Defensive Strategy

A Thermostat’s PR Triumph

28 Oct 2011  

Thermostats are not the most exciting devices. I would put them right up there with water heaters and door hinges in terms of overall interest, things that fall in the category of “items you need but don’t think much about.” This is why I am so impressed with what Nest pulled off this week. Nest […]

Brands in the News

Groupon’s Problem

18 Oct 2011  

Groupon is gearing up for an IPO. My advice to the team planning the offering is quite simple: move quickly. Andrew Ross Sorkin has as an interesting article on Groupon in today’s New York Times. He notes that Groupon has a number of rather significant issues, including a fairly low cash balance and a working […]

Defensive Strategy

Losing a Brand Builder

6 Oct 2011  

Yesterday we lost one of the great brand builders of our time. Steve Jobs was a master in terms of design and technology. He was also an exceptionally gifted brand manager. Jobs did four things incredibly well in terms of branding. Perhaps most importantly, he believed that branding and marketing mattered. Under his leadership Apple consistently invested in […]

Defensive Strategy

Did Amazon Get the Price Right?

3 Oct 2011  

Last week Amazon announced the launch of the Kindle Fire, a tablet device targeting Apple’s very successful iPad. One of the most debatable parts of the launch is the price: Amazon set the price at $199, significantly below Apple’s cheapest iPad, which sells for $499. Many people have attacked Amazon for the pricing move, declaring […]