[The American Brands Council]
Gene Bartley
President, FCB Worldwide
Rather than give you some dry, precise definition
of a brand in terms only an adman or
woman would love, let’s have some fun with
this. Let’s play a game that gets at the heart of
what great brands are really about. I’ll mention
three things sequentially; you try and guess the
brand they bring to mind.
Adventure, the great outdoors, and an allterrain
vehicle. You guessed it: Jeep. Fantasy, fun,
and big ears. Did I hear Disney? If so, you’re
right on the money. And finally, Coney Island,
cotton candy, and hot dogs. That’s right: Nathan’s
hot dogs. (How could we talk about American
brands without touching on hot dogs?)
When a brand delivers, like the three knockouts
above, you don’t have to spend a lot of time
figuring out how or why. They mean something
very specific to anyone who has ever encountered
them. They elicit feelings of warmth and
confidence, a comfort level that’s usually reserved
for family or friends. That’s what great brands
and successful advertising are all about.
