Strategic Brand Consultancy
Previously, I shared some of my thoughts on LeBron James, mythology and archetypal psychology. Let's continue from where we left off. This is the second instalment of a three-article series. About James’ recovering popularity I genuinely believe that LeBron James is the greatest basketball player of his generation. That has been obvious the last couple …
Continue reading "What does LeBron James’ first ring signify? 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. As always, let's start by stating the obvious: a …
Continue reading "Why do place brands fail? The mistakes of the places. Part 2"
As expected, LeBron James has finally won his first championship. I’d like to share my thought on the mythological and archetypal significance of his first ring. This is the first installment of a three article series. Let’s go! About James-Wade relationship The major problem with the Heat last year was that both James and Wade …
Continue reading "What does LeBron James’ first ring signify? Part 1"
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 …
In the intricate dance of place branding, merely twirling to the tune of stereotypes often leaves cities spinning in circles. With 86% of place branding projects failing, it's high time cities looked inward, seeking their true archetypes— their unique, universal narratives. Take Ottawa's attempt to reshape its 'boring city' stereotype through advertising. Instead of straining to change perceptions—an endeavor as fruitless as convincing a lifelong cat person to favor dogs—cities should excavate their archetypal stories, just as Washington DC, Minsk, and Izmir have done. Through their efforts, these cities have painted vibrant, authentic narratives that resonate deeply, turning their stereotype 'shadows' into archetypal 'light.' In this quest, remember: a city, like its people, is a tapestry of stories—your stereotype is merely a single thread, not the entire weave.
Below, is the comment I left on an article on Brand New. My thoughts on Canada's new campaign generated some interest, so I decided to share them with you. Enjoy it! "I like the simplicity of the design, as well as applications and the selection of images. As usual, BMD has done an excellent "design" …
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, …
There are some brands that I find so successful. I call them magnetic. One of those brands is Maui Jim, the sunglass company. The brand is best known for its high quality, reasonably priced and fashionable polarized sunglasses. I bought my first Maui Jim sunglass in 2008. Since then, I bought two more. As rational …
Do you love "the Office?" I do... In one of my favourite episodes, Michael Scott got herpes and wants to know who gave him the disease. He starts working backwards through his partners, chronologically. Michael Scott, being the man he is, instead of informing his past partners of his infection, he asks them relationship-related questions …
Continue reading "You and me: The Brand Relationship Theory"
All of a sudden, the earth has started to spin too fast. So much going on in the world. We are all overloaded with information and choices. It is not a surprise that brands that simplify our lives are very successful these days. Googles and Apples strive by actually giving their customers less! About a …