How an Economist's Cry for Ethical Capitalism was Heard

Danielle Sacks — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 13:00:00 -0500

Noreena Hertz had to seduce Bono. The Cambridge University economist was writing a book on the developing world, and Bono's personal saga of getting the U.S. government to cancel more than $400 million of debt was just the pop-culture bridge she needed to move her ideas beyond the wonkish corridors of academia. After all, Hertz's motive for The Debt Threat -- a deep dive into the debt trap that, she argued, would have global consequences for all -- was to juice the campaign that had been building slowly in activist ranks.

John Mackey's Whole Foods Vision to Reshape Capitalism

Danielle Sacks — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 13:00:00 -0500

Just to be clear, John Mackey isn't Moses. "It's not like you go up to the mountaintop and God talks to you: Here is your purpose -- execute," he says.

Andrea Wong Wants to Reinvigorate Lifetime. (Step One: Steal Project Runway)

Danielle Sacks — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 14:00:00 -0400

If Project Runway had a needlepoint challenge, the show might find itself with an unlikely contestant. "About a year ago, I started needlepointing," confesses Andrea Wong, CEO of Lifetime Networks. She is perched on a chair in her Los Angeles office, wearing a black Yves Saint Laurent pantsuit. "It completely relaxes me." Well, usually. There was that time she was stitching a cushion for her boyfriend. "I was needlepointing while doing conference calls. It practically killed me."

More Creative Shops Are Commercializing Their Own Product Lines

Danielle Sacks — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 14:00:00 -0400

When Coca-Cola acquired Vitaminwater for $4.1 billion in 2007, it wasn't for the breakthrough electrolyte-drink technology. It paid for breakthrough marketing, and that epiphany rippled through Adland. Why shouldn't agencies launch their own brands rather than solely focus on other people's prodcts? Consultancy PSFK recently invited Fast Company writer Danielle Sacks to moderate a panel featuring four creative chiefs running what PSFK calls New Idea Agencies.

Behind the Rebranding Campaign of Wal-Mart’s Scarlet Woman

Danielle Sacks — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 14:00:00 -0400

Julie Roehm is cornered. The lanky blonde, who's partial to skinny white jeans and ivory Ray-Bans, is stuck inside a brick McCastle in one of Bentonville's gated communities, wedged into the northwest corner of Arkansas between a cattle ranch and a snaking country road. Roehm bought her manse three-and-a-half years ago, 2 miles away from her new boss at the time, Wal-Mart's then-CEO Lee Scott.

The 10 Most Creative People in Marketing and Advertising

Danielle Sacks — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 09:00:00 -0400

1. Alex Bogusky, Co-Chairman, Crispin Porter + Bogusky
He shattered the rules of 20th century advertising with campaigns that resemble multi-media hijinks, rather than commercials. Brands like Burger King, Old Navy, and Microsoft flock to his Miami-Boulder shop for his brand of irreverence.

Comment on Node ant

Danielle Sacks — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 16:50:56 -0400

Al, our intention was to take readers behind the scenes of an extremely
successful retailer——a rarity in today's economic climate. What has made
them distinctive? While our article does acknowledge Lululemon's critics (as all good journalism seeks to), we also stress that "in a little more than 10 years, Lululemon has grown from a single storefront...to a public company with ... $340 million in annual revenue." We hope at least some readers will find lessons in our article for their business.

Lululemon’s Cult of Selling

Danielle Sacks — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 13:00:00 -0400

I'm balancing on my head, and I don't think I've ever been more relaxed. I am one of about 30 women who have assumed similarly vertical positions early on a Sunday morning in a yoga studio on New York's Upper East Side. Tibetan chants and dimmed lights block out the city's chaos just beyond the door. Motivational quotes painted on the walls -- jealousy works the opposite way you want it to! -- seep into my consciousness.

After FBI Raid, Obama's New CIO Vivek Kundra Takes Leave

Danielle Sacks — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 10:42:51 -0400

After yesterday's FBI raid, Obama's new CIO, Vivek Kundra, is suddenly taking "a leave from his position," reports NBC. FBI agents raided Kundra's former office, where he was CTO of the Washington, DC district.

Where In the World is P&G's Jim Stengel?

Danielle Sacks — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 16:51:34 -0400

Last fall, Jim Stengel, arguably the most powerful person in marketing, left his post as P&G's Global Marketing Officer with no trace of where he'd be heading to next. Today, Stengel revealed to Fast Company that he's now taking his own brand on the road.