A colleague passed on a link to a very interesting site.
Brandtags.net offers you a chance to peek into the public's associations of words and concepts with your brand.
I can't find exactly how Noah Brier compiles the list of brands nor the tags that go with each (he mentions that he's compiling them from this site and others) and the tagging is completely "opt in" - so I'd guarantee that this isn't the kind of statistically significant study that many push for in strategy decisions.
However, it does have value for people working in the softer side of strategy - working with human behaviors, psychology, & perceptions. Brandtags.net will help point you to the deeper questions that you'll want to be asking to inform marketing, product development, and brand messaging.
I'm sure some companies will be surprised by what they find, but It's important to remember that a brand isn't what your company says it is, but what people perceive it to be (don't know the citation for this maxim, but have heard it repeatedly). This site gives us a peek into what people perceive brands to be.
If you're in a US business with a significant Hispanic clientele, you might want to cross-reference your brand at Hispanic Brandtags as well.
If you're REALLY intrigued by the project, sign up for the RSS of the Brandtags blog or follow Brandtags on Twitter.
Definitely a fun tool for checking on your own brand and that of competitors.
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