Posts by Jay Gronlund

How Social Media Is Changing What Brands Stand For

Posted by on Mar 15, 2017 in Blog | 0 comments

How Social Media Is Changing What Brands Stand For

Our world has never been so divided by politics, with social media as a major catalyst for extreme opinions and reactions.   Brands are being pulled into battles on what they stand for, willingly and unwillingly, on both social and traditional media.  The driving force behind this disconcerting trend of brand politicization is the increasing vocalization of customer values, which have become so intensely defined and polarized recently, even demanding a particular stance by some corporate brands. When social media arose 15 years ago, marketers where afraid they would lose control over their...

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The Crisis of Message Credibility and Impact on Brands

Posted by on Feb 24, 2017 in Blog | 0 comments

The Crisis of Message Credibility and Impact on Brands

  Our world is more passionately polarized than ever.   Current politics have over sensitized even the most rational, knowledgeable people, creating a new level of acrimony and distrust among family and friends.  A major contributor to this divisiveness is the growth of “falsehoods” communicated in politics and the news, especially on social media.  The incidence of these “untruths” has reached epidemic proportions, and is seriously undermining the most important values for strong brands:  credibility, authenticity and trust. The entire subject of “misstatements” and the credibility of...

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How a Brand Audit Could Revitalize the Democratic Party

Posted by on Feb 2, 2017 in Blog | 0 comments

How a Brand Audit Could Revitalize the Democratic Party

Since the Presidential election, Trump has dominated the news with his twitter comments, controversial cabinet appointments and extraordinary views on major issues for 2017.  What we don’t hear much about is the Democratic Party, and whether their current values still resonate with enough voters to be successful in the future.  Maybe it should re-brand itself? This situation is similar to the challenges many brands face during their lifecycle when their appeal becomes stale or irrelevant.   Because consumers, competition and new trends are always changing the landscape, a brand audit or...

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How Storytelling Can Shape The Corporate Brand And Culture

Posted by on Dec 15, 2016 in Blog | 0 comments

How Storytelling Can Shape The Corporate Brand And Culture

Technology has transformed our world into a data obsessive circus where information is unbelievably accessible, connectivity is constant, and unpredictable events always surprise and engulf us.  Call this extreme clutter and volatility.  With so much information and multi-tasking surrounding us, it has become a challenge to restore simplicity, clarity and focus in our communications.  These excessive conditions provide the main impetus for the re-emergence of storytelling for inspiring, engaging and connecting to others. Storytelling is ageless and remains the most powerful form of...

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How Trump’s Brand Positioned Itself For Victory

Posted by on Nov 14, 2016 in Blog | 1 comment

How Trump’s Brand Positioned Itself For Victory

  Without doubt, Trump’s election victory was a shock to most people, especially pollsters, the news media and those living in urban centers across the country.  In some ways, it was a contest of character between the two most unfavorably perceived presidential candidates in history.  However, from a branding perspective, the compelling reasons behind each vote was more about what each candidate stood for.  And this is what branding is all about – making promises that resonate with people’s intense emotional desires, to connect with them. To better understand the Trump brand and why it was...

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