When Prestige Supersedes competence – Part 2

In Part 1 of this article series we told a story of an extremely competent agent losing out on a “trophy” listing because her competitor worked for a more prestigious company brand with which the sellers identified more strongly. At stake was a $500K commission. We were inspired to write Part 2 because of some of the comments we received.

Sheri Sperry’s comment represented many when she said, “I feel bad that the right agent did not get the listing”.  This is definitely a valid response. We certainly wanted our friend to get the listing. 

But, from a broader perspective the seller and competing agent were a perfect match. And, that is truly what great branding accomplishes. A brand is a shortcut to matching making.  The brand just accelerated the match.

We also appreciated Anna Banana Kruchten’s remark, “I am fine about that; there is plenty of business out there”.  Back to the broader perspective, when you have an abundant mind you find that doing business with ideal clients is much more fun and rewarding.  The truth is there is no scarcity of ideal clients.

Yet, there is something to be said about switching brand when your current brand is impeding your progress. A client of ours was up for a $21M new construction listing from a good friend. However, the friend told him that he could not give our client the listing because our client’s company was not known for its luxury marketing.

This was a spec home with a huge investment of time and money and the owner did not want to take a risk on a sub-par luxury brand. Within hours of hearing about this opportunity our client called us to add his new company brand to his website and other marketing materials.  The next day, after the switch, the listing was signed and he soon sold the property.

The moral of this story is that your personal brand should stand on its own and be “portable” so that you can switch brands with ease if necessary. We are not saying that the grass is necessarily greener on the other side. In the case of our client, however, it was very, very green!

Focus Your Ears & Earn More: A Master Lesson By Former N. J. Realtor

We cannot emphasize enough how important it to listen to your clients whether they are a seller or a buyer.  We have often referred to the listing process as a “listening” presentation.  If your goal is to stand out as a market leader in your niche, you need to constantly hone your listening skills.

Last Monday, we attended a master class in Hanh Hall at the Music Academy of the West in Santa Barbara.  A master class is when talented classical musician is chosen as a “fellow” from a worldwide pool to study with a “master”.  For instance, a few years ago, cello Virtuoso, Yo-Yo Ma was giving a master class to selected talented cello players.

The master class we attended was collaborative piano performance.  In this instance, the piano was played by a gal, from Iran, who had just graduated from Julliard, and the guy who played the viola was from Uzbekistan was a student of music in Singapore.  They gave a performance of a Brahms piece. The audience loved it and enthusiastically applauded. 

Then, Jonathan Feldman (who was an active realtor in New Jersey, before making it as a classical pianist) cameup on stage to review the performance.  Mr. Feldman is a faculty member at Juilliard, and has a storied career having performed as a solo artist and accompanist with noted masters.

He applauded the performance, and heard nuances that we (Ron and I) did not hear.  For instance he noted that the pianist improvised by using the piano’s pedal, which slightly altered the purity of the piece Brahms had written.  He had her play the piece with the pedal, and then without.  Because we were focused, on listening, we heard the difference.  She had a “eureka” moment, as did we.

Focus you ears and listen to your clients well.  You will be surprised how much more you will hear as well as earn, when you focus your ears.

Sometimes A Great Notion Just Does Not Work!

When it comes to innovative marketing ideas, we are all ears and all eyes for that matter at Napa Consultants International. The Net-A-Porter magazine ad pictured above captured our attention because it had a unique call to action that required the use of technology to delve deeper into the product offering. Although this seemed promising as a potential method to amp up the value of print ads in luxury real estate publications, it failed to live up to its promise.  Sometimes a great notion does not work.

Net-A-Porter is one of the most successful online luxury retailers. In 2014, they premiered a glossy magazine after discovering that women like to shop online while reading about fashion. What a great idea to bridge print advertising with the use of a smart phone app to spark impulse shopping!

