Marketing + Psychology

The key to successful communication #3

2012-01-08T12:58:00.000-08:00

In "The key to successful communication #2" I mentioned Albert Mehrabians 55-38-7 rule. This rule is of a great help when thinking about the importance of nonverbal clues. Nevertheless I'm sure he knew that the numbers he suggested represent only approximate means. There are at least two reasons why the figures presented in the 55-38-7 rule don't apply to everbody's communication: #1 They

Insight into our decision making process

2011-12-22T05:06:00.000-08:00

After filling out the form below you will be able to see how other people answered the questions.

The key to successful communication 2

2011-12-10T08:53:00.000-08:00

To communicate successful means to deliver the right message. This is not as easy at it sounds. Since verbal content accounts only for 7% of the message, there is more to successful communication than just picking the right words. Social norms define the story that can be told. It is alright to talk in public about nuclear disasters but not about our experience with sex techniques. We delight

The RIM or why we are better off thinking about yellow checked elephants

2011-12-01T12:46:00.000-08:00

The Reflective Impulsive Model divides our decision making process into two systems: the impulsive and the reflective system: The impulsive system requires less cognitive capacities, the processes remain unreflected and therefore subconscious and can be processed simultaneously. We often activate it when we are in a hurry or not willing to see things through. In this case, connecting existing

Quality instead of quantity

2011-12-01T12:09:00.000-08:00

I am aware that this is a typical introvert statement. Extraverts would have said it the other way 'round. In search of new experiences, introverts tend to stay with what they've got meanwhile extraverts go on the hunt for a new object. For introverts it is depth, that counts. If you really want to enjoy, you have to stay for a while and get to understand things on a deeper level. The more

How your ego stops you from being the best

2011-09-18T11:17:00.000-07:00

If you surround yourself with people who agree upon every word you say this might give you a boost. You may even experience this warm, fuzzy feeling of coming home. We all need this kind of acceptance and harmony. Our egos love it. Doesn't it prove that we are the best? To be the best is very important, especially for those who are in charge of other people. The impact of a leader's action is

What defines us limits us

2011-09-18T10:14:00.000-07:00

Be careful with definitions: they set anchors and milestones for future behaviour (because we seek orientation by comparing new experiences to previous ones) they shape prototypes and therefor the lens through which we see the world; thus they influence our perception and our judgement (>> priming) once we've put something into a category we use these categories to adapt our behaviour and to

The Illusion of Rational Decision Making

2011-09-04T06:52:00.000-07:00

If you've heard of the MBTI, then you probably remember that it divides people into those who prefer to make decisions based on feelings and those who prefer to make decisions based on thinking. Decisions based on feeling just follow the mood of the moment, decisions based on thinking may lead to sustainable results. But is there really such a thing as a decision that is solely based on thinking?

The McKinsey 7S Model

2011-08-31T00:06:00.000-07:00

The consultants of McKinsey developed the 7S Model to show interdependencies between different elements of an organisation. It can be applied to various situations and is used as follows: e.g. to avoid insolvencies the 7 elements need to be aligned and mutually reinforcing:Superordinate Goals/ Shared values: survival of the company, optimum liquidity, independency from creditors, financial

Where Marketing and Spirituality meet

2011-08-16T03:41:00.000-07:00

"When you combine the ability to express your unique talent with service to humanity, then you make full use of the Law of Dharma. ... Expressing your talents to fulfill needs creates unlimited wealth and abundance." Deepak Chopra, The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success The Law of Dharma is to be focussed on what we are here to give, every human being has a unique talent. A company is nothing but

The whole is greater than the sum of the parts ...

2011-07-28T10:03:00.000-07:00

... this phrase is often used by Gestalt psychologists to describe the process of perception. Perception is nothing but a subjective interpretation of sensory information. We tend to interprete the world in a way that makes the most sense to us. Our brain creates what we call reality by following the principles of gestaltism: proximity similarity/ common fate continuity symmetry closure

List of possible reasons why we like someone

2011-07-12T11:20:00.000-07:00

Irrational reasons Sexual attraction 1: visual clues Sexual attraction 2: pheromones (best possible combination of immune systems) Identification Idealisation (related to perceived competence and social acceptance) Familiarity based on the 'mere exposure effect' Classical conditioning (association with positive outcomes) Rapport (NLP: calibration and pacing) Oxytocin (influences social

Are you ready?

