We’ve recently begun work for a client in a therapeutic category where the right treatment can mean the difference between prolonging life or dying prematurely. As we do with every assignment, we review the client’s and their competitors’ messaging. In this case, there are 14 brands (including therapies with multiple brands) and 26 ads—14 targeted […]
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No, not to retire! Nor to slow down! In fact, I have a new book which will is scheduled for release very shortly. Instead, the time has come for me to relocate to warmer climes. I’m currently moving from Chicagoland (Kenilworth, Illinois, to be precise) to the Florida panhandle (Pensacola, to be exact). My new BDNI […]
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Age of ATTENTION – Age of ATTRACTION – Age of ADVOCACY – Age of ABSORPTION About fifteen years ago or so, Advertising Age ran a one-page article entitled “Living in the Age of Attraction.” The gist of the article was a contrast between America’s longstanding “attention economy” (roughly running from the early 1950s through the early 1990s) and its new and distinctly […]
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Sharpen your saw: Increasing your personal productivity, by having a balanced strategy to renew yourself in the four aspects of life: Physical, Social, Mental, and Spiritual.Dr. Stephen R. Covey My wife and I have been sorting our personal and business effects as we prepare for movers to pack up our belongings and take them down to Pensacola, […]
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Cognitive dissonance is not good for your business. It can disrupt a sale or trigger customer dissatisfaction. We need to acknowledge the possibility of cognitive dissonance and take action to avoid it. However, if we want to bolster the impact of our marketing, we need to go beyond merely avoiding cognitive dissonance and strive for […]
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Thinking back to your university marketing classes, you undoubtedly were exposed to the term and concept of “cognitive dissonance.” We, marketers, might define it as psychological discomfort of the target customer brought on by a belief or feeling that undermines the perceived value of a (potential) purchase. It can disrupt a sale or trigger dissatisfaction following […]
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When I think back on all the crap I learned in high school, it’s a wonder I can think at all … Paul Simon Many organizations recognize the need for marketing training to grow skills and enhance performance. After all, given the plethora of product choices available to target customers, and sameness in their offerings, […]
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The Business Roundtable has stirred quite the controversy with expanding their scope to serving all stakeholders rather than making shareholders their priority. Those who oppose their “Statement on The Purpose of a Corporation” https://qz.com/work/1690439/new-business-roundtable-statement-on-the-purpose-of-companies/decry that it rejects the long-held theory espoused by the late economist Milton Friedman. He posited that the focus should be on creating […]
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I must admit that I scoff at management declarations that they are going to win in the marketplace through “superior execution.” Even achieving an execution consistent with the strategy is a challenge for most organizations and, when realized, is mediocre at best. There’s an awful lot of slippage between strategy and execution as there can […]
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I caught an episode of “So you think you can dance” on TV the other night. I’m fascinated by what these dancers can do with their bodies and how effortlessly they move through the air. As a martial artist, I envy their body mechanics and incredible athleticism. If only I could move as they do—unfortunately, […]
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