August 9, 2010 1:39 pm Johnny Walker: In-Sync branding at its best

Back in the day, when I was working at Hal Riney & Partners – this type of brilliant, in sync film-making would have seemed more the norm than the exception.  But today it is simply shocking to see the power of storytelling and visual messaging so masterfully used to communicate a brand’s authenticity.

There’s no question that the execution here is flawless: the casting, the direction, the mood, music, lighting, etc. but what’s thrilling is that the engine that drives this story is the brand’s authentic heritage and iconography.

In a recent Forbes.com article when discussing Johnny Walker, journalist Sam Barclay states that “people are willing to pay more for provenance”.  Here here!

It’s a pity that many of today’s brands spend more time giving us nonsensical entertainment disguised as messaging vs. finding their own stories and bringing them artfully to life.  Anyone for back to romancing the brand?


July 26, 2010 6:01 pm “Essentialism” as foundation for pleasure

I’m reading Paul Bloom’s book “How Pleasure Works” and am loving his notion of  “essentialism”.  His basic premise is that our interest and attraction to everyday things (artwork, people – brands!) has to do with our belief about their histories.  He cites a tape measure that was owned by John F. Kennedy as selling in auction for $48, 875, or the seventieth home run baseball hit by Mark McGwire that went for $3 million!

Bloom argues that “the enjoyment we get from something derives from what we think that thing is…for a painting, it matters who the artist was, for a steak, we care about what sort of animal it came from, for sex we are strongly affected by who we think our sexual partner really is”.

In other words, the invisible and intangible history associated with an otherwise ordinary object can give it a value far above and beyond what that object alone might otherwise command.

He calls this concept Essentialism, “the notion that things have an underlying reality or true nature that one cannot observe directly, and it is this hidden nature that really matters.”

I directly equate this “essential essence” to my first brand building pillar “authenticity”.  Although an intangible, it’s a companies’ passion, history and purpose that consumers care about from brands.  For example, knowing that at their core essence, Patagonia stays true to their “authenticity” or original purpose of making better products without harming the planet matters to us deep inside, and we’re therefore willing to pay more for a Patagonia t-shirt than one from another company lacking in such values.

I thank Professor Bloom for giving us such a thoughtful articulation of something so hard to define, yet so very essential.


July 13, 2010 12:39 pm Patagonia: staying true is good business

“Build the best product, cause no unnecessary harm, use business to inspire and implement solutions to the environmental crisis.”
- Patagonia’s Mission Statement

Patagonia has 1,265 employees and saw $315 million in sales in 2009. This year they anticipate sales to be up to nearly $340 million. All while coming out of one of the worst recessions and shopping years in our nation’s history.

And they did it without lowering their prices. And without sacrificing product quality. And without changing their values. They’re true to who they are, they’ve maintained their integrity since they first started selling fleeces in 1977, and they have no plans to do anything differently.

Their authenticity is incredible. Everything they do has the core of their mission statement in mind and they are one of the original true-to-their-purpose brands. According to their CEO and founder Yvon Chouinard, “it’s good business to make a great product, and do it with the least amount of damage to the planet.”

They don’t just talk about doing things, they actually do them – something I call in-sync behaviors. For example, they have a recycling program for their clothing, which keeps their clothing line out of landfills. They have “Let My People Go Surfing” flextime for employees. They’re creating Patagonia National Park, a nature preserve in Chile. And they make it a point to only partner with retailers who make sense for their product.

Patagonia doesn’t only sell fleeces and outdoor gear…while they’re at it, they make sure their authenticity is reflected every step of the way. Their customers reward them for it year after year, proving that staying true can in fact, be a darn good business to be in.


June 16, 2010 2:59 am Feeling Fresh

Fresh is a cosmetics company that professes to “seek out unique, natural ingredients used in time-honored rituals from across the globe.” Some of the ingredients in their product repertoire are sugar, Umbrian clay and soy – each one comes with a personal and inspired story. I especially love the one behind their line of sugar products:

“Both of our grandmothers used sugar, a natural antiseptic, to heal our scrapes.  Wanting to pass this effective ritual on to the world, we bottled our shared tradition, pioneering the use of sugar in the beauty industry.”- Lev Glazman and Alina Roytberg, Fresh Co-Founders

The lovely story, along with the rapturous sweet scent that spills out every time you open the jar, almost takes the sting away from spending $60 on a body scrub (!)

