The Brand Called Obama

Win or lose, Barack Obama's rise changes business as usual for everyone. Here's why.

Fast Company, March 19, 2008 — The fact that Obama has taken what we thought we knew about politics and turned it into a different game for a different generation is no longer news. What has hardly been examined is the degree to which his success indicates a seismic shift on the business horizon as well. Politics, after all, is about marketing — about projecting and selling an image, stoking aspirations, moving people to identify, evangelize, and consume. The promotion of the brand called Obama is a case study of where the American marketplace — and, potentially, the global one — is moving. His openness to the way consumers today communicate with one another, his recognition of their desire for authentic "products," and his understanding of the need for a new global image — all are... continue reading

Move Past Stereotypes and Connect With CIOs†

Hook Up: Why the IT Organization Doesn't Have to Be a Marketing Obstacle

Advertising Age, March 3, 2008 — Chief marketing officers work tirelessly to meet the needs of their customers, who are demanding a higher level of personalization as they interact with marketers. CMOs want to implement better websites, more-effective customer-relationship-management systems to boost customer service and e-mail-message relevance, and self-service options in stores and online. Unfortunately, they commonly face a major obstacle: the chief information officer and IT organization, who often respond to requests for projects with the same answer: no.

But with technology playing an even greater role in marketing activities and the importance of the customer experience, CMOs need to put an end to this pattern and form strategic relationships with their CIOs.

Thinking About Tomorrow†

How will technology change the way we shop, learn and entertain ourselves? How will it change the way we get news, protect our privacy, connect with friends? We look ahead 10 years

Wall Street Journal, January 28, 2008 — Let's get this out of the way first — in the next 10 years, no one will travel to work by jet pack or have robot maids that serve dinner. But technology will continue to transform the rituals of everyday life — sometimes in startling ways.

Imagine televisions that project 3-D images into the middle of the living room, for a theater-in-the-round experience. And while we won't get those robot maids, our appliances might start "talking" to us through email alerts, letting us know when a part is getting worn down and needs to be replaced.

Many other changes will be more subtle, as technology finds new ways into our daily routine.

Publicis, Google to Exchange Execs†

Companies Plan to Share Talent, Collaborate to Develop New Products

Advertising Age, January 23, 2008 — Publicis Groupe and Google are collaborating to develop new products and tools and exchange talent by embedding executives in each others' companies.