It’s not often you get to see two similar brand rollouts side by side and see clearly why one way is better. As you know, sports fans tend to get closely attached to their team’s brand… and nowhere is that more true than when it comes to college sports. Arizona State University (ASU) has been trying to differentiate itself over the past few years… in some ways successfully, and in others… well, … [Read more...]
Southwest shows us how to handle a PR crisis
Southwest Airlines turned a safety nightmare into a PR coup that proves the brand really does care about its customers. We’ve all seen the amazingly campy Southwest Airlines ads that tell us they love our bags so much, they get to fly free. Southwest is trying to prove they are the airline that cares about true service, and it’s an incredibly powerful differentiator in an industry that feels like … [Read more...]
Art + Social Media = Fabulosity (and Marketing Genius)
My good friend and videographer, Philip, sent me a clever social media campaign that I am just now getting around to sharing with all of you (yes, trying to get myself more organized in 2011). Have you heard of the musical group Belle & Sebastian? They have a sort of a “folksy pop” vibe about them, and maintain a cult following throughout the world. For the release of their album in … [Read more...]
Five Signs of a Power Brand
Clients often ask us, “How will we know when we’ve got a winning brand?” Rather than telling them, “You’ll know it when you see it” there are some guideposts along the way to tell you your brand is moving in the right direction. At first, it starts small: increased website hits, increased referrals, uptick in positive social media chatter – even anecdotal evidence like more positive comments from … [Read more...]
Open letter to all business owners and entrepreneurs
Dear ambitious friend, It pains me to see the money that you are wasting, not to mention the time lost and stress created, by turning to the wrong people for your marketing and branding needs. Just yesterday, I heard another tale from a friend whose client is taking branding advice from a website programmer. And it’s bad advice that will cost her way more money in the long run. Think of your … [Read more...]