Change is Hard. These Seven Tactics Make it Easier to Manage
“Things change.” “Change is good.” “Be the change you want to see in the world.” Platitudes about change abound, but here’s one thing you won’t see on a motivational poster backed by a scenic mountain photo: Change is hard. It’s supposed to be. Change is risky, scary, inconvenient, messy. And we see it all, up […]
Guiding Growth for a Passion Brand
We’ve seen it so often it’s become a cliché: The veteran marketer, disillusioned by the lack of opportunity for career growth in a big CPG company, jumps to an emerging food or wellness brand. She’s inspired by the founder’s passion and excited to bring her expertise to the table. And then a few weeks into […]
In Food & Beverage, M&A Success Relies on Brand Strategy
The purpose of mergers and acquisitions (M&A) is to combine the intellectual property, capabilities, and reputations of different entities into something more powerful, more valuable, and ultimately more sustainable over the long-term. Ownership changes, acquisitions, and huge funding deals continue to swarm the food and beverage industry like flies at the world’s biggest better-for-you summer picnic. […]
Brand Strategy Checklist 2: Mental Strength for Purpose-driven Brands
In segment one of our brand strategy checklist, we explored the external forces shaping your brand. In part two, we examine the areas of your brand strategy driven by the psychology of your management team. It has been said that the success, challenges, and struggles of any business are the direct result of the psychology of […]
Four Cornerstones of Leadership for Wellness, Diet & Exercise Brands
Boxing legend and heavyweight champion Mike Tyson once famously said, “Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face.” We couldn’t agree more. Leading through the lens of brand requires consistency and transparency, and a delicate balance of listening and coaching. But humans are messy and complex, even for those in leadership roles. […]
Put Your Morals Where Your Mouth Is
Contribution. There’s a big difference between a cause and a claim. You can make a claim, but you have to live a cause. In part one of this article, I discussed the concepts of branded ritual as tools for marketers who are tasked with taking a brand stand they can uniquely own. Then, in part two, I […]
Using Values to Differentiate & Define Your Brand
Brand values impact relationships and reputation – two key business assets that are earned (rather than bought). When the marketplace is cluttered and consumers have tiny attention spans, brands must bring something more valuable to customers than their product or service. They must connect with consumers through shared principles. Ethos can best be described as […]
Brand Purpose: The Key to a Cult Following
It’s no secret that everybody yearns to be a part of something greater than themselves, their loved ones and their work. But it does seem to be a secret to many brands. So let us tell you: not only can brands do well by doing good; they can, in fact, create devoted, avid cults around […]
Cultural Transformation: The Ultimate Brand Strategy
You started a business because you had a fire in your belly. You created a brand because you believed that you could offer something that others were missing. After launch, you happily set about building your business but inevitably you got bogged down with the everyday realities of what that implies. You’ve been busy putting […]
Found/Owner Freakshow
Something strange happens to entrepreneurs, it seems. They start their businesses with passion, insight and ambition. Many of them even get the concept of branding which is elusive to so many. Founder/Owners work relentlessly to build their brands, and then when their businesses take off—that’s when the strange thing happens. They get lost, and for […]
