Who You Callin’ a Brand? Women & the Branding Backlash
Forbes.com just published my article, “Who You Callin’ a Brand? Women and the Personal Branding Backlash.” I was inspired to write it after reading author Maureen Johnson’s recent blog manifesto, “I Am Not a Brand.”
For the article, I interviewed brand strategist Robin Fisher Roffer, who’s been a hero of mine since I read her book, “Make a Name for Yourself
Naturally I couldn’t fit them all in my Forbes article, so I’m posting a longer transcript here. Continue reading
Moxie House Owner Speaks About Lancaster’s Rose Logo
The last blog post on Lancaster’s “authentic” rose logo has been generating lots of interest in my local community. While researching the blog post, I saw few comments from Moxie House, the design and marketing firm that has been pushed into the spotlight when it was falsely accused of copying the logo from another artist.
I assumed Moxie House wanted to stay away from the mud-slinging, but I was also interested to hear its side of the story. The fact that Moxie House is a boutique women-owned firm made me even more curious.
I called owner Deb Brandt, who agreed to speak with me. Continue reading
Lancaster City’s “Authentic” Logo Drama
Last Wednesday, Lancaster City Pennsylvania unveiled a new branding campaign with a square rose logo and the tagline “A City Authentic.” The work generated criticism on internet message boards for straying from more traditional marketing of the past (among other reasons.)
Then an anonymous YouTube video appeared showing the rose logo to be virtually identical to one used by artist Dard Hunter.
The YouTube video points the blame at Moxie House, a Lancaster, PA design firm that worked with the city on the new branding campaign. So far, Moxie House has remained quiet about the issue. Owner Deb Brandt told the Lancaster Intelligencer Journal that her company received the logo from the city, and did not check the design origin because she was told the city was seeking copyright for the image. Continue reading
When You’re Talking About Quality, You Better Have Proof
If you’ve ever spent a night in a hotel, you probably remember how each glass was individually wrapped so you were assured your lips would be the first to cross its spotless surface. Why is that important?
These days, it’s not just enough to provide a quality service. You have to make that quality obvious if you want the competitive edge—much like the way housekeeping makes their presence obvious by folding the toilet paper and wrapping each glass.
Unfortunately, it’s not always easy. Continue reading
