*Baseball is Back! Everyone’s talking about the Dodgers $1.21 billion spend on players in the offseason: But A “Little Team That Could” is out-strategizing the competition and B2B strategic marketers can learn a lot from them. *The Post-Covid Workplace Revisited - Where are we now? What does this mean for future skills in the workplace? *March Madness Fever! Everyone is talking about Caitlin Clark and how she has changed women’s basketball and unlocked a new fanbase. What drives the...

In this episode, we discuss the following: *Ozempic & other weight loss drugs are having such a significant impact that company heads are calling Novo’s CEO for advice on what to expect for their industry. How might this trend impact your business? *What can we learn about building more productive – and innovative – teams from Google’s Project Aristotle research study? And how might AI be used to add an important “plus element” to the Aristotle research findings to help these...

In this episode, we discuss: *Looking backward to innovate forward? Highlights from Time Magazine’s list of the 200 Best Inventions of 2023 tell us that taking inspiration from the past can be an effective creative strategy for inventing the future. Curious? Let’s find out! *There is an enormous shortage of supply chain professionals able to tackle known supply chain issues. This supply chain talent gap has created what Deloitte refers to as the “supply chain paradox.” This paradox exists...

In this episode we continue with our AI theme and discuss the following: *What type of impact is AI already having on Strategic Marketing? How are different industries utilizing AI to develop and deploy their strategies? What ideas can you apply to your business immediately? *What were some of the highlights from Time Magazine’s list of the 200 Best Inventions of 2023? (Part 1). Could the creative use of generative AI programs have helped anticipate some of these extraordinary, even...

*How AI Can Help B2B Marketers Differentiate Their Products - when it comes to AI for B2B marketers, most of the conversation is about content creation and customer service applications. However, the biggest impact for strategic marketers could come from using AI for creating needs-based, customer-centric offers and value propositions that are truly unique in the marketplace. *How AI Can Help Create Extraordinary Innovation Centers (Part 1): Moonshot Factory. Research Lab. Skunk Works....

In this episode, we discuss: *There’s a lot B2Bs can learn from Taylor Swift about strategies for intellectual property (IP) and business relationships. *Want to be more productive, complete tasks quicker, and produce significantly higher quality work? A new, joint Harvard Business School and Boston Consulting Group study of 758 BCG consultants has found that with the help of AI programs, you can. Let’s dig deeper into the findings – and ramifications – of the 54-page HBS/BCG study: the...

In this episode, we discuss: *Storytelling is one of the hottest topics in business over the last couple of years. Strategic Marketers are embracing the topic as a way to differentiate their brands, gain the attention of buyers, and convince investors and managers to fund their plans. Find out why storytelling works and how to do it for both external and internal audiences. *Seasonal Innovation! Welcome Fall with the 20th anniversary of Starbucks’ Pumpkin Spice Latte, and over 2.9...

In this episode, we discuss: *DeBeers, who has been the market leader for decades - may no longer be the price leader as they try to respond to new market trends and technology (lab-grown diamonds). What can you learn about your market leadership & pricing power? *We know that “X” marks the spot, but should it also be a “trade-in” (and “trade-off”) for the well-established Twitter brand/trademark? And.. will the trademark attorneys at Microsoft and IBM have something to say about this?...

In this episode, we discuss the following: *Barbenheimer – a great demonstration of Co-opetition & Segmentation. It provides several best practices for B2B companies to consider in their industry. *Back-to-school…of the future! How might AI affect teaching and learning, both positively and negatively? Let’s find out! *How do you move thousands of musical and sound instruments, a stage the size of a football field, and enough special effects devices to 37 venues for 74 3-hour shows...

In this episode, we discuss: *What can B2B strategists learn from the PGA/LIV Professional Golf Merger? *How important is failure to successful innovation programs? *The return to office wars - are they over? *Urban apartments *The Amazon Go Experience: Sacrificing your data for convenience Hosted by Tim Boyd Produced by Tracylynne Williams

In this session, we discuss: *The Disney Juggernaut Back on Track: Disney has been in the news lately for a lot of reasons, but the rehiring of former CEO Bob Iger seems to signify a doubling-down on the organization's legendary customer focus. Let's take a look at the strategic reasons behind Dinsey's latest moves, with a particular emphasis on the Disney+ streaming service and the implications to Netflix and other streaming competitors. *What's a "Prompt Engineer?" The rise of...

In this session, we discuss: *Why did Tesla slash its prices by up to 20% on its cars earlier this year? Why now? Pricing strategies are critical - especially when an industry is shifting. How much pricing leadership do you have? *In his book, Hit Makers, The Science of Popularity in an Age of Distraction, author Derek Thompson recommends a strategy for creating hits by leveraging the principle of "familiar surprise." What will be some of the "familiar surprises" we'll be seeing this...

