The world of marketing and advertising is always changing. This week, brands have been busy making statements and creating controversies. Let’s dive in and see what branding lessons we can learn from our Weekly Must Reads.

Kim Kardashian’s “Kimono” Brand Nightmare

Last week, Kim Kardashian West launched her new shapewear brand dubbed “Kimono.” Almost instantly, critics lashed out against the line on social media. People across the globe, and especially those close to Japanese culture, commented that the star was appropriating an important symbol of the Japanese people in order to sell more products.

Is this a major branding mistake from Kardashian West, or do you think she planned the controversy all along to garner more attention for her new line? After all, she has been known to make intentionally bold and controversial decisions (remember her feud with Taylor Swift and 72-day marriage?). Read up on the details and let us know your opinion: https://www.fastcompany.com/90369633/kim-kardashians-new-kimono-shapewear-brand-raises-cultural-appropriation-accusations-again

Stranger Eggo Things

Favorite frozen waffle brand Eggo is embracing the upside-down. In Netflix’s hit series Stranger Things, Eggos are the favorite food of one of the main characters, Eleven. To embrace its new pop culture status, Eggo is re-releasing ads they ran back in the 1980s, the time period where Stranger Things takes place.

In this series of re-released prints, the brand has altered each ad to look a bit more sci-fi, otherworldly and Stranger Things-esque. Eggo is combining its brand personalities both past and present to solidify its place in consumers’ minds and make a statement. Check out the advertisements here: https://www.thedrum.com/news/2019/06/24/eggo-waffles-take-trip-back-the-80s-stranger-things-season-three

Brands Show Pride

The month of June has long represented LGBTQ Pride month, and in recent years, many brands have made public statements to show their support. Companies have posted messages of support on their social media, donated to LGBTQ causes and temporarily redesigned their logos to include rainbow colors.

For brands like Under Armour, Converse and Ikea, their support has paid off. These companies all saw much higher than average engagement on social media when they posted Pride-related content. More brands than ever are publicly taking political stances, but businesses should be careful about how they demonstrate their support. A recent survey found up to 50 percent of Americans would interpret Pride-related content as a marketing tactic rather than a true show of support. How do you think brands can prove dedication to their chosen causes? Read the story here: https://www.marketingdive.com/news/under-armour-converse-ikea-top-pride-engagement-on-instagram/557780/

How a Brand Name Becomes Generic

Have you ever wondered how brands like Kleenex and Band-Aid have become so universally popular that they represent the generic brand name for their product? Over time, innovative products that are used by millions of people are sometimes used to describe all like products, even those that don’t belong to their brand. You might know more recent examples, like ChapStick or Velcro, but words like zipper, dumpster and trampoline all began as brand names, too.

This kind of brand pervasiveness is good for brand recognition, but not so good for trademark protection. Without a trademark, companies argue that the original product loses some of its edge over competitors and generic products. Learn more about how brands can become almost too big here: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/24/smarter-living/how-a-brand-name-becomes-generic.html?rref=collection%2Ftimestopic%2FAdvertising%20and%20Marketing&action=click&contentCollection=timestopics&region=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=4&pgtype=collection