BrandForward, Inc.

Unleashing brand power since 1999

585-624-2043 Company Website

We help organizations achieve customer brand insistence based on deep customer insight. Our primary focus is brand research, strategy and positioning.

Further, we are often called upon to help organizations achieve leadership team consensus on mission, vision, values, brand positioning, brand architecture and more through our highly facilitated, consensus building workshops.

Services
* Brand audits
* Brand research
* Brand equity measurement
* Brand mission, vision & values
* Brand strategy & positioning
* Brand architecture
* Logos
* Brand identity systems & guidelines
* Naming
* Tag lines
* Brand elevator speeches
* Brand storytelling
* Customer touch point design
* Customer experience design
* Inside out branding
* Online brand building
* Brand extension
* Business & marketing strategy
* Brand planning
* Brand management education
Products
* BrandInsistence brand equity measurement system
* Small business FastStart marketing kit
* Brand Aid book

Brand Aid testimonials

Brad VanAuken's Brand Aid book has sold more than 30,000 copies, been translated into several languages and is used by several business schools to teach brand management and marketing. The all new second edition of the book was published December 2014. Here is what people have to say about this book:

'I regard the First Edition of Brad Van Auken's Brand Aid (2003) to be the best and most practical book on branding I have read. Hence, I was very keen to get the updated Second Edition to see if he could match my high expectations following the success of the first. I am delighted to report that this edition is again loaded with highly practical content that has been updated to reflect the changes in customer behavior, digital media and a host of other subjects including brand architecture. Another feature that I like are his generous use of user-friendly checklists and never talking over the heads of readers who may not have MBAs. Importantly, Van Auken is never self serving, like too many authors of marketing-branding books. This is a book, like the first, that you will always keep close at hand and read over and over again.'

Bill Baker, Amazon.com review


‘Brand Aid is an asset for the beginner and veteran brand builder alike. No matter what size your organization or how great your brand expertise, this book can provide a point of reference and new insights.’

Elizabeth A. Hunter, Senior Brand Specialist, Bank of America


‘Finally, a road map for the often treacherous journey of building and maintaining great brands. This is an indispensable tool for all marketers. Brand Aid is the essential toolkit for today’s (and tomorrow’s) brand marketers.’

Jim Harman, Manager, Corporate Advertising, General Electric


‘A comprehensive guide unlike any other on the market today. Apply what you learn to your brand building activities and watch the value of your brand and bottom line increase.’

Amy Kelm, Worldwide Consumer Brand Development Manager, Hewlett-Packard


‘Brad VanAuken has delivered one of the best brand education and reference tools I have come across. This book will always be within arms’ length from my working area for assistance in brand savvy throughout every workday.’

Carole L. Sustak, Manager, Marketing Strategy & Branding, AAA National


‘Many books have been written about branding in the past 15 years. Many are short and focus on only a few aspects of the complex process of building and nurturing a brand. With Brand Aid, Brad VanAuken has pulled it all together in one of the most comprehensive books ever written on the subject. If you work in marketing, read it. If not, make sure your marketing team has.’

Ron Dix, Senior Vice President, Marketing and Sales, Bush Brothers & Company (Bush’s Baked Beans)


‘The checklists are an incredibly effective way for any marketer to evaluate and grade their brand’s current marketing performance. Brand Aid should really be named Brands for Dummies. I’m definitely going to keep this one around and I only wish I had found it years ago.’

Dan Hucko, Vice President, Corporate Communications and Investor Relations, Harris Interactive Inc.


‘Brad VanAuken’s practical, step-by-step guide to brand management and marketing resonates with experience and insight. Excellent refresher for the most seasoned marketer and a great introduction for those new to the field. I’m keeping my copy on my desk and giving one to everyone in our advertising agency.’

Sharon Napier, President & CEO, Partners + Napier


‘This book surprised me. It’s found a newly practical and authoritative way to describe how to do branding. In this, it is quite unlike any other 100 plus books on brand that I have read.’

