N.B. I don’t own the rights to the images on my blogs and website. Howerver, due to the Fair Use act, I have taken these from the Bing online images on Google.
New Insights On Disinformation From The Ukraine War
The outrageous Russian invasion of Ukraine is a tragic nightmare that no one could have imagined only a few weeks ago. The outcome of course is uncertain at this stage, but already there are lessons to learn that can provide some useful insights on one the biggest social viruses in our time – the unprecedented rise of disinformation. In particular, Putin’s clampdown on free speech has been beyond belief, replaced by a dominating spread of false information. The Harmful Dangers of Disinformation Manipulating Public Opinion – the...
read moreA Re-Branding Challenge: Transforming Portland ME Into A New Tech Hub
Maine’s largest city, Portland, has become “hot” in recent years. Unemployment is only 2.2%, the food scene is creative and trendy, population growth of its metropolitan area has been strong, and Zillow rates its real estate market “very hot”. Its location appeals to active Millennials, only two hours from Boston, with a stunning coast and nearby mountains offering adventurous skiing, camping and hiking. But questions linger on whether Portland can get beyond its basic lobster and tourism business. City leaders ask what will drive the...
read moreThe Challenges to Our Democracy: Trust and Truth
Our polarized society is now facing a crucial challenge to one of the most existential pillars of our democracy – free and fair elections, including the peaceful transfer of power. Like so many other controversial issues of today, passions run high, misinformation is extensive and the “blame game” is in full swing. Democracy is basically a brand, a type of government that makes a promise (e.g. legitimate elections) to the public (its customers). To be successful, democracy requires enough trust in the integrity and credibility of the...
read moreWhat 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...
read moreBranding 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...
read moreThe 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...
read moreHow 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...
read moreWhat’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...
read moreThreats To Our Democracy? A Branding Perspective
It seems ironic that in our polarized society today, there is a clear consensus agreeing on the importance of maintaining our democratic system, yet the approaches are very different. Our government leaders promise to uphold the constitution, but new issues have emerged that have created concerns on all sides on whether the tactics offered represent a threat or a boost to democracy. Democracy is about freedom of choice for all citizens, defined and protected by the constitution. Lincoln famously said “Democracy is a government of the...
read moreHow Victoria’s Secret Re-Defined “Sexy” to Re-Brand
The recent re-branding of Victoria’s Secret demonstrates a classic marketing challenge for adapting to changing tastes and desires of primary target customers. Recognizing how your audience has evolved is half the battle. A bigger question is how to update a brand to retain your core customers, yet also appeal to the emerging values of other potential customers. Understanding the origin of the Victoria’s Secret brand concept can help. In 1977 Roy Raymond started Victoria’s Secret with his first store near San Francisco. ...
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