This past Saturday I was in Boulder, Colorado with Lana Roulhac, our Shanghai-based design director. We had the distinct honor of attending the culmination event for the Unreasonable Institute, an accelerator and investor of high-impact social entrepreneurs.

Whether labeled as corporate social responsibility and sustainability initiatives or corporate citizenship, whether engaged (or not) in corporate philanthropy, employee crowd-sourcing or cause-related marketing efforts, one thing is undisputable: socially driven business practices are not just here to stay, but increasingly table-stakes in today’s global marketplace.

On Thursday, May 15^th, 2012, an intimate group of peers, clients and friends joined together at Studio 450 in Manhattan to reflect on Alan Siegel’s imposing legacy and toast to his next great adventure.

Although English rockers The Who penned “Who Are You” more than three decades ago, the question at its core has never been more important in brand building. As brand consultants, we often champion the importance of communicating an organization’s promise to its customers—in other words, what do you stand for, how are you different and why should your customers care. While critical to ask and answer these questions, it’s equally important to define the role of an organization in delivering on this promise.That’s because while a promise can create context for your customers, role definition is what creates relationships with your customers.

In a digital world, the 130-year old Eastman Kodak—once a giant in film—is in the fight for survival. With the recent hire of law firm Jones Day, rumors of a bankruptcy filing have reached a fever pitch. Now, facing the sale of several of its patents and possible restructuring, Kodak stands as a shadow of its former self.

Let me start my by saying I am, or was until recently, a Citi loyalist. Both my mortgage and credit card are with Citi. In fact, for years I’ve used only one credit card in my wallet—my Citi Card. So you can imagine my delight when Citi introduced its Thank You Rewards program.