Banish the ghosts of Christmas past for the best Christmas present
16
Dec
Once upon a time, a long long time ago, in a faraway land, a baby was born to a virgin and a carpenter. He lay lying in a manger — and kings and shepherds, angels and beasts came to worship him.
So goes the Christmas tale — and the creation of a celebration of giving and peace and goodwill to all men.
That was until the Coca-Cola ad men got hold of it 80 years ago and turned Christmas red, white and green, with magazine ads featuring Santa Claus as a kind, jolly man in a red suit.
One comment. Posted in Branding, Christmas, ORB
Branding has got to be one of the most misunderstood concepts among business leaders.
Perhaps it’s because you get different answers if you ask them to define a brand — from a ‘promise’ to an assurance of quality or service; a perceived value or pleasure out of using or being associated with a company or product; a sustainable source of competitive advantage; a valuation of reputation; or the essence, emotion or culture of a business.
Or maybe it’s because there are so many myths surrounding branding, willingly propagated by strategists and people wanting to charge a fortune for something feared more than a Hogwarts’ Dark Art.
No comments. Posted in Branding, Naming, ORB
Are you keen on camels? Me neither. In fact, I don’t know a single person who likes them (though that may change with a visit this Christmas to Abu Dhabi!)
They’re fantastically functional, I grant you, and perfectly adapted to the harsh climate and environment they inhabit — just pig ugly, so to speak (if that’s not being swine-ist).
That’s why the inspired creator of the original iconic Mini, Sir Alec Issigonis, came up with the saying ‘a camel is a horse designed by committee’.
And he knew a thing or two about winning design. After all he created two more of the top five best-selling British cars — the Morris Minor and the Austin 1100.
One comment. Posted in Branding, Naming
Staff are the lead ambassadors for your brand — never more so than now with all-pervading social media.
The most likely first interaction with your brand is the receptionist on the switchboard, the teenager on National Minimum Wage at your shop or the conversation on Facebook or Twitter.
Ask yourself, who is more likely to influence that interaction? The chief executive, the marketing department or Joe Bloggs, payroll number 12547N?
No comments. Posted in Branding
So, Everything Everywhere chief Olaf Swantee admits his company’s name is ‘silly’. Well, bugger me! You don’t say!
The Telegraph was the one to blow the gaff on the gaffer, whose story was then propagated by Marketing magazine.
How exactly the mobile operator, which was formed by the merger of two of the world’s best known and loved mobile brands, came up with this dud beggars belief.
Here’s your brief. Take the iconic and once inspirational Orange, under the charismatic leadership of founder and CEO Hans Snook, and mix it with the efficient and (latterly) brilliantly-marketed T-Mobile and produce . . . (drum roll) a damp squib.
No comments. Posted in Branding, Naming
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