Make Your Brand Matter

CHAPTER 1A Far Too Brief History of Brand Strategy

When reflecting on the history of branding, many marketers often reference iconic brand positioning that has stood the test of time. Most people can name the brand that told us to “Just Do It.” Similarly, people of a certain age know which brand to use if a package “absolutely, positively needs to get there overnight,” and that same generation recalls which animal answered the question, “How many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop?” We all know that if you have a Coke, it comes with a smile, and, more recently, that a 15‐minute investment in time could save you 15% on your car insurance. So many of these brand statements remain with people for a lifetime, and they've positively influenced countless engagement and purchase decisions over the decades.

However, as all marketing professionals know, brand taglines do not represent brand strategies. Brand strategy is far more than just the use of advertising and taglines to promote a product. Enterpreneur.com provides solid insight into what branding is: “The marketing practice of creating a name, symbol or design that identifies and differentiates a product from other products.”¹ Even better, this aligns with the teachings of every great marketing program in business school: “Your brand is your promise to your customer. It tells them what they can expect from your products and services, and it differentiates your offering from that of your competitors. Your ...