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JOE FRESH: the Brand, the Business and the Barber

The local barbershop used to be an oasis for men and boys. There was always a football or baseball game on TV, the bottles of pop in the coke machine were ice cold and you could look through two or three years-worth of Sports Illustrated magazines — including the famous …

Using AI in Your Marketing is Effective — But is it Ethical?

“Should advertising be abolished?” That’s the title of the final chapter of Confessions of an Advertising Man — a book by advertising genius David Ogilvy and published in 1963. At one time, Ogilvy wondered if consumers seeing advertising had almost no other choice but to “obey” and buy the product …

The Forgotten Key to Building Your Brand and Business

Have you ever played “branding baseball?” I sometimes initiate a game with attendees at my branding workshops to warm them up and get them involved. Volunteers get three swings at the correct answer to “What is your brand?” The first inning typically goes something like this… “Our company name is …

Should You Use Humor in Your Advertising?

Stop reading if you know this joke…. A man goes to the doctor with a carrot in his nose, cabbage in his ears and ham over his eyes. “What’s wrong with me doc?” He asks. The doctor replies “Well, it looks like you’re not eating right.” Did you stop reading? …

Innovation Helps Marketers Blast Off with Billions in Sales

What products come to mind when you hear the word “innovation?” Computers? Cell phones? Cars? How about non-dairy milk, fish, and bottled water? Done laughing? Good, because as the following stories illustrate, several stagnate brands in these categories made billions of dollars in new sales and with innovation in their …

Helping Customers Will Increase Sales

I was filled with the fire of righteous indignation. “How DARE they charge me for a Starz Network subscription?” I said to my computer screen. “I never signed up for that!” Even though I somehow justify $200-400 worth of purchases from Amazon each month, when I spotted a $9.95 charge …

Is TV Advertising Moving to the Web?

“I knew I was in trouble when I opened the box,” said Jimmy Franklin. Jimmy is a friend and marketing consultant. During the week, his day is filled with words, meetings and computer screens. On weekends, he likes to balance that “invisible” work with something he can do with his …

Get Growing with Strategic Foresight

“Your Toe Fungus Could Fester with the Wrong Product” reads the headline of an ad in Parade magazine. It was for a product called Fungicure. My first thoughts were, “Who wrote that headline? Whom did they interview? What research did they conduct?” I’ve developed my share of embarrassing product marketing, …