10 Things I Hate About Branding

ONE:
Frankly it takes a lot of work to stay on top of my brand.  If only I could just push a button like the Staples "Easy Button" ( which I have on my desk). I hate that I can't!

TWO:
I hate having to remind businesses that their brand is more than their logo. I have every design shop and ad specialty shop to blame for the mis-information I guess. (I could be painting with big a brush too)

THREE:
I hate companies who don't realize that branding is a top down initiative. Without the captain on board, who's piloting the brand?

FOUR:
Just too many great books to read. I'm stuck on historical fiction right now and so slipping in books on branding is a tight fit - I hate that.

FIVE:
I hate those who confuse their brand message with their slogan. There is a difference. I guess since they are both important, I should be happy that they have anything.

SIX:
I hate followers. Why do some businesses still feel they must follow the leader in their category? A commenter to one of my articles recently lamented their displeasure at businesses who copy the leader's image almost to the letter. Sheesh!

SEVEN:
I also hate people online who make the simple complicated in an attempt to screw a few dollars out of your pocket, only to reveal the obvious. If you see something online you want to get into, email the author - I'm sure they'll help you.

EIGHT:
I love it when someone says, "Hey, you're the branding guy!" I hate that it took so long.

NINE:
Sometimes I hate that consistency is worth so much to your brand. I get the itch like many of us to change things up a bit. BUT, my better judgement knows that that would diminish what I have achieved so far.

TEN:
Sometimes I hate focus groups when judging brand image. By their nature they look to criticize regardless if it is even necessary. Sometimes you just have to go with your gut. Was your brand built on consensus or instinct?

Thanks for letting me vent a small bit, I hate keeping it bottled up inside

10 Old Brands That Managed To Stay Modern

You might have more in common with your great-grandparents than that receding hairline or cleft chin; some of your favorite brands might have been used by your predecessors, even as early as the Civil War. And while your elders may not be transitioning into the digital age with ease (or at all), several of America's oldest brands have thrived through multiple technology changes. Here are 10 well known brands that appear a lot younger than they are. Read more...

Laura Ries Comments On Brand and Blogging.

Recently I have had the pleasure of interviewing marketing guru, best-selling author and mass-media commentator, Laura Ries. Laura shares her perspective with us here at Brand Corral.

Ed Roach: Laura, what impact on their customers do you think a company's CEO would have if they blogged and allowed comments?
 
Laura Ries: It depends on the CEO, the company and the category. What might work for some will not work for others. There is no rule that works for everybody. The CEO of Amazon or Zappos is quite different from the CEO of Procter & Gamble or General Mills. CEO blogs work best for a brand with a narrow focus, in a fast moving category with enthusiastic customers. The CEO also needs to be well-known or willing to become so.
 
Ed Roach: Professionals who wish to establish their expert profile are often frustrated by the fact that blogging doesn't harvest immediate results. Do you have any words of encouragement that if they embrace blogging it will deliver?
 
Laura Ries: Almost nothing gets immediate results. And compared to writing a book, a blog feels pretty immediate to me. What works best for a blog, a marketing strategy or almost anything is life is consistence and patience. Both of those are hard to come by in corporations.
 
Ed Roach: Does consistency in the tone of a company's brand message have any relevancy in their corporate blogging efforts? By tone I am referring to the way a company speaks to its stake holders in their on-going marketing vehicles. Apple's tone for instance is creativity, youthful and a difference.
 
Laura Ries: You said it. Consistency is key. But in order to be consistent a company must first decide what to focus on. What do they want to stand for? For BMW its driving. Volvo its safety. For category leaders they stand for the category. Google stands for search. eBay stands for internet auctions.
 
The real problem isn’t consistency. The real problem is that too many companies don’t even know what their brand stands for. Most companies hate to focus for example. They want to sell a wide variety of products and/or services with high quality and good prices to everybody.
 
Ed Roach: Should a corporate blog be consistent with the brand image or stand alone and look completely different?
 
Laura Ries: Again, it depends on the company and the CEO. But in general there should be a consistent look between the brand and the blog.
 
Ed Roach: In your opinion Laura, what is more powerful for the brand - one dedicated author of posts or numerous authors? Same goes for addressing comments.
 
Laura Ries: It is definitely more powerful to have one dedicated author which assures one dedicated voice. The same holds true for addressing comments. If possible one person should handle it.

Thank you Laura.

If you'd like to learn more about Laura Ries visit her blog or pick up her new book, "War In The Boardroom."