Be independent.

Tomorrow we celebrate the birthday of our nation here in the states. And it’s a great time to reflect on what the United States of America was founded on. One of which was dissonant voices rising up and taking a stand for something bigger than themselves. Dissonant voices. That means that they refused to go along with everything they were being told. They questioned the status quo and were ready to fight for what they believed in.

This is the challenge we issue to you.

And since this is a “marketing” blog, I ask you to apply it to questioning the marketing status quo. Yes, traditional advertising, but also Web 2.0. Social media. Word of mouth. Question it. Even better, question the advice that you find. Stir some things up. Don’t always accept what you’re being told. Be independent. Question. Challenge. Know that nobody has all the answers. Think for yourself instead of accepting what an “expert” says.

Declare your independence. No country was founded (or even discovered) by followers. They were founded on people striking out on their own in search of a better way of doing things.

Happy birthday, America.