2011-07-12T10:07:00.000-07:00

"In a series of experiments in the 1980s, Benjamin Libet studied the relationship between conscious experience of volition (=will) and the readiness potential and found that the readiness potential (BP = "Bereitschaftspotenzial") started about 0.35 sec earlier than the subject's reported conscious awareness that 'now he or she feels the desire to make a movement.' Libet concludes that we have

Forgive them; for they know not what they do ...

2011-07-11T10:19:00.000-07:00

I'm pretty sure you've heard about Pavlov's experiments with dogs. During his studies of the mechanisms underlying the digestive system in mammals he discovered the laws on the formation of conditioned reflexes. "When a dog encounters food, saliva starts to pour from the salivary glands located in the back of its oral cavity ..." (Find out more on

The truth about your gut feelings

2011-06-13T02:00:00.000-07:00

Have you ever made a decision based on a gut feeling? Then you probably know how it feels like to be absolutely convinced without being able to pinpoint why. It is difficult to justify these decisions with reasonable arguments because we can't access them. If we are presented with an information our brain will process it and store it in our short-term memory. There it can be accessed easily.

Robert Dilts' Neurological Levels

2011-06-03T07:36:00.000-07:00

Top levels organize lower levels (top down principle): e.g. spirituality defines our value system. Behaviour can be easily changed when we take on a new identity, our beliefs filter our perception and limit our skills and capabilities. There is a certain reverse effect (bottom up principle) if we let it happen that the circumstances control our lives, for example if we lose control and let

Brands and Models of the World

2011-05-24T07:03:00.000-07:00

There are as many models of the world as there are people living on this planet. Our model of the world defines our values and thus our motivations. It is impossible to satisfy the needs of all customers equally because the priorities of their motivations differ. If for one of them the highest motivation is prestige, for another one it is knowledge. There exist as many people who seek safety

Why did the chicken cross the road? (Models of the world)

2011-05-20T06:47:00.000-07:00

Plato: For the greater good. Karl Marx: It was a historical inevitability. Machiavelli: So that its subjects will view it with admiration, as a chicken which has the daring and courage to boldly cross the road, but also with fear, for whom among them has the strength to contend with such a paragon of avian virtue? In such a manner is the princely chicken's dominion maintained.

Truth and Belief ...

2011-04-20T07:59:00.000-07:00

... are just a question of time, space and observer ...

Happiness

2011-04-20T07:56:00.000-07:00

Gratitude seems to be the key to happiness ...

Balance & Interaction

2011-03-16T06:31:00.000-07:00

Direct Marketing: Differences between Extraverts and Introverts

2010-12-28T12:19:00.000-08:00

Illustration according to the research of Hans Jürgen Eysenck in 1967Extraverts need more stimulation to get aroused and therefore they seek more stimulation. Introverts are viewed to be more responsive and physiologically affected by arousing stimuli than extraverts and reach their peak of excitement earlier than extraverts. Once they reach this peak they tend to back out to prevent

The neurons that shaped civilization

2010-12-15T11:56:00.000-08:00

Neuroscientist Vilayanur Ramachandran outlines the fascinating functions of mirror neurons. These neurons allow us to learn complex social behaviors, some of which formed the foundations of human civilization as we know it. When we watch others perform a task, our brain shows activity in areas that would be used if we would perform this task by ourselves. This simulation helps us to understand

Can Marketing Create Needs?

2010-12-08T05:27:00.000-08:00

No, marketing can not create needs, it can only satisfy those that exist already. According to Prof. Dr. Werner Correll 5 different themes may dominate our life. Marketing communication such as advertising needs to address these motivations to be successful.

