Continuing on my post inauguration high, I want to share the brilliant copy from a print ad by Marriott Hotel that ran in USA Today, and other national papers January 20. The ad is quite simple. 14 lines starting with “You can’t …” 14 lines that are crossed out. Here is the complete list of “You can’t …”

You can’t abolish slavery.
You can’t build a railroad from the Atlantic to the Pacific.
You can’t give women the right to vote.
You can’t fly a plane from New York to Paris.
You can’t defeat Nazi Germany.
You can’t devise a plan to rebuild war-ravaged Europe.
You can’t cure polio.
You can’t allow black children and white children to go to school together.
You can’t put a man on the moon.
You can’t pass a Civil Rights act.
You can’t beat the Russians in hockey.
You can’t help bring down the Berlin Wall.
You can’t map the human genome.
You can’t elect a black man President of the United States.

The last line of text reads: “What’s next, America? Because whatever it is, the answer is yes, we can.”

A historic day. Glued to the TV since 7am. Sharing this with my wife and two daughters. It’s a new generation. And in the words of our 44th President of the United States of America, Barack Obama – Yes We Can!

If you missed the premier run in October 2008, The Sundance Channel is running an encore of season four starting this week. If you are new to the series, “ICONOCLASTS explores the intersection where two great talents meet – and where creativity comes alive.” in the words of Executive Producer Robert Redford. Or if you prefer the scripted version:

ICONOCLASTS presents an intimate, unpredictable portrait of creative visionaries whose passion for what they do has transformed our culture. Like the leadership consumer packaged good brands I work with on a daily basis, these celebrity “Brand Icons”are leaders that have changed the conversation on how people view and experience the world today. I was inspired by the pairings for this season. I trust you will enjoy them as well.

Season Four
Desmond Tutu + Richard Branson
Stella McCarthy + Ed Ruscha
Tony Hawk + Jon Favreau
Bill Maher + Clive Davis
Venus Williams + Wyclef Jean
Cameron Dias + Cameron Sinclair

If you are so inclined, season two is available on iTunes and season three is playing on Hulu.

Source: The Sundance Channel

Sir Richard Branson answers questions from FORTUNE and readers in Questions for Sir Richard Branson in the November 10, 2008 issue of FORTUNE Asia. I was in Singapore on business at the time and came upon this article. I’m a big fan of Branson as a fellow entrepreneur. I like his spirit and perspective to life and business that when the opportunity came up to attend his Rock the Kasbah charity event for Virgin Unite this past October in Los Angeles I quickly said yes. And that is another story.

I’m still looking for the complete article online as it is a very good read. In the meantime there were two questions that I want to share Branson’s response as he clearly articulates the importance of a strong brand and changing the conversation.

How are you dealing with the economic crisis?

So far, we’ve been very lucky. Because we’ve been going 25 years, we’ve built up a reputation, built up a trusted brand, and therefore, in this time of difficulty, people will go out of their way to fly us. We have also, in a sense sadly, benefited from a number of other carriers that we were competing with going bust. So any dropoff that we might have felt from people losing their jobs or the banking crisis has been more than offset by there being less competition.

What’s been your biggest business blunder?

Virgin has gotten it right when we’ve taken on a Goliath and offered a much-better-quality product at good value. We’ve gotten it wrong when we’ve taken on a giant with a product where we can’t differentiate. Virgin Cola is the classic example. For the first few months (in 1994) that we launched Virgin Cola in England, we took Coca-Cola by storm. And we got 60% market share where we were selling. It was great fun. Then Coca-Cola set up a SWAT team in Atlanta. They sent it to England. They went into all the retailers that we were in, and we suddenly found that we had no shelf space left. And because we had nothing unique, we soon found our market share go from 60% right back down to 5%-10% if we were lucky.

The two key insights to take away are:

1. In troubled times, consumers retreat to reputable, trusted brands. All the more important to design your brand “right” from the start.
2. If you can’t differentiate (change the conversation) yourself from the competition, you will not establish yourself as a sustainable brand. How can you change the conversation and establish your brand as the leader in the category.

Source: FORTUNE Asia – First – Questions for … Sir Richard Branson

Automotive designer Robert Cumberford writes about The Best Racing Car Design of All Times – the Bugatti Type 35 – in Automobile Magazine. Great read and the Bugatti is a timeless beauty.

