Get Your Strategy On
Your Branding Sucks
Mar282008 Filed under: Communications Author: Tony MorganI’ve been inspired by Seth today. He did a post on dumb branding strategies. It reminded me of conversations Emily and I have had in the past about business names that rub us wrong. In fact, call us small-minded, but we tend to boycott businesses that use these strategies to name their businesses:
- J & K Plumbing - People don’t care that the two people who operate your business have first names that begin with "J" and "K."
- Town & Country Podiatrist - We get it. You’re hoping to sell your foot-fixing services to people in the city and in the country. Isn’t everyone?
- Fast Fotos - This bugs Emily more than me, but, generally speaking, we think it’s annoying when businesses purposely misspell words to get the first letters to match.
- Dress Barn - OK, that’s a real business. All I can picture is very big dresses that fit barn-sized women. You may want to consider what your name communicates before you invest in the letterhead.
In case you’re wondering, there are also some annoying branding practices I see within the church. For example…
- Churches that feel like every ministry and every event in the church needs a creative name with a logo.
- Churches that brand ministries that mean something to insiders but are meaningless to the audience they’re trying to reach.
- Churches that brand ministries ahead of the church itself.
- Churches that brand the church ahead of the teaching series they’re hoping will impact the audience they’re trying to reach.
OK. Your turn. Where do businesses and/or churches fall short when it comes to branding?
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19 Responses to “Your Branding Sucks”
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Tony Morgan is a pastor and the Chief Strategic Officer at NewSpring Church where he develops creative solutions for communications, technology and NewSpring Ministries--the church's ministry that equips other church leaders.
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Milan Ford
March 28th, 2008 at 1:51 pm
Dang Tony - I think you hit them all. I’ll just add this one…
…how about churches that brand their history (what they’ve accomplished in the past)
versus branding what they’re currently offering or about today.
Constantly reminding people who was first…
…is sure fire way to show them who may end up being last.
David Slone
March 28th, 2008 at 2:01 pm
Church Signs in general are bad branding…i think anyone who lives in the south knows what I’m talking about. I live in Kentucky so it’s close enough to the south…not only the sign but the messages on the signs are bad branding and sometimes are even used as an indirect slogan speaking against other churches (ie “Where we still sing Amazing Grace”)
Clif Marshall
March 28th, 2008 at 2:19 pm
I personally can’t stand it when a business or church brands itself by location. i.e. The Shops at Greenridge or the Church at fill in the blank. It just sounds a little too snobbish for my tastes.
Mark Riggins
March 28th, 2008 at 2:47 pm
Tony,
Fast Fotos! Good stuff . . . that reminds me think of one of my frustrations:
A speaker who constantly feels the need to alliterate each point. They will spend 10 minutes explaining an awkward word so that each point begins with the same letter. Truth: no one is going to remember your seven points just because they began with the same letter! :-)
Mark
Nick
March 28th, 2008 at 3:01 pm
Churches who badly brand themselves by their name.
Here are a few from my area:
1. “Born Again Believers Church” I have to be a born again believer to come to this church?
2. “Heaven on Earth Christian Worship Center” Huh?
3. “Mount Anything Church” There are no mountains within two hours of where we live, and we aren’t on any of the mountains in the Bible!
4. “Runs Baptist Church” Pretty self explanatory
5. “Republican Baptist Church” - Thou must be a Republican to come here?!
Any name that has nothing to do with your community, city, or surrounding area (I.E. “Macedonia” “New Zion Hill” “Beulah Grove”
Jason
March 28th, 2008 at 3:23 pm
Since you asked…
It really bugs me when churches or businesses intentinoally misspell words for kids events or ministries.
Ex. Kidz Zone. Kids Kastle.
We adults think it’s cute. But it seems like it would either confuse a child or insult them. Maybe I’m wrong- but it still bugs me.
Jenni Catron
March 28th, 2008 at 3:44 pm
Churches fall short in branding when they copy other larger church brands. I really fought this battle with our staff a couple of years ago when we were developing some of our children’s programs. What I’ve observed is that some churches look at what “large, cool, big church” is doing and think “if I add that program and call it the same thing, it will be great.” Sometimes it may make sense to use the same name/brand, however I would challenge that you be able to answer ‘why’ that is the best name for your program and confirm that it is the best brand name for the people you are reaching and what they connect with.
