There are plenty of instances when it is smart to hire consultants with deep knowledge and experience in your category. But defining your Brand’s core strategic premise is not one of those times. In order to escape the traps, conventions and category benefits, it will be more helpful to bring in brand experts… Read More →
Robert Zajonc (rhymes with science) was a great psychology professor at Stanford and the University of Michigan who conducted research on numerous topics that gave us greater insight into the human experience. Before he passed away in 2010 he gave brand and marketing folks a great gift. You see, one of his best… Read More →
In my last post I referenced an article in the January 30 New Yorker called “Groupthink.” The article challenges many of the ways brainstorming is done, but most clearly indicts the idea that we should suspend judgment when brainstorming in a group. The classic brainstorming instruction “build, don’t criticize” turns out to be… Read More →
This week I’m taking a break from our series on how to create a differentiated brand strategy. We’ll continue that series but there was a terrific article in the New York Times (http://www NULL.nytimes NULL.com/2012/01/15/opinion/sunday/the-rise-of-the-new-groupthink NULL.html) this past weekend by Susan Cain. She has a new book coming out called Quiet: The Power… Read More →