Branding

In this crazy, ever more frantic world of modern communications, it's nice to be reminded about how simple and powerful - how elegant branding really is. I came across this old video of Steve Jobs explaining how the Apple brand was going to reclaim that elegance. The emphasis of his talk is not about the technology or design, but about value and core values, which is what makes great brands. It's worth a watch.

As with any brand, the identity of the Catholic Church matters. It matters because it informs. It conveys vital information about what the Catholic Church is, what it stands for, and why it is relevant. Unfortunately, the Church's identity has suffered much over the last half century. It has been diminished by relentless secular media attacks, muddied by internal dissent and division, and severely damaged by scandal. These problems continue today. The recent healthcare debate in Washington has effectively underscored the depth of the Church's identity problem.