September 27, 2023
Storyliving?! New buzz words don’t make good strategy
I came across an article in Rolling Stone last June, and it’s been bugging me ever since. The article — by Anthony Coppers — calls for a universal shift in strategy for all marketers — from brand "storytelling" to brand “storyliving.” Recommending brands abandon relevant narratives for deeper, more immersive experiences — so audiences can live the story of your brand, instead of only hearing about it. Here is why this is a false choice.
August 29, 2023
Roots for the Home Team kicks off partnership with Allina Health and MNUFC
Roots For The Home Team, Allina Health and MNUFC officially kicked off a multi-year partnership August 27th with a tailgate event and on-field ceremony at halftime. Roots For The Home Team will bring their delicious, locally-sourced salads to Allianz Field starting in 2024! As part of the stadium's food offerings, the Roots concession cart will be a welcome addition to the game-day experience.
August 15, 2023
When disruption backfires
For a year there were plans for a merger between Sanford Health and M Health Fairview. Both organizations envisioned disrupting Twin Cities and Minnesota healthcare. But shortly after the announcement, their planned disruption backfires.
July 26, 2023
Small, is no excuse for sloppy
There are tons of choices for marketers looking for a boutique agency. And almost all of them deliver great work. So what sets the great boutique agencies apart from the rest? Accountability. Small, is no excuse for sloppy communication, or making process up as you go. Instead, insist on great work AND accountability. It's time we raise our expectations of small agencies.
June 2, 2023
Artificial Intelligence (AI): Genuine Threat or Something Else?
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming at lightning speed, driving substantial transformations across logistics, healthcare, transportation, and more. But now AI is forging a path into the creative fields. Is this a genuine threat to our industry? Or something else?
February 27, 2023
Brainstorming doesn’t work, but you already know this
Brainstorming doesn't work because brainstorming is not a creative process. But understanding how creativity works can help.
November 28, 2022
3 Reasons to Fire Your Great Agency
How do marketers looking to build a brand and grow their business decide among all of the creative agencies? Shinebox visionary Randy Larson explores this topic and gives 3 reasons to fire an agency that isn't delivering.
September 12, 2022
Stop asking your agency for 3 ideas
Nearly every agency you can think of walks into their client’s conference room with a three-headed monster in tow: three options with not much of a choice. It’s time to reject that and expect your agency to get it right, once.
April 1, 2022
If your brand isn’t loved by your customers, does it still exist?
We come across many different forms of brand strategy in the work we do with clients. We’ve seen brand pyramids, brand matrices, brand promises, and brand stories. The result of these brand strategies is a focus on what the brand does for the audience. They may state things like “We provide the…” or “We inspire more….” WE, WE, WE. Most do contain some form of audience insight but fail to tap into a more powerful shared experience.
December 8, 2021
How a love of video games & motorcycles built a B2B brand
Disruption, the kind that transforms a business, often comes from things we cannot anticipate. From people we do not know. From social and cultural hot spots that we haven’t yet discovered. Effective discovery identifies these threads and offers brands an open door to differentiation, purpose, big ideas, growth and legacy staying power.