Thomas O'Guinn on Brand Building

CBPM Executive Director, Thomas O'Guinn's extensive work on "brand communities" has made him a popular choice for commentary on diverse issues in brand building.

Professor O'Guinn was quoted in a recent USA Today article on the introduction of Virgin America Airlines ( "Branson flies under the radar as Virgin America takes off")

The downside of such a highly personalized approach to promotion and brand-building, says University of Wisconsin marketing expert Thomas O'Guinn, is that it leaves no room for failure, either by the individual or by the companies associated with the individual.

This was proceeded by a recent AdAge article ("Create a Stage that Attracts Your Very Own Brand Posse"), in which Prof. O'Guinn delves into the idea of retail brand communities:

Many retailers think the only thing worth listening to is the sound of ringing cash registers. But as Tom O'Guinn, executive director of the Center for Brand and Product Management at the University of Wisconsin-Madison's School of Business, points out, don't forget the connections consumers have with each other. It's the bonds created between Starbucks drinkers, iPhone owners and Abercrombie shoppers that help create buzz, vibe and community. While ordinary consumers might drop you for something that's cheaper, better styled or just easier to get, they'll think twice if eliminating your product also means losing friends.