SAN FRANCISCO, California (December 31, 2010) ? Cutting through the clutter of news headlines and intrusive ads to look at branding successes and flops, small business marketing authority Roberta Guise today released the top ten branding stories and videos of 2010, which feature the good, the bad, and the disastrous.

Among the winners: (1) Conan O?Brien, (2) Apple, and (5) British Petroleum. ?I based my selections on how outstanding or how terrible the brand appeared,? Guise says. ?Conan O?Brien produced a no-frills video to announce the simple, no-frills name of his show, while Apple continued its brand of visually sweet and musically raw ads for the iPad.

?BP will be a communications case study in how to destroy a brand,? Guise predicts. ?They blundered with each new statement to the media, sinking to their lowest with CEO Tony Hayward?s insensitive comments about his life.?

Other brands on Guise?s Top Ten Branding stories and videos for 2010:

(3) Dos Equis vs Old Spice ads

(4) The Gap new logo flap

(6) Toyota and its massive recall, with a video memo from Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak

Guise also tagged for her 2010 list three videos that went viral:

7. Digital Nativity

8. Blendtec/Old Spice new Will it Blend?

9. Word Lens iPhone translation app

10. The number ten spot was left open for readers to submit their favorite branding story of 2010.

The full story is available at Guise's Be Visible Blog.

About

Roberta Guise enables successful women to become thought leaders. She also works with experts, small business owners and professionals who want to be extraordinarily visible and sharpen their marketing edge. An award-winning small business marketing consultant and speaker, she founded San Francisco-based Guise Marketing & PR in 1997. 415-979-0611. www.guisemarketing.com , www.bevisibleblog.com , http://www.linkedin.com/in/robertaguise , http://twitter.com/RobertaGuise