Combining the most popular-ever cupcakes with slow-churned ice cream is fairly brilliant, to say the least. As a product extension of a beloved brand, it’s even smarter than brilliant. This is product extension at its finest. Not a missed beat in this process, either. The first Sprinkles...
When I was in my early 30’s, I benched three sets of 10 of my own weight. This would be more impressive if I hadn’t developed a hernia the next day. But it turns out that people are actually born with hernias, and at some point, they...
Cutting-through-the-clutter is a key to marketing. In fact, over time it’s become almost the key. Busy? How about the woman on Sunday who texted throughout her one hour yoga class. That would lead one to believe that the number of sources now competing for our attention has...
You likely have a refrigerator with a French door, or think you want one. We thought so, too. But there was a pretty big surprise waiting when we got it – and to me, not a happy surprise at all! Sure, it looks great – and...
Remember B.B. King’s “I been in the right place, But it must have been the wrong time. I’d have said the right thing, But I must have used the wrong line”? There’s a nice version of it on You Tube. Sometimes, it feels like that’s how...
My sister and I used to get together once a week after work. Typically, one of us would call the other at the office and say “Are you done?” Then, the other of us would answer “Yep. All finished!” Because we both own our own businesses,...
Everyone wants to see signs of which way the economy is heading. I’ve seen quite a few that lead me to believe the economy is indeed heading in an upward direction. First, at my gym. Personal training is at least $75 an hour, more for the...
These days, a lot of people talk about new technology in stores and restaurants that help consumers enjoy a richer experience. While that’s very, very important, another kind of technology can help your customers enjoy their in-store or restaurant experience even more. How about something that...
I remember how surprised I was when I heard that young people were gobbling up a new book about wizards. It wasn’t the wizard part that surprised me, it was that kids were apparently reading! Wizards are great. I adored The Sword and the Stone. So...
Sometimes it’s interesting to think of what will come next, and sometimes, it can be instructive to think about what is about to go away. Fax machines are a good example. With the number of scanners now in use, when our company moved offices a year or...
You read it here first: Actors may soon begin using key SEO words in their scripts. When the powers that be are finally able to combine “television shows” with the internet, which is likely very, very soon, ratings systems will change. There won’t be viewers anymore, there...
Last time I renewed my drivers license, I had to come in person because I was processing a change of address at the same time. They made me take an eye test and I was afraid they might say I had to wear glasses when I...
Somehow, it seems hilarious that at J.C. Penney, they fired the new CEO and brought back in the old CEO. Nothing personal, sir, but they didn’t like what you were doing in the first place, then didn’t like the new guy, so they brought you back?...
As you likely know, Baby Boomers are the wealthiest, and largest group of consumers today. And according to a study, Boomers are less loyal to brands than Gen X and the Millennials. This presents a huge marketing opportunity. And yet, while those running companies are most...
At my bank this morning, there was one person in line behind me. The manager walked up to him and asked if he would like to use the ATM instead. Really! Instead of offering to help his customer, he encouraged his customer to leave and...