Brand strategy

And it had that winning amalgamation of familiarity and desire: At the end of the show, Mr. Lauren emerged in a just-running-errands-on-a-Saturday outfit — olive button-down shirt, sleeves slightly rolled up, tucked into beige cargo pants — and waved to the crowd. (Familiarity.) At that very moment, the barn door behind him opened, revealing a... See more

That is: A person — often a founder, or someone similarly empowered — needs to have compelling ideas, establish a voice and perspective, and use it. Tools like brand books and style guides are important so agencies and partners know how to speak the same language. But the actual opinions and values can’t be algorithmically generated or offloaded to... See more

I was talking to a friend about why we decided to invite only paying believers to the Sublime private beta. My answer is that charging early for a product creates high expectations, and in aspiring to meet those expectations, we are held accountable to deliver a product you love and trust. My answer is that growing Sublime the right way is more... See more

So, I’ve developed an eye for what's personally novel or different. Anything that isn't that, I let it be a wind that blows by. If my antenna picks up that there's something truthful there, I dig in. Otherwise, it doesn’t bother me.

Product advertising explains the product to me. Brand advertising explains me to me. (via John Bevins)