A marketing definition for frame of reference and three examples of consumer brands that expanded their domain. Includes a downloadable eBook pdf of case studies. How do they do it? Those big brands that dominate across multiple aisles. It’s hard enough to win in a single category, let alone enter adjacent categories and have success there, too. Many brands attempt …
My Three Words for 2017
Let’s make great things happen this year. Here are three words that will guide my success. What are yours? 2016 was a whirlwind for me. I went through job changes, started a company, had health issues (better now!), my wife went back to work after almost 10 years, our kids’ schedules have taken off (two boys active in school and …
This Week in Marketing Strategy: Mercury Marine Revival, Great Rejections, Most Innovative States
Welcome to the December 26, 2016 edition of This Week in Marketing Strategy. Here I’ll highlight a few articles, blog posts or interesting pieces from around the web that are newsworthy or trending over the last one to two weeks. First up: Mercury Marine Targets Young Boaters in First Campaign Since 2011, courtesy of adage.com. Mercury Marine is a 77-year-old company, but you wouldn’t …
Complete Marketing Plan Template (Word) to Make Planning Easier
A marketing plan template in Microsoft Word format to make planning a breeze. Simply open it up and fill out each section of the outline to develop your plan. Maybe you’re not sure where to start. Maybe you’re looking at a blank page. Or maybe you just want to be sure you haven’t left something really important out of your …
7 Things All Strategic Brand Architectures Have in Common
A how-to guide to writing a strategic brand architecture including a downloadable pdf template. Have you ever begun working on a business and discovered numerous products/services in your portfolio? So many that it’s not clear why you’re selling some of them at all? You are not alone. As a consultant, I received numerous calls from clients asking for help in …
10 Ways Leaders Navigate Conflict
Disagreement over key decisions is common in the workplace. This article features 10 tips to navigate conflict for a successful outcome. DISAGREEMENT HAPPENS Recently, a former colleague of mine (let’s call him “Jack”) revealed a sad but common story. A coworker who didn’t like Jack’s project plan recently blind-sided him. The coworker went directly to Jack’s boss behind his back …
4 Reasons Why Aveeno’s Brand Positioning Statement is Great
A filled-out positioning statement template using Aveeno as an example. If you’d like more examples and information on brand positioning, check out the Ultimate Guide to Writing a Brand Positioning Statement, and be sure to subscribe to receive updates when we post new videos, articles and frameworks for brand management. I’ve received a few requests for examples of a completed template using …
5 Essential Marketing Blog Posts
It’s been 90 days. 90 days since launching this blog. 90 days since establishing our mission: to help marketers create change in their organizations by honing their craft. Our readership continues to increase each week. I’m glad we have a growing audience that finds value in the articles we’ve posted on this marketing strategy blog. But, if you’ve joined recently …
Avoid Confusion, Write Better Concepts: Types of Marketing Claims
It seems there are many definitions of what a claim is. This article clears up the confusion by defining types of innovation and marketing claims so you can write better concepts. When it comes to developing innovation and marketing communications, one of the areas that seems to cause the most confusion is claims. And if you’ve ever been in a …
This Week in Marketing Strategy: Top Online MBAs, Enhancing Creativity, Snapchat Automates Ads
Welcome to the October 9, 2016 edition of This Week in Marketing Strategy. Here I’ll highlight a few articles, blog posts or interesting pieces from around the web that are newsworthy or trending over the last one to two weeks. My goal is to provide you with the latest news and thinking that is worthy of your attention. First up: Top 25 Online …