We've all heard the saying "It's like herding cats." As challenging as that might be, it's not much more difficult than building consensus with a global committee: everyone has a different view, and often a territorial approach to meetings. In fact, while herding cats is tough, creating a brand change in corporations may be even tougher.

In a time where anyone with a smartphone can become a news aggregator or citizen journalist, corporations appear to following suit, and are coming down with a serious lack of continuity in their communications. I'm talking about how understanding what some companies are trying to stand for these days has become an impossible task.

It was while working in brand marketing for packaged goods companies that Sandler, a single mother of four young children, felt there was a lack of the kind of market intelligence she desired, so she opened her own company...

The speed with which our world now lives could well put an end to the world of iconic brands. Before all of this connectivity, a great brand could stand the test of time. It now seems like insanity. The Beatles were iconic. Do you believe that any of the musicians today that we admire will be able to leave this kind of legacy? What about companies?

What is a "lovemark" you ask? Well, I like to say that it's all about the emotional cement. Brands that are emotionally cemented to their customers reach their hearts as well as their minds and they deliver beyond expectations of great functional performance. They capture "heartshare as well as mindshare." It really has been a bad year for lovemarks (ahem, RIM).

A shopper will saunter over to the kitchen appliances section, whip out their smartphone, scan the UPC symbol on a food processor, and walk out. What just happened? Their phone just looked up that processor and told the shopper where they can get it within a three-minute walk. Welcome to the terrifying new world of retail and declining brand loyalty.

For me, the quintessential source of inspiration comes from where I start every morning, and that place is Starbucks. I am a Starbucks Brand Addict because they have created an environment and a brand that has me hooked. What Starbucks has done rather ingeniously, is create a Brand Ambassador out of me without me even knowing it. Here are some ways that Starbucks is doing it right and how you can learn from their holistic approach to the customer experience.

Mark Carney, Governor of the Bank of Canada, probably has the best personal brand of anyone in Canada right now. Carney has created a spotlight for himself by taking some risks, all of which could have blown up in his face. I think he managed to avoid disaster by focussing on some key principles about personal branding.

Guess what? Personal branding is just as important for bank managers and accountants and human resource specialists as it is for actors and advertising executives and sports figures. Many people shy away because they think only the famous need them, but you already have a brand -- it might not be accurate, and it might not be the brand you would like to have -- but you have one. Why not optimize it?

My dream client? Conrad Black-- the good Lord Black My ultimate professional challenge would be to be part of the LB Reputation Recovery dream team. Your personal brand has taken a bit of a beating lately, your Lordship, but I want you to know that there is hope for recovery, if you really want it badly.

If you are about to embark on a new project or event, learn from my mistakes. Do your homework before you set sail, then you are less likely to get stuck in muddy waters, but be prepared for stormy weather. Murphy's Law is such that something will not go to plan.

Many bloggers have relationships with brands in the form of an ad on their website, running a Twitter chat contest, or doing product reviews. But now they're looking for more lucrative opportunities to act as the brand voice, or spokesperson. Here are their top three mistakes!

Television has always been based on two pillars: Destination. From "Must See TV" to your favorite sitcoms on Thursday night, you could a...