Websites are getting leaner and the messaging more streamlined. The result: logos are, once again, significant, integral, and vibrant components of the brand personality. Logos follow trends, just like skirt lengths, so consider revisiting yours, and then giving it prominence.
THIS MAY BE SACRILEGE.
Maybe Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa isn't just one of the greatest masterpieces of Renaissance painting. Maybe it isn't just a divine portrait of a mystery woman (or as naysayers whisper, da Vinci in drag) with an enigmatic smile.
But bigger, much bigger.
Maybe the Mona Lisa is the most important example of PR ever conceived. Ever. Think about it.
The Louvre could have been just another chilly art museum looking for donors without it, even with I.M. Pei's pyramid wedged into the courtyard.
During the branding process, we produce experiential imagery-rich moodboards to jump start the creative process and explore new territory. The ultimate goal: developing unique, targeted, improved, stand out brand personalities for our clients.
There is no competition. Each knows its audience and delivers the goods. Red Stripe is an inexpensive brew in stubby bottles that quenches the thirst of boys into men, while Caribbean 10 Cane Rum, owned by LVMH, brings to mind white linen suits and mixology. In the world of packaging, pick your poison and jump.
Cold cereal is fast food. Add milk. Use a spoon, or not. But cold cereal won't get you through the day. Lots of companies make "brand cereal". Sure, it's easy to produce. But there's no staying power.
Great brands stick to your ribs. They have personality, deliver a solid, meaningful point of view, engage at a primal level, are versatile and memorable, meet the needs of the customer, and engender loyalty.
I'm not talking about the branding sleight of hand perpetrated by companies like Kellogg's.
Take a good hard look at your brand. Puffed wheat or steel cut oats?
Donald J Pliner sells womens' shoes made in the mountains of Italy. The husband/wife team are stepping it up with their Peace For The Children Foundation to "channel funds to deserving projects and initiatives that advance peace, care, and welfare to children in need." I like the title, "Heart & Sole". They're branding not only their shoes, but their charity. I support that.
My Argentine tango teachers, Romina and Marcelo, are something special. They don't strong arm people into signing up (the first class is free, as in trial). Instead, they consistently, gracefully and masterfully project a personal and unique approach to tango. The classes fill up. Private lessons are booked. The Friday night Milongas are well attended.
Many companies, outside looking in, suffer from an identity crisis, failing to project what makes them truly unique. Lacking self knowledge, they succumb to mixing plaids with stripes, creating bland non-brands, ripping off someone else's brand and parading around in it like it's their own. Software companies are particularly guilty of these transgressions. How can your customers know who you are, if you don't?
Consider omphaloskepsis. Be brave. Expose the diamond in the rough. Build your brand, messaging and marketing around it. Then dance all night long.
Kimora Lee Simmons is the laser-focused genius behind the Baby Phat lifestyle empire, kid sister company to Phat Farm. Ms. Simmons has branding street smarts. Her Baby's gone global, targeted to teen "girlz", phones to make-up to boyshorts and babydolls. Baby Phat's online store is easy to navigate and very "retail" buy me, buy me friendly. The products are frisky, distinctive, trendy ghetto glam. Oh so affordable on babysitting money and change.
Baby Phat gets an A+ in Branding & Marketing 101 because they:
1. Influence the culture
2. Offer a unique personality dimension
3. Focus on the customer experience
4. Build on the brand's core strengths
5. Keep wowing us
6. Believe in diversification
7. Stay consistent
8. Dial in on the whole online and viral marketing thing
9. Rock the media
10. Deliver as promised 
Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica is crazy fun people watching and shopping Nirvana: the yipping legless acrobat who balances on one hand competing for attention next to insane Spanish flamenco guitarists playing Flight of the Bumblebee, the reckless cheap chic of Urban Outfitters down the street from Adidas/NBA-branded trucks, bulked up on steroids, parked at the corner of Wilshire and Third – equipped with loudspeakers, free prizes and product.
Getting noticed requires making more noise. Whether your competition is Nike or a mime. 
To build awareness and loyalty, your brand should go with you everywhere. Whether you're creating a tradeshow booth, designing for spring, developing packaging, landing page, online store, advertising or holiday window display. Many companies drop the ball. The reasons run the gamut: Too many cooks in the kitchen. Too busy elsewhere. Not interested. Don't know how.
These three brands stand out curbside:
Benefit Cosmetics' Pucci-inspired windows are bubbly with good cheer, reinforcing their "groovy" website + cosmetics, brow waxing, lash tinting stores.
For their holiday window displays, CPShades, an uncomplicated clothing company, came up with an uncomplicated approach. They wrapped Christmas tree shapes in rich velvet, silk and hemp to match the brand. 
George is the ultra-hip, retro store for pets. Their windows are no exception. Kitty glows, front and center, from the middle of a holiday wreath (for sale), twinkling merrily with old fashioned lights. George Xmas gift ideas for Fido go way beyond rawhide bones, including candy cane and crown chews, designer flyer frisbees, striped dog treat jars and good dog playtime balls. 
These companies know who they are and stay true to their brands. Does yours?