When I (Alexandra) saw this ad in the Summer Issue, I decided to follow directions to view the video.  I had previously downloaded the Net-A-Porter app.  However, I had not created a password. It took 6 attempts, due to various inexplicable tech glitches. Then, all I had to do was scan the page to see the video.  Even though a 10-minute video may be an eternity to some, I was willing to learn.

Much to my chagrin, my iPhone did not have the required scanning capability.  I asked my butler (Siri with an English accent), and he had no suggestions.  I also checked the iTunes store to no avail. At this point I had invested over 30 minutes.

I concluded that, although this may be a good idea with potential for the luxury real estate industry, it fell very short of my expectations. I am happy to report that I have deleted the app and have sent Siri back to the Butler Academy Sometimes a great notion just does not work.

Do You Want More Referral Business? Follow Your Interests & Passions

Santa Monica Bay, A View From Above

Social media is fine. But, as many of us have learned since its inception it is limited in terms of return on time invested.  What does works without fail is meeting people face to face in your community.  All you have to do is follow your interests and passions outside the realm of real estate.

Recently, a friend of ours was selling her mother’s condominium. She had the right buyer who came to her directly with a great all cash offer.  When she consulted her real estate attorney she was advised to hire an agent to shepherd the transaction.

She knew just who to call.  Our friend loves to read and belongs to three book clubs.  In one of her book clubs was a real estate agent with whom she enjoyed talking about books.  It was a “no-brainer”. She hired her book club friend. 

Like our friend, the agent loved to read.  Her main reason to be in the book club was to read and learn.  She was not there to promote herself or network.  She was pursuing her personal interests and passions.  

One of our many passions is education and keeping the oceans clean.  When we had our commercial real estate firm, we saw an ad in the Los Angeles Times asking business owners to be a school principal for a day. The school that chose us was doing a project on keeping the ocean waters clean. We signed up! 

This led us to developing a massive expanded clean ocean project that grew from one school to a whole district and then morphed into 14 communities surrounding the entire Santa Monica Bay.  Several listings and many real estate transactions could be traced back to our association with this project.

Follow your interests and passions with the goal of learning more and fulfilling your desires.  You will be surprised at the bounty of business that will come your way.

In Branding, “Distilling The Message” Is The Name of the Game – Part 1

In a time-starved world you only have a Nano-second to capture the attention of your target market and make an indelible, favorable impression about your brand. The first impression must convey the distillation of your marketing message, a message that immediately distinguishes you from your competition. If you are successful your target market will identify with your brand, want to learn more, and eventually want to “join your brand”. 

Distillation is the key to this process; it is the name of the game in personal or company branding in luxury real estate and in all businesses. In this article series we will explore the various components of a brand messaging and how the concept of distillation comes into play for each component including the brand position, the logo, the business card, the brochure, and the website.

Our experience as leaders in brand strategy for the luxury real estate industry has yielded powerful insights that can and should be applied by any local service professional or local business owner who aspires to achieve top-of-mind status in their marketplace.  In the unabashed pursuit of market leadership you either stand out or bow out.  The key in all cases is to identify an uncontested or under served marketing niche that you can dominate.

Over 90% of our business is “out of town” and that requires extensive travel. Last year we decided to expand the scope of our own niche so that we could also work with other categories of local businesses here in Santa Barbara, thus eliminating out-of-town travel for those projects. Our case study in the distillation of the marketing message is centered on a Santa Barbara acupuncturist named Vishāl.

Follow us through this article series as we explain the steps involved in distilling Vishāl’s marketing message and see how you can apply the principles to your own professional real estate practice. What is your first impression of Vishāl’s logo, imagery and tag line depicted above? What does the message communicate to you without knowing any more information? Who do you think is the target market? Do you personally resonate with the message? Could you potentially be among the target market?

Brand Colors: How We Select Colors

Our prospective clients often ask us about color selection.  In some instances they like their existing colors, so we update it, or add a bit of contrast with a line or two under their logo, to get the logo to stand out.  Usually, we go through two separate questionnaires to determine the best colors for that logo.  These questions are focused on personal preferences and the theme or mood they want to reflect to their marketplace. 

