It continues to amaze me. Every morning when I get my daily Groupon—no matter what brand the deal is for—every offer sounds exactly the same. Even when the offer is upscale, like custom tailoring or fine dining, its description is written in nearly unintelligible dude-speak. There is no alignment between the marketing piece (the coupon) and the brand that is being offered.

Why are retailers big and small so willing to give up control of their brand? Especially to a company that doesn’t take their client’s brand images into consideration. Some would argue that these deep discounts are harmful to brands, training consumers to expect the kinds of deals that eat into a retailer’s margins. I think the strategy is sound, but it’s the message and tone that are off.

In light of the recent Groupon Super Bowl ad fiasco it seems that this callousness might run even deeper. I wouldn’t be surprised to see significant pullback from Groupon. At least until the company figures out how to present its clients in their best light.

How many brides are eager to be ironic? We will soon find out as Urban Outfitters launches its new line of wedding dresses next week on Valentine’s day. Urban is planning on selling unique “heirloom” style dresses starting online and eventually in stores. The mass produced yet vintage style gowns will be priced between $1,000 and $4,000.

For a brand that has built itself on ironic and often irreverent merchandise I would expect to see dresses that mocked tradition. One might feature a silk-screened slogan of sorts and another would be perma-paired with polka-dot leggings, but this is not the case. These gowns don’t look like Urban Outfitters, most likely because they are designed by the more refined, yet bohemian Urban brand Anthropologie.
Wait…so…if Anthropologie designed them (and it’s obvious) why are they being sold under the Urban Outfitters brand?

Even if brides-to-be can see past the obvious disconnect, Urban may still be a long way from sealing the deal. Remember, this isn’t an everyday transaction. This isn’t the perfect dress – it’s the dress. Women have been thinking about this one dress for most of their lives and the process is just as important as the final product. Buying a dress online may work for the bride who isn’t interested in taking her closest gals out for a day of fittings and personalized service, but for those that are, how will Urban deliver? However, offering the wedding line in stores may only add to the problem. Will a wedding dress feel special when it’s merchandised near an “I survived spring break” tank top? How will it look in the fitting room with the other girls and boys in their skinny jeans?

In the midst of college football bowl game season, I’ve starting wondering: where in the world did college football fanaticism come from?!

Admittedly, I can get behind professional sport obsessions, football or otherwise. The Dallas Cowboys, the Chicago Bulls, the Detroit Red Wings, the New York Yankees–I get it. I understand these aren’t just teams. Without a shadow of doubt, they’re practiced, managed and well trained brands that inspire deep devotion, and near madness. These teams are associated with a city or state, but fan admiration supercedes the location. When grown men willingly paint their chests, wear outrageous head gear (Viking hat, cheesehead or beer helmet, anyone?) and scream at nine-year-old children rooting for the opposing team, your brand has obviously left the earthly realm and exists in our minds in a mythical landscape.

But, what about those institutions closely associated with football? In the case of pro football, the state. In the case of college football, the university? Are colleges not brands?

Our work as consultants who delve into the inner workings of brands and businesses allows us insight into many different organizations. Despite our diverse clients, their varied industries and the unique customer groups that they serve, we’re frequently asked the same question: how can we improve the overall customer experience so that we satisfy the customers we have and can confidently go get new ones?

For most clients, the definition of customer experience has included everything from retail interactions and call center activities, to social media and internal corporate culture initiatives. The concept is a broad one that touches many disciplines and departments within an organization. But, it leaves organizations ultimately asking who, ultimately, is responsible for the customer experience?

The most likely place to assign responsibility is at the highest level, the chief executive officer. CEOs define the vision, lead those responsible for functional areas, identify strategies to grow, and make the tough decisions that directly impact the organization and the customers it serves. While a CEO answers to a Board of Directors, the definitive stakeholder of interest is the customer. In a world where putting customers first is becoming the expectation, does the CEO need to deliver a higher level of advocacy and experience creation to truly deliver a delightful experience?

Because of our increasingly complicated lives, our access to technology, more choices, and less time, we as customers are choosing the brands that strive to deliver a great experience. Across industries and categories, I believe the CEO should be the strongest advocate for bringing this notion to life.

I love cars. I love old cars, I love new cars and I especially love those wacky concept cars that stretch your imagination and predict what could be. I love the Batmobile and Herbie the Love bug. I have loved working with many of the automotive brands, exploiting the branded traits and individual personalities that make them distinctive. I have recently enjoyed watching both Hyundai and Kia rise from their former selves to become the darlings of the automobile industry.

I don’t know about your neighborhood, but in our market, the new Hyundai Sonata is selling like the proverbial hotcake. The factory is at capacity and Hyundai is asking for more, according to Automotive News. Maybe a little more design forward than the other guys, doesn’t look like anything else, lots of models to choose from…all adding up to an attractive package.

Kia also seems to be on a bit of a winning streak, with aggressive new product that has a distinctive, sporty flair. It seems like they have something new and notable out every few months or so. Their new “tiger” inspired front styling is both modern and different and works well against their portfolio of product thus far.

