Picking Sarah Palin, Republican Vice President Candidate

Designing a perfect presidential ticket is a challenge to create the perfect brand. This is a brand that has more sides than most national consumer brands. There’s national security, fiscal responsibility, political finesse, voter appeal, succession perceptions, and ethical reputation. And don’t forget, a running mate needs to get along with the presidential candidate; they [...]

Gold-Winning Brands at the Olympics

Right after Usain Bolt finished his second record-breaking race, he took off his track shoes and kissed them. Photographers jockeyed for position, they zoomed their lenses in close. Millions were watching around the world. It was as if an expert in product-placements had scripted it… because there, on the side of those gold-colored shoes, was [...]

Finding the Essence of a Brand

Defining a brand (and especially redefining a brand) is often a thankless job. Everyone has an opinion. Many people resist change; it’s human nature. Ask for participation from your team members. Seek their good ideas. There are a couple of reasons for doing this. Your work will be based on a wider perspective. And, by [...]

The new VCU Advertising program

In the Fall ’08 semester, VCU ad majors will no longer take courses like Art Direction, Copywriting, Account Management, and Ad Campaigns. Instead they will be required to take courses called Touch, Empathy, Awareness, and Curiousness. Before I tell you about those weird course names, let me tell you about the overall curriculum changes and [...]