When Sir Ernest Shackleton planned his 1814 expedition to explore Antarctica, his help wanted ad reportedly stated: “Men wanted for hazardous journey.  Low wages, bitter cold, long hours of complete darkness.  Safe return doubtful.  Honour and recognition in event of success.” Shackleton offered risk – he didn’t promise easy money or carefree times, yet he was overwhelmed with applicants.  Today, …

Launching a new product is an exciting time for a company.  Product engineers are getting kudos for their hard work, the sales force is revved up, and marketing efforts are kicking into high gear to let the world know about your new offering. Your marketing plan for the launch likely includes these tactics: Professional photographs of the new product Digital …

I don’t always drink beer.  But when I do, I prefer Dos Equis. These words are, of course, from the wildly successful ad campaign created by Euro RSCG (now Havas Worldwide) in 2006 for Cuauhtémoc Moctezuma Brewery’s Dos Equis brand. Jonathan Goldsmith played The Most Interesting Man in the World for 10+ years and ended each ad with the line “Stay Thirsty My …

You’re faced with a challenge:  how to differentiate your company and products to warrant a higher price than your competition, while providing quality leads for your sales force to close. Let’s imagine that you’re a mid-market manufacturer making industrial widgets.  Your company has grown into a comfortable industry position, and probably relies more heavily on sales efforts rather than marketing.  …