Brands on Christmas Trees
We collect ornaments ... have been collecting since I was a little kid. I love beautiful Christmas ornaments of every size, shape, and variety. I especially love the glass ones. It just occurred to me, though, that we've got a number of "brands" on our tree. And I don't think that's just because I'm in marketing. Some brands have become so iconic, they've made it into our holiday celebrations and homes. These are brands that have infiltrated our lives to such an extent, that they make it onto our Christmas tree as part of our memory bank. That's pretty incredible when you think about it.
So as I glance onto our tree, here are the brands that I see:
Mega-brands:
- Coca Cola (both a can and a polar bear)
- Oreo
- Starbucks
- Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure
- Red Ribbon for Aids Research
- Dole (a banana with a logo on it)
- Macy's (a replica of the very first parade float)
- Singer (as in the sewing machine)
- Heinz (you know the tradition of hiding a pickle, right?)
- Hershey (the kiss)
- M&Ms
- Disney (as in Mickey Mouse)
- NY Yankees
I've also got a number of "cities" too, represented by famous icons that remind us of the "brand":
- New York City (many times over) and actually New York State as well (I Love NY)
- London
- Paris
- Boston
- Bucks County PA (where I live ... there's a famous covered bridge)
And some celebrities who in essence became brands:
- Marilyn Monroe
- Elizabeth Taylor
- Lady Gaga
- Elvis
Colleges that are in my life (they are brands too):
- Cornell
- Penn State
A special shout out to a couple of Christmas ornament brands:
- Christopher Radko makes beautiful glass ornaments ... this brand is king and I have a bunch!
- Smith Hawken ... a brand that went away but back in the day released gorgeous ornaments every year, mostly in the garden family
Take a look at your Christmas tree ... got any brands?
Happy Holidays ... what's your experience? Jim.
Jim Joseph
President of Lippe Taylor
Author of The Experience Effect
Professor at NYU