by Miriam Hara | Jun 24, 2025 | Branding, Marketing
I know that some of you may feel that brand confidence isn’t a real goal. However, I constantly say that brand is a living organism. As such, it must evolve and earn it’s attributes just like any living organism. Brand confidence is not loud. You will not find it in a tagline or a product claim, although perhaps, parts of it elude to its confidence. Brand confidence does not need to shout to be noticed. Instead, it shows up in the clarity of how a brand speaks, moves, and holds space in the market.
If you envision Brand as you would a person, Brand Confidence is a natural fit. Confidence is knowing who you are and staying consistent in that truth. (do I hear the word authentic?). It is the ability to communicate without needing to over-explain. Brands that are confident do not just tell you what they offer, they show you what they believe and who they are.
You can feel it in the tone. In the restraint. In the way they choose their presence over pressure to conform. Confidence lives in the choices a brand makes. But also in the things it chooses to leave out.
Where It Comes From
Brand confidence does not happen by accident. It is shaped over time. It grows through alignment. Between strategy and story. Between what is promised and what is actually delivered.
It begins with clarity. Not just clarity around purpose, but around boundaries. What a brand stands for. What it will say yes to. What it will say no to.
Many brands want to be everything. Confident brands know they do not need to be. They define their value, and reinforce it with consistency. Confidence does not chase. It attracts.
You Feel It Before You Can Name It
There’s a reason confidence gets noticed even when no one talks about it. It lives in its truths, every time, and everywhere. A visual that is unique, as with every person. A line of copy that lands without effort. A product name that doesn’t explain itself, but somehow you get it.
People don’t say, “This feels like a confident brand.” They say things like, “This makes sense.” Or “I trust this.” Or they don’t say anything at all. They just come back.
That’s confidence doing its job.
It’s a Choice. Over and Over Again.
You don’t reach brand confidence once and stay there. Just like a product lifecycle… brand confidence has to maintain, has to evolve. In this fast paced business world, marketing teams change and priorities shift. Confidence gets challenged. And when it does, the instinct might be to respond. Fast. Loud. Bigger than the moment needs.
Confidence is built in layers. You will not find it in a brand book alone. And you cannot manufacture it with a new visual identity. It is the result of decisions made over time. Especially the small ones.
Confidence is choosing to stay quiet when the trend does not align. It is resisting the urge to respond when silence would say more. It is showing up in a way that reflects your values even when the spotlight is elsewhere.
To nurture confidence, a brand must return to its centre. Often. That means having internal clarity before creating external noise. It means asking the right questions before sharing the next message.
Is this still true for us?
Does this align with what we believe?
Are we being clear, or are we just trying to be clever?
These are not checklist items. They are ongoing conversations.
Owning It in the Long Run
Brand confidence is not static. It is something that must be protected. Over time, markets shift. Pressure builds. Competitors speak louder. It can be tempting to match the energy, even if it does not feel right.
Owning confidence means returning to core values again and again. It means being willing to say no. To refine. To pause. Sometimes, it means trusting that the audience you have is more valuable than the one you are trying to reach.
Confidence is not stubbornness. It is discipline. It is knowing what makes the brand work, and staying close to that centre even when the outside world feels uncertain.
Confidence Is a Practice
Brand Confidence is not a declaration, it is something the Brand demonstrates.
A confident brand does not just exist in words or visuals. It exists in consistency. In alignment. In intention. It is a practice, not a personality.
When done well, it becomes something the audience can feel long before they understand why. And that is when the brand begins to lead.
by Miriam Hara | Jan 28, 2025 | Agency, Branding, Business Success, Creative, Marketing
If there is one thing that has remained with the test of time in the brand marketing world, it is ‘The Brief’. It has been the ‘one document’ that bridges streamlined information about the brand between brand marketers and creative marketing agencies since… or even before madmen.
It’s in the Brief.
The Brief is about providing the right information, so that it can create and offer up the best possible solution for the brand objective at hand and deliver on the brand strategies it stipulated. It provides the agency with the “objective reference” to assess their creative concepts and innovations against.
It’s the Brief that Counts.
Regardless of the tools that marketers have at their disposal to reach their audiences and to measure the effectiveness of their tactics, It’s the brief that counts. In today’s business world overflowing with marketing tools, data analytics, and performance metrics and, let’s face it, information overload.
As a result of all these metrics there is an undeniable pressure for corporations, brand marketers and agencies to create ideas that deliver on specific KPIs and of course, ROIs. And the only way to achieve this is in the creation of a good brief.
It’s all about The Brief.
