Branding Only Works on Cattle

Most people don’t know it yet, but branding is dead. Of course, we need to know about the things we want to buy, but the billions of pounds spent on logos, sponsorships, and jingles have little – if anything – to do with consumer behaviour. For example:

-Dinosaur-headed execs in Microsoft ads didn't help sell software.
-Citibank's artsy "live richly" billboards didn't prompt a single new account.
-United Airlines' animated TV commercials didn't fill more seats on airplanes.

In Branding Only Works on Cattle, branding guru Jonathan Salem Baskin reveals that modern consumers are harder to find, more difficult to convince, and even harder to retain. They make decisions based on experience – so what matters isn’t how creative, cool, or memorable the advertising is, but how companies can affect consumer behaviour. Marketing communications, distribution strategies, and customer service are all contributing to the new branding. This book will be the essential guide to understanding and thriving on this new branding dynamic.

Introduction: Challenging Ptolemy's Imagination 1

1. Your Branding Is Useless 10

2. Traces in a Cloud Chamber 33

3. The New Nike 56

4. The Rise of the Anti-Brand 79

5. The Myth of the Consumer/Producer 104

6. The Outsourcing of Consent 127

7. Games as Purpose, Not Distraction 151

8. It Takes a Company 172

9. The Buzz in Buzz Marketing 195

10. The Emperor's New Clothes 219

Notes 243

Bibliography 249

Index 253

"Baskin's thesis is compelling... worthy and brave.... Baskin has at least started a debate." (Economist.com, August 7th 2009)

"Baskin's book certainly has something valid to say... worth picking up.... I would also recommend it for branding specialists." (TheBookBag.com, April 16th 2009)

"... a lively, chatty easy-to-read book.... It's well worth a look." (Research Magazine, April 2009)

"His observations generally are excellent, and his chapters on search, social media and the Internet in general are near brilliant." (BNET.com, March 24th 2009)

"... provides an interesting read." (Brandchannel.com, February 16th 2009)

Jonathan Salem Baskin runs a global branding consultancy and has worked for many of the world's top brands over his twenty-six-year career. Jonathan speaks extensively on delivering branding with more than images and words, and writes the slightly contentious brand marketing blog, Dim Bulb (dimbulb.typepad.com).

Did you just flip the cover of this book to see the cow and grass the right way?

If so, you're already on your way to understanding a radical new idea: Behavior trumps branding. We can think about brands until, well, the cows come home, but unless your company and your consumers actually do things, branding is really a waste of time and money.

You see, there's an ugly secret the experts don't want you to know: Consumers aren't paying attention anymore, and they don't believe or remember stuff anyway.

So the traditional expectations of image and awareness are no longer valid. Since the digital world now connects people to one another – as well as to your company – your brochures, chat posts, or latest marketing tactics-du-jour better have real-time, 24/7 behaviors attached to them. You simply can't expect to manipulate what people think when th ey – and perhaps your competitors – are already busy doing things.

This is the first book that tells you why even the smartest, most memorable branding just doesn't seem to matter anymore.

In every chapter, Baskin reveals the dynamic, cutting-edge ways that brands are being reinvented around the world. Through detailed examples and checklists, he asks the tough questions that companies need to ask to get better answers...so you can start getting better results for your business.

We all know that branding involves a lot more than just marketing. BRANDING ONLY WORKS ON CATTLE will be your essential guide to getting your customers and clients to jump into action.

Want to start driving your competition nuts? Stop flipping this book and buy it.