When the numbers don’t add up (on their own) Among the many problems with the world? Our tendency to favour analysis of hypotheses over an open, unbiased mind and inquisitiveness:  Pinning all your faith on an economic model alone, say, is like walking through a dark wood at night with a compass and only staring …

The over-focus on the present  The right honorable gentleman, Tom Roach, has written a stupendous piece on whether marketing is losing perspective. No guesses as to what his answer is.  Having modern marketing myopia means not lifting your head up to look out at the real worlds and lives of real people […] It means …

In the spirit of a New Mexican monk Email has long siphoned my focus into a cavity of distraction.  Yet I’m not convinced that burning my inbox is the sea-parting solution many have been calling for. Not just because I’d have a hard time setting my laptop on fire, but we’d also simply replace it …

The world’s biggest database of human intentions The Parish of Brand Tracking uncorked a new metric late last year: Share of Search.  Les Binet convincingly explains that share of search can predict market share; where share of search goes, market share follows. 30 minutes in the egg timer flies by. And Les starts the talk …

$1.85 gold filled spectacles Amazon is often served dishes of disdain in response to their in-house brands, with Peak Design’s 90 seconds of (understandable) snark being a recent example.  Yet, as Ben Evans pointed out, Amazon isn’t doing anything different to those that came before them. Sears, for example, was even doing private label back …

I sent a researcher to 1890 The misuse of the Henry Ford ‘faster horses’ quote has long rumpled my stiltskins. All too often it’s oversimplified and used to pooh-pooh the need for innovation research.  Indeed the quote is correct, participants aren’t going to invent the car. But that isn’t the point of research either. As …

At the first signs of smoke As First Mate in the House of Vince during these lockdowns (the real boots are not on my feet) recent advice from the gang at Farnham Street held particular relevance for both home and office life. The maritime approach to solving problems before they happen: If a leader can’t …

When disagreement floods the brain I like a good argument – shocker, I know. Though for many, arguing is more uncomfortable than a wet pair of socks.  Thankfully, according to Ian Lesie, we can learn to be more at ease with them (arguments, not wet socks).  But there’s more to disagreeing than just disagreeing. We …

jeff@amazon.com In case you’ve been living under an extra large parcel, Bezos is stepping down as Amazon CEO.  In addition to the airtime, wordtime and 21-gun salute recognising Jeff’s achievements, the ineffable Ritson has explained how Amazon’s success is due to their obsession with the customer. Insight is not the enemy of invention. It is …

Someone who might say something a bit silly We’re fortunate enough to have been involved in more launches than a 1960s dockyard here at Watch Me Think. And whilst not one that we worked on directly, the new coffee bag from Taylors of Harrogate has always stood out. Just as brilliant is the story behind …