For Immediate Release
Contact:
Hillary Angel
Wilkin Guge Marketing
(909) 390-1239 x104
hangel@wilkinguge.com
Wilkin Guge Marketing Adds Brand Strategist
CLAREMONT, Calif., July 20, 2006 – Wilkin Guge Marketing has announced the appointment of Jim Hughes as senior brand strategist. Jim joins the agency with over 30 years experience and is a nationally recognized branding consultant and brand development specialist.
"Jim is a true branding guru," said Gail Guge, managing partner and brand strategist of Wilkin Guge Marketing. "We are thrilled to have someone of his caliber and expertise working with our clients on developing brand platform marketing."
Hughes has an array of knowledge in brand strategy, development and integrated marketing and has helped more than 200 companies with brand development and tactical brand initiatives. His trademark approach is nationally recognized as the new paradigm in brand development. In fact, Hughes has redefined brand as the evidence of a claim of distinction.
"A brand has been defined as a claim of distinction, but I contend it's more than that. Anyone can make a claim; it is the evidence of distinction that carries the day," explained Hughes. "Brand development, at its core, isn't about cute sock puppets or ways to deliver marketing messages. It's about discovering that one-of-a-kind characteristic about a company that is unique and can influence choice and is totally credible because there is evidence of that truth."
Hughes is the founder and managing director of The Brand Establishment, an elite group of principals of brand development and branding firms dedicated to an advanced and contemporary view of brand development. The Brand Establishment is the only national organization that certifies brand strategy consultants within a proven methodology.
"Like Wilkin Guge, I focus on brand development with the ultimate goal of meeting clients' business objectives," said Hughes. "We share the belief that brands come from within, not from the perceptions of our audiences or markets, and this is important to remember when establishing a brand."
Hughes is an author, frequent speaker, consultant and seminar leader and has taught advanced studies workshops in brand development at Northwestern University's Seabury Institute. Hughes has served on the board of directors for the Orange County Ad Club and Ad Council. He is also an active member of Second Wind, the largest association of small and mid-sized advertising agencies in the world and participates in the group's president's council.
About Wilkin Guge Marketing
Wilkin Guge Marketing is a full-service marketing firm that takes its clients Beyond Branding™ through its proprietary ten-step Brandus Operandi™ process. Agency campaigns, featured on www.wilkinguge.com, include integrated research, brand identity, strategic planning, advertising, public relations, direct marketing, Web development and ongoing customer relationship management. Success is measured in aggressive client growth: Brand Leaps—Business Bounds™.
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