Either make the tree good, and its fruit good, or make the tree bad, and its fruit bad; for the tree is known by its fruit.
—Matthew 12:33
While name brands play an important role in today’s commerce, branding actually dates back to the Stone Age, around 5000 B.C. Proprietary markings appeared on pottery from around this time, and in southwestern Europe, cave drawings depict bison with symbols on their flanks, markings presumed to identify ownership.
Archeological diggings have unearthed fired clay pots from around 3200 B.C. identifying their makers.
During the Roman Empire, between 500 B.C. and A.D. 500, early documents suggest trademarks were commonplace.
Latin literature refers to “maker’s marks” on an array of items including cheese, wine, lamps, medicine, ointment, metallic ornaments, and glass vessels.
These were the first products identified to enable early shoppers to make a buying decision based on the reputation of the maker.
Much like today, a craftsman’s reputation was a good predictor of the quality of merchandise.
Throughout Europe, merchants working within guilds were not permitted to advertise; consequently, quality assurance was provided by trademarks that identified a product’s maker.
Later, between the fourteenth and seventeenth centuries, a “merchant’s mark” was evidence that a merchant traded in goods acquired from reliable sources.
Then, as now, an establishment’s reputation was judged by the brand-name products it sold.
During the same period, trademarks were popularized by armorers, metalworkers, papermakers, tapestry weavers, smiths, tanners, goldsmiths, and silversmiths.
In modern times, a brand name represents that goods bearing its mark will be uniform in quality because they are manufactured or controlled by the same company.
With reputable brands, there is significant goodwill associated with the reputation of an enterprise.
With so many product choices and with two-family incomes resulting in reduced discretionary time, Americans have never been more dependent on the assurances provided by brand names.
Consequently, consumers are shopping at fewer stores and buying more brand products.
A brand is synonymous with a company’s reputation.
This is true not just for consumer products; brands determine where we do our banking, invest our money, and receive our health care.
With life insurance policies and retirement plans, we prefer to put our trust in institutions with reliable reputations so we can have peace of mind: We feel assured they will honor their end of the bargain in the distant future.
In a parable found in Matthew 12:33, Jesus offers advice on how to choose a vendor: “Either make the tree good, and its fruit good, or make the tree bad, and its fruit bad; for the tree is known by its fruit.”
An individual’s reputation as well as a company’s lets people know what to expect.
This is as true today as it was in biblical times.
As the world shrinks and international multibillion-dollar companies conduct business around the globe, their brands become their most valuable assets.
In the case of Coca-Cola, reputed to be the world’s most recognized product, its brand name is undoubtedly its most valuable asset.
Founded in 1886 when pharmacist John Stith Pemerton first concocted a syrup-like formula to heal his patients of ailments ranging from the common cold to sore throats, today Coca-Cola is sold in more than two hundred countries and has a market capitalization of about $135 billion.
Analysts concur that this market value is based on the company’s brand, more so than the total of all of its tangible assets.
Its formula was never patented; had it been, it would have become public domain decades ago.
While, back in the early 1900s, figuring out the exact formula would have been a formidable task, today’s sophisticated laboratories have the capacity to break it down, analyze it, and come up with soft drinks to challenge the “real thing.”
Without “Coca-Cola” on the bottle, however, it is unlikely that another company’s beverage could sway loyal Coca-Cola customers to switch to another soft drink.
Of course, brand loyalty such as Coca-Cola and other companies enjoy must be earned.
Consumers flock to brand names like IBM, Merrill Lynch, and Southwest Airlines for good reasons.
These companies established reputations by consistently providing exceptional products and services.
Such reputations don’t happen overnight; they are earned one customer at a time.
And as great institutions establish brands, individuals can too.
For instance, brand-name actors are paid millions of dollars because they are proven box-office attractions.
Today, Bill Cosby is one of the world’s most highly paid entertainers.
He also receives huge fees for product endorsements.
But Cosby was by no means an overnight success.
It took many years of hard work, consistency, and perseverance to establish his show business career.
Today Cosby is a brand name, and accordingly, attracts millions of fans willing to buy tickets to see him perform.
And because his good name stands for quality, consumers are persuaded to buy products endorsed by him.
An original oil painting may sell for a million-plus, again based on an artist’s reputation.
A renowned artist may not possess more talent than an unknown but able artist—yet his or her signature on the canvas can add a thousand times more value to its price tag.
Likewise, consumers choose to buy books written by best-selling authors, and in this respect, an individual writer’s brand name attracts large numbers of readers.
In addition to famous entertainers, artists, and writers who command large salaries, many people have established themselves as brand names in the business arena.
Included in this elite group are individuals such as Oprah Winfrey, Donna Karan, Ralph Lauren, and Tiger Woods.
You don’t have to be a movie star, television personality, or business mogul to be a brand name in your profession.
A restaurant owner, dry cleaner, or dentist—anyone who does exceptional work and establishes an outstanding reputation in his local community—can be considered a bankable brand for his specialty.
Likewise, you can work for a company and distinguish yourself as a leading expert within your own area—top salesperson, buyer, researcher, technician, and so on.
Once you earn such a reputation, your employer will recognize your value, and other companies may even try to lure you away.
Be the best in your field—known for your integrity and commitment—and the world will beat a path to your door.
You may be the reason why a certain account does business with your employer.
Customer loyalty is often based on a single individual.
In this respect, you are the brand name that wins customer loyalty for your entire company.
At World Wide Technology, we try to differentiate ourselves with superior work in everything we do.
At times we may spend money on a project above and beyond what’s necessary.
But we do it because we know, in the long run, our reputation is our most valuable asset, and that’s the price we pay to keep our reputation intact.
Our investment helps assure our brand name is hailed as best in its field.
Over time, it pays off because customers and suppliers tell others about our extra effort.
This word-of-mouth attracts business as well as people who want to work for us.
Indeed, your reputation—your brand—is your most valuable asset.
It’s something nobody can take away from you; only you can take it away from yourself.
You must keep earning your reputation every day.
A good reputation built over a lifetime can be lost overnight.
In Luke 16:10, Jesus says, “Whoever is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much; and whoever is dishonest in a very little is dishonest also in much.”
In building your brand, quality and the best service you can provide can never be compromised, not on your smallest job, not for your most unassuming customer.
To do so would jeopardize your reputation with your customers and your employees.
You must consistently do your best—always.