The document identifies seven deadly sins of branding: 1) Brand Pride, 2) Brand Greed, 3) Brand Envy, 4) Brand Wrath, 5) Brand Lust, 6) Brand Gluttony, and 7) Brand Sloth. It provides a brief definition and example for each sin, explaining how committing these sins can negatively impact a brand. The document concludes by offering the services of Lopez-Bonilla Resources to assess brands and identify areas to avoid these sins.

1. Identifying
and
avoiding
key branding
pitfalls.

2. After many years’ experience in brand communications, we have been able to
compile a list of what we refer to as the...
Seven Deadly Sins Of Branding.
Study them carefully because one or more of these may apply to your brand and
could be costing you dearly in terms of dollars, sales and visibility.

3. 1Copyright 2013, Lopez-Bonilla Resources, LLC lbrdesign.com
BRAND
Pride
1. Brand Pride
It’s believing that your company has no equal, and
that you’re at the top and no one can touch you.
When you believe that you have reached a level where competitors’ strategies do
not affect your sales, you are very vulnerable. This is when you need, as we call it,
a dose of humility. The fact is you will always be vulnerable, so you will always
need constant brand innovation and feedback to stay grounded in reality.

4. GreedBRAND
2
2. Brand Greed
This is failing to allocate the resources
necessary to communicate your brand messaging
to your audiences positively and consistently.
This is when competitors’ strategies can take advantage of your lack of position in
the market place. By allocating the resources to develop and execute appropriate
strategies and tactics, you can be sure you are presenting your offering of
products and/or services in a compelling consistent manner.
Copyright 2013, Lopez-Bonilla Resources, LLC lbrdesign.com

5. EnvyBRAND
3Copyright 2013, Lopez-Bonilla Resources, LLC lbrdesign.com
3. Brand Envy
This is arriving at a position where you
underestimate the true value of your competitor’s
equity in the market place.
Never underestimate the competitor’s brand equity and value in the market place.
You are vulnerable. Your customers are vulnerable.

6. 4
WrathBRAND
4. Brand Wrath
When you respond in an angry or disrespectful
way to what your customer is saying, you are
demonsrating brand wrath.
Keep your eyes and ears open to customers responses and actions. Take a healthy
view of what they’re saying and doing. Understanding your customer’s opinions
and taking action will provide growth opportunities for your brand. There is
something to be said for the “Customer Knows Best” philosophy.
Copyright 2013, Lopez-Bonilla Resources, LLC lbrdesign.com

7. LustBRAND
5
5. Brand Lust
To lose self-control is to develop what we call brand lust. Strong brands exercise
self-control to stay focused and true to their mission. It is not about getting
caught up in how great you think you are, but more about how you really add
value to your customers.
To develop brand lust is to fail in recognizing the
true value of your ideas to your customers.
Realize when your ideas are not fitting the market. Don’t just push the
ideas because they’re your ideas, but tighten up your belt and exercise some
self-control.
Copyright 2013, Lopez-Bonilla Resources, LLC lbrdesign.com

8. Gluttony
6
BRAND
6. Brand Gluttony
Don’t over extend yourself, because when you
do you fail to deliver on your brand promise and
commit brand gluttony.
The old saying, don’t bite off more than you can chew, probably is as true here
as ever. Let’s face it, every company wants to grow. However, that growth needs
to be aligned with delivering on your brand promise. If you grow too fast, or
without purpose and strategy, you dilute your efforts in the marketplace and
potentially lose customers as a result.
Copyright 2013, Lopez-Bonilla Resources, LLC lbrdesign.com

9. 7
y
7. Brand Sloth
This is when you to take the position that your
branding initiative is going to solve your problems.
Every company has inherent flaws in their products and services and needs to
be proactive in fixing those problems before implementing a branding initiative
that will do nothing more than highlight those problems. When you have an
automobile that has a rusty surface that needs to be treated and you paint over
the rust, that’s a temporary fix. But the rust will come through eventually. Well,
the same thing is true with a branding initiative. You have to fix those problems
first before you exercise a branding initiative that will do nothing more than
enhance those negative qualities. Fix your problems and then put in place
strategies and tactics to implement a solid branding initiative.
Copyright 2013, Lopez-Bonilla Resources, LLC lbrdesign.com
SlothBRAND

10. If you want us to help you identify how you can avoid committing some of
these branding sins, please contact us.
"Ready for a Brand Checkup?
We'd be happy to assess and discuss your current branding efforts in person or on
the phone. Call us today to schedule your Brand Checkup and discover where
you may be losing opportunities, profits and customers."
502-635-5711
Lopez-Bonilla Resources,
LLC has over 30 years
of experience in brand
design. We are located in
Louisville, KY.
Scan the QR code below for
a close look at our work.