Category Archives: Retail

The 28th Amendment to the US Constitution

People in the U.S. like to treat their Constitution, and its associated Declaration of Independence, like religious works of biblical importance.  Immutable.  Virtually written by the hands of gods known as founding fathers. The high priests, the U.S. Supreme Court, spend a lot of time interpreting these documents for their laity.  What is meant by… Read More: The 28th Amendment to the US Constitution »

Los Mayoristas Sí Saben

La publicidad no es solo un ‘negocio del espectáculo’; también hay mucho trabajo detrás de las cámaras que hay que entender antes de desarrollarla. Queríamos saber cómo mejorar las ventas de jabón para nuestro cliente, Procter y Gamble de Venezuela. Por eso le pedí a uno de sus vendedores que me llevara al mercado mayorista… Read More: Los Mayoristas Sí Saben »

The Times We Knew It – But Blew It

Our company was the first agency in Canada to start building websites on the internet back in 1994. We saw the internet as a new form of communications. We had opportunities and plunged forward. It took some figuring out, some investment and some staffing to organize into an area that was new to everyone. We… Read More: The Times We Knew It – But Blew It »

Never Introduce a Product Without the Product

On October 17, 2018, the Canadian government legalized cannabis.  The federal government left it up to the provinces to figure out distribution but it seems like no one really did the marketing calculations right. In Ontario, for example, orders are going unfilled despite a move to throttle demand by limiting distribution until next April.  The… Read More: Never Introduce a Product Without the Product »

Getting the Test Kitchen Staff Drunk

My very first assignment at Young & Rubicam New York in 1972 was to work on the Rums of Puerto Rico account. The advertising goal was to promote the many rums that were produced on the island, which included Bacardi, Don Q, and many more that were less well known such as Ronrico, Ron Superior,… Read More: Getting the Test Kitchen Staff Drunk »

If I’m Not Yelling, I’m Not Selling

Watching retailers do their own commercials on TV often makes me cringe. Particularly car retailers. They start their commercials by yelling and keep it up.  Their theory may be that all their energy makes the viewer think that something exciting is going on. But is just yelling enough? The result is a constant yelling throughout… Read More: If I’m Not Yelling, I’m Not Selling »