Re: Brand Identity

In regards to companies/people who have done a good job of creating a strong brand, I have two, different examples, both of which emphasize everything beyond the logo.

1. James Victore, the designer that I'm actually going to talk about in class tonight. His work intrigued me because his brand is such an obvious and prominent part of what he does: he's not just a good designer, he's a certain kind of good designer. 

I can relate to Monique—I know there's a lot more I can do to brand myself. Sometimes I get tripped up with that, though: I'm the one who is supposed to helping others create their brand…how can I have a brand, too?

That's where James Victore is a good example. His is extreme, perhaps even a bit alienating (I'd argue the best brands tiptoe the line of either making you feel like you're part of an "exclusive-ish" club or scared that you might not be). Either way, James Victore talks about design in addition to designing, and everything he says, emails, Instagrams, etc. is totally consistent with his brand. This brand, I have to imagine, is some quasi-authentic version of himself.

2. Chick-fil-A.

Love or hate this brand, they've been successful. And, I have to tell you, one of the things that sticks out most to me is how the customer service is so branded.

You probably don't want to get me started on this rant, but every single time you say "Thank You" at Chick-fil-A, what does the employee answer?

"My pleasure."

Every. Single. Time.

EVERYSINGLETIME.

I actually drives me completely nuts, but I do think it's an example of good branding.

There are too many companies with bad branding to count. What bothers me most lately is that companies—restaurants especially—are turning their brand into a catch-all. Dunkin Donuts now sells chicken sandwiches. What the hell?! 

Dunkin Donuts might be a bad example because they already have a very strong brand, so they can kind of do whatever, but still…I think brands are strong when they are specific and focused.

The customer question is an interesting one. Because I want to say, yes, a lot of times they do know, they just don't know the brand-y terms that we do.

BUT. There is a strange phenomenon that happens when a brand becomes popular…people become lemmings. How many people who could care less about outdoor sports wear North Face jackets?