by Jeff McKay | Brand Strategy, Culture
Why do firms only give out good references? Before making most purchases—large or small—I do my research. Amazon, Yelp, REI, Angie’s List and retail sites all give me opportunities to read client references. When I read reviews, I first read the five-star reviews and... by Jeff McKay | Brand Strategy, Marketing Strategy
Professional services leaders and marketers often look at B2C companies as the yardstick for branding and taglines for their own firms. Nike, Apple, and Coca-Cola are brands that often come to mind. We are familiar with them all and have probably been “inspired” by... by Jeff McKay | Brand Strategy, Marketing Strategy
I am astounded at how asinine marketing stories can be, particularly in the consumer world. The latest marketing story to catch my ire is the Lincoln commercial with Oscar winner, Matthew McConaughey. The commercials have McConaughey riding around in a Lincoln product... by Jeff McKay | Brand Strategy, Marketing Strategy
When I was a kid, my dad used to take me to St. Louis Cardinal baseball and football games and to see Blues hockey. I can vividly recall learning at a very early age when and how you pulled the goalie, sent the runner (that cost me a dollar on a sucker bet with my... by Jeff McKay | Brand Strategy
Can you really manage a professional services brand? Sure, you can choose a positioning, manage brand architecture somewhat, write a great tagline and boilerplate and control the visual identity, but those things really aren’t what professional services brands are... by Jeff McKay | Brand Strategy
Why do your clients buy services you offer from other firms? It happens time and time again. You learn through the grapevine or through a loyal client that another client has just chosen a competitor for a service that you provide. When you ask your client why he... by Jeff McKay | Brand Strategy, Culture
How many times has your firm rebranded? Maybe a downturn in business or the arrival of a new marketer has signaled to someone that it’s time for a new visual identity: new colors, a new logo, a new tagline. If you’ve been around for a while, you have probably traveled... by Jeff McKay | Brand Strategy, Culture
Today, I heard another partner at a professional services firm express a desire to “have a brand like Apple.” Every time I hear that request I chuckle. Why? I imagine a leadership team reacting to a branding firm’s creative team delivering a creative concept... by Jeff McKay | Brand Strategy
I am often asked by leaders and marketers of professional service firms whether they should emphasize the firm’s brand or the personal brands of its partners and thought leaders. Normally the argument goes something like this: “This firm has been here for... 
