When the economy heads south, the first item to be slashed is brand marketing.  In a slow economic climate, companies prefer to slash costs and focus their efforts on promotional items. 

Now, some companies are starting to take another look at promoting their particular brand, a harbinger of a nascent economic recovery. 

If you haven't focused much attention on your particular brand now is a good time to do so.  It may be time to re-brand including your logo.  One simple question will tell you if you need to consider re-branding:  Does your brand say what you want it to say about you and your company?  Does it tell potential customers what you do and what you can offer them? 

A strong brand focuses your marketing efforts and gives you the basic outline for any product launch, service promotion, or a new marketing campaign.  Just take a look at the past century's presidents.  They branded their efforts so that it could be memorialized in a phrase.  FDR had the New Deal, JFK used the New Frontier, LBJ the Great Society, and now Barack Obama is describing his ambitious agenda in terms of the New Foundation.  These brand phrases serve to encapsulate their political efforts much in the same way a business brand invokes the products or services offered by the company.  It's powerful stuff that if done correctly can produce tremendous results.