The Power of Brand

What is it that got me to leave Borders book-shop having checked out the lastest new book releases to wander several 100m up the road to Virgin to do the same for CDs? Because, I could have gone down an escalator and saved time and energy and done the same in Border's music department.

Several factors I think. Bit of conditioning: Borders=books, Virgin=records (to me). A bit of feeling: I like Borders for books, but I don't like its music section; it feels as if it is an after-thought. A bit of fact: Virgin's music section is better displayed and the staff very much more informed.

Spreading the brand is a valid and successful strategy: the pioneer and guru at this is of course Sir Richard Branson. But if you do it, you've got to be serious. When Sir Richard does it, he is 100% serious or gets out: there's no in-between. Whether it is real or simply a perception, so many people I talk to will always choose Virgin or HMV rather than Borders for their music. Equally of course they'll choose Borders rather than WH Smith for serious book purchase. (And there's another isssue: does WHSmith actually have a serious purpose?) If you are spreading your brand, are you spreading and strengthening (VIRGIN) or spreading and diluting (WHSmith; Borders).

Something to think about.