Pocket Universal Principles of Branding

Mark Kingsley got his start in the music industry, designing packages for the likes of John Coltrane, Pat Metheny, Quincy Jones, Ginger Baker, and Jewel. In 2001, his work for Blue Note Records received a Grammy nomination. Mark then transitioned into the world of corporate branding. At Landor, he was the global creative lead on the Citi account, and as executive strategy director at Collins, he developed the new global positioning for Ogilvy and helped Equinox enter the luxury hotel business. His boutique studio, Malcontent, serves independent filmmakers, global advertising firms, fintech startups, arts organizations, living legends, and Pulitzer Prize winners. Mark teaches at the School of Visual Arts Masters in Branding program and recently held the endowed Melbert B. Cary Professorship in Graphic Arts at the Rochester Institute of Technology. He is currently head of brand for the fashion brand Oumlil.

• AbstractionAnthropology / EthnographyAssociationAuthenticityBandits and robotsBeauty, not beautificationThe Big Five Black box or scientific methodBlurring Body of workBrand architectureBrands are a technologyBranded UnconsciousCampaignsCase studiesCelebritiesCharacter ComfortCommit to the bitConflictContextCrafty creativityCustomer journeyDeliveryDifference and DifféranceDigital to social strategistDisaggregated data Do no harmDon’t fear the auditEcosystemEngagementEnvironment/Anti-environmentErotics of brandsEverybody lives in a bodyEveryone works in brandingFlexingFrameworksFramingGathering (and dividing)Generosity (and humility)Go outside your laneHapticsHearing voicesHistory and genealogyHeterogeneityHow you say itIdentity Influencers are a racketIntimacyJargon (and fear)Jungian-ish archetypes Kill the HumanLet's put on a showMagic and superstitionManagement The Master Narrative ProblemMystery is sexyNaming is knowingNo such place as “away”NostalgiaObservationOne ______ fallacyOut of Home, but in the MindParody is a sign of successParty peoplePermissionPlaytimePoliticsProfessionalism secondRelationshipsRender unto CaesarRepair and ageRepetition and syncopationRetinal / non-retinalRituals and routineScoping Semantic infiltration SignalsSkepticismSocial ResponsibilityStandards StrategyTag, you’re itTake me homeTalk to the gatekeepersTaste the rainbowTensionThinking over wisdomTime TouchpointsValuesValuationViruses and variantsWar LanguageWeakest linkWhat if your logo was a drum pattern?What is the product?World-buildingYou are not a brandZany, cute and informative