Visit Competitors

“I have been up against tough competition all my life. I wouldn’t know how to get along without it.” —Walt Disney.

Competitors can be a source of motivation: they give you a bar to hit and surpass. They can also be a source of creative inspiration.

Some competitors may have already figured out a solution to your problem (there’s no reason to reinvent the wheel if you don’t need to). Or, you may see something they’re doing and know how it can be done way better.

Learning what your competitors are doing and offering can help make your products, services, and marketing stand out.

Put It Into Practice

List five of your top competitors. Circle the one you believe that you compete with most directly.

Now, plan a time to visit their website or their brick-and-mortar store (if they have one). Then answer the following questions:

What makes their store and website stand out?

What are the similarities between their store and website and yours?

What are the differences between their store and website and yours?

What improvements can be made to their store and website?

How can you implement some of the strategies they are using? 

What can you do that they are not doing?

Try looking at competition as more than an obstacle. Rather, see it as an opportunity. Competition can help you refine your business, helping you identify potential gaps in your offerings and paving the way for innovative solutions that set you apart.

Remember, competition isn’t just about outdoing others. It’s about bettering ourselves and sustainably growing our businesses.

July 20, 2023 by

Pixar’s Magic Storytelling Lessons for Every CMO

As a CMO, your job is to tell your brand’s story, making it resonate with your audience. So, why not learn from the masters of storytelling themselves – Pixar? Known for its heartwarming and memorable narratives, Pixar has revolutionized the art of storytelling. Here’s how Pixar’s storytelling tips can be translated into your marketing strategy:

Characters Over Successes:

Pixar believes the characters’ efforts are more admirable than their triumphs. This philosophy can be implemented in your brand storytelling. Highlight your brand’s struggles, challenges, and journey, making your brand relatable and human.

Audience First:

Pixar emphasizes creating interesting content for the audience rather than what’s fun to develop as a writer. As a CMO, always prioritize your audience’s perspective. Align your content and storytelling with your audience’s interests, needs, and aspirations.

Simplicity is Key:

“Less is More” – this applies to Pixar’s storytelling and your brand narrative. Avoid over-complicating your story. Keep your brand message focused, clear, and straightforward. Simplicity fosters comprehension and memorability.

The ‘Once Upon a Time’ Formula:

Consider Pixar’s simple yet effective narrative outline. It can serve as a useful blueprint for your brand storytelling, helping to create a compelling narrative that keeps your audience hooked from beginning to end.

Challenge the Comfort Zone:

Just as Pixar challenges its characters with their opposites, challenge your brand to venture beyond its comfort zone. This stimulates innovation and growth and creates engaging narratives of transformation and evolution.

Start with the End:

A clear vision of your end goal can guide your brand’s journey and narrative. It provides direction, helps maintain focus, and facilitates strategic planning.

Passion Fuels Narratives:

Pixar encourages storytellers to share narratives they’re passionate about. Likewise, your brand story should reflect the core values and missions that drive your passion. This creates an authentic and engaging narrative that resonates deeply with your audience.

No Work is Wasted:

All efforts, even those that don’t make it to the final cut contribute to the richness and depth of your brand story. Embrace this philosophy, valuing every idea, effort, and experiment as stepping stones in your brand’s journey.

Pixar’s guidelines serve as excellent guiding principles. However, storytelling is an art. So embrace these lessons, adapt them to your narrative, and watch your brand come alive.

July 17, 2023 by

How Storytelling and Authenticity Can Transform Your Marketing Strategy

Attention CEOs! Are you looking to infuse your brand with new vitality and guide it toward unprecedented growth? Storytelling and authenticity can be your winning strategies. Since time immemorial, stories have been entertaining, educating, and connecting. When businesses harness the power of stories in marketing, the results can be exceptional, translating into loyalty, engagement, and improved bottom line.

