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Z-Files

Joy to the world

By Z-Files
Here is a great example of how a brand found white space in a category, while simultaneously making itself culturally relevant:  TikTok.The article linked above was published by TikTok; nonetheless, it is…
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A touching innovation

By Z-Files
Mastercard has delivered an interesting mix of brand purpose and multi-sensory branding with its new Touch Card, designed for people who are blind or significantly visually impaired.Mastercard has been a pioneer…
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The wonderful every night

By Z-Files
IKEA has been named a winner of an APG Creative Strategy Award for a clever UK campaign promoting sleep – “Tomorrow Starts Tonight.”Along with many traditional retailers, IKEA was losing ground to…
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Dr. Mozart

By Z-Files
Photo: Isaac Ibbott / Unsplash Thanks to Nancy Cox, friend of the OZ family, for sharing a recent study that discusses the effect of music on the brain.This new research…
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Too much information?

By Z-Files
What do you think of the logo changes above?  All else being equal, which of the changes is more effective?A study in the Journal of Marketing Research explored the difference between descriptive and…
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Keeping memory alive

By Z-Files
Some schools in the US no longer teach much about history. Even fewer schools teach about the Holocaust. Now, an 83-year-old Holocaust survivor has partnered with a veteran game designer…
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From naughty to nice

By Z-Files
Justin Aikin / Unsplash How do “politically contested” products become more acceptable?  A recent article in the Journal of Consumer Research investigates the recreational cannabis market to find an answer.The…
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Happiness is…

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Timothy Meinberg / Unsplash  We are comprised of two selves – the experiencing self and the remembering self. These two selves see happiness differently.UCLA Marketing Professor Cassie Mogilner Holmes discusses…
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When the lights go out

By Z-Files
Image: Nicolai Berntsen/Unsplash When the economy slumps or a company hits hard times, the advertising budget is a frequent target. A recent study by Ehrenberg-Bass in the Journal of Advertising…
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Too sexy for my coat

By Z-Files
Andre Benz/Unsplash When you see people dressed in clothing that seems inappropriate for the weather, you may ask yourself, “Aren’t they cold?”  The answer is, possibly not.Women, in particular, have…
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