Symbols - Numbers: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

2010-12-08T04:24:00.000-08:00

"Ces dessins qui constituent nos chiffres et que nous utilisons mille fois par jour sans même y réfléchir comportent en eux-mêmes tout un enseignement. ... La courbe est signe d'amour, le trait horizontal: d'attachement, et le croisement: de choix. 1 - c'est le stade minéral. ... - Au stade minéral, nous nous trouvons dans l'ici et le maintenant, sans penser. 2, ..., c'est le stade végétal. Avec

The key to successful communication 1

2010-11-20T08:25:00.000-08:00

Every second our sensory organs deliver 11 million bits of information to our brain. But only a small part - 40 bits that's about 2 words) - makes it into our conscious mind. 10.999.960 bits are left behind in our subconscious but still influence our behaviour. Part of it is stored in our implicit memory. Every advertisement has got an average of 2,5 seconds (~ 5 words!) to convince and to

Above The Line Marketing / Below The Line Marketing

2010-10-27T03:49:00.000-07:00

"Above the line (ATL) marketing/ mass marketing, below the line (BTL) /one to one Marketing, and through the Line (TTL), in organizational business and marketing communications, are advertising techniques. In a nutshell, while ATL promotions are tailored for a mass audience, BTL promotions are targeted at individuals according to their needs or preferences. While ATL promotions can establish

Dan Cobley: What physics taught me about marketing

2010-09-03T07:04:00.000-07:00

Dan Cobley is Google's marketing director for the UK, Ireland and Benelux. His previous roles include VP Brand and Marketing for Capital One Europe and Marketing Director of Ask Jeeves.

Marketing, Philosophy and Quantum Physics

2010-09-02T17:37:00.000-07:00

David Bohm's discovery of the principle of implicate and explicate order seems to be the proof that the laws of physics can be applied everywhere in this universe - even to topics that are man made - such as marketing:

Porter's Generic Strategies

2010-08-31T14:25:00.000-07:00

From Brands To Lovemarks

2010-08-14T15:19:00.000-07:00

Kevin Roberts has been CEO Worldwide of Saatchi & Saatchi since 1997, and in the space of 11 years has cemented the ad agency's reputation as one of the most successful and creative companies in the industry. Among Saatchi & Saatchi's clients are Procter & Gamble, General Mills, Novartis, Toyota, JC Penney and the New York State Department of Economic Development. Roberts, who travels the world

The Five Competitive Forces That Shape Strategy

2010-08-14T12:45:00.000-07:00

Interview with Michael E. Porter, Professor, Harvard University.

10 Criteria For A Good Brand Name

2010-08-14T08:40:00.000-07:00

it reflects the positioning of the brand it relates to the target audience it informs about the benefit the product offers it is easy to remember, to spell and to pronounce it is internationally compatible it is unique it can be copyright protected it is easy to visualize it is timeless the domain name is available

Your online ad: Does it pay off?

2010-08-05T15:06:00.000-07:00

Make sure your ad is placed on a site where it may get enough clicks to pay off: Page impressions per month: 2.000.000 Cost per mille (CPM): $5 --> costs per month: 2.000 * $5 = $10.000 Average revenue per customer: $50 --> Break Even Point: $10.000 / $50 = 200 conversions Conversion rate: 5% --> Clicks needed to get 200 conversions: 4.000 Click Through Rate (CTR): 0.5% --> Page impressions

B2C Relations: Catering for the Ideal Self Image

2010-07-22T08:08:00.000-07:00

"Consumers buy and use goods and services for both their utility and the things that they represent. ... By acquiring products consistent with their ideal self-image, consumers may boost their self-esteem. Social self-image: how we believe people think of us, and how we like people to think of us." Source: Consumer Behaviour Symbols and Image The Ideal Self is more important than our real Self

Top or Flop? Screening Models for New Products

2010-07-17T07:30:00.000-07:00

According to a study conducted by Nielsen flop rates in the German FMCG-market are as high as 85%. Another study, conducted by GfK/Madakom, showed that out of 24.000 new products only half survived their first year in the market (1998). In 2001 32.000 new products were launched, and only 30% survived the first year. True innovations have a higher chance to succeed than Me-Too-Products. (Source:

The Decoy Effect - or How To Sell A Trip To Rome

2010-05-30T04:38:00.000-07:00

If people would behave rational, their actions would be predictable. Computers could calculate the outcome of every single event in their lives following a simple algorithm. Marketers and psychologists could be replaced by computer programs. Love could be reduced to a mathematical formula. Fortunately life is a little more complicate than that. People behave irrational. Behavioral economist Dan

