Unhealthy

Posted by on Apr 3, 2012 in Messaging
Unhealthy

Politics aside, sounds like the Obama administration dropped the ball repeatedly when it came to positioning health care reform with the right messages. First, how could your lead attorney go before the Supreme Court seemingly unprepared to clearly and decisively answer questions about the “individual mandate” you knew the Justices were going to ask? Daniel […]

Shack attack

Posted by on Aug 27, 2009 in Messaging
Shack attack

I add my own two cents to this now overdiscussed subject to emphasize one point: “to thine own self be true.” Here’s what Radio Shack CMO Lee Applbaum said about the launch of The Shack campaign: “Trust is a critical attribute of any successful retailer, and the reality is that most people trust friends, not […]

Message chaos

Posted by on Aug 19, 2009 in Messaging
Message chaos

No matter where you stand on the issue of healthcare/health insurance reform, you have to admit that the Obama administration has done a terrible marketing job. Few understand the various plans under discussion. The administration has been forced onto the defensive by aggressive opposition, and their attempts at clarification have largely been useless. It is […]

Low voltage

Posted by on Aug 14, 2009 in Branding, Messaging
Low voltage

Design should help tell your story. But here’s a case where a “clever” design gets in the way. Take a look at the banner that accompanied Tuesday’s announcement of Chevy Volt’s miles-per-gallon number. If you didn’t read the news story (or hadn’t encountered any of the reportedly annoying “What is 230?” viral ads), what would […]

Beating cancer faster

Posted by on Mar 14, 2009 in Messaging, Naming
Beating cancer faster

We’ve been working with Varian Medical Systems for about two years now – a tremendous client in a life altering product category. Our work has produced a series of high-impact results, including the brand name RapidArc for one of the most significant advances in radiotherapy in the last decade. You can get more information here.

New category

Posted by on Feb 28, 2009 in Messaging
New category

“Zombie Bank”. Talk about vivid images…

Goop 2

Posted by on Feb 27, 2009 in Messaging

or maybe Paltrow is riffing ironically off an old kids’ poem?: The Goops by Gillette Burgess The Goops they lick their fingers And the Goops they lick their knives They spill their froth on the tablecloth Oh, they lead disgusting lives! The Goops they talk while eating, And loud and fast they chew; And that […]

The war of the words

Posted by on Jan 19, 2006 in Messaging

The appearance of a new message from Osama bin Laden—another scratchy cassette tape with an uncanny ability to cut through the daily global communication noise—reminded us of a somewhat incredible paper we ran into a year ago on the web. This is the Report of the Defense Science Board Task Force on Strategic Communication. Commissioned […]