America - Target Market, 73, of every marketing plan in America, passed away after a long struggle following the collapse of the US economy in 2008.

Target Market (TM) was born in an earlier era when brands were owned by their corporate parent.  A child of a happy marriage between print and broadcast media.  TM grew up to be divided and segmented and successfully used to push products and messages out to consumers.

TM loved shopping, and spent much time at the mall, where she could combine her shopping, eating and movie desires.  Through artificial insemination she is survived by Network Market.

Network Market was born out of the need and ability for brands to strengthen their bonds with customers where they live, play, laugh, fight, commiserate and negotiate - online and offline communities centered around a common purpose.  Today brand marketing isn't about targeting and shooting at a consumer, it is about involving and engaging customers and communities.  Tapping into the affinities they share with each other, thus helping create Passionate Networks of Believers.

Memorial contributions for TM can be sent directly to brands that are still marketing through target markets, they are easy to spot as they continue to spiral out of control.

In today's new economy the brand is more important than ever.  As every dollar the customer spends is ever more scrutinized, the brand value plays an ever more important role in the spending.

Either a company is living, celebrating, experimenting, investing in the brand or they are damaging the brand.  And the truthful life of a brand is mostly in the details.  Most brands are focused on their product, packaging and presentation, but a score of less than A+ in any of those areas erodes the overall brand building effort.

Want to find the real brand, use the scratch test.  Scratch in the bathroom.  Scratch in the dressing room.  Scratch with service.   Scratch online.  Scratch the product ingredients.  Scratch and watch the brand value seep out.

What is it brands don't get?  The critical importance of passionate customers?  Passionate customers care.  Do well by them and they will speak highly of your brand.  Mislead, misinform, be disrespectful and they will yell the loudest - and be very influential with their voices.

How hungry are you after you have gone to a new restaurant and used the bathroom?  Does the bathroom reinforce the brand?  Can you imagine going into a hospital and using the bathroom only to find it so dirty that you wish you had gloves on?  Or the dressing room in the mall store, littered like a trash can.  Or the customer service person you finally reached only to be rushed through the call.

Hello, if a brand is comprised of all the touch points we as customers have with the brand, no wonder Celebrated Brands fall from grace.   The company is responsible for the brand's management.  And the brand's management doesn't end when the cash register rings.