My partner Indra is at a conference in Florida for PRSA Counselor’s Academy, learning how to be an even smarter professional in today’s whirlwind marketing arena. She rocks.

What doesn’t rock is how few professionals in the marketing world really GET IT, especially when it comes to branding. With the advent of social marketing, the essence of a brand is now even more ethereal, and requires strong brand management across multiple platforms in order to stay focused and true. I’m glad Indra is a leader in this field, because she is correct in her thinking — and our clients benefit from it.

I was reading a cool article in the New York Times this weekend about zombie brands, and it made me think about how much intellectual equity a brand can earn. Equity that remains valuable even after a brand has retired. Equity that begins its earning process from Day One, whether you like it or not. If it’s not too late for Brim and Underalls, then smart marketers should realize they need to start building their brand equity now — while they still have a living, breathing brand to nurture.

A few years ago, we did some work with Proctor & Gamble, Corning, Harrod’s and a few other worldwide conglomerates who were dusting off old heritage brands that still had equity but had left the shelves. It was fascinating work, as these brands were licensed to holding companies in the US and overseas with the intention to resurrect or redirect the power of those brands.

As we work with our clients now we are planning for present and the future, as we help them build equity and value for their brand — dead or alive. It’s cool work. I love what we do, especially when clients GET IT.