Contributors
Manon F. Herzog
Ms. Herzog is an accomplished global brand strategist and manages many of Davis Brand Capital’s most complex projects. She is fluent in multiple languages and understands the challenges of building brands that resonate worldwide. She writes on cultural, social and arts issues for Unbound Edition.
Articles by Manon F. Herzog
Senseless Place
The tourism industry certainly is not immune to the challenges of the current economic environment. Yet a recent review of a study commissioned by The Ontario Government Ministry of Tourism shows that the industry is as much of a challenge to itself. Just as they did more than a decade ago (when I attended the Ecole Suisse de Tourisme), most destinations still focus on competing on the functional benefit of “quality.” Certainly, iconic buildings, a vibrant night scene or natural beauty are assets that indicate quality and add to the “must visit” factor of a destination. But those just add up to the price of entry for the tourism industry.
Breaking the Wave of Mistrust
To expand on the excellent piece The Good Business of Good Citizenship, it is worth looking at some additional data. As Daniel Yankelovich and Isabella Furth observed in 2005, corporations and government have been subject to waves of mistrust reaching as far back as the 1930's Depression. Not surprisingly, we are in the midst of another wave, and consumer trust has eroded severely since last year. Every major industry in the U.S. is affected, with banks and automotive leading. Why does trust matter so much?
An Issue of Trust: The Future of Swiss Banking
As the Swiss bank's century-old secret slowly unravels, so goes the long-held, traditional notion of “trust me.” Of course, that isn’t true for Swiss banks alone, but no other banking system has been built on as strong a promise as “we will keep your money AND secrets safe.” As with any brand, the promise is only as strong as the operational realities that back it up.
Brand Management for the Nonprofit Sector
New York City’s Museum of Modern Art recently dropped “rogue” adman, Douglas Jaeger and his agency Happy Corp. While the incident is worth a write up in itself (I will revisit it towards the end of this post) a broader discussion about nonprofits and their mostly uncomfortable relationship with all things related to brand needs to come first.
Watch Your Language!
I know, sounds like a parent admonishing a child. Well, in my case the “child” was a fashion magazine.
Chanel Mobile Art: What’s the Point?
To many, Coco Chanel, single-handedly invented the look and fragrance of the 20th century, if not the woman itself! Who doesn't know or even covet the quilted handbags, the No. 5 square-cut perfume bottle, the little black dress, the braid-trimmed, brass-buttoned two-piece suit, the dark-toed sling pumps, or the fashion jewelry? Who doesn’t recognize the elegant simplicity of the interlaced double C, the minimalist color palette of white, black and gold…each piece telling the story of a woman with an extraordinary gift for fashion, social trends, and business? Enter Karl Lagerfeld, the man who is in charge of her legacy.
You Me
Right, the title is rather meaningless, but that’s where Miranda July , a modern-time storyteller, enters. Well, that’s what I call her. Commonly she is known as a performing artist, filmmaker and writer…hence a storyteller.
Exclusivity: New Models Are In Order
With all the talk about an impending recession, much has been written about the end of luxury brands as we know them and the need for new models to retain current and attract new consumers.
Louis Vuitton: The Best 21st Century Christmas Story Yet
To me, the French luxury brand Louis Vuitton has just taken the cake with its Christmas windows. The following imagery is from Basel, Switzerland, but it could have been taken anywhere around the world, since it has been featured in all of its 380 stores:
Bam, Emeril!
After ten years, the Food Network announced earlier this week that it will discontinue Emeril Lagasse’s evening extravaganza “Emeril Live.”
