Tag paul hebert

The Artist Formerly Known as Differentiated – Your Marketing Should Emulate Prince not Nickelback

Did you know there is a “formula” for hits in the music space. Researchers have built algorithms like the University of Bristol’s “Hit Potential Equation,” which analyze tempo, loudness, energy, and duration to predict whether a track is likely to… Continue Reading →

Are you ready for “Institutionalized Serendipity”? You should be…

Let’s be real: business, much like life, is messy. Reality has a way dropping the mic drop in the middle of our best-laid plans. What do I mean by serendipity? This: In 1945, a U.S. defense contractor employee was working… Continue Reading →

The Real Housewives of Marketing – New B2B & B2C Series

I found this post on substack by Derek Thompson called “Everything Is Television” and initially thought it would a retread analysis of the 1961 Newton Minow address to the National Association of Broadcasters where he coined the now famous “tv… Continue Reading →

Personal vs. Personalized: The “Traylor” Power Couple of Loyalty Marketing

Let’s be real—every marketer today is awash in data. Algorithms know more about individual snack cravings and sleep patterns than most best friends. Spotify guesses the next earworm, Netflix drops oddly spot-on show suggestions, and Starbucks remembers that extra caramel… Continue Reading →

From Fries to Friendships: Adding Connection to Loyalty

In their book “The Power of Moments”, Chip and Dan Heath remind us: “Defining moments are social… strengthened because we share them with others.” I’m sure you’ll agree… our biggest memories typically involve people. You don’t reminisce about earning a… Continue Reading →

Forget Faster, Go Smarter: The Secret to Unstoppable Brand Engagement in 2025

Why doesn’t what is supposed to work—work? If you’ve ever found yourself stuck repeating the same marketing strategy expecting different results, it’s time to check out the “Milk Carton Rule”. The rule is simple but elusive for many marketers: solve… Continue Reading →

Robots Lost. Humans Won: Why Opendoor’s U-Turn Is a Masterclass for Every Loyalty Program

Opendoor just served up a Netflix-worthy twist and Wall Street is cheering them on. But not because they’re crushing it but because they’re hitting pause on their old “disrupt everything” playbook. The stock is up 600% since July, and the… Continue Reading →

Why Brands Need Less “Data” and More “Troi”

There’s a great line from Thomas Lockwood’s book “Design Thinking” that most brand managers and CMOs would do well to have tattooed on their arm – or at least put it on their screensaver (remember those). “The business world needs… Continue Reading →

“Why Your Brand Is Just Another Face in the Crowd” – How Liminal Thinking Can Make You Visible Again

{no AI was abused writing this post} Differentiation is never safe; it takes guts to step over the threshold from what’s proven into what could be. Now is your time to stop copying and start leading! Being remarkable is always… Continue Reading →

Personalization vs. Managed Serendipity: Time to Shake Up Loyalty Programs

TL;DR: Personalization keeps customers comfortable, but managed serendipity sparks surprises, fueling more excitement, deeper engagement, and fresh revenue for smart loyalty programs. For the last decade, the loyalty industry’s been banging the personalization drum like it is their job (and… Continue Reading →

Audaces Fortuna Iuvat

I know the pandemic has added a level of caution to any decision on marketing investments. Know that it isn’t “just you” – we are seeing the same reticence with other clients too. Not ideal for anyone but totally understandable…. Continue Reading →

Ant or Grasshopper? Time to Choose

2020 has gone on too long. I feel like I’ve burned up 12 months of angst, anger and energy in only 6 months. It is tough – and I’m not nearly as affected as many. I can’t imagine the effort… Continue Reading →

Your Audience isn’t Monolithic

Some of the news over the past few days was disheartening. Some places in the country are seeing an increase in positive COVID-19 tests. Others a decrease. I’d personally love to see more places that were decreasing but I can’t… Continue Reading →

Will Yours Be the Brand They Come Back To?

You don’t need me to tell you business is not normal. I don’t have to see your financials to know your numbers aren’t what you expected them to be. And I don’t need to talk to you to know you… Continue Reading →

Why Short-Term Promotions Matter

It’s been over a month since I posted. I wanted to focus on my family and my work to be sure I was doing everything possible to support those two critical aspects of my life. Posting here doesn’t change my… Continue Reading →

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