BUILDING A BRAND…BRICK BY BRICK!
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BUILDING A GREAT BRAND…BRICK BY BRICK!
I’ve always been a big fan of LEGO’s. I enjoyed helping my kids put together all kinds of LEGO kits and models. Then, the grandkids 
brought even more elaborate and intricate models. I am fascinated by the LEGO stores that I’ve visited here and abroad, and recently enjoyed visiting LEGOLAND near Orlando. I particularly was amazed at the creation of major US and Florida cities at the park which were completely made out of millions of LEGO bricks. So, it shouldn’t be a surprise that when a LEGO sculpture exhibit (The Art of the Brick) came to Tampa, we had to see what sculptor Nathan Sawaya could do to add magic to these simple bricks that have been the same since 1932.
Sawaya’s quotes which were placed throughout the exhibit and on some of the individual sculptures were as interesting as the art 
themselves. His description of the exhibit describes his motivation very well: “This exhibition engages the child in all of us while at the same time highlighting sophisticated and complex concepts. Chances are you probably don’t have a slab of marble or a ceramic kiln at home. But I bet you have some LEGO bricks. You can say that again, Nathan. We find one or two quite frequently around our house and enjoy putting them together as much as the kids. I’ve also been fascinated by the LEGO brand for years and how it manages to endure and thrive from one generation to another. It has also grown to a $2.1 Billion brand that is now the world’s largest toymaker by revenue.
Founded in Denmark, the word is derived from the Danish words “lego godt” which means play well. I also can come from the Latin “lego” meaning “I put together” and marketers can certainly recognize that this brand plays well in the competitive retail market place and that they have put together a brand strategy that endures and continues to grow surpassing brands like Mattel as an all year/all ages brand.
The brand has expanded into the retail world with 36 stores in Europe and over 90 in North America. There also is another in India and 
Asian expansion will soon follow. To reach even more potential customers (and creative sculptors) the company has five LEGOLAND amusement parks in its home city of Billund, Denmark, Carlsbad, CA, Winter Haven, FL, Windsor, England, and Gunzburg, Germany, which are operated by Merlin Entertainment. We found the park to be fascinating and enjoyed staying at the LEGOLAND Resort Hotel which brings the brand alive not only in the rooms but throughout the property.
LEGO has followed the lead of Hallmark of taking its brand to Hollywood and has made the bricks and their interchangeable characters the stars of animated moves that have been very successful and continue to build the brand both among children and adult audiences as well. Click on these links to view a couple recent LEGO commercials: LEGO City: https://youtu.be/G7W1-R8L1to and Ninjago Movie: https://youtu.be/A81QT9GlQ54
What has made LEGO such a successful brand is by sticking to its basic founding product and creative premise while constantly updating it to current trends and interests. Then, reaching out to its customers in new and different ways to add to the experience of the brand and the fun it provides.
Budweiser—while being challenged by the craft brew craze, Bud keeps communicating in a way that pulls at the heartstrings or the funny bones while still emphasizing its King of Beers positioning. Check out their latest epic spot by clicking on 
reputation for marketing that connects as well. Through its Hall of Fame movies, the Hallmark Channel and other specials, the company lives up to it “when you care enough to give the very best”. Check out one of their best spots by clicking on: 
Subaru has differentiated itself from the other car companies recently with its love campaign. While most other carmakers are shouting about factory rebates, dealer incentives, and “name the brand”-a-thons, Subaru has identified the important events of our lives and how our car is a part of them. Love the family, love the car. Check it out at: 
of our lives. Where shopping is a pleasure is not just a slogan with a company that goes out of its way to give excellent customer service, clean, organized stores, and messages that hit straight to the heart (while still promoting good prices to compete with Walmart). Here’s one of their best:
University of Phoenix has grown to one of the largest educational institutions in the country by not only giving access nationwide to its online programs and courses but also by understanding that many people in the workforce would like to improve their current status in life by gaining more education and a specialty. The marketing doesn’t just state that they have classes and graduates, rather it inspires its prospective students to use their brain and make life more meaningful in the process. The result is stimulating their brain by communicating with their heart.
it’s successful, the time comes for a change of venue and management. My first marketing position was in brand management with P&G where I worked on the Folger’s coffee brand. Folger’s had the #1 share in all its markets at that time and I worked on some fo the plans to take the brand national within the next 5 years. The growth continued and Folger’s became the top grocery brand and sustained its growth even as new concepts like Starbucks or aggressive brands like Dunkin’ started to capture more of the coffee drinking market share. Eventually, as they have done many times, P&G spun off its coffee business (this time to Smuckers) and it continues to grow and maintain its position as one of the top promotional, traffic-building brands in the country. With all the change, however, Folger’s marketing has maintained its consistent, quality messages built on flavor and aroma (from those “mountain grown” beans) and is still one of the top brands in any category today. Its marketing has been refreshed many times, but it has stayed true to its loyal customer base by making it “the best part of waking up” again and again.
