James Forr

An article at Fast Company discusses why marketers should consider breaking traditional semiotic rules when choosing colors for their new brands or brand relaunches.For example, as the author mentions, blue…

Image credit: Unsplash/Louis Maniquet We often say that all people think in images.  New research suggests that virtually all people think in images – probably upwards of 99%.  But there…

Last summer, a Z-Files focused on brand nicknames – “Tar-zhay” instead of Target.  “Mickey D’s” instead of McDonald’s. Brands often fight these consumer-inspired nicknames but resistance is usually futile. Once…

Caroline Silla from OZ recently shared the details of a discussion she had with a friend about why Pfizer (and not Moderna) is considered “the hot person vaccine.”Caroline’s own rationale…

According to Adweek, Domino’s is bringing back The Noid, the evil mascot that was the face of the brand from 1986-95, and which subsequently has made random appearances here and…

Dr. Barbara Kahn from Wharton has released a new and expanded version of her book, The Shopping Revolution, which I look forward to reading. Here she enumerates the four keys to retail success.Great…

The delightful Under the Influence podcast from the CBC is all about the history and background of great ad campaigns.  Its most recent episode is titled “Air Quotes: Creative Radio…

Thanks to Tim Bradley of OZ for sharing an example of low-key behavioral science in action from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).The CDC has recently updated the Zombie Preparedness…

If you ask most consumers how much effect a logo design has on their purchase decisions, most of them would probably say, “Not much.”  However, whenever a brand changes a…

Maria Medem for Wired The humanities are sometimes derided as a useless frivolity of higher education. Why major in literature if your goal is to become, for example, a video…