Communications – Branding

Branding pioneer David Ogilvy once stated that creating an effective brand “gives your product a first-class ticket through life.” Examples in the last 15-20 years of successful product branding include Apple (“Think Different”), Nike (“Just Do It”), The DeBeers Diamond Company (“A Diamond is Forever”), GEICO (“15 Minutes Can Save You 15 Percent”), McDonald’s (“I’m Lovin’ It”), Walmart (“Save Money, Live Better”), etc.

Write a 1-2 page paper that addresses the following: What ingredients go into creating a successful brand? What role does aligning a celebrity with a product enhance the brand? How is product placement used to strengthen the power of a brand? What does brand positioning mean? Finally, provide an example of a recent product you purchased that was strongly influenced by your opinion of the brand’s image.