Brand Symbols, Part 1

The almighty NES controller!

When they originally released the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) in the United States, it was a smash hit, including my home.  Due to parental controls - in those days, that actually meant "parents" - I could only play it for 30 minutes every weekday.  Weekends were different, of course, and Saturdays were when the controllers got the most sticky from sweat and food residue.

Axis and Allies: Part 3

The third part of the process is my favorite because it's the crux of everything. You can have great and revealing research, followed up with an amazing insight, but without a good - or rather, GREAT - strategy, you could still end up with poor results.

Great marketers use great strategy to work magic; mostly, this is due to the fact that strategy can turn something as boring as soap into a worldwide campaign promoting beauty in every face. How did Dove do it? Magic? No, no; it was STRATEGY.

This is where the Axis and Allies analogy really takes shape. This is the 40,000 foot view (thanks, John Greening) that helps us see where and how to place our pieces. From this high above the board, we can see everything, and can plan accordingly. The map was created using the research, and the insight - the true driver - is the color of the men; it gives them their unique outlook on the world and helps them know who and what they fight for.

Are the men and other pieces arranged for maximum effectiveness? Once you've set everything up the way you want it, it's time to pull the tactical trigger!