The personality aspect of a brand admits that there are strong emotional components to the decisions that we make. If you don’t think your brand is interesting enough to have a personality, then go and ask your sales department how they sell. You may be surprised at their response.

Associations are a mental shortcut to the brand promise. In many cases, these associations occur organically without company cultivation. This is always a positive sign. If, however, the associations are negative, you should stop doing whatever it is that caused them immediately.

One difference between creating something you believe in and creating something that’s popular is that popularity seekers follow established steps. Do this, do that, do the other thing… lots of traffic. Do this, do that, do the other thing, a quick boost in Google. DT, DT DTOT and get a standing ovation…

The problem with this, that and the other thing is that you end up with a career filled with it. Instead of creating long-lasting art, ideas that matter and things that spread organically, you end up with a bunch of calculated mini-hits.

Do what you believe, not what sells.

In the past few months, it seems we’ve been dealt several clients in the early stages of brand development (our favorite scenario) and we’ve had the privilege of helping them name their newborn brands. This is always a truly rewarding experience, but I often find myself droning on about name, mission, values, story, principles, etc., and making sure that they are all properly aligned with products and communications.

I tell you that to tell this story:

This evening, I stopped in to pick up a bottle of wine for dinner. Pinot Noir is my latest obsession, and I’ve been getting bored with my usual brand…so I thought I’d branch out.

As I was browsing down the shelf, my eye landed on a bottle with a richly colored label and the name “Irony.” The name intrigued me, so I picked it up. On the back of the label, I found the story of the brothers who run the company. This story is a perfect illustration of how the story is used to convey brand values.

So Anheuser-Busch sold to InBev. The Great American Lager is now owned by a European company. Will it hurt the brand? Doubtful. The fact is that Anheuser-Busch has been outsourcing jobs overseas for years.

The outsourcing of American jobs is a political issue. My point here isn’t to choose sides in that debate. My point is simply that, like it or not, American jobs are- and have been for quite some time- moving overseas. It just stands to reason that ownership of some of these companies may very well eventually follow suit.

Does this mean that Bud drinkers will stop drinking Bud? I doubt it. After all, the brand that’s taking the real hit in this transaction isn’t Anheuser-Busch, it’s the collective whole of AMERICAN BUSINESS.

Sincere congratulations to my partner Beth and her new husband, Cliff. I guess now she’s Beth Booth instead of Beth Carr. I still think Cliff should’ve taken her name instead……Beth Booth…..really?

Beware of “expert” opinion that labors to convince you that “scientific” explanations — linguistics, focus groups, trend analysis — trumps good old fashioned meaning, story, history, mythology, poetry, rhythm, and shared knowledge when considering names for companies, products, or services. Anything else is just putting ketchup on a potato bug.

First of all, the ability to recognize a good idea when you see one helps promote an idea. Passion promotes ideas. You have to be anxious to see an idea take shape. A good idea is a hidden truth waiting to be dug out. Ideas are easy to kill, becaus they are fragile. Any activity that detracts from a chain of thought kills the idea.

Is branding an art? Or is it a science? It depends on who you talk to. And, I suppose, on their unique niche of the market. Speaking in general terms, however, most would probably agree that branding is both an art and a science.

The importance of crafting a proper mission can never be understated. It involves positioning yourself just over the event horizon, in that “sweet spot” between what is and what is yet to come. You must be relevant today, tomorrow, and next year. Not too close as to appear redundant. And not too far out as to appear detached.

We often say that “the question is not how can I take advantage of new marketing, but rather: how can I produce something relevant in the new market?” PledgeMail is a perfect example of a company positioned to flourish in the new market. Mojoloco will work with founder David Russel, consultant Ted Hart, and organizational guru Susan McDaniel to provide brand team support as the company nears its critical launch date.