A Taste of Branding Workshop

Everybody knows what brands are. They are the packaged goods on sale in supermarkets. They are what we eat, we drink, we drive, we wear, we wash with. They are the names of the stuff that surround us, from Anadin to Zanussi. Branding is ubiquitous, boring, no big deal…

The belief that branding is blether is widely held, and perpetuated by the media. But there’s more to brands than many imagine. Big brands are worth billions.  Well-built brands employ thousands. Powerful brands promote their country of origin. Better branding can save our bacon, eggs, butter, cheese, and agri-food more generally. Branding understanding can help us overcome the Brexit debacle. 

Better yet, branding is an endlessly fascinating subject. It is a subject where something as basic as choosing or changing a name can make or break a brand. It is a subject where Snickers still rankles with Marathon-munchers, some thirty years after the event. It is a subject where poetry plays its part, telling tales make sales, Liam Neeson is a role model, Top Gear is a test case and frivolity isn’t funny, though Ben & Jerry beg to differ. 

In “A Taste of Branding”, Stephen Brown shows that the popular perception is a misrepresentation. Branding isn’t wee buns. Nor is it Belfast Baps with a trademark on top. It is something that, if done properly, can improve our economy immeasurably. Stand Up for the Ulster Brand!