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Pabst Blue Ribbon (PBR to the cooler people) has sponsored a series of street artists across Kansas City. We noticed a piece or two during our first night in KC, and since have spied several installations across the city.

Each piece features the work of a couple of artists from around the globe, put together with a little bit of PBR branding. This is advertising that inspires, creates interest and supports art. Everyone wins.

Labels: branding, kansas city

posted by darryl ohrt at 7:59 AM 0 Comments

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When we learned of the Bleeding Heart Bakery in Chicago, we knew that we had to visit.

Friends know of the Bleeding Heart as a punk rock bakery.

Call it marketing, call it good business or call it punk rock, but Bleeding Heart has differentiated themselves from nearly every other bakery in the nation. They're organic. Their concoctions are original and have personality. They ship cupcakes. (We've been to a lot of bakeries - and trust us - this is a feat.)

They've extended their brand to ancillary products too - kick ass t-shirts, punk rock tote bags and other things that people who are passionate about sugary goodness will likely enjoy.

They bleed personality. Add all of this up and you get a successful business that's not afraid to be who they are, and speak to a niche audience. Loudly.

We enjoyed meeting the Garcias and enjoyed the Smore's brownies and cupcakes even more.

Labels: branding, chicago, cupcakes, yummy food

posted by darryl ohrt at 9:00 AM 0 Comments

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Sometimes the difference between brand awesomeness and brand ridiculousness are the simplest decisions.

While on tour, we're getting to experience both. When we hit Kansas City, we'll get to stay in the luxurious Q Hotel and Spa (a PlaidNation sponsor), who could teach many hoteliers a lesson in brand awesomeness. And we're counting down the days until the Q.

But until then...we're learning brand and customer experience lessons the hard way:

On some random day somewhere, some person with Soooper 8 made a decision. Was it to spend fifty cents more and supply guests with towels that aren't made from sandpaper? Nope. Was it to put a respectable sign on the elevator? Nope.

This decision involved the experience that a guest might have in the bathroom. Not soaps. Not shampoo or other niceties. Somebody said "we can add your logo to this $2 faucet, if you want", and then a Soooper 8 employee replied "absolutely."

Here's proof that branding is more than your old logo on crappy equipment. It's little decisions that affect your customer's experience every day. Thanks, Soooper 8, but I really would have preferred the non-sandpaper bath towel.

Labels: branding, q hotel, super 8

posted by darryl ohrt at 8:14 AM 2 Comments