We talk about their marketplace, and as Ron and I are touring the area we focus on the natural elements in that marketplace.  We take pictures of their environments as a reference. Sometimes, the light of the area is a clue.  If you have traveled to the Southern regions of Italy, you may have noticed that the light has rosy overtones, whereas in France’s Provence region, the light has a yellow tone.   Based on our studies, we prepare color palettes for them to review.  These color palettes are harmonious as well as contrasting.

The photo above was taken in Juneau, Alaska near the ice caves.  That boulder was a glacier deposit.  Notice the beautiful color palette, it has dark greys, blue greys, deep rusts (iron deposits), a myriad of pale gold and beige, as well as white quartz.  If these colors were the right palette for one of our clients, we would sample them, and convert them to the right ratios for use on the web and in print materials.

When we are working with a team or a company, all the individuals answers the questionnaire.  We want everyone to own the colors and be proud of their brand and logo.

Branding Moments: How to DEMONSTRATE What Your Brand Stands For

On a recent Alaska Airlines flight, we were very impressed with how the company demonstrated what their brand stands for.  Sometimes in branding, action speaks louder than words! But, the right words can also be very impactful.

The first was the smooth handling of boarding by the desk.  After they served us beverages, they came around to pick up the glasses and the complimentary little box of snacks.  We noticed that each box was flattened and carefully piled separately.  Then, each item was placed in its appropriate recycling bag. 

We complimented the flight attendant, and she told us that was one the reasons she loved working at Alaska.  As we approached our destination, they announced that if the baggage had not arrived at the carousel within 20 minutes, they would give you a discount on your next flight, or additional mileage points.

Just before landing, the lead flight attendant’s last words impressed us even further. He thanked the passengers for flying Alaska because, we were the ones giving him a job, and he loved his job.

In summation, Alaska Airlines stands for passenger care demonstrated by:  smooth boarding, caring for the environment, smooth retrieval of luggage with minimal wait time, as well as verbalized appreciation of the passengers.

Oh, and one more thing… They were ahead of schedule on each leg of our trip!

Does Being Ethical Differentiate You, Or Is It The Price of Admission?

Yesterday afternoon, I took this picture of a point of sale display at our local branch of US Bank.  They were named the 2017 World’s Most Ethical Company. As I stood there reading it, I wondered why they were so proud of that sign as it was placed in front of each teller’s partition and there was as a 5ft version in the lobby.

I have always thought that to own and run a banking institution ethics is the price of admission.  The same price applies to the real estate profession. As far as we are concerned, you are either ethical or your not.  Being the “Most” ethical implies that there are degrees of ethics. We have always felt that one is either ethical or one is not.  It is like being pregnant, you are either pregnant or you are not. You cannot be half-pregnant, or most pregnant.

The Ethisphere Institute is the Awarding Entity. It is a consulting group.  It was founded as an antidote to the banking corruption that was revealed in earlier years. As I researched their website, I discovered that they are a resource for handling ethical issues, compliance, corporate culture, and you pay for membership. It could be loosely compared to real estate governing entities like NAR, for instance.

Does it mean that every other banking institution is not as ethical as US Bank? Should we worry about our banks?  From a branding standpoint, this distinction does not differentiate them as a banking institution.   There have been ethical breaches in the banking industry as well as in any other industry.  This does not mean that all of them are unethical. Again, being ethical is just the price of admission into any profession or industry. 

A logo is not just a service mark.  It should be a trust mark. People either trust your brand or they do not.  There are other ways to stand out, and being ethical, because it should be a given, is not one of them.

The Two Faces of FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) Marketing

FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) marketing is a valid way to market as long as it does not taunt, tease or anger your target market. Here are the two faces of the FOMO story.