Perhaps the most notable aspect of the Korean emergence is in the saturation of advertising across a variety of touch points. Using upbeat music in a car ad is nothing new, but putting a sock monkey or a hamster at the wheel certainly is. I love the quirky attitude that the brand is displaying, the ads are very memorable. Likewise, Hyundai’s use of Jeff Bridges as their spokesperson is also refreshing. The ads come across as honest and down to earth and his voice has a casual, intriguing quality.

When asked for my favorite brand, I am always quick to respond with Nordstrom. In my mind they achieve highest honors on my list of favorite shopping venues. I have several reasons for loving them so much (and driving over an hour to get to the nearest one).

The sales associates are not only helpful in locating items, and friendly when checking out, but they are thoughtful – they provide new ideas and bring items you haven’t seen to your attention. The stores are well organized and easy to shop – fixtures are typically spaced well enough apart to allow for viewing of all the product, the product itself is organized into meaningful departments and sub-groupings, and the fixtures are not so overstuffed that you can easily pull out and replace items you are considering.

And unlike some of its luxury department store competitors, it’s not so elitist feeling that you’d be ashamed to walk in wearing jeans and a t-shirt on, a non-designer handbag on your arm. In general, the brand makes you feel like you deserve to shop this way, that you are a treasured customer and guest.

So given all this, imagine my shock and horror when the Nordstrom brand promise that is so clear and well articulated in their stores came crashing down when I entered a Nordstrom Rack. To be fair, I didn’t expect it to be the same level of polish, finish or service, but I did expect it to deliver against the familiar organization and level of quality that the products it sells deserves. Instead I was greeted by a flea market environment punctuated by product strewn all over the floor and on top of fixtures, barely enough room to walk between rounders, and an overwhelming desire to run from the space that felt like nothing better than a “last stop outlet where clothes go to die.”

There was little hope of finding a good deal unless you were willing to commit hours to the task of searching. Any warm and fuzzy feeling I had about Nordstrom itself and what it could offer me, was destroyed in the 95 seconds I could tolerate being in the place.

My kid will tell you that I make a mean chocolate chip pancake, but that’s only due to my ability to follow the directions on the box. I’m not much of a cook, I’m afraid. I think the most difficult part of cooking a meal is the timing. I admire the planning that goes into starting one thing while thawing another all the while mixing something else and like magic, they all come to the table at the same time. I tried baking a layer cake once and didn’t make it out of the frosting phase unscathed. I ended up with a sticky mess and a birthday promise that went unfulfilled. Thankfully, the local bakery bailed me out.

Evolving a brand into a new, more engaging incarnation can be just as magic, or if improperly handled, just as messy, resulting in a brand promise that goes unfulfilled. Expectations are always high when we embark on the path that leads to transforming a brand, from both our friends on the client side as well as ourselves. Designers inherently embrace a challenge, and we see every project as an opportunity to make a brand all and the very best that it can be. A lot of teamwork goes into executing a brand—that is, following the recipe we’ve created for an engaging shopping experience. If the recipe isn’t followed, your outcome can suffer.

Brand assets and touch points are like words in a sentence. By themselves they might have their own independent meaning, but when combined they add up to convey a larger meaning and message or voice. Everything a brand says or does has an impact on a brand’s voice.

Historically brands and the business they represent were viewed by the general public simply as a business, with basic economic and strategic issues to deal with. However, right now we are witnessing a shift in the way consumers think about brands. Consumers are now seeing brands more as living, breathing entities with personalities and voices all their own. As a result, brands are being asked to act more like good citizens and have an overall net positive impact on the world or at the very least to limit their negative impact.

It wasn’t that long ago that the majority of consumers had no clue about a product’s life cycle. They didn’t know or care where their food came from. They had no idea what a brand’s policy on energy was of if it recycled. Consumers didn’t think about human rights issues in the factories of the developing world.

Amazing things are happening in China. I recently traveled to Shanghai to witness the 2010 World Expo first hand. It was nothing less than astonishing. I managed to see pavilions from North Korea (an altogether unique experience as it was their first appearance on the world stage), Iran, Belgium, the United Kingdom and India just to name a few.

Disney World for adults
The best way to describe the World Expo is that it’s a temporary and ambitious way to put the world on display, country by country. Imagine a place that takes in on average 344,000 people per day, every day, for six months. When I arrived on my second day around noon, the count had clocked 460,000 attendees. Queue lines were outrageous, lasting up to five or sixhours for the bigger pavilions. Some parts of the park were so crowded that I had to literally fight my way through masses of people. Sticky humidity and sweltering heat made for a very exhausting experience. However, when I passed the grey wall shrouding the UK pavilion and the iconic Seed Cathedral, all of those negative elements faded away.

Project Dandelion
Having seen a lot of great design around the world, the UK’s Seed Cathedral has to be one of the most incredible pieces of architecture I have ever seen. The concept is elegant and awe-inspiring.

The other day I was on one of my favorite “guy style” sites and came across something called Un-branded jeans. These jeans were an attempt by a company to create a product that had no brand associated with it. It’s a noble idea and I can appreciate it. But the problem here (and I’m sure you are thinking the same thing by now) is that in their attempt to specifically create something un-branded, they have in fact created a brand. DOH!

