As strategic marketers, we recognize the integral ways that the marketing function drives business growth – from identifying the right target audience to developing a differentiated offer to communicating that offer in a compelling way. However, we are practicing in a time of increasing scrutiny over the value of marketing investments – especially when a […]
Category: Business Fundamentals
Megatrends through 2030 and what you can do to prepare your business
Megatrends – global, sustained, macro forces spread over long periods of time – are by their very definition “out there.” And for that reason, they are rightfully challenging for many companies to consider in their strategy development and business planning. First, there is no single, definitive source for megatrend identification and analysis. Instead there are […]
The New UA Campaign Through My Millennial-Colored Glasses
In an age when marketers are trying to become their consumers’ BFFs, Under Armour’s new ad campaign,Rule Yourself, has turned me off. In trying to appeal to Millennials, its most recent campaign takes a risk, adopting a forceful, parental tone that comes across as lecturing. I, for one, am not enamored. The new campaign, Rule […]
Brands: Sell Your Soul
Recently, the messaging app LINE caught my eye – primarily based on the fact that it was featured as the number 14 company in Fast Company’s “World’s 50 Most Innovative Companies” issue. On the surface, it seems to offer the same messaging benefit as many other apps, but with a differentiating functionality in the form […]
3 steps for more meaningful marketing metrics
It is estimated that more than a trillion dollars are spent each year through marketing activities – and that between 15% and 30% of those dollars are “wasted.”1 That’s right – wasted. Understandably, senior marketing leaders are under increasing scrutiny and pressure to prove the value of their marketing investments – however two of three […]
Market vigilance: a key job for strategic marketers
A key job of strategic marketers is to be on constant look out for changes in their consumers and their markets. But most of us don’t have this on the top of our priority lists of things to do. Most of us analyze our markets and develop our strategic plans for driving growth under the […]
“Glocal” Expansion: How Best-in-Class Retail Brands Succeed Abroad
In a previous article, we explored how best-in-class retail brands like Starbucks and McDonald’s execute marketing initiatives so effectively across their vast retail networks. From that analysis, we highlighted the four “keys to success” for companies that excel in executing marketing programs across large retail footprints: Focusing on a few impactful programs Clearly defining success […]
Infographic: How best-in-class retail brands execute marketing programs
This infographic is based on the Denneen & Company article: How best-in-class retail brands execute marketing programs
Big Data isn’t enough on its own, you need strategic insights
We now live in an era of Big Data, and like most strategists and marketers, I welcome more data and information regarding the market, customers, and consumers. But those data on their own are not enough to drive sustainable growth in a business – and neither are the high-level summary findings that typically come from […]
The Second Machine Age
A massive wave of disruptive technological change is coming that will leave no industry unchanged. Presently, only ripples are evident. Soon, however, technological innovation will create monumental changes and those companies that are prepared to manage this change in a dynamic way will be able to ride the wave of change. Those that are not […]
