I recently wrote about the enduring power of brands, like Girl Scouts, that tell great stories (and thanks, folks, for the cookie orders). Ironically, as I finished writing that blog, I came across the proverbial exception that proves the rule. Kodak, a century-long bastion of American manufacturing, recently filed for bankruptcy. For my kids, Kodak means no more than Studebaker means to me—a hazily familiar brand, at best. But, in its heyday, Kodak’s brand positioning was unparalleled. Any noteworthy or picturesque scene would inspire people to call it “a Kodak moment.” Kodak owned the very idea of “memories”—perhaps the most enviable positioning that any consumer brand could boast.