In this session we discuss: *How can you tell the difference between a Trend or Fad? How can Beyond Meat provide lessons for B2B Technology Companies? If you are on the "receiving end" of a potential trend that could disrupt your business - are there ways to mitigate your potential risk? *The Future of Team Ideation.. Part 2! How might the new visual AI content creation programs affect the design and facilitation of team ideation (or brainstorming) sessions? Let's find out! *The World's...

*The Brighter Side of Risk - whether it’s war, pandemic, inflation or recession, managing risk is essential in today’s business world. But if you could turn risks into new offerings, perhaps you would view an uncertain environment as the best time to compete. *The Future of Team Ideation… How might the new AI content creation programs affect the design and facilitation of team ideation (or brainstorming) sessions? Let’s find out! *Burning Bridges at Work - Is it Ever the Right Decision?...

*“Kidults” an emerging segment since the pandemic, driving $9B in the toy industry (25% of US toy sales and 60% dollar growth). Learn how Legos and others are leveraging the trend and what it might it mean for your business strategy. *The Best Inventions of 2022… Part 2! From Time magazine’s list of the 200 Best Inventions of the Year. We’ll get the details on several of the most interesting, important, entertaining, and fun inventions. We’ll also be looking at the creativity – and...

Title: Kidults, The Best Inventions of 2022, Supply Chain Issues & Broadway, 2023 Trend Analysis and Crisis in the Air *“Kidults” an emerging segment since the pandemic, driving $9B in the toy industry (25% of US toy sales and 60% dollar growth). Learn how Legos and others are leveraging the trend and what it might it mean for your business strategy. *The Best Inventions of 2022… Part 2! From Time magazine’s list of the 200 Best Inventions of the Year. We’ll get the details on several...

*Kroger Buys Albertsons For $25B - Will It Work? This latest mega M&A deal has us wondering: why do many such deals fail? Let’s look at the Marketing and Sales reasons why many promising combinations of two smart companies often fall well short of expectations, and what can be learned. *GE’s New Focus - the Great Break Up. Once the poster child of conglomeration is now breaking into GE Aerospace, GE Vernova and GE HealthCare to focus. What can the magnetic effect of focus possibly...

In this session we discuss: *Have you checked out a Return Bar yet? We have been enjoying the trend of free online returns for a few years. The problem is that returns are not free to the merchants - the average retailer has $166 million in returns for every $1 billion in sales. What can companies do to minimize costs & regain profit? There are some great lessons if your business is looking for creative ways to cut rising costs and keep your customers happy. *At Google’s AI event this...

In this session we discuss: *Over-engineering Insight Programs Companies are investing more money, time and effort than ever in trying to generate insights into customer buying behavior and market dynamics. In the process, they are creating vocabulary, definitions and tools that are having the opposite effect; causing companies to miss insights that they could leverage. Here’s how to avoid over-complicating your insights program. *The 4 Day Work Week - Is it Possible? Other countries have...

In this session we discuss: *Bed, Bath & Beyond – are they ANOTHER example of a company not updating their trend analysis? Are they the latest “Pandemic Darling” to meet troubled times in the post-pandemic world (e.g., Peloton, Netflix, Wayfair)? What lessons can B2B companies learn from this case? *What is tenniscore… and why has it become such a hot trend? As important, how can any company leverage the “innovation principles of success” behind the tenniscore phenomenon to create their...

In this session we discuss: *Implications of the CHIPS and Science Act 2022 on future careers and workforce development *Alphabet (aka Google) is becoming a force in health care, (wearables, health records, AI & extending human longevity). What might this mean to your business in terms of possible competition & complementors? *What the Feud Between Two Competing Professional Golf Tours Can Teach Us About Branding and Positioning. The PGA Tour and the new Saudi-backed LIV tour...

In this session we discuss: *Apple just announced Apple Pay Later! What does this mean for you and your business? How might this shape the finance industry? *The “Cola Wars” are Heating Up Again…Only This Time in E-sports! What’s Happening…and How Can Firms Who Target Older Consumers also Play? Let’s Find Out! *Airbnb’s “live and work from anywhere” policy - Is this the beginning of a “nomadic” workforce? *Reflections on Davos *Digital Outside, Complexity Inside McD & More Add all...

In this session we discuss: *How is Tropicana’s new offer - cereal with orange juice - interesting for B2B companies? How can complementors add value to your products and services? *Not so fast on that inflation-driven price hike! Why Netflix lost $54 billion in market cap in one day! *A social media contest with $50 million in prizes… that only multi-millionaires can enter – without risking any of their own money? *Does your mayo need a mission statement? Can a condiment change the...

Title: Apple and iPhone Subscriptions, Making Fun Of Your Own Brand, Bat Wings & Caltech, The “Great Resignation” Regret, Dear Starbucks, Mercer’s new Global Talent Trends, and Starbucks CEO Recommendations. In this session we discuss: *Given the slowing pace of innovation - can Apple make more money by selling iPhone subscriptions? If you sell equipment, what lessons might you borrow from Apple? *Why Making Fun Of Your Own Brand May Be a Smart Thing to Do - recently, brands like...