brand – leadership dots

leadership dot #5090: correspond

November 10, 2026November 9, 2026by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

I’ve previously written about several brand extensions that have gone amok. Companies seem to slap their name on any product to make a few extra dollars, no matter whether the relationship makes any sense.

But here’s a good example of how one product can naturally evolve to offer another. Virginia Evans’ (fabulous) best-selling book, The Correspondent, is written as a series of letters to and from the main character, Sybil Van Antwerp. So, what comes next? A correspondence kit, with stationery and seals in the design of the book cover. Bravo!

If you’re thinking of offering something beyond your product or service, have a rational reason for doing so. What is a natural outgrowth or complement that your users would enjoy? What actually corresponds with your core? Sybil would be pleased with this one.

leadership dot #5082: many things

October 29, 2026October 25, 2026by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

When a store closes, other retailers naturally try to capture those customers, either by attracting them with existing merchandise or by adding a new product line to replace what they lost.

When JoAnn Fabrics closed, Michael’s added a new section with fabric and sewing essentials. Sewing is a hobby, so it was a logical evolution.

Less so with Staples’ attempt to capture the Party City market. I don’t see as obvious a link between office supplies and party supplies/costumes. Sure, Staples prints invitations, but I think they could use their retail space for something more aligned with their other merchandise, like teacher/classroom supplies, business/self-help materials, or even more of their only-online products sold in person.

Trying to be many things to many people is rarely a winning strategy.

leadership dot #5081: mixed signals

October 28, 2026October 25, 2026by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

Decide what you want to stand for, and stick with it.

Which is it? Healthy living made easy OR the 800-calorie cinnamon roll being promoted right behind the sign? You can’t have both.

It’s the small, mixed signals like this that keep you from having a coherent brand identity.

leadership dot #5070: adaptations

October 13, 2026October 12, 2026by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

We have all heard of Wrigley’s gum, the largest producer of chewing gum in the world.

It may seem obvious now that their gum would be popular, but in the early 1900s, William Wrigley Jr. gave it away as an incentive to buy his other products. Wrigley started by offering baking powder to encourage people to buy his soap. Then, he transitioned to selling the baking powder and offering the gum as an incentive. Finally, he realized consumers found the gum more appealing, so he changed his business again. Today, Wrigley sells its gum in 184 countries.

We can all take a lesson from Wrigley and be willing to adapt when circumstances change. Chew on the feedback and data, and if they point you in a different direction, be open to changing focus. You don’t have to stick with what you started with.

Thanks, Curt!

leadership dot #5057: involvement

September 24, 2026September 23, 2026by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

Employee engagement sounds like a lofty goal, but there are simple ways to help employees become more involved in the organization.

Three examples:

Our local Dairy Queen allows team members to create a “Treat of the Month” and share their concoction. It spotlights an employee and can drive additional sales as people are tempted to try the new treat.
Bookstores often display featured selections recommended by their staff, thereby engaging them in the organization and, hopefully, also increasing sales.
An organization recently rebranded and allowed its employees to choose the final logo design and the new apparel to accompany it.

None of these efforts required an expense; instead, they offered opportunities for genuine participation. Help foster a sense of belonging for your team by asking for input and crafting ways that they can share in the work.

Screenshot from Rhomberg Dairy Queen

leadership dot #5056: add-ons

September 23, 2026September 22, 2026by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

Travel deal website Trivago seems to have taken a lesson from the airlines by trying to extract money from consumers for every little thing. Now, if you want customer service to answer the phone “faster,” you need to pay $4.99! (No mention of how long you will be on hold if you opt for the free standard phone support.)

In addition, the site got on the bandwagon of pervasive tipping, and now suggests an extra contribution of 3-10% to allow them “to keep developing more ways to save!” It sounds more like they are developing more ways to reduce the discount they are purportedly providing you.

Instead of bolstering profits, the nickel and dime mentality chips away at customer satisfaction and the brand’s reputation. Cut out all the extraneous charges and provide your service at one fair price.

