One of the most important ways that people learn what a leader’s true motives are, is by what they see him or her do – not just say. This is a principle summed up by Carlos Ghosn, the CEO of Nissan: “Don’t believe what I say; believe what I do.”
A few years ago, we were working for a Japanese consumer electronics company whose major competitors included Fuji. At a workshop with the leadership team we asked what their brand purpose was – the reply was “F..k Fuji”.
It’s difficult to escape the pervasive influence that brands have on our lives. In the broadest sense, brands constitute the organizing mechanism to help us navigate through each day. What we drink, eat, or drive, what products we use at home and at work, where we play or vacation, where we live, what we watch, what we read, and even who we interact with, and how, are arguably “brand” choices. That is, they are a...
You will recall the rather sad story of Abercrombie & Fitch. The once all-powerful fashion retailer declined as a result of ageing customers, bizarre management edicts and over exposure. The company has endured 11 consecutive quarters of declining sales and, in perhaps the most painful blow yet, recently recorded the lowest ever score on the annual ACSI assessment of retailer popularity.
The stunning success of Donald Trump’s earned media strategy proves that social media and content marketing work when brands are willing to take risks.
