Several years ago, a reporter named Maggie contacted me for an interview. She was writing about consumer trends and tracked me down. Maggie and I go way back, having lived in the same part of town, our paths crossed more than once. Lately, Maggie has taken on a project for TRUE,...
Culture
BusinessTown’s Satire of Silicon Valley Speak
We love following BusinessTown!, a Tumblr blog devoted to cartoon versions of Silicon Valley stereotypes. Lately it’s been blowing up on the internet. Cleverly illustrated by Lunch Breath, it reimagines the charming characters created by Richard Scarry, the children’s author most well-known for his Busytown series. We see “value-creating winners”...
Courting Millennials with Cultural Capital: 7 Things They Won’t Tell You
I’m excited to present our latest report: Courting Millennials with Cultural Capital: 7 Things Young Early Adopters Won’t Tell You. It’s offers a handy set of best practices for winning the hearts and minds of Millennial mavens. Dig in and learn: • Why young influencers play an even bigger role...
What Millennials Really Want to Know: The Society of Grownups
A few years ago, fellow author Ben Hammersley turned me on to the School of Life, a very successful London-based mecca for life-long learners, mostly Millennials, who want to live up to their potential. With classes selling out months in advance, it appeared the SOL founders had struck two primal...
The Superbowl’s Stage Keeps Football Lite
The entertainment slated for this Sunday’s Superbowl makes the total sponsorship package for brands a one-two-punch—sports AND entertainment. The plain truth is that, football could use a facelift, and acts like Katy Perry stand ready to deliver. It’s been a tough year for football in the popular culture. The New...
Gift Ideas
One of the things I love about the holiday season is that we have all agreed that this is the season to be generous. But I’m also welcoming a shift away from the fierce consumerism of years past, toward a kinder, gentler season of giving. In that spirit, I have...
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...