Protect Your Brand- Why Your Nonexistent Nipple Ring Can Hurt Your Brand

Protecting your brand from yourself is not enough.  Sure, we all know of CEOs like Bob Parsons and John Mackey who seem to make a habit of committing what would appear to be brand hara-kiri.  However, the fact of the matter is that employees, friends and family can pose as much if not more of […]

Mind Control? The Hidden Messages in Television

I don’t know if I’m the only one, but I frequently feel overwhelmed with advertisement messages on billboards, television, the Internet, and people’s clothing.  It seems that everywhere I turn, there is an advertisement. One of the most subtle forms of advertising are messages and images in movies and television.  To be honest, I never […]

When Branding & Social Media Collide : 3 Lessons For Great Social Media Profiles

I recently had the pleasure of speaking to HelmsBriscoe, the world’s largest meeting planning organization,  in San Francisco with Branding & Generations Speaker Karen McCullough.  This was an awesome “full circle” moment for me because, prior to my starting my own marketing firm, I worked in the hospitality industry and often partnered with HelmsBriscoe.

Aristotle’s Three Point Marketing Approach

I’m sure Aristotle never imagined an afro-puffed marketing strategist blogging about his writings on rhetoric.  Yet, here I am. Rhetoric, or the art and study of persuasive language, was divided into three major categories by Aristotle:  ethos, pathos and logos.  In marketing, we use these same three approaches to convince customers to purchase, 2300 + […]

What Shaggy Dog Taught Me About Referral Business

A strong referral network, paired with excellent service, can overcome many business obstacles. In the case of Shaggy Dog, it overcame lack of location, marketing strategy and possibly, a license.