As a professional, growth often comes with experience in the field, mentor feedback, and educational opportunities. And, while we may experience bouts of discomfort along the way, most of what we do remains familiar and comfortable to our skill sets. It’s when we take a chance and step out of our comfort zone that the opportunity to grow and learn presents itself.
In honor of National Book Lover’s Day, we created a summer reading roundup of the books that are keeping us sane and happy this summer. Read on for our suggestions of great beach reads this summer and enjoy a little mental health vacation (even if you can only squeeze it in after a long day at the office).
The practice of "unplugging" may seem like checking out, but the truth it can be the best way to make yourself more productive. Learn the benefits of unplugging and tips on how to do it in this blog post from team insight180.
Social media can be a valuable marketing tool for a brand, but only if you have a strong social media strategy in place. Read on for the social media guidelines we recommend to all of our clients.
Think about an engaging character from a television show or movie. What about them is memorable for you? Is it the way they hold their own during a conflict or how they talk (and laugh) just like you do when you’re hanging with your best friends? Is their sarcastic wit comforting and familiar or does it trigger a response of unease? When we immerse ourselves in entertainment, we come to feel like we know the characters as if they were real people in our lives. The same can be true of the brands we love.
I was recently asked why defining core values is important to an organization, and more specifically, how they influence a brand. I would counter, what’s the purpose in existing as an organization if core values aren’t driving it? While profitability and stakeholder responsibilities are what keep the lights on for any company, core values are what support the vision, define company culture and help align an organization and the people who work there.
I recently had the opportunity to lead a branding discussion at the Maryland Innovation Center and, amongst all of the great questions, one in particular stood out to me and my team, “What’s the story behind your name, insight180?” Honestly, I love it when people ask about our name. It gives us an opportunity to elaborate on who we are, how we’ve evolved, and who we’re becoming. It helps us tell our unique story, something we really appreciate in a good brand name. A good name can do many things: evoke an emotion (like trust or confidence); relay a purpose; create some fun and elicit curiosity. Still, other brand names may be less than inspiring but too established to change (like GEICO – what the heck does that even mean?).
Building a successful brand – like the business it represents – is not unlike training for a race. It’s more of a marathon than a sprint. You’re not going to break out of the gate at top speed. Instead, you’ll build a steady, sustainable pace that gets you closer and closer to that finish line so that when the time comes, you can finish strong.
There’s no doubt about it, it’s been another unusual year. In this time for missives, musings, reflections… whatever you call them, I’ve been thinking a lot about pausing, purpose, awareness, and intentionality. So pardon me while I ramble.
A stylish dress. A classy suit. A trendy pair of shoes. What you wear and how you look carries a lot of weight when it comes to what others think about you. We all do it. Within a few seconds of meeting someone, we’ve already formed opinions that have nothing to do with the facts we know about a person. Most of us, for example, believe that attractive people are smarter and friendlier than less attractive folk. Or that people who are skilled in one area are naturally capable in others. It’s human nature. And first impressions matter.
How are you doing? No, really. To claim that it’s “business as usual” would be denying the extraordinary circumstances we are experiencing collectively. We are very aware of new challenges to so many people and systems these days. And yet, we’re inspired. We’ve observed incredible innovation and beautiful acts of kindness that we wanted to shine a light on. Our social media pages are alive with posts celebrating what’s good in the world. And we created some great reminders of our own about self-care and well-being to share. From our families to yours, take a look, and take good care! Feel free to share the posts that speak to you. We hope they make your days brighter, too. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn for more positivity!
So, why would two-decades-old companies like Dunkin’ Donuts — now Dunkin’ — and Weight Watchers — now WW — choose to rebrand? And what effects will their rebrand mean to their loyal and prospective customers?
