Wednesday, March 3rd, 2010
Companies spend significant investments in creating market differentiation through advertising, promotions and social media. However, most companies do not fully leverage their CEO as a persona for their brands, missing on an opportunity to provide a human touch to what has been traditionally a media driven approach. James Bailey, Principal of Broadgate Communications in Toronto, has worked for some of the leading CEOs and will be sharing his thoughts on how to leverage the CEO as the face of the brand.
The video webinar is supported by a PowerPoint and features guest, James Bailey, a seasoned communications executive, strategist and speechwriter\editor and Principal of Broadgate Communications in Toronto. The session was hosted by Jean-Pierre Lacroix, President of Shikatani Lacroix. This 35 minute Video Webinar covered the following:
* Defining the role of the CEO as the face of the brand
* What is the role of an executive communications manager
* Considerations for how to best manage the relationship with the CEO
* How to integrate social media and overcome some of the legal issues
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Saturday, February 20th, 2010
The recent market meltdown that has seen the elimination of 50% of the wealth and value of corporations shows no sign of significant improvement. Most analysts warn that the market is in a very precarious position and could easily regress to its original dangerous state. At the same time, the US government intervention and
involvement as investor and regulator is challenging the level of freedom of corporations – the foundation of its global market dominance. Adversity in the capital markets has identified the vulnerability of the current business approaches of some of the largest Fortune 500 corporations, leading to the demise of well-established brands and organizations.
However, this market adversity has also brought into focus companies that have not only been able to survive in this era of uncertainty, but actually prosper. This white paper will examine the factors that drove the success of these corporations and the critical role of branding and design by addressing the following questions:
1. Who did well during the past downturn?
2. What drove their success?
3. What was the impact on their branding approach?
4. What learning could apply to your business, irrespective of the financial climate?
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Monday, November 23rd, 2009
Wayfinding has existed since man identified a need to find his bearings as he travelled for food, shelter or safety. In architecture, Wayfinding also refers to the user experience of orientation and choosing a path within the built environment, and to the set of architectural and/or design elements that aid orientation.
However, “digital waylearning” is the evolution of wayfinding, fuelled by the advent of digital technology and the heightened need for rapid and personalized information in a world of terrorist threats, H1N1 fears and Amber Alert messages. Due to the flexibility of digital wayfinding and its relatively new state in the build environments, it is easy for a first-time user to get overwhelmed by the ins and outs of implementing a Digital Wayfinding Program.
We have created this white paper as a primer to guide you through what you need to know before embarking in this program.
We will cover the following topics:
1. What is Digital Waylearning?
2. Why Leverage Digital Wayfinding?
3. What are the Advantages?
4. Steps to a Digital Signage Program
5. Who are the vendors?
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Sunday, November 22nd, 2009
Place branding is an important means of heightening consumers’ awareness of their spaces and of distinguishing one venue from another. Whether through graphical application, technology, or traditional wayfinding techniques, navigational tools and wayfinding systems establish the feel of a place and a brand, directly impacting a visitor’s first impression and overall experience. Signage and design also directly contribute to place branding because they can provide a preview to all the experiences the space has to offer. Done poorly and visitors become frustrated and disconnected; done well, and wayfinding can reassure visitors while providing them with additional information and a positive brand experience.
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Wednesday, November 11th, 2009
Digital Signage has been populating the marketplace slowly but surely; most likely, you have seen it everywhere you go. At the airport, in hotels, at the major grocery stores, at the biggest retailers—the mere fact that you’re aware of Digital Signage proves its effectiveness.
Due to the flexibility of the medium and its relatively new state in the marketplace, it is easy for a first-time user to get overwhelmed by the ins and outs of implementing a Digital Signage Program. We have created this white paper as a primer to guide you through what you need to know before embarking in this program.