When Tesla announced its new Model 3 and opened it up for reservations we saw a line out the door in Santa Barbara of people waiting to give them their $1000 deposits.  Over 400,000 reservations came rolling in. The dynamic of FOMO Marketing was unleashed on the automotive scene as stories of this buying frenzy spread like wildfire throughout the media.

There was obviously a pent up demand for Tesla’s value proposition, offering ownership of an affordable model of this sustainable energy vehicle brand. Tesla brilliantly began as strictly a luxury brand with its $100K+ Roadster. By introducing an affordable model they effectively accomplished what Apple achieved as a brand, known for expensive computers, when it introduced the iPod. Everyone had to have one! No one wanted to be left out.

This morning, I (Alexandra here) called to cancel a credit card because we no longer wanted to pay the annual fee. The promise of value became negligible compared to a competing card that we subsequently acquired. 

Although the customer service representative was very nice, he explained to me that they would be downgrading us from the present “gold” card to the “bronze” card.   He also had me listen and agree to all the benefits I would be missing out on by having the lowly “bronze” card. And, then he added that I still had until July 20th to change my mind. 

When that bronze card arrives, we will put it in a safe place and not use it.  That is the “dark” side of FOMO. The taunting and teasing turned me completely off. It had the opposite effect. It must work on some people or they would not use it.

The dark side of FOMO marketing in real estate is evidenced when agents use the words “Too Late” instead of simply using the word “Sold”.  At the very least it annoys the potential buyers they are trying to attract.

The moral of the story: Do not rub it in! In doing so you will rub people the wrong way.

All photos are courtesy of Tesla.

When Is It Time to Update Your Brand?

APPLE'S FIRST BRAND IN 1976

There are objective markers that indicate when it is time to update or refresh your luxury real estate brand. It is better to refine your brand so that it reflects the evolution of your business rather than reacting to external market conditions.

One of the objective markers is when you embark upon an entirely new strategy or take on when a new niche becomes the focus of your company or professional practice.  Three of the companies we are working with are changing their business models.  Their existing brands no longer communicate the new direction and focus of the company.

Another marker that indicates that you should refresh your brand is when it no longer stands out, because the copycats have moved in and blurred what makes your brand distinct. While working with a company back East, we noticed an international franchise brand had changed their company colors to copy the market leader.

If you are a market leading company, and a new brand moves into town and starts recruiting your agents and your clients, take that as an objective marker that you should at least consider refreshing your brand.  It is easy to become complacent when no one is challenging your market dominance.  That is when you are most vulnerable. The new company can label you as stodgy and out of step with the times especially if they position themselves as the new innovators.

When Apple came on the scene they labeled the then market leader Microsoft as the stodgy brand to differentiate themselves as the cutting edge innovators. Certainly, the Apple brand has evolved over time as they surpassed Microsoft and all other tech companies as the most highly valued company in the world.

APPLE'S CURRENT BRAND

This year Apple will move into its new “spaceship” headquarter building and make a statement that will be heard around the globe:  We are still on the cutting edge, catch us if you can!”

Simple Luxuries & Small Indulgences

Throughout our career as luxury real of real estate brand strategists we have encountered the misconception that luxury is only about the lifestyle of the rich and famous. But, that is just what gets the most press.  It is the simple luxuries, the small indulgences that represent the heart of luxury.

Memorial Day Weekend was the official start of BBQ season for most of the country.  However, here in Santa Barbara, California we are fortunate to able to BBQ practically all year long. Ours has a 13.5-inch grill that is perfect for 2 people when we also grill locally sourced organic vegetables, which we do frequently. Or, for 4 people when we just cook the main course.

Recently, we picked up some absolutely fabulous fresh swordfish at our local seafood store, Kanaloa, that was caught right off our coastline the same morning we grilled it for dinner. We were told that to enjoy the rich flavor of this firm pink fish to the max we ought to thoroughly clean our grill first so that the fish does not stick to the grill or taste like other previously grilled foods.

