Gray Matter at White Space

I can still hear the sound of the voice-over announcer, declaring, "Breyers only has milk, cream, sugar and real vanilla beans," ... 

Newcomers were nipping at the heels of this market leader, thanks to new technology that allowed land-shipping over the Rockies without cartons of ice cream exploding from air pressure, 

Fast forward 20 years: All Natural Breyers Vanilla ice cream still maintains its shelf space, despite fierce competition. 

As I enjoy yet another sweet scoop, I can't help but reflect on those long hours at Y&R developing the brand strategy and market position that endures to this day.

What are the lessons for growth-oriented companies without mega-budgets? What's the best way to differentiate your business from competition?

Here are a few lessons from the ice cream aisle.

When the conversation turns to social media, it helps to ask: Why? For whom? To what end? What is its role in the mix?

There are many ways to use the power of social networks for business. Today, we want to focus on an underused but very powerful strategy: social listening.

Listening for online consumer insights is a very powerful social media marketing strategy that can have a positive impact on your company's bottom line.

Here's how: