January 15th, 2011
How can a business build brand equity around a charitable activity without appearing to be “doing it just for the publicity”? If the purpose of a business’ charitable activities is just to build brand equity, they are “doing it just for the publicity.” It’s not a publicity stunt if a […]
January 18th, 2011
What makes the BlackDog book list…what magazines do you subscribe to, read, or recommend? Rotman Good FastCompany Monocle Communication Arts Wired Orion Magazine Print Magazine Utne Reader Eye Magazine The New Yorker The Atlantic Monthly Rolling Stone Best Life (defunct) Wallpaper Magazine Economist Foreign Affairs Travel & Leisure Smithsonian More […]
January 19th, 2011
When you work with clients do you include in a proposal ongoing “marketing support” or is it more projects based? Every company and project is different. Some Requests for Proposal (RFPs) request, and other contracts bind, a firm for ongoing marketing support for as long as 3 years. Some projects […]
February 20th, 2011
Garland Pollard, a writer, web editor and SEO consultant writes “Is there too much branding? He continues, “… must we all be so concerned with branding? Isn’t a good brand really the result of a moral, well-run company? Isn’t it better that hospitals focus on patients, and let the “branding” […]
March 5th, 2011
We have a brand experience process; but we have a very different brand experience. How do we sync what we want done with what is done to deliver the promised and hoped for brand experience? Executing a brand is a strategy. Brand strategies may be “believed” by contributors but they […]
March 10th, 2011
We are taking an industrial product to new, broader markets. Should we be concerned with losing the confidence of our existing and loyal markets? It is critical that you first understand the markets that support the product lines now to wisely interpret the direction, synergy, and prospective untapped markets moving […]
March 12th, 2011
I have partners. I have very smart partners that are not very creative. For being very smart they don’t seem to mind that we have a tagline that is not smart or creative. I think that they (we) are concerned that we won’t know the difference between a good tag […]
March 17th, 2011
What are your favorite taglines? Least favorite? My favorite is “Live Free or Die”, the official motto of the U.S. state of New Hampshire, adopted in 1945. I like “Don’t just watch TV; Direct TV” I loved the Salvation Army’s Red Kettle Christmas Campaign in 2010: “When you put money […]
March 26th, 2011
I called your firm for an estimate for a brochure. I spoke with your communication strategist, forwarded marketing and communication materials, liked you on Facebook, and looked forward to a proposal. BlackDog declined the opportunity. I thought that you didn’t have time to write a proposal. I offered to forgo […]
March 30th, 2011
There are so many companies with so many brands that it is hard to believe there is much “new” out there. Do you ever get over whelmed by finding ways or trying to be inventive and original? Finding ways to help relevant, authentic brands tell a unique story is rarely […]