Insight

We are living through a nationwide reckoning on racism. The pain and frustration have touched all aspects of everyday life, and brands are no exception. Systemic racism is a complicated topic, and I do not know enough, or have enough first-hand experience, to offer solutions. But I do know a few simple truths. Racism is real. Bias is real. People’s rage is real. And the demand for change is real…

I read this week that the restaurant chain Chuck E. Cheese recently created a new brand named ‘Pasqually’s Pizza & Wings,’ in an unsuccessful attempt to appear small and independent on local food delivery apps. Pasqually’s cooked and delivered the same dishes from the same Chuck E. Cheese kitchens. Consumers were “outraged” when the company’s trickery was revealed…

Sixty-four thousand Americans have lost their lives. Thirty million Americans have lost their jobs. GDP is projected to decline 40% in the second quarter, the worst economic performance in U.S. history. And yet, there are positive signs. Social distancing is working, and the curve is flattening. Some states are starting to open and there are hopeful signs that economic activity is picking up. So now, the big question is…

In my last column, I wrote that Anheuser-Busch and Ford had pivoted from beer and pickup trucks to hand sanitizer and ventilators. These companies have permission from customers to stray from their core business, because their brands stand for more than what they sell…

During the darkest of times, when uncertainty and confusion reign, people yearn for leadership. Sometimes it comes from a President like Franklin Roosevelt, who famously said, “the only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” Sometimes it comes from trusted institutions. And, sometimes, in business and popular culture, leadership comes from brands…