Branding and Advertising

Hospital content teams innovate as COVID-19 continues to change everything

July 30th 2020

As COVID-19 enters its sixth month, health systems are building out richer sets of content. PK’s Director of Content Strategy and I share innovations we’re seeing at four leading hospital systems, in another of our monthly video fly-overs.

Young Americans are dying at high rates and MGH may spend $100M to change its name

November 30th 2019

There’s more research showing American’s under stress, and dying younger — and MGH/Partners announced it may spend $100 million on changing its name. Get a quick perspective on these latest fixations right here.

2019-2020 Hospital Digital Index wins four industry awards

May 31st 2019

Tonight the New England Society for Healthcare Communicators (Neshco) awarded the HDX-15 report their coveted gold Lamplighter Award. This recognition by leaders in healthcare marketing and public relations means so much to everone on Connective DX’s healthcare team, who have taken up this reasearch as a way to enrich the communities of experts we learn […]

Marketing truth: 99% of customers don’t care, until they do

April 20th 2019

On my commute home I saw this fellow waring a shirt that said: “There’s a 99% change I don’t care.” Yes, he posed for this photo – and agreed its a message that could set a lot of people in business free.

Making the NY Times and Nordstrom Great Again: When Trump Attacks Do His Targets Profit?

February 10th 2017

On Wednesday, President Trump berated Nordstrom for dropping Presidential daughter, Ivanka Trump’s clothing line from their shelves. As the Seattle Times reported, there was a brief dip followed by a 4% rally. And while you can chalk this up to Nordstrom stores being located in Democratic strong holds, or liberal investors allocating with their politics, […]

Welcome to my world: John Travolta, Breitling, and random acts of branding

December 18th 2015

My friend Alan asked, “have you seen that watch ad with Travolta? There are so many real and inferred meanings in its hard to even know what its about.” Yep, from NASA to Idina Menzel, here’s a not too serious look at an ad we both have seen too much.

Five Reasons the CVS / Target Deal is Smart Healthcare Business

June 20th 2015

Knowing what you’re remarkable at allows for gutsy decisions — which this is both for Target and CVS. This sets Target up for recovery, and CVS to continue its growth in to being a national pharmacy leader.

The Erosive Simplicity of College Rankings: Meet America’s ‘Worst College’

January 19th 2015

What is it about the human mind that makes it so attracted to the simplicity of rankings? Consider the case of Shimer College, and what happened when it was “objectively” named the worst college in America. And how intellectually bankrupt most college rankings turn out to be.

Ads by Enterprise, Comcast and MBTA show disregard for customers

September 7th 2014

Advertising is a merging of customer experience, public relations, and art. But rather than ennobling clients, these brands have ads that suggest their clients are perhaps a bit lacking. Our clients are sub-standard, so is our reward programEnterprise’s customer experience is a one I hold up as an example at conferences on service design, but […]

Hapless Airport Advertising Reaches New Heights with Boston’s Convention and Visitors Bureau

August 1st 2014

Boston, a city based on on imagination should be fun to promote. Rather than swinging for the stands, my local CVB has made a perplexing bunt of an advertisement now appearing at Boston’s Logan Airport.