Latest in: CMO
If you asked me whether a company’s purpose drives consumer purchasing, I admit that my gut response would probably be “not that much.” Here’s my thinking: purpose is hugely important for building culture and …
Branding, advertising & PR agencies pride themselves on being disruptive. But for many agencies, the approach to career pathing has not changed all that much over the years. There are a few well-defined career …
“Our people are our most valuable asset.” If you’ve worked in the corporate world, there’s no doubt you’ve heard this phrase uttered at some point. A fascinating analysis by Columbia Business School, however, suggests …
Why do most recruiting communications and experiences feel so generic? Recent research from thought leaders like Gallup, Gartner and BCG highlights the critical importance of creating an emotional connection with future and current employees. …
Does Purpose still matter? After all, the notion of Purpose has been around for years. It can feel like a buzzword and, perhaps understandably, it has taken some heat for being out-of-touch with what …
A recent study by Boston Consulting Group illuminated a number of striking findings about the current state of work. One finding in particular really caught my eye. To retain employees in a tight labor …
If you follow the latest news on Google, you can’t help but notice that the company has hit a rough patch. At its core, Google appears to have a culture challenge, which is not …
In the world of corporate brand building, perhaps the biggest, most meaningful trend in the last 10 years is the emergence of culture as THE driving force in creating a strong reputation. The smartest …
In an increasingly polarized world, you can’t help but be interested in Patagonia’s ability to maintain its leading reputation. As brands including Target, Bud Light and others are caught up reacting to backlash, Patagonia, …
If you’re like most B2B marketing leaders, you know how hard it can be to get the sales team to adopt your brand messaging. You can spend months of hard work crafting great messages, …
People often talk about rebranding and renaming a company as if they’re the same thing. But for anyone who’s been through these experiences, you quickly learn that they’re not. Changing the look and feel …
It wasn’t that long ago when IBM Watson was pronounced dead. 2017 to be exact. But oh, how times have changed. AI is now the center of the universe. I’m a big fan of …
For years now, companies have been focused on becoming purpose-driven organizations. A company that understands why it exists, the thinking goes, is in a better position to attract and retain the best talent, not …
Ever heard of a “quality escape”? Me neither. Boeing apparently used these words recently to talk about the terrifying Alaska Airlines incident where a door plug they helped design blew out at 16,000 feet. …
At this point, a new case study should be written about the success of Microsoft. The company has bounced back a few times and seems only to be getting stronger. I’m sure we could …
In 1960, the average lifespan of a company on the S&P 500 Index was almost 60 years. Today, the average age of companies listed on the stock exchange is under 20 years old. In …
The United States Space Force is an interesting phenomenon. A few years into its existence, most of us civilians are probably still trying to figure out what it is. Just another branch of the …
We just finished 2023, and thanks to the various ‘best brands’ rankings provided by leading consulting firms, we have a sense of the winners. Across these rankings, big tech continues to dominate. So congrats …
There’s little doubt that companies need to be more innovative than ever. Given the pace of change, companies that don’t innovate might not be around for very long (20 yrs by some estimates). So, …
If you’re a marketing leader who’s looking to staff up your brand team’s capabilities in 2024, it can be hard to know where to start. One of your first hires will likely be a …
As someone who focuses on brand and culture, it’s clear to me that Alaska Airlines’ recent acquisition of Hawaiian Airlines is more than just another deal. On the surface, there is no brand challenge …
No matter how many times I see this data, I still find it shocking. I know there’s lots of talk about how the business world is moving and changing faster than ever, but this …
If you’ve ever worked at a company that does M&A deals, you know how things really work. You know that it’s easy to get caught without a plan. M&A deals can happen fast. When …
If you’re a marketer, there’s no doubt you’re thinking about how to promote AI for your brand pretty much every day. It may be the most exciting, powerful technology to show up in a …
Being a CMO is a super tough job. Expectations to show proof of impact on sales and return on investment is constant. Average tenure for the role is a short 40 months. 2024 is …
At its recent developer conference, Apple talked about some of the amazing new features it offers across products. When talking about the Apple Watch Series 9, Chief Operating Officer Jeff Williams did a demo …
When it comes to US based airlines, Delta is for sure the brand that everyone has been talking about. I continue to hear consumers and clients mention Delta when asked about brands they admire …
EVs are really hot. So it’s no surprise that EV carmakers like BYD and Tesla are seeing some of the fastest growth in brand value of any category. Brand value is basically a combination …
Cisco’s acquisition of cybersecurity leader Splunk seems like a smart move in an increasingly risk-filled world. There’s probably not much of a brand strategy challenge here, as Cisco is likely the stronger brand. Retiring …
According to Gartner, B2B buyers spend exceedingly little time with sales reps, and more time on the web. Only 17% of the total purchase journey is spent meeting with potential suppliers. Sales reps have …
During mergers and acquisitions (M&A), brand integration often gets overlooked, despite its crucial role in shaping the success of the newly formed entity. There are four essential benefits to focusing on brand integration that …
If you’ve read or watched The Big Short or lived through 2008-2009, you know that a bubble is. Prices for something far exceed their intrinsic value. Often a “correction” follows. In 2023, brand value …
The title “brand strategist” has become so broad it’s almost meaningless. A quick scan of LinkedIn turns up thousands of people with the title–but their skills and backgrounds range across a variety of creative …
So you just found out that your company is going to close on an M&A deal that's been in the pipeline for months. Your M&A integration team has a checklist of dozens of decisions …
Many companies approach me with excitement about their future. Typically, they have a powerful product that adds significant value, but it operates within a specific niche, such as automating processes or organizing data for …
People often confuse brand strategy with design and communications. They start with logos and taglines and work backwards, as if creating logos and taglines are the goal. But brand strategy is not a creative …
Brand integration in the context of mergers and acquisitions (M&A) is not a creative exercise or a simple task of designing a new logo. It requires a holistic understanding of the technical intricacies involved …
As a business leader, you understand the importance of a strong brand for the growth and success of your company. However, you may be sensing that your brand isn't working as hard as it …
Thinking about a rebrand for your business? Before you dive in, here are three crucial aspects that will ensure a successful and impactful transformation. Don't Rebrand Without a Plan, Team, and Budget Embarking on …
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© Matt Huss
Helping private equity firms increase deal flow, reduce acquisition risk and grow portfolio value
