According to a recent Edelman study, "brands that are able to meet these three need states (rational, emotional and societal) can expect a greater inclination on the part of consumers to recommend and share brand content, defend a brand, and purchase from the brand." Yeah, that's why McDonald's has been one of the world's most valuable brands for the past 30 years. Unhealthy, low quality, cheap, fast food...

I'm a sucker for the outdoors. Photos of any beach, mountain, forest, trail, whatever, always make me want to double-double tap on Instagram (really, they should allow you to double-like something for extra emphasis...). I was scrolling through my Instagram feed the other day - through all the food, puppies, coffee concoctions, etc.

When introducing your brand to media, securing desk side media meetings can be extremely helpful for building relationships. Meeting media face-to-face not only allows you to capture the media’s direct attention, but also puts a face to your name to help make a more personal connection with contacts you plan to communicate with on an ongoing basis.

Three Signs the Great Marketing Apocalypse has begun...  1.  Your agency is offering you marketing "packages" to choose from, like a frozen birthday cake from Dairy Queen that can be personalized with the name of your choice. 2.  Your marketing proposals look more like the menu from Prosperity Dumpling than a viable business document.

Whether you distributed a news release through email or though a news release distribution service like PR Newswire or Business Wire, it's a guarantee that not all the media you want to target have read your news release. Some media are receiving hundreds and hundreds of emails a day.

CDC Names Sweeney Agency of Record CLEVELAND – Sept. 26, 2014 – Sweeney, the leading full-service marketing and public relations firm, has been named agency of record by the Centers for Dialysis Care (CDC), the largest outpatient dialysis provider in Northeast Ohio. Sweeney will provide the CDC with strategic planning and marketing implementation support as the region’s leading dialysis treatment provider continues to expand its footprint across Northeast Ohio.

CDC Names Sweeney Agency of Record CLEVELAND – Sept. 26, 2014 – Sweeney, [...]

In case you missed the major announcement on Tuesday, the "Big 3" soda makers "pledged a 20-percent reduction in beverage calories consumed per person nationally by 2025 by increasing consumer education and aggressive marketing of smaller portion sizes, water, and other no- or lower-calorie beverages." I implore you, please stop, go back and read that again.

Oh yeah, that's right... everything. This won't be much of a blog post, simply because I have so little desire to even talk about Urban Outfitters and their uber lazy approach to marketing. Fortunately, the marketplace will show this faltering retailer why it's a bad idea to hang your hat (or sweatshirt) on a hook with a very sharp end.

Sometimes my brain connects dots in ways that even I do not understand. Summer is quickly coming to an end, a reality that smacked me in the face this morning as the early temperatures barely hit 60 degrees. It is September; in fact, today is the 13th anniversary of 9/11, a date that escapes no one's attention, including mine.