Chris Macrea, Chief Brand Officer, valuetrue.com and author of World Class Brands and Brand Chartering Handbook


‘It is refreshing to read a book that is pithy, down-to-earth yet immensely insightful in demystifying the complexities of building and managing a brand anywhere in the world. Brand Aid will always be in a prime position on my bookshelf alongside books by Kotler, Ogilvy, Dru, Morgan, Ries & Trout, Temporal and Aitchison.’

Graeme Murray, Planning Director, Bates Thailand


‘Brand Aid will be the definitive work on the subject for years to come. All that’s needed now is for business men and women with creativity and depth to read it, and to work with it. When that happens, Brad VanAuken will have done the marketplace a great service.’

Peter Holloran, President, Cognitive Marketing Inc.


‘Thank you for your insight. Your book is concise and is an excellent teaching tool for the first-time and experienced brand manager.’

Ernie Avellana, Vice President of Marketing, Control Diabetes Services, a subsidiary of Eli Lilly & Company


‘Brand Aid is the most comprehensive of all the materials that I've read on brand management. This book should become required reading for all business leaders responsible for driving the growth of their organizations.’

Thomas J. Miller, Product Marketing, Director, Newport Corporation, Inc.


‘I've referred to the draft copy you sent in December so much that it's getting dog-eared.’

Tom Welle, Advertising Director, Potomac Electric Power Company


‘It's great to have a strong brand customers love and are happy to pay a premium for, but when a brand gets overextended, underadvertised, overpriced or develops other problems, few entrepreneurs know what to do. In Brand Aid (Amacom, $24), author and marketing consultant Brad VanAuken goes a long way toward remedying these problems.’

By Mark Henricks, Entrepreneur Magazine, September 2003


‘I found the book "Brand Aid" highly informative and I believe VanAuken has set a new standard in the study of branding. Whether it's the Case Studies, "Did You Know?" items or checklists throughout the book, he is able to provide PRACTICAL advice that can be used to develop or enhance brands. This book could very well become the "Bible" for branding now and in the future. I would give it 5-plus stars.’

Amazon.com Review


‘VanAuken’s points pack a heavyweight’s punch; he backs them up with case study summaries of the successes and failures of real brands. Chapters are packed with “Have you thought about…?” questions and checklists.’

Jim Pawlak, Biz Books, August 10, 2003


‘Quite possibly the best book I have seen on the topic of creating and maintaining a "brand" is Brad VanAuken’s Brand Aid ($24.94, Amacom). It will prove to be a powerful resource to anyone wrestling with the challenge of the entire process of building a high-impact brand and trouble-shooting the issues that come with it. If you want your company to become the next Nike, Disney or Absolut, this is the one book you want to read. And then read again!’

Bookviews by Alan Caruba, August 2003


‘VanAuken has distilled his enormous practical knowledge about the theory and practice of brand management into this smart…volume. The book is packed with information and good ideas – so many, in fact, that it is virtually an encyclopedia of brand management does and don’ts’

Publishers Weekly, June 16, 2003


‘Of all the books I’ve read on marketing and branding, this one is the shining star! I’ll also go out on a limb and assert that it’s one of the best books I’ve seen published by AMACOM.’

Roger E. Herman, Midwest Book Review


‘This is an EXCELLENT practical book in a field awash with theory and useless generalizations.’

Anne Holland, www.MarketingSherpa.com


‘You will not want to be without this book in your library.’

Laura Schneider, About Marketing (http://marketing.about.com)


‘Trying to encapsulate this truly vast wealth of knowledge, Brad VanAuken has written what promises to be the synoptic work on the subject. Brand Aid is a dense treatise that tries to make the very complicated issue of branding accessible. VanAuken's brand advice is both sound and timely.’

