Chapter six:
Deep Thoughts
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The Illusion of Simplicity
Can you capture the essence of a brand in a single word? A couple of days ago, a friend in Dallas raised this question, citing
Serious Tips for Silly Humor
My partner, Jim, has just published his first novel, Fish Wielder, an “epically silly epic fantasy of epic proportions.” Of course, I urge you to buy
Archetypes and the Mentor Mistake
by David Altschul & Jim Hardison Archetype analysis is a popular, and sometimes useful, tool for anchoring a brand in the metaphor of story, but
A Christmas Monkey Miracle
The holidays can be hard. Joyful, but hard. My ten-year-old gave me her Christmas list this morning. She handed it to me over breakfast and
Loyalty Way, Way Beyond Reason
I’ve been thinking about the power of story—and, in particular, the role of story in building relationships—for a long time. Still, I don’t remember a
Meaning, Purpose and Authenticity
Every brand I encounter these days is trying to project a sense of authenticity with which it hopes to capture the loyalty of its customers
Having an Enemy Is Not Enough
A friend who runs a very large brand asked me what I thought about the value of identifying an enemy, which seems to be a
Is Your Brand a Fading Icon?
At the end of a recent NYT article about RadioShack was a quote that caught my eye. The head of a turnaround advisory firm, insisting
In a Story, Everything’s Strategic
Strategy is one of those fat words that seem to carry so much meaning–or maybe so many meanings–that the word starts to feel less and
Story Failure
Recently, I read a very interesting article in The Wall Street Journal on how “…Target Lost Its Way Under Ousted CEO Gregg Steinhafel.” The Target
Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous (Brands)
I recently read an essay in The New Yorker by John Suroweiki about the decline of brands. He led with the story of Lululemon, whose
Made for Laughs
The kids, excited to see Despicable Me 2, were a typical rowdy, loud bunch, even as the lights went down in the theater. But then