Archive for February, 2010

February 24th, 2010

Positioning a Brand: a Lesson from American Idol

Tuesday night, a bazillion viewers and I were watching American Idol. This was the first “live” episode of the season, which featured the show’s top 12 female vocalists.

Performance after performance, Simon Cowell and the rest of the show’s judges shared with the contestants how they had simply failed to “stand out” among their peers. I was struck especially by the judges’ recommendations.

“You’re trying too hard to mimic Adelle or Duffy.”

“It’s all about song choice. You need to find the right song for you.”

And for me, one of my favorite Simon quotes is always…

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February 17th, 2010

Charting a Fresh Perspective

I recently spent a week traveling Oregon and Washington State while visiting a cousin in Corvallis. This was my first time visiting the west coast so I was excited to be visiting somewhere I’d never been. Discovering unfamiliar places can be enthralling, and my recent travels were no exception.

My first discovery became apparent as my flight from Indianapolis began its decent into Salt Lake City. As soon as we broke through the clouds, mountains appeared on both sides of the plane. They were a rich gray with brilliant white peaks. It wasn’t until I spotted the airport that I could appreciate how immense the mountains were — this sudden shift in scale was fascinating.

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February 6th, 2010

2010 Super Bowl Commercials – Battle of the Brands

Which 2010 Super Bowl commercials did the best to build an already strong brand? Which brands invested in commercials that best introduced a new brand? Which were the best uses of Social Media, after the commercial? Which brands would have done more good by just donating their cash to a cause?

After they air, check here to vote for your favorite (and least favorite) Super Bowl commercials of 2010. Go Colts!

After you vote, please share your thoughts below.