01.27.10 by Jim O'Gara

The next time you get into a debate at your company with regards to brand value or investing in branding – simply refer to the success Apple has experienced with its brand. More...

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01.20.10 by Jim O'Gara

Those who thought social media and online marketing would bethe death of direct mail – think again.

According to last week’s Wall Street Journal many marketers who slashed direct mail from their budget to compensate for the recession discovered they’d made a huge mistake. More...

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01.14.10 by Kim Smith

Over the holidays, you probably attended a few get-togethers. In the midst of small talk, someone probably asked you about your work, which means, you inevitably had to articulate your company’s brand message.

How’d you do? If you’re a sales manager or marketing director-type person, it probably wasn’t too difficult. Odds are, you have a strategic “elevator pitch” you trot out for just such an occasion. But if your company is like most, the rest of your organization doesn’t have a standard answer. Just imagine how many different messages were presented about your company in the last few weeks. More...

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01.13.10 by Jim O'Gara

It’s awfully tempting during an economic crunch to abandon principles and stretch claims to make the cash register ring.

Sadly, a rash of marketers are kicking off the new decade along those lines with overpromises that even the most wide-eyed viewer can spot. (Even my 8-year-old called TacoBell out on their “Drive-Thru Diet” positioning.) More...

Posted in Advertising / Branding / Strategy / Thought Leadership / 1 Comments