The Story

There’s a definite trend among these tools being presented at Finovate Startup 2008–many of them are very goal-oriented, which I think is cool, and allow users to really track their progress toward reaching those goals. I believe that goal setting–and of course, the ability to execute on a plan to reach those goals–is one […]

More from Finovate Startup: Why Does Technology Have to Equal Web App?
Don’t get me wrong…I’m liking what I’m seeing here at Finovate Startup 2008. It’s fun and interesting, and I get to spend time with cool people, and even catch up with some old colleagues. What I’m wondering, though, is where are […]

So far Finovate Startup 2008 (the inaugural year) has been a pretty good event. There have definitely been tech issues with the presenters, which has been frustrating (especially for them!), but overall the program has gone well and we’ve seen some interesting stuff. I continue to be impressed by Mint.com and Prosper.com, and […]

I actually think FindABetterBank.com is a good service…I just couldn’t resist the headline, though, to illustrate my point that FindABetterBank.com is missing one big component: brand.
Here’s what I mean. People don’t switch service providers for ONLY rational reasons. Sure, there are many rational factors that influence a bank change (fees, rates, locations, […]

Today I’m at Finovate Startup 2008, in San Francisco. I thought you might like a few updates here from the show, so throughout today I’m going to blog and tweet a bit to keep you in the loop. If you’re not already connected to us on Twitter, hook it up at http://twitter.com/CreativeBrand.
So far […]

Portland got its first IKEA last July, and it was truly a monumental moment. Ok, maybe not monumental, but definitely exciting for those of us used to spending 6+ hours in a car to get to the store near Seattle.
Part of the fun of shopping at IKEA is the showroom that displays products in […]

I was going to write this blog about how I rented and watched this movie based solely on the design of the DVD sleeve:

Then I started thinking about Berlin Alexanderplatz, a different film I recently bought as a gift for someone and how great that cover was:

Both DVDs are produced by Criterion Collection, a private […]

Are your rhetoric, reality and practice all going in different directions?

Like most, I am completely engrossed by the developments of the presidential election—especially the recent Democratic debate between Obama and Clinton. I’m one of those few “undecided” voters who will wait to make a decision—regardless of political party—until November. Instead of focusing on the […]

This morning I’m pondering the topic of rebellion…specifically, as usual, related to branding and marketing for banks and credit unions. I’ve always considered myself and CBC to NOT be about rebellion. Yet, we’re still very rebellious. We’re not contrarian, yet we have a lot of contrarian ideology and do a lot of […]

My last mini case study explored the fluffy French power room that is Anthropologie. This time I’m going to concentrate on a slightly-less-feminine company called Tao of Tea. Not many of you have probably visited Tao, since it is a local Portland establishment. However, you may have heard of the tea house, […]