There is a good piece of drama on TV disguised as an advertising commercial.  Open in shop, son working with calipers on block of wood.  No help from Dad, only encouragement.  Son ends up with blocky looking soapbox derby car vs. other cars that look like Mattel engineered.  Son with clunky looking car wins soapbox [...]

An associate, Rhonda McHardy sent us this new ad campaign for Air New Zealand.
Is it clever, or is it brilliant?   What do you think?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elD38pJX7iE&feature=related

I guess when we are looking at ways to create compelling differentiation, we have to include in our mental check lists, “upside down.”
I am of course speaking of Topsy Turvy, the new tomato plant that grows upside down out of the bottom of a hanging basket.  Everything about this product fits the principles of Killer [...]

I ate the other night at the Montgomery Inn in a surburb northeast of Cincinnati. The Montgomery Inn is actually a KILLER BRAND. People from all over come there just to have their barbecued ribs.
This is a great example of focus.  The Montgomery Inn is a full-service full-menu restaurant.  Very upscale, in a [...]

The signs in the baggage department at Kansas City airport say, “Welcome to Kansas City, the heart of America.”  Thirty years ago I would have agreed.  That’s the city P&G picked as the test market for Bounce.
But now, I don’t know.  Kansas City hasn’t changed that much except for the good.  It is America that [...]

I tried a new toothpaste at the Hyatt in Kansas City.  Acquafresh Extreme Clean, with micro-foaming action.
This formula comes out of the tube in a red and white swirl and turns pink while using.
AM I THE ONLY PERSON IN THE WORLD WHO DOES NOT WANT A TOOTHPASTE THAT REMINDS ME OF GUMS BLEEDING?

Animal crackers with which we are all familiar were not a brand.  Animal crackers are a commodity with many different manufacturers over the years, even a few now, but the niche category has been all but owned since 1902 by Nabisco with its Barnum Animal crackers.  WHY??
In 1902, Nabisco created a special package of Barnum’s [...]

Why not?
Can you differentiate a drinking glass in a compelling and ownable way, and become famous for it?
Well, the Tervis Tumbler™ is just that.  Except they are not a Killer Brand, because as successful as they are, very few people know about them by name, even when they are drinking from one.  Are you familiar [...]

Okay friends.  I have now seen the new Gatorade packaging in the stores.  By every principle I know, this new brand architecture, line and packaging should cost Gatorade real volume.

You do not confuse the consumer.
This means don’t make revolutionary changes in your packaging all at once unless it is to fix a terrible problem, which [...]