Brands: Case Closed by Jonathan Jackson, Critical Eye, www.channelseven.com 12/15/03


‘This is an in-depth guide to the whole subject of branding. As such, it is ideal for those who are looking to learn about branding for the first time or for the more experienced practitioner who is looking to improve knowledge in one particular area. It can help to solve branding problems through its exhaustive but easily understandable analysis of the subject. This is a very useful book for understanding branding and as such will be of interest to anyone involved in marketing generally.’

Martin Payne www.poolonline.com/books/books68.html Number 25: Winter 2004


‘This is a terrific, pithily-written book that stands head and shoulders above most other branding books currently on the market. Its fluid style and concise treatment of the major issues in creating winning brands makes most other such texts look pedestrian by comparison.’

Keith Dinnie, Book Review Editor, Journal of Brand Management, August 2003, Vol 10, Number 6


‘…Comprehensive instruction on managing and growing your brand in the usual online and offline channels. Well organized for quick comprehension; includes checklists to see if your brand is ready to go global, well positioned for an ad campaign, has an identity to work with, and a helpful “troubleshooting” chapter. Good place to start if you are still trying to wrap your brain around brand management.’

Reader review, www.brandchannel.com, November 2003


‘Just bought BRAND AID. THIS BOOK IS PHENOMENAL!!!! THANK YOU.’

Alexander S. Bosika, marketing manager, Phantom Fiber

'Very insightful book on brand development. Dovetails nicely with "Building the Brand Driven Business." These two books are excellent when considering developing a master brand ... the brand of the organization itself. Perfect for the CEO/Owner/President.'

Richard Gripp, Amazon.com Review


‘My desk has been home to a bumper crop of worthwhile new books on brands and branding. A standout in the group is Brand Aid by Brad VanAuken, which offers an almost encyclopedic look at every step in the brand process (designing, building, leveraging, managing). The advice is straightforward, voluminous and informed by experience. VanAuken also includes lengthy checklists at the end of each chapter that help readers assess their own situations and also serve as a good platform for brainstorming. Highly recommended.’

Joseph Rydholm, editor, Quirk’s Marketing Research Review, May 2004


‘Brad VanAuken knows his stuff - and he knows how to share it with the rest of us in a clear and concise manner that will leave you feeling: "Now I get it!" With a tremendous understanding of how to take complex marketing systems and put them into an easy to understand, universal language, VanAuken brings the reader up to speed quickly and comfortably with simple terms and concrete examples. This book will serve well as not only a quick reference, but also as a step by step tool to creating a branding identity that will stand the test of time.’

John Copeland, program manager, National Arts Marketing Project


‘I run a very small business that designs and manufactures products for a crowded micro market. We were looking for a book or resource that would help gather our thoughts into a concise executable plan. Wow does it feel like this book came through for us. Of all the business, marketing, branding, positioning books I have read, this has to top them all.’

Andrew B Lautenschlager, Bay Area, CA


‘A really comprehensive branding manual, with an almost textbook feel to it. Every branding concept is thoroughly explained. Not necessarily a book to read cover to cover in a few days, but definitely an invaluable reference guide to keep close and handy by anybody involved in marketing and branding products, services and companies. Excellent.’

Mario Sanchez Carrion, marketing, branding and small business blogger, www.shoestringbranding.com


‘Our company does web design, graphic design, corporate communication. I like that this book is not only an easy reference guide, but also a comprehensive approach to branding. The book can stand alone as a Brand teach-in, and require no prior knowledge about branding. The book is also relatively complete and can be used as a text book or self-learning Branding book. This book is good.’

T. Santoso, Surabaya, Jatim Indonesia


'If you are looking to get into branding (and marketing), this book is a good primer for those that are beyond the 101 level, and a good reminder/review for those that are already in the business. Brad provides plenty of his own real life experiences and is very organized with his presentation of the material. Entertaining and detailed without being an unruly encyclopedia.'

