Another word that has lost its meaning: "brand"

Never let someone use the words "brand" or "branding" without demanding what they mean by them. By "brand" they may mean a name, a logo or a package. Or a promise, a consistent collection of characteristics, or a corporate asset. Or a reputation. By "branding" they may mean slapping the name up all over the place or turning a commodity into a branded product or service. There are tens of meanings for these two slippery words. A discussion about brands can range from the sublime to the ridiculous, from decisions about how many should be in play in a given company to Pantone colors. Interested parties range from the CEO to the facilities people who put signs up. You never know who might be in a "brand" meeting. You can be pretty sure that whoever is in the meeting won't have much idea about what the other folks are talking about. But they will pretend to. Executives and brand agencies can get all lathered up over the subject of brand, so be advised to stifle your laughs when you hear phrases like, "We want to be the premier brand in our industry," or "We're going to compete on the basis of our brand." For a new way to look at brands, read Rob Walker's "Buying In: The Secret Dialogue Between What We Buy and Who We Are" (due out June 3, 2008).