Didn't See It Coming By Marc Stoiber

Today was a big one. First, Tiger Woods made sporting history with one of the greatest comebacks of all time. What implications were there for Nike, the brand that has stuck by Tiger through thick and thin - and what does this say about the role of brands in teaching us integrity?  By the way, it's estimated Nike made $22,540,000 with Tiger's win. Meditate on that a moment.  In a VERY unrelated story, Donald Trump tweeted advice to Boeing, makers of the beleaguered 737 Max aircraft. According to Trump's tweet, making good on the terrible deaths of hundreds of crash victims would be as simple as fixing up the problems with the aircraft, putting in some great new features, and rebranding it. Soooooo, what should Boeing do with that advice?  Those are the stories I went on the air with today, chatting with CFAX's Mark Brennae. The conversation was lively, to put it mildly. Enjoy! If you enjoy this interview, please share. Hey, sharing is caring. Also, make sure to sign up for my newsletter. And would it hur

A few days ago, the hallowed halls of elite colleges like Yale, Stanford and USC were blown apart with news that wealthy parents had paid college entry 'consultant' Rick Singer upwards of $25 million to short circuit the admissions process for their children.  Buying entry into great schools is nothing new: the most famous example is Jarred Kushner, whose parents paid millions to have their scion attend the school.  What's new here is that Singer told the parents they could do the scam for far less money, and he could guarantee the results.  To me, this is a classic status brand story - people doing anything and everything to attain ethereal status, and brands stepping in to fill their void. So I went on the air with CFAX's Mark Brennae to dissect the story, and provide a checklist of how to create a status brand. Enjoy! If you enjoy this podcast, make sure to share it on social media, and subscribe to my newsletter!

This past week, hockey commentator and icon Don Cherry took the NHL's Carolina Hurricanes to task, calling them a 'bunch of jerks' for celebrating their wins post-game with silly pantomimes. The Hurricanes, far from being cowed by Cherry's curmudgeonly comment, printed 'Bunch of Jerks' shirts and embraced the moniker as part of their brand.  This is classic pirate brand (or outlaw brand) behaviour: taking the status quo and turning it on its head.  Often, the pirate brand isn't intentional. Harley Davidson wasn't always the brand of outlaws and rebels. But the art of listening to your constituents, then giving their sentiments a creative twist, can lead to powerful results. Another brand that might find itself in pirate territory? Canada. As a Canuck, I've often bemoaned our stereotypical 'nice guy' image - until the age of Trump. This comes to light in a recent Family Guy episode, where Peter Griffin and Donald Trump beat each other to a pulp - only to be saved from themselves by dapper Canadian Prime Min

A short time ago, Gillette waded into the social commentary sphere, releasing a long format ad counselling men to 'Be Better' and stand up to issues like bullying.  The ad prompted an outcry, with negative comments outweighing good. It has since been dissected by prominent journals including The Guardian and Forbes, to name just two.  Is it a razor manufacturer's job to tell men how to behave? Should brands stick to selling instead of taking a stand? Where are the guidelines for taking the right path?  To dissect a few of these issues, I went on the air with CFAX's Mark Brennae. Enjoy the conversation!  If you enjoy this interview, please pass it along on social media. And subscribe for more!