Posts By GovLoop Staff

Why We Just Can’t Agree On “Alphabet”

A question about why Google would defocus attention from their tremendously valuable name and initiate a whole new one prompted me to write a blog post yesterday and some additional thoughts today. Here’s the original question on Quora with a link to all the current answers. For the convenience of my fellow “brand geeks,” please see the follow-upRead… Read more »

Why It’s Hard To Interview Agency Employees For Publication

Awhile back, Steve Crescenzo came up with the idea of the “C.R.A.P. Awards” to designate worthless employee communication that says nothing, means nothing, and interests no one. (This article is worth a read.) A couple of problems:   #1: Getting approval Social media is simple and reductive. Subject matter experts think in complex terms and prefer toRead… Read more »

“Skinny Oreos,” Broken Brand

Brand Essence: Noun. A feeling. The instinctive, unconscious emotional reaction people have whenever they encounter you. Today I learned that Oreos are going on a diet. Despite the fact that 50% of Oreo consumers split the cookie apart before eating it, the Associated Press reports, there will soon be a new version called “Oreo Thins”Read… Read more »

3 Things Women Do That Handcuff Their Earning Potential

It’s no secret that working women still get paid significantly less than their male counterparts. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in 2013, females over the age of 15 working full-time in the United States earned 78 cents on the dollar compared with men. (Institute for Women’s Policy Research.) (Bureau of Labor Statistics data, viaRead… Read more »

Unprofessional?

It isn’t often that this happens, but sometimes I do have the debate with other people as to what constitutes “professional” behavior or “professional” outfits or a “professional, high-quality communication product.” On its face, the debate may appear to center on substance. That is, the content of a particular document, photograph or video. But in my view, it’sRead… Read more »

$250 An Hour? For What? Who Knows?

Some communication tasks are highly valuable. For those you really need to pay what they’re worth. Take branding for example. Many people pass themselves off as brand strategists, brand gurus, brand visionaries, brand designers, brand ideationists, brand creatives, brand disruptors, brand innovators, and on and on. Most of them are not good at what they do. BecauseRead… Read more »