Let’s play a game.  I name a place and you tell me the first thing that comes to mind.  Ok? Ready? GO…

1. Washington DC
2. London
3. San Francisco
4. Switzerland
5. Mexico
6. Turkey

If my hypothesis is right, the majority of you had to think for a minute about Turkey.  Now this is not a statistically accurate research study and I cannot say with 95% confidence that my hypothesis is correct, but let’s just say that I have a gut feeling that many of you do not have associations with Turkey.   The reason I can prove … read more

I’m fascinated with human nature.  So I pulled up the famous pyramid that has at its foundation Physiological Needs and at its peak Self Actualization, Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. As I reviewed the specifics of the pyramid, it occurred to me that the pyramid consists of “benefits” to human beings.

In communicating brands internally and externally, we talk about the importance of highlighting both features (what a product does or how a service is performed) and benefits (how it makes someone’s life better)…. read more

What happens when a brand promise does not line up with the brand experience? As organizational branders, we often warn companies that they have to deliver what they promise. When they don’t, the result is often disastrous for the organization, and customers usually see right through the façade.

In July, Starbucks launched three stores branded as local coffee shops.  Their names are based on the intersection they sit, and the Starbucks logo is not in sight – inside or outside.  The stores are owned and operated … read more