Lessons From J.C. Penney's Doomed Marketing Makeover

I've been an enthusiastic and vocal supporter of Penney's "no sale" strategy for almost a year now, sticking with the brand even as its marketing fell on deaf ears with consumers and investors. The stock was up last month and its website was reportedly a favorite visit during the holidays, but there's every reason to expect it will report dismal fourth quarter results (expertly obfuscated with stats on eyeballs, awareness and whatever). I now believe the company is doomed. We should stop holding our collective breath waiting for success, and start looking for lessons to learn from its failure.