A History of Brands

Here’s a compendium of brand histories that is interesting (via Beyond Madison Avenue). There are some great stories here.

As you read some of these, it’s humbling to think how most of these started as small businesses that couldn’t afford much advertising until they grew into giants. It’s a reminder that a solid brand begins with an idea, a good product or service, and passionate people to drive the process. It takes time to build a brand. The advertising often comes later.

Several years back there were a lot of dotcom companies with vague value propositions that forgot you can’t buy a brand or build a business with advertising overnight. They are no longer with us.