Author Archives: Patricia Martin
Shine on Shinola: Three Essential Lessons From a Breakthrough Brand
In search of a deeper understanding of what makes the Shinola brand tick, I sought out a tour of its factory in Detroit, the city where I grew up. This post is about my tour, where I witnessed the life cycle of Shinola watches from start to finish. And in...
Why The Future of Branding is Not About “Digital”
“Indeed, digital now forms such an inherent part of our lives and our business that treating it as a distinct category or phenomenon often feels somewhat perverse and old-fashioned. Try telling your kids that you have a ‘digital’ TV or ‘digital’ camera. The word itself is becoming quaint.” — Sir...
Trending: The Revolution Will be Digitized–Change.org
“You can’t win with numbers in public advocacy. You win with stories.” Ben Rattray, CEO of Change.org We’re watching Change.org rack up “victories every day” just as its slogan proclaims. The platform provides an easy, accessible way for citizens to post petitions that spur social change. The service has exploded,...
Ru Paul and New Trends in Entertainment Marketing
This week, I had a lively exchange with Dave Gianatasio over at AdWeek magazine about trends in product integration. When sponsors insert themselves into the context of the culture, it communicates what the brand means in people’s lives. It’s powerful. We’ve built a business advising clients about how to do that well....
One Simple Truth about 21st-Century Love
Dating coaches are a growing industry. It’s a high-tech, high-touch phenomenon spurred by the explosion of online dating. Amy Alkon began her love-advice giving on a street corner in Manhattan. It was an experiment. She set up a table, made a sign, and waited to see what would happen. Remarkably, people...
Cool Campaign: Nature Speaks Up
Nature is coming in loud and clear thanks to Conservation International’s new campaign: Nature Is Speaking. The thrust of the message is that nature is not dependent on humanity; we are dependent on it. A gang of A-list celebrities including: Harrison Ford, Julia Roberts, Penelope Cruz, and Kevin Spacey, have chimed in...