While driving home in our Civic the other day, I heard an ad on NPR for the Mini Cooper. Its hook, "go-kart-like handling". That's definitely not how my Civic feels, so I took notice. Its an interesting idea - to push me to thinking of a Mini in the same realm of experiences I've had driving on go-kart tracks or in my cousin's backyard. One thing came to mind when I heard that ad...fun.

This is marketing done right. Marketing born out of a brand focus – one that is distinct, memorable, and unique. Mini wants you to think of zooming around town, weaving in and out of traffic, enjoying your time in one of their cars. Their brand is focused on making driving a fun experience. And their marketing campaign brings me back to that same idea.

This is often a confusing tug of terms when diving into a branding endeavor. While marketing is the ever-changing platform used to engage the ever-changing environment, Branding is the foundation that actually drives good marketing.

Marketing without a firm brand in place is like a plane with no wings: it'll get you somewhere – but maybe not where you wanted to go.

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