One early memory was burned into my mind. On many occasions, I witnessed the branding of cows. Hot irons with the ranch logo were seared into the hides of unsuspecting cattle. The experience left a burning impression on me and the cow! Wouldn't it be terrible if the cow was branded again and again every time the rancher had a new idea?
I am a creativity machine. I get many ideas and I implement them quickly. In marketing Rainforest Plumbing & Air, I have had a number of terrific approaches. They include developing mascots, slogans and logos. Over the years, I used them all (and I mean "all"). These ideas were used in the van graphics, post cards, website, t-shirts, etc. It resulted in quite a collage of details.
A major shift in our branding occurred when I met Cam Stewart at TactixCreative. In one of our initial meetings, he took one of our postcards and studied it with their staff. I was shocked to learn that all my ideas were great by themselves but together - well, that's a different story. There was too much! Too many slogans, logos and graphics. I learned that branding must be focused.
Today, we have a much simpler approach. We still implement many of my own ideas but they role out as separate campaigns. Every campaign has it's own unique style combined with the consistency of a brand that leaves a lasting impression.
The message of this story is this: "Cows (and companies) only need to be branded once!"
