Showing Purpose Through Video

  Without context, here are a few rapid-fire quotes: “You’re not doing it just to look good, you’re doing it because you want to.” “There’s no point in doing anything if you’re not going to try to get better.” “This world is built on collaboration.” “If I don’t keep my promise, that means I’m lying. And if I’m lying she won’t be my…

Don’t Trust Your Gut

A tip of the hat goes to Deloitte this week for reminding us not to trust our gut… Probably as a result of a re-targeting campaign, I came across an ad from Deloitte introducing a character called “Gut Instinct.” He is the personification of that oft-unreliable feeling we’ve all used at one time or another. “Gut Instinct” Through a series…

How to Rebrand in a Much Despised Category

Healthcare. To many, the word itself is an oxymoron, with “caring” often missing from the provision of health  services to those who need it the most.  In fact, in an Gallup poll published in August, the healthcare industry ranked just above the pharmaceutical industry and the federal government as Americans’ three least favorite business sectors. These negative feelings run deep…

Is Your Content Additive?

Think about the last 3 pieces of content you created. Did they have a common theme, or advance a common story? Or were they distinct “one-offs”, unrelated to each other? Maybe they were the result of a looming content calendar that just needed to be filled… When it comes to content, the whole is definitely greater than the sum of its…

Getting Leads into Your Pipeline

Alignment between your marketing and sales departments doesn’t happen overnight.  For example, when a B2B prospect visits your website, they most likely need to be connected to an account manager and salesperson that can address their specific needs and questions. A B2C prospect, however, is much more likely to explore your website and fill out an inquiry form all on…

Not for Profit CMOs Need These Skills and Traits

With the average tenure for corporate CMOs clocking in at just over 4 years, marketing professionals in these roles don’t have a lot of time to make their mark. The result is a fast-paced, competitive and demanding work environment that requires a very particular set of skills (to paraphrase Liam Neeson). However, many of these same skills can be effectively…

Why You Need A Brand Story Blueprint

Groucho Marx once famously quipped, “If you’ve heard this story before, don’t stop me, because I’d like to hear it again.” Unfortunately, many story-obsessed brands seem to agree that telling the same story over and over again, with only the names changed, will surely result in a good ending. In fact, if a brand repeatedly tells the same story, audiences may…