I read The Trump Blog, he actually had something really good to say about branding.
So what exactly is a brand? Many people confuse branding with graphic design. I still have clients come to me saying, "Can you design us a brand?" They are asking for a logo, and my response is always what I call the First Law of Branding. Your brand is not your logo. Is your nationality a flag? Of course not! It is something deep within you that everyone who knows you immediately recognizes. The flag is just a symbol for that invisible but very important "something."
This is exactly what I think "branding" is all about, and MANY people make that mistake of thinking...."Oh if I create a logo, I'm making a brand." Partly there, but still WRONG!
The Second Law of Branding follows. The brand drives the buying decision. A great brand for any size of market forges a bond with its audience. It makes a connection deep inside people. That bond is in place for the moment when the need arises, and out comes the credit card. Think of your brand as a magnetic force. It may attract, or it may repel. Designing a powerful brand strategy means building a force field around your company or product (or you!) that draws people in -- specifically the people most likely to buy what you have to offer.
I totally agree. Today I found myself at Fry's picking up and putting back the iPod Hi-Fi. And I already own the Bose iPod Sound dock!!! The iPod Hi-Fi is SO well thought out, mainly, no lame power brick, and optional battery operation. It also uses that modular universal iPod dock which results in an actual snug fit for my 5th generation iPod. I bought the Bose pre-universal dock, so this version does not support the universal dock yet. Apple even put a green l.e.d. behind the speaker grill so when you're using the remote control you can see that there's feedback when using the remote. There's also a line in jack on the back of the enclosure, so I could connect my Airport Express and stream music via iTunes! On top of all of this, the speaker grill connects to the front of the enclosure with magnetic ball joint sockets!
