This is a little shameless self promotion for some marketing seminars I do for Small Business BC. Interviewed here on TV for BCIT Magazine, I discuss a few top of mind pointers for entrepreneurs just starting out. Link to interview here - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-S2-slp9Ctg These seminars are held roughly once every 1-2 months. The next Small Business BC … [Read more...]
Election protection – JetBlue scores a marketing campaign winner!
South of the border things are heating up with the US presidential election. Election campaigns are usually full of promises - lower taxes, better healthcare, more jobs. But what if someone promised you a free flight to leave the country if your chosen candidate didn’t win? That’s exactly what JetBlue is doing with their November marketing campaign “2012 Election Protection - … [Read more...]
Look out Google – here comes Apple! Again.
There has been a lot of excitement over the iPhone 5 recently. Frankly, the dark horse story is not the phone, but a feature that has been built in that replaces Google Maps. What Apple has done in launching Apple Maps with the latest iOS6 running on the iPhone 5 is an astute, intelligent and pre-emptive move. Not withstanding the fact that Apple Maps have had some wrinkles … [Read more...]
What’s your summertime blue ocean strategy?
While casting about on the beautiful Pacific Northwest waters of the Sunshine Coast recently I found myself reflecting on my personal “blue ocean strategy.” In marketing terms, a blue ocean strategy is when a business pursues a new product or new market, essentially playing in open water with few competitors, while others battle it out in the “red ocean” where competitive … [Read more...]
The Machiavellian Mad Men have left the building
For years Madison Avenue advertising executives considered consumers as targets. Watch one episode of Mad Men, and there can be little doubt as to the arrogant Machiavellian approach of that time to marketing. Although we’ve come a long way since the 1960’s, marketers rolled through the 70s, 80s and 90s seemingly unaware that there could ever be anyone in control of the message … [Read more...]