16 April 2023 | Marketing
This, not that
By Ari Murray
Today at breakfast (is it still considered Sunday brunch if it’s at 9am?) my friend Jess and I were discussing brand guidelines. As one does on a Sunday.
Anywho, we were talking about how sometimes you can guess what is on brand vs. off brand without even needing to know the “official” rules. She decided that Nike is energetic but not an exclamation mark brand. I agree.
So, that’s what we’re going to talk about tonight. Because this is my ship and I am captain.
As a reminder, this is how we play This, not that (I stole the below from a previous letter I wrote for Go-to-Millions – SEE! THIS IS MY SHIP AND I AM INDEED CAPTAIN). 🧛🏻♀️ 🛥 ⬇
Let’s play. And then, once I’ve played, correct me if you disagree. It’s a game, and we’re playing together.
And then once you’ve told me why I’m wrong (or right – that’s also encouraged lol), PLAY THIS GAME FOR YOUR BRAND AND MAKE A LIST THAT WILL AND FOREVER REMAIN TRUE. THEN, POST THAT LIST INTERNALLY FOR ALL TO SEE AND REMEMBER ALWAYS.
🍋: goop is bone broth, not chicken noodle soup. Unless it’s Saturday.
👩🍳: Ina Garten is the Grandma you dress up for, even when she tells you she doesn’t care. And, she really doesn’t. She could not care less, and loves you just the same. She’s also a Grandma, not a Grandmother (although she did accidentally invent the Coastal Grandmother look).
🍟: Dior is pronounced ‘dyohr‘, not dee-or. It’s French.
🐝: Trudon is the candlemaker of yesterday*, not of the latest trend. *if yesterday were a day on which white beeswax were invented and if on that day you were the official candlemaker of the King.
P.S. (Ari here – I just read this and my heart skipped a beat): Trudon’s motto is “DEO REGIQUE LABORANT”, which means: “They work for God and the King.”, “they” being the bees.
🥤: Diet Coke is what you order when you want a Diet Coke, not a Coke. It’s its own thing, the better thing, and it lacks nothing. If Diet Coke were 140 calories a can, we’d still prefer the taste.
🛍: Shopify is for the doers, not the day-dreamers. It’s for the entrepreneurs of today, right now. Not of tomorrow (because tomorrow may never actually be the right time to start).
💤: Oura Ring is for sleep and life, not for raising your cortisol and ruining every outfit you’ve ever worn (like the Apple Watch).
🥛: Oatly is milk, but not for or from cows. Because that’s gross and bad for the planet.
🏎: Formula 1 is international, not American (and it is certainly NOT Nascar). If Nascar is MLS, F1 is FIFA.