by admin | Mar 24, 2014 | Innovation
Imagine this situation: Orders are stacking up at your company so quickly that the three people you have in fulfillment are overwhelmed. To remedy this problem you start limiting marketing to reduce demand. Sounds like self-sabotage, right? Naturally this would lead to a loss of market share and soon you’d find yourself out of business. Who would be so stupid? Well, you’d be surprised at how many people within your own organization are making decisions like this on a daily basis. Take Seattle for example. On Monday the Seattle City Council addressed their struggle to regulate the growing number of on-demand transportation options in the city. These new types of businesses do not fit within Seattle’s archaic regulations – for example, which cabs can be flagged off the street, which cabs must be pre-arranged, which cabs can pick up at the airport, (which are NOT the same cabs that can take people TO the airport). Learn more about three management mistakes that crush innovation...
by admin | Mar 24, 2014 | Brand strategy
Imagine that you’re relaxing in a movie theatre watching an old classic western movie. On the screen, the hero gallops into the frame. You know he’s the hero immediately – by his branding. He’s riding a beautiful horse, the music is swelling, and he’s wearing a white hat. If he’s typecast, you might see this same actor as a recurring hero consistently, in many pictures of the same genre – perhaps only his character’s name changes. And the villain, of course, wears a black hat. (This is where “white hat” and “black hat” SEO practices get their names.) B-movie stylists and social marketers have some similar needs. What tactics can you use to communicate to an audience, quickly and accurately, the nature of a character/brand? What trustworthy shorthand can you use to set an expectation of your company, so you can get on with the action? Find out more about these 7 tips for brand consistency by reading this...
by admin | Mar 21, 2014 | Brand targeting & positioning
These days, people are more inclined than ever to ignore your ads. If they don’t already have some sort of adblock software installed, they’ve no doubt become used to the sidebar ads and native “sponsored” posts on the sites they frequent. The key to breaking through banner blindness is delivering relevant content to captive audiences, and behavioral targeting is the way to go. Behavioral targeting, as Silverpop CEO Bill Nussey describes, is delivering “real-time, cross-channel, insanely relevant campaigns to one person at a time automatically driven by analytics of their actions, preferences and profiles.” Read more about the importance of behavioral targeting in brand marketing...
by admin | Mar 21, 2014 | Brand strategy
Mattel (NASDAQ: MAT ) acquiring another toy business might sound about as exciting as clean-up time. But shelling out $460 million in cash for Canada’s MEGA Brands is no mismatch. By acquiring MEGA, Mattel gains a foothold in what’s proven thus far to be an elusive construction-play market for the toy giant. At the heart of Mattel’s acquisition is its entry into the toy construction segment dominated by No. 1 Lego, whose sales in 2013 jumped 10% to $4.6 billion, and No. 2 MEGA Brands, with annual sales eclipsing $400 million. Mattel has primarily been watching from the sidelines, with not even a 1% share. And while tablets and game consoles may have changed the rules, kids still play with traditional toys. Read more about whether Mattel has contradicted their brand strategy...
by admin | Mar 20, 2014 | Innovation
Innovation doesn’t just happen — it’s created. With the right methodologies and cast of characters, any organization can achieve breakthroughs in work and culture. So says Leon Segal, an innovation psychologist and the founder of San Francisco-based consultancy Innovationship LLC. “Innovation always has to answer someone’s need,” Segal said this week while in Chicago for the International Symposium on Health Care, where he taught an innovation-focused workshop. Segal said companies must foster the right team dynamics in order to facilitate creative and productive thinking. When building teams, Segal recommends choosing people who are good at listening, enthusiastic about collaborating and willing to reflect objectively on their and others’ progress. Reflection is particularly important since it gives people an opportunity to assess whether current methods are working and what can be done better. Read more about the four people you need on your innovation team...
