Richard Branson has been in the press this week for offering an unheard-of package that includes a year off with full pay for paternity leave. At first blush it makes you wonder how a company with as many employees as Virgin can afford such a benefit. If you’re a business owner you might just be saying to yourself, “That’s amazing. But he’s making the rest of us look bad.” Continue reading
Early in my marketing career I worked for a boss who told me never to apologize. She said apologies made us look weak, as a department and as a company. It never felt right to me, and I’m glad the world has changed. Today, apologies aren’t viewed as weak. They’re honest, and they’re necessary. Honest brands build loyalty and connections. Honest brands look at relationships over the long haul.
Given enough time, each of our companies is bound to make a mistake. When is it time to apologize? Continue reading
Yesterday Mattel announced that Barbie can now wear flat shoes. They’ve rolled out 23 new Fashionista Barbies featuring 14 different facial looks, eight skin tones, 18 eye colors, 22 hair styles and 23 hair colors. Barbie still scales to a woman with a 36” bust and an 18” waist, so while her back likely aches at night, she is at the very least free to walk around town without blisters.
According to Sheila Shayon at BrandChannel.com, girls have become more interested in super-women and inspirational toys, and Mattel is coming off of its sixth quarter of lagging sales with Barbie. Flat shoes were a last ditch effort. Continue reading
When I was a teenager and got my first paycheck, my mom sat me down and talked to me about how to tip. She wanted to make sure I entered the world of commerce politely and with a sense of gratitude. She told me that I should tip anyone who did something personal for me. “Juju, if someone washes your car, fixes your hair, serves you food, parks your car or shines your shoes, it’s a real treat. You could have done these things for yourself. You should make sure you tip these people well.”
Weekend mornings at the coffee shop are a ritual in our marriage. I never had a cup of coffee until my mid-forties, but I’ve learned to savor a latte. I look forward to one the moment I open my eyes on Saturday.
A couple of years ago, we moved from a small town in Arizona to a big city in Southern California, and we had some concerns about our son – who was just turning 13 and had never lived in a city – being thrust into a big school environment. So we found a small, alternative school; a school we thought suited his temperament and talents.
The founder of the school, Dr. Stuart Grauer, told us the Grauer School was committed to instilling values like compassion, individuality, and personal responsibility into kids.
He was absolutely passionate about what the school stood for, and through those values, he connected with my husband and me.
Grauer branded the school as a humanitarian school. “The world doesn’t need more CEOs,” Stuart told us. “It needs people who will give back and create change.”
We happened to agree, and so we took a leap.
When I delivered my son to school on the first day of seventh grade, the Dean stood on the corner waving and smiling to each car that pulled into the drive. At the other end of the car line stood a high school student who also smiled genuinely and waved.
How nice, I thought. How delightful that they’ve got teachers and students outside saying hello on the first day. How comforting.
Every now and then, we’ll feature a brand that’s badass. A brand that plays it with a candor that’s gutsy. A brand that shows itself for what it really truly is. Continue reading
Transparency and authenticity are tossed around a lot these days when discussing brands. If you’ve decided your brand should be one or the other – or both – check out Chris Wren’s full explanation here.
The moment I started in direct-response marketing, I was introduced to “weasel words.” These are words or combinations of words that associate brands or products with a specific benefit that may or may not be true all the time. They allow advertisers to lay claims that are sometimes false. Continue reading
Almay®, owned by Revlon®, recently found itself in hot water when the watchdog group Truth in Advertising (TINA.org) accused the make-up company of making unqualified claims in its latest ad campaign. Continue reading
