The document discusses the history and principles of branding. It traces the evolution of branding from early uses of branding cattle to modern practices. It notes how brands have behaved badly in the past by not knowing their audience, lacking conviction, or seeing the brand as just a logo. However, it asserts that whether you like it or not, as a person or company you are a brand. It then outlines principles for effective branding such as defining your audience, standing for something meaningful, having a point of difference, proving your brand claims, speaking authentically to customers as human beings, and knowing your field of competence.

1. Are you a brand?
Do you want to be?
Northern Voice 2009
Brett T. T. Macfarlane

2. Seriously though, who is this jackass?

4. 4

5. :30 History of Branding

6. Back in day
Some guy Brands a Cow

7. The 60’s
CPG products now brands

8. The 70’s
Footprints of commercial
globalization

9. The 80’s
Brand pervasiveness

11. The 90’s
Brand rejection

13. The 00’s
Brand indifference

14. http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/07wz2AZ6JTdih/340x.jpg

15. Brands
Behaving
Badly

16. 16

19. - / Don’t know their audience
- / Lack conviction
- / See brand as logo
- / Don’t care about you, the human being
- / It’s hard not to suck

20. Do you even want
to consider yourself
a brand?

21. You are one,
whether you like it
or not.

22. BRAND ≠ IDENTITY

23. A brand is not a “thing”
It is a bundle of meaning
It is whatever is in people’s heads
Good and bad. Right and wrong
23

25. jordan olympics sweat
victory
shop sport just do it
exploitation slave freedom tiger
labour
woods consumerism bo jackson oregon haywood field
yellow prefontain lance armstrong losing $30
sweat
athlete
running
logo
cool
athletes bad crap
comfortable
25

26. Principles of Branding

27. Define your
audience
27

28. Text
Who are you for?
28

29. Stand for
something
29

30. “If you stand for something, you
will always find some people for
you and some against you. If
you stand for nothing, you will
find nobody against, and
nobody for you”
30

31. What makes
you you?
31

32. Point of difference
32

33. Prove it
33

34. Field of competence
34

35. Tone of
voice
35

36. Personality
36

37. Good blogs
Good brands
37

38. 38

40. 40

41. 41

42. 42

43. 43

44. - / Know your audience
- / Stand for something
- / Authentic
- / Speak and converse with you like a
human being
- / Try, desperately, not to suck

45. Thank
You
45

46. Brett T. T. Macfarlane
Account Director
DDB Canada
me@brettmacfarlane.com
brettmacfarlane.typepad.com
twitter.com/macfarbt