Cherrie Mahon, Amazon.com review


'A highly valuable resource and a great read! Many of my PR clients do not understand their "brand" or what branding truly means. I have long turned to Brand Aid as THE book to reference to educate my clients. I have had the good fortune of attending a brand seminar with author VanAuken (he's amazing) and since he can't be with in person at all your meetings, luckily his book can. I am thrilled to have the second edition in hand, as my guide through the entire branding process, from social media strategies to successful case studies.'

D.E Olcott, Amazon.com review


'It covers everything. It's great to have on hand, like a branding dictionary.'

Gabriel M. Renfrow, Amazon.com review


'This is an extremely comprehensive guide to branding and distills decades of experience into usable information. A truly unique insight into how branding affects critical business functions such as pricing, product suite, and competitive advantage. Very impressed, and have already recommended it to friends and family that want to really understand not just branding, but business.'

Gavin, Amazon.com review


'I am a junior brand strategist from Quebec, Canada. Last summer, a brand consultant that I admire very much recommended me your book as a must read. Since then I have read it twice and referred back to it numerous times. I wish to thank you for writing such a practical book enabling me to be better at my job. An ocean of business books exists but yours is one of the best I have read in some time. Thank you for your work!'

Philippe Goudreault


'I am a huge fan of Brand Aid #2 and have been using it in my keystone graduate class called IMC 463 Brand Communications Decisions. I feel your book is one of the most practical and valuable books ever written about brands. I love the checklists and remind the students that your book is my graduation gift to them because it is a resource they will find useful every day they are developing, managing or increasing the value of brands.'

John Greening, Associate Professor at Northwestern University in Evanston IL heading up the Brand Management specialization in the Graduate Medill Integrated Marketing Communications Program


'Since we first communicated, I have used your book in graduate level branding course for three cohorts. Simply, your book is a tremendous asset to me and my students. They rave how your content and writing style is so practical, direct and applicable. Furthermore, the cornerstone of the course is a group assignment where the students complete the Brand and Brand Management Audits for an organization of their choice. I couldn’t be more pleased and impressed with their effort and the quality of their work.'

Brian Vollmert, Assistent Professor of Marketing at North Park University


'The big idea: As a business leader, you know that every company, object, service, person or pet hoping to compete for public attention needs a brand. An enormous cottage industry has grown up around creating and improving brands, making it increasingly harder to cut through to useful, actionable information to help position your company’s products or services in the market. It should come as an enormous relief, then, that just about all the information you need has been compiled in a single book. The second edition of Brad VanAuken’s Brand Aid includes everything from a basic introduction to brand management to advice on leveraging and measuring your brand’s success.

Read it: Each chapter of the book includes an exhaustive list of tips, examples, case studies and more. The content of any given chapter is summarized in a handy, comprehensive checklist you can use to track your own branding efforts. The book’s cleanly organized chapters and checklists make it easy to dip in and out of if you don’t have time to read cover to cover. The writing is straightforward, easy to follow and almost entirely devoid of jargon. Extensive appendices offer many suggestions for further reading as well as useful resources for brand audits and online brand management.

Skip it: There’s really only one reason to skip this book: You already own the first edition, published in 2003. However, given the rapidly evolving nature of branding and consumer preferences, you still might consider an update.'

SmartCEO.com book review


'There are literally dozens of flags marking pages in my copy of Brand Aid. Pick up a copy, and it will undoubtedly look the same in short order. Brand Aid functions equally well as a troubleshooter for underperforming, established brands, and as a toolkit for launching new brands destined for legendary status.'

BrandingClass.com


'Powerful yet intangible, a brand is the personification of your organization. Learn to build, nurture, and grow a strong brand that inspires people, forges emotional bonds, and moves customers to insist on buying your brand.

This book guides you through the entire branding process, from using social media effectively to linking your brand to human needs.'

