I bet if you are in marketing you probably have no clue why a good brand is important…or what you think a brand is, truly isn't what a brand should be…only read on if you are ready for some podium soap box  ranting about branding…well lack there of – WARNING: this is kind of winded. I learned a great deal the past 7 years being steeped in brand strategies.  I have a learned a great deal the past 7 years from hearing colleagues discuss what a proper brand strategy is.  I have even learned a great deal in the past from previous clients as to what their thoughts are on branding their company.  The most important take away from all this “learning” – companies need to do some “learning” about what brand strategy really is.  It appears to me that most brands out in the national spot light are becoming too self-serving.  What if Anhueser-Busch had worked to develop “This 110 calories is for you” – well it passes the consumer driven approach we preach here at Mad Men Marketing.  Or even worse, they could have developed “Introducing Our Flagship Light Beer”, or “Our Flagship Light Beer Since 1982”.  Bud Light – “This beer is amazing!”, Bud Light – “Our beer is low in calories”…and so on.  You see Bud Light and Budweiser thrived for years with the brand statement – “This Bud's For You”.  It IS NOT about them.

Which brings me to the genesis of my rambling – Why is branding so terrible now days?  Why have companies seemed to forget that everything is about the consumer, not their product or service?    You see this is not a new topic for me, I have brought up consumer driven advertising in the past and will continue to bring it up as long as I continue to see terrible advertising in the market place.  UPS – what can brown do for you? – I don't know you tell me in a way that is memorable in your spots.  Chevy – an American Revolution – really?  I mean really?  I am not going there.  How about Pizza Hut – wait are they still making and delivering pizza?  I have tried to find their brand statement to no avail, but I did find “Big-Time Value Lives Inside The Box” – jazz Yum Brands!  “Think Outside The Box” and now “Think About What's Inside The Box for Another Brand?”

You see this is the kind of thinking that get's a brand (Pizza Hut) in trouble.  What if I went to the store and got some things and came back with the bread and milk and said “Honey I got the bread and milk but dang it I forgot the “Big-Time Value Lives Inside The Box” at the store – I will be back I HAVE TO have some “Big-Time Value Lives Inside The Box” – it really get's me thinking about how delicious Pizza Hut pizza's are and makes me want to get some for dinner.

I am sorry this went on for so long, but the lack of consumer driven brands must stop.  Call our office and ask for me and I will be HAPPY to explain to you my thoughts on this topic!  If you can't tell it is important to me.