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

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.

Every brand builder will face a million temptations to obscure, dilute, or confuse his or her brand message. These temptations fall under two general headings: boredom and the desire for growth.

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

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

A business based on brand is, very simply, a business primed for success.

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.