Brand Marketing Blog

Helping you to build your brand and grow brand equity.

  • Jody Ordioni interview

    Jody Ordioni interview

    Wake up, executives. You have a brand with your employees, and it is affecting the bottom line, big time. I, Colin Finkle, am guilty of this: when the industry, including me, talks about branding, we mean an organization’s brand with its customers unless we explicitly say otherwise. The consumer brand is the fun bit, and…

  • Lifestyle brand case study: Arc’teryx

    Lifestyle brand case study: Arc’teryx

    Arc’teryx’s shared values with outdoor enthusiasts attract other niches and the broader market. Executive Summary | Abstract | TL;DR Arc’teryx’s odd name and logo refer to the earliest known bird, which evolved wings to adapt to its hazardous environment. Arc’teryx uses an evolutionary design process to create outdoor apparel that helps their customers overcome hazardous…

  • What is a lifestyle brand?

    What is a lifestyle brand?

    Some of the most powerful brands are based on lifestyles that we aspire to. Most of us, including me, live pretty boring lives; enjoyable, lovely, but boring.  But wearing a t-shirt, scent or hand bag allows our imagination to put us in that lifestyle, and associate ourselves with the cool people who embody that way…

  • What is brand frame of reference? What is brand scope?

    What is brand frame of reference? What is brand scope?

    The definition of brand scope or brand frame of reference is what customers expect from your brand. Have you had an experience like this? Let me know in the comments. I was shopping at Costco and pulled into the relatively quiet towel aisle because my toddler was disruptive. I noticed that they had a six…

  • Brand Standards Guide

    Brand Standards Guide

    How to create an effective brand standards manual. Executive Summary  |  Abstract  |  TL;DR The purpose of a brand standards is to build consistency. They are forward-looking. Think about what the users of your brand standards are looking for. Users of brand standards include designers, copywriters, marketers, business development, staff, and vendors. Plan out your…

  • Daryl Weber interview

    Daryl Weber interview

    The framework for using science to make marketing decisions. When science and marketing meet, something special happens: we start dealing with how things are as opposed to how we think they are. We make assumptions when we are marketing a company, and we very rarely have the opportunity to test them. We are best to…

  • Brand Seduction book review

    Brand Seduction book review

    Psychology and neuroscience meet branding. The good. Real Science This book is based on 60 years of psychology and neuroscience. True Branding About how the feeling of a brand drives sales. Usable Actionable practices you can use tomorrow. The bad. Critical of Marketing This book may be hard on how you have been working. Analytical…

  • Overview of Brand Relationship Strategies

    Overview of Brand Relationship Strategies

    Executive Summary | Abstract | TL;DR In an organization with multiple products, brands or sub-brands, their relationships to each other need to be carefully considered because they will have an impact on each other’s brand associations and brand equity. There are five strategies. 1) Master Brand strategy: the company brand is the focus and is…

  • Jay Baer interview

    Jay Baer interview

    Customer service: the new spectator sport. Your brand is up to bat. You probably think your company is hitting it out of the park with customer service. Well, sorry to break it to you, but you are probably only hitting singles and may even be hitting foul balls. And now, everyone is watching because customers…

  • Kelly Childs and Erinn Weatherbie interview

    Kelly Childs and Erinn Weatherbie interview

    These women have taken a cupcake shop and made an international epicurean tourist attraction. BMB’s Interview Series features conversations with marketers and business owners who exemplify brand marketing. Kelly’s Bake Shoppe is a cupcake bakery on the rise; but not rising with the traditional flour and baking soda. Kelly’s features delicious treats that are gluten-free, dairy-free,…