New Novel About a Master Brander Takes A Shot At This School of Marketing from an Entirely Different Angle

Colson Whitehead has written a whimsical and inquiring novel called Apex Heals the Hurt, about a product-branding consultant who bats 1,000 -- he never misses.

His jealous colleagues resent his power and his Midas touch.  In the book, a detractor quips: "One day he stifled a burp and his pursed lips put an end to Casual Fridays."

Now, let me start this rant by confessing I have not read or even seen this book, and I don't have the time or bandwidth right now to call Doubleday's PR department and request a review copy.  What I'm about to tell you comes from reading a great review of the book by New York freelance writer Michelle Orange in the San Francisco Chronicle.

And since I expect this post will bring newcomers to the blog, let me lay some groundwork that most of my readers already know.

In my community, our community, the direct marketing community, the idol of "branding" is viewed with great distrust and derision, because many of us see it as a blatant and cynical attempt to rob businesses (to the benefit of ad agencies and mainstream media) of their money without delivering customers, sales, profits, and increased equity in return.

On the other hand, delivering new business to businesses is exact what we, as direct marketers, strive to do and -- get this -- actually do.

As I have grown older and looked into this issue further, I don't totally hold the position as a blanket absolute.  I think branding can be vitally important to a business, and I think occasionally a business (like Nike, for example -- thanks to blog Executive Contributor Jim Van Wyck for this distinction) can rise to great glory and prosperity by dint of brand alone.

But I still distrust the argument that getting well known, by itself, can make you rich.  Or even help you make sales.  I happen to think there's more to it than that.

And I have millions of dollars of sales results to my credit that could bolster my credibility to say these things.

Now, Mr. Whitehead is not writing from the point of view of advocating direct marketing principles over those of brand advertising.  He is more the social critic working as a novelist.  From what I saw in the review, he is also an stingingly talented writer and a fairly skilled storyteller.

Mr. Whitehead's concern is that we are branding way too much of everything, too often, in our society -- and on that point, I would cautiously agree with him.

I have heard, for example, that Arnold Schwarzenegger has trademarked the phrase "I'll be back."  It may have been a snide joke, or, it may be fact.  Could be rumor, could be true.

But, since I am a Californian, for my own well-being, gosh, Guv, if that's true then I'm acknowledging the fact and not in any way attempting to profit commercially from your intellectual property or thus infringe on your trademark.

Anyway, where were we... ?

Yes.  The book's title refers to "Apex," the brand name the consultant came up for a line of bandages intended to topple Band-Aids from their perch atop the market.  Apex bandages, in Mr. Colson's imaginary world, are custom-made to match any skin tone exactly.

But when the town of Winthrop summons the consultant -- who, namer of everything else, curiously has no name himself -- to rename (rebrand) the town itself, you get the idea that this is taking branding too far.

And from this point, you can just imagine the deep, shameful secrets he uncovers about the town's past, and all the philosophical questions the opening of Pandora's box brings up about American society and culture as a whole.

Hey, if this kind of thing appeals to you (and it would me had I more time), get the book, read it, and post a comment.  The book definitely explores a subject that is central to what many of us do in our businesses.

David Garfinkel
Publisher, World Copywriting Newsletter

Comments

[Jim]

Hi David... and all....

OK.... I've ordered the book
on your reccomendation.

A comedy about branding?
Who could resist... not me.

Though I do suspect that
a book about the ludicrous nature
of most branding campaigns
comes from the
Department of Redundancy Departments.

Jim
PS... When I think of the
Great American Brands,
I always hark back to
Wile E. Coyote, Roadrunner,
and the powerful ACME brand.

What lad could resist the
ACME Power Jet Pack,
or ACME Ultra Explosive Bomb Kit?

Now there's a brand!

[David Garfinkel]

Well Jim,

If you want, you may be first (and probably only) GUEST WRITER on my blog, since I have failed in my responsibility to actually get the book and read it, and you are picking up the slack in my stead.

Guest writer, meaning, you may post your review (with my scrupulous and squinty-eyed approval) as a post, rahther than as a comment.

What say you?