So, we brought it into the kitchen and proceeded to make a complete mess of the sink, the scrubbing sponge and our $10 kitchen gloves.  There had to be a better way for future BBQs meals!

The “light bulb” went off when we discovered that a new replacement grill only costs $10. So, it is scour-no-more for us. We went out and bought 3 of them and that should last us until next Memorial Day Weekend.

Spending $10 on a new grill is a small indulgence that saves us time and hassle. It is one of the simple luxuries in our life. 

What are some of the simple luxuries in your life?  What small indulgence can you partake in today that will make your life more luxurious?

Finding the Uncontested Market Niche

Achieving top-of-mind status is the ultimate aim for those luxury real estate marketing professionals who are bent on gaining or sustaining market leadership. One route to get there is identifying an uncontested market niche that you can dominate. But, uncontested niches are usually not obvious. If they were obvious, your competitors would be all over them.

Our focus, as brand strategists is helping our clients to out-think not out-spend their competition. By helping them identify an uncontested market niche they do not need to spend as much in marketing to reach their target market. Why? You can get to top-of-mind status relatively quickly because you are the first mover in a new category and your story becomes newsworthy.  Publicity is much less expensive than advertising.

The mega-hit Broadway Musical, Hamilton, is breaking box office records. It is the hottest ticket in town! Some weeks they rake in over $3 million dollars in ticket sales. 

Recently, Spamilton, a parody of the Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning musical, reached its 300th performance.  Now, they are moving to a larger theatre to accommodate the demand for tickets.  This show launched with just a $130,000 investment and is now opening in other cities as well.

Spamilton is produced by the same people, who introduced the new category (niche) of shows referred to as revue-style spoofs, when they launched   “Forbidden Broadway” years ago.

So look for the uncontested market niche in your luxury real estate marketplace, a niche that you can dominate as a first mover. Think more, spend less when it comes to marketing!

How To Create Buzz: Buzzing With Bananas And Snow Plows!

Buzz marketing is a way of getting media attention by orchestrating an event that is unusual in nature and results in people talking. It often is less expensive than traditional advertising.  Buzz generates word-of-mouth advertising.  Here is an example:

A Community Banana Stand outside the Amazon headquarters in downtown Seattle is the brainchild of Jeff Bezos, founder and CEO of Amazon.  He decided at the end of 2015, that Amazon should offer everyone the public and its employees a free healthy snack.  Bananas fit the bill perfectly.  They don’t need to be washed, and all one has to do is peel and eat.  Recently, they added another cart.  To date they have given away more that 1,7million free bananas.

In real estate, they are many opportunities to create a buzz.  One agent we met had planned an open house in her New England marketplace.  An overnight snowstorm threatened the cancellation of her open house, because the city plows would not reach the neighborhood until the next day. 

She hired plows to clear the roads to the open house, and had an announcement broadcast over the local radio station.  This caught the attention of the local media, as well as the New York Times.  Her business grew exponentially as a result of this action.  And yes, she sold the house as a result of the open house.

How can you generate buzz with your marketing?

Are You “In The Know” When It Comes To Luxury? Can You Speak Goat?

Himalayan Tahr Goat

We recently were asked by a friend to recommend an agent.  They wanted to make sure that we would recommend someone who can relate to a luxury buyer whose budget is $8 million dollars. Our friend specifically wanted an agent “in the know” when it comes to all things luxury.

There is so much that can be gleaned by luxury real estate marketing professionals in studying the finest products and services that money can buy. The more you know, the more you will have in common with your target market, the wealth of the world.

The more you have in common the faster potential clients or referral sources trust and recommend you. Being known as a luxury real estate professional who is “in the know” is one way to distinguish your personal brand of doing business.

Cashmere is a fabric that is associated with luxury. Although many assume that cashmere in a winter fabric, it can also be worn in the summer when woven with silk.

The finest cashmere wool in the world comes from the far regions of Mongolia and the Himalaya Mountains. Another type of prized cashmere is baby cashmere. Baby cashmere wool comes from a special breed of goat,(Himalayan Tahr Goats). The softest fibers are gathered by combing the kid goats.

