“Why is our industry slow to adapt? Because the way we’ve done things had always worked …” Until it didn’t. While technology has changed the marketing and PR industry significantly, we’re also at a cultural inflection point. People are demanding … Read More →

“Every animal has a story to tell.” And we didn’t even get to them all! But we tried. This week I chatted with Dean Noble, Director of Marketing of the Santa Barbara Zoo. With a diverse background including the movie … Read More →

“The CMO for a medium-sized brand is responsible for more words than the editor of a newspaper.” Words matter. And, to this very point, there are a lot of them in the crowded, digital world we find ourselves in. How … Read More →

“Does your brand exist legally? The depends on what your brand is.” We only tackle the big questions on this podcast! Our guest this week isn’t a branding author, marketing strategist, or someone working in the trenches, building brands. But … Read More →

“Experience is the residue brands leave with people after the product’s gone.” Justin Wartell of Monigle knows a thing or two about brand experience. In working with brands as diverse as FedEx, Quiznos, Mass General, and the Denver Broncos, this … Read More →

On this week’s Social Sound Bite — recorded live at the KXIC studios in Iowa City — Jerry and I discussed how Starbucks is using a recent in-store crisis as an opportunity to step up their employee-training efforts. Listen for the full … Read More →

“The confused mind doesn’t buy.” As a psychology major — I know enough to be dangerous — I couldn’t wait to talk with Kaye Putnam. A psychology-driven brand strategist, she works with entrepreneurs from startup to high-growth. Creating a standout … Read More →

Early in my career, I spent my commute listening to audiobooks in my 1996 Ford Taurus. The tinny car speakers shook as Tom Peters spoke about excellence and management by walking around. Through landmark books such as In Search of … Read More →

On this week’s Social Sound Bite — recorded live at the KXIC studios in Iowa City — Jerry and I discussed the latest data from the State of Branding 2018. The report breaks down the biggest challenges marketers face. Topping that list … Read More →

“Consumers are human beings first.” Duh. Who needs to be reminded of this? I mean, we’ve got our big data, customer analytics, loyalty metrics, key performance indicators, demographics, psychographic profiles, and … Oh yeah. That’s why we need to be … Read More →