When Stephen Hawking was asked, how he has sold more books on physics than Madonna has on sex, he famously said, “Someone told me that each equation I included in the book would halve the sales!” So, he avoided using equations in his writing and became a bestseller. In the field of communications, there is…
Tag: brand
Symbolic Meaning of Numbers
Are you considering to use numbers as a part of your brand? Then, you may want to learn about the symbolic meaning of numbers! For instance, why do you think 7 is the world’s most popular number? Or does 5 have a gender? Which of the following is better to convey a sense of uniqueness?…
How to discover your organizational values?
Are you trying to define what keeps your organization together? Do you want to discover your organizational values? Would you like to write down “the way things get done around here?” Then, read on!
How to Create a Brand Architecture for Private Label Products
Private label (PL) is a remarkably profitable line of business. Around the world, the retailers’ profit margin of PL is roughly 40%, which is twice as much (!) as the profit they make from other brands. Consequently, so far PL has been treated as a “cash cow.” Money was invested in PL the product, not PL…
Systemic Solutions for Toronto Raptors – Part 2
Previously, we analyzed the Toronto Raptors as an organization, focusing on the causes of its perpetual mediocrity. We mentioned that there is a systemic problem that’s been bothering the Raptors since its inception. Our first analysis focused on the Shifting the Burden archetype. Today, we are going to focus on another Systems Archetype: Escalation. A…
The evolution of private label brands
Did you know that private label brands (PL) have been around for almost a century? Back in 1928, it was the Swiss, who introduced the concept. And since then PL has been spreading like wildflowers. To be fair PL is more than spreading: it is also “evolving.” Today, we are witnessing a quiet renaissance, which…
The Canadian Archetype
I am an immigrant living in Canada. Years ago, I decided to move here, and I could not be happier with my decision. If you are like me, which means if you are someone who enjoys observing and analyzing his surroundings, then living abroad is great fun. As an outsider, sometimes you see things that…
Why do place brands fail? The human-centered mistakes. Part 3
This is the last installment of our three-article series: “Why 86% of place brands fail?” First, we talked about the mistakes consultants make. Then, we addressed some of the common misperceptions of places. Today, we will conclude by discussing the role of leadership, consistency, and honesty. Let’s start with leadership. Needless to say, places need…
Why do place brands fail? The mistakes of the places. Part 2
Previously, we mentioned that 86% of place brands fail. Then, we first examined the mistakes that brand consultants commit. Today, we will talk about the other half of the equation: The errors that places make. This essay is the second installment of our three-article series.
Why do place brands fail? The mistakes of the consultant. Part 1
NEWS FLASH: 86% of place brands fail within a year of introduction! Over the past ten years, k629, a place-branding consultancy, has developed a database of more than 5,000 place brands. From that data source, they have found that only 14% of place brands continue a year from launch. They estimate nearly $75 million has been…
2012 Trend Reports
2012 is around the corner! An exciting and challenging year awaits us. I compiled six great trend reports to help your brand navigate stormy waters in 2012. Enjoy the reports and let me know if you know other good ones.
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,…
