Monthly Archives: February 2009

When to hire vs. when to outsource

Whether the economy is in high gear or at a standstill, the debate on whether to hire or outsource is eternal. How do you decide when to add marketing staff and when to farm the work out? It seems to … Continue reading

Posted in budgeting, client-agency relationships | 2 Comments

9 criteria for brand essence

Your brand’s essence — just one word that sums up how your brand connects emotionally with your customers. Identifying it sounds simple enough, right? After all, you know your business. You know your audience. But articulating how they feel about … Continue reading

Posted in brand essence | 4 Comments

Are we done with celebrity endorsers yet?

For every Tiger Woods, there seems to be more than one Michael Phelps. Why do brands keep trusting celebrities to represent them? Is it time to retire the strategy of “borrowing equity” through endorsement deals? Historically, some celebs (like Woods, … Continue reading

Posted in advertising, promotion, public relations, strategy | 4 Comments

How to rebuild confidence

“Confidence may be one of the most valuable commodities of all in 2009,” says Jennifer Robison, Senior Editor for the Gallup Management Journal. Valuable because it is scarce. The Consumer Confidence Index hit an all-time low in December. Given the … Continue reading

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