Sometimes I wonder what people are thinking when they brand!  Take that strange orange image above.  I think this is the logo for Max Brenner, Chocolate by the Bald Man, but I’m not sure and I don’t think Max Brenner is sure either!  Fact is, I know Max Brenner’s not sure because the bald founder of the chocolate chain restaurant/store Max Brenner  doesn’t even exist (there are actually two guys, only one is bald and neither own the company anymore)!  Once again, I bet the person making the marketing decisions here never took a course in marketing –or was simply not a marketing person!
This is one of those file-it-under-personal-branding-without-a-real-person stories!  This is not always a bad thing –after all, it’s been done in the past.  But just because it’s been done in the past doesn’t mean it’s going to work today!!! 

Sure there was Betty Crocker, but Betty Crocker was selling products and anyway it was a different time.  Max Brenner is selling products, services and a lifestyle.  And brand authenticity is more and more important to customers these days.  People want the personal brander to be who they say they are, especially if the brander is supposed to be representing something like a lifestyle –can anyone say Martha Stewart!!!

Max Brenner wants everyone to think chocolate even more than they already are.  A great idea –I love chocolate!— but I’m not so sure that you can be a pioneer personal brander today if you don’t even exist.  We like truth in advertising and even more so truth in marketing!  Here’s the New York Times’ take.
For now the Max Brenner strategy seems to be working –they’re getting a lot of publicity and people are eating at their restaurants.  But I wonder if that’s just the power of chocolate –and not brand! 
Remember, it’s always easier when you keep marketing in mind!