March 2013

KISS co-founders Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley, the last-remaining original members of the band, have had the world rocking all night for 40 years. With an astounding 23 consecutive gold records and generation gap-crossing live performances, there’s no question that KISS is a musical phenomenon. What’s more, over the years, the band has become a […]

In 1974, Japanese company Sanrio Co., Ltd. struck gold when it stuck the image of a mouth-less white cat with a red bow onto a coin purse. Since then, the cute feline’s popularity has exploded. Hello Kitty has become an incredibly recognizable and profitable brand, with some 22,000 official products available – one third of […]

If there’s one thing McDonald’s excels at, it’s staying ahead of the game. Since its humble beginnings as a lowly “barbecue pit” on Route 66, the famed hamburger purveyor has learned to make rapid adjustments in response to changing market trends. The figure of 34,000 restaurants in 119 countries around the world speaks for itself: […]

Ever since Hasbro used the term “action figure” in 1964 to sell G.I. Joes to boys who stuck their noses up at dolls, businesses have been cashing in on the idea. Star Wars creator George Lucas was one of the first to realize the enormous business opportunities that merchandising offered. These days, whether they’re comic […]

In 2012, research conducted by the Harvard Business School suggested that Internet advertisements are crucial to the US economy. According to Interactive Advertising Bureau president and CEO Randall Rothenburg, “the digital marketing industry is on a positive trajectory that will propel the entire American business landscape forward.” Rothenburg’s perspective is well-founded, considering a PricewaterhouseCoopers study […]