How brands say what they don't mean—and how to fix it
- Written by: Martha Bartlett Piland
The '50s song "Hold the Phone" is full of silly gibberish. At the time it was released, most people didn't have the technology to slow it down to decipher the actual words. Some of today's brands are unwittingly speaking gibbersh that audiences won't even try to decode.
You've gotta go with the co
- Written by: Martha Bartlett Piland
Collaborate… cooperate… cohabitate… The stongest brands are a co-mingling of attributes that are co-owned and co-created by the company, the customers and the employees.
A brand can't be all things to all people—nor should it be.
How to deliver one big parcel of brand happiness
- Written by: Martha Bartlett Piland
I love my closet. My friends know it's merchandised. The hangers match. Items are organized left to right, short to long and light to dark.
My sister in law says it looks like a store.
More gold, less gravel: internal crowdsourcing
- Written by: Martha Bartlett Piland
Wikipedia calls crowdsourcing "distributed problem solving: assigning a problem to a large group of people to mine collective intelligence." Many companies use crowdsourcing for product development. Dorito's has famously used it for commercials in the Super Bowl. Is it for you?
Why brands need campfires, not water coolers
- Written by: Martha Bartlett Piland
Companies everywhere have a proverbial watercooler. It's the place to chat about sports, or a new Dilbert-esque project from above. Yawn. The special ones—high growth companies who rely on innovative employees—have a roaring campfire.
Sync or sink
- Written by: Martha Bartlett Piland
Rapidly growing companies are moving fast. Some are kicking furiously in the Shark Tank. Others are trying Lean Startup methods to evolve their brand or launch something new. They're pivoting, exploring and trying to propel ahead.
How past employees affect your future brand
- Written by: Martha Bartlett Piland
What happens when an employee leaves? Beyond the exit interview, it's safe to assume that several people will post online reviews that are either wildly flattering—or excruciatingly unflattering. Are you paying attention? Ignorance is not bliss.
A culture of happiness = happy customers
- Written by: Martha Bartlett Piland
HOGG Heating & Air Conditioning Company has a smart internal brand that infects its customers faster than a summer cold. They know they're more than just an HVAC company. They see themselves as the ones who come to the rescue.
4 ways silos destroy brands
- Written by: Martha Bartlett Piland
A problem for many high growth companies is that their operations are changing at such a rapid rate that their culture and intentional strategies fall by the wayside. At the same time, they probably have a strong external marketing campaign adding fuel to the growth.
Are we there yet?
- Written by: Martha Bartlett Piland
Someone just asked me when I knew MB Piland was "there," or that our company had made it. It surprised me. I believe a high-growth company is never "there." But without an intentional plan, it's easy to get trapped in a roundabout. Here are three things to help you keep driving your brand forward.
