OK, I just left a big ol’ rant in response on your blog.

=)

What it comes down to is something like: we each see some needs not met by how people think about branding. We have different strategies b/c we see different needs unmet – or we see different ways to meet the needs.

I guess it is probably a lot to do with our personal experiences. I had an epiphany when I realized my associations were so wrong and there was so much knowledge in normally-languaged business books that I had been missing out on because of knee-jerk reaction to words like “branding”. I hadn’t even stopped to think about it.

So to me it was very empowering to untangle the word and concept of branding from “what evil corporations do”.

At the same time, I know that making up new language can be very empowering for people.

I tend to think the making up new language is a stage before being comfortable using whatever language defines the same concept. For instance, I used other words for “God” when I couldn’t stand the word “God” because of painful associations. But after awhile, I got comfortable, healed that association (or let go of the aversive feeling), and now I can use the word God just like any other word like Source, “The Universe”, etc.

So I always encourage people to go all the way. Go for the gold. Don’t let pain be the deciding factor in the language you use, or anything else you do. Work through it until you work it out, and then you’ll have the freedom to talk with anyone in whatever language they speak – talk to “regular” business folk, talk to Christians about God – be able to translate the concepts into your worldview, if you will. I think there is power in that, that you might not get to if you just stick with “these are my words, I like them better”.

We’re talking about the same thing- and I like it that you are taking it on, and describing it so completely. Branding can sometimes be a little difficult to truly grok.

I still think “branding” is the wrong word for it, though. But I already had a rant on that in the comments on my blog.

But, you say tomato, I say tomato. I say fry ‘em up and eat’em. It’s just one big picnic.