Project Clarity

The steps you take to brand and market your professional services firm is not radically different from your steps up the corporate ladder. In either case, it’s typically not an overnight accomplishment - and if it is, you’ve probably done something disingenuous or perhaps illegal to get there. Is that the “60 Minutes” […]

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NFL Films, the $50M 300-employee adjunct to the hallowed league has filmed every game since 1962 on moody 16mm film. If you’re not familiar with the unmistakable three-quarters speed replay with orchestral background music, then you’re just not a football fan.
Now, according to Wired, the group is working to digitize the entire collection. […]

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Ted Mininni, president of Design Force, writes in the Marketing Profs blog about the tendency to put a new face on a product to try to achieve instant fresh appeal with consumers. Whether is repackaging, a new package design, or a new name to the same old stuff, this represents a quick-fix mentality that […]

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Check out the results of the three-minute online survey of marketers from My Creative Team.

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AdWeek reports that the NFL is taking back control of its website from CBS Sports. For the fan, this means increased film footage, both current and archival, which represents a tremendous plus.
For the league, this represents the next step in gaining control of what could be considered its intellectual property.
“The ability to control your […]

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A smart person I know who works in advertising (!) once told me, “If you have to say you’re cool in the ad, then you’re probably not cool.” This is the same guy who confessed to me on another occasion that his ultimate goal in the business was to direct a commercial that had […]

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From product and service attributes all the way down the line to product delivery and subsequent customer support, branding opportunities permeate B2B touchpoints. Harry Hoover, in his Think blog, unearths a great article from bnet on branding products and services in the B2B world.
Here’s a simple, yet tried-and-true tactic from the article:
“In many industries, […]

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In the blog On Message from Wagner Communications, John Wagner strikes a chord with any of us who try to help companies tell their story.
Fear of failure with regards to innovative marketing tactics and non-selling storytelling approaches kills many great ideas.
We must acknowledge that consumers today are more adept at sorting through sell messages and […]

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The Brains on Fire Blog relays news of JC Penney’s new tagline, “Every Day Matters.”
Apparently, this is another example of how bringing on a new agency often yields a new tagline. Oh, yes, there’s the quote from agency representative about “resonating with consumers.”
Is it a new day at JC Penney? I don’t think […]

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The 30-second elevator pitch is the compressed, concise, persuasive and authentic version of your story. Examples of good ones?
Idea Sandbox recommends we look closely at the 30-second narrations at the beginning of TV shows. And it’s great advice. Check that out.
Also, Startup Nation features elevator pitch contests on its podcasts.

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Did a famous bar incorporate “famous” into its name, or did the act of incorporating “famous” into the name manifest fame?

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3M’s Security Glass must be some strong stuff.

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My demographic, GenX, is enamored with the Baby Boomers. We appreciate their idealism, even through our standoffish indifference. A case in point: I was at a party in 1987, an outdoor affair in the springtime out in rural Chatham County, North Carolina. Dr. Bob was there, as usual. A research scientist, a biologist I believe, […]

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No comment necessary.

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I think the Kid has a future with an ad agency.

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