To fully appreciate luxury, look at the variance in pricing if you were to purchase a kid cashmere shawl from a local merchant close to the source of the fiber.  To get to the Himalayas, where these prized goats are raised would take several days using primitive transportation modes-ox led carts, and the final leg of the journey would be made by walking for several hours. The shawl would seem to be a bargain, if you discount the price and the time it takes to make the trek.

A similar shawl at a Loro Piana boutique, (Loro Piana is an Italian clothing company that specializes in high-end luxury cashmere and wool products) in New York, Beverly Hills or Milan, Italy, would be priced considerably higher. The price would reflect the journey and the exquisite craftsmanship.  

Not all luxury buyers appreciate cashmere.  However, many appreciate the finest in products and experiences.   One gentleman we spoke to mentioned the ABC’s of luxuries, A for airplanes, B for boats, and C for Cars.  If you aspire to sell to those in the luxury arena, educate yourself to be “in the know”, on many subjects including being able to speak goat.

Branding Moments: How To Tell A Great Story in One Minute And Ten Seconds!

Photo courtesy of Aplle

We usually push the mute button when commercials are on. We look away from the television set and resume reading our book, until the basketball game is back on. Even on mute, this commercial captured our attention.  It focused on the unique function of the portrait mode dual lens system on the iPhone 7Plus.

This ad tells shows people at a barbershop getting haircuts.  After their haircuts, their portrait picture is taken and displayed in the store windows and on the walls inside the shop. The video description is precise: “In Portrait Mode on iPhone 7Plus, you don’t just look good! You look fantastic!”

Apple’s CEO, Tim Cook, remarked that phone has been the most popular model plus model the company has released.  Apple released more than three-dozen how to videos tips for iPhone 7Plus owners.  

In our opinion, this was one of the best commercials we have ever seen.  It told a story about the brand and left an indelible impression. It took only one minute and ten seconds!

Real Estate Life: Class Versus Crass

Regardless of where your focus is in your real estate practice, developing class is of paramount importance if you intend to be a market leader or the first to come to mind in your marketplace.  Being friendly, generous and considerate will reap big benefits in that you will be known as someone with class: decent, gracious, respectable, and noble.   Just being focused on getting what you want will label you as crass: lacking sensitivity, mindless, ignorant, coarse, and tactless.  Here are examples of both class and crass:

When the brother of our client passed away, we took a half a day off to attend the memorial service and the reception thereafter.  Our assistant was instructed to tell our clients who called in where we were and at what time to expect the return call.  Everyone understood and respected our choice. Here is a contrasting example:

One of our friends had a different experience. His mother had passed away and he took the first flight out to be with his family.  His partner was left in charge. When their mutual client called in, the client could not understand why the mother was more important than she was.  The client proceeded to insult and belittle the firm. 

On a recent trip, we met with a luxury residential developer.  He went on a five-minute tirade about agents who called him on Sundays, leaving him 8 messages, when he was in the pool playing with his children.  He labeled them as crass, and as someone he would not ever do business again.

How do we define class in terms of real estate?

It is the agent who sits down with their clients and asks them: “how and when would you like me to communicate with you?  And then, follows through.  

It is the agent who kindly tells their competitor that they have a spelling mistake on their site, or their listing brochure, or a listing photo is out of whack.

It is the agent that returns calls, and shows up on time.  

It is the agent that listens and understands their clients’ woes and stories, and does not repeat them. 

It is the agent that other agents respect and go out of their way to work with them.

Class is not limited to real estate only.  It encompasses life and how you treat everyone around you. Class is being kind to everyone you meet, regardless of their stature in life.  It is also having the courage to drop out of your life and business those who enjoy berating others and acting crass.

Brand Design: Is Your Brand A Foghorn in A Sea of Sameness?

