Post by: Tim Calkins
2025 Brands to Watch
Welcome to 2025! The year will bring a new administration in Washington and with it lots of discussion of tariffs and tax policy and Greenland. Here are my 2025 brands to watch. Private College Tuition Selective private colleges have long embraced a simple model: raise tuition and increase financial aid. The result: families with resources […]
Looking Back on My 2024 Brands to Watch
In recent years I’ve started the year by highlighting a few brands to watch. These are brands that are set up to have an interesting year, some poised for growth and others likely to struggle. Here is a look back at my 2024 picks and how things worked out. Harvard 2023 was a rough year […]
A Remarkable Spot from Apple
It is the season for Christmas ads. No country does Christmas advertising quite like the U.K., where people wait anxiously to see what brands will come up with. Expectations are high. It is a bit like the Super Bowl here in the U.S. You can watch two of my favorite Christmas ads here, one from […]
Learning from the Election Results
We are just a little more than a week past the election, but it seems like the distant past. Before the excitement fades away, it is worth reflecting on some things marketers can learn about branding and strategy from what happened. Don’t Assume Others Are Like You It is very tempting to assume that everyone […]
The Election Branding Battle
Elections are brand battles. At Kellogg, we define brands to be the associations linked to a name, mark or symbol associated with a product or service. When people see a name or symbol, what do they think? This is the brand. A political race is all about branding. People aren’t buying a product they can […]
Why Starbucks and Nike Should Study LVMH
Two of the most astonishing branding stories this year have been the struggles of Nike and Starbucks. Both firms might benefit from studying luxury giant LVMH. Starbucks and Nike A few years back, Nike and Starbucks were business school go-to brands. Want an example of a strong brand? How about Nike or Starbucks? Looking for […]
Learning from a Free Walking Tour in Milan
I’m teaching in Europe this month; I was in Copenhagen last week and will be in Italy for the next few days. I had some open time in Milan, so I signed up for a free walking tour. I always love these because they attract an interesting group of people, and the guides have a […]
The Future of the GE Brand
Anyone interested in branding should pay attention to GE. What will happen to the GE brand over the next decade? My prediction: it will start to fade away. A Glorious Past GE is perhaps the most famous corporate brand. Under CEO Jack Welch, GE was the envy of the business world and regarded as the […]
A Troubling Trend in Not-For-Profit Branding
There seems to be a trend developing in the world of not-for-profits: rebranding. Many organizations are moving from descriptive brands to broad, general brands. In most cases, this is well-intentioned but a bad move. The Trend In recent years, a series of not-for-profits have rebranded to general, inspirational names. Here are a few examples: -The […]
Three Branding Observations on the Debate
It is the week after the debate. People are still digesting exactly what happened and the implications. Here are three observations on the campaign. Biden Shouldn’t Run For Joe Biden, the debate was a branding disaster. Heading into the event, his brand was tarnished by perceptions of age and cognitive decline. The debate reinforced these perceptions; […]
Career Advice for Graduates
It is Commencement Day at Kellogg. This afternoon, hundreds of students will gather in Evanston to receive their degrees. I’ll be there for the procession and ceremony. For the faculty, attendance is optional, but I love the energy and seeing my students on such a notable day. If you follow this blog, you know I […]
Presenting Tip: Don’t Use PowerPoint Notes
I teach marketing strategy, branding, and biomedical marketing at Kellogg. One of my core beliefs is that it isn’t enough to develop smart strategies; you also have to communicate them persuasively to get people on board. A few years back I wrote my book on the topic, How to Wash a Chicken: Mastering the Business […]