The word “brand” is deeply cursed. It’s overused and meaningless. It gives tech-bro energy. Or manufactured authenticity. Someone who loves branding would probably say, “let’s circle back to our guiding ethos.” An eyeroll.
And yet. The word also shouldn’t only ever give you the ick. Because when done right, branding is genuinely useful. And important.
This all came to mind after I read Anne Helen Petersen’s piece about millennial hobby energy, where she talks about our very real tendency to turn literally anything into a brand. You might start growing a few beautiful flowers in your backyard because you love gardening, but next thing you know, you’ve installed a greenhouse, bought a stack of horticulture books, started propagating cultivars, built a website, figured out national shipping logistics, and launched a full-blown flower empire. (I fully do this.)
It’s overwhelming how much we’ve monetized and brandwashed everything. It also makes me feel incredibly conflicted about my line of work. Us marketing people are out here branding things to death! We are the problem!! Everything is glossy and slick. Coated in capital. Designed to scale. Depressing!
