TOTEM Times
At TOTEM Branding we believe in the fundamental importance of knowledge and sharing it. Knowledge acquired in the real world, in the market, in the trenches of the front line of the creation, construction or transformation of brands. Sharing is knowledge, sharing creates community, sharing makes growth.
We share branding insights as a tool for positive transformation.
We believe our job and commitment is to improve the world of brands today and for those who will come after. Building a sense of connection, pride and belonging is at the core of what we do. One of the goals of this Blog is precisely to share.
Hugs are the refuge we give and receive in the moments we need them most
Today is the 8th: hashtag #8Hugs ✨ Today, like every 8th, together with the TOTEM Branding community, we celebrate the transformative power of this simple but powerful action. Let’s not underestimate the power of the 8 hugs in times of crisis, anxiety, and uncertainty. The power of the 8 hugs is limitless. They unite us, […]
Ego gets you to the edge, humility keeps you from jumping off it
🧠 Top 20 Discoveries of the 21st Century (Actual Discoveries, Not Just Advancements) Higgs Boson Particle (2012) – Proof of the particle that gives matter mass. The physics community wept, then gave themselves a Nobel. Gravitational Waves (2015) – Einstein’s “what if” turned into “yep, we found them.” Detected ripples in space-time itself. First Direct […]
5 years Transforming Customers into Believers
Five years ago, Andy Stalman published “TOTEM: Transforming Customers into Believers” with certainty and hope. The certainty that brands could no longer remain disconnected from people. And the hope that there was still time to build something more human, more true, more transcendent. This May, “TOTEM: Transforming Customers into Believers” turns five. And it’s not […]
The future isn’t coming. It’s already here, and it didn’t even knock
Let’s talk about “brands of the future” — a.k.a. the inevitable marketing apocalypse wearing smart glasses. Here’s a few sparkly concepts to warm your little innovation-starved brain: 1. Sentient Brands Not in the “Skynet but for oat milk” way (yet), but brands that adapt in real time to your mood, voice, biometrics, and online drama. […]
Powering Purpose
First, it was a black screen. Then, an awkward silence. And then, the question no one knew how to answer: “Now what do we do?” When everything we took for granted disappears, there’s no choice but to return to the basics. Yesterday, Spain and Portugal experienced that firsthand. A power outage left them disconnected from […]
A tribute and a celebration to writing and reading
This isn’t just another post. It’s a tribute to true authors—those who think, those who feel, those who create concepts that change. Today is one of our favorite days of the year 📚 April 23 | Book Day Today we don’t just celebrate those who write. We celebrate those who think with words. Those who […]
Every city is a brand
🧭 What is a city brand? A city brand is not a logo or a slogan. It is the emotional, narrative, and symbolic system that allows a city to: know who it is, decide who it wants to be, and project that coherently to the world. 📍City branding in the era of global competition. We […]
The first in so many things
The first Jesuit. The first Latin American. The first in more than 1,200 years not to come from Europe. The Pope “from the end of the world,” as he introduced himself. And yet, one of the most relatable we can remember. He didn’t make power a pedestal, but a platform to say what others kept […]
The Twelve Totemic Behaviors
How a TOTEM Brand Lives in the Day-to-Day 1. Begin With Belief, Not Brief. Start all work by anchoring in purpose, not performance. Ask: What do we believe? before you ask: What should we post? 2. Protect the Center. Do not drift. Say no to what is profitable but misaligned. The soul is not a […]
The internet didn’t change who we are. It changed how we do it.
Before, we said “hook up.” Now, we match. Before, we searched. Now, we Google. Before, we texted. Now, we WhatsApped. Before, we said “I’ll see you at the bar.” Now, it’s “I’ll stalk you on Instagram.” Before, we knew what to think. Now, we’re unsure what to believe. Before, brands spoke. Now… if they don’t […]
