by Tara Ford | Sep 2, 2025 | Uncategorized
Acceptance letter in hand, what’s the first move for most students? Not lining up a summer job, not registering for classes….. THE SWAG!
Year after year, before the first lecture even begins, new students line up for the hoodie, the hat… the merch. But it’s more than just swag, it’s the first public declaration of identity.
More Than Merch
The school we attend doesn’t just shape our education, it often shapes how we see ourselves and how others see us. A school sweatshirt isn’t just clothing. It’s a symbol. It says I belong here. It carries prestige, reputation, and shared experience.
Wearing school colours becomes shorthand for your story. Much like brands, universities have equity. Their logos and colours are instantly recognized, and their reputations carry through generations. Buying the hoodie isn’t just about clothing, it’s about buying into the brand… your brand.
Colour as Identity
I’ve written before “a consistent and well-chosen brand colour makes your business instantly recognizable and relatable.” The same is true for schools. The crimson of Harvard. The purple of Western. The navy and gold of Queen’s. These aren’t just aesthetic choices. They’re signals of identity, instantly creating community and connection.
That’s the brilliance of brand strategy at work. Colour becomes memory. A logo becomes belonging, and the generational connection is priceless.
Belonging That Lasts
University branding transcends time. A 1978 grad and a 2025 freshman can both put on the same university hoodie and feel the same surge of pride. That’s branding’s magic, it forges emotional bonds that last well beyond the campus years and connects generations instantly. Gen Z and Boomers unite on shared identity!
Beyond Education, Into Identity
A brand is never just a logo, and a school is never just a place of learning. It’s an identity, a status symbol, and a marker of belonging. The hoodie isn’t just merch, it’s a wearable mission statement.
The Marketing Magic
So what’s the marketing takeaway? If a hoodie can create instant community, imagine what your brand can spark when it offers more than just a product. You’re not just selling a product or a service, you’re selling belonging. That’s the sweet spot. When your customers wear, use, or share your brand like a badge of honour, you’ve crossed over from selling things to building identity. And that’s when the magic happens.
Wishing all students a great year ahead, work hard, have fun, be safe and rock that hoodie!
by Tara Ford | Aug 27, 2025 | Uncategorized
Cracker Barrel recently learned a very public, very avoidable lesson: you can’t rebrand in a vacuum. The beloved 56-year-old chain rolled out a minimalist new logo, quietly ditching its “Old Timer” mascot ‘Uncle Herschel’ in his overalls, leaning against that oh so famous barrel. Cue the outcry. Diners revolted, social media lit up, Trump chimed in (yes, really), and the stock price slipped. Within days, the company backtracked. The logo reversal was swift, but the sting will linger.
The mistake? They were talking to themselves, not their customers. Employee input may have been plentiful, but market testing was clearly absent. That’s not research, that’s groupthink dressed up as insight.
Here’s the thing: vintage and retro branding is having a moment. Just ask the craft beer industry, sneaker brands, or even Pepsi, who leaned into heritage with a modern twist and got applause. Nostalgia sells because it feels safe, familiar, and authentic. Cracker Barrel didn’t need a radical clean-slate logo. What it needed was subtle modernization that respected its roots… polish, not purge.
Imagine if the rollout had included research that sounded like this: “We tested new design directions with diners and prospective guests. 83% felt the refreshed logo preserved our heritage while bringing Cracker Barrel into the future.” That’s the difference between a conversation about evolution and one about elimination.
We’ve seen this firsthand. When we updated Canada’s Windsor Salt packaging, loyalists balked. Some worried their beloved blue dots had disappeared forever. But because research and testing were baked into the process, we were able to show critics the data: the change wasn’t arbitrary, it was deliberate, validated, and welcomed by the majority. Resistance faded, the redesign stuck, and sales climbed.
The broader point? Brands aren’t just about visual identity they’re about trust. A logo refresh should feel like an invitation, not an eviction notice. Employees may clap for a new design in a boardroom, but only customer validation gives it staying power in the market.
So yes, Cracker Barrel will keep Uncle Herschel leaning against that barrel. And maybe that’s the real lesson here: sometimes the best way forward isn’t a clean break, but a careful nod to the past. Subtlety over shock. Research over assumption. And above all, remembering that heritage isn’t a liability, it’s your secret sauce.
by Tara Ford | Aug 18, 2025 | Uncategorized
The moment Cristiano Ronaldo gave Georgina Rodríguez a jaw-dropping 37-carat engagement ring, the world gasped. Not only for the sparkle, but for what it represents. Behind every diamond ring lies one of the most powerful marketing stories ever told.
From Legality to Love
Originally, the diamond engagement ring tradition didn’t begin with romance. In ancient Rome, rings represented legal contracts. Centuries later, in 1477, Archduke Maximilian of Austria gave Mary of Burgundy the first documented diamond engagement ring. It was a symbol of promise, but not quite the cultural staple it is today.
