Author Archives: jfmiller

Building Brands and Brand Nations. Demystifying SEO, Part 1.

Posted on August 15, 2011 by jfmiller

At first glance, the mysteries of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) seem insurmountable—so much so that it’s proven a gold mine for those who choose to call themselves social media consultants. But there’s an easy way to think about SEO. Search … Continue reading →

Posted in brand identity, brand strategy, Building Brands and Brand Nations., digital design, Small Business. Big Business. Your Business., Social Media, web design | Leave a comment

Places that inspire. Trapper’s Lodge and it’s stony inhabitants.

Posted on August 15, 2011 by jfmiller

Beginning in 1951, John Ehn created haunting pioneer portraits for his Old Trapper’s Lodge that once stood near the old Burbank airport. John Ehn’s cement and paint pioneers are politically incorrect, sometimes violent, always full of wit and more than a little … Continue reading →

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Building Brands and Brand Nations. What’s your first sentence?

Posted on August 3, 2011 by jfmiller

Has there ever been a book you couldn’t put down? It’s a great transformative moment when a story captures our imagination so much so that we willingly allow ourselves to be taken on a grand, new adventure. We become invested. … Continue reading →

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Building Brand Nations with Social Media. Principle #2.

Posted on August 1, 2011 by jfmiller

“When I saw this, I thought of you.” I try to use this phrase as a guide when I’m creating social media posts. If I can honestly preface my post with this phrase, I feel I just might have created … Continue reading →

Posted in brand identity, brand strategy, Building Brands and Brand Nations., digital design, Small Business. Big Business. Your Business., Social Media, web design | Leave a comment

Building Brand Nations with Social Media. Principle #1.

Posted on July 15, 2011 by jfmiller

Sharing is good. That’s it. I’ve tipped my hand. Sharing is good. It’s the basic principle of social media. And it’s a powerful one. It’s the best way to think about the daunting topic of social media—a topic that some … Continue reading →

Posted in brand identity, brand strategy, Building Brands and Brand Nations., digital design, Small Business. Big Business. Your Business., Social Media, web design | Leave a comment

Building Brands and Brand Nations: Falling in love. Part 1.

Posted on June 17, 2011 by jfmiller

You’ll never argue yourself into someone’s heart. Intellectual arguments alone have rarely proven to be compelling communication strategy. Relying on them can be a complacent and (dare I say) lazy and ineffective tactic. Now more than ever, you must create … Continue reading →

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Building Brands and Brand Nations: Becoming Believable. Part 2

Posted on June 12, 2011 by jfmiller

The first part of this series is about the importance of your customer’s beliefs. This second part of the series discusses the role of belief in building brand nations. Building brands is about creating belief and meaning. Building brands is … Continue reading →

Posted in brand identity, brand strategy, Building Brands and Brand Nations., creative thinking, Small Business. Big Business. Your Business. | 1 Comment

Building Brands and Brand Nations: Becoming Believable. Part 1

Posted on May 12, 2011 by jfmiller

Belief systems are among our strongest motivators. For each of us, our beliefs are at the very core of our being. We are invested in them. And regardless of how flawed in logic, “It is these beliefs for which we … Continue reading →

Posted in brand identity, brand strategy, Building Brands and Brand Nations., creative thinking, Small Business. Big Business. Your Business. | 1 Comment

Places that inspire: Exploring Frank Lloyd Wright in Marin, Part 2

Posted on April 14, 2011 by jfmiller

As promised, here’s Part 2—a sampling of my photo exploration of Frank Lloyd Wright’s last commission and his only civic building—the Marin County Civic Center. Check out Part 1 if you missed it—complete with photos of the Wright models on … Continue reading →

Posted in architecture, creative thinking, photo blog, places that inspire | 2 Comments

Places that inspire: Exploring Frank Lloyd Wright in Marin, Part 1

Posted on March 11, 2011 by jfmiller

If you’ve ever crossed the Golden Gate Bridge on your way north, chances are you’ve passed by. On a good traffic day it’s less than half an hour away on Highway 101. It’s the Marin County Civic Center, a sprawling, … Continue reading →

Posted in architecture, creative thinking, photo blog, places that inspire | Leave a comment