Jun 23BeReal: The most authentic of social networksAfter years of perfection delivered by Instagram influencers, coupled with a pandemic that pushed our entire lives online along with a surge in sweatpants, we have been craving authenticity for awhile. And while TikTok meets that need in many ways, it’s still a platform that enables as much editing as…Be Real3 min read
Apr 9The one question most strategists askAs a strategist, my job is to ask questions—good, well thought out questions. Between spending my early career as a newspaper journalist and attending graduate school (not to mention developing complex strategies for Fortune 500 companies) I have been trained in the art of question formulation. When I started teaching…Strategy3 min read
Mar 7The way we support Ukraine matters in a digital global villageWhy people are choosing airbnb and crypto as alternatives to nonprofits As we witness the horrors in Ukraine, we can’t help but feel the need to lend support. There are so many ways to donate, from the International Committee of the Red Cross to the United Nations World Food Programme. …Ukraine2 min read
May 24, 2021What makes a strategy “digital?”Years ago, I worked at a global agency that primarily produced TV and print advertising. One day, a senior executive told me about an office initiative to become more “digital.” They had an idea: They were going to “put TV screens everywhere,” he said. “Could you help?,” he asked. Shaking…Digital5 min read
Apr 24, 2021How the pandemic amplified the importance of brandsSome people think of a brand as a logo or a snappy tagline—but branding is so much more. A good brand connects people with a product or service on an emotional level. It builds trust. It sets expectations. And while during the past year our greatest needs were in some…Branding2 min read
Jan 18, 2021Clubhouse: Why here, why now?I’ve been thinking a lot about the social network, Clubhouse, lately. I’m a new user, having been on the app for about a month now, which isn’t saying much. While the invite-only app has grown from 1,500 to a million-plus members since May (boosted by $12 million in funding) many…Clubhouse4 min read
Published in Prototypr·Jun 27, 2019Three important insights from this year’s Internet Trends Report:Every year in June, Mary Meeker releases her Internet Trends report and geeks worldwide rejoice. Typically more than 300 slides, the report provides both depth and breadth for our quickly changing industry. That said, it’s a lot to take in. So every year I do my best to distill it…Internet6 min read
May 16, 2019Design thinking delivers when it comes to solving big business challengesSo why is there so much resistance? — There’s been a lot of talk lately about the value of design. Yet, despite supporting data, such as the Design Value Index Study, which shows consistent, off-the-chart returns for design-centric organizations, design is still often considered an unessential business function. As someone who integrates design thinking into digital strategies as…Design Thinking6 min read
Mar 8, 2019Love + fear: When it comes to technology, we have all the feelsHuman interaction can be complex on its own, but add a bit of technology and that complexity intensifies. Just in the past month, we’ve witnessed extreme reactions to technology in our lives, feeling both warm and fuzzy as well as fearful and panicked. First, we fell in love with a…Artificial Intelligence4 min read
Jan 24, 2019The (likely) strategy behind the Gillette campaignGillette’s ad, “The Best A Man Can Be” has sparked a heated debate. What’s most shocking however is the assumption some have made that Gillette may not have been aware of the debate it would cause. Based on more than two decades developing digital strategies for Fortune 100 brands, I…Gillette Ad5 min read
