Smart marketing makes us excited! Some of the most famous brands are readily recognizable because of the money spent on impression branding. However, many of them include messages designed into lettering or other elements. A smart logo can be memorable and very effective. Simple colors, clear messaging, and an easy-to-read design help tremendously. Take a look at these logos and the explanations...

Love him or hate him, President Obama is a marketing genius. I saw my first 2012 Barack Obama campaign banner ad today - it was a simple ad from the First Lady asking you to sign his birthday card. Nothing big, no commitment, just fill out a simple form. Branding genius. Why? Because it's a subtle reminder that he's back on the campaign trail and when he starts asking for donations and m...

It's been a busy weekend for Harry Potter fans, with the final installment of the Harry Potter franchise opening this past Friday. So far, Harry has broken the overseas opening weekend record at $314M, more than $50M more than Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, who is now #2. This, of course, helped the movie break the worldwide opening weekend record at $483M. #2 is now Half Blood...

Check out this video of Evan Longoria: Supposedly, his lightning quick reflexes saved the unaware reporter during the interview. While it is certainly a spoof, we don't get who would put up the cash to make the spot without some branding effort. It has viral quality but there should be SOMETHING to identify with. We decided we had to give it a 'brilliant' and 'not so brilliant...

According to Reuters: "Apple has overtaken Google as the world's most valuable brand, ending a four-year reign by the Internet search leader, according to a new study by global brands agency Millward Brown." Apple's extreme success in brand managment has pushed it to the top of the pile. It has finally overtaken Google as the brand to covet. The brand is worth $153 billion repr...

McDonalds is trying to morph into a more upscale establishment. Ronald McDonald is likely to get pushed into the background. The company will be changing the overall branding concept entirely trying to attract an audience similar to Starbucks. "Amid intensifying concern over surging obesity rates, the chain has distanced itself from its fast-food origins, adding cafe-friendly items such as...

Over the decades, the Girl Scout program has created an empire in the cookie market. Once starting out as a simple project in one troop, it is now a $700 million revenue stream to help young girls fund their organization and activities. In recent years, the national organization has grown it's cookie business to the point that the major cookie producers had to either partner up or get left behin...

Every business or cause has the need to build a reputable, successful brand to promote whatever is being sold/pitched. Here are some cheap ways to build a brand. Blogging Blog posts are distributed to many aggregators via feeds. They are also submitted to search engines within minutes of posting. The audience for a blog may be tremendous and create interest or drive business. Printed Labels Ever...

Creating a brand is about creating a memorable image, mark, or symbol that potential customers will remember at the time of a purchase decision. It is much more than simply throwing a logo on something and pushing the product. A brand's value begins at its inception and grows or shrinks with each subsequent target interaction. When building a brand, consider who your target is. Consider the reas...