Greg Taylor’s Post

Sometimes, a brand gets it. Patagonia is one of those brands. Throughout the company's history, Patagonia has been able to incorporate its values into its brand. In this blog, we'll examine the brand through the eight stars of the Brand Constellations Framework: https://lnkd.in/e-Y9F_7u #brandstrategy #brandmanagement

Patagonia stands as an interesting case study for how integrating every aspect of a brand around core values leads to a resonant, successful brand identity, one that not only appeals to consumers but also contributes positively to the world. Explore the eight stars of the Brand Constellation and witness how Patagonia's agile approach shapes a brand identity that inspires change: https://lnkd.in/e-Y9F_7u #BrandIdentity #Patagonia #InspiringChange

For many years, Unilever’s mission has been to “make sustainable living commonplace”, and part of its long-term strategy involved adjusting the brand strategies of its products to be more purpose-driven and aligned with its overarching sustainability agenda. However, with the appointment of Hein Schumacher as CEO in 2023, the emphasis on purpose-driven branding has been toned down. It appears that sustainability is now a supporting message rather than the primary narrative. Magnum was never highlighted by Unilever as one of its “Sustainable Living Brands”, and its brand strategy, focused on pleasure, has not historically been rooted in sustainability. Nonetheless, even after Unilever announced the spin-off of its ice cream division in 2024, the brand continues to include messaging about ethically sourcing its chocolate from Rainforest Alliance-certified farms and supporting farmers in West Africa.

Magnum primarily targets adult women and positions itself as a premium product emphasizing “ice cream decadence”. Its brand strategy is built on the hedonistic philosophy that pleasure is a worthy pursuit, deserving to be taken seriously (“To Magnum, pleasure really is everything”). This approach is reflected in the brand’s taglines, from the previous “For pleasure seekers” to the current “True to pleasure”. https://buff.ly/4f2Ey7E #brandstrategy #branding #positioning #brandmanagement #casestudy

It's easy to forget the power of simplicity... Through its "double D marketing" approach, KitKat has mastered the art of distinctiveness and differentiation. By focusing on a limited number of core brand codes - the KitKat logo, the red color, the chocolate bar shape, and the slogan "Have a Break, Have a Kit Kat" - the brand has created a clear and consistent identity that resonates with consumers around the world. Highlighting the importance of brand heritage, KitKat's origin story as a Rowntree product adds a layer of authenticity and trust. And despite being acquired by Nestlé in 1988, the brand has managed to maintain its core identity, a testament to the power of a well-defined brand positioning. In today's cluttered marketing landscape, KitKat stands out as a shining example of how to achieve success through focus and simplicity. By prioritizing distinctiveness, differentiation, and brand consistency, KitKat has earned its place as a true marketing icon. What are your thoughts on KitKat's branding strategy? Why not share comments below #marketing #branding #kitkat #nestle

Worst rebrand in history? Tropicana’s 2009 rebrand attempt definitely takes a front seat. They first blew $35,000,000 in an advertising campaign promoting the new packaging. Then their sales dropped 20% in the first month, resulting in another $30,000,000 loss. Less than two months after the rebrand launch, Tropicana announced they are reverting back to the original design. The role of packaging in purchasing decisions is far greater than you can imagine! Consumers feel an emotional bond with the appearance of the product and brand they love. If you want to redesign your product’s packaging, make sure you do not change everything at once. The changes need to be done progressively to ensure the consumer will still recognize the brand. When I was growing up my favorite beverage was Snapple! Kiwi Strawberry of course. That all changed when they switched their iconic glass bottles to plastic. 😞 Do you recall losing interest in a favorite brand because of its new packaging design?

👀👀 Surely not again. Oh my! Smacks of a cost saving driven initiative that might have sustainability adjacent benefits. The ‘say - do’ gap is real as people often say they want to have a positive impact and brands can help them do it. But you MUST include your audiences in the process via co-creation, collaboration and ensuring there’s a demonstrable mutual benefit and value exchange (a ‘give’ and a ‘get’). The goal of any well trained and competent marketer is to delight and (positively) surprise their audiences! Hence, the question is - did Tropicana bring their internal and external audiences along? Did they test and research this at all 🙏🏾🙏🏾 ? Or eek … was it a negative surprise with zero delight at the shelf…. AGAIN 😩🫣😬 #brand #marketing #strategy #purpose #progress https://lnkd.in/efUXdPhx

The Coca-Cola Company's "Every Coca-Cola is Welcome" campaign is fabulous. It showcases how brands, and the symbols of branding, have the power to integrate themselves into our lives and environments beyond the scope of marketing investment. Only the strongest of brands can make this transition seamlessly. Coca-Cola is a uniquely distinctive, yet powerfully ubiquitous brand. The name and iconography are so established that they can easily be part of this kind of ‘un-marketing’ and it still adds value. There must be a tipping point that brands reach where they have the brand power, built on equity, mental availability, cultural relevance, confidence and maturity, to embrace this kind of bottom up, guerilla output. It is fascinating because only a handful of brands could do this to any effect. Coca-Cola has all this in abundance, so much so that the brand team must be relaxed about the ‘IP’ risks of encouraging others to ‘interpret’ such a core marketing property and embrace it – turning some local ‘un-marketing’ into relevant brand marketing. https://lnkd.in/eUHaq58T #IconicBrands #WhatBrandsDo #MentalAvailability #Branding

What is the purpose of Brand Purpose? Simon Massey forces us to revisit the purpose of brand purpose in his recent article in The Drum. He explains that the conversation around brand purpose has shifted. As more companies retreat from social and environmental causes, we are reminded that purpose was never meant to be a quick fix or a “must-have." When done right, purpose drives impact and brand loyalty—like Patagonia, which has authentically championed its mission since the start. But for many, purpose became just another trend, leading to inauthentic campaigns (remember Pepsi and Kendall Jenner?) that damaged credibility. Purpose only works when it’s intentional, and it aligns with core business goals. For brands, that means revisiting purpose to ensure it’s grounded in the brand's DNA. 3 takeaways from the article on how to get purpose integrated the right way: 1. **Start with authenticity**: Make sure purpose aligns with what the brand genuinely stands for and can deliver on.    2. **Focus on consumer experience**: Purpose is most effective when consumers feel it in every interaction. 3. **Integrate purpose into strategy**: Purpose should support overall brand positioning, not distract from it. Let’s redefine purpose as a tool for brands that can genuinely live it. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/eCs4EFif #BrandStrategy #Purpose #BrandPurpose

What went wrong? Was discussing this in my brand class today. Tropicana was one of the biggest brand refresh disasters. After wasting lot's of money on the new brand identity and packaging, Tropicana had to go back to its original identity and packaging. Where did the brand go wrong? Share your views. Moral of the story: don't refresh a brand for the sake of it. Only do it for a good reason. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. #branding #brandmarketing #brandrefresh #packagingdesign #brandidentity #branddesign