In its heyday, Target promised affordable, designer style for everyone. Anyone could afford stylish items that were ordinarily available only to those with money for conspicuous consumption. That Alessi teapot could be yours. Target democratized designer style.
What do United Airlines, YUM! Brands, Kohl’s, Ulta Beauty, and Estée Lauder have in common? Their leaders are talking about brand loyalty as a driver of business performance.
Corporate jargon is pretty miserable. Executives use euphemisms and empty phrases to cover up the truth. Reading an earnings report is sometimes the equivalent of nails scratching on a blackboard. The generic puffery of language – employed to dull our senses and calm our expectations – is numbing.
It is difficult to avoid politics these days. Right now, both political brands are becoming parties that do not stand for anything but stand against everything or stand for everything. Having a relevant, differentiated brand promise applies whether you are a political entity or a packaged goods offering.
The role of CEO is a success label. Wall Street and investors view the CEO as the fiduciary leader who will drive an enterprise’s performance to greater shareholder financial results. The shareholder mindset tends to be short-term rather than long-term, which puts brands at a disadvantage.
