On Monday afternoon I met with a Swiss bank that is upping its brand and marketing efforts. Go big on grand receptionsI’m visiting the HQ of a major luxury watch brand. “You have the people doing ‘soup and forest’, drink lots of soup and go for a walk in the forest and pay quite a bit. Lesson: develop The Monocle Soup and Forest Retreat as a new brand extension as soon as possible. If you want to negotiate a bigger deal for your company and broader customer base, drop Holly a note at han@monocle.com.