Lowest Common Denominator.

Has the bottom line in branding become lower in recent years after a spate of brand message butchery? Loveable old favorites like ‘Finger Lickin’ Good’ and ‘Probably the Best Beer in the World’ have been chopped into vague singulars, bent on reaching as many demographics as possible. The worst part is that many of these new straplines aren’t ownable for the brand in question - regardless of how pure the intentions. BMW cannot own the word ‘joy’, much like Coke can never own the word ‘happiness’ – they’re simply too indistinct and ubiquitous. The watering down of a message affects its ability to perform. Will future brand messages be nothing more than a single word? Will the magic ever return?