What constitutes a good brief is simple, but it isn’t easy to create by any stretch of the imagination. A good brief is based on solid strategic thinking, providing the foundational work for the agency to pick up the baton and run with in.
What’s in The Brief.
Over the decades of running this agency, both my team and myself have had the distinct privilege of attending numerous strategic sessions for many brands… providing our agency an additional vision of the brand. But that is not always the case. Often, more than I would like, we are in a competitive situation where every word and subtlety is weighed heavily. A well written brief provides strategic clarity that enables the agency to deliver on the objectives and perhaps even exceed expectations based on the defined parameters that is set within it.
Where’s the Brief?
When we receive a mandate, this is the first question my teams always ask… Because every great campaign starts with one thing: a great brief.
by Miriam Hara | Oct 11, 2023 | Business Success
If karma is real, does business karma also exist? It stands to reason that if you believe in the concept of what goes around comes around, similar to personal karma, businesses too can be subject to its influence. What is the essence of karma? Rooted in religion, karma can be defined in many ways. At its core, however, karma revolves around the principle of cause and effect. In the context of business karma, it extends beyond small business and entrepreneurship and encompasses large multinational corporations that should prioritize it.
Business isn’t personal, on that we can all agree. But the way that a business approaches and conducts itself – the good, the bad and the ugly – says much about the culture and persona of the business. Ultimately the conduct and culture is what shapes its karma. Business leaders who consistently exhibit positive behaviour in everyday situations directly contribute to the success of the business they are in and foster good karma.
There are a few principles of karma that businesses should embrace to cultivate good karma on a daily basis.
Generosity:
Generosity lies at the heart of the philosophy of good karma. It goes beyond mere acts of charity and community contributions, although those are essential as well. In short, it could best be described as mentoring. Generosity involves giving of one’s time, protecting and nurturing others without expecting immediate benefits for the organization. It could entail helping individuals break into an industry through networking or volunteering to speak at school seminars. Let us not forget the age-old adage: Charity begins at home. Therefore, leaders and managers should extend their generosity to their teams and partners and that doesn’t only mean in monetary terms. In today’s environment, monetary incentive is only part of the bigger value need that team members are looking for. It’s about being supportive of all team members and paying it forward without any intention of receiving anything in return. Such generosity will undoubtedly come back around.
Fairness:
Practicing fairness in business means seeing situations as they truly are and setting aside our egos. Inevitably, businesses encounter challenging, messy, or ambiguous circumstances. We’ve all (unfortunately so) witnessed or heard of colleagues facing disrespectful situations comparable to emotionally painful divorces, complete with bullying and threats. When confronted with unforeseen or complex business challenges, it is crucial to approach them with a win-win philosophy. No one should lose face, and negative displays of power should be avoided. While ethics and professionalism should be standard in business, kindness and justice are often neglected in the fast-paced business world. Incorporating fairness into our business dealings contributes significantly to cultivating good karma.
Positivity:
Quick reactions and decisions made under stress or panic rarely lead to positive outcomes. Instead, they tend to amplify the bad karma that initially placed a business in a difficult position. In today’s dynamic market environment, businesses often face uncertainty and numerous impending changes. Navigating these challenges requires resilience and the ability to maintain a clear vision. Good karma thrives when a business remains steadfast, refrains from blindly pursuing alternative paths, and maintains a positive and optimistic outlook amidst setbacks. While it may sound “new age-ish,” maintaining and focusing on positivity truly pays off.
Mindfulness:
In our interconnected world, being mindful of the impact our businesses have on the planet is a definite must. Mindful businesses prioritize sustainability, environmental responsibility, and eco-friendly practices. They actively seek ways to reduce waste, conserve resources, and minimize their carbon footprint. Moreover, they recognize the social element of their actions. Social accountability has become increasingly important, with ordinary individuals, celebrities, and businesses being held responsible for their “not so nice” behaviour. Upholding ethical practices, transparency, and social responsibility aligns businesses with the expectations of their stakeholders and nurtures good business karma.
These four principles—Generosity, Fairness, Positivity and Mindfulness —serve as the pillars for fostering good business karma. How do you feel about this concept? Do you practice any principles that you believe promote good business karma? Share your thoughts and experiences here.
by Felicitas Ritter | Feb 10, 2014 | Creative, Latest
Whether you are tasked to come up with ideas for a corporate creative campaign using a team of people, or you are just trying to generate ideas for yourself, the process of “brainstorming” is virtually the same. It doesn’t have to be an intimidating process and hopefully the idea of facilitating a session doesn’t strike in you with the same kind of blinding fear it did in me the first time I had to lead one – which happened when I was barely an account executive, with half the agency present, including the Big Boss, and The Client! But not only did I survive, I gained tremendous confidence through the challenge and (I think) managed to impress a few people.