Riding the Storytelling Wave

Here’s a fact: We remember stories, not mere facts or names. This is not because we are bad with names or negligent; rather, it’s our brain, naturally wired to learn via stories and retain information wrapped within engaging narratives. 

Emerging brands, take note! The might of an engaging narrative can surpass the need for a well-known brand name. Given the advent of native marketing channels and owned communication platforms, storytelling can be your secret weapon. No longer reliant on traditional gatekeepers, you can effectively share your brand’s story authentically and powerfully. 

Take ‘Nativo’ for example, a content marketing platform that taps into the power of storytelling by emphasizing authentic content. With the aid of machine learning and AI, they meet consumers where they already are, enhancing the customer-brand relationship. This strategy enables brands to weave stories that forge genuine connections and yield significant results.

Back to the Basics: Aristotle’s Storytelling Principles

Remember Aristotle’s six elements of drama: plot, character, thought, diction, spectacle, and song. They still stand relevant, forming the crux of compelling stories. Harnessing these elements can help you create narratives that your audience finds relatable and memorable. 

The ‘Pixar Pitch’ is a tool marketers use to develop impactful, persuasive content. It involves taking your audience on a journey – showcasing the status quo, presenting an inciting incident, and then depicting the consequent actions. Your company’s origin story could serve as an excellent narrative template.

For instance, consider the story of ‘Instacart.’ The founders identified a common pain point – the tedious weekly grocery shopping and offered a solution. The resulting narrative centered around a family able to spend precious time together, thanks to the eliminated grocery trips, was far more compelling than a simple marketing message.

Swapping the Corporate Shield for Authenticity

In an unusual marketing approach, Patagonia, the outdoor outfitter, discourages customers from buying their products. Instead, they urge customers to repair and reuse, emphasizing their commitment to sustainability. This honest, value-driven narrative has resonated with customers, positioning Patagonia as a beloved brand.

Learn from Patagonia. Drive your marketing strategy, focusing on your company’s values, innovation, and people. Weave narratives that depict how your product enhances lives or the relentless efforts of your team in perfecting your product. Connecting the ‘why’ behind your brand, and communicating it through an authentic narrative, will make your customers take notice.

Authenticity and storytelling have disrupted the landscape, leading to growth, engagement, and more. So, CEOs, are you ready to show your brands a new chapter of success?

July 12, 2023 by

Mastering Narrative Devices for Authentic Brand Storytelling

Narrative Device is a strategy to communicate the brand’s story.

Should the brand use a first-person narrative? “We crafted this product for a unique blend of style and functionality.”

Or should the brand adopt a third-person perspective? “When customers get their hands on this product, they immediately notice its unique blend of style and functionality.”

Or perhaps even the second person? “Imagine discovering a product that perfectly blends style with functionality. That’s what you get with this.”

Narrative Device is another way of qualifying the brand’s “voice.” And any marketer worth their salt will tell you that once you nail the Narrative Device, the brand story comes to life almost on its own.

Consider the poetic style of Charles Bukowski.

In many of his poems, Bukowski bares his soul, revealing his authentic self behind the facade of a cynical performance artist. This is the power of a well-chosen narrative device—it allows us to see the soft marshmallow center beneath the hardened exterior.

The lesson for brands is clear: to craft compelling narratives, we need to strip away the “corporate” facade, dig into the brand’s core values, and let our authentic selves shine. This requires recognizing our brand personas and giving them a platform—let them tell our brand stories for us.

For instance, the authentic Bukowski is the guy who woke up before dawn to write. The other Bukowski was a persona—a protective facade. Similarly, brands need to acknowledge their different facets and allow each one to take the stage when it’s their time to shine.

The key to nailing Narrative Device is learning to get out of our way and let the brand’s unique ‘voice’ or ‘voices’ sing. This is how you connect with empowered consumers on a deeper level—by allowing your brand’s true colors to show, even when it feels risky or uncomfortable. Remember, the bluebirds in our brands resonate most powerfully with consumers.

