Tag: branding
The Curation Comeback: Why Human Taste Beats Algorithms Every Time
Algorithms manufacture mediocrity. As AI makes polished content cheap, authentic human taste becomes your only unfair advantage.
Your Story Is Probably Good Enough, Your Execution Isn't
Most brands already have a compelling story. The gap between modest and exceptional video ROI comes down to production execution and craftsmanship.
Let The Fans Have It
A YouTuber makes an interesting pitch for the legendary Commodore brand: Instead of letting it die on the vine, make the brand accessible to the community for cheap.
Tic-Tac-D’Oh
Dell decides to rebrand its machines along a 3x3 grid—and ditches a number of popular product lines along the way. (Was it worth it?)
No Hiding These Logos
How Intel turned the PC industry into its collective co-op marketing partner through a strong sticker game, an idea Microsoft used to push Windows sales.
Renamin’ Cajuns
How a somewhat obscure Louisiana university got a gradual name upgrade in the eyes of state law—and of college football (of course).
Thirsty? Oh Yeah!
Kool-Aid is a delicious drink with a fascinating story that extends beyond branding. Here’s how the powdered drink mix (and its mascot) came to define drinks.
Hydrogenated Marketing
How Crisco, which avoided naming its primary ingredient in ads, toppled lard more than a century ago—and made Americans believers in industrial food.
Feelin’ 7UP
The marketing history of America’s favorite lemon-lime soda, 7UP, proves that sometimes reality is stranger than fiction.
Giving Candy A Bad Name
The surprisingly true story of Ayds, a diet suppressant candy that was incredibly successful until its name became forever associated with something else.
The Ballad of Yo! Noid
In the '80s and '90s, advertisers got the idea to market products to kids through video games. The games aren't half-bad (mostly), but they're still ads.
The Many Lives of Packard Bell
When it was a radio-maker, Packard Bell had a reputation for quality products. When a PC clone startup bought the name, that reputation fell apart—fast.
America The Processed
One of the broadest possible geographic terms is, for now, the new name of Budweiser. Does Budweiser deserve \"America,\" and if not, what does?
Generic Internet Article
Private labels are a common strategy retailers use to keep profits in house, but fortunately for everyone, house brands are a lot less boring these days.
The Invention Of News
The field of public relations is still built on a single foundational tool—the press release. Why do we still use them? Well, for the companies, they work.
Forget Rand Paul, Let's Talk Paul Rand
Paul Rand, the graphic designer, has a Rand Paul problem: The headline-chewing politician is hiding the famed designer's legacy on Google. Here's why.
Don't Mess With The Michelin Man
How did a tire manufacturer create an essential restaurant guide? And what other unusual side businesses do brand-name companies have? We investigate.
Brand bastardizations
Sometimes, companies do things that go against our expectations of their brand. Often, the result can be awful. Check out these examples of brand weirdness.