January 16, 2018

When Advertising Backfires: A Cautionary Lesson From H&M’s Misstep
 

As David Ogilvy once claimed, “What you say in advertising is more important than how you say it.” In a recent H&M ad, featuring an African American child wearing a sweatshirt that read ‘coolest monkey in the jungle.’ Many people considered this product shot as insensitive, tone deaf, and racist. Not only did the ad […]

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January 8, 2018

Marijuana Advertising: How Purpose Helps Brands Enter New Markets
 

As more states legalize the sale of recreational marijuana, cannabis entrepreneurs are now striving to establish brand recognition credibility through advertising. Many of these brands are looking to engage a broader audience, far beyond “stoner” stereotypes. Advertising and marketing will be crucial as these brands try to position themselves as legitimate businesses with a far-reaching […]

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December 29, 2017

Top 17 in Purposeful Branding for 2017: The We First Year in Review
 

2017 was filled with brand-fueled social impact; from Burton sending employees to the Women’s March, to PayPal restricting money transfers, to Neo Nazi groups, to Patagonia leading the charge to preserve America’s public lands. On the other hand, numerous companies suffered through PR crises, originating in poor brand management. Here’s our wrap up for the […]

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December 20, 2017

How Google’s Net Neutrality Stance Builds Consumer Goodwill
 

The internet has been live with commentary about net neutrality and the recent Federal Communications Commission (FCC) vote to overturn previously initiated regulations received overwhelming criticism on social media.   While Internet Service Providers (ISPs) that supported the FCC ruling – such as AT&T, Verizon, Comcast and Spectrum – fielded backlash from unhappy consumers, Google […]

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December 11, 2017

How to Champion Cultural Movements & Build Your Brand: Lessons from Patagonia
 

Cultural movements offer brands unique opportunities to leverage their business to do good, while simultaneously connecting with consumers around issues they care about. While it can be challenging to join cultural movements in an authentic way that builds your brand, supporting causes that impact your business and your customers is a great way to start. […]

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December 5, 2017

How the #MeToo Movement is Changing Sexual Harassment in Corporate Culture
 

Sexual harassment in the workplace is, unfortunately, nothing new.  Women have had to endure unwanted verbal or physical abuse on the job for centuries. While there has been an increase in awareness and restitution – from the coining of the term “sexual harassment” in 1975 to Anita Hill in the early 1991 – the problem […]

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