July 10, 2023 by

Want Motivated Teams? Put Down the Carrot and Stick

Are you nurturing your ability to inspire others or leaning on outdated, leader-centric theories that fail to resonate with the modern understanding of human motivation?

A practical approach to motivation is within your reach, rooted in empirical science. It requires a compelling shift in perspective that abandons old methods and adopts strategies that foster growth while achieving results. 

Let’s consider how you can reimagine your motivational leadership in three critical areas: enhancing performance, employee retention, and engagement.

Boost Performance and Outcomes Through Optimal Motivation

Recognize that motivation isn’t one-size-fits-all. Suboptimal motivation can hinder the fulfillment of psychological needs required for your team’s performance. Aligned with meaningful values, optimal motivation serves these needs, leading to sustainable, healthy energy. Research validates that goals are more likely to be achieved.

Improve Retention and Avoid “Quiet Quitting” Through Optimal Motivation

A McKinsey study pinpointed autonomy as the key reason for job shifts. When unhappy at work, your team members desire choice, connection, and competence. If these needs remain unmet, they seek compensation through monetary benefits, leading to the “quiet quitting” phenomenon.

Consider the software company, InnovaSystems. They prioritize optimal motivation, even incorporating a motivation wizard in their software for employees to identify their motivational outlooks. Consequently, their retention rate exceeded the national average by over 25% during the pandemic.

Fuel Employee Engagement with Optimal Motivation

Recognize that understanding the root cause of engagement is vital. Research by Dr. Drea Zigarmi reveals how individuals appraise their workplace, affecting their well-being and behaviors. Positive appraisal leads to heightened attention, while suboptimal motivation can lead to disengagement.

Fulfilling your team’s psychological needs while addressing crucial business issues reaps tangible benefits. As you master motivational leadership, you ensure your team thrives, contributing to achieving the business results for which you’re held accountable.

July 5, 2023 by

How Company Culture Composes a Unique Melody

As marketers, we understand the importance of a solid and unique brand in standing out in a crowded marketplace. But have you ever stopped to consider how your company culture might be the orchestrator of your brand’s memorable melody?

Just as in a symphony, where each note, rest, and crescendo serve a distinct purpose, so do the elements of your company culture in creating your brand’s distinctive resonance. Our values guide our performance, instructing us when to step forward with a bold fortissimo or pull back into a gentle piano. Each member of the company, like each musician in an orchestra, plays their part in this grand composition, contributing to the harmonious ensemble that defines our brand.

This symphony extends beyond the borders of our company. Every time customers choose our product or service, they’re not making a purchase but joining the orchestra. They engage with the music, each note representing a shared value and melody conveying our mission. This level of engagement surpasses transactional interaction, creating a relationship rooted in shared beliefs and experiences.

Creating such a symphony requires a deep understanding of our brand’s core values, not just as written words but as living beliefs that permeate every aspect of our business. It’s about embodying these values in every interaction, every decision, and every product we create. This isn’t simply about marketing our brand to consumers but about engaging them in our performance and inviting them to be a part of the music we’re making.

Notably, a strong company culture promotes harmony not only externally but internally. Just as each instrument in an orchestra contributes to the overall sound, every team member plays a crucial role in our brand’s symphony. A harmonious company culture fosters employee engagement and loyalty, fueling the passion and creativity that drive innovation and growth.

As we continue to navigate the complexities of the modern marketing landscape, let us recognize the power of our company culture in composing our brand’s unique melody. It’s more than just a tune—a symphony of shared values, meaningful connections, and collective purpose. It’s what sets our brand apart and what makes our brand a melody that customers want to play on repeat. 

In the grand orchestration of branding, company culture is the conductor, leading us to a symphony that resounds long after the music ends. Let’s continue to embrace this role of company culture, shaping our brands into symphonies that leave lasting impressions and create deep, emotional connections with our customers. After all, branding is less about selling products and more about composing memorable symphonies that resonate with our audience.

