Trust Me, You'll Love It...

I recently attended a branding presentation by Harvey Briggs, hosted by PDMA at Johnson Health Tech.  In addition to his extensive experience with major brands (Chevrolet, Pepsi, Kimberly-Clark, Oscar Mayer, Black & Decker, etc…), Harvey has accumulated numerous accolades including a Cannes Advertising Festival “Gold Lion” and being named a “creative All-Star” by Adweek.  A core message of his presentation stressed that branding should be baked-in from the beginning of the NPD process, rather than applying it as a veneer near the end as so many do.  Products, not advertising, are the ultimate expression of a company’s brand.  Call me selfish, but I support this sentiment.

Still, there are other elements far too influential to overlook.  One way to bake in a consistent brand from inception is to have a dominant personality be the face of the brand – such as a charismatic founder (e.g. Steve Jobs or James Dyson).  It is a bit ironic that Mr. Dyson derides the concept of “branding” when he so effectively represents the brand of his namesake.  This of course presents a problem when the progenitor ceases to be – since companies typically hope to outlive their founders.

Kentucky Fried Chicken soldiered on with stylized images of their founder, even dabbling with a cartoonish iteration which likely caused some heartburn for those who knew the real man.  Betty Crocker’s relatives and friends had no such concerns.  Perhaps the most forward-looking approach is that of KISS - intentional or not.  By turning themselves into cartoons from the start and keeping their identities secret, they created a brand which could survive their departure.  In fact, they currently tour with replacements playing the roles of Ace and Peter in full makeup and costumes patterned after the 70’s originals.  That’s 50 percent, and the band has openly talked about continuing tours with 100 percent replacements – a touring cast in the mold of Cats and Phantom of the Opera.  Is this wrong?  The spectacle, the songs, and everything else will be the same for the fans who trek to these shows…

Brand is a promise of a consistent experience, and the faces, characters, and icons presented in the media all serve as proxies for the product in delivering on that promise.