My new book on creating and delivering powerful business presentations comes out on September 25. I’ve heard from quite a few people, and they all seem to be excited about its release. You can pre-order a copy here. One of the questions that I’ve been getting quite frequently is this: What is with the title? This is […]
I’m happy to announce that my new book on presenting comes out on September 25. The book is titled, How to Wash a Chicken – Mastering the Business Presentation. The book is a practical, entertaining guide to crafting and delivering powerful business presentations. This includes business updates, recommendations and analyses. You can buy a copy here. […]
Last week was the big “Pay Your Age Day” at Build-A-Bear. As you have probably read, the event did not go well. People certainly responded to the offer, but so many families and kids showed up that Build-A-Bear had to halt the event and turn people away. This was – to put it mildly – unpopular. […]
It is graduation week here at Northwestern. On Friday, several hundred Kellogg MBA students will walk across the stage and receive their degrees. There will be speeches and hugs and celebrations— it’s a fun time of the year. Soon enough, the graduates will get to work. Some will start in a week or two, while […]
Yesterday Fifth Third Bank announced that it would be acquiring MB Financial Bank. The move gives Cincinnati-based Fifth Third an opportunity to do something it should have done a long time ago – drop its ridiculous brand name. The combined institution should become MB Financial Bank or adopt a completely new name. Every once in […]
Now that this year’s Kellogg Super Bowl Advertising Review is done and my winter quarter classes are in the home stretch, I am shifting my focus to my next big project: I am writing a book on creating powerful business presentations. Three Insights There are three insights driving this project. First, business presentations are critically important for organizations. […]
It is hard to imagine a brand that has taken more hits than SeaWorld. The company operates twelve theme parks in the United States and is best known for its spectacular shows featuring killer whales, including the star of the show, Shamu. For many years, parents and kids have delighted in the remarkable parks, marveling […]
The Super Bowl remains marketing’s biggest event. Nothing comes even close in terms of reach, attention and price. Once again this year, a panel of MBA students gathered at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management to strategically evaluate the Super Bowl ads. The group hunkered down to assess the ads for effectiveness—not just entertainment—with a critical question […]
The Super Bowl is less than a week away. The football game should be interesting. Can Tom Brady and the Patriots once again take the prize? The advertising should be even more interesting. One category to watch in particular: Telecom. Last year, T-Mobile and Sprint both attacked Verizon. The Sprint ad featured a fellow faking […]
The Super Bowl is fast approaching. On February 4, more than one hundred million people will congregate at Super Bowl parties to watch both the football and the advertising. On the part of advertisers, they will spend $5 million or more for each thirty second spot to reach the huge audience. If history is any […]
Happy New Year! At the start of each year, I like to offer a brand forecast. Like the year that just ended, 2018 will bring opportunities and challenges for many brands. Here are a few in particular to watch. Sears Many old guard, brick and mortar retailers are struggling, and Sears in particular lost its […]
Each year I highlight a few brands to watch. Let’s take a look at how things worked out for some of my 2017 selections. Amazon My question about Amazon: could the company keep the momentum going despite the lack of significant profits? The answer is pretty clear—absolutely. When I wrote my post last year the stock […]