The Kapferer Model Brand Identity Prism

2010-04-27T14:26:00.000-07:00

Kapferer Model Brand Identity Prism

Ansoff Matrix and Gap Analysis explained

2010-04-26T09:25:00.000-07:00

A very interesting combination of gap analysis and Ansoff Matrix, although I don't really understand why he says that consumers do not buy on price. WALMART did probably not only fail because it tried to implement its 'American' model in Germany, but also because there existed already a well established cost leader in the market: ALDI. - "Aldi is Germany, and Germany is Aldi. This sense of

The Profit Impact of Market Strategy

2010-04-25T04:20:00.000-07:00

"The PIMS (Profit Impact of Market Strategy) Program, the only strategic information database of real world data, at the business and line of business level in the world, is now available as pimsonline.com for your use. The PIMS Program of the Strategic Planning Institute, originated at the General Electric Company, and further refined at the Harvard Business School, includes the real world

The Philosophy of Arthur Young

2010-04-20T06:39:00.001-07:00

The BCG Growth-Share Matrix

2010-04-19T00:48:00.000-07:00

:( Poor Dogs: products with a low share of a low growth market. They do not generate cash for the company, they tend to absorb it. (They might be loss-leaders.) $$$ Cash Cows: products with a high share of a mature market. They generate more than is invested in them. Cash Cows are not born, they are made out of Stars. ? Question Marks: products with a low share of a high growth market. They

Enneagram and MBTI

2010-04-16T03:54:00.000-07:00

Each Enneagram type can be correlated with several MBTI types and vice versa. E.g. an ESTP could as well be associated with #3, an ESTJ with #1, an ENFP with #7 or an INFP with #2. The arrows indicate a type's reaction under stress, e.g. an enthusiastic, fun loving #7 becomes a controlling, intolerant #1. (Every type has got positive as well as negative attributes.) In a safe environment #7 moves

Own-Label Goods vs. Branded Products

2010-04-11T04:16:00.000-07:00

Private labels continue to grow, as consumers focus on quality and price. Own-label goods compete vs. branded products for the best store presentation. A product's shelf position and the number of facings effects sales. Products placed at eye level sell 3 times better than products placed at foot level (IFLS, Institut Français du Libre Service). The double number of facings may increase sales up

Turn website visitors into prospects

2010-03-10T23:30:00.000-08:00

Website visitors can be targeted based on referring URL, search terms, geo-location and other insights: "If you think you need online forms to collect contact information from your website visitors, think again. Some website analytics technologies enable you to attach phone numbers, e-mail addresses and other company information to anonymous visitor information like IP addresses, log files and

How To Advertise To Market Segments

2010-03-06T02:59:00.000-08:00

Prof. Malcolm McDonald on how to advertise to market segments. A topic that is often ignored by designers and those who brief them which leads to a waste of advertising budgets! If you are interested in this topic, you may want to read this blog post, too: How much do you know about your target audience?

The Product Life Cycle

2010-03-06T01:36:00.000-08:00

Prof. Malcolm McDonald talks about the product life cycle. Video provided by OxfordLearningLab. If you are interested in this topic, you might also want to read this blog post called "Geoffrey A. Moore - Crossing the Chasm" where I combined Everett Rogers' Technology adoption lifecycle with the MBTI.

How to write the customer analysis section of your business plan

2010-03-01T13:43:00.000-08:00

Customer decision-making drivers should correspond to your positioning and to your value proposition. E.g. price is probably not the decision-making driver if your company's value proposition is product leadership. If your company is dedicated to deliver innovation and quality, then your target audience chooses quality over price.

Nigel Barlow talks at the London Business Forum

2010-02-27T13:04:00.000-08:00

Are our thoughts nothing but slaves of our perception? Nigel Barlow tries to escape the vicious cycle and to explain it from a virgin's point of view.

VALS

2010-02-20T14:55:00.000-08:00

The acronym VALS, (for "Values, Attitudes and Lifestyles") is a psychographic segmentation. VALS places adult consumers into one of eight segments based on their responses to the VALS questionnaire. The main dimensions of the segmentation framework are primary motivation (the horizontal dimension) and resources (the vertical dimension). The VALS approach is derived from a theoretical base in

How to calculate what customer dissatisfaction costs you

2010-02-12T00:34:00.000-08:00

"According to research published in the Harvard Business Review every 1.3% increase in Customer Satisfaction scores = .5% increase in sales. What is your current customer satisfaction score and how is it impacting your bottom line?" To find out, use the 'Cost Of Doing Nothing Calculator'.

