Author Archive

Personal Branding: Looks Matter

Posted by Julie | May 10th, 2010

“You want to be taken seriously, you got to have serious hair.”

- Tess in the film Working Girl

Remember this moment when Melanie Griffith’s character went from her “working girl” hair to a shorter, more serious do?

You can chalk it up to dramatic license, but I think there was actually an interesting tidbit on personal branding in there.

Like it or not, we are judged by how we look.

Lest you think that this is a women’s only issue, check out  this article about a recent study that found that CEO’s  (all men) look more or less credible according to their facial features.

Keep reading »

Betty White: Branding Lessons

Posted by Julie | May 7th, 2010

In case you’ve been living under a rock….Betty White, the 88 year old Emmy winning actress, is back with a vengeance.

Her re-popularity (if that’s a word) started with a Snicker’s commercial during the Super Bowl:

 

This spot and her performance in it, triggered a Facebook campaign to have her host Saturday Night Live. Over half a million people became fans of the Facebook petition page and she will be appearing this weekend as the SNL host.

What branding lessons can be learned from Betty White?
Keep reading »

Should Arizona Iced Tea Boycott Arizona?

Posted by Julie | May 5th, 2010

In response to all the negative press about the immigration reforms in Arizona, Arizona Iced Tea has posted a statement on it’s site assuring its customers that it is not from Arizona.  In fact it’s from Brooklyn and is now head quartered in Long Island.

Interesting move.

you might call it “biting the hand that feeds you strategy”.

Keep reading »

Is Facebook Destroying Friendships?

Posted by Julie | May 3rd, 2010

There was an interesting article in Saturday’s NY Times called Anti-Social Networking?which raised the question whether Facebook was actually impeding kids’ ability to form real world friendships.

On the positive side, it was cited that kids tend to keep in touch and communicate more often and with more people through Facebook then they did in previous generations when you’d have to pick up the phone or actually get together in person.

It was also noted as an important means for shy kids to engage socially when they alternative is often no contact at all.

However, on the negative side, communicating through social networks can be more fleeting and superficial than in person (or even on the phone) contact and can’t really replicate the kind of bonds that are formed from spending a whole day shooting the breeze with one good friend.

From my perspective as a parent of a Tween, I found myself agreeing with many of the positive and negative points in the article.

But it also made me wonder whether Facebook was good or bad for adult relationships.

Keep reading »

Time/Bentley Accountable Leadership Videos

Posted by Julie | April 29th, 2010

As many of you know last week, I had the privilege on Earth day of speaking at the Time/Bentley Forum on Accountable Leadership.

I enjoyed talking about Virgin’s approach which I summarized in my post  last week.

But I especially enjoyed hearing the other speakers such as Dr. Oz, Majora Carter- an environmental justice activist and terrific speaker and Margaret McKenna, the relatively new President of the Wal-Mart Foundation.

My point of view about Wal-Mart (particularly moving forward) was turned around by Margaret’s passion and commitment and belief that as the world’s largest grocer, Wal-Mart should be doing the most to stop the issue of hunger.

I think she’s really going to shake things up over there.

You can watch videos of the presentation here. I think you’ll find them pretty compelling.

Accountable Leadership is a critically important topic. Especially now, when so many of our business leaders seem to be letting us down.

That’s my point of view. What’s your twist?
Who do you think exemplifies accountable leadership?

Let’s Make Money Like There is a Tomorrow

Posted by Julie | April 22nd, 2010

Today is Earth Day and I am speaking at Bentley Time Leadership Forum on the topic of  Accountable Leadership and the business of healing our world.

This is the first time I’ve spoken explicitly on the topic of Virgin and Accountability and it coincides nicely with the publication of Virgin Group’s Corporate Sustainability and Social Responsibility Report which can be downloaded here.

In case you are not in Waltham today, here are the highlights of my talk. I’m looking forward to some healthy debate on the topic.

Big Caveat…I am not a sustainability expert (and was not intimately involved in writing the Virgin report), so I am attacking this from more of a branding/marketing angle. If you are looking to discuss carbon footprint, greenhouse gasses and the benefits of local vs. global sourcing…stop reading now.

If you are curious about the things that guide Virgin’s approach, and could be applicable to other brands looking to build, beef up, or benchmark their efforts in this area- read on.
Keep reading »

Are You Making the Most of All Touch-points?

Posted by Julie | April 19th, 2010

Last week I was in London at the Virgin Management offices in Brook Green,and as with each time I visit, I discover something new about this wonderful, quirky building which is actually a converted school house.

This time, I noticed this sign above the toilet paper roll  in the “loo” which read “This is the only authorised Virgin rip off”.

Brilliant!

It got me  thinking that there are so many moments when we have a somewhat “captive” audience that we are wasting an opportunity to re-inforce a  brand message.

In this case, Virgin’s Consumer Brand Champion message, cleverly displayed as a reminder to employees and visitors alike.

Sometimes these “corporate mission statements” can seem heavy handed. But I think the humor in this one, and the pun with the placement, make it work.

That’s my point of view. What’s your twist?

Are you making the most of all your brand touch-points?

Sorry for the Radio Silence

Posted by Julie | April 15th, 2010

Been in UK all week with Internet problems.

Now, because of the Volcanic ash, I am in Rome (via Geneva) with my luggage in London, no room ready at my reserved hotel and a very bad lounge singer (unfortunately in English).

Oh the Joys of Travel.

I have not, by the way, run into George Clooney in any of this.

Be back next week (when I recover) with lots of brand insights.

Ciao Bella….

The singer is now playing “September Morn” , better remove all sharp objects….