I have two wonderfully spirited sons who laugh, smile, play
hard and always (and I mean always) test to see where the boundaries lie.  My wife and I quickly learned that good
parenting is all about consistency in rules and reaction.

Does the same apply to brand management?

I’ve been thinking about this issue ever since Advertising
Age writer Rita Chang phoned me to discuss Verizon Wireless’ sponsorship of a
“Friends of America” rally in West
Virginia.  It
appears Verizon unintentionally tossed its much respected corporate brand into
the debate around the powder keg issues of employment and the environment.

Ouch…for a taste of the divergent emotions swirling around
Verizon on what the company thought was its harmless participation in a local
event check out the comments to Chang’s article (http://adage.com/article?article_id=138769).

Ironically, in my subsequent readings these past few days I
have stumbled across several egregious examples of inept brand management.  Let’s start with the World Wildlife Fund
(WWF) that gave the thumbs up to a print advertisement (http://adage.com/adages/post?article_id=138747) which
compared the wrath of nature to the death and destruction of the September 11
terrorist attacks.

The market reaction was swift and all condemning, resulting
in a hasty apology from the WWF and its advertising agency acknowledging the ad
“never should have been created, approved or run.”

Then there is the little tidbit about the dictator and mass
murderer Adolf Hitler who has now become the corporate and product spokesperson
of choice for a number of internationally-based companies. 

That’s right…he is back…the Nazi fuhrer -- whose resume
includes architect of World War II and perpetrator of genocide -- is hawking
products (http://industry.bnet.com/advertising/10003719/hitler-surprisingly-popular-with-foreign-advertisers-dictator-touts-hats-chopsticks-pens-and-thumb-drives/)
as diverse as computer thumb drives, condoms, coffee and chopsticks.

So…yes…companies are clearly testing the boundaries when it
comes to brand promotion in an attempt of find the appropriate balance between
Jerry Springer shocking and downright offensive.  It’s all in an attempt to cut through what
continues to be a noisy, message cluttered market.

My advice when it comes to brand management is right in step
with what I tell my children:  never
stray from what is morally acceptable and don’t do anything stupid.

Marc Hausman is president/CEO of Strategic Communications Group, a public relations consultancy based in Silver Spring, Maryland.  Read more at http://www.strategicguy.blogspot.com.