22 Immutable Laws of Branding
Stir's marketing team owes much to the wisdom of Al Reis & Laura Reis, in their boook, 22 Immutable Laws of Branding. We use these laws to guide every client's brand development.
1. The Law of Expansion
The power of a brand is inversely proportional to its scope. What’s a Chevrolet? A large, small, cheap, expensive car.
2. The Law of Contraction
A brand becomes stronger when you narrow its focus. Starbucks is a coffee shop that sells coffee.
3. The Law of Publicity
Brands are born with publicity, not advertising. With no advertising, The Body Shop has become a powerful global brand.
4. The Law of Advertising
Once born, a brand needs advertising to stay healthy. Advertising “No. 1 in tires” keeps Goodyear No. 1 in tires.
5. The Law of the Word
A brand should own a word in the mind of the consumer. “Fedex this to L.A.”
6. The Law of Credentials
The crucial ingredient to the success of any brand is its claim to authenticity. Coca-Cola is a powerful brand because “it’s the real thing.”
7. The Law of Quality
Quality is important, but brands are not built by quality alone. Does a Rolex keep better time? Probably. But does it matter? Probably not.
8. The Law of the Category
A leading brand should promote the category not the brand. EatZi’s is a new brand selling quality take-out meals at affordable prices.
9. The Law of the Name
In the long run, a brand is nothing more than a name. The primary difference of a Xerox copier is the Xerox brand name itself.
10. The Law of the Extensions
The easiest way to destroy a brand is to put its name on everything. What’s a Miller? Line extensions are killing Miller.
11. The Law of Fellowship
To build the category, a brand should welcome other brands. The best location for a Planet Hollywood is next to the Hard Rock Cafe.
12. The Law of the Generic
One of the fastest routes to failure is giving a brand a generic name. Blockbuster is a good brand name while generic brand names are not.
13. The Law of the Company
Brands are brands. Companies are companies. There is a difference. Does Tide need the name Proctor & Gamble on the box? Brands should stand on their own.
14. The Law of Sub-brands
What branding builds, sub-branding can destroy. Express, Select, SunSpree, and Garden Court erode the power of the Holiday Inn brand.
15. The Law of Siblings
There is a time and a place to launch a second brand. When Honda introduced an expensive car, they didn’t call the brand Honda Ultra.
16. The Law of Shape
A brand’s logotype should be designed to fit the eyes. Both eyes. Avis has the right idea, Arby’s is too vertical.
17. The Law of Colour
A brand should use a colour that is the opposite of its major competitor. The distinctive robin’s egg blue of a Tiffany box helps burn the brand into the mind.
18. The Law of Borders
There are no barriers to global branding. A brand should know no borders. Heineken is sold in 170 countries. All brands should be global brands.
19. The Law of Consistency
A brand is not built overnight. Success is measured in decades. BMW has been the ultimate driving machine for 25 years.
20. The Law of Change
Brands can be changed, but only infrequently and only very carefully. Twenty years ago, Citibank was a business bank. Today, Citibank is a consumer bank.
21. The Law of Mortality
No brand will live forever. Euthanasia is often the best solution. Kodak is a photographic brand that will not be as effective in the digital era.
22. The Law of Singularity
The most important aspect of a brand is its single-mindedness. By focusing on safety, Volvo has become the largest-selling imported European luxury car.
© Copyright Ries & Ries Focus Consulting.
If you want to build a successful brand, contact Stir's marketing consultants today for a free consultation.
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