Get to know your customer - The 3 Minute Rule

2010-02-11T23:38:00.000-08:00

"You can learn a great deal about customers by studying the broader context in which they use your product or service. To do this, ask what your customer is doing three minutes immediately before and three minutes after he uses your product or service. At Thomson, one of our products provided investment analysts with financial earnings data. What we hadn't fully appreciated — until we applied

What you stand for

2010-02-07T10:24:00.001-08:00

Michael Port (says he) doesn't mind if others steal his tag lines. At least he's got a good explanation for it ...

You got to be hungry!

2010-02-06T15:24:00.000-08:00

"I never looked at and listened to "It can't be done". ... The key thing is: you got to be hungry. It's all about how willing are you to go through your pain barrier? ... Pain is only temporary, but what is on that film is permanent. For every attack, there is a defense. So as soon as someone puts you into a vulnerable position, you got to quickly figure out how to go on and out and win.

Teamwork

2010-02-06T03:30:00.000-08:00

"One of the things that really bring a team together is when they learn to cover for each others weaknesses. That's when a team really grows." Los Angeles Lakers Assistant Coach Kurt Rambis

3 Key Strategies

2010-02-04T13:48:00.000-08:00

Your positioning strategy defines how you’ll differentiate your offering from your competitors. Your value proposition defines the primary value you deliver: operational efficiency, product leadership or customer intimacy. Your brand strategy defines what you stand for and how you’ll communicate with the market. Source: Strategic Marketing e-book from Growth Panel

Get to know your competition

2010-01-31T13:00:00.000-08:00

Excerpt from the Entrepreneur: Read the Original Article ... You're also competing with the businesses that are meeting the needs of your customers with products and services you don't offer and haven't thought about offering, and the businesses that might make your products obsolete. You need to know who all your competitors are--not just the obvious ones, but the ones flying under the radar

Pinpoint Your Market!

2010-01-23T09:10:00.000-08:00

"When I build a building or when I build a golf course or club or whatever I do - you always have to go after a certain audience. You have to be able to pinpoint your market. And if you can't pinpoint the market, you won't be successful." Donald Trump

Where Business And Creativity Meet

2010-01-22T00:35:00.000-08:00

"If it doesn't sell, it isn't creative." "In the modern world of business, it is useless to be a creative, original thinker unless you can also sell what you create." David Ogilvy

Passion

2010-01-21T13:48:00.000-08:00

"You can not be successful without passion. If you don't love what you're doing, if you don't have a passion for it, forget it. Do something else. You'll be much more successful, and you'll lead a lot happier life." Donald Trump

A successful elevator pitch - branding yourself

2010-01-20T01:05:00.000-08:00

The Entrepreneur may forgive me for quoting this but it is just too good to be missed: Describe yourself in five words or less. Explain what you do in one sentence. Define your target audience. Communicate your vision. Practice, practice, practice. Shrink your introduction even further so you can tell your story in 20 words or less. The full article can be found here.

Analysing Target Groups

2010-01-16T10:54:00.000-08:00

Professional advertising adresses a target group's needs both directly and indirectly. It uses group norms, group think characteristics, symbols, emotions, expectations etc. to transmit the advertiser's message to the individual. The 2 major marketing research companies, GfK and Nielsen, define the target group's interests and life styles as follows: GfK Living Styles "There is not only one type

The Brand Personality Scale

2010-01-13T07:43:00.000-08:00

"You now have to decide what 'image' you want for your brand. Image means personality. Products, like people, have personalities, and they can make or break them in the market place." David Ogilvy The Personality of a brand enables a consumer to express his or her own self/ his ideal self. This personality differentiates one brand from another. The Big Five of the Brand Personality Scale

Aad - Attitude towards the Ad

2010-01-13T07:12:00.000-08:00

The Aad is built upon: ad credibility (depending on the medium) ad perceptions (e.g. expectations, perceived values of entertainment, informativeness, irritation) attitude toward the advertiser (e.g. depending on the target audience and on the image of the brand) attitude towards advertising in general the current mood of the viewer the interactivity of the ad "The vast majority of advertising

SHOCKVERTISING

2010-01-07T04:59:00.000-08:00

Shock advertising or Shockvertising is a type of advertising generally regarded as one that “deliberately, rather than inadvertently, startles and offends its audience by violating norms for social values and personal ideals.” Shock advertising is designed principally to break through the advertising “clutter” to capture attention and create buzz. It has been pioneered by Benetton (1990 -2000).

