Do you remember the Cracker Barrel outrage when they tried to evolve their brand? It was their first logo update in nearly 50 years. They rolled out a cleaner, text-only look and dropped the iconic “Old Timer.” There was a lot of customer outrage, right? That’s what it looked like at first. It...
I used to work for a remarkable woman named Sharon Carstairs. She has been in Canadian politics since she was a child and her dad was premier of Nova Scotia. She followed his footsteps rising all the way to a cabinet member in the Chretien government. To this day, she is one of the smartest people...
When leaders go off-script, even the most comforting brands can suddenly feel cold. That’s exactly what happened a few weeks ago to Campbell’s Soup after a senior executive referred to its products as being “for poor people,” and also made a racially insensitive comment about employees. The...
When supply and demand don’t align, even the strongest brew can turn bitter fast. You may have seen the recent headlines about the disastrous release of Starbucks’ limited-edition Bearista cup (a $29.95 teddy-bear-shaped holiday tumbler for the uninitiated). The launch of the viral must-have...
As the year winds down (gulp, how?) and we gather to reflect on what we’re grateful for this coming Thanksgiving, it’s natural to count the obvious blessings: growth milestones, successful launches, strong partnerships. But in the world of business, there’s another kind of gratitude. One that is...
Confucius tells us that “Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated.” Crisis is the shadow that follows every bold decision and for many leaders, fear of that shadow shapes everything they do. But what if that fear wasn’t just unnecessary, but actively holding your organization...
This time last year, we wrote a Halloween-themed article, “Very Scary Marketing Decisions,” highlighting baffling and ill-conceived advertising and branding blunders, such as: Bath and Body Works launching a line of holiday candles, which included one bearing the design of a “snowflake”...
Around here, we warn clients about the long tail of crisis. It’s when the effects of a crisis can drag on for a long time, with unexpected problems, and damage, popping up well after things seem like they’ve settled down. It’s also known as “the ripples,” and can pose an even bigger risk to...
If you’ve been around a moment, you’ve heard or read about our Kith formula: Clarity + Trust = Strategic Speed. Today, I want to talk about just one piece of Clarity: Knowing your stakeholders. That means knowing who matters, what they value, and how to communicate with them effectively under...
Demonstrating that no industry is immune to controversy – and highlighting the need for solid risk mitigation strategies – a shocking scandal has just rocked the HR tech sector. Rippling, a company specializing in workforce management, has taken legal action against its rival Deel, accusing it of...
It's a paper moon: it only works if you believe in it How many of you have read the Meta tell-all, Careless People? This book has been on the New York Times best seller list since its release and is continuing to sell well. The book was authored by Facebook’s former director of global public...
Five overlooked ways your industry group can shield, guide, and amplify your voice when it matters most An article in Fortune last week detailed the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s deliberations on whether or not they would sue the Trump administration on behalf of its members to halt its global trade...
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