By weaving stories like this one into their product development, operations, employee training, and marketing, Fresh is effortlessly proving their authenticity while creating a powerful bond with customers. They make me feel…fresh.


June 3, 2010 5:10 pm This will be no ordinary Starbucks experience

I was running late, it was pouring rain, I was dying for some coffee and just couldn’t bear walking the two extra blocks to my favorite coffee shop La Columbe, so I begrudgingly stepped into what I remembered to be the old, rundown Starbucks in Soho on Broome and Crosby and was completely prepared for a “not so great, but get the job done” coffee experience.  But I was bolted out of my un-caffeinated zombie-like trance the second I walked through the door. Little did I know I was about to see first-hand how an updated brand experience can completely transform one’s perception of a brand.

First – the decor.

The old, worn out floor had been replaced by shiny dark floors made from reclaimed wood. The corporate-commissioned artwork had been replaced with what looked like one-of-a-kinds. The uncomfortable and worn out looking furniture had been replaced with sleek, yet cozy-looking chairs and stools. I felt like I was in a fashionable art deco library, not some corporate cookie cutter coffee shop. It felt…nice.

Next – the coffee line.

Suddenly a tall young gentleman appeared at my side with one of those little microphone ear things, asking me what I’d like to order. He must have either been a trainer or the superstar of his training class, because after I stared, stunned, at him for a few seconds he smoothly began to explain who he was and why he was asking.

He was amazingly eloquent, taking his time to explain this store location as Starbucks’ new downtown flagship. Not only had they renovated, they had also implemented significant operational improvements deeming them LEED-certified at this location. WOWOW! (LEED certification means that the interior was redesigned using strategies that improve environmental impact across all the metrics that matter: energy savings, water efficiency, CO2 emissions reduction, improved indoor environmental quality, and stewardship of resources and sensitivity to their impacts.)

I was shocked they had made this kind of investment.  It can’t have been cheap, and really says something about their environmental conscientiousness.  I’m really listening now, and I can actually feel my non-plussed attitude towards Starbucks changing, right then and there.

Me: “I’ll have a tall coffee.”

The perfectly groomed, articulate employee with all the answers says, “OK. Would you like to try our new Clover coffee?”

He then went on to explain the new Clover machine, and French-press like filtration process.  “Its innovative design lets you discover new layers and dimensions within a coffee’s familiar aroma, flavor, body and acidity. The result is a deeper experience – one that’s carefully prepared and made to order, one cup at a time.”

Starbucks new $11,000 Clover Coffee machine. (BTW photographs of this machine are strictly forbidden – but you saw it here first!!)

The Clover coffee WAS made individually for me.  The barrista took me through the importance of each one of the steps. He also told me how to drink it, and how NOT to dress it with milk, etc. which would water down the magnificence of its flavor.

I could not believe how drastically my perception of this tired and corporate brand was continuing to change before my very eyes.

Summing up the experience…

The Clover Coffee WAS amazing.  I would (and will) recommend it to anyone.  The efficiency of the new pre-order line help was impressive (my coffee was actually ready at the time of payment).  The updated, LEED certified decor was inspirational.

I walked out of that Starbucks feeling amazed. Here is a brand that I’d previously considered so tired, corporate and predictable, that I actually avoid them now. But after that immersive, uplifting experience I walked out of the store actually feeling  EXCITED about  Starbucks again.

And that’s the golden ticket isn’t it?  No amount of money spent on an ad campaign could create something like what I just personally felt at Starbucks.  Humans are experiential learners – our knowledge of the world changes most drastically through personal experiences, not through 30 second commercials.

I wish all companies could understand how powerful a positive brand experience can be in updating and transforming consumers’ impressions of a brand.  Advertising can always build on and enhance consumers’ impressions, but if the impressions are based on a real-life, positive experience, the learning will be real, and consumers themselves will do the advertising!


June 1, 2010 5:28 pm Amy’s Authenticity Made from Scratch

I’d love to be one of those moms that cooks an amazing meal from scratch every single night. Family meal time is extremely important in my house, but I don’t always have the time I’d like to prepare every dinner every night, just like so many others.

