January 1st, 2011
What’s the difference between a brand and advertising? In humanistic terms the question asks “What’s the difference between a stable personality and a really snappy look?” Brand is a commitment to deliver a differentiated service, product, and quality standard consistently. Winston Fletcher(1) defined a very basic but sound working definition […]
January 4th, 2011
I want to strengthen my brand, should I start by changing my logo? Far too often, companies make the mistake of thinking that a visual refresh of their logo, website, collateral, etc. is the key step in strengthening their brand. A logo is a visual reminder that represents your company. […]
January 5th, 2011
Isn’t a brand simply a story that I make up to entice customers to buy? “Brand is not what you say it is, it’s what they say it is.”1 Your brand is every real or imagined trait, nuance, story, impression, quirk, process, delay, sound, sneeze, perspective, dimension, sell tactic, experience, […]
January 6th, 2011
We have a timid (and slightly out of touch) leadership which produces a lame brand. I can’t get money allocated for research or outside brand support because everyone holding the purse strings is afraid of the findings (change). Any suggestions (other than a career change)? One iconic brand provides all […]
January 8th, 2011
Why do I need a brand? When I first read this question on January 3, 2011 my instinctive response was more haughty than informative. Why do we need a sense of purpose? Why do we need a personality? Why do we need reputations, character, values, and credibility? A sense of […]
January 18th, 2011
What makes the BlackDog book list…what magazines do you subscribe to, read, or recommend? Rotman Good FastCompany Monocle Communication Arts Wired Orion Magazine Print Magazine Utne Reader Eye Magazine The New Yorker The Atlantic Monthly Rolling Stone Best Life (defunct) Wallpaper Magazine Economist Foreign Affairs Travel & Leisure Smithsonian More […]
January 18th, 2011
What have you been wanting to brand but haven’t gotten a chance to yet? A Public School (likely our next pro bono project). Every kid should know why they “attend” this place, what matters around here (authentically), what it means to belong “here”, what “we” collectively stand for, are made […]
January 19th, 2011
When you work with clients do you include in a proposal ongoing “marketing support” or is it more projects based? Every company and project is different. Some Requests for Proposal (RFPs) request, and other contracts bind, a firm for ongoing marketing support for as long as 3 years. Some projects […]
March 7th, 2011
The goal of branded communications is to say something real: to identify what differentiates and distinguishes your brand in a crowded marketplace, to communicate your relevance, and to address the issues that matter to your customers. The most effective brand messages do more than just catch people’s attention, they help […]
March 10th, 2011
We are taking an industrial product to new, broader markets. Should we be concerned with losing the confidence of our existing and loyal markets? It is critical that you first understand the markets that support the product lines now to wisely interpret the direction, synergy, and prospective untapped markets moving […]