Tag: living the brand

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The Most Important Strategic Question You Can Ask

Most Important Strategic Question
(Reading Time: 3 minutes)

We’ve all seen them: The pipe dreams that are presented as “strategic plans.” Plans that seem to have no tether to reality. Plans that nobody believes in (but that somehow get approved).

There are many reasons such unrealistic plans survive. The organization may encourage activity, not results. Leadership may not be grounded in the planning process, and are thus unable to guide it. Politics may replace objectivity. And so on.

No matter the roots of the issue, I’ve found that one question is particularly useful in making a huge leap toward strategy that truly works.

That question is four short words: Continue reading “The Most Important Strategic Question You Can Ask”

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Who Really Builds the Brand?

(Reading Time: 2 minutes)

Within your company, who really builds the brand?  Which department is responsible for brand-building?

Trick question!  The answer is “All of them.”  Everyone plays a part in delivering on the brand positioning and bringing the brand to life.

Let’s use a hypothetical consumer packaged goods company as an example of “who does what” (the parallels to your own company should be easy to see):

Continue reading “Who Really Builds the Brand?”

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Sam vs. Bud

(Reading Time: 4 minutes)

The question came up during a friendly game of poker. At the table were several local businessmen who had heard me speak of brand storytelling, and one asked:

“So what’s the difference between a great brand and a brand with a great story?”

As I glanced around the table, I found some help in answering. This was a BYOB poker game. To my left, I saw a Budweiser; to my right, a Samuel Adams. Continue reading “Sam vs. Bud”

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Of Consistency and Clown Doctors

(Reading Time: 3 minutes)

Imagine you’ve made an appointment with your family doctor to discuss the shooting pangs in your chest and the fact that your left arm is going numb five or six times a day.

You’re waiting in an examination room in one of those flattering gowns. Suddenly, your doctor pops in wearing in a polka-dotted clown suit, a conical cap and a red rubber nose, laughing maniacally as he hoses you down with his seltzer bottle. Continue reading “Of Consistency and Clown Doctors”