James Archer

In this session from the Method+Madness conference, James Archer talks about how to get past the designer-as-decorator, "make it pretty" mentality, and how to sell a design process based around depth, substance, and real-world problem solving. YouTube Transcript (auto-generated): all right I want to start by telling you a

The basic elements of highly successful online videos are really just fundamental principles of human interaction The basic elements of highly successful online videos are really just fundamental principles of human interaction, and you can apply to nearly any form of communication (especially marketing). While there's no way to guarantee

Are profits and productivity hiding right under your nose? Here's how to take advantage of scent marketing. Regardless of your work environment, it's usually obvious that its appearance (lighting, paint colors, etc.) and sound (background music, noise, etc.) can have significant effects on your staff's productivity and morale, as well

Marketers need to inject a bit of this into their efforts to catch the most customers. When a company isn't catching enough fish (especially in a tough economy), the CEO's instinct is often to cast a wider net, hire more people to cast nets, or simply cast the net more

Learn how successful companies design memorable experiences that inspire customers, motivate staff, and drive revenue. You can watch this video here: YouTube transcript (auto-generated): The secret to compelling customer experiences DPR Construction was founded in 1990 by three guys who wanted to take a different approach to construction, treating it

Be who you really are and customers will love you for it We’re naturally attracted to people and brands that stand for something, and we’re suspicious of those that try to mold themselves around our preferences. Imagine this. You’re on a blind date. You: “So, where do

Another type of marketing metaphor, the archetype, is based on the idea of universal, reoccurring characters or personifications that represent something fundamental about the ways we identify ourselves and relate to the world around us. A few years ago, we began the process of gathering raw archetypes from as many

A cultural metaphor is strong because it references cultural icons shared by a brand’s consumers. Of the three types of brand metaphors, this one has the most potential to slide into “themeiness." But when it’s executed well, it can also be the most useful as a source of

Once you’ve sorted out your company’s roots (purpose, values, style, etc.), you’ll find yourself faced with the challenge of trying to hold all that information in your head when making a decision. One of the best tools for dealing with this situation is a metaphor: a concept

You may want to run a few campaigns and be done with marketing, but it just doesn't work that way. Seasoned Fortune 500 companies have a deep understanding and appreciation for marketing. Coca-Cola may already be one of the most recognized brands in the world, but they nevertheless spend billions

Creating people-powered experiences for your customers The typical modern consumer generally assumes quality and functionality as given, so what they’re really seeking are experiences that help them to fulfill their psychological needs (affiliation, aspiration, and identity). A key way to satisfy all of these needs is to cultivate a

Human behavior is based on emotion first, logic second As technology has given our industry the ability to measure more things faster than ever, there’s been a steady trend towards having metrics serve as the basis for design and creative work, with the idea that this will ensure return

Great advertising is exceptional truth-telling. In 1912, Harry McCann and four partners launched the advertising agency that would later become McCann Erickson. Their founding motto was “Truth Well Told,” which beautifully expresses one of the most fundamental (and often misunderstood) principles behind advertising and marketing. Consumers tend to mistrust advertising,

Is the Häagen-Dazs brand fundamentally inauthentic? The name “Häagen-Dazs” doesn’t actually mean anything. It’s not an ancient Danish city or the name of two Swiss ice cream masters or anything of the sort. The name was made up by Jewish-Polish immigrant Reuben Mattus, who sat at his kitchen

Understanding different ways customers make decisions will help you address all of them instead of just one James explains consumer "decision modes" (spontaneous, competitive, humanistic, and methodical), based on FutureNow's buying persona research. You can watch this video here: YouTube transcript (auto-generated): this is James Archer from 40 and I'm