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About Branding

Chocolate chip cookies: half-baked branding idea?

As a former chocolate chip cookie junkie, I was amused to read a long story in The New York Times yesterday about two companies that have figured out how to make their customers actually salivate prior to entering the premises. And neither one of them is in the cookie business. The first is Doubletree hotels,…

Bowled over: the changing names of college bowl games

by Barry Silverstein Another college football bowl game season comes to a close tonight. Each year, it seems, the controversy surrounding the BCS (Bowl Championship Series) heats up because of the selection process for the national championship. But there’s another controversy that’s becoming equally heated: Is commercialism polluting college football? Of this year’s 34 bowl…

Gläce Luxury Ice balls: the latest in high-class drinking

For some people, the brand of booze you drink is just as much of a status symbol as the car you drive. Mercedes, Lamborghini, Geo Metro… Grey Goose, Crystal, Colt 45. Like the wheels you sport, the liquor in your glass shows everyone else what sort of spender you are. Unfortunately, no one besides the bartender can tell what you’re…

Tiger Woods and the sponsor spiral

Tiger Woods has fallen, and it doesn’t look like he’s going to get up anytime soon. Ever since word came out about his scandalous off-course activities, the world’s most respected golfer has been stuck in the rough. Gossip rags and humor sites hang on news of every revealed mistress, he’s the butt of countless jokes…

On the warpath with Native American mascots

by Jeffery Racheff Neon headdresses. Gleaming tomahawk axes. Half-naked men covered in war paint – these are not the sights of a Native American war dance. No, they’re staples of American sporting events. Indian images, mascots and logos are ubiquitous at football and baseball games, and there are countless teams throughout the country that use…

Oasis of the Seas: the Titanic times five

In many ways, a cruise is the ultimate vacation. You get to travel, relax in the sun, watch live shows, dance and drink, all within a few steps of your own room. It’s like Vegas on the high seas. And if cruise ships are like hotel-casinos with rudders, then the MS Oasis of the Seas…

Home Business Ideas: How Branding Gets them Off the Ground

Whether you’re a Fortune 500 company or a home business, branding is extremely important to creating and maintaining success. But while a Fortune 500 company already has an established corporate identity, home business ideas depend on initial brand building to get off the ground. No company is too small to build an effective brand (although…

Hollister finds adventure in fiction

If someone told you they were born in 1922, how would you respond? Would you offer to play backgammon, maybe ask them if they have any World War II stories? Or would you ask to see their ID because they look a little too young for Seniors Eat Free Brunch? That’s what the British government…

Best Western, Worst Western

by Mars Riley       Best Western has an identity problem that has been 60 years in the making. Simply put, each of their hotels is an independently owned and operated franchise—each one unique. Considering they have 4,000 hotels in 80 countries, that may be too much uniqueness. It is impossible to predict what…

Paying the Extra Dollar for Branding in San Francisco | Why It’s Worth It

The startup market in San Francisco is extremely crowded and competitive. That’s why it’s essential to go the extra mile to make your business stand out from the competition. Especially if you’re working in a similar market as other San Francisco businesses, you need to differentiate yourself and ensure that your company is the one…