Diving into the Social Web ... For all the frenzy, brands must urgently stand-back and understand the powerful dynamics driving this brave, new world.

Persuasive Brand Value ... Buckle-up -- the fundamentals have changes. The world has changed. We've entered a new age of modesty, responsibility, and discovery. Discovery of basic needs, riskc, alternatives, and self-reliance.

Brand Focus ... now more than ever! ... The speed-up we've long visualized is here. Yet the fundamental power of brand engagement, brand passion, and brand differentiation remain.

Advertainment ... blurring the lines between advertising & entertainment-- The urgency to break through today's geometry and clutter of brand imageries, product innovations, and social networks is enormous. Advertainment is one contemporary remedy. Make it a part of your brand's marketing mix.

Buzz, Word-of-Mouth, & the Democratization of Brands-- Buzz and Word of Mouth are elements of a broader marketing mix. They are increasingly important to lifestyle brands and those targeting younger generations. Consumers, as never before, are challenging brands ... and listening to one another's brand recommendations and disappointments.

Presentation Tune-Up-- Avoiding seven common presentation traps.

Brand Strategy + Design ... the accelerating importance of design in creating compelling appeal & differentiation-- Design and style will grow exponentially in importance and become an essential element in brand development. The erosion in traditional marketing and media -- and the need for imageries that sell across the globe -- make design essential for touching, connecting, and breaking through the clutter.

Momentum Lifestyle Brands ... going beyond experiences-- Lifestyle brands are both incredibly authentic as well as great disrupters. They have a great vision into the future ... and a passion for leading us there. In that sense, they're very charismatic and always innovative.

Building Differentiated Service ... creating brand owned moments that connect and engage-- Differentiated service is essential for growing share (mind and wallet) among current and prospective high-worth consumers. It's all about delivering the "wow" that sets them -- and their experiences -- apart.

DIY: Customer Facing Self-Service ... don't leave the Brand behind-- Automation is today's battleground and extending a brand. Those fearful of commoditization will develop unique applications, seamless cross-channel integration, and user-centered experiences. The opportunity os to enhance customer service, speed, and recognition -- as well as new services and value points.

Affinity Driven Marketing ... tapping established loyalties-- Affinities are any characteristic that unite groups of individuals. Great brands seek to understand their customer's affinities. They signal their commitment by crafting and merchandising compelling products, services, and imageries that engage, connect, and sell.

Integrated Brand Touchpoints ... owning customers across your Brand's proprietary experience-- A brand's touchpoints should be those specificmoments, interactions, and/or places where it inspires with compelling imagery, service delivery, and quality. Said another way, touchpoints are those diccrete moments owned by and unique to a brand.

Brand Building Beyond Marketing ...the passion to break parity-- The objective of all branding is to create clear, compelling, and sustained differentiation, value, and interest in the customer's mind. Parity breaking brands create new expectations, proprietary economucs, and engaging experiences.

De-Mystifying Brand Personality ...its all in the customer's mind-- Brand personality, every brand's got it. Some evoke feelings ... others are bland. The critical difference is that power brands focus on it, and exploit it. Brand personality can greatly energize and excite -- creating value and differentiation.

The Branded Customer Experience ..touching lifestyles, desires, and emotions-- Experiential Brands touch deeper emotions. They understand "our need for experiences," and deliver their own set of values, beliefs, and even mythology. They dramatically project strong personalities and convictions.