Category Archives: marketing

National Potato Chip Day

Branding and Loyalty Potato chip fans are on par with football fans and fans of regional burger chains when it comes to the unencumbered fervor with which they follow their favorite brand. We’ve talked about what your coffee says about you in Market Positioning: Coffee’s Place in your Daily Life. So what does your potatoContinue reading “National Potato Chip Day”

The Dangers of Associations

We’ve been through this before. When things happen IRL, people will have strong reactions, naturally, and their support of one group and disdain for another will often be misplaced. We all know what is happening in the world right now and, unfortunately, we are not new to this. A lot of people are “boycotting RussianContinue reading “The Dangers of Associations”

Spam is on Another Level

Scammers are on another level these days. The “hello dear”s of the world are increasingly tech savvy and ruthlessly evil. When we were growing up, our parents would always tell us not to engage with strangers on the internet or over the phone because—well, logic. Why would some obscure stranger across the world have theContinue reading “Spam is on Another Level”

Inclusionary v. Exclusionary Language

Being inclusive is on the tip of everyone’s tongue. There is immense value in having opinions and suggestions from individuals with diverse backgrounds, experiences and a wide range of areas of expertise. In recent years, I have quietly observed a common theme in spaces that are claiming to be inclusionary and a “safe space.” IContinue reading “Inclusionary v. Exclusionary Language”

Complementary Goods

Complementary goods. We all know what they are in some way or another. Think of great pairs like cereal and milk. If you buy cereal, you’re probably going to buy milk to go with it.  Complementary goods are products that tend to be sold together because each product adds value to the other. Generally, theseContinue reading “Complementary Goods”

Logomania: Branding in Fashion

Do you remember the days where logomania wasn’t popular? Well, as you may recall logomania existed in the loud, bright American fashion in the 1980’s. This color blocking, fluffy hair era was followed by the subdued, neutral earth tones of the 90’s.  At the turn of the century, logomania exploded across bags, velour tracksuits, andContinue reading “Logomania: Branding in Fashion”

The Lifestyle Creep: From Sustenance to Sumptuousness

With an increase in income, people tend to upgrade. Their car, their house, their clothing, their food, even.  Home Sweet Home Something as basic as your principal residence says so much more about you than just the absolute need for safe shelter. We know that for decades and with the rise of suburbs, families willContinue reading “The Lifestyle Creep: From Sustenance to Sumptuousness”

Vision Board

Seeing as how the buzz of new beginnings lingers in the January air, I’d like to ask you a question. Have you made a vision board? I don’t make a vision board every year, but I can see the value in it. You are visually reminded by handpicked images of each category of your lifeContinue reading “Vision Board”

Be the Person You Want to Be

I recently saw a commercial that said “be the person you want to be.” My eyes could not have rolled back further in my skull. “Be the person you want to be” marketing, the older sister of the overtly reckless “treat yourself” marketing.  It’s truly genius. This message spoke to the hope that the newContinue reading “Be the Person You Want to Be”