Posts by Jay Gronlund

What We Can Learn About Creativity From The Beatles

Posted by on Jan 13, 2022 in Blog | 0 comments

What We Can Learn About Creativity From The Beatles

  In a new documentary (“Get Back”) the Beatles create a new album (“Let it Be”) in just 21 active days.  It is their final work together, yet what is most astonishing is how their creative talents worked together to craft such memorable music in that short period.  This enriching experience provides a unique template for marketers, designers and product developers to learn about key creativity principles. Creativity is vital for any kind of commercial or social endeavor.  A few years ago IBM conducted a global survey among over 1,500 CEO’s, asking what will be needed to...

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Branding The New America

Posted by on Dec 15, 2021 in Blog | 0 comments

Branding The New America

  The 2020 census has confirmed an “explosion of diversity”, with people of color representing 43% of the total U.S. population, up from 34% in 2010.  Over the past 10 years, the share of non-Hispanic whites has shrunk by 6 percentage points, down to 57% of the overall population.  The fastest growing segment is the Hispanic or Latino minority, now 19% of the population, followed by Asians who make up 6% of the total (Blacks held at 12%). We have become more of a society of minorities, even beyond our racial and ethnic groups – i.e. by religion (Christian, Jewish or Islam), by sexuality (gay...

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The Surging Brand Power of Gen Z – What Next?

Posted by on Nov 15, 2021 in Blog | 0 comments

The Surging Brand Power of Gen Z – What Next?

  The recent UN climate summit in Glasgow has been a top news story for many good reasons, most importantly the severe threats to our planet and hence the urgency for global coordinated action.   But there was another dynamic taking place in Glasgow that brand leaders around the world should recognize as a significant challenge going forward.  Over 100,000 activists passionately voiced their criticism at this summit, predominantly young people or Generation Z (born between 1997 and 2012), led by the 18 year old Greta Thunberg from Sweden. The main objection of these Gen Z protestors was that...

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How Brand Reputational Costs Can Offset Lack Of Accountability

Posted by on Oct 15, 2021 in Blog | 0 comments

How Brand Reputational Costs Can Offset Lack Of Accountability

Our world is in sad shape – corruption, misinformation, growing inequality, tax evasion, unending partisanship, stagnation in Washington, anti-democracy rulings, and a pandemic that continues to divide society on vaccinations and curtail economic recovery.  Frustration is deep as there is seldom any accountability or little progress for resolving all these problems. Recently a glimmer of hope has appeared.  Three encouraging events have occurred this fall that demonstrate how new data mainly from whistle-blowers will convincingly expose the corrupt and unethical behavior of leading...

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What’s Wrong With The Anti-Vaccine “Freedom Of Choice” Branding

Posted by on Sep 16, 2021 in Blog | 0 comments

What’s Wrong With The Anti-Vaccine “Freedom Of Choice” Branding

The U.S. is going through a tough period.  A surge in deaths from the Delta variant of Covid-19 and the politicization of solutions, an economy waiting to recover fully, and a growing exasperation and desire to return to normalcy.  Behind all of this is the continued reluctance by so many Americans to get vaccinated, falling short of the necessary “herd immunity” levels (i.e. over 70%, only 61% of adults are vaccinated now) needed to conquer Covid-19.  A key reason for this shortfall is the effective branding and marketing by anti-vaccine groups, especially in the South.  They have smartly...

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