Most people associate marketing with advertising, social media, and other promotional activities. But promotion is only one part of the marketing mix. Understanding the difference can help businesses make better marketing decisions.
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The Hidden Cost of Brand Drift
As businesses grow, their brands often lag behind. Positioning becomes less clear, messaging grows inconsistent, and marketing stops reflecting who the business has become. When your brand no longer aligns with reality, the hidden costs quietly affect marketing, decision-making, and future growth.
You don’t have a marketing problem
Most businesses don’t need more marketing. They need clarity on what’s on-brand and what’s off-brand. Introducing On-Brand/Off-Brand, the newsletter formerly known as The Creative Brief.
BrandTherapy #11: The Weight of Old Decisions
As businesses grow, they accumulate services, processes, commitments, and assumptions that no longer fit. Sometimes the fastest path to growth isn’t adding more—it’s removing what’s become off-brand.
BrandTherapy Notes #9: Pricing as Positioning
Pricing isn’t just a number. It’s a signal. When pricing aligns with positioning, it attracts the right prospects, sets expectations early, and reduces friction. If it feels off, for you or your prospect, the issue usually isn’t the price. It’s the positioning behind it.
What Does a Brand Strategist (or Creative Strategist) Actually Do?
Most businesses don’t need more ideas. They need clearer direction. In this article I explain the difference between brand strategy and creative strategy, and why clarity leads to better decisions, stronger marketing, and more consistent growth.
You Can’t Stick to the Plan Unless You Make One
You can’t stick to the plan unless you make one. Why planning—not tactics—is the missing link between goals, strategy, and real momentum.
That’s a Wrap on 2025: A Decade In, The Year By The Numbers
Reflecting on a decade in business, this 2025 year-in-numbers recap shares insights, client work, lessons learned, and what’s ahead for 2026.
Five Ways Strategic Clarity Improves Business Performance
Most business challenges aren’t caused by a lack of effort. They’re caused by a lack of clarity. Discover five ways strategic clarity helps organizations align decisions, improve performance, and create sustainable growth.
Use “Start, Stop, Continue” To Boost Your Brand Next Year
The “Start, Stop, Continue” method is not just an exercise in reflection; it’s a strategic tool for transformation. By methodically evaluating your past year’s efforts and planning for the future, your business is well-positioned to enter the new year with a revitalized, more effective branding and marketing strategy.
Lessons Learned Working In-House That Helped Me Be A Better Consultant
After nearly eight years leading in-house creative teams and more than two decades in the profession, I discovered that many of the skills that make effective corporate leaders also make successful consultants. From operational discipline and relationship building to managing time strategically, these lessons continue to shape how I advise clients and run my business today.