We will cover the following topics:
1. What is Digital Signage?
2. Why Leverage Digital Signage?
3. What are the Advantages?
4. Research and Statistics
5. Steps to a Digital Signage Program
6. Who are the vendors?
7. Trends in Digital Signage
8. How several industries have Leveraged Digital Signage
Access Archived Video Webinar
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Sunday, November 1st, 2009
Jeff Hirsch is the Founder and President of The Right Brain Studio in Studio City, California. He is an accomplished marketing innovator and highly skilled moderator. His business-building strategies and new product ideas have touched the vast majority of the U.S. population and generated hundreds of millions of dollars in revenues for prestigious consumer-oriented companies such as Pepsi, General Mills, Johnson & Johnson, Brown Forman, Harrah’s Entertainment, Dial, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, Anheuser-Busch, Disney and many others.
His contagious enthusiasm isn’t limited to work. Jeff is an avid reader, cyclist, gym rat, filmgoer and music lover. You’ll find over 6,000 songs on his iPod ranging from Verdi and the Kinks to Count Basie and the Dandy Warhols and beyond. His rock band regularly plays in the Los Angeles area. Jeff is strongly committed to social responsibility, and currently serves on the Board of Directors for Enrichment Works, a non-profit organization working to inspire learning in Los Angeles schools through theater. He has volunteered his time for numerous other educationoriented initiatives and local community efforts.
Jeff started his career at DKG Advertising in New York City. He was subsequently recruited by one of his clients, Brown-Forman, to work in Brand Management. He then returned to the advertising business, joining Campbell.
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Sunday, November 1st, 2009
Promotional packaging has become one of the most effective marketing tools for the package goods industry as the cost of media and other communication vehicles skyrocket and the range of offerings at retail explode. For marketers, the key question is “Are you getting the most out of your onpack promotional activities?” Package flashes are one of the most effective tools to communicate a key consumer value message; however, few organizations understand the most effective ways to design promotional flashes on packaging.
The following questions will be answered in this document:
- Identify how consumers interact with packaging and on-pack communication.
- Define how to best leverage this learning for the use of promotional on-pack communication, namely:
- To explore the relationship between the positioning of copy and pictures on different sides of a pack, and the recall of those elements
- To define the best way to leverage promotional on-pack flashes
- To identify a series of rules that could be applied to packaging by their packaging and promotional agencies
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Sunday, November 1st, 2009
By definition, a trend is a general direction in which something tends to move; or a gradual change in a condition, output, or process over time. A trend is very different from a fad. A fad is defined as a short-lived movement, usually lasting only a few months. A trend, on the other hand, can potentially become a long-term influence on the future of a market. A fad and a trend may resemble each other at first, but there is usually a definite life span to a fad, whereas trends tend to grow and evolve over time. For example, the use of hot pink wall paint may be a fad, but the idea of using designer colours would be a trend.
The points raised in this presentation will identify the current trends that are most likely to have an enormous impact on consumer packaging in the years ahead. These trends include:
- Sustainability: increased emphasis in all areas – recyclable containers and recycled materials.
- Aging population: portion control and easy-to-open packaging.
- Safety: tamper-resistant dispensers and closures.
- Accessibility: convenience and portability.
- Design: clean, simple design that will stand out on-shelf.
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Sunday, November 1st, 2009
The market downturn has only emphasized the need for focused and engaged employees who clearly understand and live the brand promise. A lot has been written about employment branding but little has been written on the role of visuals to help shape and define employee perspectives and their need for a sense of belonging and self-esteem in an organization.
The following questions will be answered in this document:
- What is the current attitude and mind state of employees?
- What is the role of visuals to help motivate and engage employees to support the brand promise?
- What tools and processes work best at ensuring alignment and support of an internal branding initiative?
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Thursday, September 3rd, 2009
Sustainability is a growing concern with heightened interest amongst marketers of consumer goods and retail services in North America. From the need to manage cost through sustainable solutions to reviewing how a product’s full life cycle impacts the environment, the level of awareness and involvement for sustainable design is growing. Considering the creation of associations dedicated to sustainability and the endorsement of well-known actors and government officials, it is apparent that the need is real and present.
However, does the hype in the marketplace align with the actions and initiatives taken by leading consumer packaged goods firms and retailers in North America? Shikatani Lacroix (SL) conducted research in the consumer-packaged goods (CPG) and retail sectors to answer the critical question “What is your level of activity in sustainable design?” The research set out to understand the level of awareness of current and future initiatives within organizations regarding sustainable design. The study was conducted in North America with over 190 companies and individuals participating.
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