Business and management articles | Cooler Insights

Rubies in the Orchard: Book Review

July 19, 2012 • Book Reviews • no comments

Serial entrepreneur and billionaire Lynda Resnick’s book “Rubies in the Orchard” provides a fascinating glimpse into the marketing strategies behind brands like POM Wonderful, FIJI Water, Teleflora and the Franklin Mint. Part autobiography and part business book, the highly readable tome chronicled how Lynda rose from rags to riches and deployed her marketing smarts to seed and grow four highly successful businesses.

Written in a witty and conversational fashion, Rubies in the Orchard presents an in-depth glimpse into four very different industries. In the section on Teleflora, Lynda described how marketing is “all about listening. You want to be the equivalent of a good friend”. She then described how an attribute can be a Unique Selling Proposition (USP) based on the following:

Four Ways to Boost Innovation

July 17, 2012 • Business and Management • no comments

Courtesy of Innovation Group

We’ve all been stuck in the desert of “been-there-done-that” before. Year after year, our company churns out predictable products and ho-hum services that hardly raises a yawn.

The result? Stagnating or declining sales even as our competitors waltz past us with exciting new products that captures the imagination and wows the media.

Are Your Brand and Corporate Values Aligned?

July 15, 2012 • Blog • 1 comment

What Personality is Your Brand? (courtesy of Me, Myself and Ashlea)

Like individuals, brands have values and personality. According to Branding Strategy Insider, these are often derived from a combination of the following:

a) The personality and values of the organisation’s founder

Embrace the 9 Rules of Self Discipline

July 12, 2012 • Personal Branding • 6 comments

Ever wondered why some people seem to have it all made while others simply drift by?

What is the difference between successful CEOs, political and religious leaders, and the rest of us who may lead more mundane and ordinary lives?

The secret, according to motivational speaker and author Brian Tracy, is that successful people run their lives according to the principles of self-discipline.

Implementation 101

July 9, 2012 • Blog • 1 comment

Source of image

In a world inundated by social networks, ideas are plentiful. Just google any topic and you’ll find truckloads of tips and thoughts. There are a plethora of experts out there who are willing to give you lots of free help.

Including…ahem… yours truly. 🙂

Coke & McDonald’s Join Hands for 2012 Olympics

July 7, 2012 • Blog • 1 comment

Bloggers posing for the camera with Tiffany Goh from Coke

Celebrate the upcoming London 2012 Olympic Games with Coca-Cola and McDonald’s. Global partners since 1955, the two leading consumer brands are worldwide partners of the upcoming Games in London, and are offering customers a limited edition set of 6 “Coca-Cola London 2012 Olympic Games” glasses.

Customised Curated Memories

July 5, 2012 • Blog • no comments

Ethan’s birth was one of my life’s biggest moments

In a consumer world awash with an endless stream of innovative products and services, there appear to be one thing that’s missing. And that is to tap onto a customer’s deep and intimate memories.

Now wait a minute. Isn’t that the same as what peddlers of nostalgia goods are already doing?

Why Major Retailers are Largely Local

July 3, 2012 • Business and Management • 1 comment

NTUC FairPrice holds its ground through innovative concepts like FairPrice Express (courtesy of FairPrice)

Wonder why NTUC Fairprice and Cold Storage rules the grocery retail scene in Singapore?

Or why huge players like Wal-Mart and Target have largely stayed away from our shores?

SHINE Festival Shimmers and Sparkles

July 1, 2012 • Blog • no comments

An unlikely crew of super heroes

With the tagline “Fire Up Your Passion”, this year’s SHINE Youth Festival comprises a month-long extravaganza of activities geared towards getting youths to do their part for society. To contribute, they can pledge to SHINE at the festival itself, do it online, or find ways to “take action and lead ground-up initiatives that would benefit the community” (quoting from Lynette Lee, SHINE Youth Festival Steering Committee member).

Held at Ngee Ann City’s Civic Plaza yesterday, the SHINE festival boasted a series of youth-led social movements such as the ever popular Cosmo Youth Parade, Community Service Marathon’s “Walk for a Cause” featuring an 800 m long cloth dragon, Urban Sports Challenge and the Dell-Intel Youth Concert.