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Marketing Creativity: Soccer Balls versus AIDS

Any marketing professional will tell you that Step One for success in any program is attracting eyeballs, getting people to look at what you’re offering. That’s true whether you’re promoting a product, an idea, or even giving something away. Sometimes a little extra creativity is required. That’s especially true if your audience has little or no interest in what you’re selling. Wired International, a non-profit organization that offers free medical education and information in remote and underserved regions of the world, found a ... Read more

Shareholder Value: A Myth?

“Shareholder value is the dumbest idea in the world.”—former GE CEO Jack Welch  By Virgil Scudder   How many times do we hear it said on quarterly shareholder earnings calls or investor days?  The company did this, or that, to “enhance shareholder value.”  Not infrequently the action referred to is a take-over or merger.  But, since more than half of corporate mergers fail, it’s hard to see how shareholders, especially those in for the long haul, will see their value enhanced.  The share price ... Read more

In the C-Suite: The Long-Term Effects of a Controversial Action in Indiana

By Virgil Scudder Saying that Indiana Gov. Mike Pence is having a bad year is like saying Boston got a little snow this past winter. Boston has since dug out. But Pence won’t be able to do the same for some time. A former Congressman, the conservative Republican left Washington in 2013 with a reputation as a media-savvy and stout defender of the news media’s rights. He was proud of his media-friendly image. But that image would not survive his future miscues. As 2015 approached, ... Read more