White Papers

A master class in brand positioning, our suite of white papers examines best practices, trends, and insights, as well as critical dos and don’ts. Each white paper includes practical, real-world examples – both successes and failures. Start reading now to increase your edge.
Unleash Your Brand As a Force Multiplier
A carefully crafted brand positioning is your business’s most durable source of growth. It is your North Star that drives strategic decision-making across the organization, defines the promise you make to your customers, and ultimately acts as a force multiplier for business growth. In this white paper, we share real-word examples and lay out the foundation for building a strong brand positioning.
DownloadThe Empathy Gap: Don’t Mistake Yourself for Your Target
While the Golden Rule cautions us to treat others as we’d have them treat us, successful marketing requires a slightly different tack: we must put ourselves in the shoes of our target customers and treat them according to their wishes, not ours. In this white paper, we explore successes and failures in empathy, including the all-too-common blind spot of next-bench syndrome.
DownloadEvery CEO’s Secret Weapon for Growth: Know Your Consumer
You’ve heard the mandate “Know Your Consumer” but do you understand its true value to your company? Leaders who regularly tap consumer insight know that this is the key lever for sustained business growth. In this white paper, we examine methods of closing the company-consumer gap, and dig into examples of well-known companies that have done so successfully.
Download(Re)Defining Market Research: Consumer Insight Is the Key
In the wake of Steve Jobs’ death, many leaders look to his legacy for inspiration. In particular, he was known for eschewing market research. While it may be appealing to use this uniquely talented individual as justification to skip this step, bear in mind that consumer insight is vital to successful marketing and product development, regardless of how it is gathered. In this white paper, we discuss common misperceptions about market research, how it can be used successfully, and a variety of methods for gathering insights from customers.
DownloadThe Forgotten Three Ps of Marketing
Of the four Ps of Marketing, the flashy and sexy Promotion ‘P’ usually takes center stage. However, the other three Ps – Product, Place and Price – are equally vital to success in the marketplace. In order to best drive demand, marketing must harness all four Ps in concert, synergistically. In this white paper, we analyze each of the famous four Ps and explain why they must work together to succeed.
DownloadChoosing Success: Navigating Strategic Choices to Focus Your Marketing
When you make conscious, intelligent choices in your business, you empower yourself and your employees to clearly focus on the activities and resources necessary to achieve your goals. In this white paper, we discuss four key strategic decisions that set the stage for your future success, and we analyze companies and products that have failed or succeeded on the basis of these decisions.
DownloadDelighting Your Customer Through Smart Products
The marketplace has switched from providing dumb products to smart ones, which have a built-in intelligence allowing them to respond and change according to the customer’s usage. In this white paper, we analyze this new paradigm and provide examples and key steps to providing smarter products.
DownloadEvolving to Win in Post-Recession’s New Normal
Consumer behavior has been dramatically impacted by the recent financial crisis. In this white paper, we share insights into changes in consumption and how to position your product to earn the right to win in the post-recession marketplace.
DownloadRiding the Tsunami: Harnessing the Power of Social Media
Increasingly, a variety of consumers – not just techies and young people – find social media compelling. In this white paper, we discuss the underlying reasons for this attraction and plot out best practices for engaging with consumers in this new marketing landscape.
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