July 4, 2023 by

Here’s Your FREE AI Starter Kit Download!

Thank you for being a valued reader of our blog. As a thank you, here is your AI Starter Kit! We’re excited to have you on board and ready to embark on this AI-powered journey together.

As promised, here is the link to download your FREE AI Starter Kit: [Download AI Starter Kit]

Thank you again for choosing to explore the exciting possibilities of AI with us. We can’t wait to see its positive impact on your business!

Best regards,

BJ Bueno & Ozzie Coto

June 29, 2023 by and

Transforming Creativity in Advertising: Three Exciting Ways AI is Making an Impact

Have you ever wondered how AI is influencing creativity in advertising? Here are three exciting ways creative leads are using AI in their work.

Interactive ads: AI enables interactive ads that engage consumers in new ways. One example? Using Google’s speech-to-text API to let people interact with a Google Nest product ad by using their voice!

Envisioning results: AI is being used to generate ideas and visual prompts for ‘wild-card ideas.’ This can challenge teams to push their thinking and develop something new and original. 

Guiding strategy and production at scale: AI tools are being used to improve the quality and performance of creative assets and help teams understand which creative choices resonate most with their audiences.

The key takeaway? 

AI is becoming an essential tool for creatives, offering opportunities to innovate and push boundaries like never before. 🚀

P.S.: For those ready to venture into the transformative world of AI, be sure to visit our AI Consulting & Training. Let us be your guides on this exhilarating journey, and together we’ll unlock new possibilities for your business. Don’t wait – the future of AI is here.

June 28, 2023 by and

Watch The Keynote – The AI and I: Navigating the AI Revolution

This keynote presentation features insights and expertise demystifying the complex world of Artificial Intelligence, making it accessible and understandable to a broad range of audiences. Coto and Bueno traverse the vast AI landscape, offering an insightful exploration of the subject. They distill complicated AI paradigms into digestible content, illuminating how AI reshapes various facets of industries, economies, and societies. Whether you’re a seasoned executive, an aspiring entrepreneur, or an interested bystander, this video will equip you with the knowledge needed to understand and thrive in the fast-evolving AI-powered world.

June 27, 2023 by and

The Cult Branding Introduction to AI

What is this thing? What am I going to do with it, possibly?

My Uncle Ozzie lived in the heart of Miami Lakes, nestled among the palm trees and the suburban rhythm. A man twenty years my senior and an intrepid explorer in technology. His workspace, mirroring the new exactness of a server room, was my introduction to a world teeming with technological wonders. 

Settled in this air-conditioned haven, Ozzie and I escaped the Florida heat, losing ourselves in the dance of synthesizers and the tempo of MIDI Music, usually entire orchestras playing Bach. Under the soothing hum of the machines, it was there that I, a wide-eyed 5-year-old, first grasped the infinite possibilities of programming.

More than just a skilled practitioner, Ozzie was a true pioneer in the ever-evolving technological landscape. At the time, his crowning achievement was a custom-built attendance control system for a local business, Entenmann’s Bakery. This intricate task transcended the realms of coding, demanding a delicate balancing act of diplomacy with union leaders and management to forge a universally accepted solution.

Under the phosphorus lights of PC monitors, Ozzie introduced me to the precipice of a technological revolution. He showed me that lines of code were more than just cryptic text; they were the seeds from which the sprawling tree of artificial intelligence would grow. What was once a concept confined to the pages of science fiction was rapidly transforming our shared reality.

As a 43-year-old man, I stand at the crossroads of Ozzie’s pioneering past and our collective present. My interactions with the advanced AI, GPT-4, reflect my journey. These dialogues, made possible by the leaps and bounds in machine learning and natural language processing, push the envelope of what we perceive as human and artificial.

