Branding is about more then image recognition for customers. Great brands give their customers something to belong to and talk about. They always have a story. I was reminded of that last week while in Ontario cottage country visiting relatives and friends before returning to Toronto for some business meetings. I'm going to go out on a limb and guess many reading this … [Read more...]
What Crocs, Uggs and Earth Shoes can teach us about good marketing
I distinctly remember the season I spent walking up hill. It was the year that earth shoes were all the rage. For those who weren't yet born, or would just like to forget them, earth shoes had a sole with a higher rise at the front than the back. The width of the toe was also decidedly broad, presenting a less then sleek and glamorous look poking out from your jeans. Thank … [Read more...]
3 insights from Sweden to harness media & generate word of mouth
The "Curators of Sweden" was a great example of tourism marketing. The campaign featured an overall initiative where the controls of the countries @Sweden Twitter handle were handed over to Swedish citizens for rotating one-week stints. People from all over the world were invited to ask questions and exchange thoughts in an unedited forum. The trust and openness was meant to … [Read more...]
How to manage negative publicity: 5 lessons from Coors Light #BraveTheCold out of bounds skiing campaign
Somebody at Coors Light had a horrible, no good, very bad day last week. Several people at Rethink, a well respected Vancouver advertising agency responsible for the #BraveTheCold campaign, also likely had a sleepless night trying to put the breaks on creative that was set to launch that week, after negative publicity threatened to take over. And that doesn’t even credit the … [Read more...]
Leverage your content like a MEDIA MOGUL
One of the presentations I am often asked to do is “Think Like a Media Mogul: How to manage multiple channels and create content that positions your brand." It seems to resonate with business owners and marketing managers who struggle with how to leverage smaller marketing budgets to get more visibility and clout. With special thanks to NYIT (New York Institute of … [Read more...]








