Aldi, McDonalds and Honest Discussions
An Aldi closed recently in Chicago. What happened next illustrates a basic problem in our country. The Closing The Aldi in question was located in the West Garfield Park neighborhood, on the west side of Chicago. It is a troubled area. For example, life expectancy for people living in the neighborhood is 16 years less […]
A New World for Business Leaders
Every few classes, I look at one of my presentation slides and notice that something is off. I think, “Wait. That doesn’t look right. I need to fix it.” Sometimes it is a spelling or grammar mistake. Other times I notice that a particular example no longer works. And then there are the moments when […]
Inflation’s Slow Build
Inflation is getting a lot of attention. Prices are rising across categories, and the U.S. is hitting the highest inflation rates that it has seen in a very long time. Over the past 12 months, inflation was a remarkable 5.3%. The Transitory Inflation Theory Many economists have projected that this increase in inflation will be […]
Rebranding the Taliban
The U.S. and its allies are now out of Afghanistan, leaving the Taliban in control. It is a remarkable victory for the Taliban; there were fireworks and celebrations as the last U.S. plane left the Kabul airport. Once the celebrations are over, of course, reality will set in. Afghanistan has vast troubles, and people are […]
Ulta’s Target Growth Opportunity
This is a big month for Ulta, as the giant beauty retailer opens its first mini-shop in Target. This is just the first in what will be hundreds of locations. In the Marketing Strategy course that I teach at Kellogg, I highlight that strategy is all about choices. Analysis is good, but ultimately it comes […]
It All Makes Sense: Buy Now, Pay Later and Vaccine Hesitancy
I’ve been catching up on reading this week and was struck by two stories. Two Stories First, vaccine hesitancy continues to be a major issue and uptake is falling short of expectations. Joe Biden’s July 4 prediction that we would be past the virus by Independence Day was far too optimistic. We missed out on […]
Finally, Some Great Vaccine Marketing
The COVID-19 pandemic has been marked by loss, lockdowns and a conspicuous, almost embarrassing lack of great marketing. In recent days, however, things are changing – some leading marketing companies are stepping up. It is not a minute too soon. The Need for Marketing Marketing shapes behavior. By identifying and tapping into needs and wants, […]
2021 Brands to Watch
The year ahead promises to be interesting for lots of brands. Politics will certainly dominate the headlines. Can Joe Biden unite the country? What will Donald Trump do next? What happens to the Republican party? Many other brands face an uncertain year, too. Here is my list of 2021 Brands to Watch.
Looking Back at my 2020 Brands to Watch
Every year I identify some brands to watch. Here is a look back at my 2020 brands.
Reopening: Conflict Ahead
A month ago I predicted that the world would shut down in a bid to slow the spread of the Corona virus, partly because health leaders did a very poor job explaining why it was important to shelter in place. In the absence of a compelling message, government leaders would have to use force to […]
The Coming Shutdown
We are headed for lock-down. The specifics will vary from place to place, but more and more governments will be imposing regulations preventing people from venturing out. Yesterday Illinois joined many other nations and states and closed all restaurants. When you look at this with a marketing lens, the outcome is quite certain. The Virus […]
Vail’s Lift Line Branding Disaster
If you are a Colorado skier, you’ve probably seen videos of Vail’s absolutely incredible lift lines. If you haven’t, well, take a look. The videos are terrifying for a skier; waiting in a lift line is always painful, but an epic lift line is astonishingly bad. Imagine being stuck in a line for an hour […]