“One thing that struck me -I think via @edwardboches — was the word BADGE. As we move further and further into a virtual existence, the idea of a badge becomes extremely important as a visual identifier.

The second thing that strikes me is the Dane S.’s comment about naming. Quick story – 15 years ago I worked at The Monster Board – now Monster.com. Jeff [Taylor] held to the belief that the name was what made the site rise above the fray of other career sites coming into being. Monster was unique and unexpected. It didn’t get lost as just another job site. Granted – it took marketing, great creative and an awesome Superbowl commercial – but it had an edge for ownership of the space.

His strategy always struck me….mostly because it was pretty simple.”

Read the full post here: Logos are Dead?

Meet Leroy Stick – the man behind @BPGlobalPR. His press release is a lot of brilliant – and a reflection on how important social media is for our culture:

“So what is the point of all this?  The point is, FORGET YOUR BRAND.  You don’t own it because it is literally nothing.  You can spend all sorts of time and money trying to manufacture public opinion, but ultimately, that’s up to the public, now isn’t it?

You know the best way to get the public to respect your brand?  Have a respectable brand.  Offer a great, innovative product and make responsible, ethical business decisions.”

Read the entire press release here >>

This terrific post from my friends over at Black Coffee is definitely worth a read. We have definitely become a culture who takes its identity from the brands we consume. This is a little troubling, but it is the case. If I say to you “Apple, NPR, Banana Republic, HBO, Starbucks” you’d have a pretty good idea of the person I’m referring to – on a surface level of course.

I was especially pleased that they quoted Edward R. Murrow on the value of truthfulness.  Quick highlight:

Given how fast competitors can copy one another, brand value is moving from features and benefits to an expression of the companies beliefs and values, giving context and added relevance to the offering.

Read more: Brand Values

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