You see people, if you see your brand as a logo … and one day you decide to change it’s colour … it doesn’t really matter … because your 2-dimensional brand just gets a face-lift (and as we know with face-lifts, the package might look different, but the person is still the same).

But if you consider your brand as a personality … if you express your brand as a personality … then you understand that a reinvigoration requires so much more than just new colours …

But more importantly, if you consider your brand as a personality, then wow, what depth you have to play with, and what an obligation you have to support that personality. By articulating your brand in this way, you give yourself the overarching strategy for running your entire business.

Whew – how empowering … how exciting!!

Depends. Some would argue this is a classic Aussie past-time – acting the larrikin. It’s not intended to be cool, clever, associate with anything. I think you’re over-thinking it. It is simply a joke. A prank. Kraft have run up to the media and done exactly what Claire Werbeloff did so well – pulled their pants down. And most people fell for it.

In simple terms, on Monday morning upon waking up and checking my first e-mails, I was utterly ashamed to go into work and call myself an Australian. I was also utterly ashamed to be an Australian professional who makes a living from the practice of brand/product marketing. I could never allow myself to act as a custodian in such a condescending way towards my brands’ customers as they did, and I don’t feel it’s right for me to pat them on the back for such a *clever* job well done. The new brand itself is neither clever, nor cool, nor in need of an association that embrace its “technical aspects” as Kraft have tried to suggest in defense.

Please go ahead and predict that we will all be very willing to forgive Kraft/Vegemite and return for the chance to now collect the (limited edition) bottles, to later re-engage as if nothing had ever happened, but right now I would feel much happier to see the many thousands of “iSnack 2.0″ printed jars sit on retailer shelves for as long as possible, for the retailers themselves to make the call and kick them off the shelves.

It’s great that there’s so much conversation right now. Not just to be able to show Kraft how strongly many do feel as part-owners in the Vegemite brand, but that markets are full of real conversations whether the online tools exist or not. It’s also fine if we all want to ride this out and build a case study for why Kraft are so clever, but that’s actually now for us to decide. Marketers have a poor enough reputation as it is, so are we going to applaud the lazy members of the Kraft boardroom and marketing team this time or help determine another fate?

I’m in Brisbane and freelancing around town.

Cheers
Andrew Goodall