I was looking through some older blog posts today, and I discovered a post I wrote 15 years ago that I had forgotten about. Re-reading it today made me laugh, so I thought I’d post it again.
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So last night I made my way to Pakhuis Wilhelmina, a funky former warehouse turned live music venue in Amsterdam to see what turned out to be a surprisingly excellent Dutch Ramones tribute band.
While the band was terrific, they only knew about ten songs and considering most Ramones tunes clock in at less than three minutes we heard each song twice. The crowd didn’t care, getting more into it on the second go-round. (I think I heard Blitzkrieg Bop three times, but I can’t be sure).
So I look up to the chalkboard menu to see the brands of beer they serve. I see they helpfully say “brand” before listing Heineken and the others. Hmm… what shall I have? Wait. Hang on.
I notice that most people are drinking Brand brand beer. Okay, then.
So just to be a pain in the ass, I slyly ask the bartender “What brands of beer do you have?” He doesn’t miss a beat and says; “Yes.” (Been there before, obviously.)
Naturally I order one and engage him. The beer is very popular he says (I could see that already). He says Brand brand beer is now owned by Heineken, “like every other beer”.
Actually, Brand beer is pretty darned tasty. So tasty in fact, that I quickly drain it and order another. As I had arrived early – I had visions of the Ramones tribute band practicing counting off “one-two-three-four” really fast – I had time on my hands to think about a Brand called brand.
To be honest, I was cracking myself up. Really.
The rest of the crowd must have thought I was deranged as, alone, every few minutes I would laugh out loud. But then again, this is Amsterdam and what’s strange behavior in this town?
Anyway, I was reminded of my college friend Kelley MacDonald who married Les Kelley and became, well, Kelley Kelley.
A quick search revealed that Brand is a family-named business, the oldest active brewery of The Netherlands, with a premium perception in a mainstream market.
The brand manager for Brand brand beer
All I could think of was the brand manager for Brand brand beer. What a job that must be!
I kept running through various Abbott and Costello “Who’s on first” scenes in my mind:
MEETING SOMEONE AT WORK FOR THE FIRST TIME
Colleague: “Hi, I’m an accounting manager!”
Her: “Hi, I’m a brand manager.”
Colleague: “We all are, what do you do?”
HIRING AN AD AGENCY
Her: “I’m looking for an agency to help me market Brand.”
Agency boss: “What brand?”
Her: “Yes.”
AT A MARKETING CONFERENCE
Attendee: “What do you do?”
Her: “I’m the Brand brand brand manager.”
Attendee: “Too bad about the stutter.”
Anyway you get the idea. It was a fun night. 
