Blog

Marketing, Consumer Behaviour, Marketing Research, Analytics, Project Management.

I’m Polina

I’m a professor, marketing expert, and children’s author passionate about the power of storytelling – whether it’s inspiring students in the classroom, helping brands connect meaningfully with their audiences, or sparking imagination in young readers. With years of experience in marketing education and industry strategy, I bring a thoughtful, creative approach to everything I do. I value curiosity, clarity, and connection, and I’m driven by a deep belief that good ideas, whether in business or books, deserve to be shared in ways that resonate and make an impact.

Posts

Smart move or brand dilution?

Tim Hortons recently launched an energy drink, and it raises an interesting question about brand extension and perception. For decades, Tim Hortons has positioned itself as a familiar, comforting part of Canadians’ daily rituals. Coffee, breakfast, community. The brand has always leaned into a sense of reliability and tradition. So what happens when a brand…

Maple-washing

Have you noticed any “maple-washing” lately? 🍁 I was grabbing a sandwich from the deli counter at a grocery store the other day. The tag said “prepared in Canada”. I burst out laughing. Isn’t that just a basic expectation from a grocery store sandwich? Yikes, imagine an imported chicken salad sandwich? 😅🤢 I would have…

Most marketing research is full of confirmation bias

As my students wrapped up their marketing research projects this semester, I have noticed once again that the best insights came from teams who were flexible, kept an open mind and let the data guide them. In industry, quite often primary research isn’t really about discovery, but about validation. I have certainly worked on projects…