Branding: 10 Do’s, 10 Don’ts From Grant McCracken

As usual, there’s yet another thought-provoking post from cultural anthropologist Grant McCracken. In this slide deck, he looks at the branding landscape today and came up with some rules of the road.  A few Do’s that stood out:

• The “banded” brand, i.e., the brand with many layers
• Brands must know where they are, i.e., context matters. No single meaning for every occasion.
• The brand as a platform on which we play

Some don’ts:

• Branding isn’t about stories, but about meanings.
• Old media is still a significant factor in brand-building
• Brands aren’t welcome unless they have something to contribute to culture

Is this the state of branding as you see it?  Read the full deck below and share your thoughts in the comments.

Check out more of Grant’s work on his site.