Bruce Philp
Canadian Business
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Past articles by Bruce:
Stop tinkering your brand to death
Some companies frantically reinvent themselves at any sign of trouble, but the cure is usually worse than the disease. Consistency is what wins, long-term. → Read More
Why human resources is the future of marketing
For better or worse, service workers are part of your brand. Smart marketers are making friends with HR and getting involved in hiring and training. → Read More
Search marketing is useless without brand awareness
Even search giant Google, whose entire business is based on search ads, has seen the light and is touting the benefits of brand awareness in wider contexts. → Read More
Publicity stunts are a high-risk, high-reward gamble for brands
It’s a high-wire act for brands to insert themselves into the news cycle, but when event marketing works, the payback can be spectacular. → Read More
You can’t fake a good back story, but you can buy one
Every brand wants to be “authentic,” but few get it right. Consumers can spot insincerity a mile away → Read More
Social media was supposed to save marketing. It's failing.
Early optimism about these platforms is fading as user engagement drops and trolls dominate the conversation. Marketers need to reconsider their strategies. → Read More
Good causes or not, charities use some of the worst marketing tactics
Despite advocating for some of the best causes, charities have become a source of the most aggravating marketing techniques. No wonder giving is down. → Read More
CMOs are being shut out just when C-suites need them the most
Branding is more important than ever, but C-suites seldom give it the attention it needs and too many CMOs are stuck on the outside looking in. → Read More
Emotional advertising is back because we’re sick of irony—and it works
Irony is so over in advertising. Brands are finally rediscovering how powerful a little sentimentality can be (and it's selling a lot of product too). → Read More
The real challenge of merging Tim Hortons and Burger King is cultural
Tim Hortons is a confident, beloved category leader. Burger King is the flailing Pepsi to McDonald's Coke. The math may work, but culture will be harder. → Read More
Enviro-scolds have spooked companies into silence about sustainability
Even when they're doing well on sustainability, companies have learned to keep quiet, lest they be attacked for not doing better. That’s counterproductive. → Read More
Uber can’t be an $18 billion company with marketing this dorky: Bruce Philp
How you start a business is rarely how you grow it. Uber, like so many startups, has endless faith in early adopters. That's not where the real market is. → Read More
How did political marketing get so vulgar, amoral and just plain bad?
Political marketing is so hollow and disingenuous, it makes hawking cereal seem like a higher calling. How did things get to this low point? → Read More
Don’t get comfortable, Target; Many U.S. brands can’t hack it here
Careful market research won’t save Target: Canadians answer consumer surveys as if they’re being asked whether someone’s new pants make them look fat. → Read More