The torch of innovation passed down from Ozzie in that calm, controlled oasis amidst the Miami heat now lights the path to a future brimming with uncharted potential. My journey, which started with the melodic notes of synthesizers and MIDI connections, has evolved into a symphony of ground-breaking algorithms and AI-driven marvels.

Each interaction with AI takes me back to Ozzie’s immaculate technology room in Miami Lakes, rekindling the memories of those first notes that sparked a lifetime symphony of innovation. On the cusp of an exciting future, I glance back at our shared history with awe and look forward with the same anticipation I felt when I first saw a synthesizer spring to life. The past’s rhythm and the future’s melody blend in this beautiful symphony of technological advancement.

And today, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is increasingly becoming a critical element in the business landscape. With the power to transform operations, increase efficiency, and enable better decision-making, AI is becoming an indispensable tool for executives. This chapter aims to comprehensively understand AI, its history, and its current capabilities and limitations. 

Artificial Intelligence is not a monolithic field but rather an interdisciplinary mosaic shaped by contributions from various disciplines. AI’s intricate tapestry weaves strands from computer science, mathematics, cognitive psychology, philosophy, neuroscience, linguistics, and even art and design. Each of these fields brings a unique perspective to the understanding and development of AI.

Computer Science, the backbone of AI, has contributed the fundamental building blocks of this technology. Algorithms, data structures, and programming languages are the tools with which AI systems are built. Concepts such as recursion, abstraction, and logic, all integral parts of computer science, play pivotal roles in formulating and implementing AI systems.

Mathematics, particularly statistics and probability theory, is another significant contributor. Machine learning algorithms are rooted in statistical theory, using principles of probability and inference to make predictions and decisions. Linear algebra and calculus provide the foundational language for most AI, from simple regression analysis to the backpropagation algorithms used in training deep neural networks.

Cognitive Psychology and Neuroscience bring insights into how the human brain works, serving as an inspiration for designing intelligent machines. Cognitive psychology, which explores how humans learn, perceive, and solve problems, has influenced the development of cognitive architectures in AI, which aim to mimic human cognitive processes. Neuroscience, focusing on the brain’s physical structure and functionality, has inspired models such as artificial neural networks mirroring the brain’s network of neurons.

Philosophy is critical in addressing fundamental questions in AI, such as what it means for a machine to be intelligent, conscious, or ethical. These questions guide AI’s development and its integration into society. Moreover, logic, a branch of philosophy, is the cornerstone of classical AI approaches and continues to be a critical component of AI systems, particularly those involved in decision-making processes.

Linguistics has significantly influenced the development of natural language processing (NLP), a branch of AI that focuses on the interaction between computers and human languages. Understanding syntax, semantics, and context, all linguistic aspects, is crucial for machines to effectively comprehend and generate human language.

Fields like Art and Design have critically contributed to AI interfaces and experiences. For instance, designing AI assistants requires technical prowess and a deep understanding of human interaction, aesthetics, and usability.

Moreover, the interplay between AI and various application fields has given rise to specialized subfields. For example, Bioinformatics combines AI with biological data to make discoveries about human health. In Finance, AI is used for risk assessment, fraud detection, and algorithmic trading. Similarly, in areas like Climate Science and Astronomy, AI aids in modeling complex systems and analyzing vast amounts of data.

Finally, it’s worth mentioning that the development and implementation of AI also depend on non-technical fields. Ethicists, sociologists, and policymakers help address the ethical, social, and legal challenges AI poses. Economists and business experts guide the integration of AI into the economy and its commercialization.

The development of AI has been a remarkable interdisciplinary journey. 

The strength of AI lies in this diverse collaboration, with each field enriching our understanding of intelligence and contributing to the development of more robust, functional, and ethical AI systems. As we continue to advance in AI, this collaborative spirit will guide the direction and shape the impact of AI on our world.

P.S.
The above excerpt is from The AI and I: A Comprehensive Guide to Navigating the AI Revolution for Founders and Executives Alike.

June 26, 2023 by