Brand Real: How Smart Companies Live Their Brand Promise and Inspire Fierce Customer Loyalty

CHAPTER FIVEPOSITIONING BRANDSFOR CONTEXT

There’s an old consulting story that illustrates the nuances of context. Three friends hit the golf course together. One is a priest, the other a doctor, and the third a business consultant. It’s a perfectly beautiful day. The three men are driving the ball well and having a great game until they start the back nine. There, they find themselves waiting for a long time behind a slow-playing foursome in front of them. At one point, the priest waves down a ranger. He asks what’s holding things up. The ranger explains that the foursome is a group of firefighters who lost their sight saving the historic clubhouse from a nasty blaze. He said the club is so grateful for the firefighters’ heroism that it allows ...