Branding is just like life: Play a little hard to get
by Danny Altman
If people were like companies, we’d all be drunken sailors–telling our stories to anyone who would lend us an ear, and probably a lot of people who aren’t even paying attention. Companies are so eager to make friends that they …
Lean startups need lean branding
by Eli Altman
If you talk to people starting companies, you’ll notice a four letter word that’s rocketing its way to ubiquity. That word is “lean.” This is primarily because of Eric Ries’ New York Times and Amazon bestseller “The Lean Startup.” The …
Branding is just like life: How to make it over the wall
by Danny Altman
When you do brand strategy consulting, seeing bad branding hurts just a little bit more. You have more empathy for how people deal with the visual and verbal assault they are under all day and all night. The first line …
Branding is Just Like Life: The power of “I don’t know”
by Danny Altman
Do you know anybody who has to be right all the time? If so, you probably don’t make a habit out of spending a lot of time with them. Being wrong is part of being alive. If you can’t make …
The future is always in motion
by Ben Weis
Everybody wants to see the next best thing. They want to be there for genesis. Which is why car companies build concept cars — as an opportunity to electrify their audience and show off their most radical thinking. If the …
Picking a company name? Context is everything.
by Eli Altman
Outside the confines of a company naming process, people aren’t used to seeing names all alone. In the real world, names are surrounded by subtle and not-so-subtle cues that channel our perception. Logos, imagery, packaging, environment – they all play …
Rebranding process: Don’t let the crowd scare you
by Rose Linke
Let’s get the aphorisms out of the way: Change is hard, change is inevitable, and change is constant. When it comes to designing a smarter rebranding process, one that keeps these fundamental truths in mind, companies still have a lot …
Branding is Just Like Life: Don’t squeeze the bloody life out of it
by Danny Altman
I grew up in a little beachfront enclave called Sea Gate, which was at the entrance to New York harbor. Â My mother would take me in the stroller down to Nathan’s Hot Dogs in Coney Island. The hot dog was …
Building a brand: Virgin America
by Eli Altman
I have heard the interiors of Virgin America planes described as everything from “swanky” to a “strip club in the sky.” While it might not be everyone’s style, it’s certainly better than your other options. Unless you prefer the Reagan-era …
Branding is Just Like Life: Somebody has to own the brand
by Danny Altman
When you are creating a brand, the first thing you need to be true to is yourself. Do not share the ownership of your brand with anyone else. This does not mean that your corporate brand is your private property. …