My generation read The Little Engine That Could, that while pulling up a tough hill kept saying to himself, “I think I can, I think I can.”  You would assume that today’s business leaders, mostly in my generation, would remember the Little Engine That Could. You would think that they would step forward and seize [...]

This is a day late but the Macintosh computer was born yesterday, 25 years ago with <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch">the famous "George Orwell, 1984" TV advertising</a>.
I was thinking that we ran Bullfrog on an Apple II, and we ran my first consulting company on an Apple III, both of which preceeded the Macintosh.  Seems like just yesterday.  [...]

I am no fan of political advertising, and I am not taking sides, but today I was forwarded a link which represents one of the greatest examples of marketing mechanics I have ever seen.  The link was to a CNNBC (sic) video entitled, “Obama’s loss traced to Frank Lane.”  You clicked on the link and [...]

The other week, a friend in Canada, Nina Troezkiy and I were trying to talk with a bad cell phone connection.  She made a simple but profound comment, “It’s hard to have a good talk with a bad connection.”  Zing went the strings in my brain.  HOW RIGHT SHE IS.  On every level.
If you want [...]

As a people we are not just ethnocentric we are chronocentric.  We actually think that technological disintermediation is a thing of our times.  Long distance being replaced by cell phones, etc.  Well think about this.
The Pony Express, an American Icon, a true Killer Brand in its time, was introduced in April of 1860.   It reduced [...]

Many of you know that I am a fan of Native American wisdom and rhetoric.  One of you just sent me this parable which I had forgotton.  Seems to be appropriate for the last few posts and comments.
One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people. He said, [...]

If you work in any organization, you are always going to have friends and you are always going to have enemies.  That is if you are any good.  Medium performers can have only friends, but top performers always have enemies.
Oscar Wilde said, “Always forgive your enemies; nothing annoys them so much.”  Robert Greene in his [...]

Albert Schweitzer said, “A man does not have to be an angel to be a saint.”  I believe that.
A really good leader is a saint.  You do not have to be perfect.  Remember one simple thought.  A good leader is one others choose to follow.  It really is that simple.  Others either choose of their [...]

On this Thanksgiving Day, I offer a quote by Ralph Charell.  This advice is as spot on as I can give to anyone involved in Brand Management.
“Be the chess player, not the chess piece.”

Helen Hayes once advised, “Focus on achievement.  Forget about success.”
Good advice for anyone, particularly brand managers.  If you can take your own personal drive and ambition and translate it entirely into drive and ambition for the brand entrusted to you, you don’t have to worry about your own success.  Make your brand achieve.  Your rewards [...]