Confronting capitalism and brand purpose in the age of anxiety Originally published on AMA.org Capitalism has fueled countless human achievements. The Industrial Revolution, big tech, modern medicine and the green movement have all unequivocally benefited humanity by lifting people out of poverty, raising our standards of living and extending life expectancy. It has provided the tools to innovate against some…

AMA Toronto’s Alan Middleton with a salient reminder of the power of mentorship in professional communities Jan. 17, 2022 marked the seventh year of celebration of International Mentoring Day. While mentorship is an ancient concept, dating back to the Greek character Mentor in Homer’s “The Odyssey,” its role in effective management practice is now needed more than ever. The changes in organizational practice wrought by the…

An analysis of what makes some brand names more effective than others Shakespeare’s Juliet, who should know better than most that names can have life-or-death consequences, nevertheless poses her famous question in Act 2, Scene 2 of Romeo and Juliet: “What’s in a name?” What is a name worth? Can a name add to or diminish the value of the person or…

Brands who stay true to their environmental claims benefit from more favorable customer perception — it’s also the ‘right thing to do’ As a marketer, you’ll find these research results about sustainable brand positioning to be both exciting and daunting: Sixty-four percent of consumers surveyed by the environmental firm Green Print say that they’re happy to pay more for sustainable products, and a striking 78% say they’re more likely to buy products…

Typography is one of the most powerful tools of design and marketing, creating deeper brand meaning and influencing consumer sentiment I love letters, as do most designers, illustrators, anthropologists, symbologists, idea geeks, writers, communicators … you get the point. Letters are pervasive and powerful. We all use them every day and get so much from them, yet we rarely “see” all the work they are doing.

SEO marketing is a subset of digital marketing that involves the optimization of websites and web pages for major search engines like Google. As these search engines became a predominant way of finding just about anything, various practices have emerged to help organizations improve the visibility of their digital assets. …

Take a look around, and you are likely to see a promotional product — or several — within close proximity. These marketing products are extremely common in modern society, providing brands with an opportunity to gain valuable impressions at a relatively reasonable cost. …

Marketing leaders, it’s time to leave behind your old ways and make a significant investment in an overhauled market research strategy Originally published on ama.org Pressure on CMOs and marketing departments has been increasing for years, and the past year has acted as an accelerator. Digital transformation, growing expectations from customers and internal audiences, shifting audience priorities and shrinking budgets are just a few of the challenges. …

The future of insights lies in senior leadership’s imaginative capacity for empathy, provocation and activation Originally published on ama.org The imperative of imagination is the future of insights. The marketplace to come will require more expansive thinking and decision-making. …