Recent Articles
Insights, stories, and perspectives on the topics that matter most to us.
The Future of Remote Work: Adapting to a Digital-First World
As organizations worldwide embrace remote work, we explore the tools, strategies, and cultural shifts that are shaping the future of how we collaborate and build teams in an increasingly digital landscape.
In my day, we used to work in open plan offices…
Not too long ago, 2017 to be exact, I was working as a copywriter for a global advertising agency. I have this vivid memory of arranging to go into work late one morning, arranging it formally, so that I could make progress on the script I was working on…
Understanding Strategy: Branding’s Superpower
You know those four-year-old kids that like to ask “why?” over and over and over again until you want to rip your hair out? They probably grow up to be strategists…
Let Your Heart Rule
We like to think we have dominion over the mind. That we make our own decisions that are logical and correct…
Color Obsessed: A Deep Dive of Color in Branding
From the vibrant hues of pop art to the moody palettes of film noir, color has the ability to transport us to different worlds and connect us to the stories being told…
Moms in the Network
When I was 27, I joined a network, and the first thing I was told was how great the maternity policies are. Four months of fully paid leave. This was a company that supported women…
Listen In
Listening to podcasts is one of the best ways to keep up with the fast pace of marketing, branding, and culture. They’re like a protein shake for the brain – building new muscles when the workout is washing the dishes or walking the dog. Here’s where I go to get my podcast fix
The Think Equation
The greatest value I believe I bring to my work as a marketer and strategist…. is probably how I think. But thinking is what I often feel I have the least time to do.
First the Worst, Second the Best
One of my favorite campaigns is Avis’s iconic ‘We Try Harder’.
What I love about it is not just how counterintuitive it is to acknowledge a supposed disadvantage. But it’s the brilliant reframing of this disadvantage as a point of strength and differentiation – that is the mark of genius insight.
H/T to Marketers
Marketers wear many hats. At times, it can feel overwhelming. What skills do you believe are essential for a marketer today? Here’s my (partial) roundup.
A Strategy Love Song
To be a great brand strategist, you have to fall in love with the brand you’re working with. How? Here’s an exercise: write the brand a love song. Try it. See what benefits bubble up. Here’s one I wrote.
Charge your Creativity
We left New York City over the summer.
As a creative strategist, I am deeply impacted by the aesthetics around me. And New York City is chock-full of creative inputs. You catch my I <3 NY drift. In NYC, my creative energy was always skyscraper high. We lived 4 inspired years in the city. And then the pandemic hit.
Tool Time
I’m on the hunt for new tools. This is not a drill. (ba, dum, tss)
Here are 16 tools every marketer should have in their toolbox (in no particular order)
Hole in Won
“Let’s build a custom-designed mini-golf course.” This was the idea I pitched to my creative team. All the other brand activations on the table were as exciting as a cold bowl of mashed potatoes.
One problem: my boss wasn’t buying it. It took me 3 hours to convince him that my idea deserved a shot.
Word
Just as he launches his fist through the air towards the arm of his twin brother, I swoop in like Batman with only seconds to spare and manage to save the day with a simple phrase that has the power of a vibranium shield: “Use. Your. Words!”
Laugh through it
Why did the brand strategist cross the road? To reposition! I’ve led a few creative teams over the years, and I’ve noticed a pattern that has produced