Steve McKee

Recent Articles by Steve McKee

December 12, 2011

Innovation on Low (or No) Budget

While invention may require significant investment, it's more about creativity; developing the proper mindset is crucial

February 3, 2011

Marketing: Investment or Expense?

Picture this scene: You're sitting in your office, getting some routine paperwork done, when the phone rings. It's your company's law firm. After exchanging a few ...

October 15, 2010

The Five W's of Marketing

You've heard of the Five W's: who, what, when, where, and why. They're the elements of information needed to get the full story, whether it's a journalist uncovering a...

July 20, 2010

Don't Undermine Your Own Brand

As the recession deepened last spring, a full-page newspaper ad from Citi (C) caught my eye. Considering the mess-of-its-own-making from which the bank was suffering, ...

April 16, 2010

How to Create Better Advertising

Conventional wisdom says the secret to great advertising is developing a big idea for a campaign. In reality, the trick is developing a campaign for a big idea. Mere ...

March 11, 2010

The Perils of Market Research

My colleagues and I conduct quite a bit of market research, both for our own company and on behalf of our clients. We've seen it used both for good and for ill. Here ...

September 11, 2009

Why Your Advertising Isn't Working

Recently, an AdweekMedia poll of LinkedIn members posed this question: "Of the ads you see in a typical day, how many engage your attention?" A remarkable two-thirds ...

August 14, 2009

How to Discount (If You Insist)

Discounting stinks. As a marketer whose job is to create preference and profitability for my clients, I don't like discounting. In fact, I hate it. I call it the ...

July 10, 2009

The Pros and Cons of Co-Branding

The moment Roger Penske announced his planned acquisition of the Saturn brand from GM, Saturn dealerships around the country initiated a spontaneous and organic ...

June 12, 2009

Customers Your Company Doesn't Want

Do a quick exercise: Take a minute and jot down three types of customers your company doesn't want. Oh, and this is important: You can't choose people like shoplifters...