My odd last name, “Wunker,” comes from the medieval German word for “flag-waver.” We were the idiots in the army carrying just a flag. Miraculously, someone survived to become my ancestor. And that is why this story, from my new book AI and the Octopus Organization, is especially meaningful to me:
Cracker Barrel has relented and returned to its original brand proposition. At the same time, we learn that Jaguar, the iconic British sports car, is completely redefining itself including a vehicle overhaul redesign. Is the choice of a single-dimensional solution the answer?
It’s always important to have a deep, unvarnished understanding of your brand. This clarity is what allows leaders to make smart decisions, inspire confidence, and build trust inside and outside the organization. One must: Know its qualities and strengths. Acknowledge the organization’s accomplishments. Nourish a positive vision of the business’s future. However, at the same time, the pathway to sustainable growth can be unwittingly compromised by the absence of unflinching, critical, self-examination and regular reality...
From all my years in research and consulting, I think I’ve learned a thing or two about marketing worth sharing. Enduring fundamentals, mostly yet often overlooked. So, this year, I’m sharing some for your consideration. I hope they’re helpful. This week’s thought: Statistical significance is a perilous safeguard in marketing.
Nuuly, the clothing rental enterprise from Urban Outfitters Inc., also home to Anthropologie, Free People, and Urban Outfitters, is winning in a market that Nuuly did not create. Nuuly is the pioneer. But, right now, Nuuly is the possessor of the prize. There is history behind this sort of situation where the category creator craters and a fast follower flips to the top spot. As The Wall Street Journal’s Heard on The Street column described...
