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As a kid you don't know this, but the TV has made an unspoken pact with your parents. Translated into words, it goes something like this: "Look, I'll watch your kids for a few hours on Saturday. I'll give them morally neutral programming that doesn't breach anyone's belief systems and you will sleep like a champ. In exchange, during this time when I have their whole-hearted and earnest attention, I will use this trust to sell them whatever I think may interest them." →

A brand needs emotion. It needs to run the risk of polarizing people. It needs to take a very large concept and make it personal to the audience, and it needs to be easy to grasp. So here we are in 2012, as yet another presidential race provides us with very basic dos and don'ts of branding. →

It seems like every day more of the things I consume are turning into "convenient monthly subscriptions." →

So many businesses overlook the importance of their employees surroundings. Let's make it important again and get inspired. →

Volvo's going back to safety. Good for them-- they owned it for so long and I am sure they can again. But they are also pursuing luxury. Really? Because in my experience, we're talking about diluting a major brand position now, not strengthening it. →

I know this is going to really chafe a lot of my peers but it needs to be said... →

In a world where we are all so eager to spread the word, join the conversation and get the celebrity look, it seems a lot easier to lose our grip on the brand message. →

In today's commoditized world it has become increasingly difficult to find that competitive edge. Today, the playing field has been leveled. →

Dear Brands and Stuff, I wrote you a letter... →

Since it's initial launch in February 2004 Facebook has undergone more than 4 significant face lifts, 3 reconstructive surgeries, a name change, and at least one roll-back to a previous layout (see screenshots)... →

When I want to be creative, I can't. When I least expect it, I am. So--is there a method to the madness? Or is creativity out of my control, leaving me in fear of being out of computer range when lightening strikes? →

If we all examine our customer interactions closely, we're going to find areas where we're not providing something or not providing it in a way the customer expect. →

In today's commoditized world, you have to be willing to spend time developing what your company stands for, meaning your position. →

I'm currently attending InfusionCon and came across a great tradeshow marketing idea... →

Sometimes the NFL forgets that when you have a business that is fortunate enough that your customers are so much into your product they call themselves ''fans'', you have to cherish that and sometimes let some things slide. →

Toyota's problem right now is an ''image problem'' (you can substitute ''image'' with ''brand'' here) and every brander and marketer knows that the brand perception is absolutely critical to how one describes their experience with the actual product. →

Heinz decided they would address a key complaint that had been around for years - people disliked the packaging of the 'ketchup packets'. →

While it's true that the development of a brand can take lots of money and lots of time, every company, regardless of size, should consider taking up the specific effort of brand-building. →