Originally published December 12, 2005. As a starting point to your own year-end ruminations about the effectiveness of your company’s brand — or that of one you envision spawning after the last bit of confetti has settled to the earth on January 1 — here are some trusty new rules on branding, courtesy of New York City-based branding consultancy Sterling Group, as reported by Chief Marketer Magazine.
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1. Brands that influence culture sell more and grow faster.
2. Effective brands embrace and boldly communicate their values.
3. The evolution of consumers is making them more valuable to brands than ever.
4. The smartest brands allow consumers to personalize their offerings.
5. Consumers expect to be impressed through each and every brand interaction.
6. Simplicity in presentation and at the point-of-purchase sets the best brands apart.
7. A single weak link can break a brand’s connections to its consumers beyond repair.
8. Consumers expect brands to actively support noble causes.
9. Today’s successful brands must move fast and constantly demonstrate enterprising initiatives.
10. Innovation is key to most successful brands’ corporate strategies.
