Practical guides on marketing strategy, measurement and growth.

Written for founders and marketing leads who want to know what’s working in their marketing, and what to fix first. New here? Start with the marketing audit guide.

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Every guide, newest first.

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Costco Brand Check-up: The Price Promise Members Pay For

Costco brand check-up, December 2, 2025: fiscal 2025 results, the 2024 fee increase, the $1.50 hot dog, Kirkland Signature and the renewal rate to watch.
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Target Canada Brand Check-up: 133 Stores, Empty Shelves

Why Target Canada failed: C$1.825 billion for Zellers leases, 124 stores in a year, empty shelves, higher prices and a 2015 exit that cost about 17,600 jobs.
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Marketing KPIs Your Leadership Team Will Actually Use

Clicks and impressions do not help leaders decide. A short list of marketing KPIs tied to revenue, the vanity metrics to drop, and a simple reporting format.
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Bed Bath & Beyond Brand Check-up: A $21.5 Million Name

Bed Bath & Beyond went bankrupt in 2023. Overstock bought the name for $21.5 million and took the BBBY ticker. Our check-up on its customers, sales and stores.
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Go-to-Market Strategy: Five Decisions Behind Every Launch

Launches fail when the basics are unclear. The five decisions behind every go-to-market strategy: who, what problem, which channel, what price and what proof.
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Kraft Heinz Brand Check-up: Savings First, Brands Second

Kraft Heinz plans to split in two after a decade of cost cutting, a $15.4 billion brand write-down and falling volumes. Our diagnosis of what went wrong.
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Spirit Airlines Brand Check-up: Premium Seats, Budget Name

Spirit Airlines filed for Chapter 11 twice in under a year. We review the blocked JetBlue deal, the late premium push and what a no-frills brand could not fix.
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When to Rebrand, and When a Rebrand Is a Mistake

Some rebrands fix real problems. Others throw away years of recognition. The good and bad reasons to rebrand, and what Gap and Tropicana learned.
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Cracker Barrel Brand Check-up: The Logo Its Fans Took Back

Cracker Barrel swapped its Old Timer logo on August 19, 2025 and restored it a week later. Our check-up covers the share fall, the remodel pause and lessons.
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Duolingo Brand Check-up: The Owl, the Memo and the AI Threat

Our check-up on Duolingo: a record-setting mascot stunt, the AI-first memo backlash, 41% revenue growth and shares 46% below their May 2025 record close.
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Nokia Brand Check-up: A Phone Name on a Network Business

Nokia had 37.8% of phone sales in 2007. By August 2025 it sold network gear and its shares were 93% below the 2000 peak. What the brand lost, and why.
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Customer Retention Strategy: Stop the Bleed Before Buying More Traffic

Buying more leads will not fix a leaky customer base. What the research says about customer retention, where customers slip away, and how to stop it.
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