Doe Anderson - Building Brand Enthusiasts

Back to Our Senior Staff »

Ray Radford - Directory, Channel Marketing

Brand Experience

  • AARP
  • AMEX
  • Beam Global
  • Cummins
  • GE Consumer Electronics
  • Hasbro/Matel
  • Hewlett Packard
  • Honey Baked Ham
  • Jewish Hospital
  • Knob Creek
  • Kohler Company
  • Komatsu
  • Laphroaig
  • Long John Silvers
  • Maker's Mark
  • Morton's Steak House
  • Power Bilt Golf
  • RJ Reynolds
  • Sams
  • US Smokeless Tobacco
  • USA Today
  • Wal-Mart


Questions & Answers:

You were vice-president of Gannett Direct Marketing. How did that prepare you for life at Doe?
It made me realize that life inside the big corporate world was not a good fit for me. I needed to be in a more entrepreneurial world where winning comes from innovative non-traditional thinking.

What is your favorite movie of all time?
"2001: A Space Odyssey". I thought it was frame to frame a masterpiece.

Why do you like college football so much?
There is a real sense of challenge and hope associated with collegiate sports that I think is rejuvenating.

Why did you choose to live in Kentucky rather than a warmer climate state?
Florida has fresh squeezed oranges, Kentucky has fresh squeezed bourbon. I like bourbon more than orange juice.

What's your favorite color?
Taupe, whatever in the hell that is. I just like the sound of the word.

Why is a relationship marketing program essential to a brand?
Because it builds/supports long-term relationships with the consumer and makes brands less susceptible to competitive threats.

Do you have a favorite quote?
“Never pass up the chance to shut up.” I wish I followed that advice more often.

What are you going to pass on to your grandchildren?
A sense of humor.

There's a saying, "Mighty oaks from tiny acorns grow."

In 1915 in Louisville, Kentucky, Mr. Doe and Mr. Anderson believed the same could be said for growing mighty brands. And one simple typographer's symbol later, the acorn starting revealing a wealth of insights we've never forgotten.

First, there are no shortcuts in growing a brand. Cracking open an acorn doesn't give you an oak tree. And cracking one clever ad campaign doesn't make a strong brand. It takes seasons of growth.

You can't grow a tree from the top down, nor a brand. Only by starting at the grass roots can real growth begin. That's why having a word-of-mouth marketing program is so important, and so effective.

Environment is critical. If you create an inviting experience where customers feel at home, they'll not only put down deep roots, they'll invite their friends to join them, and grow your brand exponentially.

Life is a never-ending cycle. Only repeating growth ensures survival. By continually planting new seeds of opportunity, a brand is able to grow in a predictable way. Fortunately, it offers both quick, green growth, and a long-term system for more.

And since 1915, the acorn has done exactly what it is designed to do -- grow.