BrandCultureTalk

F. Scott Fitzgerald’s axiom that there are no second acts in American lives does not apply to Eliot L. Spitzer. He has enjoyed several acts (and entr’actes) already. Assistant District Attorney. New York Attorney General. The Sheriff of Wall Street. The Steamroller (a self-generated moniker). Mr. Clean. Democratic Party […]

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We’re firm believers in vibrant intranets. More than a place to put an office directory and HR documentation, intranets have the capacity to help you communicate better with employees, and measure the effectiveness of that communication to communicate even better with employees, and measure the… you get the idea. What’s so great about intranets?

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With Republicans accusing Obama of buying the vote and the uproar over $150,000 wardrobes just subsiding, it’s a dangerous time for an expensive half-hour infomercial.
While the Obama campaign has largely been a model of branding perfection, its occasional outsized confidence (Berlin? Greek Columns? Thoughts of delaying the Phillies’ victory when Pennsylvania is a game-changer?) may […]

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And now for something completely different…
In recent years, the apogee of fine dining has been defined by chefs adroit at manipulating and transforming ingredients into virtually unrecognizable concoctions. The pioneering molecular gastronomy of Ferran Adria’s El Bulli. The Fat Duck under Heston Blumenthal, delivering on the assertion that “Preparing and serving food […]

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Ask any outdoor enthusiast about favorite brands and a handful come up over and over. Patagonia. REI. The North Face. Others are more specialized. Orvis for fly fishing, hunting and dogs. Camelbak for portable hydration. Atlas for Snowshoeing. But there is one brand that makes the pursuit […]

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Building and nurturing a strong brand is a matter of delivering products, services, and experiences that provide unique and compelling value to customers. That requires much more than creative communications. It requires aligning culture, people and processes so that they are incentivized to work, act, and interact in ways that produce desired brand outcomes. That […]

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When thinking about identity I often reflect on a 1999 trip to Barcelona, and my first exposure to a highly branded political campaign. As an avid brand enthusiast, it was especially engaging to take in Pasqual Maragall’s artistically designed campaign for the regional presidency.

Since seeing Campanya Maragall, I often wonder, why haven’t U.S. campaigns performed […]

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Did you notice the error in this title? If you did, how much did it bother you?
Language is changing. But is it degenerating? Or is it simply shedding antiquated encumbrances?
• It’s vs. Its
• Your vs. You’re
• Their vs. They’re
• The subjunctive voice
Language […]

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In this election year, the new media are emerging not just as democratic, but also as Democractic — in the capital D sense.
The Obama campaign is using the internet as a resource like no other candidate has done before. These days, getting elected is a matter of knowing not only how to market a candidate […]

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The behemoth everyone loves to hate has changed its corporate identity. Its name is no longer the choppy, aspirated Wal-Mart; it’s the smooth, mellifluous Walmart. Its logo now employs a minimalist orange starburst at the end of a more fluid sentence case wordmark instead of a literal star between all caps.
Before:

After:

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