1) The June issue of Fast Company includes a great article by Polly LaBarre (reg. required) on Nau - a new enviro-friendly, outdoor/lifestyle apparel company that is choosing to do business in a very socially responsible way. A few of the many things that struck me: a) their pledge … Read on >
Having just returned from my high school reunion, where I talked with friends I hadn’t seen in 25 years and reconsidered my expulsion and re-admittance to said school (very long … Read on >
It would have been hard to miss all the media attention this past few weeks on Elizabeth Edwards’ recurring cancer and her husband’s plan to continue with his presidential campaign. While you may or may not have read all of yesterday’s New York Times article on the couple by … Read on >
Just as I put the final touches on my "Marketing Through Storytelling" webinar for MarketingProfs (this week Thursday, noon eastern time), I read Steve Miller’s story in Brandweek (reg. required) on the how some thirty second ads are evolving into several minute videos. He points to two examples … Read on >
Why is all the travel time, rich food, lack of exercise and not-your-own-bed annoyance of going to conferences worth the effort? For me, it is because the speakers usually bring … Read on >
These past few months I’ve been studying up a bit on storytelling. I read ‘The Story Factor’ by Annette Simmons (run, don’t walk, to get it) for a writing project, and have been putting her ideas to use by collecting and writing down (this is key) my own in order … Read on >
The She Spot: Why Women Are the Market for Changing the World -- And How to Reach Them (BK Business)
by Lisa Witter and Lisa Chen
Social change driven by women - how much more hopeful about our world could you get? This book is well-written, and its nonprofit advice also applies, for the most part, to corporate marketing.
Peak: How Great Companies Get Their Mojo from Maslow
by Chip Conley
I'm a big psychology buff, so this application of Maslow's hierarchy of needs to the business realm fascinated (and resonated) with me. As Conley mentions, psychology in business has long been about "fixing it," but that won't necessarily "offer the opportunity for transformation to a more optimal state of being or productivity." Everyone can learn from this discussion.
The Sexual Paradox: Men, Women and the Real Gender Gap
by Susan Pinker
A fascinating examination of how sex differences play out over the life span. One interesting quote: "For most women it's less a question of who's able to win. It's whether competing feels good and is worth the cost."
Robin Hood Marketing: Stealing Corporate Savvy to Sell Just Causes
by Katya Andresen
Andresen writes that causes can learn from traditional marketers, but after reading this, I'd argue that traditional marketers can learn from the causes profiled. An interview with Andresen is included in my eBook, 9 Minds On Marketing.
You Just Don't Understand: Women and Men in Conversation
by Deborah Tannen
Men have a more asymmetrical, positioning approach to communication, while women have a more symmetrical, connecting approach. This is a classic worth revisiting frequently.
