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

Do not allow your enemy to define you. Because if you allow yourself to be defined negatively, nothing positive you say about yourself will register.

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.

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.

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

While the importance of a strong brand is widely understood, nothing is as misunderstood in American business as the question of how to use it.