Can you name the best marketing company in the world? It is a very difficult question. Too often we confuse big revenues, innovative products, famous brands or remarkable ad campaigns with marketing excellence. Don’t get me wrong: all of the above are wonderful corporate assets, but they do not necessarily denote marketing excellence.
A lady, sitting next to Raymond Loewy at dinner, struck up a conversation. ‘Why’, she asked ‘did you put two X’s in Exxon?’ ‘Why ask?’ he asked ‘Because’, she said, ‘I couldn’t help noticing?’ ‘Well’, he responded, ‘that’s the answer.’ Source: Alan Fletcher, The Art Of Looking Sideways
Abraham Lincoln once said, “You must draw on language, logic and simple common sense to determine essential issues and establish a concrete course of action.” Unfortunately, business executives often leave their common sense in the parking lot when they come to work.
Too often marketers confuse big, famous brands with brilliant brand strategies. Many of the most iconic brands were built decades ago and their approach to brand-building can be average at best. By the same token, sometimes the most boring and indistinct companies are building their brands right now with strategies that are deserving of our attention and emulation.
The power of brands lies in focus. Very few, if any, brands can be all things to all people within a product or service category.
