September 30th, 2009
Emotions- we don’t believe that “emotion” can or should be woven into every brand story in the hopes of “snagging” more customers. We don’t believe that “emotions” should be, nor do we believe that they can be exploited at brand will. We don’t believe that an emotional connection to a brand will […]
April 28th, 2010
View the 2010 Threats to Girlhood Report Threats to Girlhood include all of the issues, mindsets, factors, trends, and circumstances that impact girls’ lifelong health, wellness, happiness, and ability to succeed. Identifying current Threats to Girlhood is an important step towards advancing the well being of girls, the possibilities for women, […]
June 23rd, 2010
Make art- not advertising. Whether it’s a two page spread in a print publication or a vertical banner on a website, at BlackDog, we believe if the ad you’re placing isn’t as interesting, attractive, and useful to readers as the content it’s sandwiched between, you’ve missed the Big Idea. Promotions that are […]
October 1st, 2010
We came across a newsletter this week that actually said: “‘like’ our Facebook page and receive an exclusive offer.” We’re not sure what the offer was, because we’re not interested in being bribed, manhandled, or coerced into social media engagement (…but we’re guessing it’s free shipping or a discount promo […]
January 18th, 2011
What have you been wanting to brand but haven’t gotten a chance to yet? A Public School (likely our next pro bono project). Every kid should know why they “attend” this place, what matters around here (authentically), what it means to belong “here”, what “we” collectively stand for, are made […]
January 28th, 2011
“If the writing is honest it cannot be separated from the man who wrote it.” Tennessee Williams The hardest part of crafting an authentic brand narrative is excavating who you really are, what you really do, and why you really matter. It’s easy rattle off a check-list of standard, homogenized, […]
February 2nd, 2011
“Made to Stick” by Chip and Dan Heath Why do some ideas make powerfully indelible impressions and others just don’t seem to stick at all? Chip and Dan Heath have the answer to what makes some ideas “stickier” than most. The official how-to guide on crafting and conveying ideas that […]
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 […]
August 3rd, 2011
Narrativity: [nar-uh-tiv-uh-tee]: 1.) the degree to which your brand spunk, funk, credibility, attitude, and vibe shines through your messaging. 2.) Your voice, your verbiage, your tone. While preparing for a wine-touring camping trip to Watkins Glen, I began perusing the websites of the nearby Seneca Lake wineries and plotting my […]