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Just as US-EU trade tensions seemed to be cooling, a new flashpoint has arrived.
Trump has threatened a 100% tariff on any country imposing a digital services tax on American companies, and made clear it would supersede any existing trade agreements. This comes less than two weeks after the EU approved a deal designed to cut tariffs on US goods.
The tactic has worked before. Canada repealed its 3% digital services tax after a similar ultimatum to keep trade negotiations alive.
But the EU is a different beast. France already has a DST in place and has previously said it won't bow to US pressure. Germany and Belgium are planning their own versions. The core disagreement, whether large American tech companies pay enough tax on European revenue, has been running for years with no resolution in sight.
For ecommerce sellers operating across borders, this isn't abstract. A 100% tariff on goods from major EU trading partners means higher sourcing costs, more expensive imports, and consumers on both sides paying more for everything.
A few things worth discussing:
Do you think EU countries will back down the way Canada did, or is this a different situation entirely? If these tariffs do go into effect, which product categories do you think get hit hardest?
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We have lost our personal identity and only brands define our status and value in society.
Do you feel the same.
Stay tuned for a piece or two about this topic. And I know I know I know, everyone writes about it - practitioners who have the right to comment (including me as I did about twenty of them, global and non) and people who shouldn't get even near the matter*.
* talking to you keyboard warrior who derisively writes "what? they spent millions to change a shade of color?" and mouth-openedly wonders "I can't believe they didn't see/note/think ..." (yes, they did, trust me). To you, I say ... can you believe that in naming a large English city they didn't think that there's nothing appealing about living in a pool of liver? Or that noone would go for help in career success to a firm called Heidrick & Struggles? Or that you can't possibly call Hertz a car rental company where safety is important? And also, no, Nova is not and never had been an issue).
At any rate, maybe we shouldn't even call these efforts ... 'evolutions' or 'refreshes' or godforbid 'rebrands', as it can be argued that any and all 'branding programs' are in essence 'rebranding programs'.
What these moves are about is making Brand matter more toward business success, by strengthening a branded proposition based on the degree to which you change the business proposition and/or it branded persona - and on how the two best reflect on one another.
And if so, then the question is ... how exactly should YOU do it for YOUR company (and in the Age of AI)? .
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Follow these musings if you'd like - they are about Brand, Branding, Identity, their history, their associated profession(s), and what happens in the marketplace as it relates to those things. You'll find them here on Reddit, in the masterbranded_com Blogs, on BrandingMag, on Substack, and on Medium.
As a marketer, I find the change interesting because it’s small but noticeable.
It feels more modern and clean, while still looking like Instagram.
Sometimes good branding isn't about a complete change. It's about evolving without losing recognition.
What do you think of the new look? 👇
#Marketing #Branding #Instagram #BrandStrategy #DigitalMarketing
This is the first version of The Social Juice Index: https://bestmarketingnewsletter.com/
We are working on adding more data, blogs, and video embeds. Currently, you can click on the logos, text, and ranked images to find the ranked campaigns. I would love to have your feedback on it. And please spread the word about it if you can.
What caught my attention was not just the product itself.
It was the way the product was introduced to consumers.
Many technology products fail internationally for one simple reason:
People don't understand why they need them.
A company can build impressive hardware, add advanced features, and invest heavily in R&D.
But if customers cannot quickly understand the value, the product often struggles.
The AI glasses case was interesting because the product was not presented only as “AI technology.”
Instead, people saw practical use cases:
The product became less like a piece of hardware and more like a lifestyle tool.
I think this reflects a bigger change happening in global markets.
In the past, international expansion was often:
Product → Distributor → Retail Store → Customer
Now the path is increasingly:
Product → Content → Community → Customer
Platforms like TikTok have changed how people discover products.
A product does not always need years of traditional distribution to reach users. Sometimes the right content can help consumers understand a product in seconds.
However, going viral is only the beginning.
The harder challenge is turning attention into sustainable growth.
Companies need to understand:
The biggest lesson for businesses entering global markets:
A great product is important.
But the ability to communicate its value to the right audience may be even more important.
Curious to hear other opinions:
Do you think global success today depends more on product innovation or distribution strategy?