Advertising Educational Foundation
Connect
585-624-2043 | Website
145 Pond Rd
Honeoye Falls, NY 14472, Monroe County
Rochester NY   Region
Year Founded: 1999
Industries Served
* Aging Services
* Aviation
* Broadcasting & Publishing
* Business to Business | Professional Services
* Consumer Products
* Consumer Services
* Education
* Fashion
* Financial Services
* Food | Restaurants
* Government
* Healthcare
* Hospitality
* Manufacturing
* Marketing & Marketing Research Agencies
* Not-for-Profit
* Public Utilities
* Real Estate
* Technology
* Trade Associations
Major Clients
Aging Services
• Jewish Senior Life
• John Knox Village
• Seniorsfirst
• WesleyLife

Aviation
• CFM/GE
• Cessna
• IATA

Broadcasting & Publishing
• CBC/Radio-Canada
• Consensus
• The Ivy League Magazine Network

Business-to-Business | Professional Service
• Benefit Resource, Inc.
• Black & Veatch
• Burke Group, Inc.
• Edge Architecture
• Granite Construction
• Inspire! Care 360
• iSECURE
• Mapping Analytics, Inc.
• McArdle Ramerman Center
• MRIGlobal
• Pelican System (Indonesia)
• Southwestern Bell Yellow Pages
• Tariff Affiliates
• UPAC Premium Finance
• Vistage

Consumer | Products
• Boba
• Carolina Pad/Studio C
• Doggy Java
• EKORNES (Stressless)
• Epson America, Inc.
• FootJoy
• Glen Raven (Solair, Sunbrella)
• good2grow
• Hallmark Cards
• Honda/Acura
• Kent Nutrition Group (Blue Seal, Kent)
• Luminox
• Make Yourself Necessary
• Nestle (DiGiorno)
• One World Goods
• Philips
• Resmi Group Ltd. (Sara Lee, Pepsi, et al)
• Rochester Optical/Bien
• Royal Appliance (Dirt Devil)
• Sergeant's
• Stührling Original
• Unilever (multiple brands)
• Valvoline
• Varsity Brands (Herff Jones/BSN Sports/Varsity Spirit)
• Xerox
• Your True Nature

Consumer | Service
• Equity LifeStyle Properties (Thousand Trails, Encore Resorts)
• Make Yourself Necessary
• MAPCO
• Re-Bath

Education
• Bishop Kearney High School
• Element K (now SkillSoft)
• Indiana University - South Bend
• Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
• Saunders College of Business, RIT
• Simon Business School, University of
Rochester
• Tecnológico de Monterrey
• The Hochstein School
• The Pembroke Hill School
• University of Connecticut
• University of Ghana, Legon
• University of Kansas

Financial Services
• AAA
• Barron Financial Group
• ESL Federal Credit Union
• Forte Capital
• Genesee Valley Trust Company
• HNP Capital

Fashion
• Fashion City Bangkok
• Karen Millen

Food/Restaurants
• Bush Brothers
• Darden Restaurants
• Franklin Foods
• MEE-MA’s, Inc.
• Sysco Food Services
• The International Culinary Center
• The Stolen Grill

Government
• Bangkok, Thailand
• Downtown Albany Business Improvement District
• National Parks of New York Harbors
• New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA)
• Tampa, Florida
• USDA Forest Service - Southern Region

Healthcare / Pharmaceutical
• Abbott Vascular (Endovascular, Hi-Torque, MitraClip, Xience)
• Acorda Therapeutics
• Aris Vision Institute
• Catholic Health Services
• CooperVision (Biofinity, MiSight)
• Getinge USA
• Kaiser Permanente
• King Pharmaceuticals
• LifeBridge Health
• Locus Pharmaceuticals
• McKesson
• Novartis (Afinitor)
• Oak Orchard Health
• Palmetto GBA
• Quevedo Endodontics
• Rochester Regional Health
• Strong Health
• ThedaCare
• University of Rochester Medical Center

Hospitality
• Marriott International
• Mendon Racquet & Pool Club
• Wyndham Worldwide (RCI)

