Brand Shorthand

Mark and Lorraine share part 2 of the interview with the Wizard of Ads, Roy H. Williams. Roy discusses deep insights on his understanding of the human condition and why we buy what we buy. From discussing reductionism and spirituality to "dead cows everywhere," Roy provides insights that any advertiser will appreciate. Learn:

•  why demographic targeting is a myth and how to properly target through the message,
• why media targeting is so costly and the alternative we should consider, 
• why a prospect's realm of association is so critical, 
• why positioning is one of the most critical components of marketing, and
• which books Roy recommends for marketers (it's only 3 titles long).

Spend 30-ish with Mark and Lorraine – AND Mr. Williams – to learn more about advertising, marketing, and positioning.

Mark and Lorraine welcome The Wizard of Ads, Roy H. Williams, to the show today. The first 30 minutes of our interview (part 1 of 3) with the wizard covers the genesis of the Wizard Academy, how Roy came up with The Wizards of Ads moniker, and why sound is so critical to human emotion, memory, and memorable advertising. Each word had us sitting on the edge of our chairs and we’re excited to bring this first of three parts to our subscribers.

Spend 30-ish with Mark and Lorraine – AND Mr. Williams – to learn more about advertising, marketing, and positioning.

This week Mark and Lorraine discuss how positioning permeates every single marketing discipline. As a business strategy, positioning should touch every corner of your business, but many marketers give it lip service and execute without a position. Learn why and how the practice of positioning can supercharge your marketing from PR to research and from media planning to investor relations.

Spend 30-ish with Mark and Lorraine to learn more about advertising, marketing, and positioning.

Before Mark and Lorraine dive into the latest discussion on ways to differentiate, they spend 15-ish talking about the food category with Campbell Soup's purchase of Rao's. How will this play as Campbell's goes up against Mondelēz and Kraft Heinz, the other big players in the market? Then Lorraine walks through the challenge of trying to claim a low price position and what that really means for organizations. Several have tried, but few have been able to sustain a low price position for very long. Learn the secrets to promoting a low price position as the positioning gurus talk Geico, Progressive, and Liberty Mutual.

Spend 30-ish with Mark and Lorraine to learn more about advertising, marketing, and positioning.

Marketers - if you haven't read Roy William's 3-book series, The Wizard of Ads, you're missing a real treat. Mark and Lorraine dive into three of his chapters with topics on: 1) finding your diamond, 2) the perspective of your ads, and 3) whether audience targeting is the holy grail. Learn more about the simple approach Roy takes to creating great advertising.

Spend 30-ish with Mark and Lorraine to learn more about advertising, marketing, and positioning.

Mark awards a Purple Cow Award to a non-purple mattress, then Lorraine and he dive into another Way to Differentiate: How a Product is Made. Learn the secret ingredient to this positioning method and how differentiating one ingredient, technology, or approach in your product or service can separate you from the competition. Learn how Sleep Number, Papa John's, Goodyear, and a few other big brands are doing positioning right.

Spend 30-ish with Mark and Lorraine to learn more about advertising, marketing, and positioning.

Obvious Adams, a short-read pamphlet, has influenced millions across the globe for its obvious principles. Mark and Lorraine talk through the five tests of obviousness and how it influenced Jack Trout's last book, In Search of the Obvious. Learn how positioning is directly related to the five tests of obviousness and why finding a position can be problematic if it doesn't pass the "obvious" sniff test.

Spend 30-ish with Mark and Lorraine to learn more about advertising, marketing, and positioning.

Corporate speak runs amok today as Mark and Lorraine try to figure out what Calvin Klein's CMO is saying. Marketing 101, Public Relations 101, and other basic positioning principles rarely change and continue to be used by even the big brands. Once their frustrations are vented, the positioning gurus spend time explaining Preference as a way to differentiate. How does influencer marketing -- aka celebrity endorsement -- play with Preference? Spend 30-ish with Mark and Lorraine to find out, and learn more about advertising, marketing, and positioning.

The positioning gurus get to the point immediately on this episode of Brand Shorthand, that being a commentary on Roy Williams' Monday Morning Memo, "Why Most Ads Don't Work." It's a brief, but brilliant commentary on the advertising industry. Williams' point is that most ads are written "not to offend." Mark and Lorraine spend the episode walking through Williams' four mistakes most ads suffer and in the end, why most ads fail to create a customer.

Spend 30-ish with Mark and Lorraine to learn more about advertising, marketing, and positioning.

Mark and Lorraine play a game of positioning point-counterpoint about Overstock's acquisition of the Bed Bath & Beyond brand name. Lorraine thinks it will work and Mark's not so high on the idea -- see what factors are in play that will make one of these positionists right, and the other wrong. Then the podcast continues with the series on Ways to Differentiate, this time tackling the position of First to Mind with a New Idea. See why this is a tenuous position and why it's most likely critical to transition to a different position fairly quickly after the new idea is introduced.

Spend 40-ish with Mark and Lorraine to learn more about advertising, marketing, and positioning.