Does branding work?

Stop Branding Your Library!! [PC Sweeney] I got my MLIS at San Jose State when all they could talk about is branding. But then, I had my interview at the library system I currently work at and I spent exactly 5 minutes in a room with Martin Gomez and realized everything I thought about branding libraries was absolute crap.

1. What is the goal with branding? -- branding allows marketing the available services, programs, and materials, at your libraries to be easier and centralized and that's really about it. If that's a library's goal then that's fine.
2. How many people go to multiple libraries in the system? -- if a library system finds that a very low number of patrons go to multiple branches throughout the system, then maybe this isn't that big of a concern after all?
3. Part of a consortium? -- do people really care that they are in this library system or the next or do they care that they can use their library card?
4. Critical mass of libraries with the same brand or at least using the same card? Brands like Starbucks work because they are so wide spread that wherever you go in the country. Are enough libraries offering enough of the same services that what is available is easily recognizable? Probably not.
5. Same services available? -- offering the same services from system to system (or even branch to branch) would not be a great idea since so many communities need such different services and programs. Sometimes, it's better and more profitable to be different and give out what people want instead of what we want to provide.
6. Looking the same -- Well, Kentucky Fried Chicken has a critical mass of outlets offering the same or similar goods and services.

But here is where I think Branding is right. If a library system serves a small enough or similar enough community of users that they typically want or need the same services and programs etc… that there is a large enough crossover of patrons between the library system's branches who are not also using a number of other libraries in the area or that the use of those libraries would not dilute the brand they are trying to create. And of course, that the cost of trying to rebrand every library is far lower than the benefits. I've only seen two public library systems where I would argue that this occurs.

One the other hand, sometimes I wonder if many libraries are already branded? I've been to many libraries around the country that are branded as community libraries. They are branded separate and distinct to the community they serve even though they are part of the same library system. Maybe building community libraries and branding them as the library that serves their community is the way to go. In which case, it is simply the library's role to serve their community and provide what their community wants and needs. Or, maybe to REALLY stand out from the crowd you shouldn't brand your library like every other company?

Vince Writes: If the purpose of marketing is to get noticed and to cut through the predictability of most adverts and posters, then adhering to a formulaic brand may be a waste of resources.