Insurance
• Allstate Insurance
• California Casualty
• Insurance Marketing Communications Association
• Mutual of Omaha
• Nationwide Insurance
• Thrivent Financial
• Tokio Millennium Re

Manufacturing
• Amesbury (now AmsburyTruth)
• Cummins
• Ferronics
• Garlock Sealing Technologies
• Klein Steel
• Nalge Nunc International (Thermo Fisher Scientific)
• Pioneer Hi-Bred International
• Qualitrol
• The Marley Cooling Tower Company

Marketing/Research Agencies
• AMS Marketing & Design
• Brand | Cool Marketing
• Brand Integrity
• Chlorophyll Brand & Communications Consultancy (India)
• Definition6
• Idea Connections
• Links Communication (Saudi Arabia)
• Millward Brown
• Partners + Napier
• Price Weber
• QMS Partners
• RBK Strategic Brand Marketing
• SIS International Research
• The Blake Project
• The Wolf Group
• Veraxis Health Communications
• Visual Eyes

Not-for-Profit
• AIDS Care (now Trillium Health)
• Al Sigl Center
• BOA Editions
• Children International
• CP Rochester
• Foodlink
• Genesee RiverWatch
• Latinos in Agriculture
• Mary Cariola Children’s Center
• Oak Ridge Associated Universities (now ORAU)
• Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy
• Seneca Park Zoo
• The Advertising Council of Rochester (now Causewave Community Partners)
• The Nature Conservancy
• United Way of Greater Rochester
• Volunteers of America
• Writers & Books

Public Utilities
• Potomac Electric Power Company
• Telekom Malaysia Berhad
• Vectren

Real Estate
• Home Leasing (Charlotte Square at the East End)
• Home Properties
• Royal Oak Realty Trust (formally Buckingham Net Leased Properties Group)

Technology
• Motion Engineering

Trade/Professional Associations
• American Association of Museums
• American Association for Physician Leadership
• American Public Works Association
• Canadian Real Estate Association
• Empire State Bed & Breakfast Association
• Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America
• Insurance Marketing Communications Association
• International Air Transport Association (IATA)
• International Livestock Congress
• National Restaurant Association
• Western Home Furnishings Association
Awards
Several awards for authoring one of the top 25 marketing blogs -- BrandingStrategyInsider.com, which is rated the #2 branding blog on the Internet. His newest blog, BrandingStrategySource.com, has consistently been named a top 100 branding blog by feedspot.

Brad VanAuken was named one of the top 100 marketers by Invesp in 2008 and 2009.

The Advertising Council of Rochester awarded Brad its Lantern award in 2004.

"Brand Aid" has sold more than 30,000 copies, making it a best selling brand and business book.
Testimonials
"Thanks again for the excellent session you facilitated on Tuesday. I continue to get positive feedback from all who were present. I met with our president today, and he reiterated what a great job he thought you did and how the day exceeded his expectations. Your clear commitment to the Conservancy's mission was very much appreciated by the group, and your experience in brand building and skill in facilitating made a long day in a windowless meeting room actually fun!"

Angie Sosdian
Director, Marketing Strategy Project
The Nature Conservancy


"Read Brad's book Brand Aid and you will see the depth of knowledge and experience he has gathered over his career. Recently, Brad provided consultation to my organization that has helped draw together system leadership and create alignment behind our brand position. He delivered a brand equity study that produced profound insights and support for a brand building initiative. His facilitation skills truly helped the team challenge previous assumptions and perceptions and look forward to shifting customer needs. Give Brad a call when faced with your next strategic branding challenge."

Jim Matheson
VP, Marketing & Communications
ThedaCare


"Brad’s book, Brand Aid, inspired me to change the way our division approached brand strategy. Brad’s unique talent for storytelling draws readers, as well as work-shop participants, deeply into the ideation process with fantastic results. I was very fortunate to have Brad facilitate a series of global workshops to further refine our brand strategy. He helped us define and align on a differentiated approach that quickly vaulted our global brand to the top of the market."

