Brand Aura

On a recent holiday I went to visit the Bayeaux tapestry. The medieval relic that depicts William the Conqueror's accession to the English throne (William the Bastard before he won the battle!). It is the sort of thing that every English person know's about - it's practically imprinted into our genetic code, certainly a fundamental to junior history lessons. Simply seeing it is magic - there it is, right in front of you, the actual thing, nearly 1000 years old!

However, to someone who didn't know the history, it could be incredibly dull. It is after all a tapestry. The story that goes with it makes the difference, giving it that aura of fascination. It is a fundamental part of the story of England - William I is the first King you learn about - it's the beginning of the history of England.

There's also an issue of relevant here. The tapestry is relevant to me as I am English and have a vague interest in history. Someone not English given the same story and shown the cloth is unlikely to have the same reaction.

The parallels with brands do not need pointing out.

There's a related blog post here from Pink Air.