Blog Archives
The evolution of private label brands
Did you know that private label brands (PL) have been around for almost a decade? Back in 1928, the Swiss introduced the PL concept and since then it has been spreading like wildfire. Actually, we should point out that PL is not only spreading but also “evolving.” We are witnessing a quiet renaissance, which deserves to be analyzed. This is the first installment of a series of essays on private label branding.
Migros eliminated the middleman, inventing the private label concept.
When do people support change?
Did your key project fail to deliver expected result? Did your organization undergo a massive restructuring process, yet nothing has changed? Did your city spend a fortune to brand itself, but in reality nobody has cared? Don’t feel bad, because you are not alone: Turns out 75% of organizational change projects do not yield the promised result. Let’s start with the root cause of this problem. Then we will discuss how to fix it.
I remember vividly what a high-ranking military officer once told me: “If you give three orders to a soldier, he’ll forget two of them, while mismanaging the third.”
He meant his soldiers are not the sharpest knives in the drawer. But was that it? Could it be that simple? Then, I tried to remember the last time I gave detailed instructions to someone, who followed them exactly to the letter. To my surprise, that has never happened. People accomplished their tasks, but never anyone followed my instructions like a robot. Turns out they never should! Here is why…
Branding luxury
At first, this article might sound like a book review, but actually it is about a miserable experience of mine and a much-welcomed solution. Here’s how the story goes…
Luxury is in the eye of the beholder.
Do the Harlem Shake to Innovate
It’s blasphemous to think that Harlem Shake could have anything to do with innovation… It’s disrespectful to waste your precious time with such nonsense. I must be on drugs. But… I am not! Believe it or not, Harlem Shake meme teaches us something fundamental about the change process that takes place in biology. And that insight is the road map to corporate innovation. How? I am glad you asked…
Indeed, Harlem Shake acts like a living organism would act.
Branding Czech Republic Part 2
Previously, we analyzed the Czech Republic’s new promotional logo, which did not receive a warm welcome. Unfortunately, the campaign failed to convey unique and compelling messages to the three major audiences of any place branding campaigns: Visitors, potential investors and the locals. We think this campaign did the expected: Promoted “the stereotypical Czech Republic.” However, successful branding requires us to disregard the stereotypes and instead look at the archetypes of the place. In Roman times, it used to be called the Genius Loci: the protective spirit of the place. Our article ended by asking the following questions:
- Why is Czech Republic the home to Bohemia?
- Why the Velvet Revolution took place here?
- Why the 1968 Spring happened in Prague?
The new brand of Czech Republic fails to capture the “genius loci” of the country
How to brand a destination?
Is place branding a money trap invented by evil advertising agencies? Is it a fool’s gold for destinations? Has any place ever benefited from so-called place branding? How about this frightening stat?: 86% of place branding projects fail within a year of introduction. Is there a way to break this curse? Let’s figure out the root cause of the problem first.
“A problem is the thick outermost layer of a fantasy.”
James Hillman
Branding Czech Republic Part 1
I have always thought that the most difficult branding projects are the place branding ones. As such, I have written quite a bit about the unique challenges of these beasts. The reality is, unfortunately most of them are destined to fail and this is proven by hard data. Months ago, Czech Republic revealed its new promotional logo. So far it seems like people are not falling in love with it. Let’s try to figure out why…
What makes Apple special?
I’ve been writing about branding for years, yet only one of my articles talks about the greatest brand of our time: Apple… Here is why: As soon as we start talking about brands and branding, it becomes extremely difficult to find an article that doesn’t refer to Apple. Every conference I attend, analyzes Apple as a brand… Every presentation I watch, accurately or wrongly, uses Apple as an example… I like Apple, I use their products and I admire what they stand for. But since there is too much talk about the brand, the point I’d try to make will eventually get diluted. So, “media saturation” is why I don’t talk or write about Apple. That said, Apple has a “special meaning” in our world. And today, I intend to analyze it for you…
Brand Jordan
NBA lockout is about to end. The hot topic of discussion is what’s the damage to Brand Jordan?
Michael Jordan is arguably the greatest basketball player of all times. But his skills and will are not enough to explain how he became the magnetic person that he is. During his Hall of Fame induction speech, Michael Jordan said: “There won’t be a new Michael Jordan.” This is a false statement, because who we knew and adored as “Michael Jordan” was actually not an individual. The magnet was the “Warrior/Hero archetype.” Read the rest of this entry
Branding Through Storytelling
I recently read a well-written book named “Storytelling: Branding in Practice.” As you know “storytelling” is a buzzword in brand strategy. Unfortunately, it is an often-used yet seldom-understood concept. “Branding Through Storytelling” is a nice “how to” guide to finding, unlocking and leveraging corporate stories to support brand strategy. Read the rest of this entry
