Much has been written about Millennials, the first “digital generation” (18-35), and their growing influence on business and society. These 86 million younger people are now the most important generation…
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Jay Gronlund
Jay Gronlund is an experienced business development and branding professional with a successful track record introducing new products and services, expanding into foreign markets, re-positioning products, and facilitating ideation sessions. Jay has effectively applied proven marketing and branding principles from his background in the consumer goods industry to other industry sectors, including B2B situations.
Jay’s career began in consumer packaged goods and then expanded into household products, beverages and publishing. His first company was Richardson-Vicks (now part of Proctor & Gamble), where he held new product positions in New York and in London. He continued his new product responsibilities for Arm & Hammer products at Church & Dwight (Arm & Hammer), then VP Marketing of the wine/champagne division of Seagram, and finally VP, Director of Marketing at Newsweek.
Gronlund started The Pathfinder Group in New York in 1990, an international business development and brand consulting firm. Related to this, much of his work today involves re-positioning brands, ideation sessions and marketing workshops, with a primary focus on emotional branding, especially building brand trust for clients. Jay has also been teaching a marketing course at NYU since 1999, “Positioning and Brand Development".
Jay recently wrote a new book, “Basics of Branding," reflecting his NYU branding course and professional experience. He has also published several articles on diverse marketing topics: “5 Steps to a Successful Ideation Session," “What B2B Marketers can Learn from B2C," “Employer Branding," “Customized Marketing for Tomorrow’s Leaders," “Sharing and Implementing New Ideas Across Borders," and “Working with the New Russians”, “Word-of-Mouth Marketing for B2B Situations," “The Future of m-Health” and “How to Build ‘Value’ for Healthcare Brands in Emerging Markets."
Jay Gronlund is a graduate of Colby College and has an MBA from Tuck at Dartmouth College.
Does advertising or engagement build stronger brand equity among Millennials?
The concept of brand equity (i.e. the perceived value a brand) firmly arrived in the 1980’s when consumer goods’ companies reacted to a surge of cutthroat discounting with a new…
Read MoreToday’s big branding issue: What should companies stand for?
The question of whether a company should go beyond the core goal of “maximizing shareholder value” as its main reason for being (e.g. to also pursue broader social ends), has…
Read MoreHow choosing “Birdman” hurts the Oscars brand
The recent Oscar choice of “Birdman” as the best movie of 2014 not only defied moviegoers’ preferences, but it is also a lesson on how a strong brand can lose…
Read MoreNo US companies among the 30 most transparent
My recent blog on “Why Transparency is Essential For Building Corporate Brand Trust” generated lots of interest, but also begged a key question – what are the most transparent multinationals…
Read MoreWhy transparency is essential for building corporate brand trust
The growing demand for greater corporate transparency, especially among Millennials, should not be news to anyone. Trust in business has reached new lows, as reported by the latest 2014 Edelman…
Read MoreWhy “Capitalism” must be re-branded – and how
The perception of “capitalism” as a branded system that benefits most of us has seriously declined recently, with a widespread, growing lack of trust and relevance, especially among Millennials. The…
Read More3 Big trends converging for big branding opportunities
The ability to identify relevant trends and stay one step ahead of them is crucial for keeping brands fresh and vibrant. There are 3 major trends that are connnected, which…
Read MoreCan social responsibility initiatives strengthen a brand image AND satisfy investors?
More companies are adding cause related or social responsibility initiatives, especially since this appeals strongly to millennials. But will investors accept this, since many believe it is in conflict with…
Read MoreMillennial “hipsters” and boomer “hippies” – both socially engaged
It is irrefutable that the 75 million Baby Boomers brought about lasting social and cultural changes when they were younger, with their counter culture activism for human rights, self-expressive cravings, and…
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