In the midst of an animated conversation on the art of shopping, Jordan snacks on Trader Joes Spanakopita. Jordan sashays into the kitchen, swaggering from hip to hip as she often does. In fairness, her gait is partially out of her control. It’s the product of the way her body shifts her weight to compensate for [...]
Jordan in the parking lot of LAX, a few minutes before the whole trip was cancelled. She’s not happy. She was all set to make her very first trip alone. We booked her first class on a flight to Portland to spend the holidays with her aunts and uncles. At 4:45am this morning, all systems were [...]
Brandlore, Larry's newest book, is due out in 2009. Learn how to build a brand, sustain it, and elevate it to win the hearts and minds of key stakeholders. Stay tuned...
First published in 2002, Legendary Brands was Larry's first book and explores the narrative structure of some of the world's leading brands. Drawing upon cognitive psychology and the study of classic mythology, the book demonstrates that great brands succeed by tapping a universal story structure.
Mad Man's Creed is a collection of 33 poems about hope, loss and the curious promise of that which lies in the spaces in between. Written in a three-year span of life-changing experiences, this is a collection of random thoughts and narrative fun.
Yesterday, the folks at Baptie & Company invited me to speak on a webinar about branding for business to business companies and the use of web 2.0 technologies. I posted slides from the presentation here. You can also download a full webcast at Baptie & Company.
Apple is the darling of brand managers. At least once a week I hear a client ask me how their brand can be more like Apple. I’ve written about the company’s brand narrative extensively. Indeed, Apple is linked to a compelling story that rests in the minds of its faithful consumers. It is a story of empowerment and creativity — of the iconoclast leading the masses to freedom through enablement. The landmark 1984 spot for the launch of Macintosh epitomized this narrative.
Sadly, Apple has begun to turn its back on the roots of its mythology. Consumers and business partners are starting to view the company as a control freak. From its rigid design aesthetic to its business practices, a different side of Apple’s character is emerging. And if the company is not careful, the brand can sink into Act III of the empowerment narrative — the part of the story where the revolutionary spirit turns on itself (a la Citizen Kane).
The latest example of this story development is detailed in this blog post about Apple’s latest patent application, in which is states a purpose of thwarting users from using contraband garments to activate their iPod pedometers.
I confess. I’m in love with Sandy. She’s smart. She’s witty. She’s organized. And she just seems to have my every need in mind. I’m smitten. Who is this home-wrecking vixen? Well, she’s a virtual girl Friday. Check her out.
So here’s the short version of the story. I pushed the new iPhone firmware to my jalopy iPhone. Yes, I was one of the early adopters. It was so cool — until I realized it wouldn’t work with my work’s email system. For a year I carried two phones. My iPhone was an amusement — barely functional. But with the latest update, I finally have access to my work email and I started messing around with my sleek little Apple gadget all over. In my discovery process I found Sandy. What a find! You just tell Sandy what you want her to remind you or to remember for future reference. She files it away and brings it up on command. It’s the next best thing to having a personal assistant. Perhaps it’s better — Sandy doesn’t ask for days off or a raise.