I’m from a die-hard comics family and have enjoyed reading the tributes to Stan Lee in the days since he died. As a result, I’ve been struck by how his philosophy of creating superheroes offers surprising, powerful inspiration to those of us who work to create, manage or reinvent authentic brands.
Has Weight Watchers Lost it?
I just have to weigh in on Weight Watchers’ announcement yesterday that they’ve put their brand’s name on a diet, trimming it down to WW. You read that right. Their new name has been reduced to two letters. And although it might, at first, appear thinner, it’s put on a good bit of weight. While the name says much less than it used to, it’s also become harder to say, going from three syllables to six.
The Opposite of Love Isn’t Hate
I’m brazen enough to throw another log on the bonfire of the Nike Colin Kaepernick ad discussion because I’m fascinated by all the layers of why this worked so well. A lot has already been written on Nike’s use of Kaepernick in their new campaign and how it ignited rage in some merchandise-burning consumers, but clearly inspired far more of them.
Check out This Podcast!
Check out this far-ranging Brand Strategy discussion between Rebeca Arbona and Dan Madinabeitia, Global Head of Brand and Design at Informa, for the Fuse Conference podcast, Fuse Calls. If you have a second, grab a listen here!
When Can Turning Away Customers Be a Good Idea?
A few days ago I received a surprising email from Airbnb, asking users to accept a Community Commitment to treat everyone with respect and without bias, in response to widespread prejudice in their bookings. It’s not surprising that Airbnb is concerned and making an effort to address this troubling issue. What made me raise an eyebrow was that Airbnb is refusing to do business with anyone unwilling to agree to their pledge.
