Susan Cain in The New York Times suggests that solitude is better than “group think” when it comes to creating ideas. Her examples of creative loners range from Sir Isaac Newton and Picasso to Jesus and Buddha. Cain says studies show brainstorms can actually hurt ideation, due to shy, lazy, or overly dominant participants.

Lowering prices is not a brand strategy that builds differentiation – any brand can lower a price. Powerful brands, such as Apple, focus on the emotional aspects of design, imagination and creativity rather than price.

During the busy holiday shopping season,Patagonia is running ads online and in mainstream publications encouraging shoppers NOT to buy its winter jacket. Is this "Marketers Gone Wild," or an ingenious approach to standing out during the holidays?