Branding

What do the terms Taser, Escalator, and Aspirin have in common? They were once protected marks that have become generic. The term “Tiffany” likely has joined their ranks at least with regards to the name of a particular diamond ring setting. The Second Circuit Court of Appeals recently made clear that Tiffany’s 73 trademarks — many registered in connection with jewelry — will not protect it against others using “Tiffany” when that term has become commonly used to describe a particular six-prong diamond ring setting. Thus, anyone — even a discount retailer like Costco — can use it to describe that particular ring setting.

Retail has had it tough. As consumers, we may be emerging from the pandemic with pent-up demand and a clutch of savings ready to spend, but it’s come too late for many businesses. No one was too big to fail. From Francesca’s to Century 21, big names tumbled among the 128 national retailers to declare bankruptcy…

The buzzword right now is agile — but without context it’s just a verb. Take a deep dive into why an agile brand strategy and consumer-focused tone of voice are essential to building and maintaining a brand for the future and discover how to find your niche to position your brand. Evolving your brand doesn’t…

Various studies show there's an undoubtable uptrend around sustainable consumer products. What’s new is that increasing consumer demand is going beyond targeting only special interest categories, such as apparel or natural foods. Sustainable and responsible products are becoming the new norm. What happened? Retailers and brand managers can remember the circumstance as if it was…

Retailers, and brands in general, have had to weather several storms in the past year. And on a personal level, every one of us has had to face a revolution in our day-to-day life. Adapting to this new way of living has impacted how consumers feel and think about brands in a deep and fundamental…

There has never been a more important time for a retailer than the present. Consumer spend has shifted to focus on essentials, and to follow, most retailers are dramatically revamping their strategic approach. To stay relevant, it’s paramount that retailers evolve their brand perception to survive Q4 and beyond. The brand isn't the logo over…

In the early moments of the COVID-19 pandemic, the role of brands elevated nearly immediately. Some retail stores were deemed essential, and their employees became frontline workers seemingly overnight. Trusted brands also quickly moved to the forefront of the COVID-19 conversation. People, businesses and brands were given the opportunity to improve the greater good, or…

At Future Commerce, we've interviewed a host of executives and entrepreneurs working to build brands they passionately believe will change the world for the better. Through our hundreds of hours of discussion, a clear trend has emerged: How we define a meaningful brand is in flux. Iconic American brands have generally promised good prices as…

Talk to any branding consultant, and they’ll frequently mention “consistency.” Brands should present themselves as consistent as possible, regardless of medium or customer touchpoint. This consistent approach should extend to the payment experience. Brands can draw in more customers and increase retention rates when payments and gift cards are consistently branded with a company logo…

The old way of using to sex to sell products has been “buy this toothpaste for a whiter, sexier smile” or “buy this sports car to feel sexy” or “buy this shampoo for shiny hair that will make you sexy.” Victoria’s Secret has been using sexy images to sell its lingerie for years, and it…