It’s June, which means it’s pride month, which means we’re all being bombarded by rainbow-festooned corporate logos. But does that really help? Or is it just another example of “woke washing,” the brand pandering that occurs when marketing and social movements collide.

The amazing Katie Martell is back with some brilliant insights as we look at alternatives to rainbow logos — alternatives that could make a much bigger impact on individuals, corporations, and communities.

https://www.katie-martell.com/

https://www.copernicanshift.com/episode-194-how-to-really-celebrate-pride-month/

We’ve all heard them. Those iconic sounds that tell us our computer is starting, or we're about to start binge watching Netflix. They’re sometimes subtle, sometimes more obvious, but always closely associated with a brand experience.

Today we explore the power of sonic branding, with real examples and a brief diversion into creating a sonic brand for The Copernican Shift.

Visit the Copernican Shift blog post for more links and resources:

https://www.copernicanshift.com/episode-193-the-magic-of-sonic-branding/

The challenge with marketing is that we all think we know our products and services better than anyone. But do we? In today’s episode we learn why we need to get out of our own heads and think like our customers. The results might surprise you.

Copernican Shift - Matching Perception to Reality since 1543

We’re not always great at seeing or predicting the future, mainly because of our tendency to apply familiar (and often outdated) concepts to new ideas. We’re stuck in our well-worn business ruts, too focused on the day-to-day minutia to notice inflection points that create real opportunities for innovation. The streaming services we all know and love are ripe for just this kind of forward thinking.

Copernican Shift - Matching Perception to Reality since 1543

Your business is too complex. That’s because complexity sneaks into all of our workplaces, whether we want it to or not. It’s a hidden problem that’s hurting productivity and frustrating customers. 

Keep it simple (or, at least, simpler) by focusing on the customer, and understanding what they want to buy from you, and why they want to buy it.

Copernican Shift - Matching Perception to Reality since 1543

Eating cereal can be more than just... eating cereal. For proof, look no further than Obo, makers of a bowl that transforms cereal from a meal to an experience. There’s a valuable lesson here — no matter how mundane your product or service, you absolutely must provide the best experience possible. If a cereal bowl can do it, so can you.

Copernican Shift - Matching Perception to Reality since 1543

Today we learn about marketing from everyone’s favorite mentor and football coach, Ted Lasso. That’s right, coach Lasso teaches us about brand authenticity, and why it’s so important in today’s hyper-connected, UGC content-fueled environment.

Smells like potential.

Copernican Shift - Matching Perception to Reality since 1543

We kick things off with energy — specifically energy companies, and how they’re using social media and other modern channels to gather information and manage communication during power-disrupting storms.

Then we grab our (virtual) VR headsets and make our first foray into the metaverse. We’ll cut through the hype and explore exactly what the metaverse means for brands. Is it a fad? Or the future of digital marketing?

Copernican Shift - Matching Perception to Reality since 1543

That's right. We're now The Copernican Shift podcast (formerly the Unified-CXM Experience). And although we've changed the name, we haven't changed the format. We'll still feature some of the top marketing guests on the planet, and generally continue to challenge your perspectives about marketing, advertising, and digital channels.

I’ve talked about the Copernican Shift before, but in this episode we go a little deeper into exactly what that means, and why it’s critical for marketers to understand.

The Copernican Shift. Mapping perception to reality since 1543.

Copernican Shift - Matching Perception to Reality since 1543

Gathering customer insights is so important we’re doing a second show about it. In this follow-up podcast to my discussion with Sonia Sahney, I go into more detail about the time I literally went into people’s homes and watched them do their laundry. It’s taking customer insights to the extreme, and it’s a valuable lesson on how our preconceptions can negatively impact our marketing strategies.