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A recent study by McKinsey & Company documents the continuing decline in the influence of the marketing function and the growing frustration of CEOs with the contribution of marketing. Much of this frustration stems from marketers’ inability to clearly explain how marketing activities contribute to the firm’s financial performance and the continued use of metrics like brand awareness and brand equity as evidence of performance. There is, of course, nothing wrong with measures of brand health,...

The goal of any business is enduring, profitable growth. All three are critical. Profitable growth that is not enduring is short-term. There is no future. Enduring growth that is not profitable is a losing game. Again, this is a short-term situation. Growth that is neither profitable nor enduring is also a sign of short-sightedness and potential brand failure. Based on its recent reporting, where is Spotify headed? Does Spotify have a plan for enduring, profitable...

From all my years in research and consulting, I think I’ve learned a thing or two about marketing worth sharing. Enduring fundamentals, mostly yet often overlooked. So, this year, I’m sharing some for your consideration. I hope they’re helpful. This week’s thought: Consumer opinions are mushy. The core idea of marketing is consumer-centricity, the foundation of which is knowledge about consumers, meaning that marketing is deeply rooted in data about consumer opinions. Yet, much of...

With the advent of online shopping, the idea of a physical place – you know, the bricks-and-mortar establishment – took a hit. The business press, pundits, observers, and others lamented the death of physical retail. It appeared as if no physical store could compete with the choice and convenience of online shopping. Even fast food establishments elected to use more technology, less personalization, and fewer crew. But, as time has progressed, the experiential offerings of...

When I first discovered Stack Magazines, I fell in love with the idea of receiving a surprise independent…

A recent article in The Wall Street Journal reminds us that understanding value is critical for brand viability. The story focuses on McDonald’s. According to the reporters, the V (Value) in Ray Kroc’s QSC and V (Quality, Service, Cleanliness, and Value) has vanished. McDonald’s is struggling to recapture its customer-perceived value positioning. This is a truth: creating, promising, and delivering value is a marketing imperative. Every brand should strive to offer the best value to...

As AI security enters a new phase of brand maturity, building deeper trust is the new firewall. A…

In my Marketing Strategy class at Kellogg, I spend a significant amount of time exploring the critical link between finance and marketing. It is impossible to be an effective marketer and business builder without a deep understanding of financial considerations. United’s Plus Points program is a perfect example of why this link is so critical. United Plus Points In 2019, United rolled out Plus Points. This Mileage Plus program replaced a system of global and...

When rapid and disruptive change occurs, marketers are handed an extraordinary moment to align themselves with percolating consumer needs when the openness to engagement is fresh. This relevance breakthrough is happening right now — and is unleashed when brands work to fill the fractures in consumer confidence with empathetic support. Underscoring this opportunity is one of the most significant universal marketing insights we have about consumer behavior. There is an all-encompassing human desire for certainty...

Iconic American brands are under pressure. Some of our most beloved and well-known brands are facing uncertainty. There has been a Sotheby’s auction-like atmosphere surrounding the future of American main meal and snack food brands. Kellogg’s, a brand with a storied American history, is being sold off in two pieces: its snack food portfolio going to Mars for a reported $30 billion, while Kellogg’s main meal foods, cereals and such, are off to Italian confectioner,...