"What's the beef?"

Understanding consumers

Reblogged: makingit2madisonave:

This article in The Economist reminded me a lot of what I was told by all the planners at BBH, about those cultural differences and details it is important to understand when dealing with foreign markets. China is the next big thing and so a lot of brands are now trying to crack this market.

…

Venturesome Consumers and Innovative Consumption

How to Measure Your Brand's Online Influence

Reblogged: knecessaryandproper:

How certain diagnostic and analytic tools can help spread your online influence and spark interest in your brand.

Design thinking won't save you

(but it really might help)

"Accept: Follow: Connect: Press: Like: Share: Stumble: Update: Friend"

"Gulf start-ups need to change a "copycat mentality" of trying to replicate successful businesses in the West"

(Source: thenational.ae)

Deface of subversion: Paris pimpernel mocks burqa ban...

Go, Pimpernel.

(via @DanDimmock)

15 Reasons Luxury Brands Must Be On Twitter (via @REBRANDing)

Brand management to protect brand equity: A conceptual model

Corporate and product brands are increasingly accepted as valuable intangible assets of organisations, evidence of which is apparent in the reported financial value that strong brands fetch when traded in the mergers and acquisitions markets. However, while much attention is paid to conceptualising brand equity, less is paid to how brands should be managed and delivered in order to create and safeguard brand equity. In this article we develop a conceptual model of corporate brand management for creating and safeguarding brand equity. We argue that while legal protection of the brand is important, by itself it is insufficient to protect brand equity in the long term. We suggest that brand management ought to play an important role in safeguarding brand equity and propose a three-stage conceptual model for building and sustaining brand equity comprising: (1) adopting a brand- orientation mindset, (2) developing internal branding capabilities, and (3) consistent delivery of the brand. We put forward propositions, which, taken together, form a theory of brand management for building and safeguarding brand equity. We illustrate the theory using 14 cases of award-winning service companies. Their use serves as a demonstration of how our model applies to brand management practice.

Faking It: Why Wearing Designer Knockoffs May Have Hidden Psychological Costs

Polishing your self-image with counterfeit goods may lead to lying, cheating and cynicism

Source: RT @BRITEconf: Faking It: Why Wearing Designer Knockoffs May Have Hidden Psychological Costs [SciAm] http://bit.ly/937ZYp

Is the ‘Helios’ destined for the scrap heap?

In a digital era — as BP attempts to shift assets, ‘cap’ expenses, restore reputation and rebuild trust — is it possible the global giant has invested enough in its brand and identity to be able to recover, without having to change face?

Read on: The Identity Forum