Magic Words in Advertising

2010-01-07T03:23:00.000-08:00

List of the most effective advertising keywords (Source: David Ogilvy "Confessions of an advertising man") startling suddenly quick hurry now bargain offer sensational revolutionary challenging compare remarkable magic miracle easy improvement wanted announcing introducing

The Map Is Not The Territory

2009-12-15T00:17:00.000-08:00

"The trouble with intuition is that we now have a HUGE pile of research on cognitive biases and related flaws in decision-making that show "gut feelings" are highly suspect. Look-up confirmation bias --- people have a very hard time believing and remember evidence that contradicts their beliefs." Bob Sutton - Intuition versus Data Based Decision Making: Some Rough Ideas

Conscious, Semiconscious & Unconscious Functions according to the MBTI

2009-12-14T05:17:00.000-08:00

Visualization of a type development model described in this article. The numbers symbolize the functions used to describe the types according to the MBTI. For an INFJ it would translate as follows: I = Ni (first function to be developed), conscious II = Fe (second function), conscious III = Ti (third function), conscious IV = Se (fourth function), semiconscious V = Ne (fifth function),

Colours and Associations - Part XI: Brown

2009-11-23T02:35:00.000-08:00

BROWN Seriousness, reliability, stability, security, conservative, tradition, nature, heaviness, rusticism, cosiness Feng Shui: health, growth, vitality, abundance, wealth, prosperity. Element: Wood. Brands: UPS Find out more about other colours

Colours and Associations - Part X: Black

2009-11-23T02:26:00.000-08:00

BLACK Grief, death, final definition, limitation, fear, darkness, the unknown, pessimism, depression, misfortune, seriousness, formality, determination, individuality, elegance. China: honour. Black stands for the absence of light and therefor for the subconscious (the implicate order) Feng Shui: depth, strength, power, protection, mystery, sophistication, colour of Yin: feminine, passive;

Colours and Associations - Part IX: Grey

2009-11-23T01:39:00.000-08:00

GREY Compromise, balance, modesty, neutral, meaningless, undefined, boredom, dullness, anachronism, understatement, shyness, humility, subtlety, thoughtfulness, wisdom, old age, respect, reverence, bureaucracy, decay, dust Feng Shui: Clarity, preciseness, sharpness, efficiency. Element: Metal Brands: U.S. Airways, Frigidaire Find out more about other colours

Colours and Associations - Part VIII: White

2009-11-23T01:25:00.000-08:00

WHITE Light (consciousness/ explicate order), eternity, immortality, holiness, freedom, space, emptiness, open-mindedness, simplicity, purity, cleanliness, truth, innocence, virginity, marriage, surrender, cease-fire, peace. Sorbs, Chinese: grief Feng Shui: clarity, preciseness, sharpness, efficiency, wisdom, tranquility; colour of Yang: masculine, active. Element: Metal Brands: Apple, Zara

Colours and Associations - Part VII: Pink

2009-11-23T01:09:00.000-08:00

PINK feminine, playful, naive, helpless, vulnerable, soft, friendliness, harmony, admiration, sympathy, in love Feng Shui: love, Element: Fire Brands: Breast Cancer Awareness, Barbie Find out more about other colours

Colours and Associations - Part VI: Purple

2009-11-23T01:02:00.000-08:00

PURPLE Spirituality, religion, mystery, magic, dignity, ceremony, wisdom, introversion, enlightenment, pride, arrogance, flamboyancy, creativity, gaudiness, sensuality, bisexuality, ambivalence, disloyalty, seduction Feng Shui: Passion, high energy, Element: Fire Ayurveda: Indigo: sixth chakra: third eye chakra, lower part of the forehead, honors the psychic; Violet: seventh chakra: crown chakra,

