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STORIES speak to your heart
No matter your age, stories capture your heart – they’re a universal language
“The future belongs to a different kind of person with a different kind of mind: artists, inventors, storytellers-creative and holistic ‘right-brain’ thinkers.”
~ Daniel Pink, author
‘She’ Means Business: the purchasing power of the female economy
It never fails to surprise me. Women make up just over half the world’s population and control well over half the spending, yet few businesses acknowledge them as the unequivocally dominant consumer force (and market) on the planet. This second article in a series on the Power of the Female Economy, explains how women are the largest spending, yet still unrecognised drivers, of our consumer economy. Exactly how big is it? In aggregate, women represent a growth market bigger than China...
The Story of Our ‘Stuff’: how we bought our way into consumerism
The exact point at which people started buying and using stuff that they fancied, but didn’t need to survive, is vague.However, the consumerist life we’re now living is only the latest chapter of quite a long story. The first article in this series on the Power of the Female Economy, explains how if you dig deep enough, it seems we have a 500+ year history of wanting things that we simply don't need. Of course, we’ve always had things – using them not just for survival, but also ritual,...
Undressing Victoria’s Secret Branding: trading up to create a New Luxury brand
Let’s uncover a few truths. Great lingerie can make a woman feel sexy. And you’ll pay (often a lot) to be part of that story. But it wasn’t always that way. A single brand elevated the price and position of intimate apparel, to unprecedented heights. Who was it and how did they do it? The third article in this series on Luxury Branding, explains how a single brand tapped the ‘trading up’ phenomenon to establish a New Luxury brand and built a big-money empire. Think back. In the 50s and...
Luxury Branding and the Macaron Effect: why we covet luxury and the way it makes us feel
A French macaron could be considered a luxury item. You choose to eat one, you don’t need to. They’re difficult to make – it’s practically an art. Perfect ones, are made by master pastry chefs, in specialist patisseries. Then there’s the way they make you feel – you know, special. That’s what really makes you buy one, isn’t it? The second in this series on Luxury Branding, explores the feelings evoked by luxury items and how they motivate your purchases. Before the macaron, there was...
History, Hallmarks and Habits of Luxury Brands: the iconic markings of great luxury brands
Since time immemorial, our attitude to gold and silver has been inexplicable. Of the 118 elements in the periodic table, both metals are chemically boring and have few special qualities. And yet… for the last 5,000 years they’re the ones we’ve tended to use for personal adornment and currency. Why? They’re valuable. They’re also storied, scarce and special – like every luxury brand. Part of a series on Luxury Branding, this article explains the hallmarks of a traditional luxury brand and how...
The Taylor Swift Method of Brand Domination
She’s a branding superstar … dressed as a popstar. Why? Well it’s hard not to notice the impossibly perfect red lipstick. Then comes the obvious talent and fashionista looks. But it’s the loyal relationship she’s built with her fans, that makes her a brilliant businesswoman. Yes, we’re talking Taylor Swift. And it’s all true. Her bigheartedness and obsession with surprising her fans – the Swifties – is in large part responsible for her swift (pardon the pun) path to world domination. At...
Batman Branding for Remarkable NFPs – Part 3: Evolving Your Brand? Then Build Your Brand Mythos
He’s seventy-eight. And one of the most iconic characters ever created. But it wasn’t by accident. Since his debut in 1939, Batman’s mythos has evolved and transcended his comic book birthplace. He now features across every media platform – print, digital, TV, movies, gaming – and you’d be hard pressed to find anyone, of any generation, who doesn’t know him. This final article explains how the Batman brand has evolved and become a legend of brand storytelling. What makes a brand great?...
