2020 was a year of big challenges, and it’s not over yet. But guess what? It never will be. As long as we’re in business, there will be challenges to navigate. Hummingbird is using this space to focus on how big brands have navigated some challenging times, how some have bounced back or gotten ahead with smart branding. We investigate … Read More
Why Your Brand Should Take a Stand: Lessons from Alcohol Giant Diageo
2020 was a year of big challenges, and it’s not over yet. But guess what? It never will be. As long as we’re in business, there will be challenges to navigate. Hummingbird is using this space to focus on how big brands have navigated some challenging times, how some have bounced back or gotten ahead with smart branding. We investigate … Read More
Stability and Disruption: Branding Lessons from Netflix
2020 was a year of big challenges, and it’s not over yet. But guess what? It never will be. As long as we’re in business, there will be challenges to navigate. Hummingbird is using this space to focus on how big brands have navigated some challenging times, how some have bounced back or gotten ahead with smart branding. We investigate … Read More
King Arthur Baking Company: Branding for Every Baker
2020 was a year of big challenges, and it’s not over yet. But guess what? It never will be. As long as we’re in business, there will be challenges to navigate. Hummingbird is using this space to focus on how big brands have navigated some challenging times, how some have bounced back or gotten ahead with smart branding. We investigate … Read More
It Could (Finally) Be Time to Try Marketing Automation
Even if you don’t know what a Rolodex is, you may be marketing with one. Pre-1980, companies used this fun, swirly cylinder with paper cards to capture contact and lead info—this was your customer relationship management “software.” And when you made notations on the cards—like “give them a call in November”—that was your marketing “automation.” You probably use actual CRM … Read More
What’s in a Marketing Budget: Past, Present and Future
Marketing budgets are like a black box for many of us. What’s in there? What do we put in it? What do we take out? What should we do with it? When you’re staring into the big black box of marketing budgets, it helps to know what other companies spend on marketing—and how they’re shaping their budgets for the future. … Read More
Top 10 Ways to Grow Your Brand During Crisis and Beyond
“At a time when decision-making and the trade-offs of running a business are more challenging than ever, and the need for leaders to advocate for all stakeholders has never been more paramount, [we are] here to light the path forward.” Apple or Berkshire Hathaway, reassuring investors? No—Fortune Magazine, soliciting subscribers… and offering to help. As we experience a flood of crises—in … Read More
Purpose-Driven Marketing: Following Your North Star
What can we say… it was the eighties. Madmen still roamed the earth unevolved. They were brilliant and creative… they fashioned ad campaigns out of thin air… they twisted the truth… they preyed on human fear and desire… That’s the premise of the 1989 movie How to Get Ahead in Advertising. Madman Denis is feeling blocked about a campaign for … Read More
Be Smart, Be Strategic, Be Generous: We WILL Get Through This!
In this post, Hummingbird CEO Wendy Coulter shares some business lessons learned from tough times in the past… what they mean for our present crisis… and why they give her hope for the future. On a brisk springtime walk (Wendy doesn’t do “slow”), she reflected on business challenges and rediscovering what’s important. What past crises have you and Hummingbird weathered? … Read More
Behind Every Marketing Effort, There’s BIG Strategy
When people think of marketing, they think of social media… logo design… email campaigns. The fun stuff! Those activities are essential to your marketing. Without them, you couldn’t get your service, product or brand in front of your target customers. But behind every good tactic there has to be a Why. Why are you doing what you’re doing? Before you … Read More