Know Your Brand: 3 pitfalls to avoid
When choosing the name of your brand, it’s important that you know its character better than your consumers, especially in a world that is increasingly international. In business, a brand can make or break your business, no matter how good the product. (As was the case with the Chevy Nova in Latin America, as “No Va” means “No go.” Who would want to buy a car like that?)
That said, as being very much Taiwanese American, I couldn’t help but rant when I came across a few words in Mandarin while watching an episode of Top Chef.
Often, when a chef is talking about their experience in the competition, their name will come up on screen with their restaurant name.
Angelo Sosa, Xie Xie.
[I should also couch this in terms of while I can absolutely respect Mr Sosa for trying to cook and win. I respect the trials and travails of what it takes to make food that people love. This is not a personal analysis or a stab at Sosa, but rather an attempt at constructive criticism of his brand. I have never tried the food, so no complaints there.]
The bottom line:
1) Create intentional positive associations for your brand.
2) Do your research: if you are going to stray away from what you know, make sure you become absolutely wrapped up in the character of the brand you want to create.
3) Be real: the story that you make can and should in many ways embody its owners.
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