So in came Amy’s.

I first found Amy’s at my local Whole Foods – and apparently so did many others because they’re now the nation’s leading natural frozen foods brand. Founders Andy and Rachel started the business out of their very own home when their daughter, Amy, was born in 1988.  They didn’t set out to be a mega-brand, their goal was simply to provide convenient and tasty natural vegetarian meals for busy people like themselves.

Everything about Amy’s works. The food is yummy.  Not too costly.  They do make healthy eating easy.  But I think what really has people coming back to Amy’s over and over again is their authenticity.  Everything about this brand rings true -  we sense it with every interaction.  From the crystal clear purpose stated on the box, to the great-for-you ingredients, to the real life stories about the employees on their website, to Amy’s own blog (amys.com/journal). Wherever you drill into this company you come up with pay dirt.

I nominate Amy’s the Authenticity poster child this week!


May 3, 2010 12:10 am I like the new Holiday Inn Advertising

New Holiday Inn Ads From McCann

They do a great job of celebrating their new-found authenticity (updated rooms at a good price) in a very entertaining fashion.


February 3, 2010 4:50 pm Show me your authenticity

Of all of the brand pillars we talk about, one of the most important is tapping your brand’s authenticity. Find what’s genuine and true about your brand, then celebrate this in all you do, especially your advertising. If what your brand is saying or showing doesn’t come across as authentically true, the consumer is going to sense it. They may not come right out and say “x brand’s advertising isn’t authentic,” but in the way back of their subconscious mind, they are probably feeling just that. These are just a few examples of print ads we’ve come across recently that either nail a brand’s authenticity or miss.

Above: Levi’s “This Country Was Not Built By Men in Suits.”

Levi’s has been struggling (unsuccessfully in my mind) for decades to find their voice in advertising. Finally – FINALLY – I think they’ve gotten it right. They’ve managed to tap their true roots (hard-wearing jeans for the hard-working pioneers that founded the Western US) and they’ve done it in a stylish, hallelujah kind of way. My subconscious is nodding its head YES.

Above: Cole Haan and Maria Sharapova

Maria Sharapova? Cole Haan? Wha? I think Cole Haan is digging a little deep with this collaboration. This luxury shoe brand with roots in practical men’s footwear just does not fit comfortably for me with this Russian tennis star. Maria is pretty and frilly, and one helluva tennis player, but none of these have anything to do with Cole Haan’s rugged, hand-sewn, honest footware heritage. My subconscious doesn’t like it. Looks to me like a “bolt on” – someone at Cole Haan is either a big tennis fan, or knows Sharapova’s agent. I know some will disagree with me on this one, but for me this pairing doesn’t work.

Above: Dior and Marion Cotillard

Exquisite French actress, truly decadent French brand, cinematic-looking advertising. Deliciously authentic. Enough said.

Above: BMW and Mad Men

I’m a big Mad Men fan. Never miss an episode. Which is why I hate these ads. The show is painstakingly accurate in its use of vintage 60’s Americana details (from the clothing to the street signs to the IBM Selectra II typewriters used). Of note, there’s not a single BMW or even German reference in the entire series. Cadillacs yes, BMWs no. In fact the first BMW wasn’t even introduced into the US until 1968 (the show is currently set in 1963). The red lights – pun intended – are running rampant in my head. AMC’s media sales reps should send this email to the folks at GM immediately:

Dear Cadillac,
We have the perfect ad partnership for you. We accidentally sold it to BMW and it’s a disaster.
Sincerely,
Mad Men


January 30, 2010 6:04 pm Megan’s site is now live

Hello world and welcome to my blog. As some of you know, I left my brand consulting company, Starfish, at the end of last year to pursue my dream of writing a book combining the lessons I’ve learned from 25 years of marketing and strategic planning for some of the world’s greatest brands, with the latest findings in behavioral and neuroscience. My book is called “Get your Brand In-Sync: 7 Steps to Building Brands a Brain Can Love”.

This blog is meant to serve as a vehicle for chronicling my progress, and for giving me an outline to post insights and observations as I go.

Thank you for visiting me here. I hope you come back again soon.



Brand Synchronicity 41 E. 11th St.,11th Fl, New York, NY 10003 | T 212-699-3740 | info@brandsynchronicity.com