Comments on: Building an Authentic Brand: Walk the Talk, or Go Home

By: BrandCultureTalk

BrandCultureTalk — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 09:30:35 +0000

Fake rock ‘n roll scars on new guitars do sound like they would turn off true Fender aficionados. But after 62 years, the brand might be looking outside that core for growth. It’ll be interesting to see how many “Road Worn” guitars end up under suburban Christmas Trees (and 6 months later at the backs of suburban closets), and how vitriolic the commentary in the online forums gets…
To learn more about Fender’s road worn guitars, see: http://www.fender.com/roadworn/site.php?language=

By: Rob

Rob — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 22:36:29 +0000

Great post. I recently started thinking a lot about authenticity when I received a flier promoting Fender’s new “Road Worn” guitars (http://www.fender.com/roadworn/). Third parties were making money by “relic-ing” Fender guitars (beating them up) and reselling them, giving the purchaser something that made them look like an authentic, well-traveled rockstar. Fender decided to eliminate the middleman and start “distressing” their own guitars, sold under the “Road Worn” brand. A sensible business move, but seems like a misstep from a branding point of view. Unlike Abercrombie’s beat-up jeans and hats, this struck me as an affront to Fender’s core audience. Fender can credibly claim some rock authenticity (Hendrix, Clapton…pretty much every guitar great has played a Fender at some point), and this concept undercuts that legacy, in my view. I’ve yet to read of any backlash, however. Curious to hear your thoughts.

By: Meloni Blake

Meloni Blake — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 21:46:32 +0000

This a a wonderful marketing site. The last paragraph of the Building an Authentic Brand is the perfect summary for my new book. I will share your site in my book!

By: Marsha Edwards

Marsha Edwards — Fri, 23 May 2008 18:51:35 +0000

Very true. Made me want to have a brand.