Good brands do three things for highly stressed out consumers: 1. They save time. 2. They project the right message. 3. They provide an identity.

The truth is the best brands, like the most interesting people, have a keen sense of self.

Finding an excuse not to buy a brand can be just as enjoyable as finding an excuse to buy one. That, too, is human nature.

It's not fair, but it's not entirely wrong to presume that the more capable people will come from the better brand.

The real lesson Orville (Redenbacher) taught me was the power of a good brand to trump all rhyme or reason in the marketplace.

The great lesson of the Internet revolution is not that people never want personal service, just that they won't pay for personal service that does not add real value to the transaction.

A strong brand is the only thing that can tip the balance of power between distributors and a manufacturer back into the manufacturer's favor.