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About Us

Since 1999, BrandForward has helped more than two hundred companies, municipalities and other organizations create, build and leverage their brands. BrandForward focuses on four service areas:

  • Brand Research

  • Brand Strategy

  • Brand Identity

  • Brand Education

We have served a wide variety of clients from Fortune 100 companies and start-ups to municipalities and not-for-profit organizations, including clients in the following categories:

  • Aging Services

  • Aviation

  • Broadcasting and Publishing

  • Business-to-Business / Professional Services

  • Consumer Products

  • Consumer Services

  • Education

  • Fashion

  • Financial Services

  • Food / Restaurants

  • Government

  • Healthcare

  • Hospitality

  • Insurance

  • Manufacturing

  • Marketing Agencies

  • Marketing Research Companies

  • Not-for-Profit Organizations

  • Pharmaceuticals

  • Public Utilities

  • Real Estate

  • Technology

  • Trade & Professional Associations

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​BrandForward is well-known for educating its clients and facilitating their complete consensus regarding brand strategy throughout the branding process. We are passionate about creating clarity, consensus and commitment to the brand by our clients.

Our Leadership

Brad VanAuken is president and founder of BrandForward, Inc., a brand strategy consultancy with clients throughout the world. Previously, Brad was the vice president of marketing for Element K (now Skillsoft), a leading e-learning company and director of brand management and marketing for Hallmark Cards. During his tenure as Hallmark’s

chief brand advocate, Hallmark rose to 4th in the EquiTrend national quality brand ranking and Hallmark received the Brand Management of the Year award.

 

Recognized as one of the world’s leading experts on brand management and marketing, Brad is a much sought after speaker and writer.  He has been interviewed by ADWEEK, CNN, Entrepreneur magazine, Forbes magazine, Fox News, HLN, Investor’s Business Daily, NPR and The Bloomberg Money Show. He is an adjunct professor of marketing at RIT’s Saunders College of Business and has been a guest lecturer at many universities including Harvard University, Stanford University, Northwestern University, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, University of Rochester, University of Kansas and University of Missouri at Kansas City.

 

He wrote the best-selling brand book Brand Aid, and he coauthors a successful branding blog read by tens of thousands of marketers throughout the world. In 2008 and 2009, Invesp identified him as one of the top 100 marketers. Brad has a BS degree from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and an MBA from Harvard Business School.

 

Brad VanAuken serves as the team leader and chief brand strategist for all client projects. He is assisted by a team of marketing research, brand strategy, brand identity and copy writing partners, all of whom have at least 25 years of experience in their fields.

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