Posts Tagged ‘marketing strategies’

Note to CMO: Jim Koch & What Giants Can’t Do

TweetDear CMO: “Could a giant do what we do? It would be difficult because it’s not what they’re good at. They’re good at mass producing, very cost effectively, beers that appeal to the mass market… it’s not outside their capabilities, but it’s like McDonalds… could McDonalds make filet mignon? Sure, but it’s not the business they’re […]


Robin Li, Herman Mashaba and “Being One of Us”

Tweet  And now, the main event. In one corner, the reigning industry champion, weighing in at a few billion in revenue, with massive budgets, headcount and resources. In the other corner, the local favorite – considerably smaller, home grown, and a dangerous scrapper. The heavy weight versus “one of us.” My money’s on the little […]


Note to CMO: Unreasonable Requests

Tweet Dear CMO: Disruption has a way of throwing out old rules of convention. What is normal in times of good fortune doesn’t always apply when things are going down the drain. For those of us who have been around the block for more than one (or two) of these downturns, we can think back […]


Note to CMO: Influence, Money & Changing Behavior

Tweet Dear CMO: It’s counter-intuitive, I know, but money rarely changes anything. Certainly not behavior. Look at lottery winners. Or Scarface. Martina Navratilova has the best quote about money, summing it up thusly: “Money can’t buy happiness, but it does make misery much more tolerable.” There you go. Money changes very little in the way […]


Note to CMO: Nine Rules for 2009

Tweet Dear CMO: It’s that time of year, when pundits of all shapes, readerships and sizes put their prognostications out for all to see. We won’t spend too much time on last year’s resolutions for fear of dwelling on the past. Next question, please. If a quick glance at Drudge tells us anything, it’s not […]