Nick Blevins
March 28th, 2008 at 6:09 pm
I agree with all of them, except the one about churches branding every ministry and event. I’m not sure about that one. I know North Point does that, and it seems to work well for them.
Brian Baute
March 28th, 2008 at 8:31 pm
My biggest annoyance is church signs that have the pastor’s name displayed more prominently than the church’s name.
And, positional/denominational church names that are almost unavoidably too long (we live next door to First Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church).
Another bonus annoyance: the word “community” in a church name. Same problem as the Town & Country Veterinarian. Doesn’t add anything.
slowtraincoming
March 28th, 2008 at 10:22 pm
Yikes. Take it easy. What’s everyone so bitter about? What’s wrong with John and Ken calling their plumbing partnership “J & K Plumbing”? Quick and easy and now they can get back to work! At least they didn’t spend 3 weeks to come up with “Faucetman”! There’s a church in our town called “Holy Ghost House of Fire for All God’s Children, Inc.” They have an old greyhound bus and the name goes all the way down one side and around the back! They even have the “Inc.” part painted on the end of the name. Crazy, man, crazy! And what about a blog called “live” when there’s nothing live about it? I’m always reading it a few hours later. Awesome, awesome content but it ain’t “live”. Besides I can’t make fun of names, my name is Cornelius Snackhouse, Jr. …my friends just call me SlowTrainComing
jane
March 28th, 2008 at 10:33 pm
I really like the Morgans, and totally agree with this post!
again, thanks for moving to Anderson!
Michael Marchand
March 29th, 2008 at 5:36 am
My peeve: Acronyms. Especially acronyms that aren’t accurate.
For example, I used to work with a program called “Answering the Cry of the Poor” — the acronym: ANCOP. There’s also “Servants of the Lord” — the acronym: SOLD.
Bernard Shuford
March 29th, 2008 at 10:02 am
Sorry, Tony, this comes across as really snobbish.
michael buckingham
March 29th, 2008 at 10:46 am
The worse name for a story ever:
Added Dimension
For a woman’s plus size clothing store.
Chad Maag
March 29th, 2008 at 4:16 pm
I’m glad I’m not the only one that finds “Dress Barn” to be a real head scratcher.
What about churches that place the emphasis (in their branding and marketing) on the pastor. We have several churches like that here in KC that any advertisement (be it television, radio, print) is always focused on their pastor and what _he_ is saying/doing. And of course anything that is printed _always_ has to have the largest picture possible of the pastor and his wife.
Jared Christensen
March 29th, 2008 at 4:25 pm
“Churches that feel like every ministry and every event in the church needs a creative name with a logo.” I’ve been an active and involved member at NewSpring for nearly five years, and I’ve got to say… we do this. I don’t think it’s a bad thing. In fact, it’s probably contributed to our quantitative growth and our development in reaching the community for Jesus. But seriously, here’s a list off the top of my head of current or past NewSpring ministries or events with “a creative name with a logo”: The Majestic Playhouse, Majestic Theatre, AWAKE Coffee, Home Groups, GroupLink, Unleash, The Gauntlet, Fuse, Ignite, Financial Freedom Experience, every sermon series, etc. Unless you were being ironic, I’m surprised to see a core NewSpring branding practice show up on your list of most annoying.
Brad Bretz
March 29th, 2008 at 10:58 pm
Good thing that all of these “pet peeves” don’t determine the success of a church or ministry.
Funny thing is - when it comes to plumbing, I ask a friend rather than go by the name. Same for sales at a clothing store, kid’s store, etc. Lowe’s doesn’t speak “HOME IMPROVEMENT” but word gets out and when you go by the store, you sorta get the picture.
Wow, kinda makes me think, I am really glad that the people that walk in the doors of our churches are telling others not because of a cheesy name, but because of how it impacted their lives.
Fred McKinnon
March 30th, 2008 at 4:05 pm
OK, Sorry, I can’t resist - one of my favorite brands/slogans ever is for A-1 Septic Services in Brunswick, GA … on their big red septic tank trucks, they have the slogan/branding:
A-1 Septic - We’re #1 in the #2 business
No, I’m not joking.
Doug
April 2nd, 2008 at 9:32 am
If we are going down that road, there is a waste company in Wisconsin that has the slogan, “Your waste is our bread and butter”