Michael
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Rest in Peace, Purelight Power
Two days before Christmas last month, Medford-based Purelight Power sent more than 100 layoff notices to its staff. The solar installation company was closing operations in nine states. This included more than 80 workers here in Southern Oregon. This has had a rippling effect throughout the communities where Purelight operated. CEO JD Beck blamed the… Read more
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The Four Pillars of Branding
To build and maintain a powerful brand, we look to strengthen the four pillars of branding: Differentiation, Relevance, Esteem, and Knowledge. In this post, i’ll be explaining the importance of each pillar and how brands use each one to give momentum to their Brand Flywheel. I’m using the Brand Asset Valuator model as a basis… Read more
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Stio, A Lifestyle Explorer Brand
As I write this, it’s catalog season. Towards the end of the calendar year, our mailbox gets stuffed full of catalogs based on our purchasing habits (lifestyle, home furnishing, women’s clothing to name a few categories). And while I’m a pretty cautious, thrifty type, some brands just stick out to me because they reflect my… Read more
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Laying the Groundwork for Your Brand Flywheel
If you are a small business owner or the person in charge of marketing for a small shop, you have a responsibility to drive sales. Or maybe you are in charge of a nonprofit organization’s philanthropy department with ever-increasing needs for more donations. How you go about earning revenue says everything about you and the… Read more
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Why Do I Keep Doing This to Myself?
It was 6:30 in the morning. I had spent the past 24 1/2 hours running, walking, and hobbling my way from a trailhead in the middle of Southern Oregon towards Ashland, my hometown. It was my last attempt at completing the venerable Pine to Palm 100 Mile Ultramarathon (2025 was the final year of the… Read more
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Case Study: Mt. Ashland
The Mt. Ashland Association was my first client. It was 2014. I was requested to join the organization during a period of significant turmoil at the nonprofit ski area serving Southern Oregon. The ski area had not opened the previous winter due to a lack of snow. The organization had to restructure nearly $1 million… Read more
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Red Bull Gives You Braaanding!
Yes, Red Bull Gives You Wiiings! (well maybe not so much). In truth, the company has done a brilliant job of marketing its energy drink product over 40+ years. In 1987, there were no other heavily marketed energy drinks (most such drinks were niche-y drinks sold overseas with little widespread recognition)1. Fast forward 4 decades,… Read more
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How Does Defining Your Brand’s Archetype Give Momentum to Your Brand Flywheel?
Brand archetypes are powerful tools for creating emotional connections and driving long-term momentum for your brand. When aligned with the brand flywheel—a self-reinforcing cycle of customer satisfaction, visibility, and growth—archetypes can amplify every stage of the journey, turning casual customers into loyal advocates and accelerating your brand’s success. In this article, we’ll explore this connection… Read more
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The AIDA Model and the Brand Flywheel
The AIDA model is a foundational marketing framework that describes the stages a customer goes through from first encountering a brand to taking action, such as making a purchase. in this post, we’ll be exploring how this time-tested framework can give momentum to your Brand Flywheel. The History of the AIDA Model The AIDA model—standing… Read more
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Cognitive Biases That Drive Consumer Behavior
Marketing and consumer psychology are deeply intertwined. At the heart of every purchasing decision are hidden mental shortcuts—cognitive biases—that shape how people perceive value, make choices, and ultimately decide what to buy. Understanding these biases can give brands a powerful edge by aligning offers with human nature rather than fighting against it. In this post,… Read more
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How Your Brand Archetype Can Power Your Brand Flywheel
Once you understand your brand’s archetype or set of archetypes (most brands express the characteristics of more than just one archetype), you can use the Brand Flywheel method to help you meet your mission. 1. Your Mission Craft a mission rooted in your archetype’s core desire—whether it’s discovery for the Explorer, connection for the Lover,… Read more
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The Sage Archetype: Inspiring Expertise, Advancing Knowledge
Among the twelve classic brand archetypes, the Sage stands as the personification of wisdom, truth, and intellectual curiosity. If your organization seeks to guide, inform, and illuminate new perspectives—helping audiences make sense of a complex world—the Sage offers a timeless and trusted framework for your brand. What is the Sage Archetype? The Sage archetype centers… Read more