As 2010 turns to 2011, it’s time to revisit my favorite Brand Autopsy posts from the past year. Revisiting vintage posts is year-end tradition having started with my favorite posts from 2004 and 2005 and 2006 and 2007 and 2008, and 2009.
I began the year giving Starbucks some tough love for over-reaching in measuring the impact of MyStarbucksIdea and closed the year with more tough love for the company because of their ho-hum Starbucks Digital Network.
In the middle of the year I published a business book masquerading as a screenplay with the title of, TOUGH LOVE. This ebook (and paperbook) tells the story of a rags-to-riches entrepreneur who confounds his relentless critics to build a global iconic brand. His fortunes dramatically reverse until he learns life rewarding and business saving advice from unlikely sources. Injected throughout the storyline are breakout business lessons and thought-provoking business advice.
Business books have always received lots of digital ink here. For 2010, I summarized many worthwhile business books in 300 words or less. Biz books getting this treatment included: TRADE-OFF … PRICELESS … THE BUSINESS TREE … FASCINATE … SUCCESS MADE SIMPLE … THE MESH … and RESONATE.
Sir Wilton Norman Chamberlain III was also dusted off for some dreadful dramatic readings of popular business books including LINCHPIN and SWITCH.
We also had some fun with the Tom Peters book, LITTLE BIG THINGS, by doing a slideshare presentation that adheres to the “Peters Principles” of Powerpoint. Additionally, we awarded DIFFERENT and THE WIN WITHOUT PITCHING MANIFESTO with Novel Piece Prizes.
Throughout the year we got serious with posts like Crisis as a Turning Point and In Between Aspiration and Action. Plus, we shared some thought-provoking quotes from the likes of G.K Chesterton, Gary Hamel, Morris Chang, and Henry Ford.
And we got goofy with the “Haul Video” trend and got silly (but totally serious) with a Fluent Talk on Stuttering.
Thanks for being along for the ride this year. For those who have been riding shotgun with me since 2003, MUCH THANKS for being a long-time reader.