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 9th, 2011
Do you have a favorite brand book? No, to paraphrase a famous tag line, “No one can read just one”. With that in mind here’s a short list of a few of our collective favorites: It must be said that Marty Neumeier, Director of Transformation at Liquid Agency is “king” […]
January 10th, 2011
Do you think the Tiger Woods brand is dead? I think Tiger Woods is very much alive. I suspect that he is broken. I believe that brands humanize business. Applied to individuals, brand has quite the opposite effect; reducing a sports hero to endorsements and sponsorship. Brands remind us that […]
February 20th, 2011
Garland Pollard, a writer, web editor and SEO consultant writes “Is there too much branding? He continues, “… must we all be so concerned with branding? Isn’t a good brand really the result of a moral, well-run company? Isn’t it better that hospitals focus on patients, and let the “branding” […]
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 12th, 2011
I have partners. I have very smart partners that are not very creative. For being very smart they don’t seem to mind that we have a tagline that is not smart or creative. I think that they (we) are concerned that we won’t know the difference between a good tag […]
March 14th, 2011
Is there a brand book for start-ups? Probably. But it would likely be a mistake to read a brand book while you are working to bring a new endeavor to life. The best book to read if you are launching a start-up is Guy Kawasaki’s The Art of the Start; […]
March 26th, 2011
I called your firm for an estimate for a brochure. I spoke with your communication strategist, forwarded marketing and communication materials, liked you on Facebook, and looked forward to a proposal. BlackDog declined the opportunity. I thought that you didn’t have time to write a proposal. I offered to forgo […]
June 7th, 2011
“Acceptance of prevailing standards often means we have no standards of our own.” Jean Toomer Will anyone search out your sponsors’ products and services simply because you permitted their logo to grace your stage, your ad space, your playbill? Sometimes advertising, sponsorship, and strategic partnership slumming happens because the bills […]
July 6th, 2011
How will I know when it’s time to brand or re-brand? What are the signs? If we agree that a brand is simply the central organizing principle that engages teams internally and customers externally then it makes sense to “evolve” your brand when your business is ready to evolve. When […]