Author Archives: markkolier

About markkolier

Futurist, entrepreneur, left lane driver

When it comes to clients who should deliver the bad news?

Posted on August 10, 2017

When you’re involved in a service business it’s no secret that not everything goes right all the time. Making the client aware of the bad news is probably one of the least pleasant things we professionals experience. But in that … Continue reading →

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‘Please don’t litter’ – a marketing success story

Posted on July 26, 2017

Back in the day (that is when I was much younger), littering was a notable problem in the United States. There were seemingly constant campaigns delivered under the ‘Keep America Beautiful’ organization banner. The crying American Indian “Iron Eyes Cody”: … Continue reading →

Posted in Advertising, Marketing stuff, Television advertising | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Smartphone prices are not based on their utility

Posted on July 20, 2017

My Samsung Android phone is 19 months into its two-year contract-life and of course the battery is losing its ability to hold a charge.   And before you iPhone acolytes speak out, I’ve heard first-hand that iPhone’s batteries are no better … Continue reading →

Posted in Smartphones, Technology | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

AARP – does it have a long-term future?

Posted on July 6, 2017

In April of 2012 I wrote a post on what I felt was the need for AARP to change its messaging and to re-brand. Some of the recent television spots feature AARP CEO Jo Ann Jenkins in which she promotes AARP … Continue reading →

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Alibaba still wants to win in the United States

Posted on June 29, 2017

Last week Alibaba and Jack Ma, (Chairman Jack Ma that is) arranged to host a Gateway 17 conference in Detroit, Michigan. It was the first time Alibaba has hosted such a conference outside of China. ‘Gateway ’17 is Alibaba’s road … Continue reading →

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How Spotify looks like Amazon once did

Posted on June 19, 2017

As I thought about writing this post Amazon.com announced last Friday morning that it was making an offer to buy Whole Foods for more than $13B. I am thinking a lot about as to what kinds of changes Amazon might … Continue reading →

Posted in Streaming Music | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Long Tail of Old Jobs

Posted on May 30, 2017

There aren’t many but there are still a few horse-drawn carriages on the streets of New York City – a somewhat controversial subject between Mayor DeBlasio, animal rights activists, and the owners of stables on the city’s west side. The … Continue reading →

Posted in Best business practices, Jobs | Tagged , , , , , | 10 Comments