What is the role and value of brokers in today’s commercial insurance market? With carriers slowly but irrevocably evolving into advisers, and with end-insureds more capable of risk-sharing, and with MGAs eating everybody's lunch, it is time for the global broking firms to ask themselves some existential questions.

Law Firms: Super-human Technologies vs Ultra-human Brands. With technology threatening to commoditise the profession, only the best branded firms will continue to command premium fees and recruit the next generation of legal talent. These brands will promise and deliver something that algorithms never can: authentic wisdom and care.

CMS Brand Forum: AI and IP. While the essence of authentic brand creation remains rooted in human ingenuity, fostering genuine emotional connections and lasting value, the advent of AI has dramatically amplified both the speed and scale of our efforts.

For many businesses, AI is now a table-stakes. Not special or differentiating, just something clients expect you to have.

Blending in is a trap. Conforming too much to category conventions means disappearing into the crowd, offering customers no compelling reason to choose you.

A plea to D2C insurers: Stop boiling frogs. Start using your intelligence.

Zero to Hero: A true story about TripAdvisor, behaviour and the value of a good reputation

Conferences: Because AI doesn’t shake hands.

Only by addressing the positioning fundamentals of relevance and differentiation can you build match fitness and heighten performance.

Many businesses have a bad case of Strategitis. They have a business strategy, a people strategy, and a marketing strategy. But they need a brand strategy. Oh, and a digital strategy, a product/innovation strategy, and a sales strategy. And often they also need a creative and a campaign strategy. You get the picture. But don’t despair. Follow this link to find a the cure for strategitis.

As anyone who has ever had to choose a name for their child, pet, product or business will know, getting a name right can be fiendishly difficult. A carefully considered name not only captures the essence of the thing being named, but also sets it apart and shapes its future.

As a creator, I obviously have a big issue with Greenpeace shamelessly ripping off Studio Ghibli’s IP. But I also take issue with the messaging in their recent ads. Maybe the world would last longer if we encouraged one another to make a positive difference.

Scaling-up means changing track

Most start-ups are founded by charismatic leaders or tight-knit teams who share each other’s dreams and values. Scaling-up means having to codify principles and processes that may previously have been unspoken or undocumented. It’s no longer about ‘Me’, it’s about ‘We’.

The times they are a-changin. Don’t leave your brand blowin’ in the wind.

While businesses are desperately trying to re-route supply chains and re-calculate costs, it might seem odd to recommend that they also take stock of their brands. But businesses should be thinking about how their brands respond to change because your brand is a long-term commitment and goodwill provides protection in troubled times.

Market in poetry, Manage in prose

Many years ago, I had to present a weighty brand equity analysis to the Visa global brand team who were gathered in San Francisco. Before launching into the presentation I asked the room if anyone would like to hear a little Walt Whitman before I got going. One hand went up, which was all the encouragement I needed.

April is the beginning of the financial year for many businesses. The time when new budgets spring into action. Chief Marketing Officers and their teams will have negotiated allocations for tactical and longer-term activities. And many will be asking themselves the same nagging question - “are we spending enough on our brand”?

Good stories need good story-telling. In straining for currency and relevance many businesses are submerging their brands in a glub of industry-speak, watering down any potential differentiation.

How to make your brand relatable and memorable: The power of storytelling in humanising B2B brands and making technical solutions feel personal.

Thnk dffrnt: Don’t throw in the vowel.

Why differentiation is a key asset in competitive B2B markets

Head and Heart: How to Stand Out in a Rational Industry.

Why emotional branding isn’t just for B2C and how it can differentiate B2B companies in competitive markets.