Eric Jacobson On Management And Leadership

Awhile back, I shared highlights from the useful book, First-Time Leader , by George Bradt and Gillian Davis. Here's one more gem from the book -- the authors' recommendations for a six-step strategic planning process : Set an aspirational destination (derived from the mission and vision). Assess the facts of the current reality and develop potential future scenarios. Identify options to bridge gaps between the current reality and the desired aspiration. Evaluate options under different scenarios. Make choices. Develop detailed plans that will deliver on selected strategies. Act, measure, adjust, and repeat.

You likely have noticed the sea change in the market’s demand for brands to reinvent how they engage with customers. It’s the mandate to embrace Brand Citizenship . Which means “doing good.” Doing good for customers, employees, local communities, and the planet overall.   “People want the companies they do business with not only to ‘do good’ and make the world a better place, but also to advocate on their behalf and make them feel like they are part of a larger community or grander mission,” explains Anne Bahr Thompson , author of the new book, Do Good: Embracing Brand Citizenship to Fuel Both Purpose and Profit s .   Furthermore, Thompson explains that “doing good has come to mean taking responsibility for more than traditional philanthropy or corporate social responsibility initiatives.”   First in the book, Thompson sets the stage for what caused this growing trend where people are drawn to companies with a higher purpose – and consequently reward them ...

As you watch Super Bowl XLV today, watch particularly for how advertisers integrate their social media with their TV commercials. Mixing traditional media with new media will be unprecedented this year. One reason is that nearly two-thirds of 18- to 34-year-olds planning to watch the Super Bowl have smartphones and intend to use them while watching the game , according to Lightspeed Research . Of those, 59% will be sending emails or text messages about the game while 18% will be checking out the ads online from their phones . Some advertisers have already started their pre-game, social media play to build brand buzz and attract viewers to watch their Super Bowl commercials. Watch for advertisers that will : ask viewers to post pictures on special advertiser websites and then share them via Facebook and Twitter post outtakes and/or exclusive content after the game on their websites and social media pages invite (or already have invited) people to submit consumer-made-ad...

A fellow Blogger, Debbie Laskey, shared these keen insights with me: “A brand strategy is the ultimate business strategy and often the least understood."  And, her favorite quotes about brand equity are: • “Products are made in the factory, but brands are created in the mind.” – Walter Landor • “A brand is a living entity –and it is enriched or undermined cumulatively over time, the product of a thousand small gestures.” – Michael Eisner, former CEO of Disney • “If this business were split up, I would give you the land and bricks and mortar, and I would take the brands and trademarks, and I would fare better than you.” – John Stuart, former CEO of Quaker Oats Here's more about brand strategy and brand equity that I've learned from Debbie .