I love disruption. Not many people can say that. Disruption is a breath of fresh air to rituals and expectations. Leveraged well, disruption is an amazing marketing tool. Take REI in America. They chose to CLOSE their store on Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, traditionally the busiest shopping day of the year in the US. While some accused the retailer of … [Read more...]
How #WestJetChristmas Miracle 2015 earns authenticity in the jaded airline space
Leading brands know who they are, and more importantly who they ARE NOT. They are conscious of what matches their style and resonates with their audience. They find authenticity in the space that they occupy. Westjet is one of those brands. Westjet has been doing the Christmas miracle since 2012, an annual feel good campaign of sorts, that spreads good cheer in their … [Read more...]
Branding with emotion and giving presence this holiday season
Two much-loved global brands (with Canadian roots), Westjet and Lululemon, take the spirit of the season awards this week for marketing initiatives that stand out in a month traditionally fueled with excess and consumption madness. Hot on the heels of Black Friday and Cyber Monday comes Lululemon’s holiday campaign “Give presence,” as well as the third in a trilogy from … [Read more...]
A campaign to make the fur fly
I remember well a day back in 1988 when the advertising sales department at the Georgia Straight, Vancouver’s urban weekly where I was working at the time, fell in the cross hairs of activists on behalf of the inhumane treatment of animals in the commercial fur trade. You see, long before desktop publishing, newspapers were constructed like puzzle pieces – ads created and then … [Read more...]
Leveraging your personal brand – the Sam Sung story
I love Apple products, but I have to say right now I've become a huge fan of Samsung, as in "Sam Sung" the man, not necessarily Samsung the product. Sam is a former Apple employee, an irony not lost on many, when reading his business card that states: "Sam Sung, Product Specialist, Apple." Now working for Halloway Schultz & Partners, a recruiting firm in Vancouver, Sam … [Read more...]
