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Points of view and thought leadership on consumer trends, industry insights and recent work

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Where’s everybody going?

Where’s everybody going?

Urbanites moving back in with their parents, affluent families fleeing big cities for second homes at the beach, ultra-wealthy tech entrepreneurs trading Silicon Valley for luxe bunkers in the mountains. Are we witnessing the Great Migration of 2020? And what kinds...

A bouquet of lavender wedged in an open, wooden window
Fresh Simple

Fresh Simple

As Leonardo da Vinci put it; Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication. I couldn’t agree more. In my continued series highlighting my adventures in Italy and how they inspire my thinking, I came across this image I snapped a number of years ago. Now, you might find...

An island in the Mediterranean Sea with a path of sand and shrubbery
Roman Road Rage

Roman Road Rage

How do marketers continue to attract valuable millennials to brands when what they want is instant gratification? The plan was set. Insider advice given, acted upon and put into motion. Our objective? Find the ancient Roman road that leads to a remarkable, secluded...

Florence’s Duomo at night, photographed in black-and-white
The Awestruck Human

The Awestruck Human

As we rounded the corner in the center of the ancient city, he stopped in his tracks, awestruck. Dumbfounded as the Duomo came into view, my third eldest stood wide eyed and speechless. Scraping the sky to communicate its message, it overwhelms, transfixes and...

The album cover and vinyl record of I Love Rock ‘n Roll by Joan Jett & the Blackhearts
Joan Jett and the Crossroads

Joan Jett and the Crossroads

An ancient crossroads becomes a modern reality-check Flipping through the vinyl records in Bradlees felt like an adventure every time. So much to explore just beyond that cellophane cover and colorful sleeve. Anticipating the crack of the needle as it found its...

Blue gears featuring symbols create a mind map that a hand touches
The Constancy of Change

The Constancy of Change

Change is the only constant. There's real wisdom in that saying, especially when it comes to technology. It's become a bigger and bigger part of our lives. Not just as an accessory (though who doesn't love grabbing some factoid off the internet with a voice...

A variety of app symbols point to gray outline of a human head with arrows
Direct Mail Gone Digital

Direct Mail Gone Digital

Today's consumer is, in a word, inundated. Brands compete for attention 24/7, sending messages through countless channels that come at the consumer from every direction. As marketers, our job is to help our clients cut through the clutter. We're constantly developing strategies and staying a step ahead to make sure our messages drive action. In doing this, brands tend to focus online, throwing their weight behind email, social and other digital marketing.

People and pigeons gather on stone ground in the rain
Getting Back to Human

Getting Back to Human

The piazza glistened with just-fallen rain. The cobbles seemed to soak up the moisture and lay a bit more proud - "how good we look today" with all this shine and glimmer. Buildings that had stood here for hundreds of years took it all in establishing the...

Many handwritten letters taped to a red door with plants and windows beside it
Reviews in the Wind

Reviews in the Wind

Papers flapping from the wind and whirl of people passing by. Browned and aged and discolored by the Venetian sun. Gathered together, one on top of the other, clamoring for individual attention. Handwritten, layered notes and messages exclaiming joy and happiness...