There’s no shortage of grief in the world right now. Yet somehow a new breed of heartbreak has managed to find my address and pound down my door. My long-time creative partner, Marguerite Lutton, died suddenly in August. The news didn’t just hit me hard, it hit me with an undercut. I think I’ve figured…
Despite corporate America’s decades of diversity and inclusion efforts and its stellar business case showing greater revenue, profitability and innovation, these efforts have failed rather spectacularly. When has a business practice, sponsored by powerful CEOs that results in more revenue, ever failed so colossally? And why is it happening? Let’s acknowledge the stubborn role of…
Among the many things I’ve learned from Britney Spears was that “there’s only two types of people in the world. The ones that entertain, and the ones that observe.” But times change and so do people, and today, at the risk of oversimplifying, there are only two types of people in our world and they…
More nights last spring than I’d like to admit, I found myself doomscrolling: mindlessly thumbing through my feeds full of scary statistics, grim updates and fear-inducing ads. It was exhausting, and did nothing to help my mounting anxiety. Turns out, it’s not helping brands, either. Anger and divisiveness may encourage people to scroll–and troll–but it…
It’s no secret that the Covid-19 crisis has transformed daily life for virtually everyone. And according to new research, it looks as though the pandemic has also changed our priorities in ways that could have permanent consequences for the planet–a fact we’ve been abruptly reminded of as the West Coast battles wildfires covering more land…
It’s time for more brands to take a leap of faith and trust creators to give them the voice consumers in these smaller pockets of influence want to hear. TikTok, a new-to-the-scene video platform with billions of users that’s on pace to outgrow Instagram soon, is mostly an untapped resource — especially for companies that…
When the world seemed less complicated, marketing was designed to move consumers and make products desirable. But it has now taken on a larger role. Consumers expect brands to take a position on issues that matter, to stand by our communities in the face of challenge and to bring true purpose to the bottom line….
Want to be a better strategic thinker? For most businesspeople, the time-tested P&G (Procter & Gamble) memo is a great place to start. At its core, the format of a classic P&G recommendation memo forces you to sequentially structure your thoughts, which in turn forces you to sequentially structure your communication. The clarity provided by…
The playbook for brand building has undergone a metamorphosis. And to call it a playbook limits its true purpose of enabling brand custodians to evolve the brand to fit purposefully into the world of its consumers even as their values shift. Perhaps the word compass is more fitting. A decade ago, most CPG marketers followed…
The fear of nuclear annihilation during the Cold War was so palpable that a common joke at the time was: “What do you want to be if you grow up?” In the late 1950s, 60% of American children suffered nightmares about it. Hollywood didn’t help. During the 1950s, science fiction crossed to the dark side….
I happily write this from my studio apartment, despite it now also being my office. I left New York City temporarily for the comfort of the Long Island suburbs for part of the pandemic, but the experience of that distance reminded me of what makes the advertising and marketing industry in New York so magnetic….
In today’s climate where brands are responding to a pandemic, social justice issues and other societal needs, there has been an abundance of messaging coming at consumers to maintain that connection. But in this new environment, how does a marketer uphold a brand’s position and purpose? And how do they stand out? As a chief…
I got Covid-19 from a party I attended on March 7, which turned out to be a super spreader with more than 40 people dancing together prior to lockdown being implemented in New York City. Fortunately, I had mild symptoms that included a sore throat, fatigue and lost of taste and smell. Marketers need to…
Many of us are familiar with the concept of fair trade coffee, where farmers are compensated for their hard work, and transparency is created throughout the entire value chain–starting with the farmer and ending with the consumer. This trend of fairness and equality has also found itself at the heart of the strategy of many…
An invitation to walk in the Labor Day Parade got me thinking about labor law as an alternative path to meaningful data privacy regulation. Think about this: There is a popular meme used to explain the exchange of our data for free online services. “When something online is free, you are not the customer; you…
In case you missed it–that was summer. You didn’t do much, and you didn’t go far. In fact, your only solid memories of summer may be the parts where you were staring at a computer screen in various rooms of your house–and because it was summer, occasionally on the back patio. Seriously, I could swear…
Like many of us this past weekend, the news of Chadwick Boseman’s death pierced through me like a thunderous lightning bolt. How could a regal halcyon figure, who practically embodies Black Panther on and off screen, leave our chaotic world so abruptly? How would I make sense of this in a time of high-flying grief?…
In the United States, brands cannot hide from politics. The public knows that your company has a stake in this country’s legislative and regulatory battles. The question is, how can you engage in issues that matter to people while demonstrating integrity and not destroying your business? Do not be partisan On July 9, Robert Unanue,…
Miles Davis introduced new innovation and creativity to a generation of musicians. He didn’t just influence the sound of jazz trumpeters–he changed the direction of American music. This quote from the jazz legend sums up his key to success: “It’s not about standing still and becoming safe,” Davis said. “If anybody wants to keep creating,…
Society is more divided than ever, but there’s one thing we all agree on: We have trust issues. Average Americans don’t even trust their own neighbor. Globally, two-thirds of consumers believe humans are less trustworthy than ever before. If we don’t trust our neighbors, then we certainly don’t trust brands. A Havas-conducted survey found that…
This is site is run by Sascha Endlicher, M.A., during ungodly late night hours. Wanna know more about him? Connect via Social Media by jumping to about.me/sascha.endlicher.
