03.31.09
Branding is something that we are all exposed to hundreds of times every day. But few of us think about it, unaware of how much branding impacts our buying behavior. As label converters, we are direct contributors to the power of branding, since the label is an integral part of the brand. So, a better understanding of branding will help us provide advice and direction for our customers. By reading the blogs reviewed here we can increase our knowledge of branding and become a more valuable partner to our customers.
Branding Strategy Insider is the corporate blog of The Blake Project, a branding consultancy dedicated "to helping organizations create brands that build and sustain trust." It is one of the leading branding blogs in the industry, with more than 5,000 subscribers. One of the authors, Brad VanAuken, has a bestselling book on branding, Brand Aid. Recent posts discussed how to deal with customer complaints, the challenge of establishing brands amid marketing clutter, and the impact of the financial crisis on many banking brands. Even though this blog is geared for big business, there are many universal principles discussed that can be applied to any business.
The purpose of the BrandBuilder blog is to "provide you with the most innovative, no-nonsense advice and commentary on how to create strong, lasting, A-level brands." Olivier Blanchard is the principal at BrandBuilder Inc., a branding and marketing consulting firm, and also the author of this blog. He believes that the product is the epicenter of a brand, so brand management should begin at the start of the product development cycle. Blanchard writes insightful and in-depth posts, although he is a little more long-winded than your typical blogger, with several posts running over 1,200 words. But he is one of the more intelligent people writing about branding and his recent post on the changing role of advertising was one of the most astute articles I have read on the topic.
The Brand Autopsy blog is the granddaddy of branding blogs, dating back to 2003. The author, John Moore, worked for 10 years for two major retail brands, Starbucks Coffee and Whole Foods Market, before starting his own consultancy, Brand Autopsy Marketing Practice. He takes an analytical approach and both praises and critiques what many major brands are doing. Recent posts have praised Hyundai for their innovative program that allows customers to return a car on lease if they lose their job. Moore points out that Hyundai's sales are actually up in 2009 in part because of this program.
The Fresh Peel is "peeling back the old ideas and traditions of marketing and branding by exploring new and innovative strategies for connecting with consumers." This blog certainly is different. The author, Chris Wilson, is not only a branding strategist but also an art director, and his creative flair certainly comes through. Wilson graduated from Oklahoma Christian University in 2006 and is part of Generation Y. He writes with an authority that belies his years, and as the blog title suggests, provides a fresh perspective on today's major brands. Recent posts discussed an innovative branding campaign from JetBlue, the rise of Red Bull as a global brand, and the irrationality of consumer buying behavior.
My Private Brand is different to the other blogs reviewed here in that it focuses on private label branding, not branding in general. It is the brainchild of Christopher Durham, the brand manager at Lowes Home Improvement, but it is not a corporate blog. The blog has been around only since December, but I am including it because it provides a perspective that no other blog provides. With today's economic woes, more consumers are shopping for store brands than ever before in an attempt to stretch their buying power. A recent blog post dealt with that very topic discussing research that documented a 30 percent savings off the average weekly grocery bill if consumers purchased store brands over national brands.
Branding Strategy Insider (http://www.brandingstrategyinsider.com/)
The BrandBuilder Blog (http://thebrandbuilder.wordpress.com)
The purpose of the BrandBuilder blog is to "provide you with the most innovative, no-nonsense advice and commentary on how to create strong, lasting, A-level brands." Olivier Blanchard is the principal at BrandBuilder Inc., a branding and marketing consulting firm, and also the author of this blog. He believes that the product is the epicenter of a brand, so brand management should begin at the start of the product development cycle. Blanchard writes insightful and in-depth posts, although he is a little more long-winded than your typical blogger, with several posts running over 1,200 words. But he is one of the more intelligent people writing about branding and his recent post on the changing role of advertising was one of the most astute articles I have read on the topic.
Brand Autopsy (http://brandautopsy.typepad.com/)
The Brand Autopsy blog is the granddaddy of branding blogs, dating back to 2003. The author, John Moore, worked for 10 years for two major retail brands, Starbucks Coffee and Whole Foods Market, before starting his own consultancy, Brand Autopsy Marketing Practice. He takes an analytical approach and both praises and critiques what many major brands are doing. Recent posts have praised Hyundai for their innovative program that allows customers to return a car on lease if they lose their job. Moore points out that Hyundai's sales are actually up in 2009 in part because of this program.
The Fresh Peel (http://freshpeel.com/)
The Fresh Peel is "peeling back the old ideas and traditions of marketing and branding by exploring new and innovative strategies for connecting with consumers." This blog certainly is different. The author, Chris Wilson, is not only a branding strategist but also an art director, and his creative flair certainly comes through. Wilson graduated from Oklahoma Christian University in 2006 and is part of Generation Y. He writes with an authority that belies his years, and as the blog title suggests, provides a fresh perspective on today's major brands. Recent posts discussed an innovative branding campaign from JetBlue, the rise of Red Bull as a global brand, and the irrationality of consumer buying behavior.