"Power Tactics"

Who Holds the Power—You or Your Customer?

In any transaction, power dynamics are at play. Picture a stubborn customer refusing to leave a store, forcing the owner to take action. Who really holds the power—the customer asserting their position or the store owner who ultimately enforces the decision?

Many businesses operate under the illusion of control, yet true power lies in determining the outcome.

The customer is aware of the outcome: they will be removed, as they have decided.

When it comes to branding and advertising, do you control the result, or are you simply hoping for the best?

Hope is not a strategy.

Is your strategy broken?

The Power in Branding and Advertising

To drive customer engagement, you must operate from a position of power. That means controlling the environment where your brand exists. Your product isn’t randomly placed—it’s positioned strategically. Whether on a store shelf, in a TV slot, on a podcast, or within a website, every placement should be intentional.

Or should it?

How much control do you really have over your advertising?

Are You the Store Owner or the Customer?

Judging by the flood of poorly designed, misplaced ads, many brands operate like the store owner—technically in charge, but ultimately reacting rather than leading. You may control your budget, but do you control your placements? Your messaging? The actual impact of your ad spend?

Adding to the problem is the overuse of repetitive digital ads. Instead of engaging audiences, they bombard them—diluting not just the message but the entire enjoyment of advertising itself. Viewers aren’t captivated; they’re exhausted. And when ads become background noise, they lose their power entirely.

If brands want to regain control, they must hold the media industry accountable. Demand better placements, stronger alignment, and real value. Otherwise, you’re not just wasting ad dollars—you’re willingly letting them be thrown out of the store.