1. Preparation: When it comes to involving other people in a brainstorming session, how well you prepare everyone for it BEFORE they get there is important. Provide a one or two page outline including background on the situation, the issues, and the competition, as well as some direction as to the kinds of ideas you are looking for. Send this out a few days in advance of your session to give people time to ruminate about it. I find that when I’m coming up with ideas it sometimes takes a few hours of just sitting with the concept in my mind before ideas really start to flow. Suggest that your participants take note of any thoughts and bring those with them into the session to share – this will also help to get things started.
2. Relaxed atmosphere: Where you get creative is equally important. A room that is comfortable, quiet, and without distraction will help people focus on what you are trying to accomplish. Also, keeping the atmosphere friendly and inviting so people will feel free to contribute is key. No stuffed shirts allowed. Otherwise, you’ll just get the same old boring ideas, from the same old people and that may result in a less effective campaign. In fact, working with a more diverse group should be your objective.
We all come from different places and you want to take advantage of unique perspectives.
3. Scheduling: According to Mind Power News http://www.mindpowernews.com/BestTimeOfDay.htm the most productive time of the day to generate ideas is between 9am and 11am. This is when your brain has activated enough of the stress hormone, cortisol, to allow your mind to focus and be creative. Having light snacks, such as fruit and nuts, and keeping everyone hydrated is also a good idea.
4. No negativity: It’s all good… or not. But don’t start judging anything until the session is done. Certainly not all ideas are going to be stellar, but that luke-warm, never-gonna-fly, embarrassed-you-said-it idea could lead to the next latest and greatest one. You owe it to the team (or yourself) to just put it out there – plant the seed and see what develops, for you or someone else in the group. That crazy idea could lead to something truly original and creative.
5. Post it: Write all the ideas on a board (or several boards) around the room so everyone can see them. Having all your ideas front and center will help maintain focus and flow.
6. Visual Aids: Using images can also be helpful to stimulate creative thinking. Ask people to bring tear-sheets from magazines, or print-outs from inspiring web content. Put those up on the wall too. There also some amazing online programs and apps available to help you organize your ideas: Pinterest, Wordstorm, Springpad, and Popplet are just a few.
7. Organize & Evaluate: As you are writing down ideas, try to keep them in some kind of cohesive order. When you have what you consider to be enough to work with, filter through them all categorically and see if you can expand on anything that you particularly like. Once everything has been explored to the fullest, you should be ready to put together a strong and comprehensive creative campaign strategy.
by Belinda Lui | Nov 21, 2013 | Interactive, Latest
When we think about a Mobile Application, the first examples that might come to mind may be: Instagram, Angry Birds, or Whatsapp. While some applications are great for socializing and passing time, there is a lot of opportunity for apps to make life easier; to accomplishing a task faster; to finding something in mere seconds. Companies are quickly catching on to the effectiveness of implementing mobile application development into their strategy. These are all great applications with easily accessible user interfaces (UI);
But how can you leverage your Marketing Strategy with mobile application development for the growing SmartPhone community?
I’ve done some research on mobile apps that aren’t games or social networking based. These mobile applications were developed to either leverage a product or a purpose, and that’s something worth mentioning:
1. People For Change
This mobile application, developed by Thinkingbox Media & Design, is an application that leaves you feeling good – by making the people around you feel great. You are randomly given a task to complete that involves making a difference in your community and once accomplished, you share it with your peers. Pay it forward, so to speak.
2. Retail
As if online shopping wasn’t addictive enough; now you can browse an entire Fall/Winter line on your SmartPhone device. Major retailers such as Zara, Target, and Walmart have made it easy for you to see what’s new, on sale, and available to be shipped within the week.
3. Flipp
This app is a handy retail flyer aggregator, designed by Wishabi — designed for the flyer-collecting enthusiast. You can choose which major retailers you prefer from numerous different categories and you will be updated with the most recent flyers daily/weekly. Using location detection, the application will be able to update the flyers you receive based on your postal code.
4. ELLE Canada
Instead of wasting paper (save the earth!), download the ELLE Canada mobile application to be updated on the most current fashion trends and some excellent editorial (and they’re Canadian).
5. Airbnb
Developed by Airbnb, Inc., this mobile application gives you a fiscally responsible alternative to getting a hotel room, in almost any city in the world. You can browse millions of properties available for weekend, monthly, even nightly rentals.
What are some of your favourite mobile applications?
