By Mike Myatt, Chief Strategy Officer, N2growth
The media certainly loves to bash Wal-Mart, and Wal-Mart’s decision to not sell the newly released and profanity-laced album from the band Green Day is no exception. Green Day’s new CD is currently the number one celling CD in the country and the band is incensed that the nation’s largest retailer won’t sell the album. Wal-Mart actually offered to sell the CD, they just wanted Green Day to remove the profanity prior to doing so. Rather than Wal-Mart being applauded for its common sense approach to decency, it has been excoriated for accusations of censorship. In today’s post I’ll share my thoughts about why Wal-Mart’s decision has nothing to do with censorship and everything to do with sound business logic, brand stewardship, and doing the right thing…
By Mike Myatt, Chief Strategy Officer, N2growth
It’s all about the customer…Sync the timing of the message with the needs of the market if you want to achieve advertising success. The above ad is simply brilliant…Hyundai gets an A+ for innovative marketing during tough times, and at the same time gains entry into my “Companies That Get It” category. While I enjoy creative advertising, what I truly love is a simple, relevant, authentic message that resonates with its intended market. When the going gets tough, smart companies listen to the needs of their customers. What Hyundai recognizes that other companies fail to grasp, is that putting the needs of their customers ahead of their own, is in fact in their best long-term interest. The sad news is that the big three US automakers have been caught asleep at the wheel again…
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By Mike Myatt, Chief Strategy Officer, N2growth
I think it’s fair to say that Blogging for M&A has arrived when two banks merging spawns a blog. I saw a tweet (code for twitter post) from Dan Schawbel about the new Wells Fargo - Wachovia Blog which is dedicated to topics directly related to the Wells Fargo / Wachovia merger, and I simply couldn’t resist the opportunity to applaud the efforts of Wells Fargo on this initiative. This is the first blog that I’ve seen focused on a merger, and I think it sets a brilliant example of a creative way to transactionally leverage the use of the blogosphere. In today’s post I’ll share my thoughts about blogging for M&A…
By Mike Myatt, Chief Strategy Officer, N2growth
If you wonder what smart companies do to gain market share in down economies just look at McDonald’s…McDonald’s plays brand offense. McDonald’s understands that playing brand offense is exactly what it takes for businesses to thrive in a down economy. In fact, over the last year they have flawlessly executed an aggressive brand assault on Starbucks that has been nothing short of pure genius. In today’s post I’ll contrast the marketing brilliance of McDonald’s vs. the tentative approach of Starbucks…
By Mike Myatt, Chief Strategy Officer, N2growth
Surely I jest…A law firm that gets it? I have been waiting to be able to make this statement for most of my professional life, and to be candid, I actually thought I would be dead and buried long before I found a firm that would wake up and smell the roses. No single industry has been guilty of lagging behind the times more than the legal profession. In fact, I think it is fair to say that no industry is more adverse to change than our venerable friends in the practice of law. In today’s post I’ll refer you to a law firm in Chicago that is going to revolutionize the way attorneys conduct business in the future…
By Mike Myatt, Chief Strategy Officer, N2growth
Today marks the launch of a new category on the N2growth Blog…Companies That Get It. Since I tend to frequently rant about companies that don’t get it I thought it only fair to spend a bit of time in praise of those that do. I will not comment on existing client companies and I will not accept any form of compensation to induce coverage. So moving forward when I happen upon a company that conducts its business in exceptional fashion and/or is innovative in its approach I will give them recognition as a company that gets it…