Michael Saso
Group Manager, U.S. Coronary Product Marketing
Abbott Vascular


"Brad VanAuken is one of the most insightful brand strategists I have had the pleasure of working with. Brad brings a rigorous passion for brand strategy and brand education to global brands and start-ups alike. His book Brand-Aid is a must-read for any marketer interested in mastering the first principles of successful branding. He is an awesome strategic brand workshop leader and facilitator, helping marketers to unlock and discover their best opportunities for brand success. I highly recommend you have Brad on your team when you're in the planning stages of a strategic brand initiative."

Thomson Dawson
Business Transformation Consultant
PULL Brand Innovation


"Brad is a master facilitator. He facilitated three different brand strategy workshops for us. He was able to achieve agreement between co-CEOs from different cultures with divergent points of view. I would highly recommend him to help you achieve consensus on your business and brand strategy."

André Bernheim
Co-CEO
Luminox


"I had the pleasure of listening to Brad VanAuken at an event promoted through our small business owner group. His presentation on Branding and Marketing is definitely a Do Not Miss! The two hours allotted to Brad was simply not enough for him to even begin to share his knowledge. Whether it be Brand Strategy or Marketing Essentials, every person in the group came away with valuable insights. A large volume of information is shared in a lively and engaging manner. A presentation by Brad VanAuken is definitely a must attend!"

Al Knataitis
Owner
Photographic Services


"I had the pleasure to hire Brad to conduct a Branding Workshop and it has been great to work with him. Brad is an easy going person which myself and the clients could not agree more. Clients who attended his training appreciate his energetic & fun personality, as well as his insightful teaching. His strong knowledge in brand management and consumer insight justify his nickname as The Branding Guy. I can assure that you can expect Brad to provide a fun, engaging and beneficial delivery. I highly recommend you to work with Brad and thank you again, Brad."

Michael Wan
Senior Conference Producer
UNI Strategic


"I highly recommend reading the next edition of Brand Aid. Brad has a tremendous breadth and depth of knowledge of marketing in general, and brand equity in particular. Most importantly, he has the ability to apply brand equity principles to industries and brands to impact strategy and decision making in a real way."

Dan Vandenberg
Owner
Consumer Vision


"Brad VanAuken is one of the most talented focus group moderators with whom I have had the pleasure of working. He puts the participants at ease and uses a wide variety of techniques to draw out deep insights, including projective techniques and guided imagery. I have worked with hundreds of brands and many moderators over the years, including some of the top global brands. Among moderators, Brad is a shining star."

Aaron Thomas
Marketing Research Analyst
Illuminate


"I worked with Brad in my role as Director of Brand Marketing for good2grow. Our team hired Brad and his colleagues to complete a robust segmentation study for our business. Early on in the project, Brad impressed us with his adept insights, strategic thinking and passion for the work. Even more impressive than his acumen in this subject area was Brad's ability to connect with our team on personal level. These traits led to a very successful segmentation project which will serve as a foundation for our brand strategy going forward. I thoroughly enjoyed working with Brad and looking forward to my next opportunity to do so. "

Edzra Gibson
Director of Brand Marketing
good2grow


"I worked with Brad when I was Board Chair of BOA Editions Limited. He facilitated development and fundraising sessions with our board members. Brad was a dynamic and engaging facilitator, inspiring and challenging board members to think differently about fundraising and their other duties as members of the BOA board. I highly recommend him. He will energize your non-profit!"

Bernadette Catalana
Attorney
Lavin, O'Neil, Cedrone & DiSipio


“Brad expertly led our organization in its rebranding efforts. This started with brand equity research and proceeded through an adroitly facilitated brand positioning workshop and then cogent presentations to key stakeholder groups. His group facilitation skills are exemplary. Our museum is deeply grateful to Brad for his outstanding work in helping us clarify our brand identity and how we will succeed in the marketplace, both locally and more broadly.”

