Buick did it with Tiger Woods. Las Vegas did it with families. Each tried to be something they’re not. And nobody in the room stood up and said NO. In the past eight years, Buick’s market share has dropped from 2.8 percent to 1 percent according to...

I’m hard core about maintaining brand standards - operational and visual. Consistent customer experience is what makes a brand a brand. If the experience keeps changing, the customer doesn’t know what to think, there is no promise. The folks over at...

It’s been a while since the death of Earle Hagen, the writer and reported performer of the Andy Griffith Show theme song (though his performance is in some dispute). The song - called "The Fishin’ Hole" - is one of the most recognizable pieces of theme...

In my last post, I said communities usually fall short in the execution stage of their "rebranding" efforts. After the logo and tagline is put into place, they expect hordes of new residents, new businesses, new visitors to come running down main...

In the past year or so, I’ve been less and less attracted to the brand machinations of McDonalds and Starbucks and more fascinated by the stumblings of cities, counties and regions as they try to "brand" themselves. There are plenty of consultants in...