Most founders ignore their most powerful marketing asset.
Back when I was working in agency-land, I had an original thought I was rather proud of. I called it “the portable idea”, and the gist was that for a piece of marketing to be effective, it needed to communicate the brand’s message not only if you saw it, but also if somebody told you […]
This is the single most powerful thing any business can have
The one thing that would transform any business on the planet is the one thing 99% of them simply don’t have. Not only do they not have it, they don’t even think about it. It’s not capital. It’s not talent. It’s not technology. It’s not even strategy. (Though that is contained within it…). No, it […]
I think Liquid Death is the most significant case study of our generation – here’s why.
Most of the stuff I write is classical strategy schtick in a different outfit. At the end of the day supply and demand is what it is, and there are only so many ways you can make a business work. But there are a couple of exceptions… There are a couple of places where I […]
How I Went from Getting Fired by Big Corporations to Charging Them $20,000 an Hour
When you think “high paid strategy expert”, my story is not what comes to mind. I have no qualifications I have no MBA I have no PHD I didn’t go to a fancy school I didn’t do a relevant degree I never worked for slick consulting firm Technically I did work for two glamorous blue-chip […]
Struggling with your messaging? It’s easier than you think…
In this newsletter, I’m going to show you the easy way to turn strategy into world class messaging. Not just messaging actually – but world class sales, marketing, and branding; because at the end of the day all of these things are simply messaging applied in different contexts. I appreciate this will sound like heresy […]
What your advertising tells you about your strategy
Generally I’m very careful not to talk about advertising. It’s dangerous – for me especially. On a business level, I have to make sure that people don’t confuse my product with pure “ad strategy” or “branding strategy”. Many broader strategy discussions devolve to this, for the simple reason that this is where most conscious “strategy […]
Here’s a brainless shortcut that actually works
In a way the core principle of strategy is that there are no shortcuts. There are no obvious, off-the-peg, brainless things you can just “do” to get competitive advantage. Everything requires some degree of thought, insight, and risk. But you know, that may not be strictly true. Because I do believe there is one pretty […]
Flood your ears with this strategy podcast bonanza.
A special treat this week, with not just one but TWO new podcast strategy-fests for your listening pleasure. Take your pick of which you fancy. Or if you think your synapses can handle it… Who knows… Perhaps even listen to both. Want a brand-focused strat chat? Then listen to this one… First up we have […]
The shocking truth about marketing and strategy
This is a dangerous essay. It’s dangerous for you, because if you only grasp it casually it will take you further away from the truth, rather than closer to it. And it’s dangerous for me, because it risks my work being bracketed into a category which I’ve painstakingly avoided for the past 7 years. The […]
The big misunderstanding about “brand”
Whatever most people believe about a subject, you can be sure that the exact opposite is true. It’s crazy how often this principle turns out to be accurate. I’d almost call it a law of nature. Or “Smith’s Law” perhaps. On any subject of understanding (as opposed to hard fact), people have an incredible ability […]