WHAT KIND OF BRAND AM I? Well, truthfully I'd rather begin this with 'what kind of brand would I like to be...and work backwards from there.

I've got a healthy ego, so -- I'd like to say I'd like to be the best brand; best being defined as successful, with good longevity, something that will be needed in 100 years, something that will appreciate with time. Something of quality and value...I'm actually having a hard time trying to determine what type of brand I want to be. Luxury goods isn't really what I'm looking to be, and calling myself Coke or McDonald's -- despite their dominance and success, isn't quite what I'm looking to claim either.

Now Hyundai -- there's a brand. And Apple -- there's a brand. So that wasn't as hard as I thought. I'm happy to say, that to strive to be the personification of Apple -- not bad, kid. So with that one squared away -- what kind of brand am I?

Well, on the great side -- I work my butt off. And there's really no spinning of wheels. I'm an efficient little devil and tireless and pretty good humored about it all. My deficiencies? Well, I could eat better and while I get to the gym, I could always get to the gym more than I do. I could stand to be more organized, but I could also stand for a maid, a personal cook, a personal trainer, and a personal accountant. (Maybe there's something to be said for being one of those luxury brands.) But to answer this question, I'm pretty frugal, and there's not a lot of flash...so as brand let's say I am Gateway. So really, and to be honest -- what is the difference from where I am and where I want to be? And how does a Gateway grow up to be...cool?

Well, being a marketer, I've learned the importance of positive spin. Reality does exist, but if you look closely at that glass, whether it's half full or half empty starts to blur until all you can really see is the fact that is European crystal, holding the pristine water from one of nature's most untapped and valuable springs.

So, does marketing matter? Absolutely it does. A good friend of mine just the other day would have bought that mattress from that 'other' company, but their website was bad and before she could press 'buy' she reconsidered and went to the better website.

As my mother lectured to me not so long ago, it doesn't so matter how virtuous we choose to be, but how virtuous are those who's decisions affect out livelihoods. It pays to be well dressed, well manned, temperate and kind in business, just as much as it pays to be prepared and well rested. Customer review are just opinions, but there is a very real world where those opinions matter, and if you can live within the region where you have the ability to adjust those opinions to your best interest, then -- hey, there's a market worth tapping.