Bruce Barnes, Ph.D.
Ron and Donna Fielding Director
George Eastman Museum


"Brad VanAuken is a genius. A real one. A one-of-a-kind guru who has managed to connect his considerable expertise in modeling and probabilities with his extensive training and experience in business management and marketing strategy to help over a hundred organizations and brands that you would recognize.

Brad astutely leads his clients through a robust business and brand assessment, as well as a series of interactive learning experiences that, together, culminate in a clear brand strategy as well as palpable ownership and buy-in by all members of the business team.

Brad’s curiosity, big thinking, integrity, work ethic and results have been independently noted and awarded. If you relied solely on awards, you might miss how difficult it would be to find a more sincere and approachable person than Brad. If you want to know more about branding or Brad’s skills and character, you could either check in with his clients or colleagues or with those he contributes to as a volunteer – or you could simply meet him for yourself, which I highly recommend."

Debora Beverly
President & CEO
Better Execution
Partners
We help numerous marketing agencies with brand research, positioning and strategy formulation. A few marketing research companies use us to design their brand research.
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Address
145 Pond Rd Honeoye Falls, NY 14472
Monroe County, Rochester NY   Region
Brad VanAuken

Brad VanAuken
Brand Strategy Consultant
585-624-2043

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Foodlink Logo and Tagline
Foodlink Logo and Tagline

Foodlink, an innovative community food bank, asked us to change its tagline from “Fighting waste, Fighting want” to something more inspirational encompassing its expanded mission of healthy food for all. It also wanted a new logo that communicated fresh food. Our brand strategist and graphic designer developed this while at another agency.

Names, Logos and Taglines
Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education Logo and Tagline
Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education Logo and Tagline

ORAU (Oak Ridge Associated Universities) retained us to create a new brand promise and identity for ORISE (Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education), a U.S. Department of Energy asset. This included a new logo and tagline.

Names, Logos and Taglines
FootJoy Tagline
FootJoy Tagline

FootJoy approached us to develop a new more aspirational brand position and a tagline that communicated that new position.

Names, Logos and Taglines
Quevedo Endodontics Name, Logo and Taglines
Quevedo Endodontics Name, Logo and Taglines

Based on extensive patient and referring dentist research, we created new position, name, logo and taglines for an endodontic practice. Dr. Quevdeo required that the space within the Q look like a perfect root canal. The first tagline is targeted at dentists and the second one at patients.

Names, Logos and Taglines
WesleyLife Name, Logo and Tagline
WesleyLife Name, Logo and Tagline

We developed a new position, name, logo and tagline for a large and rapidly expanding senior services organization in Iowa.

Names, Logos and Taglines
AIDS Care Name, Logo and Tagline
AIDS Care Name, Logo and Tagline

AIDS Care resulted from a merger of AIDS Rochester and AIDS Community Health Center. We developed the new brand position, name, logo and tagline. “Positive Living” has a double meaning for the HIV+ community.

Names, Logos and Taglines
Gell Center of the Finger Lakes Name, Logo and Tagline
Gell Center of the Finger Lakes Name, Logo and Tagline

Writers & Books also asked us to create a new identity for its rural creative retreat center.

Names, Logos and Taglines
Writers & Books Logo and Tagline
Writers & Books Logo and Tagline

Writers & Books asked us to create a new brand identity and tagline for their organization.

Names, Logos and Taglines
Charlotte Square at the East End Name and Logo
Charlotte Square at the East End Name and Logo

Home Leasing asked us to create an identity for a new residential development on Charlotte Street.

Names, Logos and Taglines
Royal Oak Realty Name and Logo
Royal Oak Realty Name and Logo

Buckingham Net Leased Properties Group asked us to create a new name and identity for its company.

Names, Logos and Taglines
BrandInsistence
BrandInsistence

BrandInsistence proprietary brand equity measurement system

BrandInsistence
BrandInsistence
BrandInsistence

BrandInsistence proprietary brand equity measurement system

BrandInsistence