Unbranded in this case is not the same as generic. These are hipster jeans.

Straight raw selvedge denim jeans from Unbranded, featuring a stiff feel meant to be worn without washing for several months. Has a five pocket silhouette, belt loops, brown contrast stitching, and four button front closure with brass hardware.

This got me thinking about what constitutes a “brand.” Typically brands have a set of attributes like an logo, colors, fonts, materials, tone of voice, etc. In the case of un-branded jeans though, their brand was purely their product–well, part of a brand is knowing who your target audience is so you can appeal to them, and these are obviously intended for stylish young males who can afford $80 jeans.

However, even though they left out most of the traditional branding elements they HAVE created a brand by trying NOT to create a brand. (I know, kind of blows your mind doesn’t it?)

On a recent trip through LAX, feeling like a co-star in the George Clooney flick Up in the Air, I began the habitual routine: head to self check-in, find a seat near the front of the plane, drudge to security, get my identity squared away, enter the waiting game, strategize about which line is shortest at the security check and prepare my belongings for scrutiny.

I’m pulling out my computer and liquids; taking off my shoes and jewelry; and—what’s this?! The security bins aren’t the normal smudged grey. Rather, each display a shiny, newly installed advertisement—for none other than the Skechers Shape Ups.

Putting aside the misconceived brand marriage of health and wellness with Skechers, let’s consider the advertising locale: the airport security bins. At no other point during my airport visit do I feel more vulnerable, valueless and at edge than when standing barefooted with my personal belongings projected for the viewing pleasure of four complete strangers. While I grow increasingly more concerned about how the TSA agents stare at the x-ray of my purse like it’s this summer’s blockbuster while I’m waiting there shoeless, Skechers wants me to consider wearing Shape Ups. I almost feel mocked.

On June 18, Pixar Animation Studios released the third installment in their flagship franchise, simply titled “Toy Story 3.” Now that the reviews are in, Pixar just missed the mark in producing the first movie trilogy to receive 100% fresh ratings on the popular movie rating site Rotten Tomatoes. A 100% rating is near impossible for any individual movie, considering the ratings on Rotten Tomatoes are not a single opinion but an aggregate of hundreds of movie critics’ ratings. Doing so for all three movies in a trilogy, or even coming this close, would seem to be an impossible task. And yet, they came within inches.

Also, this eleventh feature-length offering from Pixar has all the indications of another smashing financial success. While any individual moviegoer may have some negative opinions about some of Pixar’s movies, it’s hard to argue against the overall universal acclaim and the respective worldwide box office returns.

So how does Pixar do it? Three simple words: Story is king.

We are all students of brand in one way or another, and I believe we begin that learning early, in our formative years. I remember sitting with an Etch A Sketch for hours and being completely engrossed in little lines drawn in a field of silver dust. A few shakes and I got a completely new canvas. Amazing. Maybe that helped shape my future as a designer and if so, thank you Etch A Sketch. But I suspect there is another brand that, at the very least, helped shape my love and fascination for the automobile. Could there be a cooler brand than Hot Wheels?

I admit to still having my very first Hot Wheels car, a red ‘68 Custom Mustang that is my sole prized possession. It is missing a hood, a bunch of paint, the wheels in the back are curled up like many did back then and it has some original dirt that I happily applied as a kid. It never lost a race. Somewhere, playing with that car flipped a switch in my brain and I’ve loved the automobile ever since.

I could get philosophical about the Hot Wheels brand and how I think it mirrors many aspects of the time in which we live. About how the graphics on the packaging can be seen as an indication of trend and how it becomes a miniature testament to the actual car brands themselves. About how the proprietary designs from the Hot Wheels design studio draw from many aspects of modern culture. Ask any young child what you call the little tiny cars and I’ll bet that you’ll get the correct answer 9 times out of 10. The folks at Mattel have done a great job over the (40!) years of providing a consistent message, keeping true to their calling while managing to leverage their asset across a vast array of other products, from PJ’s to fruit snacks and Saturday morning cartoons. It’s a great historical brand case study and one that continues to be relevant.

For years, the majority of cash at quick service restaurants has gone “through the window.” The growing car culture has dictated a focus on drive-thru efficiency to the point where the dining room has become an afterthought to operators and subsequently a barrier to customers.

The cost of updating and maintaining a dining room has seemed cost prohibitive to many QSR chains and their franchisees, especially in light of the high drive-thru ratio. But by not offering a unique, pleasant dining experience, they have let the brand image wither on the vine. And it’s now coming back to haunt them. I contend that the high drive-thru ratio is in large part due to customers avoiding the “ick” factor of enduring outdated, smelly, deteriorating environments with no sense of place or brand personality. The dining room is the brand.

Design Forum has changed its name… sort of.
When we became part of Interbrand in 2002, we kept the name of the company that I founded in 1978. Since then, we’ve evolved from a pure design entity into a multi-disciplined consultancy with a deep pool of talent, including a lot of brand expertise.
“Design Forum” contains valuable