Brands are beginning to question whether knowing their consumer is enough. In a world of constant change, being culturally relevant and future-focussed is increasingly important. Culturally-connected brands can be nimble and operate in real time. When your brand is part of culture, not sitting on the surface, you stand a better chance of being noticed and loved.
But how exactly do you connect with something as amorphous as ‘culture’? And how do you know when you’re doing it right? Read more…
Press Release, 20 March 2013:
Added Value reveals the cultural vibrancy of 160 brands from across fifteen sectors in its third annual Cultural Traction™ 2013 report.
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On October 5th 2011, we lost (arguably) an iconic figure of our time. Steve Jobs.
The news sparked a debate when one of us asked:
“Did Jobs really make a difference to mankind?”
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Following the global launch of the iPad 2 earlier this month, the US sold out of the market leading tablet in one weekend, with 70% going to new iPad owners.
The UK launches the second generation device today and the scene is likely to be the same. But has Apple done enough to hold their leadership position ahead of copycat brands? Or will Google’s free Android system overtake Apple eventually? Read more…
The latest market share stats from comScore show that Android (Google) is beating the iPhone in device sales. This is good news for the competitive market, which needs an alternative to the iPhone to keep innovation hardy.
However, the financial numbers show a different picture.
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I recently dined at Barbacco, a trattoria located in the SF financial district. Although the food and wine selection is fabulous, and I could say a lot about it, this isn’t going to be a review per se. I was intrigued and pleasantly surprised by the use of technology in what would typically be seen as a tech-free zone.
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Brian Eno famously stated that there is not enough Africa in computers, way back in May 1995 in a Wired magazine interview with Kevin Kelly. As a hyperkinetic person who doesn’t like to sit for long spells in front of a keyboard, I agreed with him. Africa is finally coming to computing, some 15 years later, and I think it will really change how we interact with, and even think about, computing. Why?
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Competition and first to market advantage creates enormous pressure for businesses and brands to constantly be one step ahead of each other. Innovation can play a starring role. But while getting a flash of inspiration in the shower is great, most innovation involves a rigorous process of managing and harnessing creative thinking. This process needs to allow for the fusion of logic and magic.
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Northern Light has got it right in their March 25 newsletter: “The iPad is not just a tablet PC – it may have crossover functionalities of tablets and netbooks, but what it largely is is a gateway to the Apple ecosystem. Rather than cannibalizing itself, Apple stands to profit, not just from devices being sold at a great margin, but via what it sells through the ecosystem – music, movies, TV shows, and now books. “ And: “Apple’s iPad is just one of many new devices coming to market that will change the entire PC ecosystem and overlap it with the mobile phone industry”.
India is the second most populous nation on earth and one of the world’s fastest growing economies (the 4th largest in terms of purchasing power). But it has in particular problems for marketers: 6 major religions and 23 languages, for example.
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