Old School Branding

Call me old fashioned if you wish, but some things, even in branding, remain key, regardless of all the bells and whistles, beautiful ideas and ever changing trends that face the brand world today.

I have to agree with Helen Edwards in her article, Old School Branding on Brand Republic (which by the way is one of the best platforms on marketing and branding news and views available).

But back to Helen and her recognition of the simple things that make branding work.

She uses the London Business School as an example, in that they truly are revolutionary and a pillar in contributing to business and society, BUT their branding sucks, or rather the execution thereof (execution is a big word and if you don't get it right consistently can bite you in the butt).

Short and simple Helen sums it up:

"The (relatively) easy and fun bit of branding is the theory - the workshops on values, generating ideas and coming up with a new slogan.

The hard bit is executing it consistently and coherently in everything you do and say - and unless everyone is engaged in the process and understands the part they play, you haven’t got a chance.

People on the inside will get bored with the brand and want to change it long before anyone on the outside has really grabbed hold of what it is. They should take a very deep breath before doing so, and give it, say, another ten years before they scratch that itch."

Helen for (branding) president!!