Is there a Business Model behind that Values Statement?
There are many fledgling businesses that have laudable intent and shaky commercial foundations. This is a problem because, in an ideal world, the businesses that stand for values we share should […]
Make Distinctiveness Matter by Linking It To Organizational Purpose
Does it really matter if an organization is “distinctive”? When an organization’s distinctiveness (identity) is linked with the organization’s purpose (greater social goal), the organization’s unique qualities provide the unique […]
Capturing Authenticity in Your Business Name: Dangerous Mathematicians
Over the weekend I took my family over to Brooklyn to visit our groovy friend Lizz. Part of the plan was to wander around Boerum Hill and explore (okay, window […]
Organic Discount or Competency Penalty? The real reason organic wines sell for less
Stereotypes about non-profit and for-profit firms explain why organic wine can’t command higher prices. Today’s Freakonomics column picks up on UCLA research reported earlier this week by Matt McDermot at […]
Fix the Brand of Men’s Figure Skating: Send Out the Clowns, and get me Johnny Weir
The ‘Brand of Men’s Figure Skating’ is broken. The brand lacks coherence, it isn’t compelling, and sometimes it isn’t even attractive. And it’s all because of what those guys wear. […]
Girl Scouts Rebrand Their Cookies: "Every Cookie Has A Mission"
The Girl Scouts have been busy with their organizational re-branding efforts. With the start of the 2010 Cookie Season, they have a new branding campaign specifically designed to make Girl […]
Authentic Student Entrepreneurs: Embedding Personal, Product and Organizational Brand
What do fledgling entrepreneurs need to know about creating authenticity? And what, if anything, does this have to do with cupcakes? I had a chance to try to boil it […]
Bias Bingo: Blending Branding and Learning
I love it when basic business science can be applied to important causes. So, I was excited when my favorite FemaleScienceProfessor pointed me towards a clever website designed to teach […]
EmployER Branding vs. EmployEE Branding
Sometimes the distinctions between terms are irrelevant; they don’t make much of a difference. Not so with the distinction between employEE branding and EmployER branding. Just the switch of one […]
What's a Brandividual?
When I read that David Armano had “invented” the term “Brandividual” a few months ago, I muttered choice words from an array of Continental languages and berated myself for not […]