Posts Tagged ‘psychology’

How to Strategically Retreat: Patagonia and “Don’t Buy This Jacket”

TweetDon’t Buy This Jacket. Outdoor athletes – the real high achievers, in particular – understand Patagonia’s tagline. And Patagonia’s tagline clearly shows that they understand their core market to a remarkable degree.  That’s nice, for a change. Outdoor enthusiasts do things that the rest of us don’t. They spend time on mountains. In winter. On […]


The Power of Ritual + How to Tap It

TweetI had a quick Twitter exchange with Mark Oakes (@MarkOOakes) and Ted Coine (@tedcoine) last week that started with a simple question: “Beyond hiring right, how do you ensure change happens after you, as the consultant, have left?” Instilling change is more like chiropractic than surgery. It’s lots of small shifts and not one haymaker […]


Note to CMO: Anwar Sadat, the Nobel Peace Prize and the Psychology of Influence

TweetDear CMO: The Nobel Peace Prize voting committee did something very clever last week. I say this from the standpoint of a marketer – not because of any personal political leanings. What the Norwegians and other assembled delegates did this past week is something anyone who deals with customers, business partners or competitors needs to study carefully. […]


The Evil of Satisficing

I have met the greatest of all evils and its name is Satisficing. OK, it’s not a name, per se, but a mashup of two words – satisfy and suffice. Squint and you could probably find the real meaning in there, too – sacrifice. Satisficing is the greatest of all evils. Here’s why.


Note to CMO: The Pitfalls of Consistency (or, Learning to Love Your Hubris)

TweetDear CMO: I’ve heard three pieces of good news over the past few weeks. First, I understand that the feared AIDS epidemic within the heterosexual communities of developed countries is no longer a threat, according to the World Health Organization. Second, I learned that not only is the US not in a recession but that […]