BrandDigital | BrandSimple: The Blog

Colors as power apps are pretty hard to own. Yes, there’s the Gatorade green and orange and the FedEx purple and orange and the Coca-Cola red. But of the thousands of brands in existence there is one, in particular, for which a color has become almost unmatched in its power and a ubiquity as a key branding element – pink and breast cancer awareness. In my most recent column in Forbes online I write about how breast cancer awareness has become one of the most successful brand stories in recent branding history, and certainly in the category of cause-related marketing. The plot line of this story will ring true to those in the industry – follow the basic rules of building a brand and you’ll achieve a certain level of success. That pink now packs a punch far greater than almost any other color in raising awareness and action relative to this brand and its cause is what makes the story one for the books. I invite you to read this column and pass it along to anyone whose life has been touched, as mine and millions others have, by this topic.

What do cities vying for Olympics hosting rights have in common with shampoo? Or cookies? Cars? How about sneakers? Like any brand, which, yes, cities and countries are, they have to identify something to represent to consumers that’s different and better than any competitive claims. More so, this difference has to be genuinely meaningful to those whose attention these brands are trying to grab. While millions of people worldwide followed the competition among cities bidding for a chance to host the 2016 Olympic games, I watched with the perspective of a branding guy. Given the continuing nattering between political pundits regarding the IOC’s final choice, I decided to write about why this win was based on very smart branding. Take a look at Forbes Online and read all about it. Hopefully it will put any lingering doubts to rest.