Summer vacation. My wife and I packed up the kids and drove ten hours to Concord, NC to spend four days at the Great Wolf Lodge. We had never been there before but our research was solid. We were feeling confident. The time off was much needed… a chance to reconnect with my family. (You know how it is.) But, more importantly, an opportunity to not think about brands and strategies and whether or not that last idea was based on a valid insight. No, THIS TIME would be spent thinking about nothing but indoor waterslides and creating new childhood memories for my kids. The ad machine is temporarily out of service. Fast-forward to a quick stop at a Trader Joe’s in Charlotte to pick up some supplies for the room. My head explodes. I’m in brand nirvana. I heard about Trader Joe’s but had never been in one. Even my wife was impressed and it becomes the topic of discussion for the next two hours. Trader Joe’s knows its brand inside out and its design work is glorious. Then there is the Lodge itself. From check-in to check out, Great Wolf Lodge is as close to family-friendly perfection as it gets, and about as active a vacation as one could experience without ever stepping foot outside into the blazing summer sun. They even went to great lengths to accommodate our son’s food allergies. Personal visits from a knowledgeable chef? My head was spinning. My objective was to not think about brands but all I could do was marvel at how masterfully Trader Joe’s and Great Wolf Lodge craft their brand experiences. It was beautiful. It was religion. I returned to Tampa and began speaking the Great Wolf gospel the same way Jamie Miller has been preaching about PDQ – another well-conceived brand – ever since he joined the D&C team. So, could I completely turn it off? No. And it was foolish to even try. I would have returned with my batteries and faith not fully recharged and even fewer souvenirs.

– Glen