Shining Through
Then came the 20th century where there was an opportunity but diamond sales were sluggish. Consumers weren’t connecting the stone with love or commitment and De Beers wanted to create a story consumers could fall in love with. That’s when they turned to advertising for a solution.
Four Words That Changed Everything
Frances Gerety, a copywriter at Philadelphia’s NW Ayer agency, was tasked with sparking demand. Her answer? Four simple words: “A Diamond is Forever.”
This slogan did more than market jewelry. It attached emotion to a stone. It linked diamonds with eternal love and lifelong commitment. It created a cultural expectation, transforming the diamond ring into a milestone of status, romance, and tradition.
Why This Campaign Still Matters
The brilliance of the De Beers campaign wasn’t only in the words. It was in how it connected product to emotion, and emotion to culture. The result? A marketing legacy that continues to influence buying decisions decades later.
Lessons for Today’s Marketers
What can we take away from this iconic campaign?
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Storytelling drives demand. People don’t just buy products, they buy the meaning behind them.
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Emotion builds equity. Attach your brand to universal feelings, and it rises above features and price.
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Consistency creates culture. A single, simple line, repeated over time, can become unshakable truth.
Final Takeaway
The De Beers campaign proves one thing: when strategy meets emotion, brands transcend transactions. They don’t just sell. They last. Which proves the point: the best campaigns, like the best diamonds, are forever.
by Tara Ford | Mar 11, 2025 | Uncategorized
Why Focus on Patients When Physicians Write the Scripts?
How can pharmaceutical companies truly embrace patient centricity when script-writers are their main bread and butter?
A pharmaceutical company is a sales organization. Yes, it develops drugs, but those drugs must be sold. And for drugs to be sold, scripts must be written (and filled and, ideally, refilled). This explains why so many pharmaceutical companies focus their sales and marketing efforts on physicians, not patients.
To make matters worse, in Canada patient communication is highly regulated, so talking to them in a direct, yet meaningful way, is almost impossible. Patients have no idea why pharmaceutical marketing campaigns are so vague and, according to strategic insights firm, Head Research, this is a clear source of frustration for them.
Head Research has proven, beyond a doubt, that patients are comfortable asking their doctors for a particular drug by name. Doctors are no longer offended when patients take the lead and ask for a specific medication. Busy doctors don’t have time to argue, so they comply with most reasonable patient treatment requests. Their concern is moreso with coverage, as there is nothing worse than a patient who discovers at the pharmacy that a recommended medication is financially out of their reach. This can result in non-compliance, patient dissatisfaction, extra patient visits and/or pharmacist inquiries.
So what’s the solution?
Like it or not, we must all abide by the rules. That means no branded drug patient marketing materials in Canada. However, if marketing materials are developed using appropriately researched patient insights, they will speak more loudly to patients who, in turn, will ask their doctors for more information about a disease or medication.
At 3H we feel that both HCPs and patients should form the basis of pharmaceutical communications plans. Don’t be near-sighted and focus only on script-writers. Never underestimate the power of patients. Get to know them. After all, they are the ultimate client.
Patients are asking:
Almost half of patients report having had some influence on the choice of their prescribed medication (2023)
Over 6 in 10 medication switches are influenced by the patient (2023)
A third of patients said they will research a new treatment if they see an ad or hear about it from friends/family
HCPs are stepping up:
6 in 10 Physicians are very comfortable in prescribing an appropriate medication directly requested by a patient (2023)
If asked by a patient, 4 in 10 Physicians are much more likely to prescribe a requested treatment over other appropriate options (2023)
by Tara Ford | Jan 10, 2025 | Uncategorized
Every year, graphic designers, interior designers, beauty experts, fashionistas, and even homeowners excitedly anticipate one crucial announcement: The Colour of the Year. Pantone and respected paint manufacturers reveal their picks every year. This literally sets the tone (pun intended) for the clothes we wear, how we decorate our homes, and even what colours might creep into our branding palettes. It’s a global phenomenon with a mix of psychology, art, and consumer trends that leaves an undeniable mark on everything around us. So what are we to expect for the 2025 colour of the year?
A Warm Hug in Colour Form for 2025
This year, we are finally out of the fifty shades of grey! (hallelujah) In 2025 we are sinking into the warm and cozy tones we have all been craving. Miriam Hara recently wrote an article about the “word of the year in 2024” if you didn’t get a chance to read it yet, the stand out word is “brain rot”. Now, if that is any indication of what 2024 was, I would say we all deserve a little comfort in 2025. Enter Pantone’s Mocha Mousse, a colour that feels like a giant mug of warm cocoa for your walls, wardrobe, and branding materials. After a year of mental overload, who wouldn’t want a big, warm hug in the form of colour?
