ABSTRACT
A brand is the combined thoughts, feelings, and memories that a consumer has about a company. The first mistake most people make when undertaking a branding project is trying to emulate the market leader. If creative director's brand is local and competing against national competitors, then embrace the fact creative director's local. This brand position successfully defined Octane as the underdog, local alternative to the big corporate chain. The only sustainable brand position is one based in truth. Honesty is as important for brands as it is for people. Read the founder's writings, or artifacts from the brand's origins and talk to the people that have worked with the company the longest, whether customers or employees. Then leverage that heritage to inform creative directors for creative strategy. Digital photo booths in their stores urge customers to take a photo and share that photo on social media along with why and how they're voting for environment-focused causes/candidates.
