2023

Deep fakes and genuine authenticity

Selling an outcome versus selling a process

2022

Two modes of working

Coaching vs Consulting vs Counselling

2020

From Darkie to Darlie (but only in English)

When the cause of a cause-based business takes over

2019

When the shop doesn't match the merchandise

Mimicry - flattery or exploitation?

2018

Sacred Riana's greater whole

An exercise in non-differentiation

2016

The pros and cons of being nice

2015

Context-sensitive ads

Amsterdam Museum timeline works

Cola is red

Chocolate is gold

Helping people build loyalty

2014

Hidden true value

Personality vs process businesses

Differentiate with heart

2013

Making a mark in a world of slim

Being different: two ways

The voices within

2012

Surprisingly fun safety ad

Don’t be the tool

A means to an end

Pineapple upside down loyalty programme

Advertising facts vs emotion; then and now

What colours say about your business

Three design approaches

Your tagline, meet unintended context

Authenticity: Victoria's most complained-about frock shop

What Samsung could learn from Apple

The fox and his credit cards

China - service differentiation

Crap... what?

"Price Sensitive People are Not Loyal"

Creepy shopping bag

Brands in education

Does business poison passion?

Gender-based pricing and the illusion of choice

Air Asia X logo misses the spot

2011

Questioning brand fanaticism

Complex richness from simple baselines

A simple model for value-adding

Signs of a successful culture programme

Deloitte's Seven Signals

Hyper-niching – another example

Did I start a trend?

Asking for a cynical response

Personality-tailored apps

More on moving from things to thinking

Flu shot debate – less about stuff, more about attention

Less about stuff, more about attention

Small things make a difference

Decision making and change

What small businesses can learn about differentiation from TV chefs

Choosing our own life path and fast food

Creating vs replicating your world

2010

Brand essence or brand caricature?

Design and fun as differentiation

China the Ikea of businesses

China the Ikea of businesses - service differentiation

Crappy trend in TV documentaries

What we pay for shows what we value

Marketing still fail

Shoulds vs wants in business

Ikea food

When small things work perfectly

Insecticide packaging graphics

What if Harvey Norman sold as Ikea does?

Being all things to all people

Japan day 7

Japan day 1 – the small town metropolis

2009

Four university websites, two different experiences

Hallmark channel useful ads

Corporate culture and happiness

Fun is the easiest way to change behaviour

The big-small supplier cycle

Good and different

Allybank

The lamest product name ever?

Clean pond vs polluted lake

Pillar management

If your business could sing...

There is always a different way

Branding Only Works on Cattle

Tax office thank you

Ideas are bulletproof and the world needs big ideas

What do you want to be famous for?

There's a Wanko near me

Camera ads

Heineken’s innovation – no change!

The feel of a beautiful business

Perspective, perspective, perspective

Old news ripe for reinvention?

Competing with everyone

Paying for care

Jackie Chan’s restaurant

Using cheating as an honest means

The opportunities in being counter-intuitive

Re-imagine

So good they had to change the rating system

2008

A Poverty of Desire

Anonymous televisions

Which one is the real brand?

Two ways of looking at brands

A Manifesto for NonProfit CEOs

Cat earned Japanese city millions

Love attracts

I Love the Whole World

A different kind of car ad

Covering all bases in your tagline

Antioxidants

Funny name: cross-cultural fail

Saying vs Being

Interactive brands

A nice thank you

Seminar: Business Blogging

Taglines and names

Good processes and little things

Singapore Airlines - differentiation through service

Cash registers broken = free gorcery

MacBook Air selling in spite of missing bits – the soft stuff matters most

Marketing, intrinsic motivation, happiness and Joy Ninja

Southern Phone Company – missed opportunity

Two interiors

Annoying aerosol can design gimmick

2007

Global product experience uniformity only skin deep

Great business names

Selling blenders…

On the side of the majority

Brand transition in action

The security of being in a box

Dust collectors

Greedy bookseller or good business strategy?

“We say we do” vs “here’s what we’ve done”

Authenticity in branding and marketing

The best brand differentiation ever

Actions speak loudest - go NRMA

No peri-peri on premises…

Sweet little words

Titi and Silly

No boring bits

What price self-esteem

I am buying a Suzuki

Soft stuff has definite priority

More on Integration and differentiation

Differentiation is in how you act

Unexpected is memorable

Forget logos

Promises, promises…

Naming primer

Deliberately memorable?

The Kmart smell

Differentiation from integration

Need and want

Another take on the attention economy

Startup pitfalls

Tailor your business to suit you

Attention, Meaning, and Meaningfulness

How to be creative

Small is the new Big

When everyone else is looking the same way…

Don’t wait. Get small. Think big.

Life intelligence (LQ) for your business

Happy Nothing Day

What is ethics anyway?

Why is every big retailer like a (somewhat) glorified warehouse?

A little slip of paper can say a lot

Anita Roddick on planning a career in business

Do you fear the cutting edge?

It doesn’t have to be black or white

A personals ad for your business

Only your wallet can tell the difference

2006

There is always another niche

Puss puss puss

In praise of Telstra (seriously)

When line extension is a bad idea

Flow

Brand Branching Workshop

Have you done your marketing?

The Origin of Brands

How do you want to succeed?

Cubicle Commando

Contemplating an egg

Dominant vs submissive states

WebJet

David Jones vs Myer - pointless

Paddy’s Market

Bellyaching yum cha waiting

The blessings of peripheral pains

What does your business smell like?

Corner computer shops ripe for reboot

Packaging integrity

Core differentiation, not search engine trickery

2005

We are air-conditioned!

Comparing apples to apples

All looking the same

Deviants in the boardroom

Great cards

Spilt milk

Train of thoughts (attention CityRail)

No ads ‘cos we care!

Choosing fonts for effective communications

Five branding boo-boos

Logo design pitfalls

Branding ABC

Using colour in business communications

Pull your head out

Advertising is not the easy way out

Saying “our objective is to make money” is contrary…

Feel-me advertising

Best practice = same practice

Copycatting not winning eyeballs

Insights from Year 11s

Think big

And the answer is: creativity!