Not only is Pantone delivering the cozy vibes, but Benjamin Moore also unveiled Cinnamon Slate, a soft blend of purple and brown that’s equally soothing. Sherwin Williams and Glidden, are also leaning into purples—Purple Basil, anyone? Coincidence? We think not! As a brand that proudly wears purple #PurpleCulture we’re loving this subtle nod to our favourite hue.
The Branding Connection in 2025
It’s amazing how the 2025 colour of the year seeps into branding strategies. These cozy hues speak volumes about what consumers might be craving. Perhaps a little less “brain rot” and a little more warmth, sincerity, and connection. It’s a reminder that colour isn’t just aesthetic; it’s emotional. Maybe this is the year to lose the cold, corporate blues for a touch of Cinnamon Slate or a hint of Mocha Mousse. After all, cozy isn’t just a look; it’s a feeling.
So, whether you’re designing a logo, refreshing your home décor, or just shopping for your next fabulous sweater, remember: the colour of the year is more than a trend. It’s an invitation to embrace the mood of the moment, one warm, soothing hue at a time.
by Miriam Hara | Jul 10, 2015 | Advertising, Agency, Business Success, Latest, Marketing, Uncategorized
Earlier this week, I focused on you being the multi-tasking maestro as the business or team leader. It’s equally important to encourage your team members to multi-task.
I’ll repeat my definition of multi-tasking. I’m not talking about one person being asked to wear too many hats and spread themselves thin. That leads to resentment and overtired team members who lose motivation. I’m talking about encouraging people to step out of their defined roles, even momentarily, to try on a new hat, or a few new hats. I’m talking about team building.
[inlinetweet prefix=”” tweeter=”” suffix=”#TeamBuilding”]Getting people involved in tasks they don’t own can lead to shared ownership[/inlinetweet], bigger ideas, better ideas and a richer outcome. It benefits people on a personal level. They’re learning new skills, they feel involved, they feel appreciated. A richer outcome is also better for clients.
I remember when secretaries went the way of the dodo bird and many professionals exclaimed: “I don’t know how to type a letter or make a presentation!” Now, almost everyone in business creates their own PowerPoint presentations. We learned to multi-task. The world changes; today more than every before, it changes quickly. If we’re smart, we change with it. If we want to survive and thrive in business, it’s not an option. And we need to encourage our teams to change too.
Speaking from an advertising perspective, back in the ‘50s on Madison Avenue, Bill Bernbach, of Doyle Dane Bernbach (DDB) put together the first creative team: an art director (artist) and copywriter. He chose the teams with complementary personalities in mind. Fundamentally, this was an exercise in multi-tasking; putting together people with different skill sets — art and copy — but with similar mindsets. Mindsets that understood the advertising world and conceptualized visually and verbally. Getting them to work off each other, getting the writer to think visually and the designer to think verbally, built confidence, trust and ultimately the clients benefited from the results. It was brilliant. It worked and it works still. Today, the scope is even larger.
Agencies haven’t been just about print for years, they’re constantly evolving: digital/internet, mobile, guerilla, broadcast, outdoor, public service, to name a few. A lot more people are involved in the marketing strategy and the advertising that results. Everyone’s talents can be tapped, everywhere. Who says only a copywriter can write a good headline? Experience tells me the IT people often read the advertising copy and have ideas. Project managers work with clients all day long. Who better to be included in brainstorming than the people who know your clients best? Admin personnel? Absolutely. After all, if you’re admin in an ad agency, your creative side asserts itself sooner or later. It can’t not. Everybody has a creative side. (If you think you don’t have one, you just haven’t had a chance to explore it.) I’m not saying when you’re stuck for a headline call the IT guy — he’d probably look at you like you’d lost your mind. I’m saying be open to the idea that everyone has more to contribute than you, or they, might think.
Social Media is an ideal example. It’s a prime area for promoting multi-tasking. I’ve said this in other posts: Social Media is its best when all departments are involved. Everyone in an organization has something to say, saying it just needs to be encouraged. [inlinetweet prefix=”” tweeter=”” suffix=”#TeamBuilding”]The more employees know about how an organization operates, the more involved they can be;[/inlinetweet] the more they assume a personal stake in the business’ success and feel free to contribute, the more successful the organization will be. When someone in Admin or HR writes a Social Media post, that’s multi-tasking. You’re asking them to step out of their assigned role and try something new. You’re building a stronger team.
As I’ve also said before: [inlinetweet prefix=”” tweeter=”” suffix=”#TeamBuilding”]To be in marketing and not be a multi-tasker is dangerous. It’s also not as much fun.[/inlinetweet] If you approach it the right way, give expanded opportunities to learn and contribute, I’m sure your team will agree. At 3H, it works well.
What’s your take on multi-tasking, at least my meaning of it? Are there ways you’re using it in your business to build teams? Let me know.