Colours and Associations - Part V: Blue

2009-11-23T00:35:00.000-08:00

BLUE depth, distance, sadness, longing, hope, faith, utopia, perspective, science, rationality, coolness, cold, technology, loyalty, reliability, truth, accuracy, masculinity, sport Feng Shui: calm, ease, purity, freshness, abundance, Element: Water Ayurveda: 5th chakra: throath chakra, honors communication Gland: Thyroid Hormones: Thyroxine, Triiodothyronine, Calcitonin (growth, metabolism)

Colours and Associations - Part IV: Green

2009-11-22T10:58:00.000-08:00

GREEN Passive, relaxing, refreshing. Natural abundance, spring, life, health, growth, birth, resurrection, renewal, hope, faith, luck, immaturity, tolerance, permission, perseverance, assertiveness. Colour of the Islam (prophet Mohammed). Feng Shui: health, vitality, growth, abundance, wealth, prosperity, Element: Wood. Ayurveda: fourth chakra: heart chakra, honours the heart Gland: Thymus

Colours and Associations - Part III: Yellow

2009-11-22T10:36:00.000-08:00

YELLOW Happiness, optimism, idealism, sociability, maturity, egoism, selfishness, possession, envy, jealousy, dishonesty, avarice, greed, cowardliness. Warning in combination with black. Feng Shui: passion, high energy, Element: Fire Ayurveda: third chakra: Solar Plexus, honors the life force Gland: Pancreas Hormone: Insulin Brands: Western Union, Yello Wavelength: 600 nm Solfeggio Scale: Mi

Colours and Associations - Part II: Orange

2009-11-22T10:26:00.000-08:00

ORANGE Active, combining the energy of the Red and the optimism of the Yellow: inspiration, appetite, energy, recovery, warmth, joy, lust, crapulousness, enthusiasm, importunacy, blatancy, communication, extraversion, proximity. Colour of the Dutch kings: oranje.Feng Shui: passion, high energy, Element: Fire Ayurveda: second chakra (splenic chakra - pelvis area), honors the creative Glands:

Colours and Associations - Part I: Red

2009-11-22T10:12:00.000-08:00

RED Activity, aggression, power, speed, danger, sin, shame, sex, passion, hate, blood, heart, impulsion, fertility, heat, arrogance, ambition, leadership, judgement, revolution, radicalism, socialism, communism, in China: luck. Feng Shui: passion, high energy, Element: Fire Ayurveda: first chakra (root chakra - base of the spine); honors the earth Gland: Adrenal Hormones: Adrenalin,

Dan Pink on the surprising science of motivation

2009-11-21T10:54:00.000-08:00

The early bird catches the worm

2009-11-19T01:34:00.000-08:00

The earlier a company enters a new market (accordingly called "blue ocean"*), the higher are its chances to secure a big piece of the cake (and to become market leader for many years, e.g. Intel and Coca Cola). One way to spot emerging markets is to keep an eye on trends: Pranav Mistry: The thrilling potential of 'SixthSense' Technology Staffan Landin: A short overview of the trends in Human

Not only in it for the money

2009-11-15T07:53:00.000-08:00

Business is not about getting rich - it's about providing a service (and to get rich with it ;)

Seth Godin about brands and tribes

2009-11-15T05:58:00.000-08:00

What Seth Godin talks about here is the basic process both brands and people have to go through to be successful: Know your strengths and weaknesses - everybody has got a strength and the ability to excel (The SWOT Analysis is a strategic planning method used to evaluate the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats involved in a project or in a business venture.) Accepting yourself for

Seth Godin - The Mindset of a winner

2009-11-15T04:56:00.000-08:00

Seth Godin explains how to market yourself:

Get feedback from your brand's community

2009-10-19T02:42:00.000-07:00

Customer feedback is precious. Social Networks are just one opportunity to get it. Online Communities take it a step further. Just check out this great example: IdeaStorm (by Dell): http://www.ideastorm.com/

Hans Rosling talks about globalization, health and poverty

2009-10-11T04:40:00.000-07:00

TED Talk: Seth Godin on the tribes we lead

2009-10-10T12:20:00.000-07:00

How to Leverage Social Networking for Marketing Success II - Developing a Facebook App

2009-10-10T07:02:00.000-07:00

1. STRATEGY To get the best results you need to answer a few questions before you can set up the app. There are various options but the easiest is to set up a quiz. How you present the quiz depends on your target audience, their interests and your capabilities. What can you do for them, which information can you provide, which service can you offer them? Which questions you ask depends on your