Thanks, Meg!

leadership dot #5051: patents

September 16, 2026September 15, 2026by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

An ad appeared in my Facebook feed offering framed watercolor prints of “Timeless Patents.” I had never thought about some of the things featured, but it makes sense that someone had to be the first to create or standardize something we take for granted every day.

Examples include:

An 1891 patent for a toilet paper roll and the size of perforated sheets — still in use today
The universal dimensions for a running track
The configuration of a snare drum
The dimensions and numbering protocol for a football field
A self-closing [tooth] paste tube
The basketball rim and net size
The design of playing cards
The standardization of a toilet seat
The design of a tennis ball

Designing a toilet paper roll may not have been glamorous, but Seth Wheeler’s work has lived on. In over a century, no one has developed a better design for this everyday product.

Your work doesn’t have to be fancy to make an impact.

Screenshot example of a Timeless Patents print

leadership dot #5043: penny pinching

September 3, 2026September 2, 2026by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

Shonda Rhimes is one of the most successful television show producers, creating for ABC a lineup of Grey’s Anatomy, Scandal, and How to Get Away with Murder. She earned them billions with her shows.

Rhimes’ contract included free Disneyland tickets for her family. When her sister wanted to take Rhimes’ daughter to the park, Shonda called ABC and asked for an additional pass. Allegedly, she was told, “Don’t you have enough already?” After the insult, Rhimes ended her contract with ABC and moved to Netflix, where she produced Bridgerton, another wildly successful series that earned millions.

The short-sightedness of an ABC executive cost the network (b?)millions, whereas a free pass to Disneyland (worth only $150) would have cost them nothing. It was a really dumb move.

Stars have options, and the confidence to exercise them. Don’t penny-pinch with your best customers or employees. Happily giving them the ticket is the best investment you can make.

Thanks, Meg!

Source: The Real Oshow

leadership dot #5041: as designed

September 1, 2026August 31, 2026by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

The home improvement store Menards is known for its frequent “11% Rebate on Everything.” It’s a good gimmick that seems to get people into the stores.

It works well for Menards — but think about it from the consumer perspective. They make people save their receipts and postal mail them in with a rebate form. This creates a double barrier that undoubtedly reduces the number of rebates they provide. The next barrier: the rebate now comes “disguised” as junk mail. If I hadn’t seen a warning about this online, I would have tossed it, thinking it was nothing but a sales flyer. And finally, people need to save the paper rebate they inconveniently cut out of the oversized flyer, remember to bring it, and use it in the store, likely making even more purchases — so the cycle continues.

Menards could just reduce its prices by 11%. They could offer a cash rebate instead of a merchandise credit. They could allow for electronic submission of receipts/rebate forms. They could provide the rebate electronically or as a card, making it more portable and likely to be used, or at least mail the rebate clearly marked as such. But Menards has designed a system that accomplishes exactly what it is designed to do — increase sales and reduce redeemed rebates.

Any time you see something that isn’t working, look at the system and consider who benefits from it as is. More than likely, it means the system was intentionally created that way.

The only indication that the rebate is inside this folded and glued-together advertising flyer is a small corner notice

leadership dot #5033: a new use

August 20, 2026August 19, 2026by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

If you’ve ever been in a store that sells Crocs, you know the Jibbitz used to decorate them have become an integral accessory. Little plastic add-ons come in every shape and style imaginable, letting people personalize their shoes in a way that is impossible with other footwear.

I hadn’t seen them anywhere besides shoes, but recently I have seen notebooks and lunch boxes designed to hold Jibbitz or their knockoffs. That makes sense, since many kids have plenty of them, and the ability to make their items unique is more appealing than generic products.

Jibbitz wasn’t designed by Crocs, though. A mom realized that colorful materials could be attached to the holes in the shoes, and a business was born. (Crocs later purchased the business for $10 million.) Now other companies are capitalizing on Jibbitz’ pervasiveness to boost their bottom lines.

Take a lesson from them and consider whether someone else has created something that could benefit your organization. You don’t need to be the inventor of everything — just the one who can implement it in a new way.