Brand Trump
Brand Martha
Brand Dubai (Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum)
Brand Apple/etc./etc./iPod (Steve)
Brand California Reborn (the Guvenator)
Surely these are among the more stunning Branding-Worldchanging stories of the last 20 years:
How many are the product of careful market research?
How many are the results of visionary insaniac dreamers?
How many are at least partially the product of rather well-developed egos?
(Are there any market-research driven stories of a similar magnitude? Starbucks???)