If you are open to changing the conversation, you will enjoy IBM’s (IBM) 80 page report on The Enterprise of The Future. The introduction from the site:

“What will The Enterprise of the Future be like? What will your business look like in five years, or even ten? While we don’t have a crystal ball to provide all the answers, The IBM Global CEO Study sheds light on what the future may hold.

Through interviews with 1,130 business and public sector leaders worldwide in 45 countries, the IBM Global CEO Study provides new and compelling perspectives on strategic issues such as global integration, new and changing customer groups, and business model innovation — facing organizations of all sizes.

Only those organizations that understand and prepare to address the new realities of the integrated market will be able to harvest its full potential.”

The report includes some interesting insights, facts, questions to consider about your own business, and several case studies. A quick and informative read. Highly recommended.

Are you happy? As we celebrate the new year, Chopra writes about happiness during the recession on his blog. What makes you truly happy?

Martha Stewart answers questions from FORTUNE and readers in Questions for Martha Stewart.

In a crowded category we recognize Pizza Fusion for changing the conversation. From brand positioning, product (pizza) design to retail environment and delivery vehicles, Pizza Fusion has established themselves as a leader and innovator of Pizza.

By thinking outside the pizza box they created a brand that by word of mouth, people will drive one hour to experience. Yes, Toto this is not your typical pizza restaurant. What is their recipe for success? It all starts with a clear and focused vision for the brand and attention to every detail down to the type of paper towels and toilet paper (100% post consumer by the way).

First, the brand platform. Pizza Fusion is more that a gourmet pizza restaurant. Started by two college buddies Vaughn Lazar and Michael Gordon, Pizza Fusion is about integrity, social responsibility, healthy, ecological. Their tag line sums up their mission and values quite nicely: Saving the Earth One Pizza at a Time. By putting a clearly differentiated stake in the ground, Pizza Fusion positioned themselves as a leader from the start. As “Big Dave” Ostrander, a pizza consultant said, “They’re basically competition proof. They’re very unique in the product, the passion, the ingredients, the look and the taste.”

Thanks “Big Dave” for a great quote and stealing a bit of my thunder. Indeed the product (pizza) design fully supports the brand position. Their unique skateboard shape signals that this is a different kind of pizza experience. They back it up with ingredients that are 75% organic, locally sourced and are free of GMO’s, preservatives, pesticides, trans fats, etc. Their Vegan pizza has 100% nondairy soy mozzarella cheese alternative. And they have a gluten-free menu with includes pizza, brownies and beer.

The retail environment also follows in lockstep. Each restaurant is LEED-certified for environmentally sustainable construction. Reclaimed wood table, insulation made from blue jeans, utensils made from potatoes are just some of the methods to reduce – and promote – their eco footprint. When it comes to home delivery, all the vehicles are hybrids. And customers get a discount for returning pizza boxes to be recycled.

Pizza Fusion lives their brand in every aspect. They walk the talk and customers reward them with their love. And we are talking big love.

1. From two restaurants at the beginning of 2008, the franchise ended the year with 16 locations nationwide with 75 restaurants in development
2. Sales are projected to be $15 million in 2008 and double to $30 million in 2009
3. Recognized by Plenty Magazine – The Plenty 20 Awards for 2008
4. Top 10 Vegan-Friendly Pizzerias in the US by PETA
5. Top 10 Green Business of the Year by Co-op America – two years in a row

Sources: Pizza Fusion, BrandWeek – Brands on the Verge – Any Way You Slice It, Pizza Fusion Is Unique

Disciplined branding is not just for products and services, politicians can benefit as well. In a recent commentary on Brandweek, Kevin Clancy and Ami Bowen of Copernicus Marketing advocate using branding basics rather than resorting to standard campaign strategies is the key to success for Barack Obama. The two key insights from the article that you can applying to your branding situation are:

1. Broadening the appeal of your brand beyond the core without jeopardizing your brand equity. My take – Understand that it may require you to take more than just a “step” to grow your appeal. As long as that “leap” is true to your brand values, your core audience will not leave you. Really. Many times, established consumer brands are afraid to make that leap and that leaves an opening for other brands to capture this broader audience, and in some instances, take some of your core audience as well. Are you ready to lead?

2. Identify areas of dissatisfaction; a serious need or problem that your competitor is not currently offering an adequate solution. Where is the “White Space” that you can lead? My take – It’s about differentiation and innovation. For example, just being “organic” is not enough anymore. How are you innovating your product or service and offer solutions that elevate your brand above the competition. And when we talk innovation, it has to be relevant and meaningful to your core consumer. They can spot a poser from a mile away.