The word brand is very complex, yet it is thrown around a lot these days; most of the time carelessly or in complete ignorance as it regards to what a brand is. In this episode of Halftime, I discuss the origins of branding, its definition according to the American Marketing Association, as well as dive deep into the semantics of the word and what it means in the modern era.

I also give specific examples of brands in the sports context such as Kentucky Basketball, Oregon Football and the New Zealand All Blacks, as well as discuss the complexity of a college athletic department's brand in relation to an individual program's team brand.

How much do brands have to do with a team being picked in the College Football Playoff? I touch on a recent article by ESPN's Heather Dinich and elaborate on the importance of trust and equity when it comes to brands.

Lastly, I discuss color, it's signifance in branding and share why there are more important things than a logo when it comes to branding.

Mentions include:

My next guest is Ashley Strauss. Ashley is the Director of Creative Services for Mississippi State Athletics where she works on print and digital design for the Bulldogs' many athletic teams.

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