Red Lobster is another brand that was actually the original brand for Darden Restaurants back in the late ‘60’s. Red Lobster was the original chain of moderate seafood restaurants and continues to grow with marketing featuring product shots that still whet my appetite whenever a TV spot airs. As the company grew with other brands like Olive Garden, Seasons 52, Longhorn Steaks, and Capital Grille. Darden decided that Red Lobster whose growth had stagnated would be spun off and eventually bought out by Golden Gate Capital. Now the brand has been refreshed with new management, a new store prototype modeled after New England fishing towns, updated menus, and a consistent marketing campaign that still features the food, yes the food, presented in mouth-watering spots and messages that have revitalized the chain and the brand.
it was great to visit all the sights again and realize that not much has changed over the years and yet the city is as modern and state-of-the-art as ever. We enjoyed seeing the sights and were particularly impressed by two attractions that we hadn’t visited before—the Churchill World War II Museum and the London Eye.
Speaking of Coke, I mention in my video from Westminster Abbey that we should have a lasting memorial to great brands that have made an impact on marketing as well as the world that we live in. These are the brands that have become a fabric of our lives (sounds familiar) and have consistently been recognized for their marketing and advertising excellence. Coca Cola is certainly high on that list with a brand that continues to grow and excel despite the competition from other soft drinks and beverages. Coke has done it by providing messages and images that withstand the test of time and continue to stir the imagination as well as the thirsts of legions of consumers in all demographics and lifestyles. The great spots are reinforced with sponsorships at the national, worldwide and local levels that keep Coke not only top of mind but also as favored members of our community. 
also by producing some of the most memorable marketing messages in all media. From the classic “1984” to competitive defense against Microsoft (I’m a PC, I’m a Mac campaign) to the outstanding imagery in promoting iphones, itunes, ipads, Apple manages to keep itself on the cutting edge and judging by the number of iphones that I observed on the tubes and busses of London, Scotland and Wales, there’s no stopping them now. They keep this brand alive in their retail stores, online, on mobile and everywhere in between. This brand is already a legend and only a couple decades old.
Walmart has grown to the largest business in the world and has an effect on the way the world does business in many ways (read “The WalMart Effect” by Charles Fishman) and it isn’t just by having everyday low prices. The company built a great brand strategy and then executes every day in every store with every customers. It’s marketing has been exceptional from the start by not relying solely on price/item print like most of its competitors, but rather by producing messages with real people, with great creative that makes the messages come through loud and clear. In the process, the company has built a brand that people trust and continue to shop no matter what their psychographics or demographics are.
target customers. However, there are many other great cars in the category. So, how does Lexus outsell all of them in the category combined. By marketing themselves smartly, logically and creatively and making a logical case for their brand over the others. They continue to improve on the product while maintaining the high standards of quality, features, and customer service that have re-established the standard of excellence in the automotive category.
McDonalds is everywhere in Great Britain and despite the hundreds of other food chains and local pubs and eating establishments, they continue to grow. We passed by the golden arches in almost every town and hamlet we visited and they were always busy and while they haven’t replaced English fish& chips on my list of favorites, they certainly sell their share of Big Mac’s and fries along the way. Again, McDonalds continues to improve on their product with innovation in food, service and stores, but they excel by an ongoing brand message that stands out among all of the other fast food providers in the market. They know that McD’s is part of life not just in the states but world-wide and their messages resonate with the customers no matter what part of the world they reside.
the company has moved toward larger stores in larger markets and has grown its sales to over $16 Billion (if my yen/dollar conversion is accurate). These are exciting numbers, but what’s really exciting is the in-store experience. UNIQLO’s theme for its Life Wear is “Simple Made Better” and the simplicity of the store is apparent the minute you walk in. With merchandise displays that make an immediate statement of volume and color that only exceeded by the neatness that is a constant. The training of employees on how to fold the clothes is legendary and is only superseded by customer service commitment that provides friendly faces who seem to be everywhere straightening and colorizing while helping anyone in sight.
Once again, WestJet, the Calgary-based economy airline, took a look around and found a reason to do something really extraordinary at the holidays. This time it was to bring the spirit of the holidays and send a message that it’s more than just good business to do the right thing for the people in your markets. This year, WestJet decided to do something big for the people of Fort McMurray, Alberta, which was devastated by wild fires last spring. In case you might not remember the tragedy, here’s a summary from Wikepedia on what happened:
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