No one really thinks about branding janitorial supplies but Interline Brands is doing just that. The direct distributor of maintenance repair (which includes said supplies as well as lighting fixtures, heating, ventilating and air conditioning) recently launched SupplyWorks, a new brand representing five names in the institutional maintenance market.
“We’ve united the systems, the distribution centers, the support staff that we need to deliver products to those customers,” explains CEO Michael Grebe. “We’re at the point now where we can unify all five of those brands into one national brand.”
Grebe isn’t the only one talking about brands. For years, the topic of branding has been on nearly every newsmaker’s lips as the following quotes show.
“Suppliers and especially manufacturers have market power because they have information about a product or a service that the customer does not and cannot have, and does not need if he can trust the brand. This explains the profitability of brands.” – Peter Drucker
“You now have to decide what image you want for your brand. Image means personality. Products, like people, have personalities, and they can make or break them in the market place.” – David Ogilvy
“As a brand marketer, I’m a big believer in branding the customer experience, not just selling the service.” – John Sculley
“Brand is not a product, that’s for sure; it’s not one item. It’s an idea, it’s a theory, it’s a meaning, it’s how you carry yourself. It’s aspirational, it’s inspirational.” – Kevin Plank
“Brand is just a perception, and perception will match reality over time. Sometimes it will be ahead, other times it will be behind. But brand is simply a collective impression some have about a product.” – Elon Musk
“Just build your brand from day one, man. Your brand is your name, basically. A lot of people don’t know that they need to build their brand, your brand is what keeps you moving.” – Meek Mill
“Regardless of age, regardless of position, regardless of the business we happen to be in, all of us need to understand the importance of branding. We are CEOs of our own companies: Me, Inc. To be in business today, our most important job is to be head marketer for the brand called You.” – Tom Peters
“I don’t really like to call myself a brand, and I don’t like to think of myself as a brand. I’m a singer, a songwriter, a musician and a performer. And an actress, and all the other things that I do. When you add it all together, some might call it a brand, but that’s not my focus.” – Beyonce Knowles
“Pink is what I do. Alecia is who I am. The world has taken Pink and turned it into this thing, a brand – a snarl.” – Pink
“Social media is changing the way we communicate and the way we are perceived, both positively and negatively. Every time you post a photo, or update your status, you are contributing to your own digital footprint and personal brand.” – Amy Jo Martin
“Think about what people are doing on Facebook today. They’re keeping up with their friends and family, but they’re also building an image and identity for themselves, which in a sense is their brand.” – Mark Zuckerberg
“I think the more important task for a young person than developing a personal brand is figuring out what she’s great at, what she loves to do, and how she can use that to leave an imprint in the world. Those are tough questions, but essential ones. Answer those – and the personal brand follows.” – Daniel H. Pink
