I gave a speech on the principles of KILLER BRANDING a few years ago at the William Mason business school at William & Mary college, and one of the students whose name escapes me now, immediately branded himself as “the Generator,” someone who generates change, who makes things happen.  He put it on his letters, [...]

I discovered Ira Koretsky today, not a very compelling or memorable name is it?  How about if I said that I discovered The Chief Story Teller™ today?  That is how Ira brands himself.
In fact, if  you go to the website of The Chief Story Teller, you will note that he does not use his name [...]

A few years ago, certain bakeries started selling the top of muffins because so may people prefer them.  Problem was, no one could own the idea.
That brings me to the Edge™ brownie pan, where an entrepreneur figured out how to make a pan that would bake brownies all of which had at least two edges, [...]

A young mother in Atlanta, Britt Menzies started a company based on her children, which she called Stinky Kids.  She created the characters and gave them a Mom-desired reason-for-being.  The focus of her brand is “teaching good.”
Stinky Kids always make the right choice.  Stinky Kids do the good thing.
Britt was wearing a Stinky Kids t-shirt [...]

In one of my favorite all-time marketing books, Macy’s, Gimbles and Me, Bernice Fitzgibbons (”It’s Smart to be Thrifty” for Macy’s, and “Nobody, But Nobody Undersells Gimble’s”) is interviewing a new writer for one of her copy departments, probably back in the 40’s or 50’s, at least during the heyday of Department Store advertising before [...]

Rustoleum Universal is to me an under-marketed potential Killer Brand.
The promise of “covers any surface universally even” is new in the spray paint category, and the actuator over-cap on the aerosol can is just down right cool.
The commercial does a good job of demonstrating that the canister can be sprayed at any angle, including upside [...]

An associate, Rhonda McHardy sent us this new ad campaign for Air New Zealand.
Is it clever, or is it brilliant?   What do you think?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elD38pJX7iE&feature=related

I guess when we are looking at ways to create compelling differentiation, we have to include in our mental check lists, “upside down.”
I am of course speaking of Topsy Turvy, the new tomato plant that grows upside down out of the bottom of a hanging basket.  Everything about this product fits the principles of Killer [...]

Animal crackers with which we are all familiar were not a brand.  Animal crackers are a commodity with many different manufacturers over the years, even a few now, but the niche category has been all but owned since 1902 by Nabisco with its Barnum Animal crackers.  WHY??
In 1902, Nabisco created a special package of Barnum’s [...]

Why not?
Can you differentiate a drinking glass in a compelling and ownable way, and become famous for it?
Well, the Tervis Tumbler™ is just that.  Except they are not a Killer Brand, because as successful as they are, very few people know about them by name, even when they are drinking from one.  Are you familiar [...]