product innovation in CPG is badly needed, […]

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Do you really need a target?

February 4, 2010

Below is the text of my recent post at the CPG Branding & Marketing Forum: It is Marketing 101 gospel that you must have a customer target to position a brand or its offerings. Target is one of the four pillars of classical positioning alongside frame of reference, benefit and reasons to believe. But I’m […]

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In defense of judgementalism

January 12, 2010

You can learn a lot about a society by listening to its epithets. The use of racial epithets tells you that a society cares about race (i.e., that race is an issue, that it matters). The use of insults like “retard” or “idiot” can tell you that a society values intelligence (and then chooses to […]

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On fantasy and reality

January 8, 2010

My friend’s daughter had a school project which entailed sending a letter (as in the old fashioned kind on paper). The kid chose to write to Michael Jackson, knowing that he is dead. She even started her letter by telling Michael that she’s sorry he’s dead. Very funny! Anyway, the letter just bounced back. And […]

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