How to Leverage Social Networking for Marketing Success I

2009-10-09T03:52:00.000-07:00

It is easy to set up a Facebook page or to found a group. But it takes a little more than this to really engage your customers ... 2 recent examples: the brands Coca Cola and Estee Lauder. They have found a way to be present on Social Networks: Estee Lauder's fanpage has got 27,579 members; Coca Cola's has got 3,735,824 fans on their main fan page. directly access their target audience let

David Bohm: Implicate and Explicate Order

2009-10-04T14:24:00.001-07:00

"In the enfolded [or implicate] order, space and time are no longer the dominant factors determining the relationships of dependence or independence of different elements. Rather, an entirely different sort of basic connection of elements is possible, from which our ordinary notions of space and time, along with those of separately existent material particles, are abstracted as forms derived

The Mind of the Market: Find out how customers think

2009-10-02T06:09:00.000-07:00

"Despite the time and money spent on market research, 60% to 80% of new offerings fail. Why do consumers often say one thing to marketers - yet act differently in the market? Industry innovator Gerald Zaltman argues that the answer lies in how the mind works. When it comes to buying, 95% of our decision making takes place in the subconscious mind, yet traditional marketing methods barely

The Tachistoscopic Test

2009-10-01T10:54:00.000-07:00

"The Tachistoscopic Test is not only used for the evaluation of logos. It is also employed for advertising effectiveness prognosis, which predicts the effectivity of advertising media. In this test, the viewers are presented a logo for a very short period of time, using a specific kind of slide-projector called tachistoscope. Usually, a display time of 1/1000 of a second is used at first, and

Kansei - 'Designing Emotion into Products'

2009-09-11T01:56:00.000-07:00

Affective design aims at incorporating customers' affective needs into design elements that deliver customers' affective satisfaction. The main challenge for affective design originates from difficulties in mapping customers' subjective impressions, namely Kansei, to perceptual design elements. "In Japan, the terminology of Kansei draws back on the German philosopher, Baumgarten. His work

Geoffrey A. Moore - Crossing the Chasm

2009-08-16T14:11:00.000-07:00

"Crossing the Chasm" is closely related to Everett Rogers' Technology adoption lifecycle (describing how new ideas and technologies spread in different cultures) where five main segments (here combined with the MBTI) are recognized: innovators (probably ENTP/ INTP) early adopters (probably ENTJ/ INTJ [ESTP, ENFP?]: "easy to sell but very hard to please… because they are buying a dream ...") _____

Design & Creativity

2009-08-06T04:35:00.000-07:00

"Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes.Design is knowing which ones to keep."Scott Adams

Colours

2009-06-14T08:01:00.000-07:00

Colours play an important role in design and branding. Which emotion a colour triggers, does not only depend on culture, religion and fashion, but also on personal experiences. Find out more about your favourite colour: brown black grey white pink purple blue green yellow orange red Read more about colours: Die Psychologie der Farben

Save money with good design briefs

2009-05-25T01:01:00.000-07:00

No matter if you need a whole new corporate identity or just a little flyer - a good brief can save you a lot of time and seesaw changes. If your designer charges for his services per hour it will also save you a lot of money. So how to provide a good design brief? I've put a few guidelines together which may help you. Imagine you would have to describe the services or products of your company

How much do you know about your target audience?

2009-05-25T00:57:00.000-07:00

Good design should not be a subject to somebody's personal taste, but address your company's target audience. It is made for your company's market segment and shall transport your company's message. Your target audience could be everybody who can afford to buy your product, but for successful branding you need to specify it. This is not only important for the design but for the whole marketing

Kaizen

2009-05-24T23:38:00.000-07:00

Kaizen was created in Japan and means "continuous improvement". It focuses on creative solutions instead of capital expenditures. Kaizen is based on making little changes on a regular basis: always improving productivity, safety and effectiveness while reducing waste. Kaizen is a system that involves every employee. Quality circles, automation, suggestion systems, just-in-time delivery, Kanban

The Way

2009-05-11T08:09:00.001-07:00

"The Way is what causes the people to have the same thinking as their superiors; they may be given death, or they may be given life, but there is no fear of danger and betrayal." Sun Tzu, The Art Of War