“Design is a funny word.  Some people think design means how it looks.  But of course, if you dig deeper, it’s really how it works.”  Steve Jobs

We are in the process of creating a logo.  Everything about that logo has to work for our client.  The fonts, the colors, the spacing between letters have to attract the target market.

It has to stand out and be the foghorn in the sea of sameness.  It has to resonate with our client and fit them perfectly, or as we like to say, “it has to be a hell, yes!”

We travel to each marketplace in order to identify the psycho-graphic of the people who live and work there. We take time to get to know our client’s core values, personality, preferences and goals. 

We come home and begin to distill what we learned into a strategy. That strategy defines the brand.  A definition is a concise form of communication.  It is concise because it is easy to understand and to communicate it to someone else. This brings about the best marketing results known as “word of mouth and referrals.”

For us, designing each brand is a labor of love. Our clients have to love it, and their marketplace has to love it.  Is your brand a foghorn in a sea of sameness?

Branding Moments: How To Be An Original In Your Marketplace!

Photo from Wikipedia in public domain.  Maria Callas as Violetta in La Traviata

In order to attract the dominant share of the luxury real estate or other segments of the real estate constellation you have to stand out to attract and maintain an ideal client base.

In the late nineties playwright, Terrence McNally, wrote a award winning Broadway play  called Master Class.  It was based on the master classes that Maria Callas, one of the most famous and influential opera stars in the 20th Century, gave at Julliard School of Music. 

A master class is an opportunity for accomplished students in a certain discipline to attend a class given by a true expert. In the play, Maria Callas tells her students, "If you want to be an opera star, your voice may not be enough. You have to have a 'look'. Get a look!"

We say, as a luxury real estate marketing professional, you not only need a look, you need a brand.  The brand conveys who you are, what you stand for, and the extraordinary value you have to offer.  Your personal brand must be impactfull, and it must enable you to sharply stand out from your competition.

We also have said that it is important to study luxury brands.  Notice which brands speak to you and which do not.  Model your brand after the ones you like, but do not copy. 

Imitation is not the best form of flattery, it just shows your lack of imagination. Copying may result in a lawsuit by the brand.  Many luxury brands are vigilant when it comes to protecting their trademarks and logos, and they do not hesitate to come after you with all guns blazing.

Get a look!  Most importantly, be original!  

Branding Moments: A Brilliant Logo/Brand Design!

If you followed our blog posts, you are no doubt aware that we are constantly noticing logos that tell the brand's story.  Pictured above is a great example.  This morning we were looking for the perfect pot for our new plant.  As we meandered through the nursery's selection, we noticed the sign indicating a grouping of plants that are been friendly.

The circle has a watermark of the inside of a beehive pattern.  The bee's body is is a stylized letter "B"!  The color within the circle is a gradient of orange to a warm yellow giving it depth and dimension.

This illustrates our favorite quote:  "Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication"--Leonardo da Vinci

Branding Moments: What Makes A Brand Attractive?

What makes a brand attractive? There are many reasons we make choices.  Here is an example of how we were attracted to a restaurant, based on our love of Italy.  It was the association with a fond memory that influenced our choice.

Two weeks ago we were in Westport, Connecticut, looking for a place to dine.  We consulted the local dining recommendations and were drawn to this little Italian trattoria.  We were attracted to the name "Finalmente", which means finally, or at last we have the result!" 

Seeing the name reminded us of dining in an out of the way restaurant in Sienna, Italy, that was recommended by an Italian friend.  The restaurant staff was very friendly and loved that we were doing our best to converse with them in Italian.

Our delightful server taught us the word "Finalmente!"  It is an expression to emphasize having reached perfection in food, wine and pleasurable moments in life.  It started with the Chianti he recommended and ended with the ricotta pear tart at the end.

The Connecticut version was delightful, and because it was Tuesday all wines were soldat a 20%, discount.  We would venture back if we find ourselves in Westport again. 

What makes a Brand Attractive for you?